Super Mario Galaxy 2

[I Took the Red Pill]

Who's getting it? I'm picking it up tomorrow, am absolutely stoked for it.

-10/10 IGN
-10/10 Gamespot (usually quite stingy)
-A from 1UP
-97 on Metacritic

hot damn.

[qwertysaur]

It looks like it will be a lot of fun :bigsmile:

[Ragebrain The Enraged]

It doesn't come out until the 10th of June for me! :(

[Breine]

I'll have to finish the first one before buying this. It looks good.

[Yeargdribble]

Too many @#$%ing games this month!! ... !!!!! Seriously, RDR on to of MG2 on top of 3DDGH is gonna kill me.

Can't wait to play SMG2 though. Mine will show up in the mail on Tuesday. Got the $20 credit by pre-ordering from Amazon a while back, but since it's a Sunday release they don't do same day shipping for free (with Prime) like they did with RDR. Oh well, free 2-day shipping isn't bad.

This might end up putting RDR in the backseat since it will probably be a bit shorter. SMG was fantastic for me and my wife. There aren't enough... hardly any local co-op games these days. SMG was perfect for us. Great way for us to both be involved.

[JKTrix]

http://i48.:bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou:/2whkztd.gif
http://i47.:bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou:/34hyvps.gif
http://i49.:bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou::bou:/10iazdh.gif

etc.

Also, soundtrack (http://www.megaupload.com/?d=SAMYJF71)ripped from YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/user/MahitoYokota).

[Depression Moon]

Damn 2010 why do you have to be full of so many great games when I have no money?


I don't understand that guy's argument on 1up when the guy said he wished ytou could carry power ups over like in SMB3 and the guy said well this isn't SMB3 it's SMG2. Is he seriously trying to argue that the game shouldn't be as good as possible? Who does that?

[I Took the Red Pill]

Too much fun. CAN'T. STOP. PLAYING.

:-)

[JKTrix]

I don't understand that guy's argument on 1up when the guy said he wished ytou could carry power ups over like in SMB3 and the guy said well this isn't SMB3 it's SMG2. Is he seriously trying to argue that the game shouldn't be as good as possible? Who does that?

I don't think carrying over items and such would make Galaxy better. It's about game control and balance. They didn't put parries in Street Fighter 4 just because Street Fighter 3 had them. If you could start every stage with Broken Yoshi (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oh1uexrKEJI) or whatever power-up you wish, you could effectively negate the unique challenge of each stage. Or bring in something totally useless and waste the powerup.

The other guy was arguing that this is a different game with a different focus. Carrying over powerups would not work in Galaxy. You don't even save all your lives when you turn the game off and on again, if you didn't know that. New Super Mario Bros Wii came out not too long ago, and that has all the Old Mario tropes you would want.

That 1up video review was bad anyway.

[Depression Moon]

so people shouldn't be entitled to use something that they want? I mean some people like to have fun with useless things or broken things. I know I like to cheat every once in a while. Get to see the levels in a different perspective. With SF4 and 3 well those are two different game mechanics, not something that was already in the game to begin with. Ultimately people would have the choice of whether they would want to use it or not, don't see how that would break anything.

[JKTrix]

With SF4 and 3 well those are two different game mechanics, not something that was already in the game to begin with.

Same argument applies here, which is why I used it. I already mentioned New Super Mario Bros, which is a 2D Mario game just like Mario 3 was, and has the ability to save power ups.

I can't speak for Mario 64 or Sunshine since I don't remember them well, but neither of the Galaxy games let you pick whatever you wanted. That's just how this game--which is a different game--works. It's really not that big of a deal, and it's really weird that that guy brought it up.

Complain about Yoshi not having a butt-stomp.

[Levian]

That is indeed an extremely random thing to complain about. It hasn't been a feature in the main series for 20 years, how could it possibly count negatively to not use it in this game? :p

It was a nice feature in SMB3, but I haven't exactly missed it in the other games. They were great as they were.

Anyway, I can't afford this game. Maybe later in the summer.

[Depression Moon]

With SF4 and 3 well those are two different game mechanics, not something that was already in the game to begin with.

Same argument applies here, which is why I used it.

I'm not seeing how it does. A game mechanic versus a bonus feature that provides options? It was also in Super Mario World too.

[I Took the Red Pill]

so people shouldn't be entitled to use something that they want? I mean some people like to have fun with useless things or broken things.I mean I guess, but not everyone does, and I don't think this argument justifies them randomly throwing item carryover into the game


I know I like to cheat every once in a while. Get to see the levels in a different perspective. With SF4 and 3 well those are two different game mechanics, not something that was already in the game to begin with. Ultimately people would have the choice of whether they would want to use it or not, don't see how that would break anything.I really don't think it would add anything to the game. Both SMB3 or Super Mario World are 2D side-scrollers, and most of the time, a powerup you'd carried over would definitely help you get through a level you may be having some trouble with. Galaxy is designed in such a way that the powerups are for use in very specific situations. If you go into a level with the Fire Flower power that is specifically tailored to be a level using the Cloud powerup, it's not going to do you any good. There are plenty of hidden areas and fun little nooks to explore while you're using, say, the Cloud powerup on levels designed for the Cloud powerup, but if you carried the Cloud powerup to a stage that doesn't use it whatsoever, you're likely to find just about nothing. If you really want to explore some glitches and get into hard-to-reach areas, just use the damn Infinite Yoshi Jump trick.

[Flying Arrow]

From what I've read, they got rid of the overworld/spaceship from SMG1. Thank god. I don't necessarily have a problem with the connecting overworld thing in collect-a-thon 3D platformers (I like the castle in SM64 and even the resort town in SMS) but the spaceship was just... dull.

Question for those with the game:

Does the SMB3/SMW gameboard approach mean that the levels must be played in specific order, or is there just as much freedom as the other 3D games, just without having to physically arrive at the level?

[ljkkjlcm9]

It feels identical to Mario Galaxy, which is a good thing. Great game, will be lots of fun to play when I have time off. I've only gotten 3 stars so far.

As for the "Map" making it too linear... it works the same way. A certain amount of stars "opens" another planet... aka lets you travel to it along the road. So no you don't have to do it in order if you don't want to. You can get all the stars in one world, skip the next, and do the following etc.

As for carrying over powerups and such, completely not in any 3-D Mario, and would not work for any of the 3-D Mario games. The point of most of the levels is finding the items to get the Star. If you started the stage with the item it would completely break the game.

THE JACKEL

[Del Murder]

Totally getting this game. About time they made a second Mario platform game for a Nintendo console, and this was a great one to do it on. I am excited about the new features and added difficulty.

[Depression Moon]

It feels identical to Mario Galaxy, which is a good thing. Great game, will be lots of fun to play when I have time off. I've only gotten 3 stars so far.

As for the "Map" making it too linear... it works the same way. A certain amount of stars "opens" another planet... aka lets you travel to it along the road. So no you don't have to do it in order if you don't want to. You can get all the stars in one world, skip the next, and do the following etc.

As for carrying over powerups and such, completely not in any 3-D Mario, and would not work for any of the 3-D Mario games. The point of most of the levels is finding the items to get the Star. If you started the stage with the item it would completely break the game.

THE JACKAL

Fireballs and stars breaks games. I thought it could only make more fun and see things in different perspectives. People can still have the option to not use it if they didn't want to just like the others. Man with 1 that bugged me so much not being able to go back to stage 2 and just blast those goombas or bugs with a fireball. Or just tripping out and use a star to annhilate anything in my path. It might've made boss fights ridiculously and hilariously short. Also the black and red flying mario didn't seem to have any purpose in the first game. You had that test pilot level and it didn't show again outside of your HUB. It would've been cool to use it to transverse over the old levels and see how you could use it in the level. Of course it wouldn't be any help in underwater levels, but it'll still be mad fun anyhow.

[I Took the Red Pill]

And I would love it if beating the game unlocked a gallery of hentai Peach photos. But they can't cater to everyone's specific and random desires.

[Depression Moon]

how is that random, now you're just trolling. You know that you're request would be impossible and night not be even true just using it to be opposing. Mine exists in the realm of reality.

[Yeargdribble]

His particular argument might be a straw man, but the analogy he's making holds true. Not all things that please all people can be included. Some people can't be happy. Either there's something they wanted that's not included or something is included that they dislike and wish was removed.


As to the specifics of the item carry-over issue, I'm sure this was a proactive design choice. Since SMB3 has been mentioned, think about the use of the P-wing and how it could completely negate any challenge in many levels.

Beyond removing the designed challenges of levels, use of items that aren't intended can make you more aware of things like invisible walls. Your trading one artificial limitations for another. I would argue that running into an invisible wall is more bothersome than having limited item selection.

Another specific problem with a game like SMG1/2 is that unlike a game like NSMBW (where all levels are essentially the same side scrolling 2D style) there are a variety of level types where bringing in certain power-ups literally wouldn't work at all in the differing framework.


Now for the sake of looking at both sides, I suppose it's possible they could have added a feature where you could get some item carry-over after beating the game just for playing in an absolutely broken way, because I agree, sometimes that can be fun even if it destroys the challenge.

[I Took the Red Pill]

This game is definitely harder than the first one, some of the Prankster Comets are genuinely difficult. It's gr8 :-)

[Rase]

I have too much to play already, and regardless my Wii is in for cleaning to make sure there is no smoke/soot damage from a fire where I was staying.

I want to play though. :(

[Yeargdribble]

My wife and I finally got a chance to play it last night even though it's been sitting on the shelf (RDR and all). It's fantastic as was the first. The biggest difference so far has been the slightly expanded P2 controls which are fantastic.

I seem to get the feeling that most people aren't playing this game co-op, which is sad. I'm glad to hear it's harder which will make the P2 help less overpowered (which may be averaged out by expanded function). Have local co-op games gone the way of the dodo because companies want to sell more copies or do people honestly not want to play them any more?

There are people getting together to play a handful of games like RB and SFIV, but as the number of gamers goes up, it seems that the number of games that support local co-op (where it is logical to do so) is decreasing. Online co-op? Sure. Hell if you have a PS3/360 title without online it will get docked several points out of the gate for not having co-op almost regardless of the genre. But local co-op seems largely dead.

[Slothy]

Hell if you have a PS3/360 title without online it will get docked several points out of the gate for not having co-op almost regardless of the genre. But local co-op seems largely dead.

I've rarely seen that. In fact, given the sheer number of games that don't have co-op of any kind I can't see why reviews would dock points in most cases.

Frankly, I think part of the reason we don't see more co-op is because it's just really hard to implement properly whether online or off and many genres don't support it very well. Taking the FPS genre as an example, I've never played a co-op FPS I can think of (not that there are many) that wasn't pretty unbalanced because they never bothered to re-balance the co-op mode specifically. There are ways to do it in some genres but it is a lot more work to get it right.

As for why we don't see more local co-op, I could think of two reasons that strike me as probable. The first is an issue of hardware power. Taking Uncharted 2 for instance, there's absolutely no doubt that it pushes the hardware very hard, but if it were to have split screen co-op it will make more work for the PS3 by requiring the system to render two completely different scenes simultaneously. I'm sure it wouldn't scale to require twice the hardware power, but I'd be surprised if they could keep the quality up without putting in a lot of extra work to optimize, assuming it's possible at all. It's not likely to happen for a feature that isn't a main draw of the game and most companies won't release it if it looks or runs worse. The other reason is that online co-op is easier in just about every way. No hardware hurdles to get over and it can use and build off of existing network code. I'd guess it's much easier to implement at a quality comparable to the single player and regular multiplayer.

That's all my speculation on it anyway. As far as how I feel about local co-op, it's nice if it's there and implemented well, but I hate any implementation requiring split screen, and online is far more convenient than waiting to schedule a time to have a friend or two over.

Anyway, back on track: my sister said she's getting Mario Galaxy 2 soon so I guess I will get to play it. I don't expect much though, and doubt I'll ever buy it since I hated both Mario Sunshine and Mario Galaxy (on top of almost every Nintendo game made in the last two console generations). It does give me hope to hear the they upped the difficulty though.

[Ouch!]

Brilliant game. Currently in near the beginning of world four, sitting on 60 stars. I only play when my girlfriend is around to watch, and it drives her insane about how I won't progress until I have every star available.

Some of the prankster comets have been a bit obnoxious, but nothing particularly difficult yet.

[Flying Arrow]

After I finish Dragon Age my next monthly purchase will definitely be this. The only problem is finding someone generous enough to lend me a Wii until I've gotten all 120 stars.

[Sephex]

My review:

Super Mario Galaxy 2 – Video Game Review | Primary Ignition (http://www.primaryignition.com/2010/06/02/super-mario-galaxy-2-review/)

Needless to say, I loved the game.