Super Mario Galaxy 2 - May 23, 2010!!!

[chess]

Lost among all the blood and gore and shooting and adult gaming blech is the the pending release of the sequel to my favorite game of this generation...the best platformer of all time...Super Mario Galaxy.

Coming to North America May 23, 2010!!!

I thought the first one was a true work of art in the medium with imaginative gameplay, an absolute clinic in level design, and an amazing soundtrack. It looks like they have a ton of new ideas for the basic gameplay mechanics from SMG, and I'm sure some folks will be excited to see Yoshi. I was most excited to hear that they've increased the level of difficulty just a bit, and I'm really digging the drill (pun intended).

I still haven't finished SMB Wii, but this will be a day-one purchase and playthrough.

Obligatory videos:

E3 09 Trailer:



Nintendo Media Summit 2010 Trailer:



With commentary from IGN:

[SeekOnce]

Wow, I don't have a Wii (got a 360 & PS3) but this looks fantastic.

[chess]

Originally Posted by SeekOnce

Wow, I don't have a Wii (got a 360 & PS3) but this looks fantastic.

It would be worth buying a Wii just to play the two Super Mario Galaxies, Super Mario Bros. Wii, the Metroid Prime Trilogy, Zelda: Twilight Princess and the Wii Sports games.

Add to that some cheap gems like House of the Dead: Overkill, Resident Evil 4, Boom Blox, Geometry Wars Galaxies, and Dead Space: Extraction...along with the pending release of Metroid: Other M, and you have yourself a worthwhile little console IMO.

The Wii has been a disappointment, no doubt, particularly with good games failing to find a market, but I would argue that it's still worth owning one, even if it's just for first party Nintendo games.

[Deftones]

looks fantastic. love the addition of Yoshi and the top thing to get through planets. day one purchase for me, no doubt.

[FatTony]

Those videos make me wish I still had a Wii. The first SMG was one of the best games I've ever played. May 23 will be a great day to be a Wii owner.

[msdmoney]

Can't wait, the first game was amazing. I hope Toys R Us has another $25 gc like they did with the first one. Then I'll pick it up day one.

[Decker]

Originally Posted by chess

It would be worth buying a Wii just to play the two Super Mario Galaxies, Super Mario Bros. Wii, the Metroid Prime Trilogy, Zelda: Twilight Princess and the Wii Sports games.

Well, crap chess. Now you've gone and talked me into one of them. Actually, it's that Wal-Mart is selling a Wii system bundled with Wii Resort + Wii Motion Plus for $199.99. I'm able to get it for my daughter as her birthday present and still play SMG2 and New SMB myself. Score.

Here's the link to Walmart.com if anyone's interested.

[DarthPrime]

Can't wait for this one. Day 1 purchase for me.

[majorjoe23]

Hmm, I need to finally get around to finishing the first one.

[Michael Corvin]

Can't wait. SMG tied Bioshock for my GOTY 2007.

Originally Posted by chess

Add to that some cheap gems like House of the Dead: Overkill, Resident Evil 4, Boom Blox, Geometry Wars Galaxies, and Dead Space: Extraction...along with the pending release of Metroid: Other M, and you have yourself a worthwhile little console IMO.

pssst... Okami.

[chess]

Originally Posted by Michael Corvin

Can't wait. SMG tied Bioshock for my GOTY 2007.

I didn't play Bioshock until 2008 or 2009 (whenever it came out on PS3), but this seemed to be the consensus among the gaming press...along with Portal/Orange Box. While I thought Bioshock transcended the FPS genre in terms of storytelling (again, along with Half-Life 2), SMG was just pure magic from beginning to end.

pssst... Okami.

I was that guy who got Okami on the Wii, hated the controls, and then bought the PS2 version. IMO, the PS2 version is superior. Also, if you're looking for a Zelda-like game on Wii, I personally found Twilight Princess more engaging.

[RichC2]

SMG was, imo, a better "game" than BioShock, though BioShock was a bit more inventive.

SMG is the first 3d mario game I've actually loved beginning to end, shame it felt so brief.

[Michael Corvin]

I still haven't played Bioshock 2, but after the 2007 showdown(regardless of your fave), it will be interesting comparing both sequels.

Originally Posted by chess

I was that guy who got Okami on the Wii, hated the controls, and then bought the PS2 version. IMO, the PS2 version is superior. Also, if you're looking for a Zelda-like game on Wii, I personally found Twilight Princess more engaging.

The controls took some getting used to but once it 'clicks' the game was pure magic. Couldn't put it down. Dropped about 50 hours on that one.

As for Twilight Princess it was the first Zelda that... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

[boredsilly]

I haven't played the first Galaxy, but it really does look like magic. I'll be getting a Wii soon mainly to play the Mario games.

[Cocacoladude78]

Looks fun! And I adore Yoshi...

However, the sales have always been lackluster on the 3-D titles -- compared to the 2-D titles and Mario Kart Wii.

I highly doubt this will match New Super Mario Bros. Wii in sales. A game I thought was vastly overrated and paled to past titles. Mario Galaxy '07 was the better game of the two -- but had much weaker sales.

I know they've included Yoshi, but have they included other past characters in this game like the 7 Koopa Kids or Malo the Marshmallow man (haven't heard a word from him in 14 years and he was quite powerful in his abilities; although I think he is owned by Square along with Geno)?

Is Yoshi's boyfriend (Birdo with the bow is a boy (who is worshiped in the gay community for being transgendered); and Yoshi is so far clueless in Japans storyline) in this game too?

Those Japanese sure are quirky. USA parents would be furious if they knew the truth behind some of these video game characters. It's hilarious!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birdo

[RichC2]

They may sell a lot less than Mario Kart but I wouldn't call the 3D mario sales "Lackluster". Galaxy had a handicap since the last outting was the very weak Mario Sunshine but still sold over 8.5m copies. Mario 64 I think sold around 12.5m. Sure it doesn't match up with the 20m+ Mario Kart Wii sold, but it also didn't have the same gimmick (wheel) going for it or multiplayer pick up and play appeal.

It's hard to factor in the original 2D Marios (1 - 3 and World) since they served as Pack-ins which count as sales.

[starseed1981]

Time to dust off the Wii!

[thelwig14]

Add Punchout!!! to the must buys.

Really looking forward to SMG 2...and yes, I am one of the chumps who couldn't get Luigi's purple coins..this never getting 121.

[RichC2]

Originally Posted by starseed1981

Time to dust off the Wii!

...story of my life

[bunkaroo]

As usual I didn't finish the first one yet, but not because it wasn't good - some other game probably derailed me. I'll get this one too I'm sure.

Originally Posted by Michael Corvin

As for Twilight Princess it was the first Zelda that... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

100% Agreed. I really hope the next one brings it. TP just felt like a chore to play for some reason.

[Chew]

Originally Posted by starseed1981

Time to dust off the Wii!

Exactly. This is the one game to get me to turn on the Wii again.

I don't think I even have a Wii Activity in my Harmony anymore.

[chess]

The first couple tutorial hours of Twilight Princess were a chore, but once it got rolling, I thought it was an amazing game. I also think that if Twilight Princess had been some new IP, and if it had been in HD on the PS3 or 360, it would have gotten a much different reception

I think we sometimes take for granted just how good Nintendo can be at game design. They are still IMO the best game publisher on the planet, and I don't even know who's second anymore...never thought I'd say this, but maybe EA.

As far as sales go...almost all first-party Wii titles are evergreen to some extent or another. Obviously, the first one sold enough to justify a second, and hopefully the second will sell well enough to justify a third.

[RichC2]

Originally Posted by chess

The first couple tutorial hours of Twilight Princess were a chore, but once it got rolling, I thought it was an amazing game. I also think that if Twilight Princess had been some new IP, and if it had been in HD on the PS3 or 360, it would have gotten a much different reception

It wouldn't have sold as well and would be held in a high regard amongst a small group of avid gamers ... like Okami.

TP was a chore to play through, the world and dungeons lacked any personality to speak of. The characters and story were also unengaging. IMO of course, I just wasn't a fan.

[chess]

Originally Posted by RichC2

SMG was, imo, a better "game" than BioShock, though BioShock was a bit more inventive.

Bioshock wasn't more inventive than SMG. It had an inventive story and environment, if that's what you mean, but it's just a FPS with a second gun, which happens to be your hand. The gravity mechanics in SMG and the ways they were used for platforming were incredibly inventive by contrast. I remember at least 5-6 times in SMG being amazed at something they came up with (gravity changing in the spotlights is a good example).

SMG is the first 3d mario game I've actually loved beginning to end, shame it felt so brief.

Collecting all 120-something stars took me a good bit of time as I recall...and it certainly didn't seem any shorter than any other Mario game.

[RichC2]

It felt brief because it was so much fun to play through. The last few before it felt like an utter chore.

BioShock had a more inventive storyline, setting and interesting mechanics. Though it wasn't revolutionary by any means. Mario Galaxy still felt like Mario through and through, the gravity defying bits felt a bit unnecessary since the rest of the level design was so good -- and the gameplay in general was more fun than BioShocks.