Wii Round 2: Super Mario Galaxy

This week Digital Gamer is highlighting the next generation of Wii games that really start to show off what Nintendo's little box can do.
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When Nintendo showed off Mario 128 so many years ago, people where left wondering what would result from this tech demo. Now we know that half of it was Pikmin and the other half became Super Mario Galaxy.

A lot has changed since that press conference. The game was moved from the Gamecube to the Wii, it was graphically spruced up, and all need to control the camera was removed. In Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine, the player had to babysit the camera the whole way and sometimes it wouldn't work at all. Mario Galaxy's camera never gets in the way because of the lack of walls; the majority of the game takes place out in deep space. However, those who prefer to tweak the camera should be relieved to know that the D-pad can be used to change the perspective and the C button on the Nunchuck centers the camera.

Galaxy lacks any real overworld like previous games in the series. Instead Mario hops and flies to separate planetoids throughout space. Each have their own gravity and physics. Where one may be completely spherical, another may be completely flat. These planetoids range from giant floating apples to a walking robotic fortress to more traditional grassy plains.

Gameplay is the same hop and bop it's always been but, it also couldn't be more fresh and new. A triple jump can be preformed by tapping the jump button when Mario lands until he flips like 3D Marios past. Waving the remote back and forth will make Mario do a spin attack. In addition to jumping and running, Mario has several new powers. One of the more prominent ones is a pointer shaped like a star that appears wherever you point the Wii remote. You can grab things by pointing to them and pressing (A). A series of floating blue stars that Mario can float across are one of the things showcased in mutiple videos. Most enemies can be selected, causing them to freeze in place.

Star gems littered around everywhere can be collected by waving over them. These can then be shot at baddies, switches and basically anything. A second player can even use a second remote to help or hinder the first player, shooting stars, even preventing Mario from moving!

This is definitely the type of newness that many believed was missing from Super Mario Sunshine. This is surly to be one of the best selling Wii games to date. That is until Smash Bros. Brawl comes out...