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Super Mario Galaxy for the Nintendo Wii contains the same level of fun and creativity that has come to be expected from the Mario series.

King Bowser has stolen the power source of a giant flying observatory and kidnapped Princess Peach in an effort to create a new galaxy with which he will use to rule the universe. It is up to Mario to recover the power stars which run the flying observatory and rescue Princess Peach.

The game is divided into several levels that can be accessed from the flying observatory, which acts as the hub for the game. In each level, it is up to the player to guide Mario from one end of the level to the power star located at the other end. Along the way, Mario has to avoid various obstacles and enemies. Thankfully, Mario can perform a variety of acrobatic moves and attacks to get to the power star. Sometimes he has to complete other tasks such as competing in a race or fighting a boss to get the star.

Each level is made up of a number of small planets that Mario travels between to reach the power star. This is what makes Mario Galaxy different from other games. Instead of walking along a flat surface like in most games, Mario has to frequently walk around to the underside of planets or jump from planet to planet while the camera remains in a stationary position, even when Mario is walking around upside down or walking along a wall.

The levels themselves consist of one theme that is surrounded by a couple of smaller planets which Mario reaches by rocketing himself from planet to planet. The large planet usually has some sort of theme, like snow or lava or a haunted house, while the smaller planets are more random in nature. It kind of makes the levels seem like they were only half done and someone just decided to throw in some random extra obstacles, though that does not detract from their entertainment value.

The game does not use the Wii's motion sensor features that much. The two most common uses of the controller's extra function are to use Mario's main spin attack, which is activated by twirling the controller, and to collect the star bits (the game's currency) that are scattered in each level by pointing the controller at the screen. The motion sensor is also used occasionally in some of the mini games that occur, like racing a manta ray or trying to blow a bubble through a maze.

The most entertaining part of the game is trying to reach the power star. The levels are creative enough to make getting from point A to point B an interesting challenge. The levels do have a somewhat random nature about their design, but this does not detract from the fun of traversing them. The use of gravity manipulation and rounded surfaces mixed with obstacles such as lava or heat seeking missiles and pits makes the levels for this game more memorable than other games.

The graphics are pretty good. They do not look realistic, but the levels really stick out with vibrant colors and large impressive backgrounds that depict the vast reaches of outer space.

While the levels are memorable and the gravity defying tricks is fun, there is a problem with their length. The game has a lot of levels, but they are usually really short or easy to complete. This in turn makes the game very easy to complete. It takes only about fifteen hours to get the minimum sixty stars to complete the game. It is possible to collect the extra sixty stars, but anyone who wants a more immediate reward for collecting the extra sixty stars might be disappointed.

Each level contains six stars to collect, but only four stars involve visiting new parts of the levels. The other two stars involve going through the same areas as before but with less life, or on a time limit, or having to collect a hundred purple coins. While the first three stars are enjoyable, the last two stars can be somewhat tedious at times.

Super Mario Galaxy continues the trend of making a unique and fun game that the Mario series is known for. Some parts may be redundant and other parts might be short, but the challenge of going from planet to planet is sure to entertain anyone. B

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