Super Mario Galaxy 2

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a colorful, content-rich 3D platformer, and one of the best Nintendo games ever made. Like in the previous game, players control the iconic hero Mario on a wild adventure around the cosmos. With his very own starship, Mario must travel from planet to planet collecting precious Power Stars in order to save his beloved Princess Peach. Like other games in the franchise, Super Mario Galaxy 2 provides hours upon hours of challenging but rewarding platforming fun, featuring new power-ups, fantastic level design, and vivid graphics. Any fan of this classic platforming series should check out Super Mario Galaxy 2, as it's one of the best platforming games out there.

Main Game Features

• Seven unique worlds to explore
• Invigorating 3D platforming gameplay
• Single-player and cooperative options

Story

Like other Super Mario games, Super Mario Galaxy 2 has a predictable but classic story that serves as the foundation for tons of fun and exciting platforming levels. At the start of the game, Mario travels to the Star Festival to meet Princess Peach, but is quickly thwarted by his nemesis, Bowser.

Bowser kidnaps Princess Peach and takes off into space, attempting to start a new empire of evil among the stars. Luckily, helpful star-creatures called Lumas craft Mario his very own spaceship, allowing him to chase down Bowser. During his adventure, Mario must enlist the help of some old friends, including Yoshi, Luigi, and the always adorable Toads. While Super Mario Galaxy 2 doesn't have an incredibly inventive story, the narrative is lighthearted and fun, making it a great tale for families and younger gamers.

Gameplay

Despite its appearance as a kid-friendly title, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is surprisingly difficult, offering a much higher level of challenge than the previous game. In order to save Princess Peach, Mario must gather a set amount of Power Stars by completing challenges within several worlds. There are over 240 Power Stars to discover, including 120 base Power Stars and 120 ultra-tough Green Power Stars. Each world has a specific theme, including water levels, flying levels, and a classic lava world. Given the fluctuating gravity of each stage, players can often run around platforms and discover secret areas. The game also features a plethora of power-ups, with each one bestowing a unique ability to Mario for a limited time. Almost every power-up from the original Super Mario Galaxy is available, along with a handful of new power-ups like the spin drill, cloud ability, and more. Mario's dinosaur pal Yoshi also plays a major part in the game, as Mario can ride him to collect fruit, flutter through the air, and more. Generally speaking, this sequel is more challenging than the original, but it offers a helpful mechanic called the Cosmic Guide, which will complete tough sections automatically if a player dies too many times.

Conclusion

Overall, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is packed with fun ideas both new and old, including some extremely cool stage designs and tons of Power Stars to collect. The new power-ups provide fun gameplay scenarios, while the unlockable Green Power Stars further encourage exploration and platforming experimentation.

Pros:

• Yoshi is tons of fun to control
• Throwback gameplay worlds full of nostalgia
• Platforming feels precise and exciting

Cons:

• Cooperative play is underwhelming
• Tough difficulty spikes
• Green Power Stars can be exceptionally difficult to collect