Super Mario Galaxy Meets All Expectations

In my youth, I didn't have the popular Wii. Admittedly, I tried Wii Sports and other major releases while staying with loved ones and acquaintances in the mid-to-late 2000s, but I never had my personal Wii system, causing me to overlook several excellent installments from Nintendo's beloved series.

A prime example featured Super Mario Galaxy, together with its follow-up, has been freshly updated and transferred to Switch consoles. The original game was also included in 2020’s limited-edition collection Super Mario 3D All-Stars. I appreciated the opportunity to experience what’s regarded as one of the best Mario games ever made. I was quickly sucked in, while affirming that it fulfills almost twenty years of anticipation. That said, it’s also made me realize how pleased I feel motion and gyroscope controls mostly stayed from previous eras.

The Cosmic Adventure Begins

Following traditional Mario storyline, Super Mario Galaxy opens as Bowser capturing Princess Peach and her castle. His armada of pirate-like space ships take her into outer space, throwing Mario into the galaxy during the event. The hero discovers charming cosmic creatures called Luma as well as Rosalina atop her Comet Observatory. She charges Mario with finding power stars to fuel the Observatory so they can chase after the villain, opening exploration opportunities to begin adventuring.

Super Mario Galaxy’s platforming offers pleasure, and all it took experiencing several stages to realize why it receives such praise. It’ll feel familiar to anyone who’s played Mario's 3D adventures, and the mechanics remain accessible and intuitive as Nintendo typically delivers.

Gravity-Defying Gameplay

As astronomy fan, the environment aligns with my preferences, permitting Super Mario Galaxy to have fun with physics. Round structures let Mario to run continuously around them recalling Dragon Ball pursuing Bubbles from classic anime. When they’re close together, players can transfer and get snatched by the gravity of a nearby platform. Different stages feature flat circular shapes, frequently containing collectibles below, in unexpected locations.

Revisiting Beloved Personalities

The pleasure in engaging with Galaxy after nearly two decades is having already met some of its characters. I didn't realize Rosalina made her debut within this title, and that she became the adoptive mother to stellar beings. Before playing Super Mario Galaxy, I only knew her as a frequent choice Mario Kart World roster option. Same with the Penguins, alongside whom I liked swimming in initial coastal stage.

Motion Control Challenges

The primary drawback during this adventure in 2025 concerns movement inputs, which are used for collecting, aiming, and shooting star bits, vibrant items scattered around levels. Operating in mobile format meant tilting and rotating the device to direct, seeming somewhat awkward. Motion controls are prevalent in some platforming sections, where you have to aim the star-shaped cursor at platforms to attract Mario toward them.

Missions entirely needing gyroscopic features are best played with the Joy-Cons detached enhancing accuracy, such as the ray-riding stage in the beginning. I rarely become enthusiastic about movement inputs, and they haven’t aged especially well in Super Mario Galaxy. Luckily, by collecting sufficient stars via alternative missions, these movement-based stages may be completely avoided. I tried the level featuring Mario maneuvering a massive orb through a track filled with gaps, then immediately quit after initial effort.

Timeless Mario Excellence

Except for the cumbersome older motion controls, there's virtually nothing to dislike throughout Galaxy, and its space-set levels are a delight to explore. Although notable titles like Super Mario Odyssey appeared subsequently, Super Mario Galaxy remains one of the best and creative Mario adventures existing.