Welcome to the final winter edition of the Icebox! After three years of keeping it cool with lots of video games, anime and just a hint of Venom, the Icebox series is nearing the end of its time here at Wilkes University. Of course, I will return to throw more video game recommendations at you in the spring for one last semester. Please stay tuned for the last wave of the Icebox.
As we are now entering the season of winter, some are preparing for festivities while others are facing their own demons. Regardless, I consider winter to be my domain. It is absolutely why I am known as “Freeze.”
At a time like this, one requires something that will lift them higher, beyond the skies and all the way to outer space. I can’t think of a better way to do that than to play the legendary “Super Mario Galaxy.”
This game was released for the Nintendo Wii in 2007 as the third 3D-platformer in the Mario franchise, following “Super Mario 64” and “Super Mario Sunshine.” In “Super Mario Galaxy,” the beloved mustachioed hero’s adventures take him all the way into space and aboard a spaceship from a fairy tail.
It all starts when Princess Peach and the Toads are preparing for a Star Festival in honor of a comet that passes over the Mushroom Kingdom once per century. The comet drops star bits, which can be reformed into the familiar power stars from “Super Mario 64.”
Mario receives a letter from the princess inviting him to the castle. Just as he makes his way to the castle, Bowser appears. The evil king abducts Peach and her entire castle, claiming that he will rule the whole universe. Mario and the Toads are knocked away in the chaos. The Toads later form a brigade to fight Bowser’s forces in space and to recover star bits and power stars.
Mario, on the other hand, wakes up on a spaceship called the Comet Observatory. This ship was built about the comet that passes by the Mushroom Kingdom. Unfortunately, it had all of its power stripped away by Bowser and remained suspended in place. Mario finds that the Comet Observatory is home to a species of celestial beings called Lumas, who feed on star bits and can transform into higher celestial bodies like planets and power stars.
The Lumas are all under the care of their “mama,” Princess Rosalina. She informs Mario that Bowser has stolen all of the star power needed to run the Observatory and that he can help by retrieving power stars throughout the different galaxies. Afterwards, Mario would be able to advance towards Peach, who was being held at the center of the universe by Bowser.
In this game, Mario is equipped with a friendly Luma’s spirit that enables him to breathe in space and twirl in place to destroy objects or enemies. As the player, you must traverse through different levels called galaxies. Each galaxy is made up of components called planets and contain a number of different power stars. Similar to “Super Mario 64,” Mario can only collect one power star at a time and has to re-enter the level each time for a different objective.
The galaxies are grouped together based on their proximity. The more power stars you collect, the more galaxies you can discover through the Comet Observatory’s several domes. The domes are different parts of the Observatory that are used to access each system of galaxies. Generally, the pattern that the galaxy systems follow include two galaxies with three power stars, two bonus galaxies with one star each and a final boss galaxy with a “Grand Star.”
The “Grand Star” is a significantly larger power star that has the ability to power the Comet Observatory. Mario must find enough power stars to access the boss galaxies so he can collect each of the seven grand stars and completely restore Rosalina’s spaceship.
Despite the objective of the game being fairly straightforward, there are still a few options available to the player. For example, feeding a hungry Luma might unlock a bonus galaxy to acquire bonus stars and alleviate the burden of playing the main levels. There are secret stars hidden in levels as well. Some of these stars are recovered by Captain Toad’s brigade or Luigi, who shows up halfway through the game when you rescue him.
The levels themselves feature a very interesting layout. Mario can hop from planet to planet and walk all the way around their surfaces. Some planets are rather dangerous while others feature some type of miniature puzzle. Other times, the planet might require some difficult platforming. In my experience, this game is generally easier than other 3D-Mario games, though it is slightly more time consuming by default.
That doesn’t mean the game is boring, however. “Super Mario Galaxy” instantly rose to popularity and captivated almost every child who owned a Wii in the 2010s. The success of the game prompted the creation of “Super Mario Galaxy 2” in 2010 and later inspired elements of other games in the Mario franchise. You might notice just how many references there are to the Galaxy games in Mario Kart, for example.
There are several reasons why “Super Mario Galaxy” was a big hit for everyone across the globe and probably any beings from outer space as well.
First of all, being a 3D-Mario game means that it featured some very unique elements, even for a Nintendo-produced Mario game. The idea of Mario being in space and interacting with all kinds of creatures from different galaxies was truly revolutionary. Before, Mario only collected power stars through paintings. Now, he was grabbing them right from where they originate.
The second biggest reason is definitely the soundtrack. Actually, this could even be the biggest reason itself. A lot of players felt inclined to pick up the Galaxy games simply because of their impression from the beautifully orchestrated music. Most of us that have played the Galaxy games as children probably get emotional hearing the music now, especially the theme for the Comet Observatory and the title music.
Finally, the theme of “Super Mario Galaxy” really stands out among Nintendo games as a whole. Rosalina and the Lumas are fan-favorites and their written tale is highly beloved. Imagine if Nintendo and Disney worked together to create a magical experience that is enjoyable by all. That is truly what this game feels like.
Recently, Nintendo and Illumination announced the sequel to the Mario movie would be based on the Galaxy games. While this did catch everyone by surprise at first, it was more than welcome. Why wait potentially ten years for this movie to appear chronologically when we can just have it now?
Nintendo seems to be on a Galaxy-themed promotion line since the most recent anniversary of “Super Mario Bros.” You can purchase a physical version of Rosalina’s story as well as both Galaxy games which have been remastered for the Switch.
I am currently replaying both of the Mario Galaxy games for nostalgia and because the energy they bring are perfect for winter. These games let one experience the cosmos while occasionally sipping on hot chocolate. I hope that the movie delivers us a cinematic masterpiece worthy of bearing the name “Galaxy.”