The recent Nintendo Direct event on Sept. 12 included a lengthy segment celebrating the 40th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. No, Nintendo didn’t announce the next major Mario game (just play Donkey Kong Bananza), but it revealed that the two best classic 3D Mario games are again descending from the skies. Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 are coming to Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 on Oct. 2, individually and as a bundle. I briefly replayed Super Mario Galaxy 2, a title unavailable for purchase for some time now, to bask in the nostalgia and check out what’s new.
What Makes Super Mario Galaxy 2 So Special?
Super Mario Galaxy was a landmark release when it dropped in 2007. It proved that 3D Mario games could still impress after the disappointing Super Mario Sunshine, and that the motion-focused Wii console could deliver amazing traditional games. In fact, its influence can be felt today in Astro Bot, another excellent platformer. The gameplay was innovative, with its gravity-bending platforming and eclectic level design, which led to the first direct sequel for a 3D Mario game: Super Mario Galaxy 2.
(Credit: Nintendo)
While the original Mario Galaxy saw a limited release on Switch as part of Super Mario 3D All-Stars in 2020, this release marks the first time Super Mario Galaxy 2 has been officially available since it launched on the Wii in 2010. The level I played showcased one of the major differences between Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2: Yoshi.
In Galaxy 2, Mario can hop on his trusty dinosaur steed and leverage Yoshi’s unique abilities while traversing the inventive planetoid stages. Back in the day, fans (myself included) adored Galaxy 2 for finding creative ways to deliver more surprises than its predecessor. The one demo level I played reminded me how much the game is bursting with ideas.
Classic Gameplay Returns
I was concerned that controlling Yoshi on Nintendo Switch 2 would be inferior to the original Wii version. The Switch 2 lacks the Wii’s remote pointer and sensor bar, so you must rely on Joy-Con motion controls or the touch screen to guide the reticle that aims Yoshi’s tongue. However, the controls were precise enough for my liking.
Using Yoshi, I swallowed fruit and gobbled up bad guys. The boss required me to suck up projectiles and spit them back out, and I accomplished that task with ease. I then remembered that the Joy-Con 2 controllers have superior motion tracking compared with their Switch 1 counterparts.
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(Credit: Nintendo)
Excellent Graphics, New Mode, and Lore
Super Mario Galaxy 2 on Switch 2 features several impressive updates. The game is gorgeous thanks to a bump up to 4K resolution. The Mario Galaxy games already had such compelling cosmic art direction, and the visuals hold up beautifully in this remaster. I immediately noticed it looked better than even the HD version of Mario Galaxy included with 3D All-Stars. The new assist mode provides additional health, which comes in handy should you have trouble completing levels.
Recommended by Our Editors
It wasn’t included in this demo, but I’m most curious to see Super Mario Galaxy 2’s new story content. The original Super Mario Galaxy featured a lot of soulful, hidden lore in Rosalina’s storybook (which is now being released as a real physical book this holiday for $25). The sequel cut out a lot of that narrative. However, Galaxy 2 on Switch now includes its own new storybook, which you can read in-game, and I can’t wait to page through it.
Price and Release Date
There’s been some grumbling about the pricing for this release, and I get it. You can buy Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 together for $70 or individually for $40 each. The Switch 2 upgrade is free, but that doesn’t lessen the sting of paying modern prices for old games.
Still, it’s a compelling package. Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 aren’t just two of the finest Mario games. They’re two of the greatest games of all time, titles that inspired me to write an upcoming book dedicated to them. So there’s no doubt I’ll be returning to the stars with Mario when the games launch on Oct. 2.
About Our Expert
Jordan Minor
Senior Writer, Software
Experience
My PCMag career began in 2013 as an intern on the company’s Software team. Now, I’m a Senior Writer on the Apps and Gaming team, using the skills I acquired at Northwestern University to write about dating apps, meal kits, programming software, website builders, video streaming services, and video games. Besides PCMag, I worked as the Senior Editor for Geek.com, and wrote for The A.V. Club, Kotaku, and Paste Magazine. I’m the author of the gaming history book Video Game of the Year: A Year-by-Year Guide to the Best, Boldest, and Most Bizarre Games from Every Year Since 1977, and the reason everything you know about Street Sharks is a lie.
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