:Motorbass
Member
That was already in SMG1 ;]Ben2749 said:
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Super Mario Galaxy 2 |OT| with >NEW< hat!
- Thread starter WillyFive
- Start date
I'm a little bit embarrassed...I've played through the game with only 70 stars in only 12 hours. I took so much longer for SMG1 
Still, it's a neat game and there's so much more to do. The replay value is also very high due to the ghosts (are they available in every level? Even in the comet levels?).
Still, it's a neat game and there's so much more to do. The replay value is also very high due to the ghosts (are they available in every level? Even in the comet levels?).
Shotgun Kiss
Member
Ha. Despite my last post saying I was going to take a break from the game for a while before tackling
Anyway, I absolutely loved the game, but I'm actually glad to be done with it. I've been playing it non-stop for four and a half days now, and I'm completely burned out. Now I can move back onto my backlog, and play something a little more relaxing to wind down. I should probably have paced myself, but I was having too much fun for that.
As for my final impressions, I think I slightly prefer the original game. I don't know why, but I preferred the levels in Galaxy 1. Also, I can't help but feel that Galaxy 2 spread itself too thin in some aspects. Many gameplay mechanics were incredibly underutilized. I'd have loved to seen much more of the following mechanics used in these levels (I'll spoiler them, in case people want to find out about these things themselves):
And those are just off the top of my head. In any case, there were plenty of brilliant mechanics that felt underused, and it made some of the stars that weren't all that unique or special feel a little "off". Not to mention that there were mechanics that simply weren't that great (Fluzzard levels, roll ball levels, bee Mario/Luigi levels), where they should have instead expanded on the better ones.
It's great that SMG2 has so much variety, but very few of the brilliant mechanics stick around long enough for you to properly admire and truly enjoy them.
Also, Nintendo seemed so eager to create new inventive and clever ways of using the gravity aspect of the engine, that it seemed like they forgot just how fun it was to jump around on tiny planetoids/platforms, as there was a surprisingly low amount of them. I liked the galaxies in SMG1 that were comprised mostly of small segments like that (for example, Space Junk Galaxy and Gusty Garden Galaxy). But a lot of of Galaxy 2's levels felt surprisingly "flat". Compare the first galaxies of SMG1 and SMG2, and you see what I mean. Whereas Good Egg Galaxy is comprised soley of planetoids that you can run around, Sky Station Galaxy has only a few segments that manipulate gravity, and only in the parts where it wants to show off something gameplay-wise. It just felt a little more natural and fluid in Galaxy 1.
Also, as I briefly mentioned a while ago, the soundtrack is also much better in Galaxy 1. It's still great in Galaxy 2, but not outstanding. Sky Station Galaxy is the only track that really rivals tunes like Good Egg Galaxy, Gusty Garden Galaxy, Space Junk Galaxy, and Buoy Base Galaxy. Some Galaxy 1 tracks are reused in Galaxy 2, but when they're mostly the standout ones, it says a lot about the new tracks. Interestingly, I'm surprised the track that plays in Puzzle Plank Galaxy was never used for any other level. I thought it was one of the better ones, and unless I'm forgetting another, it might be the only level-exclusive track in the game (with the exception of
).
One area where Galaxy 2 definitely outshines it's predecessor is it's lastablity. It's undoubtedly a much more difficult game than Galaxy 1, and the post 120-star reward gives you a REAL reason to continue playing, rather than just arbitrarily telling you to do it all again with a different character.
Although since I mentioned difficulty, I will say that I'm disappointed that the Bowser fights were all just as much of a cakewalk as they were in the original game. I know they tried to keep them easy because they're necessary to clear the game (therefore they have to make them simple enough for the more casual players), but still, it would have been nice if there were a fourth Bowser fight after collecting ALL of the stars, and it were significantly harder. It would also have been nice if all three Bowser fights had played differently. It's hardly an epic final showdown when you're in exactly the same fight you had within a few hours of first starting the game. Interestingly, it's worth pointing out that all three Bowser Jr. fights are not only more creative, but also more difficult.
If it seems like I'm being overly-critical, I'm not trying to be. SMG2 is still an absolutely sublime game. It's just hard to gush about it's good points in detail when everybody here already knows what makes it a great game, and we've all already gushed over Galaxy 1 in the past, and this is more of the same. Instead, I think it's better to get the criticisms (albeit minor ones) out in the open.
The Perfect Run in Grandmaster Galaxy, I decided to try and go for it today (after farming for star bits in Melty Molten Galaxy's second star). It did take a fair few attempts (I'd guess about 15-20 or so), but I managed it, and it wasn't TOO bad.
The first part is fine so long as you don't rush, and the second part is so easy, it really doesn't belong in the level at all.
The third level is also easy, but I always made sure to grab the very last cloud power-up, and then use the warp star without using any of the clouds. Having three clouds to use in the fourth part REALLY helps, as it's otherwise a massive pain in the ass.
The fifth part is easy except for a couple of points, where I sometimes mistimed it. I think that was more nerves than anything though, as it's at this part of the galaxy I start to get anxious, and found my hands literally starting to shake at a few points.
The last part is by far the worst, but I found that it helps to take out a few specific Hammer Bros, whereas for a while I had been trying to ignore them, only to have them later hit me when I was focusing on avoiding another one/one of the Boomerang Bros. If you pick them off one at a time, and then avoid projectiles before picking off another one, you're less likely to get hit than if you try to take out a bunch of them at once.
The first part is fine so long as you don't rush, and the second part is so easy, it really doesn't belong in the level at all.
The third level is also easy, but I always made sure to grab the very last cloud power-up, and then use the warp star without using any of the clouds. Having three clouds to use in the fourth part REALLY helps, as it's otherwise a massive pain in the ass.
The fifth part is easy except for a couple of points, where I sometimes mistimed it. I think that was more nerves than anything though, as it's at this part of the galaxy I start to get anxious, and found my hands literally starting to shake at a few points.
The last part is by far the worst, but I found that it helps to take out a few specific Hammer Bros, whereas for a while I had been trying to ignore them, only to have them later hit me when I was focusing on avoiding another one/one of the Boomerang Bros. If you pick them off one at a time, and then avoid projectiles before picking off another one, you're less likely to get hit than if you try to take out a bunch of them at once.
Anyway, I absolutely loved the game, but I'm actually glad to be done with it. I've been playing it non-stop for four and a half days now, and I'm completely burned out. Now I can move back onto my backlog, and play something a little more relaxing to wind down. I should probably have paced myself, but I was having too much fun for that.
As for my final impressions, I think I slightly prefer the original game. I don't know why, but I preferred the levels in Galaxy 1. Also, I can't help but feel that Galaxy 2 spread itself too thin in some aspects. Many gameplay mechanics were incredibly underutilized. I'd have loved to seen much more of the following mechanics used in these levels (I'll spoiler them, in case people want to find out about these things themselves):
Beat Box Galaxy (the blocks that alternated every few seconds and were synced to the music)
Flip-Swap Galaxy (where every time you did a spin attack, the platforms shifted)
Spin-Dig Galaxy (the drill item in general)
Upside Dizzy Galaxy (the 2D level where every few seconds, gravity alternated between up and down)
Sweet Mystery Galaxy (the bulb berry item in general)
Flashblack Galaxy (the level is illuminated every few seconds)
Hightail Falls Galaxy (the chilli pepper item in general)
Flip Out Galaxy (every time you use the spin attack, platforms and walls shift in and out)
Any galaxy that featured a 2D cylinder, in which you could fall around and around forever.
Flip-Swap Galaxy (where every time you did a spin attack, the platforms shifted)
Spin-Dig Galaxy (the drill item in general)
Upside Dizzy Galaxy (the 2D level where every few seconds, gravity alternated between up and down)
Sweet Mystery Galaxy (the bulb berry item in general)
Flashblack Galaxy (the level is illuminated every few seconds)
Hightail Falls Galaxy (the chilli pepper item in general)
Flip Out Galaxy (every time you use the spin attack, platforms and walls shift in and out)
Any galaxy that featured a 2D cylinder, in which you could fall around and around forever.
And those are just off the top of my head. In any case, there were plenty of brilliant mechanics that felt underused, and it made some of the stars that weren't all that unique or special feel a little "off". Not to mention that there were mechanics that simply weren't that great (Fluzzard levels, roll ball levels, bee Mario/Luigi levels), where they should have instead expanded on the better ones.
It's great that SMG2 has so much variety, but very few of the brilliant mechanics stick around long enough for you to properly admire and truly enjoy them.
Also, Nintendo seemed so eager to create new inventive and clever ways of using the gravity aspect of the engine, that it seemed like they forgot just how fun it was to jump around on tiny planetoids/platforms, as there was a surprisingly low amount of them. I liked the galaxies in SMG1 that were comprised mostly of small segments like that (for example, Space Junk Galaxy and Gusty Garden Galaxy). But a lot of of Galaxy 2's levels felt surprisingly "flat". Compare the first galaxies of SMG1 and SMG2, and you see what I mean. Whereas Good Egg Galaxy is comprised soley of planetoids that you can run around, Sky Station Galaxy has only a few segments that manipulate gravity, and only in the parts where it wants to show off something gameplay-wise. It just felt a little more natural and fluid in Galaxy 1.
Also, as I briefly mentioned a while ago, the soundtrack is also much better in Galaxy 1. It's still great in Galaxy 2, but not outstanding. Sky Station Galaxy is the only track that really rivals tunes like Good Egg Galaxy, Gusty Garden Galaxy, Space Junk Galaxy, and Buoy Base Galaxy. Some Galaxy 1 tracks are reused in Galaxy 2, but when they're mostly the standout ones, it says a lot about the new tracks. Interestingly, I'm surprised the track that plays in Puzzle Plank Galaxy was never used for any other level. I thought it was one of the better ones, and unless I'm forgetting another, it might be the only level-exclusive track in the game (with the exception of
Throwback Galaxy
One area where Galaxy 2 definitely outshines it's predecessor is it's lastablity. It's undoubtedly a much more difficult game than Galaxy 1, and the post 120-star reward gives you a REAL reason to continue playing, rather than just arbitrarily telling you to do it all again with a different character.
Although since I mentioned difficulty, I will say that I'm disappointed that the Bowser fights were all just as much of a cakewalk as they were in the original game. I know they tried to keep them easy because they're necessary to clear the game (therefore they have to make them simple enough for the more casual players), but still, it would have been nice if there were a fourth Bowser fight after collecting ALL of the stars, and it were significantly harder. It would also have been nice if all three Bowser fights had played differently. It's hardly an epic final showdown when you're in exactly the same fight you had within a few hours of first starting the game. Interestingly, it's worth pointing out that all three Bowser Jr. fights are not only more creative, but also more difficult.
If it seems like I'm being overly-critical, I'm not trying to be. SMG2 is still an absolutely sublime game. It's just hard to gush about it's good points in detail when everybody here already knows what makes it a great game, and we've all already gushed over Galaxy 1 in the past, and this is more of the same. Instead, I think it's better to get the criticisms (albeit minor ones) out in the open.
Alex
Member
Throwback was actually really good. I'm normally of the mind that Mario 64 is a pretty jank game nowadays, and in most areas it really is, but updated with the evolutions in controls and general smoothness, it was really fun to explore and hop around like an obstacle course.
It's funny, because I argued the exact opposite for years, but I kind of hope the next Mario game has some more "explorey" areas like that. Not massive or anything and not for everything, but just pepper it in.
I complained for so long about the pacing and shift in design, but Mario Galaxy 2 has a lot of punishment in later levels and a lot of comets and various bits that it was just nice to slow the pace down and really feel in control.
Although in general, though I adore Mario Galaxy 1 & 2, I would be happy if they were finished with the whole small planet hopping/gravity style of design in the titles. Get back to some more solid land (for Mario, not literally)
Oh and more Yoshi, I mean I'm nowhere near done with the game (85 stars or so, just got a credits roll for today the first time), and while I probably wont come close to maxing it out, I really feel like there was a big lack of Yoshi. Yoshi was never actually anything great in like Super Mario World, and he was horrible in Sunshine but in this he is PERFECT. He adds a lot to the game and is really fun and satisfying to play with
It's funny, because I argued the exact opposite for years, but I kind of hope the next Mario game has some more "explorey" areas like that. Not massive or anything and not for everything, but just pepper it in.
I complained for so long about the pacing and shift in design, but Mario Galaxy 2 has a lot of punishment in later levels and a lot of comets and various bits that it was just nice to slow the pace down and really feel in control.
Although in general, though I adore Mario Galaxy 1 & 2, I would be happy if they were finished with the whole small planet hopping/gravity style of design in the titles. Get back to some more solid land (for Mario, not literally)
Oh and more Yoshi, I mean I'm nowhere near done with the game (85 stars or so, just got a credits roll for today the first time), and while I probably wont come close to maxing it out, I really feel like there was a big lack of Yoshi. Yoshi was never actually anything great in like Super Mario World, and he was horrible in Sunshine but in this he is PERFECT. He adds a lot to the game and is really fun and satisfying to play with
Davey Cakes
Member
Throwback Galaxy is cool, but it's not even the best Galaxy in World 6. That award goes to Clockwork Ruins Galaxy, followed closely by Melty Monster Galaxy.
The more
, the more they seem to fall into one of the following categories:
Waaaaay too many of category 4...
green stars
1.) Gimmie Stars: They just hang out in plain view and don't require anything particularly special to get.
2.) Hidden Stars: Not that difficult to get to, but usually lurking in places that you probably wouldn't go in the course of normal play. Rewards for exploring the levels thoroughly.
3.) Challenging Stars: Stars that require pulling off some perfectly timed element of the gameplay mechanics to reach successfully.
4.) Ha Ha, Fuck You Stars: Stars that wouldn't be so hard to get, if it weren't for stupid shit like bad, nonadjustable camera angles and complete lack of depth cues to gauge your approach since they're just hanging over a god damned void.
2.) Hidden Stars: Not that difficult to get to, but usually lurking in places that you probably wouldn't go in the course of normal play. Rewards for exploring the levels thoroughly.
3.) Challenging Stars: Stars that require pulling off some perfectly timed element of the gameplay mechanics to reach successfully.
4.) Ha Ha, Fuck You Stars: Stars that wouldn't be so hard to get, if it weren't for stupid shit like bad, nonadjustable camera angles and complete lack of depth cues to gauge your approach since they're just hanging over a god damned void.
Waaaaay too many of category 4...
Schlomo said:
Yeah, I'm in about 15 stars I think (at World 2), and the beetle battle was disappointing. I'd even say diggaleg was pushing it a little.
Thoughts so far:
-
Flip Swap, Fluffy Bluff, and Puzzleplank Galaxies were pretty awesome.
-The motherufcking lumas that provide alternate paths want fucking COINS now?! What kind of Nazi bullshit is this?!?
-When I heard you can create 3 clouds at a time with the cloud suit, I thought they meant you create 3 clouds and after you hit the floor it replenishes. But no, apparently it's 3 clouds and THAT'S. IT. FOREVER.
-Rock Mario is sadly unwieldy.
-I hate that fat purple luma (why is he wearing pants?).
I don't like some of the more blatant recycled bits, but still having a pretty damn good time. Only two worlds in, and I really do feel the level design is better than the original.
Shotgun Kiss
Member
Alex, did the big blocks of black boxes everywhere in this topic not tip you off? Spoiler that shit. Not everybody posting in this topic has beat the game, and I know I'd certainly be pissed off if I read your post before playing it and you had spoiled it for me.
Cygnus X-1
Member
Btw, on gamesranking it surpassed Ocarina of Time once again.
Shotgun Kiss
Member
Oblivion said:
Just like in Galaxy 1, the boss fights are largely underwhelming, with only a couple of exceptions. Pretty much all of them were clearly made overly simplistic for the sake of the casual audience that Nintendo are trying to cater for with the "hint video" signs, the "automatic Bronze star" system, and the "How to Play" DVD that came with the game in certain regions.
It's sad that the best boss of the Galaxy games is still the very first Bowser Jr. battle from Galaxy 1 (Megaleg). ALL of the bosses should be like that, so why is it the only one?
The Yoshi chilli peppers are awesome, and should have been used much more (as should all of the Yoshi fruits).
As for the cloud item, I agree that it's sometimes irritating that you have to look for another cloud item, but it's done for balancing reasons. Some levels would be ridiculously easy if you got all three clouds back after landing, as you could just long jump your way through difficult segments.
JasoNsider
Member
So I finally had a chance to sit down with Mario Galaxy 2 after such a long info/media blackout. Holy shit this game is, so far, perfect. It's like purely concentrated joy and magic. Only 8 stars in but it's like rare instances that remind you why you fell in love with games to begin with.
The music, the aesthetic, feel of the control, and the design is damn awesome. Like a kid on christmas right now.
I bow to Koizumi, Miyamoto, and all of EAD Tokyo. This is going to be a hell of a ride.
The music, the aesthetic, feel of the control, and the design is damn awesome. Like a kid on christmas right now.
I bow to Koizumi, Miyamoto, and all of EAD Tokyo. This is going to be a hell of a ride.
Davey Cakes
Member
For a platformer, this game has pretty decent length. It took me a little over 11 hours to hit 71 stars and beat Bowser, then just about 14 to hit 120 and beat Bowser. Now I'm working on the green stars and thinking I'll be at 20 hours by the time I'm done with it all, not counting any extra playtime if I haven't hit 9999 star bits and feel like doing that.
Just like most of Nintendo's games, $50 for this is completely worth it.
Just like most of Nintendo's games, $50 for this is completely worth it.
A Huge Battleship
Member
Just gotten all 120 stars and beaten Bowser
SMG1 is basically my favourite game of all time, and although 2's an absolutely fantastic game it didn't quite 'wow' me in the same way, though I suspect that's mainly attributable to the excessive amounts of time I spent with the former. When I replay both games in future years, I'll probably acknowledge that 2 is objectively the better game.
The Good
- Sheer number of galaxies and general variety. Throwback Galaxy is sex. Most of the Bowser stages likewise. Twisty Trials made me smile, though more could've been done with it.
- SMG2 world map/mini-hub > SMG1 hub.
- More challenging, though not remarkably so.
- Yoshi was well-implemented (though I hate the little bugger).
- Prankster comets notably improved.
-
The Bad
- Taking the stars individually, the general quality felt lower.
- Music isn't in the same galaxy as SMG1's.
- Far fewer moments that awed me/got my blood pumping.
- More 'open' levels like Throwback, Starshine Beach etc would've been appreciated.
The Ugly
- Purple Luma. Bring back Rosalina.
- Of all the powerups from SMG1 they could've cut, they went with the Ice Flower? Really?
unlocking the Green Stars.
The Good
- Sheer number of galaxies and general variety. Throwback Galaxy is sex. Most of the Bowser stages likewise. Twisty Trials made me smile, though more could've been done with it.
- SMG2 world map/mini-hub > SMG1 hub.
- More challenging, though not remarkably so.
- Yoshi was well-implemented (though I hate the little bugger).
- Prankster comets notably improved.
-
Green Stars > Replaying as Luigi
The Bad
- Taking the stars individually, the general quality felt lower.
- Music isn't in the same galaxy as SMG1's.
- Far fewer moments that awed me/got my blood pumping.
- More 'open' levels like Throwback, Starshine Beach etc would've been appreciated.
The Ugly
- Purple Luma. Bring back Rosalina.
- Of all the powerups from SMG1 they could've cut, they went with the Ice Flower? Really?
I'm up to World 6 now (I have no idea where that stands.. if there are 6 worlds, or 8), but I've really enjoyed the title thus far. The music is amazing, and the variety of worlds is equally astonishing.
My one major gripe with the title is it's easy. Really easy thus far. I've been collecting every star before moving on, and save for a couple of Prankster Stars, I have everything from World 1-5 in the bag without breaking a sweat. Maybe it's all those hours of perfecting the long jump in Super Mario 64, but none of the levels have been a challenge. And just the the original, the bosses are all jokes when it comes to difficulty
.
I really hope they turn it up a notch in the final world(s).
My one major gripe with the title is it's easy. Really easy thus far. I've been collecting every star before moving on, and save for a couple of Prankster Stars, I have everything from World 1-5 in the bag without breaking a sweat. Maybe it's all those hours of perfecting the long jump in Super Mario 64, but none of the levels have been a challenge. And just the the original, the bosses are all jokes when it comes to difficulty
Daredevil runs included
I really hope they turn it up a notch in the final world(s).
So, at first I see this:
Flip-Swap Galaxy - Think Before You Shake - 36.43
and I think "this can't be improved -- by much, at least". And then this
Flip-Swap Galaxy - Think Before You Shake - 32.25
comes along, and my mind is blown. OMG!
Must-see for the speedrun fans. When they've recovered from Nintendo's dazzling conference.
Flip-Swap Galaxy - Think Before You Shake - 36.43
and I think "this can't be improved -- by much, at least". And then this
Flip-Swap Galaxy - Think Before You Shake - 32.25
comes along, and my mind is blown. OMG!
Must-see for the speedrun fans. When they've recovered from Nintendo's dazzling conference.
Joe Prodigy
Member
KajunW said:
I swear I just came to this thread to post the exact same thing.
My mind was blown. Definitely a MUST SEE.
RPG_Fanatic
Member
Cygnus X-1 said:
Heck yeah!!!
http://www.gamerankings.com/browse.html
We need another thread title change.
Freezie KO
Banned
KajunW said:
:lol
Davey Cakes
Member
Whoa, I didn't even realize that this game continued to get good enough scores that it surpassed the first Galaxy on Gamerankings. I always thought that sequelitis would eventually catch up with it, but I guess not. Now it's currently #1? Granted, there are 33 less reviews, but 19 more in the case of OOT.
What's funny is how some people were actually underestimating Galaxy 2 after last year's reveal. How wonderful it is that Nintendo was able to outdo themselves once again.
What's funny is how some people were actually underestimating Galaxy 2 after last year's reveal. How wonderful it is that Nintendo was able to outdo themselves once again.
stuminus3
Member
You know what's awesome? I was similar at 71 stars, around 11 hours. Watched the credits. Then it occurred to me that I didn't even feel like I'd started the game yet... those 11 hours had just blown by. It wasn't until I went back to the map screen and flicked through the stars I'd played that I realised exactly how much content I'd played. It's rare for me to still experience that "new game smell"... even after beating it. :lolRash said:
TheGreatMightyPoo
Banned
Dumb question but upon seeing these speedruns, do the developers consciously design the games for this to occur or are people just "exploiting" the unintentional routes by exploring???
TheGreatMightyPoo
Banned
That you didn't answer.Chris1964 said:Yup, dumb question
It's probably both but moreso the former.
GrotesqueBeauty
Banned
Just theMike M said:
boomerang bros.
See this speedrun (found by sprsk). It's worth to watch all the videos.TheGreatMightyPoo said:
PT 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leH7IU4yOWE
PT 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ufp_yRSdvow
PT 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzXtGpbXeOg
TheGreatMightyPoo
Banned
rhino4evr said:
The Prankster Comet isn't that difficult for that one.
Well that's my problem I keep dying going for the comet coin..I've gotten to the other side only once. I hate replaying levels to get the coin though, the entire level is really tough for me, I've died more times on this level then any I can think of..pretty sad.Mike M said:
Okay, 30 lives in, roughly halfway through. Some thoughts again:
-Not that it bothers me too much, but for all the talk I hear about how much easier it is to get into the gameplay right away, compared to SMG, I have to say the game loves to interrupt you with some random thing that the fat purple luma absolutely NEEDS to mention.
-SMG2 probably has the best Ghost House levels EVER.
-I can't get over how gorgeous this (as well as the original SMG) looks. The space theme, combined with the Mario universe makes some of the most eyepleasing graphics ever. I really think the two Galaxy games are probably the most beautiful games in gaming (okay, I'm sure I might be missing some others, but at the very least, these two are up there).
-Not that it bothers me too much, but for all the talk I hear about how much easier it is to get into the gameplay right away, compared to SMG, I have to say the game loves to interrupt you with some random thing that the fat purple luma absolutely NEEDS to mention.
-SMG2 probably has the best Ghost House levels EVER.
-I can't get over how gorgeous this (as well as the original SMG) looks. The space theme, combined with the Mario universe makes some of the most eyepleasing graphics ever. I really think the two Galaxy games are probably the most beautiful games in gaming (okay, I'm sure I might be missing some others, but at the very least, these two are up there).
I have one minor complaint about the green stars. Only applies to a handful of them but arrgh so frustrating. It's that I can't tell where they are exactly depth-wise because the perspective is completely 2d(or obscured) ><. This has been a problem with the 2nd green star in supermassive, 2nd star is yoshi falls, and the last one in flipsville(this one you can sort of tell but not really since it's so far).