I usually spend most of my time bitching and complaining about every game I play... yet it's taken my 59 stars to finally find a complaint. There are a number of locations in the later levels were for some reason, the camera is locked and unmovable by the player. I've hardly touched the camera since the start, so it's never bothered me. However, recently, I've encountered 3 jumps where I can't quite tell where the next platform is relative to where I'm trying to jump from... and in all 3 of these situations, the camera is locked and I'm unable to get a better view. Oh, and to make it even more tricky, there's a strict time limit!
I am now at 82 stars and had encountered what you had experienced too, but I get used to it after a while so its not much of a bother. My only complaint will be the sup par effort of 2 of the galaxies in the later levels, kinda weak and lazy design.
I am now at 82 stars and had encountered what you had experienced too, but I get used to it after a while so its not much of a bother. My only complaint will be the sup par effort of 2 of the galaxies in the later levels, kinda weak and lazy design.
I played it for about 40 minutes I think... Guess how many stars I got??
Only 1.
I spent the whole time in awe in amazement trying new things and spent at least 5 minutes on each planet, finding and trying everything I can, trying to get on top each house, trying to get to places you're not supposed to, and jumping over gaps which lead to blackholes just because it was so fun. When I got to the Observatory I was there for a hella long time. I climbed all the way up this one black tower which wasn't really open (the hubs lights areas and makes them accessible as you get stars) Then I tried to get on the star thing(looks like the sun, didn't pay much attention to story since I want to save that for when I get it) in the middle which I came so close to. Then when I got to the Good Egg Galaxy I spent another long ass time on the first planet lol, and then my friends called and I had to go meet em and there was this little kid with his dad and he was like "Oh! look it's Mario!" so I let him play. I'm so freaking happy though, I didn't want to progress to much, but I got my damn fill just messing around with things and now I don't feel the urge to watch any more media. This game is living up to my favorite game of all time(SM64)
I was disappointed with my the hookup though, they have a Samsung LCD without component cables... So honestly I wasn't very impressed with it at first at the Mushroom Kingdom stage but I think the graphics did look significantly better on the planets.
I wasn't disoriented at all at first on the planets as some people said they were but i don't know, that's just me. The backflip can bring you hella back now with great length compared to SM64, you can't do the back long jump trick anymore, Mario has to be in a full sprint to do a side somersault jump now too. Camera was never a problem. The d-pad camera options aren't always accessible though.
Oh yeah, the music notes are awesome too! I love how they play the song as you go and encourage you to get them in order. Crouch walking is hilarious. At the beginning of the intro stage if you go on the bridge to the right where a Toad says the view is beautiful the camera out zooms and gives you a nice look at the place. None of the houses are accessible there but all the toads have something to say. Some of the Toads in the intro are hilarious, when it gets under attack one toad is saying "Stay in my happy place"
My score for the game off 40 minutes of play and 1 star -
A few complaints from the later galaxies for those who've finished world 5 and moved on:
1. The boss level for world 5 was TERRIBLE. It was like 2 small rooms and a rehashed boss...wtf! Did they start running out of time/budget at this point?
2. The camera during the children's room where you have to get 100 purple coins was really really bad.
3. Also an entire ocean race level with waves and no stingray version of it? What a waste. That level was also incredibly easy, which was weird.
Can someone who has beaten the game give me a heads up on how long this game is? I know there is going to be a decent amount of replay value, but just a standard run through. You will probably want to black out the answer since some people don't want to know the answer to this.
Arg. I managed to avoid spoilers (and probably what is mentioned as the "megaton spoiler" in the topic) and then I went and watched the 1up Show.
Sure, there was a "mild spoiler" warning, I figured that would just be the levels and bosses, boy was I wrong That would have been a cool surprise in the game, but they had to go give it away. Next time I'll take their mild warnings a little more seriously.
Its honestly been awhile since a game really grabbed my attention and make me go wow. I could list many games these past couple of years which have certainly garnered my praise for being engaging and engrossing (SOTC, Bioshock, and Folklore to name a few), but Super Mario Galaxy takes the proverbial mother fucking cake. Ill be honest, I dont think Ive smiled so much while playing a game and have said, wow, this shit is awesome so many times. That doesnt mean this game is flawless, but the good definitely outweighs the miniscule bad (more to come on that later). Granted Im only 50 stars in and far from my goal of 120 stars, pretty much everything in this game is made of pure win and Raptor Jesus.
The world (or galaxy, whatever) of Super Mario Galaxy is downright amazing and it is a symbol of Koizumi, Miyamoto, and EAD Tokyos hard work. This game is beautiful in both aesthetics and game design. You dont need an HDTV to go WOW! Theyve done an awesome job in creating a 3D game without the need of full camera assist. Considering the complexity and the design of all the levels you encounter, I never really had too much trouble with the on-the-ground camera. The underwater camera is rather problematic, but Ill discuss that later.
The level design is downright awesome. Granted there are traditional 3D platforms and some psuedo 2D elements, it is the gravity that takes center stage here. Playing and experimenting with the gravity is what makes this game leaps and bounds above other platformers, past, present, and future. Platforms, such as planetoids, cylinders, and other random objects like Yoshis face, come in all different shapes and sizes, which is fun as hell to jump around and find myself doing constantly just for the hell of it. Youre never really fighting against it most of the time and it adds so much depth to all the stages. Theres a lot of random shit you wont be expecting, which goes the same for many of the boss battles. Ive had to rethink my normal platforming strategies to circumvent losing multiple lives.
Controls are excellent for the most part (again underwater can be rather tricky). Wii-mote integration is excellent and feels very natural. There are a few levels that limit you to only using the tilt functions of the Wii-mote (Manta Ray race and the Golf Course Galaxy for instance), but they are merely tasty sides that complement the main course. Overall your Wii-mote is basically the omniscient being helping Mario by shooting and collecting stars, activating floaty bubbles, and other random duties, which add another level of depth to the platformer. In this game, its not just Mario, but Mario and I.
Throw in 2P and we add another helping hand in Marios quest for the Grand Stars. 2P can also collect stars, literally hold of enemies, and give Mario an extra boost while jumping (which in turn can fuck up the players intentions if youre not careful). 2P can jump in anytime during the course of the game so you dont have to worry about starting over if your friend, girlfriend, etc. wants to join in for the action. Ive played 2P a lot and its very satisfying. Granted you take a back seat, your actions can make it a lot easier for 1P to finish the level. Thats perfect for a lot of the time challenges youll end up facing if you decide to get more than the required stars needed.
As for music, there is only one thing to really say FUCKING BEAUTIFUL! I feel so damn inspired running through the galaxies and the soundtrack really gives the game a sense of grandeur that not only fits the games namesake, but also captures my own essence of amazement. Oh yeah, the SMB3 music rocks like always, especially the old airship music.
I also think the difficulty is well paced. The puzzles are not so hard to understand but the effort into reaching the star can be quite a task. There are the occasional one-shot galaxies which really test your platforming skills and the comet challenges which consist of time attacks, 1 life boss battles (versus the usual 3 lives), and race to the star to name a few. If youre a big platforming fan and Mario fan in general, I think youll extremely enjoy all these features.
Complaints, etc:
As much as this game is the game of the forever, its not completely perfect. Besides the underwater camera and controls, which has some really odd tracking issues in my book, a lot of my complaints are more nitpicky than anything else.
Considering the nature of underwater levels, the camera tries to place itself in the most optimal position depending on what direction youre traveling. When you switch directions or stop to survey the area, you usually dont get a good idea of where you want to go because the camera positions itself in an awkward manner. For the most part, a lot of the issues happen when youre stationary, but the underwater camera never really gives you an optimal view. Its a good thing this game isnt called Super Mario Ocean, so Im willing to forgive. BTW, its not game breaking either, so relax.
Controls around a larger rounded edge of a flat platform with gravity all over can pretty tricky to maneuver around if you plan on staying on that area for an extended period of time, meaning you are running around the edges, etc. You might have to fight the analog stick a little depending on your movements. Again, this is nitpicky because the easiest way to solve my issue is to just quickly run or jump to the other side. But since I like to mess around and look cool, I wish there were a better solution to how the controls are tracked on the larger rounded edges.
Also, I know I said the difficulty is well paced, but I was referring to the average gamer. Ive played Mario games for about 12 years, so I think I have a rather mature platforming sense and I know what to look for when playing games like this. With that said, this game has been somewhat easy for me overall. Dont get me wrong, this game has challenged me quite a bit and Ive lost multiple lives because of it (which Ill get to in a sec), but the main game isnt as hard as I thought it would be. Its attempting to attain those extra stars and auxiliary levels that give me the platforming challenges that make me go, alright bitch, Im going to beat you this time. Since pretty much half of the 120 stars is acquired through these extras, Ive been having the time of my life.
Granted I die a couple times in certain levels, Im not worried about game over because this game gives you 1ups for almost everything you do. For every 50 stars, 1up. For every 50 coins, 1 up. You dont normally get a lot of coins in a level, but damned if you dont get at least 150 stars at the end of one. Plus there are 1ups scattered throughout the Comet Observatory, which always refresh after every level giving you an endless supply of lives when needed.
If you own a Wii, buy this game. If you dont own a Wii, buy this game and a Wii:
So from nostalgia, controls, art design, music, everything, this is a masterpiece. I know I have listed a couple of complaints, but they shouldnt discourage you from buying this game. If anything, they're really insignificant to the bigger picture. Super Mario Galaxy has brought back the same feeling I got from playing all the major Mario games, from Super Mario Bros straight to Mario 64 (sorry Sunshine, you were good, but not THAT good). I know I havent finished the game yet, but I will give a post review afterwards. In the name of Raptor Jesus and Black Gai, I love this game. I'm pretty sure the rest of the game won't disappoint.
9999999999999999999.9999999999/
10
000000000000000000
Sorry for the mass of text. This game brings the giddy kid out of me.
Tieno said:
What's the the best approach to this game?
1)Clearing all the stars in one planet and then moving to the next?
2)Hopping from planet to planet as soon as they're available?
Usually I can't help myself and would go for 1) but I can see how 2) might be a more diverse and enjoyable experience.
I do a mixture of 1 and 2 depending on how much I've enjoyed the level. Each star quest in one "galaxy" doesn't necessarily take you through the same path each time, so you'll get variety one way or another. Those comet challenges will have you going back and unlocking more stars anyway, so spice it up a little and diversify.
Its honestly been awhile since a game really grabbed my attention and make me go wow. I could list many games these past couple of years which have certainly garnered my praise for being engaging and engrossing (SOTC, Bioshock, and Folklore to name a few), but Super Mario Galaxy takes the proverbial mother fucking cake. Ill be honest, I dont think Ive smiled so much while playing a game and have said, wow, this shit is awesome so many times. That doesnt mean this game is flawless, but the good definitely outweighs the miniscule bad (more to come on that later). Granted Im only 50 stars in and far from my goal of 120 stars, pretty much everything in this game is made of pure win and Raptor Jesus.
The world (or galaxy, whatever) of Super Mario Galaxy is downright amazing and it is a symbol of Koizumi, Miyamoto, and EAD Tokyos hard work. This game is beautiful in both aesthetics and game design. You dont need an HDTV to go WOW! Theyve done an awesome job in creating a 3D game without the need of full camera assist. Considering the complexity and the design of all the levels you encounter, I never really had too much trouble with the on-the-ground camera. The underwater camera is rather problematic, but Ill discuss that later.
The level design is downright awesome. Granted there are traditional 3D platforms and some psuedo 2D elements, it is the gravity that takes center stage here. Playing and experimenting with the gravity is what makes this game leaps and bounds above other platformers, past, present, and future. Platforms, such as planetoids, cylinders, and other random objects like Yoshis face, come in all different shapes and sizes, which is fun as hell to jump around and find myself doing constantly just for the hell of it. Youre never really fighting against it most of the time and it adds so much depth to all the stages. Theres a lot of random shit you wont be expecting, which goes the same for many of the boss battles. Ive had to rethink my normal platforming strategies to circumvent losing multiple lives.
Controls are excellent for the most part (again underwater can be rather tricky). Wii-mote integration is excellent and feels very natural. There are a few levels that limit you to only using the tilt functions of the Wii-mote (Manta Ray race and the Golf Course Galaxy for instance), but they are merely tasty sides that complement the main course. Overall your Wii-mote is basically the omniscient being helping Mario by shooting and collecting stars, activating floaty bubbles, and other random duties, which add another level of depth to the platformer. In this game, its not just Mario, but Mario and I.
Throw in 2P and we add another helping hand in Marios quest for the Grand Stars. 2P can also collect stars, literally hold of enemies, and give Mario an extra boost while jumping (which in turn can fuck up the players intentions if youre not careful). 2P can jump in anytime during the course of the game so you dont have to worry about starting over if your friend, girlfriend, etc. wants to join in for the action. Ive played 2P a lot and its very satisfying. Granted you take a back seat, your actions can make it a lot easier for 1P to finish the level. Thats perfect for a lot of the time challenges youll end up facing if you decide to get more than the required stars needed.
As for music, there is only one thing to really say FUCKING BEAUTIFUL! I feel so damn inspired running through the galaxies and the soundtrack really gives the game a sense of grandeur that not only fits the games namesake, but also captures my own essence of amazement. Oh yeah, the SMB3 music rocks like always, especially the old airship music.
I also think the difficulty is well paced. The puzzles are not so hard to understand but the effort into reaching the star can be quite a task. There are the occasional one-shot galaxies which really test your platforming skills and the comet challenges which consist of time attacks, 1 life boss battles (versus the usual 3 lives), and race to the star to name a few. If youre a big platforming fan and Mario fan in general, I think youll extremely enjoy all these features.
Complaints, etc:
As much as this game is the game of the forever, its not completely perfect. Besides the underwater camera and controls, which has some really odd tracking issues in my book, a lot of my complaints are more nitpicky than anything else.
Considering the nature of underwater levels, the camera tries to place itself in the most optimal position depending on what direction youre traveling. When you switch directions or stop to survey the area, you usually dont get a good idea of where you want to go because the camera positions itself in an awkward manner. For the most part, a lot of the issues happen when youre stationary, but the underwater camera never really gives you an optimal view. Its a good thing this game isnt called Super Mario Ocean, so Im willing to forgive. BTW, its not game breaking either, so relax.
Controls around a larger rounded edge of a flat platform with gravity all over can pretty tricky to maneuver around if you plan on staying on that area for an extended period of time, meaning you are running around the edges, etc. You might have to fight the analog stick a little depending on your movements. Again, this is nitpicky because the easiest way to solve my issue is to just quickly run or jump to the other side. But since I like to mess around and look cool, I wish there were a better solution to how the controls are tracked on the larger rounded edges.
Also, I know I said the difficulty is well paced, but I was referring to the average gamer. Ive played Mario games for about 12 years, so I think I have a rather mature platforming sense and I know what to look for when playing games like this. With that said, this game has been somewhat easy for me overall. Dont get me wrong, this game has challenged me quite a bit and Ive lost multiple lives because of it (which Ill get to in a sec), but the main game isnt as hard as I thought it would be. Its attempting to attain those extra stars and auxiliary levels that give me the platforming challenges that make me go, alright bitch, Im going to beat you this time. Since pretty much half of the 120 stars is acquired through these extras, Ive been having the time of my life.
Granted I die a couple times in certain levels, Im not worried about game over because this game gives you 1ups for almost everything you do. For every 50 stars, 1up. For every 50 coins, 1 up. You dont normally get a lot of coins in a level, but damned if you dont get at least 150 stars at the end of one. Plus there are 1ups scattered throughout the Comet Observatory, which always refresh after every level giving you an endless supply of lives when needed.
If you own a Wii, buy this game. If you dont own a Wii, buy this game and a Wii:
So from nostalgia, controls, art design, music, everything, this is a masterpiece. I know I have listed a couple of complaints, but they shouldnt discourage you from buying this game. If anything, they're really insignificant to the bigger picture. Super Mario Galaxy has brought back the same feeling I got from playing all the major Mario games, from Super Mario Bros straight to Mario 64 (sorry Sunshine, you were good, but not THAT good). I know I havent finished the game yet, but I will give a post review afterwards. In the name of Raptor Jesus and Black Gai, I love this game. I'm pretty sure the rest of the game won't disappoint.
9999999999999999999.9999999999/
10
000000000000000000
Sorry for the mass of text. This game brings the giddy kid out of me.
I do a mixture of 1 and 2 depending on how much I've enjoyed the level. Each star quest in one "galaxy" doesn't necessarily take you through the same path each time, so you'll get variety one way or another. Those comet challenges will have you going back and unlocking more stars anyway, so spice it up a little and diversify.
I have $5 down on a pre-order of Galaxy at GameStop. I'd like to instead get Galaxy at TRU and use the $25 GC on Fire Emblem. Should I just cancel my pre-order and get $5 credit at GameStop, or is there a way to totally get out of my preorder?
I have $5 down on a pre-order of Galaxy at GameStop. I'd like to instead get Galaxy at TRU and use the $25 GC on Fire Emblem. Should I just cancel my pre-order and get $5 credit at GameStop, or is there a way to totally get out of my preorder?
I bought Sunshine yesterday to try to satiate my longing for Galaxy (gave my first copy to my half-sister when she got her Gamecube). It's actually not quite as bad as I remeber it, but I'm already finding some frustration with the controls. As an aside, WHY THE F*** DID THEY GET RID OF THE LONG JUMP IN SUNSHINE?!*
*I hadn't played a lot of M64 before my first playthrough of Sunshine, so I didn't really miss it back then.
I bought Sunshine yesterday to try to satiate my longing for Galaxy (gave my first copy to my half-sister when she got her Gamecube). It's actually not quite as bad as I remeber it, but I'm already finding some frustration with the controls. As an aside, WHY THE F*** DID THEY GET RID OF THE LONG JUMP IN SUNSHINE?!*
*I hadn't played a lot of M64 before my first playthrough of Sunshine, so I didn't really miss it back then.
The end few worlds have a lot of re-used stuff and the paths start having a lot of the same areas. It's still good, but it doesn't have the creativity as the rest of the game. I wonder if they really wanted it out by x-mas and just ran out of time and figured most casuals wouldn't even get that far?
All I want to know is are there any snow/ice worlds? I've been on media blackout and won't get my hands on it for another month, so a simple answer would be appreciated.
All I want to know is are there any snow/ice worlds? I've been on media blackout and won't get my hands on it for another month, so a simple answer would be appreciated.
All I want to know is are there any snow/ice worlds? I've been on media blackout and won't get my hands on it for another month, so a simple answer would be appreciated.
Alright, finished the game. Total time was ~14-15 hours.
85
stars, finished the main paths of every level in game. All that's left are the hidden stars and the gimmicky re-runs through them for
comet
mode.
The game is really fantastic all around. What's nice is that Nintendo basically looked at Sunshine, looked at TP, looked at WW, and realized what brings the games down is the filler/tedious sections. So they sucked all that out and just left room after room of pure gameplay for 15-20 hours with no bullshit, and I approve highly of that. The level design is A++++ and full of creativity, and the challenge is good. It's easier than 64 & Sunshine, but it's not ridiculously easy or anything. It's just right for difficulty. Harder than SMB DS I think.
The graphics look better than most PS3/X360 games on my TV, but that's probably because I have a CRT. I'd imagine it looks kinda bad if you have an LCD HDTV. The animation in the game is amazing. I had thought nothing could top Ratchet PS3 in the animation department, but I think the animation here might be even better. Some enemies look incredible. Overall the visuals are a generational upgrade from Sunshine. Galaxy is the first Wii game that doesn't look like it could be done on GC. Can't wait to see a ground-up Wii Zelda.
Music is awesome.
Control is mainly great. Sometimes when you are upside-down or sideways, it can be awkward doing certain actions, and coupled with a camera that isn't always your friend it can make things a bit tougher than they should be occasionally. Underwater is not that good unfortunately (camera/controls) and all the underwater sections in the game are ridiculously easy to make up for that.
Story presentation is nice.
My only complaint besides occasional camera problems and underwater controls are that some of the galaxies in the last two worlds are re-hashes of older levels and some of the levels just aren't that great, especially compared to the level of awesome that the earlier levels have. It's not bad enough to say the game falls apart in the last 20%, but it definitely loses that magic touch during a handful of galaxies. Also there is some filler/tedious stuff if you want 120 stars. I think to be fully satisfied, I would have wanted either better worlds for the last 2 (outside the
toy galaxy, which was awesome
) or I would have wanted 1-2 more galaxies. Otherwise it feels a little short with the focus on replay challenges to make up for lack of levels.
I'd give it a 9.5/10 because of the various issues, but it's still my GoTY because when it's at its best, which is at least half the game, it's incredible.
Thank you Bebpo for that straightforward, comprehensive review. Getting more pumped as each day passes.
You specifically mentioned LCD, are you saying you think a plasma would make it look better? I ask because I'll snag an HDTV early next year, and I wanted one that would (probably) make all three systems look sharp.
Thank you Bebpo for that straightforward, comprehensive review. Getting more pumped as each day passes.
You specifically mentioned LCD, are you saying you think a plasma would make it look better? I ask because I'll snag an HDTV early next year, and I wanted one that would (probably) make all three systems look sharp.
Wii games actually tend to look superb on my knockoff brand plasma, and I don't even have component cables. I've heard the jaggies show up horribly on LCD though.
Good Plasmas are right behind CRT with making SD stuff look good. LCDs are pretty bad with SD and I'm not sure about DLP but I'd guess they'd be more like LCD than Plasma.
Well I just got back from the store and it was no problem to get my money back. They don't seem to mind unless you paid for the pre-order with in store credit.
Thank you Bebpo for that straightforward, comprehensive review. Getting more pumped as each day passes.
You specifically mentioned LCD, are you saying you think a plasma would make it look better? I ask because I'll snag an HDTV early next year, and I wanted one that would (probably) make all three systems look sharp.
Plasmas generally output 480p sources like the Wii a lot better than the average LCD. If you're looking to get the best out of it, CRT is the way to go but everything is in the eye of the beholder. Depending on who's around, I'll play the Wii on either my 24" Sony Wide CRT monitor (which looks fucking fantastic) or my Mitsu DLP, which granted produces a little jagfest, it's hardly noticeable from around 7-10ft away and looks awesome sauce.
In fact, here's a couple screens from my DLP. I also have a random Vizio at my house and the Wii looks like assicles on there.
Question about what happens when you get all the stars:
So I read you unlock playable Luigi. Does he actually play any different? What happens in the levels where you need the power-ups like the Bee and stuff?
Thanks for the info guys, I've tried to do some homework on HDTVs but I wasn't aware of that.
donkey show said:
Plasmas generally output 480p sources like the Wii better than the average LCD. If you're looking to get the best out of it, CRT is the way to go but everything is in the eye of the beholder. Depending on who's around, I'll play the Wii on either my 24" Sony Wide CRT monitor (which looks fucking fantastic) or my Mitsu DLP, which granted produces a little jagfest, it's hardly noticeable from around 10ft away and looks awesome sauce.
Those screens look fantastic, imo, I remember seeing them earlier in the thread. The only jaggies that really stand out at all are on that hill in the background. I'll actually be playing SMG on my 27" Sony CRT SDTV for a few months, so I know I'll be in good shape for the time being.
Question about what happens when you get all the stars:
So I read you unlock playable Luigi. Does he actually play any different? What happens in the levels where you need the power-ups like the Bee and stuff?
For the most part, I hear he's just more floaty and jumps higher
Those screens look fantastic, imo, I remember seeing them earlier in the thread. The only jaggies that really stand out at all are on that hill in the background. I'll actually be playing SMG on my 27" Sony CRT SDTV for a few months, so I know I'll be in good shape for the time being.
Yeah, you'll be fine with the CRT. There's no need to jump on the HD bandwagon with this game atm, unless you were going for some huge size. But SMG is probably the best looking Wii game when played on my DLP. The visual style is so pleasing that I'm never really bothered by the little jaggies, unlike my other Wii games.
But SMG is probably the best looking Wii game when played on my DLP. The visual style is so pleasing that I'm never really bothered by the little jaggies, unlike my other Wii games.
I'm at 65 stars so far and loving every minute. I think I have been pretty thorough on getting stars as I go but with 1 world left I'm wondering where all those stars are going to come from.
Is there a coin collectathon on each level like sm64, or did i miss a ton of things along the way? I hope the real answer is there is a lot more levels to come.
Is there a coin collectathon on each level like sm64, or did i miss a ton of things along the way? I hope the real answer is there is a lot more levels to come.
You know, I was thinking that too, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Besides secret ones found here and there, there's
Luigi's findathon and the comet challenges.
I don't know if there's any more after that, but I'm assuming there is considering I've done all those on some galaxies and I haven't received the clear crown on them yet.
And I'm glad I have the JP edition because seeing "Star Get!" is more enjoyable than "You got a Star!"