Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Bit...

After much anticipation, Mario returns in his first platformer outing since Super Mario Sunshine on the Game Cube. The game's basic mechanics are essentially the same; the player navigates through a series of 3-D levels, trying to complete a certain task in order to recover a power star. The story is likewis very similar to previous games, in that Bowser has kidnapped you-know-who and now you have to go save her rear end (again). However, it is in the nuances that this game departs from its predecessors, and after having completed the meat of the single player game, I have to say that I like it. A lot. In fact, I think this is probably my favorite 3-D Mario game yet, and here's why:

First, the presentation of this game is phenomenal. Mario games have never been a slouch in the polish department, mind you, but Galaxy takes it to a whole new level. Graphically, everything about the game world is colorful and vibrant, and really captures the "Mario" feel in a way I don't think the previous games have. Also, the game's missions are laid out in a much more easy to understand manner, and the menus are much easier to navigate. This means that it is easier for the player to focus on the current task at hand, taking a lot of the guess work involved with determining where to go next. Some might decry this as a "dumbing down," but I think it makes the experience go much more smoothly is all.

Next up, this game actually has something approaching a narrative that describes how the game world came into being, which is uncovered over the course of the game in the form of story book chapters. These chapters are not a mandatory read, but the do add a lot of depth and charm to the game. They also add a lot more emotional impact to the game's ending!

Another thing I really like about this game is the semi-active participation for a second player. As one player controls Mario, a second player can use their Wii-mote to grab star bits, which are these small crystals that can be used for all sorts of things, like stunning enemies or opening up new paths. This means that the second player doesn't have to be fully involved with the game, and adds an interesting support aspect to the game play as well. While this stops short of a full-blown co-op mode, it is really good for getting a non-gamer into the action in a way such that they won't become overwhelmed.

Finally, I thought this game was much more "approachable" in terms of difficulty than previous games. Okay, fine, I think this game's levels are quite a bit easier for the most part. Happy now? The thing is, I don't think this is a bad thing. I found there wasn't nearly as much frustration involved with this game as there was with previous games, and this contributed to a very addictive feeling of "Just...one...more...star!" That feeling just wasn't there for me with either Mario 64 or Sunshine, and I think it had a lot to do with my just getting stuck in one spot long enough to lose interest. Don't get me wrong, there were still a couple of points in the game where I wanted to pull my hair out, but for the most part it was a very enjoyable experience.

So there you have it, my thoughts on what might be one of the best games on the Wii right now. No doubt about it, this game is huge! I've only got about 70 stars out of a total of 120, which was enough to beat the game and finish the story. However, after the credits roll, you get access to several new levels, and get an opportunity to collect all 120 stars! Once that is done, there are other extras and challenges to take on, I hear. While I've had to sit this game aside for now to play others that are piling up, it is a fair bet I will return to it someday. Overall, Mario fan or not (what is wrong with you?), all Wii owners should give this game a hard look; there is a lot of fun and value to be had here!

Andy Rucker