Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 are two of the most beloved and highly rated Mario games of all time. First released on the Wii, the Switch and Switch 2 finally welcome the intergalactic adventures of our favorite little plumber.
The first game was included in the 3D All-Stars collection but arrived as a mere spit-shine port, with minimal enhancements made to it. The second game was last available digitally on the Wii U store, making it the crown jewel of this package
For me, I had never fully beaten either Galaxy, so having both on the Switch 2 was ideal. However, many others online screamed outrage at the mere existence of these releases, without seeing the day-one patched version for themselves. Yes, I do not believe we should blindly follow companies and defend them when they show poor consumer practices. I think many releases of older games are often thrown together just to make some cash with little care, but the issues around this release were surprising to me.
Online complaints about looks and pricing have been everywhere since this collection was announced. As I write this from the sunny coast of Scotland, I can pick up a physical version right now for around £50, which converts to about $67. Now I know there are extra taxes, etc., but for me at least, the price felt reasonable for a package of the two games, despite having little extra content outside the Rosalina storybook and a graphical resolution boost.
Graphically, I feel the discourse is somewhat unfounded. The docked mode reaches 4K resolution, and for those of us without Digital Foundry expert-level experience, it looks absolutely phenomenal in comparison to any previous release. I found that Galaxy 2 had the edge on many occasions, given its superior appearance, but that is because it is an upgrade of a newer title.
Everything looks really nice on Switch 2, both handheld and docked. I tend to prefer playing Switch games in handheld mode, and sadly, that is where I found the most issues with these games. See, the Galaxy duo were built upon the motion controls of the Wii, while the Switch and Switch 2 retain some of this in the Joy-Cons; it has never been used on the same level. It was most disappointing that this game had the same issues I had with the Skyward Sword port.
The problem is that instead of mapping the motion controls to buttons, they have tied it to the gyro control and touchscreen. If you think some fighting games' handheld forced crab grip is annoying, just try using Yoshi’s tongue to swing or grab things in Galaxy 2. Instead of using a single button, you need to use the stick to move and simultaneously use the touchscreen or button and gyro aiming, leading to an awkward dance of hand movements that makes things more difficult to play than they were in the original release. The motions, such as spinning, that are mapped to a button press often have a delayed input, which can cause Mario to be hit by an enemy or even thrown into space.
For other previously motion-tied movements, Nintendo has decided that gyro controls were the best option for this. So, again, in handheld mode, you have to tilt the screen in various ways, forcing you to peer at an awkward angle to even see the action on the screen at times. It is most frustrating, and had they mapped all of this to buttons in the way of a semi-remake instead of a remaster, like we have here, then we could have had the definitive editions instead of standing and saying, “Thanks, I guess?”.
Those niggles aside, we do still have two of the highest-rated games of all time according to Metacritic. Each has a fantastical adventure with Mario (and Yoshi in Galaxy 2) set throughout the cosmos. While the original deserves its flowers, the sequel is truly the highlight of the package. With refinements all over, from basic movement to extra power-ups, the galaxy just seems to be a much bigger place in the sequel, despite losing the hub world used in the original in favor of an old-school world map like the older 2D games.
When I first played these games on the Wii and Wii U, I found that they made me rather nauseous, especially the first game, as it featured smaller planets. The constant spinning and refocusing on where you were standing can be off-putting in comparison to normal Mario 3D titles, but the whole “in space” thing is Galaxy’s gimmick. These versions may offer higher resolutions, but I did not experience the nausea that the originals often caused. However, please note that this does not guarantee relief for those with motion sickness.
Now this may have felt like a “kick the games while they are down” type of review, but I mean the best when I say - these are the best versions of the game available. Sadly, they have arrived with their own flaws that prevent them from being excellent. Yes, you are getting two fantastic Mario adventures for less than the price of either Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze or Returns HD for Switch. As much as I love Donkey Kong, both Galaxy games are far superior to these more expensive ports.
I can recommend the port of Galaxy in this collection over the 3D All Stars version, as it is a genuine improvement, and I think kids will appreciate this now that they have revealed the new Mario movie will have Galaxy in its title. Yet I can’t help but feel that Nintendo could have made a greater effort here to truly bring these two games into the modern era, with new remapped buttons that eliminate the need for motion control or touch screens. A missed opportunity to give the Galaxy games the attention they deserved by releasing them with their shackles from a previous generation lightly covered up.
Should you buy Super Mario Galaxy 1+2? Yes, probably, but don’t expect to have even Mario Odyssey levels of polish or control refinements. Go in expecting the best-looking way to play Galaxy (and the only way to play Galaxy 2) on the Switch family of systems, and you’ll likely walk away pleased. They are still two excellent full-length Mario 3D romps with all the charm you expect oozing from the seams; it's just that the work done on them is just sitting above the bare minimum standard when you hold them up next to the likes of the Metroid Prime remaster.
For me, I was always going to get this collection, but I will remain hopeful that the next time they revisit these games, they do so with the intention of fully removing all remnants of the Wii era and giving Galaxy the glow-up it truly deserves.
