It’s been a while since I’ve posted a video about Super Mario Galaxy 2. Mario keeps evolving and evolving, in fact, I have two videos to share, that details features about Galaxy 2’s new gameplay mechanics. Nintendo’s mantra of adding new features, and evolving the Super Mario franchise is in increments rather than leaps and bounds. Nintendo have added features to Galaxy 2 without having to sacrifice gameplay at all. For example, there’s a Co-Op mode, which you’ll see in the first trailer I am going to be talking about.
In this trailer, there are two new gameplay mechanics, one is the “Phantom Princess” partner. The other is “Cloud Mario.” Phantom Princess looks to be a Game Guide in helping casuals how to play better, and being more effective with regards to jumping at a timer’s notice. This is going to be handy and helpful for later levels because Cloud Mario looks like it requires timing to get to secret locations and hard-to-reach locations. Cloud Mario evidently has a limit of 3 clouds per minute or row. So you’re going to have to place the clouds in the right place, with the right distance – which again requires timing – when to “puff” the cloud.
Finally, notice anything in the video? Co-Op. How? Second player or third player are the “partners” for mario – notice how the stars helped make way for mario when he slides into a sphere water? In previous platform games of the 90’s, Sonic had Tails to help him in his quest – but this was only by Artificial Intelligence, which eliminates the accuracy of what the player wants to happen. You can’t even control the AI to work the way you want it to, its all automatic.
In the last video, features weren’t objects, they were enhancements for mario. In this other trailer, it shows new features for mario to be using, such as walking on a ball. One of my favorite parts of the video is the ability to play a ghost. When I first played Super Mario World on SNES, I was scared of them ghosts because they were hard to ‘avoid’ in tricky platform spots. And wondered to myself “Can I play the ghost in this stage?” The same way my cousins used the cheat code to Sonic 2. T’was fun.
Another favorite part is when Mario upgrades himself into a flame Mario. We’ve known flame Mario since the original Super Mario Bros. but, in Galaxy 2 it doesn’t just “knock off” enemies, it explodes some objects, which is a very welcome change for the suit. Mario can be a bee, he can be an invisible bomb, too!
Super Mario Galaxy is in stores on May 27th for Nintendo’s widely successful Wii! Huzzah!
