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[Gigglepoo]

And what makes you think it's the only way that you'll fly in the game?

When did I say it was the only way to fly in the game?

 

[robertsan21]

I am playing SMS again just because I am in MARIO extacy at the moment, november 11 PLEASE arrive!

is Mario galaxy getting Worldwide release on the 11th or is it only US ?

 

[ziran]

I have been a diehard Nintendo fan for 20 years. If I did not like Nintendo I would have simply turned my back on Galaxy. My expectations are high for this game and they were simply not met. It seems like people want me to make excuses for the demo rather than analyze what I actually played.

Maybe that's the problem?

Your opinion is obviously valid, and lets face it, no game is loved by everybody, but the thing is, Nintendo has left some of their old fans behind in favour of expanding their audience, you could be one of them.

 

[Cruceh]

Just wondering, but is the spinning thing the only attack? Or is the punch punch kick combo still in the game?

 

[Diablos54]

Maybe that's the problem?

Your opinion is obviously valid, and lets face it, no game is loved by everybody, but the thing is, Nintendo has left some of their old fans behind in favour of expanding their audience, you could be one of them.

If you were talking about, say, Wii Fit, your comment would make some sense. But Mario Galaxy? Uh, no. Galaxy's the last game to be effected by this 'audience expansion'.

Just wondering, but is the spinning thing the only attack? Or is the punch punch kick combo still in the game?

I've seen Mario kick on one of the IGN videos. But not the classic Punch Punch Kick combo as of yet.

 

[ant1532]

I am playing SMS again just because I am in MARIO extacy at the moment, november 11 PLEASE arrive!

is Mario galaxy getting Worldwide release on the 11th or is it only US ?

SMS represent.

I love that game.

 

[Cygnus X-1]

The ways that Bee Mario can move around the level are amazing. The flight mechanic lets you recover from a jumping mistake and makes jumping challenges somewhat easier. By grabbing on to special flowers and shaking the Wii remote, the plants will wildly sprout and take Mario to new locations in an Alice-in-Wonderland kind of way. There is also a section of honeycomb in which Bee Mario can stick onto and crawl up a wall, using his bee flight powers to skip over sections with no honey to stick onto. The controls were 100% perfect during all of this, as should be expected from a Miyamoto Mario masterpiece.

O_O at this part. Another Mario, another great game it seems. Thanks for the hands.on !

 

[ziran]

If you were talking about, say, Wii Fit. Your comment would make some sense. But Mario Galaxy? Uh, no. Galaxy's the last game to be effected by this 'audience expansion'.

For all Nintendo's touting of the game as the sequel to Mario 64, they make an equal emphasis on it being key to their audience expansion titles in existing genres, like Phantom Hourglass:
http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=16790

Miyamoto commented that although Mario Galaxy is considered more hardcore and Wii Fit is for the casual audience they do have one thing in common: they've both been designed to be accessible to just about anybody.

The game has been designed to have as broad appeal as possible, far more than Mario 64, and while I love it completely, and think it could become my favourite game ever, I believe there are going to be more existing gamers critical of the game than some expect, which has happened with many Wii and DS titles.

 

[robertsan21]

anyone know if mario is getting released in EU on the 11th nov this year aswell?

 

[Cygnus X-1]

anyone know if mario is getting released in EU on the 11th nov this year aswell?

Super Mario Galaxy (Nintendo) Q4 2007

For now, it is a Q4 release.

 

[Gigglepoo]

No game is perfect. Though every preview thus far has made it seem like Mario Galaxy is the greatest things ever, there are definitely going to be flaws in the game. I was pointing out a few elements I had a problem with. If other publications want to say this is a perfect video game, that is there prerogative, but I think it is misleading.

 

[Cygnus X-1]

No game is perfect. Though every preview thus far has made it seem like Mario Galaxy is the greatest things ever, there are definitely going to be flaws in the game. I was pointing out a few elements I had a problem with. If other publications want to say this is a perfect video game, that is there prerogative, but I think it is misleading.

We got the point. It's your opinion and we respect it, but don't insist, because we could start to think you're a joke-member. Try to impose your point of view is useless.

 

[Gigglepoo]

We got the point. It's your opinion and we respect it, but don't insist, because we could start to think you're a joke-member. Try to impose your point of view is useless.

My view is that Mario Galaxy is not perfect. The view from every other preview is that it is a perfect game. How many flawless titles have you ever played? And I'm the joke character?

 

[d[-_-]b]

My view is that Mario Galaxy is not perfect. The view from every other preview is that it is a perfect game. How many flawless titles have you ever played? And I'm the joke character?

Yes you are the joke character now that we've gotten that out of the way. Can't wait for this game.

 

[lancubap]

My view is that Mario Galaxy is not perfect. The view from every other preview is that it is a perfect game. How many flawless titles have you ever played? And I'm the joke character?

-_-

 

[ziran]

No game is perfect. Though every preview thus far has made it seem like Mario Galaxy is the greatest things ever, there are definitely going to be flaws in the game. I was pointing out a few elements I had a problem with. If other publications want to say this is a perfect video game, that is there prerogative, but I think it is misleading.

:lol

But it's not misleading to them! And I don't think anybody is really saying it's a perfect videogame, it's only a demo after all.

You're entitled to think what you want, and have your view accepted as your own, and so is everybody else. I.E. just because you dislike parts of the game other people love, doesn't devalue those opposing opinions. They're just different.

 

[Gigglepoo]

I'm not sure anybody is really saying it's perfect, it's only a demo after all.

I haven't heard any other criticisms of this game. I think it's unfair and misleading to cover a game and present it as perfect. It is not the duty of a journalist to swoon over the games, even the very best games. Anyone can do that. It is important to analyze and critique what is actually there. Yes, I'm sure there are some people who did not have any problem with Galaxy. It's imaginative and beautiful. But I find it hard to believe that no one else had a single problem with it. It's not perfect, it is a game. Every game has faults. I don't think it is wise to simply dwell on the faults of a preview build but it is also unfair to build it up as this almost mythical creation only to tear it down (like Mario Sunshine) when it finally comes out. Galaxy will be a great game, it will be loved by almost everyone who plays it, but that does not mean perfection. I was pointing out elements that could be worked on. I sincerely hope Nintendo is not as forgiving as the people covering their games.

It was the biggest disappointment of the show for me because I do expect perfection in every Mario game. I simply love the franchise more than anything else. It was also the most fun game I played at E3 last year. So I was surprised and dishearten to find faults, no matter how slight they may seem, in a game I expect to breath new life into my favorite genre.

 

[StevieP]

What? The first thing IGN said was "Mario now runs too slow"

 

[Diablos54]

I haven't heard any other criticisms of this game. I think it's unfair and misleading to cover a game and present it as perfect. It is not the duty of a journalist to swoon over the games, even the very best games. Anyone can do that. It is important to analyze and critique what is actually there. Yes, I'm sure there are some people who did not have any problem with Galaxy. It's imaginative and beautiful. But I find it hard to believe that no one else had a single problem with it. It's not perfect, it is a game. Every game has faults. I don't think it is wise to simply dwell on the faults of a preview build but it is also unfair to build it up as this almost mythical creation only to tear it down (like Mario Sunshine) when it finally comes out. Galaxy will be a great game, it will be loved by almost everyone who plays it, but that does not mean perfection. I was pointing out elements that could be worked on. I sincerely hope Nintendo is not as forgiving as the people covering their games.

Oh god, we get the point. No one cares any more, give it up.

 

[Cygnus X-1]

I haven't heard any other criticisms of this game. I think it's unfair and misleading to cover a game and present it as perfect. It is not the duty of a journalist to swoon over the games, even the very best games. Anyone can do that. It is important to analyze and critique what is actually there. Yes, I'm sure there are some people who did not have any problem with Galaxy. It's imaginative and beautiful. But I find it hard to believe that no one else had a single problem with it. It's not perfect, it is a game. Every game has faults. I don't think it is wise to simply dwell on the faults of a preview build but it is also unfair to build it up as this almost mythical creation only to tear it down (like Mario Sunshine) when it finally comes out. Galaxy will be a great game, it will be loved by almost everyone who plays it, but that does not mean perfection. I was pointing out elements that could be worked on. I sincerely hope Nintendo is not as forgiving as the people covering their games.

It was the biggest disappointment of the show for me because I do expect perfection in every Mario game. I simply love the franchise more than anything else. It was also the most fun game I played at E3 last year. So I was surprised and dishearten to find faults, no matter how slight they may seem, in a game I expect to breath new life into my favorite genre.

 

[robertsan21]

For now, it is a Q4 release.

well during the pressconferance they said november 11

so does that mean same for EU or was that just USA and we in EU will get it next year?

 

[Cygnus X-1]

well during the pressconferance they said november 11

so does that mean same for EU or was that just USA and we in EU will get it next year?

I've checked the date on Cubed3. Simply there is written <Q4 release>. I remember that Reggie spoke about "Americas", not worldwide.

 

[Jaded Alyx]

I've checked the date on Cubed3. Simply there is written <Q4 release>. I remember that Reggie spoke about "Americas", not worldwide.

Yup. It's on NoE's list as Q4 so we get Metroid and Galaxy this year.

 

[AndoCalrissian]

well during the pressconferance they said november 11

so does that mean same for EU or was that just USA and we in EU will get it next year?

November 12th iirc.

Played this at last year's E3 and it was amazing then... it looks to be so much more amazing now that it's my most anticipated game in a long time.

 

[Instigator]

Gigglepoo has a point, but it's a bit unrealistic to expect videogame journalism to nitpick a game eagerly awaited by a particular audience.

The risk of backlash is too big with key titles and it is the journalists' interest to keep gamers interested in hot games they cover. Once the game is released, they can trash it, even though that can be risky in some cases.

 

[robertsan21]

November 12th iirc.

Played this at last year's E3 and it was amazing then... it looks to be so much more amazing now that it's my most anticipated game in a long time.

so EU WONT get it this year???

HOLY CRAP that is ****ed up if true, nintendo better ****ing release this game in the EU during 2007

I played it last year aswell and it looks better now than before, not that the 2006 demo was bad far from it, was amazing!!!

cant wait for this game

 

[Error]

how is swinging the wii mote any different from pushing a button, you push a buttons in both zelda and mario OH NOES.

gigglepoo nitpicking the crap out of the game reeks of trying to stir some shit and specially when the game is being praised to high heavens.

none of the 'flaws' he posted seem like they bother me.

 

[Gigglepoo]

Gigglepoo has a point, but it's a bit unrealistic to expect videogame journalism to nitpick a game eagerly awaited by a particular audience.

Yeah, I understand why it happens. You can see the hate I got for saying anything negative. I think it's possible to be critical without making another Too Human disaster.

One thing that is really fun in the game is shooting stars at enemies. I was resistant at first, trying to play it like old school Mario. But then I accidentally pushed the B button once while running towards a plant. I stunned it and punched him away in one smooth motion. It was pretty sweet. I'm not sure how the two player shooting will work, but the single player shooter is my favorite "pointing" element in a Wii game thus far.

 

[Jaded Alyx]

so EU WONT get it this year???

HOLY CRAP that is ****ed up if true, nintendo better ****ing release this game in the EU during 2007

I played it last year aswell and it looks better now than before, not that the 2006 demo was bad far from it, was amazing!!!

cant wait for this game

Um, as I and Cygnus posted above, NoE have it down as Q4 07

 

[DevelopmentArrested]

I haven't heard any other criticisms of this game. I think it's unfair and misleading to cover a game and present it as perfect. It is not the duty of a journalist to swoon over the games, even the very best games. Anyone can do that. It is important to analyze and critique what is actually there. Yes, I'm sure there are some people who did not have any problem with Galaxy. It's imaginative and beautiful. But I find it hard to believe that no one else had a single problem with it. It's not perfect, it is a game. Every game has faults. I don't think it is wise to simply dwell on the faults of a preview build but it is also unfair to build it up as this almost mythical creation only to tear it down (like Mario Sunshine) when it finally comes out. Galaxy will be a great game, it will be loved by almost everyone who plays it, but that does not mean perfection. I was pointing out elements that could be worked on. I sincerely hope Nintendo is not as forgiving as the people covering their games.

It was the biggest disappointment of the show for me because I do expect perfection in every Mario game. I simply love the franchise more than anything else. It was also the most fun game I played at E3 last year. So I was surprised and dishearten to find faults, no matter how slight they may seem, in a game I expect to breath new life into my favorite genre.

The game's not perfect now because you didn't like the one level you played?:lol

 

[trh]

so EU WONT get it this year???

HOLY CRAP that is ****ed up if true, nintendo better ****ing release this game in the EU during 2007

I played it last year aswell and it looks better now than before, not that the 2006 demo was bad far from it, was amazing!!!

cant wait for this game

I can't find the list anymore, but it was on Nintendo's 2007 EU release list, although it was only Q4 2007.

Edit: oh whoops, beaten, that's what I get for looking for the list for 15 minutes.

 

[robertsan21]

I can't find the list anymore, but it was on Nintendo's 2007 EU release list, although it was only Q4 2007.

Edit: oh whoops, beaten, that's what I get for looking for the list for 15 minutes.

thanks guys, lets pray we get it during november

 

[Mudhoney]

Thank you for the impressions Gigglepoo. I'm kind of glad someone had something negative to say about the game, since overwhelmingly positive impressions make me worried that people are getting carried away with a new game. I can't say that your complaints will affect my experience with the game or not yet though, but I'm glad you mentioned them.

 

[the androgyne]

Like everyone else, i psyched up the second i saw Bee Mario in the conference trailer - but am i the only one who finds it strange how many people are loving him, compared to how many people hate on FLUDD, considering they both achieve the same effect?
The primary function is to allow hovering and thus ease the difficulty of jumping.

I guess someone will soon mention the void stages of Sunshine as an example of how 'great' 3D Mario can be with just plain Mario, but you'd be wrong. Those frustrating repeatathons paled in comparison to the 3 Bowser stages (more like obstacle courses) from SM64. This (and the blue coins) is where SMS should get some hate, not FLUDD or the island setting.

Regardless of it's faults, anyone who thinks SMS wasn't a true sequel to SM64 and a pretty damn good game regardless, is completely wrong. I'm sure deep down Miyamoto thinks 'WTF are you smoking, haven't you played SMS?' when people ask for a 'true' sequel to Mario 64. It's just the marketing angle to deny Sunshine already filled those boots.

At it's core, Mario Galaxy looks like it controls just the same as M64 and SMS - and that is a good thing. The creativity is through the roof and totally likeable this time (compared to Delfino's, that's not so hard!) so it's definitely going to be brilliant.

By the way, in the IGN podcast and their videos, Matt, Bozon and even the Nintendo rep seem to have totally forgotten that the long jump existed in SM64 - ****in' retards!

 

[Gigglepoo]

Thank you for the impressions Gigglepoo. I'm kind of glad someone had something negative to say about the game, since overwhelmingly positive impressions make me worried that people are getting carried away with a new game. I can't say that your complaints will affect my experience with the game or not yet though, but I'm glad you mentioned them.

Thanks! I'm glad someone appreciates it.

I'm sure my complaints won't have a big impact either, but I was surprised by the Bee Suit. It just wasn't fun. Mario's different outfits are usually the best parts of the adventure. I wonder if there will be flight like previous Mario games. That was my favorite element in both Mario World and Mario 64. I'm not sure how such free spirited flight could work in the confines of Galaxy, but I think Nintendo can figure it out.

Personally, I'm really excited about swimming. Swimming has never been great in any Mario game, but I know it can be. For instance, the water levels in Donkey Kong Country 2 were some of the best parts of the game. I'm sure there will be swimming in Galaxy and I can't wait to see what form it takes.

 

[Bill Rizer]

Attacking enemies is also not very fun. Mario is not Zelda, why am I attacking in the same fashion? To kill a piranha plant, I had to swing the Wiimote like a sword, stunning them with my swing attack. I'm sure some people would like this, but it didn't feel like Mario to me. I always thought it was awkward to watch Mario punch, but this is just ridiculous. I hope they work on this before release because it totally took me out of the experience.

I only can quote what you wrote here. While I don't have played the game, and while watching at the videos I still see greatness and solid gameplay, I agree on the attacks argument. I never completely got convinced with them in Mario64; their near absence in Sunshine contributed to make it, imho, the more classic, inspired and overall the best among the two 3d Mario games. This said, well, more and more in my opinion in latest Nintendo games it's the way the game is interpreted and played to determine it's accessibilty and difficulty. No one halts you from not using continuously the spin attack in Zelda or the "jet pack" for every jump in Sunshine, personally I would find uninteresting to play those games in such a manner, but probably for someone (the "beginner", the infamous "non-player"), those actions are useful and entertaining. Who knows.

 

[Bill Rizer]

Like everyone else, i psyched up the second i saw Bee Mario in the conference trailer - but am i the only one who finds it strange how many people are loving him, compared to how many people hate on FLUDD, considering they both achieve the same effect?
The primary function is to allow hovering and thus ease the difficulty of jumping.

I think in Galaxy this is more like a "collateral" effect, in the sense it has other main purposes and expands gameplay elements.

In regard to SMS void levels, those were the best thing ever, too bad so few people was skilled enough :lol :lol :lol

As for SMS already being a true sequel to M64, you are 100% correct.

 

[the androgyne]

In regard to SMS void levels, those were the best thing ever, too bad so few people was skilled enough :lol :lol :lol

I agree there are parts of skill involved, but most of it is fighting against the bizarro physics of the rotating objects. The worst offender of course is the one where the Delfino villagers throw you onto the other platforms.

 

[Slurpy]

I haven't heard any other criticisms of this game. I think it's unfair and misleading to cover a game and present it as perfect. It is not the duty of a journalist to swoon over the games, even the very best games. Anyone can do that. It is important to analyze and critique what is actually there. Yes, I'm sure there are some people who did not have any problem with Galaxy. It's imaginative and beautiful. But I find it hard to believe that no one else had a single problem with it. It's not perfect, it is a game. Every game has faults. I don't think it is wise to simply dwell on the faults of a preview build but it is also unfair to build it up as this almost mythical creation only to tear it down (like Mario Sunshine) when it finally comes out. Galaxy will be a great game, it will be loved by almost everyone who plays it, but that does not mean perfection. I was pointing out elements that could be worked on. I sincerely hope Nintendo is not as forgiving as the people covering their games.

It was the biggest disappointment of the show for me because I do expect perfection in every Mario game. I simply love the franchise more than anything else. It was also the most fun game I played at E3 last year. So I was surprised and dishearten to find faults, no matter how slight they may seem, in a game I expect to breath new life into my favorite genre.

Holy crap, can you shutup already? I mean, damn. We get it. Theres nothing else for you to elaborate to us. Stop trying to temper everyones excitement and enthusiasm, which, make no mistake, is precisely what your attempting to do.

 

[Tristam]

Holy crap, can you shutup already? I mean, damn. We get it. Theres nothing else for you to elaborate to us. Stop trying to temper everyones excitement and enthusiasm, which, make no mistake, is precisely what your attempting to do.

Relax, man. Give him the benefit of the doubt. There's always someone who calls an incredible game "good."

 

[mattx5]

The level where Mario is dodging Thwomps with that jetstream of water surrounded by blackholes with stone platforms floating and rotating above looks INCREDIBLE!

Where'd the Gamespot interview get their footage from? Was that level playable on the floor? All I've seen of it has been in the trailers so far (and now in the Miyamoto interview).

 

[ant1532]

I've haven't read this whole thread or perused the various gaming sites, so please forgive me if I'm merely parroting other opinions:

Super Mario Galaxy was the biggest disappointment of E3 for me. Mario has been my favorite franchise since I first played Super Mario Bros twenty years ago. I simply love running and jumping. Other franchises have earned their place in my console through the years, but nothing has entertained me quite like a pure Mario platformers. I consider Super Mario World to be the greatest video game I have ever played, a perfect vision of how a traditional 2D platformer should be made. And though Mario 64 has aged, it set the standard from which every platfromer and every 3D adventure has followed. I LOVE Mario.

But Mario Galaxy is not a great game. I was only able to play one level at E3, but I came away from it very disappointed and ultimately bored. Because I had played the other levels at last year's E3, I wanted to try something completely new. Obviously, I jumped straight to the Bee Stage. I saw the video of this at Nintendo's conference and laughed along with everyone else. This was the Mario I wanted, the one that has seemed to disappear since Mario 3 and his crazy suits. I was pumped to finally be able to play it.

Before I get to the Bee Suit, I want to talk about the basic mechanics. One thing that every platformer needs is solid control. Running and jumping need to actually be fun. It is the one element that cannot be comprised. Sadly, I did not have fun running and jumping in Galaxy. Though running is how you would imagine, jumping was almost boring. There was no weight, no impact when I jumped on an enemy. While it was fun jumping off Goombas in the first Super Mario Bros and every subsequent sequel, in Galaxy it feels flat and lifeless.

Attacking enemies is also not very fun. Mario is not Zelda, why am I attacking in the same fashion? To kill a piranha plant, I had to swing the Wiimote like a sword, stunning them with my swing attack. I'm sure some people would like this, but it didn't feel like Mario to me. I always thought it was awkward to watch Mario punch, but this is just ridiculous. I hope they work on this before release because it totally took me out of the experience.

The worst part, though, was the Bee Suit. Do you remember how flight worked in other games? Let's look at Mario 64 for a great example. Flight was a very skillful experience. You needed to dive bomb and then pull up to have enough speed to stay afloat. If you ran out of momentum you would drop, but a skilled gamer could stay afloat for minutes at a time. In Mario Galaxy, you simply hold down A and float around for a few seconds before you have to recharge. From SMB3 to World to Mario 64, flying has always been an important and fun element in Mario games. To see this toned down, easy and boring flight system made my expectations for the game drop like a rock.

Yes, this was just one level in a huge game, but it showcased a boring suit, jumping with no tactile feel and baffling combat. I'm sure the game will ultimately be fun, but this is not the Mario sequel I have been waiting for. If this was another franchise, I think people would be much more critical, but the shine of Mario is hard to ignore. It will be interesting to see how things come together by the time this comes out in November, but I simply see a standard 3D platfomer with motion controls at this point.

I understand your complaints but c'mon, you can say the same complaints about Super Mario 64 and SMS. And saying waggle control is Zelda or acting like it is a Zelda/sword only scheme and acting like any other use of it is a cop off makes that sound like a scrub complaint. And yeah you don't have to swing the Wiimote like a sword... You just give it a quick shake which makes him spin and makes sense. And Galaxy is lifeless? Yeah, okay.

I agree with a lot of complaints I heard form others like Mario runs a little slow, and yeah he does. I also don't think the bee suit is anything special. There are things they need to fix and stuff about the game that aint to hot, but yeah, your points didn't seem too valid. I mean, no offense but I just find them.... yeah, dumb.

 

[Oblivion]

I guess someone will soon mention the void stages of Sunshine as an example of how 'great' 3D Mario can be with just plain Mario, but you'd be wrong. Those frustrating repeatathons paled in comparison to the 3 Bowser stages (more like obstacle courses) from SM64. This (and the blue coins) is where SMS should get some hate, not FLUDD or the island setting.

Disagree. Sure, the Blue Coins sucked too, but I think it's just as valid to blame Fludd and the Island setting. Mario games have been about drastically different and unique looking areas. Sunshine always had the island theme, and although I thought it looked very nice, more of the same does get boring.

As for Fludd and the Bee suit achieving the same effect, you have a point. However, I would feel the issue could be psychological in that it seemed strange to use a machine in a Mario game, whereas this bee suit just has that magic wackiness that you'd expect from Mario games.

Regardless of it's faults, anyone who thinks SMS wasn't a true sequel to SM64 and a pretty damn good game regardless, is completely wrong. I'm sure deep down Miyamoto thinks 'WTF are you smoking, haven't you played SMS?' when people ask for a 'true' sequel to Mario 64. It's just the marketing angle to deny Sunshine already filled those boots.

Actually, Miyamoto's commented before that he was disappointed with Sunshine. And the fact that he didn't even bother to mention Sunshine during the interviews implies as much.

 

[lancubap]

The biggest game of the year for Nintendo keeps on impressing.

Spiffy
Best visuals on the system; awesome controls; ingenious level design; Mario's back.

Iffy
We only got to play for a short space of time.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After this morning's Nintendo press conference had wrapped, we got a small window of opportunity to take a little breather back at the Leows hotel in Santa Monica for a little one-on-one time with Nintendo's Wii offerings. Needless to say, the biggest reason to be here was to get some quality hands-on time with Nintendo's biggest title of the year -- Super Mario Galaxy. Sadly, our play time was pretty limited, but what we sunk our teeth into was easily the most promising thing to come out of the first day of the show.

Having played SMG at last year's show and on a few other occasions, we were hankering for something new and fresh. That's exactly what we got. With remote and nunchuck in-hand, we dove straight into the first teaser level of the new demo. Mario is a on a quest to proceed through the gateway of heaven. A cute female character called Rosetta (who's official capacity is watcher of the stars) begs Mario to take on the awesome responsibility of saving all of the planets in the galaxy. From what, we're still not too sure, but she offered up the help of a little starlet creature called Tyke who would help Mario on his epic, low-gravity interstellar mission.


Starting out simple, we got to grips with the controls. Making Mario run around over the surface of the little planetoids is really easy. It's a little easy at first to get a bit disorientated, but after less than a minute (and discovering how to quickly center the camera) it was a snap. Jumping, double-jumping and triple-jumping are done with the main A button, while the B button makes Mario crouch down. Backflipping, wall jumping and butt stomping all make a welcomed appearance, but the new cool moves involved shaking the remote or nunchuck which make Mario bust out an awesome spin attack. Tackling an initial barrage of goombas was fun as we spun into them, knocking them upside down, and then running into them automatically caused us to hoof them away using a spiffy new kick attack.

Tyke kept trying to tell us something so we decided to listen. The first planet had a distressed starlet balking at the fact that his precious star ring had been smashed into five pieces and scattered across his area. Being the kind plumber he is, it was easy for us to guide Mario around the 360 degrees of the planetoid to retrieve all five pieces rather quickly. Nailing a few goombas, and spinning into a few ice blocks freed up the five star chips which then magically came together to form a whole star gate.

Urging us to jump into the star gate, the little resident of our current location said that this was the way to jump and fly through space to the next planet that needed our attention. A quick jump later, and Mario was gliding through the outer atmosphere towards a planetoid that had a very, very large Goomba patrolling its surface. It was time to put those moves to good use. Collecting coins allows Mario to boost up his health in case he takes a few hits. Mario can also collect different colored shards of rock that are uncovered as the environments are explored. The rocks are stockpiled, but can be used by a second player with a second remote controller.

This indirect addition of a second player allows a friend to aid and assist the main player in their quest. Not only can player two collect rock shards too, but they can shoot stockpiled shards back down to the surface of the planet to nail critters and help Mario's cause. Further, player two can actually interact with certain aspects of the game such as rolling boulders etc. by temporarily grabbing them and holding them down in place. This means that Mario can concentrate on more strategically important tasks other than worrying about being hit by these moving targets. Of course, the addition of a second controller will be totally optional and those players that don't want that extra help will be able to play through unhindered on their own.

After wailing on the mega-goomba and putting it to sleep, we found another star gate to trip through. This time, the planetoid's goal was to enter the core of the sphere and stop a huge golden grand star from being wrongfully used as an evil power source. The puzzle here involved sprinting around and triggering multiple switch blocks until they had all been changed from blue to yellow. Once this was done, the force field dropped and we were able to grab the valued prize and return order to the planet.


That saw the end of our hands-on demo, but it was easily enough to boost our faith levels in this triple-A title from Nintendo. Super Mario Galaxy is easily to best-looking game on the system to date and approaches levels of visual fidelity that are close to the 360 and PS3 in many ways. Crisp, clean, vibrant visuals running at 60 frames per second is going to be standard for this one. With Metroid Prime 3: Corruption still to play, and Super Smash Bros. Brawl not showing at E3, we're betting that Mario comes out on top from Nintendo's line-up. It's going to be a classic addition to an already classic franchise. We can't wait for more.

Voilà. More if it is possible.

 

[The Friendly Monster]

Actually, Miyamoto's commented before that he was disappointed with Sunshine. And the fact that he didn't even bother to mention Sunshine during the interviews implies as much.

Not really, to me he seems to say what he expects people want to hear. Nintendo really need to not listen to the Nintendo hardcore fans. And Nintendo hardcore fans need to shut the **** up sometimes.

 

[Dupy]

Jesus I can't decide if the "Videogames: Serious Business" or the "Debbie Downer" gif is more appropriate in here. People raving about a 30 minute demo that looks and plays great? What a disservice!

Let's get to the heart of the matter here guys - is Bee Suit Mario as fuzzy as they say?

 

[Oblivion]

Not really, to me he seems to say what he expects people want to hear. Nintendo really need to not listen to the Nintendo hardcore fans. And Nintendo hardcore fans need to shut the **** up sometimes.

He did mention that he was disappointed though.

 

[the androgyne]

Actually, Miyamoto's commented before that he was disappointed with Sunshine. And the fact that he didn't even bother to mention Sunshine during the interviews implies as much.

I think he didn't address SMS because he felt it rude that interviewers implied it was a poor game when he knows it was far from it.

 

[dfi]

Holy crap, can you shutup already? I mean, damn. We get it. Theres nothing else for you to elaborate to us. Stop trying to temper everyones excitement and enthusiasm, which, make no mistake, is precisely what your attempting to do.

I just hope super mario galaxy doesn't become another super paper mario.

Huge anticipation for that game only to be disappointed by a really boring and easy game.

 

[jman2050]

No game is perfect.

It was the biggest disappointment of the show for me because I do expect perfection in every Mario game.

There's your problem.