PopOp - Super Mario Galaxy [Wii]

[Sarconix]

Continuing through the November releases, we come to the top game when it comes to critical reviews. Super Mario Galaxy has received an incredible reception from critics, earning a 97% average and becoming the #2 game ever on any platform at GameRankings, just behind Ocarina of Time. But this poll isn't about the critics: what did you think about it?

About This Poll (http://www.mauriciovives.com/popop/info.html) - Please read before voting!
Results of Previous Polls (http://www.mauriciovives.com/popop)

[Baron Samedi]

First!

100% Great!

[Gorvi]

Good, not great. I don't know if it's the more directed gameplay or what, but it just didn't do it for me like I'd hoped it would. I beat it with 101 stars and don't really feel compelled to get that last 19.

[TheKeck]

I just have so much fun playing it.

[LiquidRain]

Totally awesome.

[Dr.Finger]

A great game. My only complaint being the occasional camera problems.

[Returner]

Good, not great. I don't know if it's the more directed gameplay or what, but it just didn't do it for me like I'd hoped it would. I beat it with 101 stars and don't really feel compelled to get that last 19.

Shame on you. No soup for you come back one year.

[Baron Samedi]

Good, not great. I don't know if it's the more directed gameplay or what, but it just didn't do it for me like I'd hoped it would. I beat it with 101 stars and don't really feel compelled to get that last 19.

I'm a little over half on my second playthrough. Gotta say, I'm skipping around, grabbing comets irregularly, but I'm having more fun. Less expectation and other games distracting me, too.

[IrishWhiskey]

Good, not Great.

Its fun, but nothing really new or exciting. Its a mellow activity with charm, but not nearly as much fun as some other games this year. Definitely wildly overrated by reviews placing as one of the greatest games ever.

[Doctor Setebos]

I beat the game at 96 stars, and now I have only comet zones to look forward to. I shudder to think of how painful some of those purple coin comets are going to be.

Which is why I'll now be focusing my energies on Zack & Wiki and No More Heroes. :D

[KSmitty]

I really love this game, the use of 3-D space, the level design, the challenges, the difficulty, the bonus stages... just a great game.

[torrefaction]

It's fun, but I'm getting to the point where i need a great story in the game to keep me hooked.

[Baron Samedi]

It's fun, but I'm getting to the point where i need a great story in the game to keep me hooked.

:eek: - there are great stories in games?

[DylonCorp]

Love it, love it, love it. Easily my favorite game of last year, beating out GHIII.

I just wish for more cape levels.

[Heretic Machine]

GOTY 2008 for me. I only got up to 105 stars though, some of the harder stars just aren't that much fun. Still the best game I've played in years.

[torrefaction]

:eek: - there are great stories in games?

So you didn't play Bioshock, Mass Effect, Portal (Yes, it had a great story!), Witcher, any of the Half Life's (yes, there are flaws, but still), Planescape, Baldur's Gate, Psychonauts, Fallout 1/2...

I could keep going, but fuck that.

The answer is yes.

[Wedge]

Great. Easily. A great game in a year with plenty of other great games.

[Ravenlock]

Loved - and still loving - it, and think it deserved every accolade it got. It's a joyous experience all the way through, and they poured a whole lot of love into every aspect of its design. The visuals are brilliant, the music is a wonderful blend of old and new (and beautifully orchestrated), and the control is as spot-on as it's ever been for a Mario game.

And on top of that, they made it both a perfect entry game for non-gamers - my wife is actually enjoying it, something I would not have dared to hope for - and a genuine challenge for those of us who want to get every star (%^$&%@ daredevil comet on Bouldergeist...). I think it's Nintendo's best work in a long time, and given the quality level of Twilight Princess, Metroid Prime 3, New Super Mario Bros and Phantom Hourglass, that's really saying something.

Is it everything I love about games? No. It doesn't have a gripping story or compelling characters, and it doesn't really push the artform in any way. And maybe that's a valid criticism of Mario games in general, but at their best, they remind me of why I started loving games in the first place, and Mario Galaxy pulls that off with style.

[Baron Samedi]

So you didn't play Bioshock, Mass Effect, Portal (Yes, it had a great story!), Witcher, any of the Half Life's (yes, there are flaws, but still), Planescape, Baldur's Gate, Psychonauts, Fallout 1/2...

I could keep going, but fuck that.

The answer is yes.

Sarcasm, torre, sarcasm.... If anything, stories may be getting worse, as games like Zork, the Sierra games, the SCUMM games, the late, great PC RPG games are already said and done. Good stuff is still being made, but is getting lost in the shuffle. Yet if your sole critieria is a good story, either your definition is much broader than mine or you play very few games.

[Karmakin]

GOTY and my favorite game ever.

[Kamalot]

Poor: The guns didn't make a realistic sound and I couldn't figure out how to unlock all those karts I keep hearing about.

Lame
</troll>

[Mr.Green]

I hesitated between OK and Good and went with the latter since some of the level design is pure brilliance. I can't say it's great mainly because it's not really my cup of tea. I guess. I have to play it in small doses otherwise it starts feeling like work. I'm not done with it yet (35 stars or so) though so my opinion might change.

[Spigot]

It was a great game. I only got about 65 or so stars when I beat it but I'll definately take the time to work on the other stars at some point. I don't think it was GOTY, but it was pretty darn close.

[Deadend]

Great, but for some reason, I didn't enjoy it that much. I blame the arbitrary wii-crap. fuck ball rolling by tiliting, and twist to ride stingrays, and shaking to attack.

[51|RandoM]

I think I need to get around to opening it, which I've vowed to not do until I finish Fire Emblem.

[captainspankypants]

OK.

The planet design was fantastic, what with the running upside down and stuff. Very fun and creative. On the other hand, the camera was infuriating, especially during boss battles and the god-awful swimming portions of the game. This is made even worse by spotty controls at times (sometimes when you're upside down or sideways on the weirder planets, it gets a little confusing as to which direction you need to press). I wasn't thrilled with the art design, either. They used the same cutesy Mario characters as always, but they tried to use more serious, dark scenarios for them storywise, and the mix didn't really work for me.

Like I said, parts of it are very creative and fun. I just found myself screaming in rage at my TV far too often for me to give it too high of a score. The camera and controls are brutal at times.

[Baron Samedi]

Who are you people? How do you fail at Mario!!?! :rolleyes:

[Wyrm]

Great game, all the way through. I can't stress enough what an achievement this one is in a lot of ways. It's Mario as you know it, yet it's Mario as you've never experienced anything before. It's epic, it's fun as shit, and it's a lengthy adventure.

Easily the game of the year for the Wii.

[beefyjr]

Overrated. Still a pretty awesome game, but not the best thing since sliced bread I was lead to believe.

[anakin876]

I marked it as great - because when it is great it is. The underwater controls, some of the flying controls - the freaking stingray controls all leave me feeling the need to chuck the WiiMote at the freaking wall. Some of the games they play with gravity are pretty fun - the odd gravity effects have left me chuckling on one or two occasions.

What is up with the game saving the number of crystal bits, the stars, and coins, but NOT how many lives I have? Every time I restart the game I've got 4 marios sitting down there in the corner - and the mailtoad delivering a few lives from the princess. Why couldn't they also save the lives? It must have been a conscious decision - it's not a difficult thing to add in. Bizzzzaro!

Edit - I should have marked it good - as others have mentioned - the FREAKING CAMERA! Why couldn't I move it on my own? Why only at certain times when the designer decided it was time to move? Ugh - they should have defaulted to their preferred camera angle, but if I stop and try to adjust the camera angle to look around I can do so. That would have removed about 90% of my frustration.

[UnderHero5]

Who are you people? How do you fail at Mario!!?! :rolleyes:

Yeah. I'm not the best at platformers (especially 2D ones) but even I have had no problem with Mario Galaxy. It's not a difficult game by any means. At least not the normal stars/planets.

I still haven't finished the game, just because I got distracted by other games (and feel no desire to continue playing now, for some reason) but I got 40+ stars before I stopped. None of had me dying more than 3 times, at most, and that was only a couple.

[Kamalot]

I think I need to get around to opening it, which I've vowed to not do until I finish Fire Emblem.

Whats your take on Fire Emblem? Are you digging it? I've played the GBA games multiple times but I'd love to hear your take on the Wii title.

[MosBen]

I voted Ok, though that might have to do with the uber high expectations I had after everyone raved online. It's Mario, no more, no less. It's still kind of fun, but it's really not what I look for in games anymore. I've jumped on goombas nearly my whole life and adding a couple new twists to the old formula just doesn't get me excited like it used to. I'll go back and play it some more, but it's more an issue of getting my money's worth now mixed in with a bit of interest in seeing what's left in there. With Bioshock, Mass Effect, and Rockband, I have to fight the urge to play them or I'll never get anything done.

Edit: Oh, and I've also gotten to the point where any game that has me failing a given level over and over just isn't worth my time. I agree that overall Galaxy isn't super tough (what I've played so far at least), but there are a few bits that piss me off. Games should never piss me off.

[Baron Samedi]

Whats your take on Fire Emblem? Are you digging it? I've played the GBA games multiple times but I'd love to hear your take on the Wii title.

This is news to me too. Then again, it is Random. You can always hear the dice rolling in the background when he's around :p.

[Durka-Dan]

I wonder who voted poor...

[Baron Samedi]

I wonder who voted poor...

sGAYk5VWkTw

[Kamalot]

I wonder who voted poor...

That would be me.
:D

Just to throw a wrench in the curve...

[Yellowman]

(Monty Python Video)

Fucking genius!

[Kamalot]

sGAYk5VWkTw

LOL! Good one. :D

[Generation ABXY]

Great. I wouldn't say it is 10/10 great just yet (but then again, I haven't finished - I've had other obligations, sadly), but it does seem darn close...

[smashp]

great, it was easily my game of the year for 2007. although platforming as mario is nothing new, it was a welcomed change for me in an era of shooting things and being gritty tough guys (which isnt new either if youve had a decent pc in the last 15 years). call me old fashioned, but im bored by realism and not too interested in playing a character thats "hardcore" or ultra-serious when i play a videogame.

anyways, any well made product thats goes against the tide is even better when comparitavely placed against its contemporaries imo. example: in the console world in 1997, first person shooters were rare and usually garbage, thats a large reason goldeneye was spectacular. say goldeneye had come out on the pc, it wouldnt have been praised nearly as much up against duke nukem, quake II, or doom.

[Kid Moxie]

Alright, who thought it was poor? *rolls up sleeves*

[torrefaction]

You people asking who voted what way are new to the internet, and this whole "clicking" phenomenon aren't you?

[Camel]

Whats your take on Fire Emblem? Are you digging it? I've played the GBA games multiple times but I'd love to hear your take on the Wii title.
Fire Emblem is my favorite series (outside of Smash Bros). The newest one isn't all that great, in my opinion. Probably the game I was most disappointed by last year. The new characters aren't that interesting, there's too many old characters that weren't interesting the first time around, and in all honesty I would have preferred a brand new setting and cast than seeing old favorites. Plus one of my favorite parts of the GC Fire Emblem, the little conversations you could have between battles with other characters, is gone. BOO!

Maybe the game gets AMAZING in the third act (out of three), where you take control of the Greil Mercenaries, but I really haven't been compelled to find out at the expense of ignoring other games.

[51|RandoM]

Whats your take on Fire Emblem? Are you digging it? I've played the GBA games multiple times but I'd love to hear your take on the Wii title.

I'm not digging it. If I were digging it I wouldn't play anything else. Turn-based strategy is probably my favorite genre of games, I love them, even when they're mediocre(like FF:T).

Why am I not digging it?

1. It is unforgiving in terms of difficulty.
1a. Difficulty fluctuates greatly due to dice rolls.
1b. Armor is too weak, while attacks are too strong, and HP is usually < 2 successful attacks.
1c. It is even worse if you don't import character data from the previous game to give you at least one character who isn't a pansy.

What that means is early on in the game if any of your characters, even your best characters gets attacked by 2 people in the same round they will most likely die. What do people play Fire Emblem do when a character dies? They reset and play the level again. and again. and again. and again.

There are certain times you will have to play a level over and over just because the rolls aren't going your way. It isn't a matter of being smarter, playing smarter, it is just rolling the dice and crossing your fingers. I hate that in a strategy game. Sure, add some randomness for flavor, but don't be capricious.

2. Too many absolutely worthless characters.

They give you characters that can't even take a single attack from any enemy in the game. You get this female beefy knight early on, with a plate armor-clad visage. You think "alrighty! got me a new tank". Well, you don't. She can't take hits, she can't make hits, she is damned near impossible to level.

3. The graphics suck.

This is clearly a Gamecube game. Matter of fact, it might as well be a DS game. I wouldn't mind this, but when they held the Gamecube release over for the Wii the graphics should have gotten better, the game should have gotten better. With that time they should have added stuff. They didn't.

4. The story isn't doing it for me.

5. No new gameplay mechanics.

This is basically just a new module for the last Fire Emblem game... which would be just fine if it were not for 1, 2, 3, and 4.

All in all I am underwhelmed and disappointed by the game. I'll still finish it, but it will be when I don't have anything really good to play.

[darklordjames]

Mario Galaxy was pretty rad. I spent about 15 hours in that world, got my 60 stars to beat it, then came back for another 20 stars or so. I then moved on to Mass Effect and Assassin's Creed, but those 15 hours were 15 hours well spent.

[ElectroDruid]

I didn't know whether to put "Great!", or "Good". I chose Good because although it was an excellent game, it really isn't the greatest game of all time, and I don't want to be one of those guys that says it is. It was probably my #3 game of last year (after the flawlessly beatiful Portal, and the beautiful-but-flawed Bioshock), but looking at the stuff I've really loved playing in the last couple of years, it was no Shadow of the Colossus, or Defcon, or Psychonauts.

I think what it comes down to is that it's great from the point of view of what people now like to call a "pure GAME". It reminded me of the simple-but-awesome jumping around and killing stuff purity of the 16-bit era, and that's no bad thing. But it evoked more nostalgia than anything. Game designers could do a lot worse than to study the way that Galaxies (or those older 16-bit games) were put together and remember where the fun comes from, but I think the medium has grown a bit now. To talk about the games I just mentioned, Galaxies is not as smartly humorous as Portal, does not have a world as engrossing and intricate as Bioshock, does not have the sheer beauty and thrill of standing atop a skyscraper-sized Colossus staring out across an eerily-barren landscape, does not mix smugness and guilt in the same way that "Cairo Hit: 12 Million Dead" manages to evoke, and comes not even close to the sheer awesome escapism of entering the mind of a lungfish and trampling Lungfishopolis.

Don't get me wrong: Galaxies didn't try to do any of those things. It did one thing (old-skool platforming in a mutable-gravity environment), and did it well. But what it did was an old trick, something we saw done equally well 10 or 15 years ago. It's nice to see it done well again, because we haven't seen that kind of gameplay for ages, but games have moved on. I loved playing it, but if the only feeling that playing a new game can evoke in me is nostalgia, then I can't help but feel that it could have been something more.

As an aside, I had no problems with the camera. Writing good camera code is bloody difficult to do (I should know, I've done it), and given the complexity of the level design I think the people responsible for the camera did a remarkably good job.

*dons flame-proof suit*

[Adam Blue]

I chose good as well. I had a lot of fun with the game, but other games have been pulling me in more, leaving Galaxy in the pile of unfinished games.

[MosBen]

What ElectroDruid said. I could have gone up to "good" myself I suppose. The underlying point for me is that nostalgia is fun and all, but it doesn't get me in the gut. I know that I'm *really* into a game when I dream about it, and I can guarantee that I'm not going to be dreaming about Galaxy.

[Kefkataran]

Anyone who votes poor on this title clearly has no soul. Anyone who votes "OK"... your soul is in question.

[Xijar]

Having beat the game, I can't give this game more than a 7/10, which I would consider "OK" on this thread's scale. It wasn't terrible, but the only new stuff it brought to the Mario series is unnecessarily gimmicky controls, and linear, uninspired level design that pails in comparison to those you'd find in Mario 64.

I will give them some credit for how much time they spent on making each of the 120 stars as if they were their own level, rather than making each star just randomly scattered around in a handful of landmasses. But the fact that each of those 120 'levels' is completely linear, and each is just a rehashed principal of "Go from tiny ball of land to tiny ball of land solving trivial puzzles and jumping" means it ultimately falls flat. The game just gets boring, in my opinion. Hopefully the next Mario game in 5 years will go back to the older and better game formula.

[Headcase]

A great game. My only complaint being the occasional camera problems.

Gotta agree with that.

Galaxy is a great game in a genre I'm otherwise sick of. Who needs three dimensions anyway, more 2D platformers please (that goes for all companies) :)

[Kefkataran]

Having beat the game, I can't give this game more than a 7/10, which I would consider "OK" on this thread's scale.

Huh? Why would 7/10 (or 70%) be considered only OK on this scale? I would assume at least "Good", seeing as there are only four options. Logically speaking, Poor would be 1-25%, OK would be 25-50%, Good would be 50-75%, Great would be 75-100%. Maybe I'm overthinking it.

[Spigot]

I don't think I had a single camera issue in Galaxy. Maybe one time (outside of the water levels) but other than that, nothing like the teeth-grindily bad camera that was the Sunshine camera.

[Opty]

People say Galaxy is great because it is near perfect at one thing: being a platform game. It doesn't bother with story or extra bullcrap, it's focused first and foremost on presenting awesome platforming to the player. And with that it exceeds. Remember the original Mario games? They all were linear: this is the "older and better" game formula that the game returns to and is all the better for it. Modern games that try to toss in everything always end up failing at something and that detracts from the game: Galaxy does exactly what it set out to do any any disappointment is the user's from expecting too much moreso than the developer's for dropping the ball.

The "gimmicky" levels, of which there are 6 and none are required iirc, don't do anything to detract from the game whatsoever. The sling stars, something the Wiimote is needed for, is a welcome addition to the game. And the spin being attached to waggle just feels natural since it means you don't have to move your fingers from the buttons they're on for the entire game. The only problem with the water controls is that the y-axis is inverted. That's it, once you figure it out swimming is easy.

[Disgustipated]

Huh? Why would 7/10 (or 70%) be considered only OK on this scale? I would assume at least "Good", seeing as there are only four options. Logically speaking, Poor would be 1-25%, OK would be 25-50%, Good would be 50-75%, Great would be 75-100%. Maybe I'm overthinking it.

No, you're right. Absolutely right.

[Heretic Machine]

I don't think I had a single camera issue in Galaxy. Maybe one time (outside of the water levels) but other than that, nothing like the teeth-grindily bad camera that was the Sunshine camera.

The only time I had a problem with the camera was with this one star in one of the desert stages... The one where you're upside down and sidescrolling, while sand fills up the area below you so that you have to keep moving quickly. On top of that, you're moving around a central core, meaning that the angle is always changing.

It was very frustrating, but once I adjusted to what I was supposed to be doing, I got it. That was the one and only time I had a problem with the camera.

[Fizzl]

I keep wondering what i'm missing, it just seems like an average game with nothing to drive me forward.

I was given RE: Umbrella chronicle's and RE 4 for the Wii at the same time as Mario Galaxy and they have both been played 100 times more.

I really liked the super Mario games on my DS but i just can't seem to get into it on the Wii, i guess ultimately i prefer to shoot zombies.

[Kelegacy]

Another vote for good, not great. Ranks above Sunshine, way below 64. I haven't played it in a couple weeks, I don't know how many stars I have. I'm a big Mario fan, but Galaxy failed to captivate me for whatever reason. Still, not a bad game by any stretch of the imagination, but just a game that wasn't able to quench my thirst. Kinda like those mini-barrels of brightly colored "juice" with the tinfoil seals that you drank as a kid.

[EternalGamer]

I don't really know why Galaxy didn't grab me more. But after the initial 30 or 40 stars, it became a game I am rarely compelled to play. I think part of it is that I miss the large open 3D environments. Almost all the environments in Galaxy are rail path ways with very narrow rails. Some of them start out with a few path options, but those quickly turn into tight rails as well.

The problem with this is that it eliminates the exploratory element from the game. It gains in its ability to tightly control the experience, but I'm not sure that is a trade off I'm entirely happy with. I remember playing Mario 64 and constantly seeing things in a distance that I wanted to get to or paths that I wanted to see where they led. I don't think I had that experience once in Galaxy.

[EternalGamer]

Kinda like those mini-barrels of brightly colored "juice" with the tinfoil seals that you drank as a kid.


Ok, Galaxy isn't quite that bad. Those things were awful both in concept and in taste. Who wants to chew on a bunch of wax filled with a half teaspoon of bad koolaid.

[Gorvi]

I don't really know why Galaxy didn't grab me more. But after the initial 30 or 40 stars, it became a game I rarely am compelling to play. I think part of it is that I miss the large open 3D environments. Almost all the environments in Galaxy are rail path ways with very narrow rails. Some of them start out with a view path options, but those quickly turn into tight rails as well.

The problem with this is that it eliminates the exploratory element from the game. It gains in its ability to tightly control the experience, but I'm not sure that is a trade off I'm entirely happy with. I remember playing Mario 64 and constantly seeing things in a distance that I wanted to get to or paths that I wanted to see where they led. I don't think I had that experience once in Galaxy.
Exactly how I feel. It's funny, I want my Burnout to go back to a more tightly controlled experience, and I want my Mario to go back to being more wide open. I'm never happy. :p

[Kelegacy]

Ok, Galaxy isn't quite that bad. Those things were awful both in concept and in taste. Who wants to chew on a bunch of wax filled with a half teaspoon of bad koolaid.

No no, I mean the little white plastic containers, that are sealed by tinfoil. Not the wax ones. You couldn't eat these. The juice tasted the same I think.

Galaxy isn't close to bad, but it failed to satisfy me in that respect. It's one of those games I'll come back to to collect a star or two every now and then. I want a game to hold my attention until I beat it. Galaxy lacked that magnetism...for me anyway.

[Spigot]

EternalGamer just chewed right through the sides of his Capri-Sun. The monster!

See, I'm one of those people who never really played Mario 64 back in the day (I tried it once or twice several years after it came out but never sunk much time into it) and after recently trying to play it, I just couldn't get into it. For me, Galaxy was much more what I was after. Tight levels that had me (for the most part) constantly moving forward towards a goal.

Galaxy was a throwback to the older style of platforming than the more wide-open levels of Mario 64 but because I didn't have the nostalgia of 64 holding me back, I was able to really enjoy Galaxy.

[mr. murphy]

Galaxy isn't close to bad, but it failed to satisfy me in that respect. It's one of those games I'll come back to to collect a star or two every now and then. I want a game to hold my attention until I beat it. Galaxy lacked that magnetism...for me anyway.

This is exactly how I've been playing it, and I couldn't even tell you why. I was wicked excited for it to come out, I barreled through the first 40 stars or so, and now I pick it up, get a star or two, and pop something else in. I can't tell if it's the game, or me, but it just doesn't suck me in.

Then again, it's nice to think that I could keep playing it at this rate for the next year.

[MosBen]

Opty, I'll grant that Galaxy is a solid old-school platformer, but (and this is just for the sake of argument) don't genres have to be revitalized or die off? Nobody was making westerns anymore until Unforgiven revitalized the genre, but it didn't do that by just doing the same conventions of the genre perfectly. Unforgiven was great because it took the setting and characters of the western genre and brought them into the present with modern sensibilities. Now, maybe a person could argue that Galaxy does just that, but my gut feeling is that most people here supporting the game do so because of its solid emulation of older games while those who are disapointed were hoping the platforming genre had moved forward. I don't know, maybe games are different than movies. Maybe game styles are more durable than film genres. Maybe I'm misjudging what Galaxy is doing with the genre.

[Generation ABXY]

No no, I mean the little white plastic containers, that are sealed by tinfoil. Not the wax ones. You couldn't eat these. The juice tasted the same I think.

Galaxy isn't close to bad, but it failed to satisfy me in that respect. It's one of those games I'll come back to to collect a star or two every now and then. I want a game to hold my attention until I beat it. Galaxy lacked that magnetism...for me anyway.

You mean Hugs (God, just saying the name makes me remember their smell), they come in little and big sizes...and sometimes carry pot, but I digress.

I know what he's talking about, too - those "candy" things were awful.

[Elrik Murder]

Great! Of course!

The game while not perfect, was frustrating at times. Thinking of that one star on the Dreadnought infuriates me. It involved jumping from one moving platform to the next one above you, therefore, causing a change in gravity and inverting the controls each time. Watching Mario walk off the side of a platform a dozen times while you're trying to get him to jump to the right will drive you crazy. Other than that specific example, I could only remember two or three more times (ball titling another until I got the hang of it) in the game that frustrated me.

More importantly, (and aside from these little misgivings, which honestly, are in every 3D Mario game...Sunshine in particular) the game was pure brilliance. While I don't believe it truly trumped Mario 64, I believe it's a worthy successor. While you won't explore huge open worlds, you will travel to truly inspired and amazing set pieces within the course of the game.

Also, I really enjoyed all the little throwbacks to the series roots mixed with a lot of new stuff. I especially loved the music and the return of the airships ala SMB 3. The return of the Fire Flower was awesome as well (even though it was a timed power-up this time around). And finally, those musical note puzzles were great! Say what you will but a lot of new tricks were introduced. More than once, I found myself totally floored by the dramatic effects of the game. I remember many exclamations of, "Wow, that was awesome!"

[vherub]

I had a great time with it, and my girlfriend felt involved using the second controller (which does make a differencec shooting mines on some of the more difficult levels or collecting 1-ups on say the really hard last monkey ball level).
Some of the level designs are genius, and the pace is very well done.
I would have liked more flying, and tighter response on triple jumping and quick turn jumping which I had previously relied heavily on in sunshine and 64.
But overall galaxy is why videogames are so much fun for me. It is not the best ever, or #x on my all time list, but that's not how I think. It was a blast to play, I wanted to play more as I played and I was satisfied when it was over.

[Rommel]

A truly wonderful game. I cannot immediattely think of a better game in the genre.

[EternalGamer]

You mean Hugs (God, just saying the name makes me remember their smell), they come in little and big sizes...and sometimes carry pot, but I digress.


I think this justifies a digression.

[jacktion]

So you didn't play Bioshock, Mass Effect, Portal (Yes, it had a great story!), Witcher, any of the Half Life's (yes, there are flaws, but still), Planescape, Baldur's Gate, Psychonauts, Fallout 1/2...




:)
I'm not sure if you understand the definition of "great story". It does not mean hackneyed sci-fi/fantasy for 10-year-olds.

When will we see a game without monsters, gunswords, demonboobs and robots? How about something for adults?

[mr. murphy]

:)
I'm not sure if you understand the definition of "great story". It does not mean hackneyed sci-fi/fantasy for 10-year-olds.

When will we see a game without monsters, gunswords, demonboobs and robots? How about something for adults?

Great stories that don't involve some level of fantasy also don't usually involve any activities that would be fun in a game. I guess some of the WWII games had great stories... what was that one, Brothers in Conflict or something? Does that count?

[Yellowman]

I hated Mario 64 open world crap, and the controls were rubbish. Mario Galaxy was the first Mario game since World I really enjoyed and boy was it a great feeling.

[Spigot]

:)
I'm not sure if you understand the definition of "great story". It does not mean hackneyed sci-fi/fantasy for 10-year-olds.

When will we see a game without monsters, gunswords, demonboobs and robots? How about something for adults?Go play Hotel Dusk: Room 215.

[TheKeck]

I hated Mario 64 open world crap, and the controls were rubbish.
That's odd, as I feel the core controls in Mario Galaxy are IDENTICAL to Mario 64. :confused:

[Gorvi]

Go play Hotel Dusk: Room 215.
Everyone should take this advice.

[TDub301]

... even when they're mediocre(like FF:T).

What's wrong with FF Tactics? are you talking about the original PS one? or one of the handhelds? I thought the original was awesome and played the shit out of Tactics Advance.

P.S. I'm a lover of strategy games as well, but you're making me not want to get the newest FE. Is it strange that I love the GBA Fire Emblems waaaaaaay more than the GC one?

[TDub301]

I hated Mario 64 open world crap, and the controls were rubbish. Mario Galaxy was the first Mario game since World I really enjoyed and boy was it a great feeling.

Rubbish? the controls were great. Maybe your controller was broken...

The controls were rubbish in Tomb Raider, which my friends loved comparing it too. "can Mario do this?" Actually, yes he can, see? the only thing he can't do is shoot those damn guns, cuz he's a man and doesn't need guns. Keep playing as that pansy bitch. (sorry, they made me bitter, they only played it to look at her oversized titties anyway)

[Chrome Dome]

It was a good game but there were too many levels that were tedious instead of fun. I borrowed a friends copy of the game (as well as their wii to play it on) and it actually made it easier for me to decide to wait a little while to pick up a wii for myself.

[Xijar]

Huh? Why would 7/10 (or 70%) be considered only OK on this scale? I would assume at least "Good", seeing as there are only four options. Logically speaking, Poor would be 1-25%, OK would be 25-50%, Good would be 50-75%, Great would be 75-100%. Maybe I'm overthinking it.

Mathematically this makes the most sense, but I'm going purely on the words. I would conisder the game to be "OK" more than I consider it to be "good".

Optimally, the four poll options would have better wording, since on a 4 point scale there should be equivalents of the following words: Terrible, Poor, Good, Excellent. Instead, there is currently one negative (poor), one neutral (ok), and two positive options (good/great), which really doesn't make as much sense, in my opinion.

[Manzy]

So you didn't play Bioshock, Mass Effect, Portal (Yes, it had a great story!), Witcher, any of the Half Life's (yes, there are flaws, but still), Planescape, Baldur's Gate, Psychonauts, Fallout 1/2...

I could keep going, but fuck that.

The answer is yes.

True, but I've played a lot more games with horrible stories than good stories (I've played everything you listed except for Bioshock, Mass Effect, and Psychonauts).

[Spigot]

True, but I've played a lot more games with horrible stories than good stories (I've played everything you listed except for Bioshock, Mass Effect, and Psychonauts).I'm a story whore. I often will play a game with even a moderately compelling story despite broken gameplay. Heck, there are games like Phoenix Wright that I adore despite the fact that it's basically story with zero to minimal gameplay.

That said, I don't demand an epic story in every game I play. I'm going to enjoy Mario Galaxy because it has a lot of fun platforming and imaginative worlds, not because I honestly care about whether he rescues Peach or what kind of bizarre domestic situation has arisen with Rosalind and her gaggle of starbits.

As long as you have a servicable framework to give the game a smidgen of context, I'm happy.

Like I said before in one of the other threads about Galaxy, if you want to play a Mario game with a unique and compelling story, go play one of the Mario RPG games.

[Primus]

If you want story watch a movie. Id rather PLAY Gears of War than Bioshock any day.

This game looks awesome I will pick it up once I am back in the States.

[torrefaction]

If you want story watch a movie. Id rather PLAY Gears of War than Bioshock any day.

This game looks awesome I will pick it up once I am back in the States.

Oh...I have a good idea! How about I keep my own opinions about games, and you not tell me what to do?!

Also:As great as Gears is, Bioshock is superior in nearly every imaginable way.

[Spigot]

If I want a story, I'll read a book... :rolleyes: yeesh

[51|RandoM]

If I want a story, I'll read a book... :rolleyes: yeesh

What about if you want a firefight?

[torrefaction]

What about if you want a firefight?

Uh...Paintball? Airsoft? Gun range? Military?

Oh, I know!!!!

BLACKWATER!

[Itchyeyes]

If you want story watch a movie.
Or I could, you know, play a game. Why is it so hard for you fanboys to admit that there is a single aspect of Mario Galaxy that is lacking. If it were impossible to make a game that had both great gameplay and a great story, then your argument would make sense. But there are plenty of great games out there that are successful on both levels. Mario Galaxy is a great game, but Mario Galaxy with a decent story would be better. Why is that such a contentious point?

[torrefaction]

Or I could, you know, play a game. Why is it so hard for you fanboys to admit that there is a single aspect of Mario Galaxy that is lacking. If it were impossible to make a game that had both great gameplay and a great story, then your argument would make sense. But there are plenty of great games out there that are successful on both levels. Mario Galaxy is a great game, but Mario Galaxy with a decent story would be better. Why is that such a contentious point?

What's even more hilarious is the guy hasn't even played the game.

[TheKeck]

Or I could, you know, play a game. Why is it so hard for you fanboys to admit that there is a single aspect of Mario Galaxy that is lacking. If it were impossible to make a game that had both great gameplay and a great story, then your argument would make sense. But there are plenty of great games out there that are successful on both levels. Mario Galaxy is a great game, but Mario Galaxy with a decent story would be better. Why is that such a contentious point?
Well, for me, certain game types are more conducive to engaging stories than others. Mario is largely about pure gameplay mechanics. If you try to shoehorn a deep story in there, it's going to be just that... shoehorned in. That's how I feel, anyway.

[Itchyeyes]

Well, for me, certain game types are more conducive to engaging stories than others. Mario is largely about pure gameplay mechanics. If you try to shoehorn a deep story in there, it's going to be just that... shoehorned in. That's how I feel, anyway.
Civilization is a good example of a game that is about pure gameplay. Mario is not. Mario Galaxy has a story, it's just a crappy one. The designers obviously felt that the player needed some sort of narrative framework to compel them forward, they just didn't take the effort to make it a good narrative. To me, it's like the difference between Ninja Gaiden and God of War. Ninja Gaiden is a game that is almost completely focused on gameplay and treats the story as an afterthought. God of War is a game that gives equal attention to both aspects of the game. As amazing as Ninja Gaiden is, I consider God of War the better game because it gives the player the full experience on both levels.

And if you think that a story would feel shoehorned into a platformer just look at Psychonauts.

[TheKeck]

Civilization is a good example of a game that is about pure gameplay. Mario is not. Mario Galaxy has a story, it's just a crappy one. The designers obviously felt that the player needed some sort of narrative framework to compel them forward, they just didn't take the effort to make it a good narrative. To me, it's like the difference between Ninja Gaiden and God of War. Ninja Gaiden is a game that is almost completely focused on gameplay and treats the story as an afterthought. God of War is a game that gives equal attention to both aspects of the game. As amazing as Ninja Gaiden is, I consider God of War the better game because it gives the player the full experience on both levels.
I can only say that I disagree. What little story Mario Galaxy has, I feel, is already shoehorned in. I guess you agree on that point. I just don't feel that it really merits any more story than the token narrative it's already got.

I mean, really, we're talking about a bunch of disjoint, wildly different, random scenarios. How are you going to tie that all together into a compelling story?

[Itchyeyes]

I can only say that I disagree. What little story Mario Galaxy has, I feel, is already shoehorned in. I guess you agree on that point. I just don't feel that it really merits any more story than the token narrative it's already got.

I mean, really, we're talking about a bunch of disjoint, wildly different, random scenarios. How are you going to tie that all together into a compelling story?
Sorry you replied before I finished editing, but just look at Psychonauts. Levels are totally disjointed and random, yet the game still provides a solid narrative with deep, memorable characters, solid voice acting, and humorous dialogue. As I said before, it would have been entirely possible for Nintendo to make a Mario game with those aspects they just didn't make the effort. For me, that's what makes Mario Galaxy a merely good game instead of a great one.

As a side note, It would be interesting to see how the results of this poll break down by people who have played Psychonauts and people who haven't. In my opinion, Psychonauts is actually the better game.

[KSmitty]

Civilization is a good example of a game that is about pure gameplay. Mario is not. Mario Galaxy has a story, it's just a crappy one. The designers obviously felt that the player needed some sort of narrative framework to compel them forward, they just didn't take the effort to make it a good narrative. To me, it's like the difference between Ninja Gaiden and God of War. Ninja Gaiden is a game that is almost completely focused on gameplay and treats the story as an afterthought. God of War is a game that gives equal attention to both aspects of the game. As amazing as Ninja Gaiden is, I consider God of War the better game because it gives the player the full experience on both levels.
Really God of War? Good story?

Mario is a platformer, a genre that is right up there with fighting games in terms of lack of story. They give you a basic framework and you go from there. I don't need a reason to fight Bowser, I don't need a reason to collect Bolts, or Gold rings, power crystals, etc. The platformer is a game that engages you in game build and level design. I am not trying to argue that Mario has a story, just that Mario does not need a story. I require no overarching impetus to get to that bright flashing point across the way. The platforming genre is not an adventure title or an rpg. Honestly up until recently you couldn't even name an FPS with a non-cliched story. Not that Bisohock, Portal, or HL2 are the epitome of great storytelling.

[Spigot]

Itchy Itchy Itchy...

Like I said before, if I want a Mario game with a solid story, I'll play the Mario RPGs. They have story out the wahzoo. The platforming Mario games have never been about the story aside from a VERY rudimentary framework to give you at least a bare-bones excuse to proceed from the start to the finish.

[torrefaction]

Itchy Itchy Itchy...

Like I said before, if I want a Mario game with a solid story, I'll play the Mario RPGs. They have story out the wahzoo. The platforming Mario games have never been about the story aside from a VERY rudimentary framework to give you at least a bare-bones excuse to proceed from the start to the finish.

Tradition doesn't necessarily mean it's a GOOD idea. As he said, that's what makes it just a good game. And I agree.

[Spigot]

Tradition doesn't necessarily mean it's a GOOD idea. As he said, that's what makes it just a good game. And I agree.If I want to play a platformer with a solid storyline, there are a lot of opportunities to do that with more modern franchises. If Galaxy was the first game in the Mario franchise, I could understand these complaints about the lack of storyline.

Maybe I'm just partial to nostalgia and tradition, but I don't go into a Mario game expecting a rip roaring storyline. I expect Peach to get kidnapped and Bowser to be behind it and for Mario to jump a lot. That's it. As long as they get the gameplay elements, I don't really care about the story in a Mario game. That said, I thought that there was a decent amount of backstory in Galaxy... it wasn't put forth through the course of the game proper, you had to visit the library to find out Rosalind's backstory.

To each his own, I guess. I don't play Katamari Damacy for the storyline either and would roll my eyes at people who said that the lack of a storyline detracted from those games.

[KSmitty]

To each his own, I guess. I don't play Katamari Damacy for the storyline either and would roll my eyes at people who said that the lack of a storyline detracted from those games.
Here is my test, Nothing. Pretend you know nothing about what is going on in the game world and none of the NPCs, signs, books, videos, etc tell you a single piece of info. Could you still play the game? If you can still play the game and enjoy it with that criteria that tells you how important story is to that game.

You could still play pretty much all platformers, fighting games, and even some adventure games simply from the visual cues the game provides. Doesn't mean that story is unimportant to those genres, just not a significant contributing factor.

[torrefaction]

To each his own, I guess. I don't play Katamari Damacy for the storyline either and would roll my eyes at people who said that the lack of a storyline detracted from those games.

It doesn't detract from the game. There's nothing wrong with it being a GOOD game. But to me, a great game does it all. Gameplay, Graphics, Fun, Story, Audio. Story's not there, it doesn't make the game any worse.

But how can you argue a great story wouldn't make the game better?

[DaXIthR]

And if you think that a story would feel shoehorned into a platformer just look at Psychonauts.

Uhhh...you lost me.

Psychonauts makes you sit through a ton of mandatory cut-scenes. You do absolutely nothing for the first 25 minutes. That's just not how platformers, or any traditional videogame should work.

And as great and clever as Psychonauts might be, its gameplay is piss-poor. controls aren't as tight as they should be. Camera is not as clever as it should be. You constantly miss platforms and jumps because of poor basic design. Collision detection leaves much to be desired.

No one is going to get a better grasp of core game mechanics from playing Psychonauts - sorry to burst your bubble. Maybe it's time for you to go back and play it again.

As a GAME, Psychonauts is vastly overrated. As a piece of fiction writing and as a interactive story, it does its medium a huge favor.

[Spigot]

It doesn't detract from the game. There's nothing wrong with it being a GOOD game. But to me, a great game does it all. Gameplay, Graphics, Fun, Story, Audio. Story's not there, it doesn't make the game any worse.

But how can you argue a great story wouldn't make the game better?I won't argue that a great story won't make the game better. I'm just saying that this particular game doesn't NEED a great story.

And DaXIthR, watch your mouth... Them's fighting words there about Psychonauts.

Like I said, if Mario Galaxy had been the first game out in the Mario series and nobody knew anything about Peach or Bowser or anything, I could understand people complaining about the lack of story.

As it is, Mario's travails against Bowser and Peach's Stockholm Syndrome are a part of gaming DNA and aside from a little bit of set-up to explain why and where Mario has to go jumping today, it stands on its own just fine.

Now, if they had put in a storyline that was on par with the various Mario RPGs storylines, I'd be tickled pink, but it's not a lesser game because of the story that is present.

[Itchyeyes]

Itchy Itchy Itchy...

Like I said before, if I want a Mario game with a solid story, I'll play the Mario RPGs. They have story out the wahzoo. The platforming Mario games have never been about the story aside from a VERY rudimentary framework to give you at least a bare-bones excuse to proceed from the start to the finish.
I don't think that just because that's the way they've been done in the past is a legitimate reason to keep doing things that way. Most shooters didn't have decent stories before either, then came Half-Life. One can hardly argue that the genre was better before. And before everyone starts yelling about how they still don't have decent stories, realize that when I talk about decent stories in a game I'm not talking about Shakespeare here. To me, a decent story in a game is just something that gives you a strong reason to move forward. I don't think Mario Galaxy provides even that.

People keep talking about how we don't need stories in platformers, but I think that a lot of the reason we've seen such a decline in the genre is because so many of them have neglected that aspect of the game. Nobody cares about them because they have no reason to play them. Mario has survived on the strength of it's brand, but aside from that what other traditional (ie gameplay focused) platformers have seen success, commercial or critical, in the last decade?

Mario Galaxy is a good game, even great. But to me it's nowhere near that "perfect ten" everyone seems to think it is so long as it's missing such a key piece of its experience. There are games, like Civilization or The Sims, that would not be improved by a strong story or narrative. Mario Galaxy is not one of those games.

Oh, and DaXIthR's comment doesn't even merit a response.

[Spigot]

Sob.... Can you not see that I'm not arguing that platformers don't need stories? I'm not! I'm just saying that MARIO platformers don't really need stories. Would they be even better games if they had a kick ass story? Sure. That said, they don't and they're not lesser games because of that lack.

I do expect a new platforming franchise in this day and age to have at least a competent storyline though. If Ratchet & Clank or the Jak & Daxter games had as rudimentary a storyline as that found in the Mario series, they'd be laughed out of town. I'm not arguing that point.

Won't somebody believe me?

[Itchyeyes]

Would they be even better games if they had a kick ass story? Sure. That said, they don't and they're not lesser games because of that lack.
This makes no sense at all. If having something makes a game more, then not having it makes it less. To say otherwise is simply illogical.

[Johan]

We need an option for those who "Have not yet played this title."

Otherwise, to see the results, I have to click on "view poll results." I hate extra clicking...lazy that I am.

Also, I don't like 3D Mario. I like Mario 2D.

[Spigot]

This makes no sense at all. If having something makes a game more, then not having it makes it less. To say otherwise is simply illogical.That's only if you're trying to boil everything down to an equation.

If you have a great chocolate cake, adding whipped cream to it might make it even better but leaving the whipped cream off of it doesn't detract from the fundamental greatness of the cake. It's just an added bonus to an already fantastic package.

That's the way I view the inclusion of a great story to the Mario platformers. They're great the way they are. If someone were to graft a great story to the fantastic platforming, that'd be a nice bonus, but it's still a great game without it.

[Krytie]

Loved this game. If they had included Yoshi somehow it would be the best game ever.

[DaXIthR]

Oh, and DaXIthR's comment doesn't even merit a response.

That's all the response I needed. Thanks.

[Baron Samedi]

That's all the response I needed. Thanks.

Apparently Ichy agrees with you so much, Dax, that he couldn't think of anything that would "merit" saying. :p

[TheKeck]

Loved this game. If they had included Yoshi somehow it would be the best game ever.
Well, there is that one planet with all the goombas shaped like Yoshi's head. ;)

I'm sorry to say I haven't played Psychonauts, so I can't say how that would change my opinion. As it is, I'm standing by my position on Mario. :p

[Baron Samedi]

Well, there is that one planet with all the goombas shaped like Yoshi's head. ;)

I'm sorry to say I haven't played Psychonauts, so I can't say how that would change my opinion. As it is, I'm standing by my position on Mario. :p

It shouldn't. Unless playing Super Mario Bros 2 changed your opinion of Psychonauts. :p

[TheKeck]

It shouldn't. Unless playing Super Mario Bros 2 changed your opinion of Psychonauts. :p
Well, I haven't played Psychonauts, so I can't say!!! :p

[Sarconix]

The results are in! (http://www.mauriciovives.com/popop) This poll received the most votes of any poll so far, 275. Thanks for the great response!

[TheFlyingOrc]

That's only if you're trying to boil everything down to an equation.

If you have a great chocolate cake, adding whipped cream to it might make it even better but leaving the whipped cream off of it doesn't detract from the fundamental greatness of the cake. It's just an added bonus to an already fantastic package.

That's the way I view the inclusion of a great story to the Mario platformers. They're great the way they are. If someone were to graft a great story to the fantastic platforming, that'd be a nice bonus, but it's still a great game without it.

Real storytelling takes time, and time spent not playing a Mario game is stupid.

[Primus]

I just received my copy in the mail yesterday. This game is so much fun!

It is really good to see a fresh idea. I did not enjoy Sunshine as much as I thought I would, but Galaxy is excellent and I was pleasantly surprised. It reminds me of Mario 64 but with some great new gameplay elements that make it completely unique.

I was not really big fan of how the Wii controller had been used for most of the games I have played up to this point, but it is EXCELLENT in this game.

Popping it in and seeing Mario running around brought a smile to my face. One of the best games of 2007.

Would of voted "great" if I had got my copy in time.