A Few Thoughts on Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story

Just finished the first Galaxy of World 2 in Super Mario Galaxy 2 (yes, you read that right: the first Galaxy of the second World).

Anyway, maybe I’d have seen this coming if I had read any reviews (but I really didn’t want to spoil anything for myself), but I kind of see what Miyamoto meant by some frustrations.

Problem is, my frustrations don’t come so much from challenge, but one might say their roots are distinctly 3D in nature.

One involves the dragon, Gobblegut, who has been seen in a number of trailers and screens. The fight with him gets rather… convoluted, I find, where keeping track of where I am and what’s passing by can be rather harrowing.

Another part was in the stage where saws are cutting through wood. And for whatever reason, you cannot move the camera here, or at least in some parts, at all, which moves you along at a sort of diagonal direction left, towards the background. If I could have moved the camera, things would have been fine, but…

It isn’t anything too bad, as I eventually conquered both, along with some other little trouble spots. Still, just a touch annoying to deal with.

Another observation: the 2D portions make it abundantly clear that Mario cannot jump as high in 3D games as he can in 2D. That can throw you off a bit, I find.

In any case, the good definitely outweighs the bad, and so far, the bad can be dealt with if one has a little persistence (and enough extra lives). I am really quite enjoying myself, though some of the issues above have me worried about later parts of the game.

So long as I’m talking about Mario, I’m also at the end of Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story. All I’ll say is “argh” at the final boss. Fortunately, I have a few trump cards up my sleeves, but some of these moves and battles make me wonder how people can stand the genre as a whole.

Still, I’d say Bowser’s Inside Story is the best of the trilogy so far (but I still like the first two Paper Marios a bit more, and hope we see a third in that style next). I’ll get it, just need some time.

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

David Oxford

David Oxford, or “LBD ‘Nytetrayn’,” as he is sometimes also known, is a freelance writer of many varied interests who resides in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. If you’re interested in hiring him, please drop him a line at david.oxford (at) nyteworks.net.

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