I saved the best game on Super Mario 3D All Stars for last, and that is Super Mario Galaxy. Super Mario Galaxy came out in 2007 for the Nintendo Wii to universal acclaim, for which I will explain further in this post. Super Mario Galaxy differs from the other two Mario games in the bundle. The focus of Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Galaxy is on open-world exploration and collecting, whereas the focus of Super Mario Galaxy is on completing linear challenges. Super Mario Galaxy feels similar to many of the older 2D Mario platformers in its game design.
Right off the bat, I need to address the one negative I have with the Switch version of Super Mario Galaxy. I find the controls to be cumbersome when playing the game on my television, as I find it difficult to control Mario while using the controller as a pointer to collect/shoot Star Bits. Playing the game on handheld felt more natural to me, as I can use the touch screen to collect/shoot Star Bits without deviating too much from controlling Mario.
The camera is also much better than the other two Mario games on the Super Mario 3D All Stars bundle. The space setting means that walls will not block the camera or the camera will not move around on you while you are moving. There are instances where you are upside-down on a planet where there is difficulty in orienting your controls, but this is part of the challenge of Super Mario Galaxy.
With that out of the way, I am happy to say that Super Mario Galaxy is as amazing as I remember it when I played the game on my old Wii. The visuals and graphics look polished for the Switch, and they do not look out of place for the graphical expectations of the Switch today. The soundtrack is an orchestral heaven, with perfectly curated music to fit the atmosphere of the game. The level design is near perfect with how the developers used space to create these unique challenges, which are varied and plentiful.
However, the best part about Super Mario Galaxy is that for the first time, there was a real effort in creating a story in this game. Yes, the game is still basically 'Bowser kidnaps the Princess and Mario has to save her', but there are now well-directed cut-scenes with good cinematography that shows how heroic Mario is, and now menacing Bowser can be. The game simply feels more important because of it. I also like the addition of Rosalina as the 'Mama' of the Lumas and I found her backstory to be touching and surprisingly deep.
Super Mario Galaxy is my favorite Mario game, and in my opinion, is the best Mario game ever released. The developers took a risk with creating a large-scale Mario game in an unfamiliar setting, and created pure solid gold. There has not been a game like Super Mario Galaxy, or its sequel (which I have not played yet). Super Mario Galaxy is a masterpiece of a video game, for which future generations will remember.
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