Super Mario 3D All-Stars, which is a remaster of Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario Galaxy, went on sale for the Nintendo Switch on Sept. 18, 2020. I was excited to buy it due to the desire of completing Super Mario Sunshine, which I failed to finish as a kid after loaning the game to a friend who never gave it back to me (be careful who you lend games to).
However, many recommended that I check out the 2007 classic, Super Mario Galaxy, after I complete Sunshine. After stopping my progress on 64 due to its outdated gameplay, I finally finished my mission of completing Sunshine. While I was satisfied in beating the game, the overall experience fell short because of its gimmicky gameplay, lackluster story and unlikable characters that the player is supposed to save.
After this, I was wanting to get my money’s worth of 3D-All Stars. With my love of space atmospheres and the hype surrounding Super Mario Galaxy, my anticipation level was high. Safe to say, not only did the game meet my expectations, but exceeded them.
During the Star Festival at the Mushroom Kingdom, Princess Peach invites Mario to her castle, only for Bowser to predictably crash the party and kidnap the princess while launching Mario into outer space. He awakes on a small planet with Princess Rosalina and her star-shaped companions, the Lumas.
They inform Mario that Bowser stole the Power Stars that powered the Comet Observatory, which Rosalina and her companions use to travel through space.
Mario visits many different galaxies and worlds to reclaim the stars by gaining allies and abilities while fighting Bowser and Bowser Jr. along the way.
The journey to reclaim the stars is a blast, and another satisfying experience in the Nintendo Mario universe. The strongest aspects of the game that make it incredible include the brilliant level design, awe-inspiring atmospheres and the majestic soundtrack.
One issue I had with Sunshine was the fact most levels were either easy or tedious once the gimmick of a spray-canon was utilized. Aside from the F.L.U.U.D-less levels, the complex but enjoyable platforming elements were missing with puzzles being solved by simply spraying water or hovering over something.
Galaxy not only does not have this issue, but creates variety in its gameplay with different types of levels while making the different power-ups unique.
While traveling to the various planets, the gravity varies. This creates situations where you have to navigate through the levels while swimming, sideways and up-side-down. It is challenging and satisfying when the level is completed with something new to experience each time.
One example is in my favorite galaxy, “Battlerock Galaxy,” where you must run 360 degrees on a platform while dodging cannonballs and electric barriers. It’s exhilarating, leaving me feeling accomplished when I snatch the power star.
Most levels present a unique challenge that always left me anticipating the next one, especially with the implementation of unique power-ups. These include: bee, fire, ice, spring, boo and rainbow. The designs are built to utilize these to the maximum, allowing me to fly through the air, become intangible, freeze water, etc. They are used effectively and add to the immaculate level design of Super Mario Galaxy.
The level designs and visuals of the game astound me. I will never forget seeing the opening scene of the Star Festival looking so crisp and realistic, leaving me in awe before I even got into the crux of the gameplay. I was amazed by the level of detail in the graphics.
As for the world themselves, the atmosphere presented blew me away and immersed into the environment, something a Mario game rarely does. The first galaxy, “Good Egg Planet Galaxy” presents something I crave in entertainment, a space epic. While traversing the planets, the star-filled background introduced me to the grand adventure of the game with many shooting stars and eerie lighting. Even during the first level, I was hooked into the gameplay and atmosphere.
The rest of the worlds wowed me with the variety. From a flower-based galaxy to a lava-ridden one, I was captivated.
“Melty Molten Galaxy” stood out with the lava animation, while creating a high-stakes environment with meteor showers and sinking volcanoes to build tension. This increase in intensity fit as it is one of the last galaxies before the final mission.
I also must praise the soundtrack, composed by Mahito Yokota and Koji Kondo. The music is relaxing for the most part, allowing me to settle in and enjoy the adventure. “Good Egg Planet Galaxy” is the primary example as the subdued instrumentals make me feel like I’m having a good time exploring space while having the buildup to give me excitement.
But there are some tracks, such as “Battlerock Galaxy” and “Melty Molten Galaxy,” that are more bombastic and fast-paced, adding to the adrenaline of the challenging missions. The mix between relaxing space music and epic battle themes is perfect, making Galaxy’s soundtrack one of the best I have heard in a video game.
The one issue that prevents it from being a perfect game is the lackluster final level. It is too easy and I wish there were more power-ups and complex platforming to make it feel like the grand finale. I completed it with little difficulty, making the final level underwhelming compared to the much-more challenging galaxies beforehand.
Overall, Super Mario Galaxy was a phenomenal experience that left me feeling satisfied. The level and world design, along with the soundtrack, combined to make it a great game, providing me my money’s worth for purchasing 3D All-Stars. Galaxy is available to play on the Wii and is a part of Super Mario 3D All-Stars on the Nintendo Switch.
Rating: 9.5/10
