This game has often been remembered as the best in the series (though Odyssey seems like a crazy-good time with a large scale and open-ended exploration, so we'll see), and I think that's deserved.
The thing that sets this apart from every other Mario game is the story and tone. While not as complex as the RPGs, there's genuine heart and worldbuilding and backstory in this game, primarily due to the new cosmic elements and their mascot, the mysterious Rosalina, who is a guardian if not a goddess of the universe itself. What we're given is charming and genuinely powerful stuff, and that effort to include emotional and interesting story material really makes this game more than the gameplay, something no other main-series game has done. The environments in the game are creative and gorgeous, and we get lots of atmospheric space scenery in the many beautiful level backgrounds. The concepts are far from realistic, but boy are they creative and fun.
So that gameplay? Fantastic. Like 64, each level has the goal of collecting Power Stars as the reward for each mission. Controls are very smooth, and the Wii Remote is well utilized, with both its motion controls and cursor being key mechanics. Star Bits are an alternative to coins that serve as defensive ammo as well as 1-Up accumulation. Collecting and aiming them with the cursor is easy, and most enemies grant them when spun instead of stomped, so you can always choose which collectibles to get. The gravity mechanics are used in many different ways, and the Camera Screw isn't a huge annoyance to me. Swimming is no fun, like usual, but really, when is it?
The bosses are also a lot of fun, and vary nicely in defeat strategies and challenge.
The game also has a system that creates hard versions of levels in the Prankster Comets, which can alter the conditions of a Star mission via some sort of alternate-universe stuff in hellish and brutal ways that will make you feel amazing for conquering them. These are required challenges for unique Stars, and it's annoying that they rotate with completed normal levels and disappear for a bit after a comet's been completed, but they feel like a fair way to extend the game and work with the logic of the story. The postgame is a replay with Luigi, which also works for me. It's a chance to experience the highs and lows of the game again, with some tweaks to make it a bit harder. As cheap extensions go, it's very tolerable, and I imagine even more so if you don't tackle it when the game is still fresh in your mind.
(Just a note- the game isn't TOO hard. Controllers will be thrown, but I found everything doable after a while- the levels are often learning experiences, so every failure genuinely gets you closer to that final success.)
I don't have enough space to say everything, so here's a summary: If you want a creative, beautiful, engaging and fun game with fair challenges, pick this up. Right now, it's the king of the series.
Epic expectations and zero disappointment.
This game has often been remembered as the best in the series (though Odyssey seems like a crazy-good time with a large scale and open-ended exploration, so we'll see), and I think that's deserved.
The thing that sets this apart from every other Mario game is the story and tone. While not as complex as the RPGs, there's genuine heart and worldbuilding and backstory in this game, primarily due to the new cosmic elements and their mascot, the mysterious Rosalina, who is a guardian if not a goddess of the universe itself. What we're given is charming and genuinely powerful stuff, and that effort to include emotional and interesting story material really makes this game more than the gameplay, something no other main-series game has done. The environments in the game are creative and gorgeous, and we get lots of atmospheric space scenery in the many beautiful level backgrounds. The concepts are far from realistic, but boy are they creative and fun.
So that gameplay? Fantastic. Like 64, each level has the goal of collecting Power Stars as the reward for each mission. Controls are very smooth, and the Wii Remote is well utilized, with both its motion controls and cursor being key mechanics. Star Bits are an alternative to coins that serve as defensive ammo as well as 1-Up accumulation. Collecting and aiming them with the cursor is easy, and most enemies grant them when spun instead of stomped, so you can always choose which collectibles to get. The gravity mechanics are used in many different ways, and the Camera Screw isn't a huge annoyance to me. Swimming is no fun, like usual, but really, when is it?
The bosses are also a lot of fun, and vary nicely in defeat strategies and challenge.
The game also has a system that creates hard versions of levels in the Prankster Comets, which can alter the conditions of a Star mission via some sort of alternate-universe stuff in hellish and brutal ways that will make you feel amazing for conquering them. These are required challenges for unique Stars, and it's annoying that they rotate with completed normal levels and disappear for a bit after a comet's been completed, but they feel like a fair way to extend the game and work with the logic of the story. The postgame is a replay with Luigi, which also works for me. It's a chance to experience the highs and lows of the game again, with some tweaks to make it a bit harder. As cheap extensions go, it's very tolerable, and I imagine even more so if you don't tackle it when the game is still fresh in your mind.
(Just a note- the game isn't TOO hard. Controllers will be thrown, but I found everything doable after a while- the levels are often learning experiences, so every failure genuinely gets you closer to that final success.)
I don't have enough space to say everything, so here's a summary: If you want a creative, beautiful, engaging and fun game with fair challenges, pick this up. Right now, it's the king of the series.