| TK14 said: I'm not crazy about Galaxy 2 either…it felt like a "level expansion pack" more than a true new game. Sure it was a more refined version of the gameplay and level design mechanics from Galaxy…but I felt like it didn't have the heart that Galaxy had. I also prefer Galaxy's hub world, OST, and "story" to Galaxy 2. That being said...I can acknowledge that both Galaxy games are closer to the "core" of Mario gameplay in terms of having a definite goal and direction…and I can see why Nintendo was drawn to that as it is closer to 2D Mario, just as 3D Land/World are closer to 2D Mario in design as well. However…I was put off by the linearity in both. Galaxy 1 was fine…it was new and fresh and something different at the time. But what I really want is another sandbox, open-world, NON-linear Mario game…one about exploration…a true sequel or spiritual successor to Super Mario 64. Unfortunately, I don't get the sense that Nintendo thinks that's worth pursuing anymore as they don't seem to consider that style to truly be the "essence" of Mario. To Nintendo, Mario seems to imply stricter linearity…and more focused gameplay. Which is understandable, but it's disappointing to fans like me who consider Super Mario 64 one of the greatest and most exciting games of all time. I still believe they'll make a game called Super Mario Universe…as the title writes itself and they could make it a grander Galaxy successor…keep some of the gravity and planet mechanics and some of the linearity from the Galaxies…but I would hope they'd also make some larger environments that are more open to explore. The Galaxies did have a few levels that had some room to move around…like the Honey Queen bee level…but those were few and far between. Plus, Galaxy never let you move backwards…once you launched yourself forward to a new section of the stage, most of the time you couldn't go back. I just didn't like the lack of freedom…and the lack of open area to run around and explore. Let 2D Mario or the 3D Land/World hybrid exist for the linear design of Mario, but I think it's time for them to go back to Super Mario 64 and create a proper successor to it. (I didn't like Sunshine, so I don't consider that a proper successor, sorry :p) |
I think you have it backwards. The Mario Galaxy games have WAY more side paths and secrets than Mario 64 did. Mario 64 was also overall a much smaller game, it can be comfortably finished in less than a quarter of the time that it takes to finish Mario Galaxy 2.
Mario 64 may have been good at the time, but I think of it more as a prototype for the Mario Galaxy games that were to come in the future. They're just so much more polished and perfect, with much more creative platforming. In othwer words, the Mario Galaxy franchise is what Mario 64 was leading towards; it is the realization of what 3D Mario should be. If you look at Mario 3D World, while it is good, it is obviously lacking without the gravity mechanics and possibilities available to the galaxy setting; it should have been Mario Galaxy 3, not Super Mario World 3D.
Like what looks like the majority of people here, I consider Mario Galaxy 2 to be the greatest platformer ever made. I wouldn't stop there though, I would also consider it the greatest Nintendo game ever made, and perhaps even the greatest game currently existing. I can't think of any other game so execellently crafted.
I describe myself as a little dose of toxic masculinity.
