Super Mario Galaxy 2
Encyclopedia
is a platforming
video game developed by Nintendo EAD and published by Nintendo
for the Wii
. It was first announced at E3 2009
and is the sequel to Super Mario Galaxy
. It was released in North America on May 23, 2010, in Japan on May 27, 2010, in Europe on June 11, 2010, and in Australia on July 1, 2010. It is the fourth original 3D platformer in the Mario series
, after Super Mario 64
, Super Mario Sunshine
, and Super Mario Galaxy.
The story follows Mario
as he pursues the antagonist Bowser into outer space
, where he has imprisoned Princess Peach
and taken control of the universe
using Power Stars. Mario must travel across various galaxies
to recover the Power Stars in order to travel to the center of the universe and rescue the princess. The game was originally planned as a simple iteration of Super Mario Galaxy with few modifications and a projected development time of a year; this version would have been called More Super Mario Galaxy. It was later decided that the game was to be developed as a fleshed-out sequel when the development staff continued to build upon the game with dozens of new ideas, and so development time expanded to two and a half years. Among the additions are dynamic environments, new power-up
s, and, most notably, the ability to ride Yoshi
.
Upon its release, Super Mario Galaxy 2 was met with critical acclaim, and is one of the highest rated video games of all time on the aggregation sites Metacritic
and GameRankings. It is one of the best-selling games on the Wii with 6.36 million copies sold worldwide.
, with a focus on platforming based on and around 3D planet
s (referred to collectively as galaxies
) with varying themes, sizes, and landscapes. The player controls Mario (or later in the game, his brother Luigi
, though using him is optional), who has special abilities such as the "Spin" attack, the long jump, wall jump
s, and a variety of somersault
s. As in the original, the objective of the game is to travel to the various galaxies and collect Power Stars, which are awarded by completing levels and accomplishing tasks and are used to gain access to later levels. The game retains some gameplay mechanics introduced in the original, such as the blue Star Pointer that allows the player to pick up Star Bits and shoot them at enemies, levels that restrict movement to a 2D plane, balance ball levels, and gravity-reversing background arrows.
similar to that in previous Mario games such as Super Mario World
and New Super Mario Bros. Wii
. This is navigated via a mobile planet called Starship Mario (so named because it is shaped like Mario's head) that serves as a hub world
, which can be visited anytime and is expanded when new abilities are unlocked. The game contains forty-nine galaxies allotted among seven different regions in the universe (called "worlds"), the general difficulty progressively increasing in each world. The first six worlds end with a boss level in which the object is to conquer Bowser or Bowser Jr., which then allows the player to access the next world. When the player collects all 120 Power Stars, 120 Green Star levels are unlocked. These levels, containing Green Stars that are hidden or are placed in hard-to-reach areas, require intense exploration and precision and cause instant death if the player fails. Acquiring all 120 Green Stars awards the player with the final, forty-ninth galaxy with two new challenges that are considered exceptionally difficult. Super Mario Galaxy 2 contains 242 unique Power Stars to collect overall.
Most of the levels
in Super Mario Galaxy 2 offer a unique task based around its theme, and many focus on dynamic environments that change or alternate between various states. For example, some environments change to the beat
of the background music, such as sudden shifts in the direction of gravity or the appearance or disappearance of platforms; and others feature a special switch that temporarily slows down time. Prankster Comets, which were featured in the original game and cause variation and tougher challenges in levels, no longer appear randomly in visited galaxies but instead require the collection of a Comet Medal in that galaxy in order for it to appear. In addition, Prankster Comets have become more general and offer any number of variations: while Super Mario Galaxy offered only five mutually exclusive variations, the Prankster Comets in Super Mario Galaxy 2 range to any number of challenges that often mix or overlap. These include: destroying all the enemies, collecting 100 Purple Coins, and completing the level within a time limit or while avoiding Cosmic Clones (doppelgänger
s of Mario that pursue and imitate all the player's actions). As a result, both the dynamic environments and the Prankster Comets often create challenges with puzzle elements, requiring precision and strategy in order to overcome them.
s and items. These include the Spin Drill, which allows the player to burrow through some planets and emerge out the other side; Rock Mario, which allows the player to smash through obstacles, such as boulders and enemies; and Cloud Mario, which allows the player to create temporary platforms in midair.
Mario is able to ride the dinosaur Yoshi
, who is available in certain levels. When riding Yoshi, the player's blue Star Pointer is replaced by a red dot, which allows the player to point at various objects and manipulate them with Yoshi's tongue. Yoshi can also use his tongue to swing across gaps, pull levers, and swallow enemies (with the option to spit them back out as projectiles). There are also three different power-up fruits available for Yoshi to eat that grant him temporary abilities. These are the Dash Pepper, the Blimp Fruit and the Bulb Berry. The Dash Pepper allows Yoshi to run quickly, giving him the ability to walk up walls and walk on water; the Blimp Fruit allows Yoshi to float into the air; and the Bulb Berry allows Yoshi to reveal secret pathways.
s called "Hint TVs" that will demonstrate how to perform a specific move or optimal ways of using a power-up.
Multiplayer gameplay has also been expanded upon over the original. In Super Mario Galaxy, another player could use a second Wii Remote
to control a second Star Pointer and assist Mario by grabbing onto enemies or collecting and shooting Star Bits. In Super Mario Galaxy 2, the second player now controls an orange Luma who retains all the original abilities, but can also physically attack enemies and collect items and power-ups, making the player's involvement more useful.
invites Mario
to share some cake at the Star Festival, a time when Star Bits rain down from the skies over the Mushroom Kingdom. On his way, Mario finds a Luma, who immediately befriends him and grants him the ability to spin. Shortly thereafter, Mario's archnemesis Bowser, who has grown to an immense size (after swallowing Grand Stars, unbeknownst to Mario at this point), appears and attacks Princess Peach's Castle. Kidnapping the princess, Bowser escapes into outer space
to recreate his empire at the center of the universe
. After launching into outer space, Mario is given control of Starship Mario, a mobile planetoid
in the shape of his head, made by a crafty Luma mechanic called Lubba, powered by Power Stars, and piloted by other Lumas; his mission is to fly across the universe in pursuit of Bowser and the Princess and to help Lubba find the lost Lumas that were part of Bowser's plot. Along the way Mario meets new Lumas and joins up with his companion Yoshi, the Toad Brigade from the original Super Mario Galaxy, and his brother Luigi.
Upon collecting enough Power Stars, Starship Mario reaches Bowser's main fortification, draining energy from what appears to be a comet. Mario infiltrates the castle and defeats Bowser, retrieving the last Grand Star. Rosalina and her Comet Observatory from the first Super Mario Galaxy appear before Mario and Peach. Rosalina thanks Mario for watching over the Luma that he had found, and the Luma returns to the Comet Observatory, taking Mario's hat with him. Mario and his friends return to the Mushroom Kingdom and celebrate their victory. The game ends with Starship Mario sitting above Princess Peach's Castle and the Comet Observatory streaking across the sky.
approached the development team and suggested that a follow-up be produced. The game was originally planned to just do variations on the original game's planets and call the game "More Super Mario Galaxy", (it was dubbed "Super Mario Galaxy 1.5" during early development), with a projected development time of approximately a year. The first elements that were implemented were anything that was scrapped from the original game, either to ensure game balance
or simply because of time constraints, such as Yoshi and the concept of a planet shaped like Mario's head. Over time, more and more new elements and ideas were brought into the game, and it was decided that the game would be a fleshed-out sequel rather than a slightly modified follow-up. Thus, development took two and a half years. Takeshi Hayakawa, the lead programmer
for Super Mario Galaxy 2, created a development tool
that allowed different staff members, including visual and sound designers, to easily design and create stages without waiting for programmers, many of which were incorporated into the final game. In order to help distinguish Super Mario Galaxy 2 from its predecessor, the staff originally wanted the whole game to revolve around the concept of "switching," in which the game's environments would dramatically change under certain conditions. This concept ended up being particularly difficult to implement full-scale, so was relegated to only certain levels. Game tutorial
s were confined to an optional system called the "Tip Network" in order to benefit players already familiar with the original game. Miyamoto compared Super Mario Galaxy 2 to The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
, in that both games use the same engines as their predecessors, yet build upon their foundations.
Super Mario Galaxy 2 was revealed at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2009 on June 2. In Miyamoto's private conference, it was stated that the game was very far along in development, but its release was held back to mid-2010 due to New Super Mario Bros. Wiis release in late 2009. Miyamoto also stated that the game has 95–99% new features, with the rest being previous features introduced in Super Mario Galaxy. With regard to the original game, Nintendo of America President and CEO Reggie Fils-Aime stated in an interview that the sequel would be more challenging, and Miyamoto said in a Wired
interview that the game would have less focus on plot. Miyamoto initially hinted that the game might utilize the "Super Guide" feature, introduced in New Super Mario Bros. Wii
, into the game, and this was confirmed by Nintendo's Senior Manager of Product Managing, Bill Trinen
, who claimed that the feature was implemented differently compared to what New Super Mario Bros. Wii offered. The feature is called Cosmic Guide, where the Cosmic Spirit (Rosalina) takes control of Mario.
The game made its playable debut at the Nintendo Media Summit 2010 on February 24, 2010, when a second trailer for the game was released, and its North American release date on May 23, 2010 was finally announced. The Japanese, European and Australian versions of the game came packaged with an instructional DVD manual, explaining the basic controls, as well as showing advanced play.
and New Super Mario Bros. Wii, contributed nine pieces to the soundtrack.
Nintendo composer Koji Kondo
recruited 60 musicians for the orchestra, ten more than the number of musicians used for the original game's score, with an additional ten musicians providing a big band style of music with trumpets, trombones, saxophones and drums for a grand total of 70 players. The orchestral performances were conducted by Taizo Takemoto, renowned for his work on the Smash Bros. Concert in 2002, while Kondo served as an advisor and supervisor, and contributed five pieces to the soundtrack. The soundtrack is currently available on a 2-disc set to members of the Japanese Club Nintendo
as a reward. It can be acquired at the cost of 500 Star Points, though members who register a product code after purchasing Super Mario Galaxy 2 can obtain it for 300 Star Points.
Tom McShea from GameSpot
called it a "new standard for platformers", giving it a perfect 10, making it the seventh game in the site's history to earn that score. Other perfect scores came from Edge
, stating "this isn't a game that redefines the genre: this is one that rolls it up and locks it away", and IGN
's Craig Harris, who felt that the game "perfectly captures that classic videogame charm, the reason why most of us got into gaming from the start". IGN later placed Super Mario Galaxy 2 4th on their "Top Modern Games" list. The Escapist
editor Susan Arendt echoed this view by stating it "doesn't tinker with the established formula very much, but we didn't really want it to", while GameTrailers
commented that "there's something tremendous for just about everyone and games that we can truly recommend to almost everyone are rare".
Giant Bomb
's Ryan Davis particularly praised the improved level designs, commenting that the designers were "bolder" and "more willing to take some weird risks with the planetoids and abstract platforming that set the tone in the original Galaxy", while Chris Kohler from Wired
commented that the level concepts alone "could be made into full games on their own". Additionally 1UP.com
's Justin Haywald noted the expanded soundtrack as "sweeping". GamesRadar
praised the graphics, saying that despite the Wii's technical limitations, Galaxy 2 "understands how to get the most out of aging technology that nearly all graphical flaws are smoothed over or covered up, leaving you with Wii's best-looking title to date". X-Play
editor Andrew Pfister awarded Super Mario Galaxy 2 a 5/5, calling it "the culmination of 20 years of Mario gaming into one fantastically-designed and creative platformer".
Despite this praise, some critics raised complaints over increased difficulty and the game's similarity to the original Super Mario Galaxy. Chris Scullion from Official Nintendo Magazine called it the "new best game on Wii", but said it lacked the original's impact (though they admitted the extreme difficulty of this, due to the quality of the original). Game Informer
editor Matt Helgeson was concerned with some of the challenges being potentially "frustrating", particularly towards the end of the game; similarly, Ben PeeLee from GamePro
remarked that the "increased difficulty and high proficiency requirement may turn new fans off". However, Worthplaying editor Chris DeAngelus said "perhaps most positively of all, there are very few sequences where death will feel like a result of bad design instead of player error, which helps keep the frustration down".
2010 awards from Nintendo Power
, GamesMaster
, Official Nintendo Magazine, Edge, GamesTM
, Destructoid and Metacritic. It was named best "Wii Game of the Year" by IGN, GameTrailers, GameSpot, 1UP.com, and many other media outlets. As of December 2010, IGN awarded Super Mario Galaxy 2 the number 1 Wii game, overtaking its predecessor. Super Mario Galaxy 2 was also nominated for "Favorite Video Game" at the 2011 Kids' Choice Awards
, but lost to Just Dance 2.
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
video game developed by Nintendo EAD and published by Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
for the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
. It was first announced at E3 2009
Electronic Entertainment Expo 2009
The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2009, commonly known as the E3 2009, was the 15th Electronic Entertainment Expo held. The event took place on June 2, 3, and 4 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. E3 is an annual trade show for the computer and video games industry presented by the Entertainment...
and is the sequel to Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy
is a 3D platform game developed by Nintendo EAD Tokyo and published by Nintendo for the Wii. It was released in most regions in November 2007, and is the third 3D original platformer in the Mario series, after Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. The game follows the protagonist, Mario, on a...
. It was released in North America on May 23, 2010, in Japan on May 27, 2010, in Europe on June 11, 2010, and in Australia on July 1, 2010. It is the fourth original 3D platformer in the Mario series
Mario (series)
The video game series, alternatively called the series or simply the series, is a series of highly popular and critically acclaimed video games by Nintendo, featuring Nintendo's mascot Mario and, in many games, his brother Luigi. Gameplay in the series often centers around jumping on and...
, after Super Mario 64
Super Mario 64
is a platform game, published by Nintendo and developed by its EAD division, for the Nintendo 64. Along with Pilotwings 64, it was one of the launch titles for the console. It was released in Japan on June 23, 1996, and later in North America, Europe, and Australia. Super Mario 64 has sold over...
, Super Mario Sunshine
Super Mario Sunshine
is a platforming video game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube. It was released in Japan in July 2002, in North America in August 2002, and in Europe and Australia in October 2002...
, and Super Mario Galaxy.
The story follows Mario
Mario
is a fictional character in his video game series, created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Serving as Nintendo's mascot and the main protagonist of the series, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation...
as he pursues the antagonist Bowser into outer space
Outer space
Outer space is the void that exists between celestial bodies, including the Earth. It is not completely empty, but consists of a hard vacuum containing a low density of particles: predominantly a plasma of hydrogen and helium, as well as electromagnetic radiation, magnetic fields, and neutrinos....
, where he has imprisoned Princess Peach
Princess Peach
is a character in Nintendo's Mario series of video games. She is the Princess of the fictitious Mushroom Kingdom, and often plays the damsel in distress role within the adventure series. In 2007, Princess Peach landed on Forbes magazine's Wealthiest Fictional People list, with a fortune upwards of...
and taken control of the universe
Universe
The Universe is commonly defined as the totality of everything that exists, including all matter and energy, the planets, stars, galaxies, and the contents of intergalactic space. Definitions and usage vary and similar terms include the cosmos, the world and nature...
using Power Stars. Mario must travel across various galaxies
Galaxy
A galaxy is a massive, gravitationally bound system that consists of stars and stellar remnants, an interstellar medium of gas and dust, and an important but poorly understood component tentatively dubbed dark matter. The word galaxy is derived from the Greek galaxias , literally "milky", a...
to recover the Power Stars in order to travel to the center of the universe and rescue the princess. The game was originally planned as a simple iteration of Super Mario Galaxy with few modifications and a projected development time of a year; this version would have been called More Super Mario Galaxy. It was later decided that the game was to be developed as a fleshed-out sequel when the development staff continued to build upon the game with dozens of new ideas, and so development time expanded to two and a half years. Among the additions are dynamic environments, new power-up
Power-up
In computer and video games, power-ups are objects that instantly benefit or add extra abilities to the game character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a benefit and can be used at a time chosen by the player...
s, and, most notably, the ability to ride Yoshi
Yoshi
, is a fictional dragon-like character who appears in video games published by Nintendo. His debut was in Super Mario World on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as Mario and Luigi's sidekick , and he later established his own series with several platform and puzzle games, including Super...
.
Upon its release, Super Mario Galaxy 2 was met with critical acclaim, and is one of the highest rated video games of all time on the aggregation sites Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
and GameRankings. It is one of the best-selling games on the Wii with 6.36 million copies sold worldwide.
Gameplay
The gameplay of Super Mario Galaxy 2 is similar to that of the first Super Mario GalaxySuper Mario Galaxy
is a 3D platform game developed by Nintendo EAD Tokyo and published by Nintendo for the Wii. It was released in most regions in November 2007, and is the third 3D original platformer in the Mario series, after Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. The game follows the protagonist, Mario, on a...
, with a focus on platforming based on and around 3D planet
Planet
A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...
s (referred to collectively as galaxies
Galaxy
A galaxy is a massive, gravitationally bound system that consists of stars and stellar remnants, an interstellar medium of gas and dust, and an important but poorly understood component tentatively dubbed dark matter. The word galaxy is derived from the Greek galaxias , literally "milky", a...
) with varying themes, sizes, and landscapes. The player controls Mario (or later in the game, his brother Luigi
Luigi
is a fictional character, featured in video games and related media released by Nintendo. Created by prominent game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, Luigi is portrayed as the slightly younger fraternal twin brother of Nintendo's mascot Mario, and appears in many games throughout the Mario series,...
, though using him is optional), who has special abilities such as the "Spin" attack, the long jump, wall jump
Wall jump
This article is about the video game move. For its real-world counterpart, see wall flip.A wall jump is a technique players can execute in several video games.-Technique:...
s, and a variety of somersault
Somersault
A somersault is an acrobatic exercise in which a person does a full 360° flip, moving the feet over the head. A somersault can be performed either forwards, backwards, or sideways and can be executed in the air or on the ground...
s. As in the original, the objective of the game is to travel to the various galaxies and collect Power Stars, which are awarded by completing levels and accomplishing tasks and are used to gain access to later levels. The game retains some gameplay mechanics introduced in the original, such as the blue Star Pointer that allows the player to pick up Star Bits and shoot them at enemies, levels that restrict movement to a 2D plane, balance ball levels, and gravity-reversing background arrows.
Setting and level design
Super Mario Galaxy 2 provides the player access to the game's galaxies through means of a map systemOverworld
An overworld is, in a broad sense, an area within a video game that interconnects all its levels or locations. They are mostly common in role-playing games, though this does not exclude other video game genres....
similar to that in previous Mario games such as Super Mario World
Super Mario World
, subtitled Super Mario Bros. 4 for its original Japanese release, is a platform video game developed and published by Nintendo as a pack-in launch title for the Super Famicom/Super Nintendo Entertainment System , and is the fourth game in the Super Mario series...
and New Super Mario Bros. Wii
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
is a 2009 side-scrolling platform video game published and developed by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. The game was released on November 12, 2009 in Australia, November 15, 2009 in North America, November 20, 2009 in Europe and December 3, 2009 in Japan...
. This is navigated via a mobile planet called Starship Mario (so named because it is shaped like Mario's head) that serves as a hub world
Level (video gaming)
A level, map, area, or world in a video game is the total space available to the player during the course of completing a discrete objective...
, which can be visited anytime and is expanded when new abilities are unlocked. The game contains forty-nine galaxies allotted among seven different regions in the universe (called "worlds"), the general difficulty progressively increasing in each world. The first six worlds end with a boss level in which the object is to conquer Bowser or Bowser Jr., which then allows the player to access the next world. When the player collects all 120 Power Stars, 120 Green Star levels are unlocked. These levels, containing Green Stars that are hidden or are placed in hard-to-reach areas, require intense exploration and precision and cause instant death if the player fails. Acquiring all 120 Green Stars awards the player with the final, forty-ninth galaxy with two new challenges that are considered exceptionally difficult. Super Mario Galaxy 2 contains 242 unique Power Stars to collect overall.
Most of the levels
Level design
Level design, environment design or game mapping is a discipline of game development involving creation of video game levels—locales, stages, or missions. This is commonly done using level editor, a game development software designed for building levels; however some games feature built-in...
in Super Mario Galaxy 2 offer a unique task based around its theme, and many focus on dynamic environments that change or alternate between various states. For example, some environments change to the beat
Beat (music)
The beat is the basic unit of time in music, the pulse of the mensural level . In popular use, the beat can refer to a variety of related concepts including: tempo, meter, rhythm and groove...
of the background music, such as sudden shifts in the direction of gravity or the appearance or disappearance of platforms; and others feature a special switch that temporarily slows down time. Prankster Comets, which were featured in the original game and cause variation and tougher challenges in levels, no longer appear randomly in visited galaxies but instead require the collection of a Comet Medal in that galaxy in order for it to appear. In addition, Prankster Comets have become more general and offer any number of variations: while Super Mario Galaxy offered only five mutually exclusive variations, the Prankster Comets in Super Mario Galaxy 2 range to any number of challenges that often mix or overlap. These include: destroying all the enemies, collecting 100 Purple Coins, and completing the level within a time limit or while avoiding Cosmic Clones (doppelgänger
Doppelgänger
In fiction and folklore, a doppelgänger is a paranormal double of a living person, typically representing evil or misfortune...
s of Mario that pursue and imitate all the player's actions). As a result, both the dynamic environments and the Prankster Comets often create challenges with puzzle elements, requiring precision and strategy in order to overcome them.
Power-ups
All the original transformations in Super Mario Galaxy return except for Ice Mario and Flying Mario, along with some new power-upPower-up
In computer and video games, power-ups are objects that instantly benefit or add extra abilities to the game character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a benefit and can be used at a time chosen by the player...
s and items. These include the Spin Drill, which allows the player to burrow through some planets and emerge out the other side; Rock Mario, which allows the player to smash through obstacles, such as boulders and enemies; and Cloud Mario, which allows the player to create temporary platforms in midair.
Mario is able to ride the dinosaur Yoshi
Yoshi
, is a fictional dragon-like character who appears in video games published by Nintendo. His debut was in Super Mario World on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as Mario and Luigi's sidekick , and he later established his own series with several platform and puzzle games, including Super...
, who is available in certain levels. When riding Yoshi, the player's blue Star Pointer is replaced by a red dot, which allows the player to point at various objects and manipulate them with Yoshi's tongue. Yoshi can also use his tongue to swing across gaps, pull levers, and swallow enemies (with the option to spit them back out as projectiles). There are also three different power-up fruits available for Yoshi to eat that grant him temporary abilities. These are the Dash Pepper, the Blimp Fruit and the Bulb Berry. The Dash Pepper allows Yoshi to run quickly, giving him the ability to walk up walls and walk on water; the Blimp Fruit allows Yoshi to float into the air; and the Bulb Berry allows Yoshi to reveal secret pathways.
Guides and multiplayer
Because of the game's increased difficulty over the original, Super Mario Galaxy 2 offers some features that assist inexperienced or frustrated players. The most notable is the Cosmic Guide, similar to New Super Mario Bros. Wiis "Super Guide" feature. The Cosmic Guide appears if the player has failed during a particular level a certain number of times, and allows the player to give computer control over Mario in order to complete the level if necessary. The drawback is that the player is awarded a Bronze Star, requiring the player to complete the level without using the Cosmic Guide in order to earn a Golden Power Star. There are also monitorVideo monitor
A video monitor also called a broadcast monitor, broadcast reference monitor or just reference monitor, is a display device similar to a television set, used to monitor the output of a video-generating device, such as playout from a video server, IRD, video camera, VCR, or DVD player. It may or...
s called "Hint TVs" that will demonstrate how to perform a specific move or optimal ways of using a power-up.
Multiplayer gameplay has also been expanded upon over the original. In Super Mario Galaxy, another player could use a second Wii Remote
Wii Remote
The , also known as the Wiimote, is the primary controller for Nintendo's Wii console. A main feature of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with and manipulate items on screen via gesture recognition and pointing through the use of accelerometer and...
to control a second Star Pointer and assist Mario by grabbing onto enemies or collecting and shooting Star Bits. In Super Mario Galaxy 2, the second player now controls an orange Luma who retains all the original abilities, but can also physically attack enemies and collect items and power-ups, making the player's involvement more useful.
Synopsis
Following from where Super Mario Galaxy left off, Princess PeachPrincess Peach
is a character in Nintendo's Mario series of video games. She is the Princess of the fictitious Mushroom Kingdom, and often plays the damsel in distress role within the adventure series. In 2007, Princess Peach landed on Forbes magazine's Wealthiest Fictional People list, with a fortune upwards of...
invites Mario
Mario
is a fictional character in his video game series, created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Serving as Nintendo's mascot and the main protagonist of the series, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation...
to share some cake at the Star Festival, a time when Star Bits rain down from the skies over the Mushroom Kingdom. On his way, Mario finds a Luma, who immediately befriends him and grants him the ability to spin. Shortly thereafter, Mario's archnemesis Bowser, who has grown to an immense size (after swallowing Grand Stars, unbeknownst to Mario at this point), appears and attacks Princess Peach's Castle. Kidnapping the princess, Bowser escapes into outer space
Outer space
Outer space is the void that exists between celestial bodies, including the Earth. It is not completely empty, but consists of a hard vacuum containing a low density of particles: predominantly a plasma of hydrogen and helium, as well as electromagnetic radiation, magnetic fields, and neutrinos....
to recreate his empire at the center of the universe
Universe
The Universe is commonly defined as the totality of everything that exists, including all matter and energy, the planets, stars, galaxies, and the contents of intergalactic space. Definitions and usage vary and similar terms include the cosmos, the world and nature...
. After launching into outer space, Mario is given control of Starship Mario, a mobile planetoid
Minor planet
An asteroid group or minor-planet group is a population of minor planets that have a share broadly similar orbits. Members are generally unrelated to each other, unlike in an asteroid family, which often results from the break-up of a single asteroid...
in the shape of his head, made by a crafty Luma mechanic called Lubba, powered by Power Stars, and piloted by other Lumas; his mission is to fly across the universe in pursuit of Bowser and the Princess and to help Lubba find the lost Lumas that were part of Bowser's plot. Along the way Mario meets new Lumas and joins up with his companion Yoshi, the Toad Brigade from the original Super Mario Galaxy, and his brother Luigi.
Upon collecting enough Power Stars, Starship Mario reaches Bowser's main fortification, draining energy from what appears to be a comet. Mario infiltrates the castle and defeats Bowser, retrieving the last Grand Star. Rosalina and her Comet Observatory from the first Super Mario Galaxy appear before Mario and Peach. Rosalina thanks Mario for watching over the Luma that he had found, and the Luma returns to the Comet Observatory, taking Mario's hat with him. Mario and his friends return to the Mushroom Kingdom and celebrate their victory. The game ends with Starship Mario sitting above Princess Peach's Castle and the Comet Observatory streaking across the sky.
Development
After Nintendo finished making Super Mario Galaxy, Shigeru MiyamotoShigeru Miyamoto
is a Japanese video game designer and producer. Miyamoto was born and raised in Kyoto Prefecture; the natural surroundings of Kyoto inspired much of Miyamoto's later work....
approached the development team and suggested that a follow-up be produced. The game was originally planned to just do variations on the original game's planets and call the game "More Super Mario Galaxy", (it was dubbed "Super Mario Galaxy 1.5" during early development), with a projected development time of approximately a year. The first elements that were implemented were anything that was scrapped from the original game, either to ensure game balance
Game balance
Game balance is a concept in game design describing fairness or balance of power in a game between multiple players or strategic options. Each team or person would be equally matched in every aspect.- Overview :...
or simply because of time constraints, such as Yoshi and the concept of a planet shaped like Mario's head. Over time, more and more new elements and ideas were brought into the game, and it was decided that the game would be a fleshed-out sequel rather than a slightly modified follow-up. Thus, development took two and a half years. Takeshi Hayakawa, the lead programmer
Game programmer
A game programmer is a software engineer, programmer, or computer scientist who primarily develops codebase for video games or related software, such as game development tools. Game programming has many specialized disciplines all of which fall under the umbrella term of "game programmer"...
for Super Mario Galaxy 2, created a development tool
Level editor
A level editor is a software tool used to design levels, maps, campaigns, etc and virtual worlds for a video game. In some cases the creator of a video game releases an official level editor for a game, but other times the community of fans step in to fill the void...
that allowed different staff members, including visual and sound designers, to easily design and create stages without waiting for programmers, many of which were incorporated into the final game. In order to help distinguish Super Mario Galaxy 2 from its predecessor, the staff originally wanted the whole game to revolve around the concept of "switching," in which the game's environments would dramatically change under certain conditions. This concept ended up being particularly difficult to implement full-scale, so was relegated to only certain levels. Game tutorial
Tutorial
A tutorial is one method of transferring knowledge and may be used as a part of a learning process. More interactive and specific than a book or a lecture; a tutorial seeks to teach by example and supply the information to complete a certain task....
s were confined to an optional system called the "Tip Network" in order to benefit players already familiar with the original game. Miyamoto compared Super Mario Galaxy 2 to The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
is an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis and Development division for the Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan on April 27, 2000, North America on October 26, 2000, and Europe on November 17, 2000. The game sold approximately 314,000 copies during its first...
, in that both games use the same engines as their predecessors, yet build upon their foundations.
Super Mario Galaxy 2 was revealed at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2009 on June 2. In Miyamoto's private conference, it was stated that the game was very far along in development, but its release was held back to mid-2010 due to New Super Mario Bros. Wiis release in late 2009. Miyamoto also stated that the game has 95–99% new features, with the rest being previous features introduced in Super Mario Galaxy. With regard to the original game, Nintendo of America President and CEO Reggie Fils-Aime stated in an interview that the sequel would be more challenging, and Miyamoto said in a Wired
Wired (magazine)
Wired is a full-color monthly American magazine and on-line periodical, published since January 1993, that reports on how new and developing technology affects culture, the economy, and politics...
interview that the game would have less focus on plot. Miyamoto initially hinted that the game might utilize the "Super Guide" feature, introduced in New Super Mario Bros. Wii
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
is a 2009 side-scrolling platform video game published and developed by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. The game was released on November 12, 2009 in Australia, November 15, 2009 in North America, November 20, 2009 in Europe and December 3, 2009 in Japan...
, into the game, and this was confirmed by Nintendo's Senior Manager of Product Managing, Bill Trinen
Bill Trinen
Bill Trinen is a video game translator who mainly works for Nintendo of America. He also does certain Nintendo press conferences and acts as an interpreter for game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Bill Trinen has been involved in the translation of many Nintendo 64, GameCube, and Game Boy titles...
, who claimed that the feature was implemented differently compared to what New Super Mario Bros. Wii offered. The feature is called Cosmic Guide, where the Cosmic Spirit (Rosalina) takes control of Mario.
The game made its playable debut at the Nintendo Media Summit 2010 on February 24, 2010, when a second trailer for the game was released, and its North American release date on May 23, 2010 was finally announced. The Japanese, European and Australian versions of the game came packaged with an instructional DVD manual, explaining the basic controls, as well as showing advanced play.
Music
As with the original Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario Galaxy 2 features a musical score written for and performed by a symphony orchestra. Early in the development process, when the concept of "Super Mario Galaxy 1.5" was being considered, there were no plans to use different music from the first Super Mario Galaxy. However, as the game evolved, the sound team, headed by Mahito Yokota, realized they needed new music that fit with the new gameplay mechanics that were being added. Although they were hesitant to use a symphony orchestra again because of recording difficulties, general producer Shigeru Miyamoto gave permission immediately - according to Yokota, Miyamoto felt that players would be expecting an orchestral soundtrack. Miyamoto also apparently suggested that players would want to hear arrangements from Super Mario Galaxy, which is why the soundtrack is a mixture of brand new pieces and arrangements of themes from the original Galaxy as well as many past installments in the Mario series, such as Super Mario World and Super Mario 64. Ryo Nagamatsu, who worked previously on Wii Sports ResortWii Sports Resort
Wii Sports Resort has received generally favorable reviews, with an average score on Metacritic of 80%. IGN gave it a 7.7 out of 10, citing the impressive fidelity of the controls and how the graphics, as compared to the majority of Wii games, were superb. GameTrailers gave an 8.6 out of 10....
and New Super Mario Bros. Wii, contributed nine pieces to the soundtrack.
Nintendo composer Koji Kondo
Koji Kondo
is a Japanese video game composer and sound director who has been employed at Nintendo since 1984. He is best known for scoring numerous titles in the Mario and The Legend of Zelda series.-Early life:...
recruited 60 musicians for the orchestra, ten more than the number of musicians used for the original game's score, with an additional ten musicians providing a big band style of music with trumpets, trombones, saxophones and drums for a grand total of 70 players. The orchestral performances were conducted by Taizo Takemoto, renowned for his work on the Smash Bros. Concert in 2002, while Kondo served as an advisor and supervisor, and contributed five pieces to the soundtrack. The soundtrack is currently available on a 2-disc set to members of the Japanese Club Nintendo
Club Nintendo
Club Nintendo is the name of several publications and a more well-known customer loyalty program provided by Nintendo. The loyalty program is free to join and is committed to providing rewards in exchange for consumer feedback and loyalty to purchasing official Nintendo products...
as a reward. It can be acquired at the cost of 500 Star Points, though members who register a product code after purchasing Super Mario Galaxy 2 can obtain it for 300 Star Points.
Track listing
Reviews
Super Mario Galaxy 2 received universal acclaim from major video game critics with numerous reviews praising the game for its creativity and technical improvements over the original. It has an average critic score of 97.12% at GameRankings and 97/100 at Metacritic, making it one of the highest rated games on the sites.Tom McShea from GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
called it a "new standard for platformers", giving it a perfect 10, making it the seventh game in the site's history to earn that score. Other perfect scores came from Edge
Edge (magazine)
Edge is a multi-format computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom. It is known for its industry contacts, editorial stance, distinctive anonymous third-person writing style, yearly awards and longevity....
, stating "this isn't a game that redefines the genre: this is one that rolls it up and locks it away", and IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
's Craig Harris, who felt that the game "perfectly captures that classic videogame charm, the reason why most of us got into gaming from the start". IGN later placed Super Mario Galaxy 2 4th on their "Top Modern Games" list. The Escapist
The Escapist (magazine)
The Escapist is an online magazine covering video games, gamers, the gaming industry, and gaming culture. Published by the Themis Group, it was edited by Julianne Greer up to June 30, 2009, then by Russ Pitts through September 2011, and is currently edited by Steve Butts. The Escapist was first...
editor Susan Arendt echoed this view by stating it "doesn't tinker with the established formula very much, but we didn't really want it to", while GameTrailers
GameTrailers
GameTrailers is a media website that specializes in video game related content. It provides free access to original programming , game trailers and recorded game play. Along with standard definition , many of the video clips are offered in a higher resolution .Users can upload videos, create...
commented that "there's something tremendous for just about everyone and games that we can truly recommend to almost everyone are rare".
Giant Bomb
Giant Bomb
Giant Bomb is an American video game website and wiki that includes gaming news, reviews, commentary, and video, created by former GameSpot editors Jeff Gerstmann and Ryan Davis in collaboration with Whiskey Media...
's Ryan Davis particularly praised the improved level designs, commenting that the designers were "bolder" and "more willing to take some weird risks with the planetoids and abstract platforming that set the tone in the original Galaxy", while Chris Kohler from Wired
Wired (magazine)
Wired is a full-color monthly American magazine and on-line periodical, published since January 1993, that reports on how new and developing technology affects culture, the economy, and politics...
commented that the level concepts alone "could be made into full games on their own". Additionally 1UP.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
's Justin Haywald noted the expanded soundtrack as "sweeping". GamesRadar
GamesRadar
GamesRadar is a multi-format video game website featuring regular news, previews, reviews, videos, and guides. It is owned and operated simultaneously in the UK and US by worldwide publisher Future Publishing...
praised the graphics, saying that despite the Wii's technical limitations, Galaxy 2 "understands how to get the most out of aging technology that nearly all graphical flaws are smoothed over or covered up, leaving you with Wii's best-looking title to date". X-Play
X-Play
X-Play is a TV program about video games, known for its reviews and comedy skits...
editor Andrew Pfister awarded Super Mario Galaxy 2 a 5/5, calling it "the culmination of 20 years of Mario gaming into one fantastically-designed and creative platformer".
Despite this praise, some critics raised complaints over increased difficulty and the game's similarity to the original Super Mario Galaxy. Chris Scullion from Official Nintendo Magazine called it the "new best game on Wii", but said it lacked the original's impact (though they admitted the extreme difficulty of this, due to the quality of the original). Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
editor Matt Helgeson was concerned with some of the challenges being potentially "frustrating", particularly towards the end of the game; similarly, Ben PeeLee from GamePro
GamePro
GamePro Media was a United States gaming media company publishing online and print content on the video game industry, video game hardware, and video game software developed for a video game console , a computer, and/or a mobile device . GamePro Media properties include GamePro magazine and...
remarked that the "increased difficulty and high proficiency requirement may turn new fans off". However, Worthplaying editor Chris DeAngelus said "perhaps most positively of all, there are very few sequences where death will feel like a result of bad design instead of player error, which helps keep the frustration down".
Sales
In Japan, Super Mario Galaxy 2 sold 143,000 copies on its first day of release and 340,000 copies in its first week, about 90,000 more than the first Super Mario Galaxy sold in the same amount of time. In North America, the game sold 650,000 copies during the month of May 2010. In the United Kingdom, Super Mario Galaxy 2 was the third best-selling game among multiplatform releases and the best-selling single platform release for the week ending June 26, 2010. As of July 16, 2010, the game has sold 1 million copies within the USA. As of April 2011, Super Mario Galaxy 2 has sold 6.36 million copies worldwide.Awards
Super Mario Galaxy 2 has received Game of the YearGame of the Year
Game of the Year is a title awarded by various magazines, websites, and shows to a deserving game. Many are only for PC or console video games...
2010 awards from Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
, GamesMaster
GamesMaster (magazine)
GamesMaster is a monthly multi-format computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom.GamesMaster is the biggest selling multi-format video games magazine in the United Kingdom, outselling its sister publication Edge.-History:The magazine was launched in...
, Official Nintendo Magazine, Edge, GamesTM
GamesTM
GamesTM is a UK-based, multi-format video games magazine, covering many video game platforms including PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, GameCube, Xbox, PlayStation 2, PC games, Game Boy Advance, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS and Arcade machines...
, Destructoid and Metacritic. It was named best "Wii Game of the Year" by IGN, GameTrailers, GameSpot, 1UP.com, and many other media outlets. As of December 2010, IGN awarded Super Mario Galaxy 2 the number 1 Wii game, overtaking its predecessor. Super Mario Galaxy 2 was also nominated for "Favorite Video Game" at the 2011 Kids' Choice Awards
2011 Kids' Choice Awards
Nickelodeon's 24th Annual Kids' Choice Awards were held on April 2, 2011 at 8 p.m. ET at the Galen Center at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles's University Park neighborhood due to renovations disallowing use of traditional venue Pauley Pavilion until at least 2013. Jack Black...
, but lost to Just Dance 2.
External links
- Super Mario Galaxy 2 at Nintendo.com