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[We realize this review is a little overdue, but what better way to get into reviews than starting with the clear Wii game of the year!? So, without further adieu, we present the first original Nintendo Gamers Online review.. Super Mario Galaxy. Keep an eye on the site for more reviews coming down the road! Thanks Vypurr!]  The first new feature that is introduced is the collecting of Star Bits. These little bits of stars can be collected by pointing to them with your remote. They can either be collected or used to temporarily stun enemies. If you choose to collect them, you will later be able to spend some to open small mini-game levels which give you a much needed break from the ordinary. When I began, I attempted to collect as many as humanly possible, only to discover that by simply playing through each level I would amass a collection that could rival the US Treasury. These star bits are a cool addition to the game, but I think that Nintendo could have done more with them such as trading them for bonus's or 1-ups. The best part of Galaxy is its amazing level design. The levels are large, colorful, and very dynamic. The ability to use multiple gravity fields only adds to the depth of each level, allowing you to not only run around a large level, but often allowing you to move along the bottom of that level, on the ceiling and walls of rooms, and even float through space by moving from star to star! True to all Mario games, the levels have many secrets hidden throughout them. Galaxy also does its best to appeal to classic Mario gamers, bringing many of the normal enemies back. You once again have Goombas of all varieties, Koopa, Piranha Plants, Moles, Bullet Bills, and many of your favorite enemies. Each enemy of course has their own weakness and fits quite well into the game. Another cool aspect of the game is that once again, you can change Mario's characteristics, allowing him to reach seemingly unreachable areas of certain levels. There are a few different specials that he can use. The first is a bee costume which allows Mario to buzz around and fly for short periods of time. The next is an ice costume which allows you to perform tricks that previously only Jesus could manage such as walking on water. And the last special turns Mario into a boo, allowing him to float and walk through certain walls. All of these specials are fun, and most of them lead to some cool secrets on the levels. The boss levels are fun, but in my opinion, they are the most disappointing aspect of the game. Beating each boss is the same, and there are not any cool or surprising additions to the boss levels until you reach the final level. I would have liked to see different types of bosses and used new skills that I learned to defeat each one, but alas it was repetitive and at times boring. The boss levels are necessary for the story, but are all together too easy.  In traditional style, beating the game is only a small part of the Galaxy experience. It is possible to beat the entire game by completing the minimum number of levels, but you would be missing almost 2/3 of the game still. There are still many more stars to collect, and some cool secrets to unlock.The final aspect of the game is the new addition of Comets. These celestial beings appear from time to time, allowing you to beat past levels with a wide range of limitations. These challenges add even more depth to seemingly easy levels as well as making other levels much harder. Overall Super Mario Galaxy is an amazing game. Like any game, it does have some weak points, but all of them are overshadowed by the quality of this game. I truly had to strain myself to say anything bad about this game because it is so well developed. The levels look amazing, play very well without any lag what-so-ever, have many secrets to keep you playing, and are at times quite challenging. I would recommend this game to anybody who owns a Wii. In 06/07 Zelda was the must buy game, and now in 07/08 Galaxy has taken its place. Unlike many of the games currently on Wii, Galaxy is a traditional video game which is enhanced by the use of the Wii's special controls. It is a very fun game, and not just a gaudy game based around abstract control movements. If you own a Wii, you need to buy this game. I would even go as far to say that this could easily be the game of the year and is going to put up a strong fight against Super Smash Brothers! I give it a 10 out of 10!
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Starting with the controls, the game has a great feel. It makes great use of the Wii-Mote without becoming annoying. You use both the Nun-chuck and the Remote to move Mario around a seeming never ending galaxy of levels. The controls are very similar to past games and I found that I picked up on it almost immediately. I did notice that for the first few levels I had problems keeping Mario on the levels just as I had trouble the first time I played Mario 64, but that wasn't a problem thanks to amazing level design which allowed me to run off the edge and under the ground because I am in space after all! To move Mario, you use the thumb-stick on the nun-chuck, and the basic controls (jump and ground pound) are controlled by A and B on the remote. Galaxy uses the remotes motion sensing for two functions. The first is to point at the screen and collect Star Bits. And the second is shaking the remote to make Mario spin and hit enemies. Overall the controls are very natural and are easily picked up in the first couple of levels.
