Full Review

16 November 2007 - Mario is back once again and this time its out of this world! Well that's what Nintendo want you to believe, but should you? We don a spacesuit and get playing.

Coming to you in full luscious 3D graphics (well for the Wii) you play Mario tasked with saving Princess Peach from the clutches of Bowser once again.

But this time rather than battle it out on the ground you've got to fly around the galaxy collecting stars. The more stars you have the more chance you've got of finding the bad guys.

The concept as with all Mario titles is simple, but effective and rather than levels its galaxy systems that you've got to complete.

However where Super Mario Galaxy differs is that planets are round rather than flat and that means you'll spend most of the game upside down running around a planet with the galaxy gleaming in the background.

While for the majority of time you can't fall off, you'll still have to avoid black holes, monsters and a range of pitfalls to keep you on your toes, as well as the odd puzzle here and there.

Keeping it as interactive as possible, Nintendo has used the Nunchuck and the Wii Remote to the fullest.

The Nunchuck as with other games allows you to move around, the Wii Remote is used for spinning to defeat enemies or for shooting stars that you've collected at them.

You can even use it to collect the stars scattered around so you don't have to spend precious gaming minutes running around the screen.

So how does this all play out on the gameplay front? Great fun, but it can at times get repetitive as planet after planet you collect stars merely to get to the next galaxy.

As the game progresses there are different elements introduced, a bee level for example that turns Mario into a bee so he can fly or crawl on honey walls, or manta ray surfing that will help you lose your lives quicker than you can give them away.

VERDICT
Super Mario Galaxy is a polished, well executed platformer with a difference – there are no platforms.

Inventive gameplay, great scenery, and a longevity that like other Mario titles will keep you battling on for ages will certainly keep you entertained long enough till the next installment comes out.

It is, as some are calling, the next best Mario thing since Mario Kart? Not really – this is classic single player fun not a party game (you can play co-op with another person), but if you like the Italian plumber, then this is yet another adventure worth adding to your collection.