Mario Galaxies: Excited or Not?

[LOPcagney]

Everyone's seen the trailers and demos for Mario Galaxies on Wii already I'm sure, and if you haven't, here's a link to a couple: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lasiEczS2XE&mode=related&search=super%20mario%20galaxy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3EUPHe_n9Q&mode=related&search=super%20mario%20galaxy

We know it will look beautiful, we know it will be extreemly innovative, and it appears to be easy to control.

So my question is, is this Mario?

I never played Sunshine, so I don't know how these compare, but Mario 64 was so classic because it was a relatively simple concept: the original 2D Mario world in 3D. It was complex without straying too far from the original concepts which made Mario so appealing in the first place.

Looking at this new Mario game, I can't help thinking that it's not familiar enough to be a satisfying Mario game. There's the occasional Bullit Bill or Goomba floating about, but it seems the tubes that made Mario a plumber in the first place have been all but bannished from this edition and theres simply not enough gameplay, it seems, besides jumping around a seemingly limited universe-world and fighting bosses, which are also pretentious and sadly dirivitive. The artistic style, also, seems lost in an organic, space-themed world that's one part Kirby, one part Worms Mayhem, and one part Prey.

I hope Mario Galaxies proves me wrong, because Mario 64 was one of my favorite games of all times and I'd hate to see the series take this new direction, but I can't help wanting more (or is it less?) from the clips that have been surfacing on the net.

[miffy495]

From what I've seen, it actually looks more like traditional Mario than Sunshine was. That's not saying a whole lot, honestly. Sunshine was good, don't get me wrong, but not really Mario. At least Galaxy is bringing it back a bit. I'm definitely going to get it, so I'll hold off judgement until then, but there's my impression for you.

[Thrik]

It definitely looks a lot more classic Mario (64) than Sunshine did, which I agree was a good game but also agree that it lacked that certain Mario feel. It had a good feel, but not the same one.

I think it's worth pointing out that all Mario Galaxy media that we've seen thus far only depicts the first level/world in the game, which is named "Star World". Like Mario 64 and Mario Sunshine, the 'many levels in one' system is at play where you choose a star to go for at the beginning of the level and the level will be slightly (or sometimes dramatically) different as a result.

I think it's very unlikely that the other levels will continue the whole hopping between planetoids and rocks theme; that'd get tiresome very quickly, and I don't think Miyamoto and his cronies would be that thick. They could very easily have levels in a style more like Mario 64 or Sunshine by simply having a really big planetoid with an atmosphere.

Check out the beginning of this YouTube video (give it one minute) for a glimpse of how a level based on a larger planetoid could look. It pretty much looks just like Mario 64 or Mario Sunshine as far as camera and Mario movement goes — I'd really like to see levels like that. Except bigger, obviously.

[Wrestlevania]

Intrigued? Yes.

Excited? Not yet.

I've never been a huge fan of Mario platform games in the past, but I was surprised at just how much Mario 64 DS drew me in. So I’m undecided regarding Mario Galaxies at this point in time. I just hope we get to grab Koopa by the tail again, but this time you swing him around by swinging the Wiimote around above your head – that would be brilliant fun. (Bit of rumble to let you know when you were losing your grip/momentum and it'd be gaming perfection!)

YouTube’s been down every time I’ve tried to access it over the last few days, so I can’t watch those gameplay examples right now either.

[Roderick]

I wouldn't even dislike having the entire game revolving around revolving around planetoids The thing is, it's basically the ultimate resolution of the camera-problem: you can just have it focus on the core of the planet and have a perfect overview. Amazing! So yes, I'm both excited and... what was the other one again? Intruiged by it.

That said, all opinion is reserved until I've played it in a few weeks time from now.

[SpiderMonkey]

The thing is, it's basically the ultimate resolution of the camera-problem: you can just have it focus on the core of the planet and have a perfect overview. Amazing!

Yes, but no, right? If you point the camera at the centre of the planetoid then you immediately flatten the surface of the planetoid to 2D - you can no longer adequately perceive verticals. But I agree that it will make the camera a whole lot simpler, and thereby the gameplay purer and more focused, and that is the objective if I recall.

I guess I'm weird in having no grief with Sunshine. Almost certainly due to never having played 64. I like that Nintendo take their series to different places yet keep the core feeling the same. I think it's a shame that people go "you need to make your Mario more like 64" and "you need to make your Zelda more like OoT". I don't really know what overall point I'm making, but I'm sure it'll be great fun.

[General Fuzzy McBitty]

When is this releasing again?

[Wrestlevania]

It's been given an approximate 6 month launch window, beginning with when the console goes on sale being the earliest date.

Super Mario Galaxy could be released before the end of May 2007

Nice logo, too!

[loonyboi]

Mario Galaxy rocks. It's the best Wii game I've seen, and it's the reason I'm getting the system.

It is 100% a mario game. Trust me, I've played it.

It's the game that convinced me that the Wii was more than just a gimmick. The interface tweaks are genuinely fun, and do much more for the Mario gameplay formula than you'd think at first glance.

[General Fuzzy McBitty]

How is the learning curve with the Wii-mote/chuck?

Is it more difficult to use two seperate units that make up one controller... or no?

Does any of this violate a NDA?

[Udvarnoky]

I'm totally excited about this.

[Nappi]

The last Mario game I have played is Super Mario World (well, technically Yoshi's Island) and I'm totally intrigued and excited about this game. For some reason it feels very Mario-like (could be because of the guy with a red hat) and I actually like the galaxy theme. You don't even have to be very creative to make some interesting things with gravity and orbitting and such.

The game looks very playable too.

[toblix]

That video rocked. I had only seen the short bits they showed in the very first mishmash of trailers, with the jumping around the lava pool, and I was like meh but now I'm like whoa.

[LOPcagney]

I think it's a shame that people go "you need to make your Mario more like 64" and "you need to make your Zelda more like OoT". I don't really know what overall point I'm making, but I'm sure it'll be great fun.

I see your point, but I just think Mario can evolve without trying to be too much.

I think it's very unlikely that the other levels will continue the whole hopping between planetoids and rocks theme; that'd get tiresome very quickly, and I don't think Miyamoto and his cronies would be that thick.

That was more what I was trying to say. I'm just worried since it's called galaxies and I've seen at least three boss fights on YouTube that have been staged on said planetoids, so...

[Nick]

I'm not.

3D Mario just doesn't do it for me. New Super Mario Bros. was awesome, but I'm not gonna be rushing out to buy Galaxies. there's other Wii games I'd much rather spend my money on first.

[miffy495]

I guess I'm weird in having no grief with Sunshine.

I never said I had any grief with Sunshine. I even said that it was a really good game. The gameplay was even still pretty Mario-ish. (Camera sucked, but that was the only downside) I think the only reason that it didn't feel like Mario was that you never really had anything other than a tropical island to adventure on. Every other Mario game had you going from lush islands to jagged mountains to underwater worlds to the insides of volcanoes. Sunshine just had you touring around different locales in a resort town. That's my only problem with the game.

[Thrik]

I agree that there was a large volume of bosses on show LOPcagney, but then it's not unheard of for 3D Mario platformer levels to have multiple bosses, each one accompanying a different star.

Mario Sunshine for example put you against Petey Piranha on the very first level, who was of course a boss and I believe it was the first star too. Then on a later star (possibly the last) you fought him again on the same level, but in much different circumstances. I'm sure there's other examples of that type of thing in Mario 64/Sunshine too, but my mind's blank at the moment.

[Thrik]

And yeah miffy495, that pretty much sums up why Sunshine felt so different from the usual Mario formula, 2D iterations and all. Pretty much every single Mario game involves romping over all sorts of weird and wonderful terrains, and that variety set the benchmark for countless other platformers which largely used the same templates (Donkey Kong Country and Banjo-Kazooie being obvious examples).

Sunshine did well in making each level feel a bit different, but the restriction of being on the paradise holiday island wore thin very quickly. I was literally gagging for a snow level by the end of the game (a favourite theme of mine).

Galaxy has the potential to throw in all sorts of crazy themes considering the fact that it takes place on different planetoids, and I really hope they capitalise on that. Heck, in the first level alone (E3) we've seen fire/lava, ice, classic lush green, and cave-like areas. I hope they take that further and base whole levels around those specific themes later on.

[Marek]

Wait, is it Super Mario Galaxies or Super Mario Galaxy?

I just want to know how many galaxies we are talking about here. I mean, will the PR fact sheet say...

• One galaxy.

Or...

• OVER 1 GALAXY!

It's a world of difference. (See what I did there?)

[Wrestlevania]

It's a world of difference.

But yes: it's singular (see earlier logo).

[Thrik]

One thing I can't really work out yet is how the whole game will fit together. We haven't seen anything of an overworld yet, and having a good overworld is a staple of 3D Mario platformers and 3D platformers in general.

If you're hopping from planetoid to planetoid in the first level, what exactly could be the parent of that? Although I suppose 3D Mario platformers tend to make use of the whole warp thing, so something like "Bowser's Giant Space Teleportation Castle" could end up being the overworld.

It's all very intriguing anyway.

Another thing worth noting is that Super Mario Galaxy is only known as a working title thus far, and as you can see a lot of sites take care to note this. It could be this combined with all media only showing off the planetoid hopping level that's misleading a lot of people into thinking it's all going to take place in space, where in reality it might just mean that you visit a lot of weird (but large) planets.

[Wrestlevania]

It could be [...] all media only showing off the planetoid hopping level that's misleading a lot of people into thinking it's all going to take place in space, where in reality it might just mean that you visit a lot of weird (but large) planets.

This aspect of the game presents opportunities for some very rich, RPG-like story telling and questing -- that's definitely something I could get excited about.

[toblix]

Anachronox

[loonyboi]

How is the learning curve with the Wii-mote/chuck?

Is it more difficult to use two seperate units that make up one controller... or no?

Does any of this violate a NDA?

It's surprisingly easy to get used to. The fact that there's an on-screen pointer for where you're aiming the Wiimote helps a great deal.

And nah, I'm not violating an NDA. The press has seen more than I have.

Regarding Mario Sunshine, I was very, very let down by that game. Mario 64 is one of my favorite games of all-time, so I was hoping for a lot more from the next true Mario game (as opposed to remakes or Luigi's Mansion). Sunshine wasn't bad, but it was tedious. By comparison, Mario 64 was a joy in every regard.

I think Galaxy's going to bring back the magic.

[lobotomy42]

Looking at this new Mario game, I can't help thinking that it's not familiar enough to be a satisfying Mario game. There's the occasional Bullit Bill or Goomba floating about, but it seems the tubes that made Mario a plumber in the first place have been all but bannished from this edition and theres simply not enough gameplay, it seems, besides jumping around a seemingly limited universe-world and fighting bosses, which are also pretentious and sadly dirivitive. The artistic style, also, seems lost in an organic, space-themed world that's one part Kirby, one part Worms Mayhem, and one part Prey.

And how many pipes did you go down during Mario 64? You came out of one in the beginning....and that's it. How many Koopas were there in the entire game? Methinks about 3. And you definitely weren't triple-jumping and backflipping in the original Super Mario Bros. Nor has Yoshi made any (serious) appearances outside of Super Mario World or Super Mario Sunshine. And that racoon suit from Super Mario Bros. 3 (considered by many the "best" Mario) was a totally new idea at the time.

My point here is that the Mario series never really stays the same anyway. Each game has taken select elements from the previous games and thrown in a bunch of new ones, some more successful than others. Sometimes the changes are big, sometimes the changes are small. But if there's one thing we learned from NEW Super Mario Bros. (on the DS), it's that keeping the formula identical to the original makes the game less interesting. Playing Mario is about slowly mastering the mechanics and timing of a grab-bag of bizarre acrobatic moves and power-ups. If they gave us the same set every time, we'd just breeze through the games with no fun! There has to be new stuff to learn or there's no challenge. And, if you're adding new stuff, it only makes sense to toss a bunch of old crud, too. It keeps the series both fresh and simple.

Some Mario games are bigger hits than misses. But I'll take a couple of misses if it means that they don't keep trying to recycle the same thing over and over again. And, personally, I don't think Galaxy will be a miss.