Jump to content

Super Mario Galaxy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by VoABot II (talk | contribs) at 18:21, 12 November 2007 (BOT - Reverted edits by 206.176.10.76 {possible vandalism} to revision #171000041 by "Stabby Joe".). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Super Mario Galaxy
File:Smgboxartwii.jpg
Developer(s)Nintendo EAD Tokyo
Publisher(s)Nintendo
Designer(s)Shigeru Miyamoto
Takao Shimizu
Yoshiaki Koizumi
SeriesSuper Mario series
Platform(s)Wii
Release
[1]


Genre(s)3D Action-platformer[2]
Mode(s)Single player, Multiplayer

Super Mario Galaxy (スーパーマリオギャラクシー, Sūpā Mario Gyarakushī) is a 3D action-platformer game [3] developed by Nintendo EAD Tokyo and published by Nintendo for the Wii. 700,000 copies were ordered by retailers in Japan,[4] and it has 400,000 pre-orders in the U.S. placed through GameStop stores.[5]

Gameplay

Most of the game is set in outer space along a vast chain of miniature planetoids and other space matter, though many levels consist of huge areas to explore such as the Beachbowl Galaxy and Honeyhive Galaxy.

Mario is capable of jumping or launching from planet to planet in order to gather items and defeat enemies. Gravity plays a significant role in the game, as each planet has a gravitational force that prevents Mario from drifting off into space, which allows the player to effortlessly circumnavigate rounded objects. The varying degrees of gravity also have an effect on Mario's ability to jump, and is used to pull Mario towards certain planetoids while in mid-flight. Like previous 3D Mario games, the main objective is to collect Stars, which are awarded by completing tasks or defeating enemies. The game's central hub is set in the Comet Observatory, which is divided into six themed areas: the Terrace, Fountain, Kitchen, Bedroom, Engine Room, and Loft. Distributed among these six worlds are 40 "galaxies", or levels with 1 to 6 stars each.[6] Obtaining these stars allows the player to unlock more in each themed galaxy.

File:Supermariogalaxydemo1.JPG
Mario traveling from one planetoid to another.

As in every 3D Mario game, Mario's health consists of a power meter, which causes Mario to lose a life if it reaches zero. When the game starts, Mario begins with a power meter made of three sections. The power meter can be restored by collecting coins. The meter can be expanded by threes when you collect red mushrooms. Mario also has a second and separate health meter that designates his air supply when swimming underwater; if it is empty Mario will drown. The bottomless pits featured in previous Mario games which cause Mario to lose a life when fallen in have been replaced by black holes, which are stationed beneath the surfaces of certain planets and spread throughout outside space.

Like recent 3D Super Mario games, Mario has a range of jumping abilities, such as his trademark triple jump and his wall kick ability. He can also perform flips by immediately turning the other way and jumping, and do a ground-pound move to smash breakable objects or enemies below. Some of the moves that were absent in Super Mario Sunshine have returned for this installment, such as the long jump. He jumps higher in low gravity, which is similar to Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door.[7] Mario's melee move is a spin and it allows him to attack enemies, break glass objects and activate large stars that shoot him across the galaxy. The Wii Remote also comes into play to collect Star Bits, aim and fire them at enemies, and also activate capture stars that pull Mario between planets.

Power-ups

File:Supermariogalaxymovespowerup.JPG
Mario in the Bee suit, a new power-up for the game.

Super Mario Galaxy features the most power-ups and transformations of any Mario game to date. [8] The October 2007 issue of Nintendo Power confirmed the return of the Super Mushroom and Fire Flower[9] power-ups. [10] There is also an Ice Flower powerup, from Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, which allows Mario to freeze water surfaces to produce icy platforms, [11] and a new Spring Mushroom power-up, which wraps Mario inside of a spring and allows him to jump to very great heights.[12] The Rainbow Star grants invincibility, similar to the Starman from previous titles.[13] the Bee Suit, which transforms Mario into a bee and gives him the ability to fly for a limited amount of time;[14][15] and the Boo Suit, which transforms Mario into a Boo Ghost.[16][17] Also added to the game is the Soar Star powerup which enables Mario to fly around space much like the wing cap from Super Mario 64.[18]

Environmental mechanics

New gameplay mechanics include Gravity Arrows, which make Mario gravitate in the direction that these arrows point;Template:NCite Star Bits, which can be grabbed simply by moving the cursor over them. For every 50 Star Bits he collects, Mario will be rewarded with an extra life. There are also musical notes; these usually come in chains of 25 which when activated and often play classic Mario themes when they are hit.[citation needed] They are activated by another new feature: The Question Mark Coin, which activates most items in the game such as suits.[citation needed]New gameplay footage has shown Mario riding a manta ray down a giant floating water slide, riding a ball with an unlockable star inside (altering the tempo of the music based on the movement) and catapulting himself using alien plantlife. He has also been spotted floating in a bubble that the player controls with the Wii Remote so that the on-screen cursor will blow the bubble in the desired direction of travel. A dandelion puff-like item has been seen as a form of transport that the player controls by shaking the Wii Remote. Gameplay videos have also shown some form of tetherball-like objects that Mario uses to attack enemies, get coins and/or Star Bits. Within the game there are sprouts at which the player may launch Star Bits, turning them into flowers in order to get coins. Also, some tornadoes have made an appearance as a way for Mario to helicopter himself across seas of treacherous quicksand. His attack also interacts with screws, unlocking all new paths for him to take often leading to hidden places.

There are five types of prankster comets that appear randomly; when one of them comes into contact with a level, a special challenge is initiated which leads to a Power Star. The speedy comet adds a time limit; the daredevil comet reduces Mario's life to 1 unit; the cosmic comet forces Mario to race with his shadowy clone; the fast foe comet speeds up enemies; and the purple comet, which appears after the game has been completed, unlocks bonus levels requiring Mario to collect 100 coins under various conditions. [19]

The game offers up to six save files and has the (optional) ability to transfer Miis from the Mii channel for aesthetic purposes.[20]

Multiplayer

Super Mario Galaxy has a co-operative two-player option called "Co-Star Mode", where one player controls Mario and a star pointer, while the other uses a second Wii Remote and controls another pointer on-screen.[21] The second pointer is used to assist the first player by gathering Star Bits and shooting them at enemies. The second player also is more efficient in manipulating the environment, such as halting object and enemy movement. Last, the second player's pointer can improve Mario's jump if the first and second player press the A button at the same moment.[22]

It was first hinted by Takashi Tezuka, Nintendo's analysis and development's general manager, that mulitplayer was going to be co-op in an interview with IGN.[23] Two-player functionality was later confirmed, along with reports of the team experimenting with new ways to use the Wii Remote so that one player can control Mario while the other aids him, backed up by suggestions by Shigeru Miyamoto that the second player could have the ability to affect Mario's progress. It was later revealed at Nintendo's E3 2007 that the co-op mode was permanently implemented into the game and could be accessed anytime.

Plot

Every hundred years a comet passes over the Mushroom Kingdom and rains down stars and stardust, and as Princess Peach and the citizens of the kingdom are celebrating the centennial event, Bowser and his legions attack by launching asteroids at the Mushroom Kingdom and crystalizing the Toads.[24] Knowing that Bowser is after Princess Peach, Mario runs to save her. Things go bad as Bowser summons a massive spaceship which abducts Peach's entire castle. As Mario hangs on to the castle, Kamek sends him flying off into space. He later wakes on a moon high above the Mushroom Kingdom.

A new character is introduced in the game, Princess Rosalina ("Rosetta" (ロゼッタ) in the Japanese version[25]). She is a Watcher of the Stars who aids Mario on his quest to find Princess Peach, as well as the Grand Stars.[26]

History

In a roundtable discussion at E3 2007, it was made clear that Super Mario Galaxy was not Super Mario 128 after Miyamoto stated that production only began after the team finished making Donkey Kong Jungle Beat,[27] (early 2005) and Mario 128 has been in production and development since at least 2001 (when the first trailer was shown at E3). In an after-hours press event at E3 2006 in May, Miyamoto stated, "I don't want to promise anything yet. But if it's not a launch title it will definitely be there within the first six months."[28] Nintendo of America CEO Reggie Fils-Aime later stated in a November 27 2006 interview with MTV that the game is expected to release sometime up to Holiday of 2007.[29] On January 4 2007, Nintendo of Europe issued a press release indicating a 2007 European release.[30] Near the end of Shigeru Miyamoto's keynote presentation at the 2007 Game Developers Conference in March, he stated, "You'll be able to play Super Mario Galaxy this year."[31][32] At Nintendo's E3 2007 Conference, it confirmed that Super Mario Galaxy will be released in North America on November 12 2007 and four days later in Europe. In North America, certain retailers will give out a free limited edition coin for pre-ordering the game. Some retailers have delayed it just until November 13, like GameStop in North America, and some retailers have delayed the release until November 14, 2007.[citation needed]

Pre-release

Critics and fans reacted positively to the demo version.[33] When the game was first revealed at E3 2006, it was one of the most played and enjoyed games of the show floor. Matt Casamassina, the editor of IGN Wii, loved it so much that he went on to say that the game was practically perfect.[34] Matt Wales agreed that it was everything Super Mario Sunshine was not.[35] Giancarlo Varanini, of 1UP.com, wrote that it was the best example of how the Wii Remote can be used.[36] Russ Fisher appreciated the game, because it was "fresh", and compared it to the Metroid Prime series which transformed the Metroid franchise into 3D and was very successful.[37][38]

Reception

Reviews and awards
Publication Score
IGN
9.7/10
Famitsu
38/40
Gamespot
9.5/10
Official Nintendo Magazine
97%
1UP.com
9.5/10[39]
Gametrailers
9.8/10[40]
Eurogamer
10/10[41]
Game Informer
9.75/10[42]
Gamespy
5/5

The game has enjoyed an extremely positive reception. GamePro stated that the title "raises the bar in terms of what can be achieved on the Wii," and gamesTM, who awarded Galaxy a 9.0, claimed that it is "level for level, more fun to play than Mario 64." IGN called Super Mario Galaxy "Wii's best game, and an absolute must-own experience." as well as "one of the greatest platformers I have ever played". GameSpot praised its gameplay and level design stating that "If ever there were a must-own Wii game, Super Mario Galaxy is it." UK based programme Gamer TV gave the game 5/5 stating that the slightly easy nature "only enhances the game".

Among the minor flaws noted in the reviews, GameSpot found "A couple of Mario's special suits can be frustrating to use" whereas IGN pointed out "An unnecessary side-tale [that] contrasts with a traditional story".

On both Metacritic[43] and GameRankings[44], Galaxy currently averages a 97 out of 100.

According to Media Create, Super Mario Galaxy sold 250,585 copies in Japan for the week ending November 4, 2007, after 4 days on sale.[45]

References

  1. ^ "Release Calendar" (in Japanese). Nintendo.
  2. ^ "Super Mario Galaxy". Retrieved 2007-10-10.
  3. ^ "Super Mario Galaxy". Retrieved 2007-10-10.
  4. ^ "Wii「マリオギャラクシー」受注70万本突破". Retrieved 2007-10-03.
  5. ^ "Super Mario Galaxy Hits 400,000 Pre-orders". Retrieved 2007-09-14.
  6. ^ http://www.smgalaxy.com/view_level.php?id=3.
  7. ^ "Super Mario Galaxy Central - Mario's Moves". 2007-11-08. Retrieved 2007-11-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ "Vol. 2". Retrieved 2007-10-11.
  9. ^ "Fire Flower Demonstration Video". {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  10. ^ Salazar 3rd, Jesse. [? "Throwback items in Super Mario Galaxy"]. TheMushroomKingdom.net. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ "Ice Flower Demonstration Video". {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  12. ^ "Spring PowerUp Demonstration Video". {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  13. ^ "Rainbow Star Demonstration Video". {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  14. ^ "Bee Mushroom Demonstration Video". {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  15. ^ http://www.themushroomkingdom.net/media/smg/ss
  16. ^ "Boo Mushroom Demonstration Video". {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  17. ^ http://www.themushroomkingdom.net/media/smg/ss
  18. ^ "Soar Star Demonstration Video". {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  19. ^ "Super Mario Galaxy Central - Prankster Comets". Retrieved 2007-11-03.
  20. ^ http://www.gamegrep.com/video/5498-super_mario_galaxy_menu_revealed/
  21. ^ "Nintendo E3 2007 - Super Mario Galaxy". Nintendo. 2007-07-11. Retrieved 2007-07-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  22. ^ "Super Mario Galaxy".
  23. ^ Casamassina, Matt (2006-05-11). "Mario Multiplayer Details". IGN. Retrieved 2006-05-29. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  24. ^ Casamassina, Matt (2006-05-09). "Super Mario Galaxy Details". IGN. Retrieved 2006-05-29. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  25. ^ "New Damsel In Distress in Super Mario Galaxy?". Filefront. 2007-07-18. Retrieved 2007-11-01. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  26. ^ Casamassina, Matt (2007-10-15). "Super Mario Galaxy Hands On". IGN. Retrieved 2007-10-27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  27. ^ Nintendo E3 2007, Nintendo E3 2007 (2007-07-13). "Mario Galaxy production started in 2005 [5:42]". Retrieved 2006-05-29. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  28. ^ Casamassina, Matt (2006-05-10). "Mario to Miss Launch". IGN. Retrieved 2006-05-29. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  29. ^ Totilo, Stephen (2006-11-28). "Nintendo Exec Predicts Wii Future, Chances Of 'GoldenEye' On Console". MTV. Retrieved 2007-03-03. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  30. ^ "The Big 2007 Preview". Nintendo. 2007-01-04. Retrieved 2007-01-04. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  31. ^ "GDC07: Super Mario Galaxy Confirmed for 07". Kotaku. 2007-03-08. Retrieved 2007-03-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  32. ^ Shigeru Miyamoto (2007). Shigeru Miyamoto: "A Creative Vision" - Keynote at GDC 2007. Event occurs at 1:09:08.
  33. ^ "Super Mario Galaxy (working title) - WII". GameRankings. Retrieved 2007-03-03.
  34. ^ Casamassina, Matt (2006-09-14). "Hands-on Super Mario Galaxy". Retrieved 2007-03-03. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Text "publisher=IGN" ignored (help)
  35. ^ Wales, William (2006-05-17). "Super Mario Galaxy Preview". computerandvideogames.com. Retrieved 2007-03-03. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  36. ^ Varanini, Giancarlo (2006-05-10). "Super Mario Galaxy Preview". 1UP. Retrieved 2007-03-03. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  37. ^ Fischer, Russ (2006-05-31). "Super Mario Galaxy preview for Wii". gamerevolution.com. Retrieved 2007-03-03. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  38. ^ Zlotnick, David (2006-05-09). "Super Mario Galaxy Announced". 1UP. Retrieved 2007-03-03. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  39. ^ http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3164124
  40. ^ http://www.gametrailers.com/game/2660.html
  41. ^ http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=86873
  42. ^ http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200712/R07.1106.1825.05910.htm
  43. ^ "Super Mario Galaxy (Wii: 2007): Reviews". MetaCritic. CNET. Retrieved 2007-11-09.
  44. ^ "Super Mario Galaxy Reviews". Game Rankings. CNET. Retrieved 2007-11-09.
  45. ^ Berghammer, Billy (2007-11-09). "Xbox 360 Outsells PS3 In Japan". GameInformer.com. Game Informer. Retrieved 2007-11-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Super_Mario_Galaxy&oldid=171003704"