One of the benefits of not reviewing video games for a living, is that when you get a new game you don't have to rush through it and judge things on first impression. Of course, they do have the added benefit of receiving a must-have a while before the rest of the public, but do they really know what they're talking about? Take for example, the latest big name game to be released and Wii's title of the year - Super Mario Galaxy. Not only is the internet been buzzing since the games release of how it is the best game on the Nintendo Wii console right now, but there is also a lot of discussion on whether or not this is the single best game ever (a title that would usually fall to the hands of Zelda: Ocarina of Time). Gameranking's, a website that collects reviews from all over the world and then accumulates them is worth a look as well, seeing as there has been an ongoing battle at the top spot between the two games in question. Each to their own, I guess..

Super Mario Galaxy has been a long time in the works, apparently, ever since the world was wow'ed by Mario going into 3D in the Nintendo 64 classic 'Mario 64'. Ever since that game was made people have been buzzing about a possible sequel known on the internet for a long time as 'Mario 128'. When the Gamecube, Nintendo's previous console, was first being publicised there was a video that showed many mini-Mario's wondering around a sphere and though I heavily doubt this was a clue to Super Mario Galaxy, I think Nintendo took the idea of Mario walking around 360 degrees and applied into a space age situation. Of course there was a Nintendo game to fill the gap between 64 and Galaxy, and that was known as Super Mario Sunshine - although to many this could never be known as a sequel to the first 3D outing as it was too gimmicky.

Bowser kidnaps the Princess, and Baby Bowser is with him (I don't think I'll ever get on board with that new character, but they keep throwing him down our throats..) The castle, that looks the spit of how it always does, is then lifted into the air and you know you are going to have to save her. Enter Rosalina and the Lumas. Rosalina pretty much looks exactly the same as the Princess, so it shows how much money they invested into character models there. She takes you to the observatory that acts as the 'hub' for the game (how the castle did in '64', and Isle Delfino did in 'Sunshine'). To me the hub looks incredibly cheesy, and is another step in the wrong direction although something you would come to expect from Nintendo. It is a bit of a hassle to negotiate your way around it sometimes, which is only annoying based off how small it is, although as the game progresses you do open new areas and easier ways to get to them. Not that I realised these easier ways were there until I completed the game. The observatory looks like a widened rocket, which makes it no surprise when it starts flying off to the 'centre of the universe'. Give me the castle back any day, although as I look out my window right now I do wonder if there is some fat Italian plumber somewhere racing off to save his Princess from a giant turtle.

The Lumas guide you through the game, and some will TRRRAAAAAANSFORM into means of travelling from planet to planet, whilst hungry ones will change into new galaxies if you feed them the star bits you collect from the game. The fact that you can be over one side of the level, and using the Wiimore still collect star bits from the other side, shows what I mean about the fun level of this. When I was playing the game I wanted to make sure I did everything I could do before moving on to the next part, and that is exactly what I did, doing each area in order. For example, you start in the terrace of the observatory which has so many galaxies in it, and then you open up other ones ranging from the kitchen to the bedroom to the engine room. What is strange is how the themes of the observatory rooms have nothing to do with the galaxies that are inside them, and in fact you find that the galaxies are really mixed up that some theme galaxies you never really get a great one.

For most galaxies you will also get a comet in orbit that changes something about the stage and gives you the opportunity to get a new star. This ranges from having to complete the stage in a certain about of time to having to beat the boss without getting damaged. The fact that you normally only have three sections of life in stages, although can be expanded to six if you find the right mushroom, means that you have to be slightly more careful than usual as yellow coins are more of a rariety to come by than star bits that don't do anything for your health. There are also 'secret' stars that you have to find, but they're not usually all that secret. I think if you're a new and young Mario player this game is going to be challenging, but for anyone else it would probably be easy to speed through if you don't want to enjoy yourself. On the subject of returning things from previous games, Luigi shows up now and again, although I am still missing Yoshi so as far as I know this is still lacking from being the complete Mario and the gang experience.