DrEnzyme's Profile

Super Mario Galaxy

Published: Thu 22 May, 2008 | On:

When I first bought this game, all I could think of was how awesome it was going to be. Everyone had said good things about it: "The graphics are amazing", "The level design rocks" and "There's something about seeing Mario wave his stubby little arms around that inspires a child-like glee." I'm not saying they're wrong, I'm just saying that... Well... I'm let down.

Let's start with the positives. The graphics are fantastic, the best out of anything the Wii has to offer. Seeing Bowser's shell rendered with bump mapping and per pixel lighting will make you drool the first time you play the game.

The animation is also fantastic. Little things like seeing speedy-boo pull down his visor add to the game and supplement the graphics very nicely.

The music is also very polished. The entire score for Mario Galaxy is fully orchestrated this time around and it sounds beautiful.

However, all of this couldn't distract me from the fact that something is missing. At the time, I couldn't quite pin my finger on it, but I'm starting to realise what it is about SMG that made it such a mediocre experience for me.

SMG doesn't have a "spark."

I can tell a great game from a good one almost instantly based on whether it has a "spark". For those of you who are wondering, a "spark" is the little bit of magic that goes into a game, to tie all the elements together and create a work of art. It shows that the people who made the game actually care about the game. It shows that they have poured their souls into it; that they have worked as hard as they can to create something memorable, as opposed to something that will make money.

Super Mario Sunshine had a spark. Super Mario 64 definitely had a spark. These were great games for me. SMG just doesn't replicate feeling. It's as though the presence of Mario is a mere design tool; another way to make money.

Despite this, I'm determined to finish SMG, and it's a fairly decent game. if you let the graphics and music distract you from the recycled plot and lack-of-spark, you will heartily enjoy this game. If you pine for the days where games were made out of love and not money, you will still enjoy this game, but not as much.