Topic: Super Mario Galaxy 2

[broodwars]

How about only items and shortcuts that require skill to use?

*points to Split/Second on the HD consoles.*

Sorry, couldn't resist.  Seriously, though, if someone manages to fight their way through all the crap flying around the racetrack to get and keep 1st place, they deserve to win.  There doesn't need to be an unblockable item only fire-able from 7th or 8th place available to prevent that.

[Mop it up]

The blue shell appears in 4th-8th place, and it can be dodged using a mushroom. My issue with it is that it doesn't help the user. Mario Kart 64 has the best blue shell.

I don't think the Mario Kart series would benefit from shortcuts. I like the amount of item involvement in it, and shortcuts or multiple paths would separate the racers too much. I already have a game like that: ExciteBots.

[stevey]

How about only items and shortcuts that require skill to use?

*points to Split/Second on the HD consoles.*

Sorry, couldn't resist.  Seriously, though, if someone manages to fight their way through all the crap flying around the racetrack to get and keep 1st place, they deserve to win.  There doesn't need to be an unblockable item only fire-able from 7th or 8th place available to prevent that.

But blue shell aren't unblockable and they can be fired from 2nd and 1st place.

[broodwars]

How about only items and shortcuts that require skill to use?

*points to Split/Second on the HD consoles.*

Sorry, couldn't resist.  Seriously, though, if someone manages to fight their way through all the crap flying around the racetrack to get and keep 1st place, they deserve to win.  There doesn't need to be an unblockable item only fire-able from 7th or 8th place available to prevent that.

But blue shell aren't unblockable and they can be fired from 2nd and 1st place.

I suppose I should have worded that better: "There doesn't need to be an unblockable item only acquire-able from 7th or 8th place available to prevent that."

As far as I know, the Blue Shell can only be prevented by using either a Mushroom or a Star at the moment it stops to crash down to the track.  I rarely ever see those items when in 1st, so the Blue Shell might as well be unblockable.

[King of Twitch]

Look at the shortcuts in SMK; they let a careful player hop a corner or two but nothing too extreme, yet they're highly gratifying. I guess that would require too much planning.. it's just a ****ing go-kart game.

[stevey]

How about only items and shortcuts that require skill to use?

*points to Split/Second on the HD consoles.*

Sorry, couldn't resist.  Seriously, though, if someone manages to fight their way through all the crap flying around the racetrack to get and keep 1st place, they deserve to win.  There doesn't need to be an unblockable item only fire-able from 7th or 8th place available to prevent that.

But blue shell aren't unblockable and they can be fired from 2nd and 1st place.

I suppose I should have worded that better: "There doesn't need to be an unblockable item only acquire-able from 7th or 8th place available to prevent that."

As far as I know, the Blue Shell can only be prevented by using either a Mushroom or a Star at the moment it stops to crash down to the track.  I rarely ever see those items when in 1st, so the Blue Shell might as well be unblockable.

Not necessarily, they are many other ways (shells, jumping, sliding) depending on the game and particular track you're on. If you can't do them then you don't deserve to be 1st anyway...

[Mop it up]

Mushrooms can appear in 2nd, and sometimes in 1st if there are less than 12 players.

Look at the shortcuts in SMK; they let a careful player hop a corner or two but nothing too extreme, yet they're highly gratifying.

The tracks in Mario Kart Wii have a few like that too.

[GoldenPhoenix]

The next Mario Kart will be titled "Wii Kart", get used to it!

[Mop it up]

Since Mario Kart Wii already has Miis in it, I doubt that.

[Caterkiller]

Thanks a bunch Ian! You just said "Mario Kart" and now look at everyone.

[Mop it up]

All Ian Sane did was make a valid comparison. If you want to blame someone for the derail, that's me.

[Dasmos]

Yeah, someone report Mop it up.

[broodwars]

Played a few more galaxies in Galaxy 2 - World 2 (I'm trying to slog my way through Sakura Wars 5 at the same time), and I ran into my first instance of the Bee Suit.  Ugh, I still hate that suit and it's level was suitably dull, but at least it was sidescrolling for a change.  After running into the Bug boss from the first Mario Galaxy twice in one galaxy, I'm starting to get tired of facing bosses again I already fought multiple times in the first game.
 
Also got a star from Not-Funky Kong back in the first world that was kind of fun trying to build up combos performing jumps on multiple enemies.  Doing that in 3D is kind of hard, though.

[Ian Sane]

Yeah I don't care for the Bee Suit but the sidescrolling level it was on won me over because it's, you know, a sidescrolling level.  The sidescrolling levels in Super Mario Galaxy 2 are really inventive and show the flaws of the very retro-designed NSMB games.  You can do some really cool stuff with today's hardware if they're willing to try new things.

[Peachylala]

Super Mario Galaxy 2 are really inventive and show the flaws of the very retro-designed NSMB games.

NSMBWii outclassed Galaxy 1 with it's stages.

NSMBWii was outclassed by SMG2 with the same thing.

Super Guide, how I love thee.

[DAaaMan64]

Yeah I don't care for the Bee Suit but the sidescrolling level it was on won me over because it's, you know, a sidescrolling level.  The sidescrolling levels in Super Mario Galaxy 2 are really inventive and show the flaws of the very retro-designed NSMB games.  You can do some really cool stuff with today's hardware if they're willing to try new things.

I'm not crazy about the Bee Suit either 'cause you move so slow, but it is cool how you walk on walls.

[Mop it up]

I also find the Bee Suit to be the least interesting method of flight in a Mario game (and the most scary, too). I was disappointed to find out they didn't bring back the red/black flying suit in the original Galaxy game, that enables more possibilities than the Bee Suit.

After running into the Bug boss from the first Mario Galaxy twice in one galaxy, I'm starting to get tired of facing bosses again I already fought multiple times in the first game.

Given your distaste for recycled content, I'm predicting that you'll collect only enough stars to beat Bowser.

[broodwars]

After running into the Bug boss from the first Mario Galaxy twice in one galaxy, I'm starting to get tired of facing bosses again I already fought multiple times in the first game.

Given your distaste for recycled content, I'm predicting that you'll collect only enough stars to beat Bowser.

*shrugs*

Eh, we'll see.  I did collect all 120 Stars in the original Galaxy with Mario (though only a few with Luigi), so you never know.  My problem with recycled content is that it's a lazy way to pad the game length, and unless there's some new twist in the experience that makes it new and engaging to play, I don't want to do it.  It's especially bad with some of the bosses in this game because I already beat them in Galaxy several times, and the strategy to beat them here is identical.

I'm in World 3 right now with about 31 Stars or so, and at long last the Comets are finally making their appearance.  This game's definitely making a stronger impression on me than the first Galaxy, which I felt played things too conservatively too early on for too long.  The Bowser fight at the end of World 2 was nice, if pretty simple and not the least bit challenging.  In fact, so far this game's been pretty easy.  Much like with NSMBW, I don't understand where all the hype about the supposed "high difficulty right from the start of the game" comes from.  Yeah, there have been a couple tricky sections and the game isn't so eager to hold your hand, but so far it's mainly been textbook Mario platforming.  Then again, I beat Bit.Trip. Runner so maybe I'm some sort of platforming God.   

[Mop it up]

Not to give you a big head, but you do seem like someone who has better than average gaming skill.

[GoldenPhoenix]

Not to give you a big head, but you do seem like someone who has better than average gaming skill.

No comment lol.

The game has a good skill level, and easily matches most "hardcore" games like GOW in challenge.

[Killer_Man_Jaro]

As for me, I'm at World 4 with 53 stars collected. That's in just three sittings. You might say the game hooked me.


Seriously, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is rocking my socks off. The level designs are so good, so bloody good, I'm struggling to think of which ones to single out. For the sake of conversation, every level with the Bulb Berry power-up for Yoshi has put a huge grin on my face. Each of the Luma galaxies houses an amazing one-time concept - Flip-Swap, Beat Box - made all the more memorable because these ideas appear just this once. The Chompworks Galaxy has also stuck in my head; I love how you alter the environment to keep the Chomps rolling to where you need them. Oh, and  the slide in Tall Trunk is just too cool for words.


I've really liked the bosses so far. Yeah, there are a couple of reprises from the previous game, but everything else has been very impressive. Rolladillo, Megahammer, Glamdozer... it's cool how the mechanics introduced in the level are used in the boss fight, especially Glamdozer's fight.


The music has hit it out of the park for me as well. I was concerned SMG2's soundtrack wouldn't have the same impact on me as the first game. This concern was squashed as soon as I heard Sky Station Galaxy's BGM. Hats off to the composers again, and that includes some of the non-orchestrated songs too. Puzzle Plank Galaxy has this incredible call-and-response with a fiddle piece that sounds like the sort of thing people would square dance to and unusual synths. I never would have thought that musical combo could work -- I was wrong! I must also mention the Haunty Halls Galaxy BGM, which is a wonderful remix of the Ghost House theme from Super Mario World.


To all the cynics out there: I really think you should give this try. You might argue that all this stuff could have been in the original game and that this is "basically a level pack". Well, while that may be true, there's no reason that should bother you whatsoever. This is a purely creative and enjoyable endeavour that reminds me why I still play videogames. Come on, why are you still reading this? Go buy Mario Galaxy 2 now.

[AV]

I just made this.


This is true for so many green stars.....I feel terrible when I HAVE to do this

[ThomasO]

Has anyone gotten the ghost for the Megahammer Daredevil Star in World 3? It does absolutely nothing but walk-crouch and sleep!

[ThePerm]

man thats a ruined treacherous swine picture


proper...see how that paratrooper koopa stares back with a look of "now that ain't right"

[Caterkiller]

Funny these pictures came up, I was just going to ask if anyone else "jet packed" off of yoshi to get a star or not die.