There’s something magical about seeing Mario in space. Long before Super Mario Odyssey turned exploration into a globe-trotting sandbox adventure, Super Mario Galaxy and Galaxy 2 took players beyond the Mushroom Kingdom and into an intergalactic playground where gravity, physics, and common sense were gleefully abandoned. They were both two of my personal favourite games of the Nintendo Wii era, and finally they are both available on modern consoles to be replayed with improved graphics and adapted gameplay for modern consoles.
Now, with their arrival on Nintendo Switch 2, both titles have been lovingly restored, tweaked, and modernised just enough to feel contemporary — without losing their chaotic spirit. And despite the wave of modern 3D platformers released in recent years (Astro Bot, Donkey Kong Bananza), Galaxy and its sequel still stand as shining examples of how far pure creativity can push a familiar formula.
Still Some of Nintendo’s Best Work
Revisiting the Galaxy games reminds you just how fearless Nintendo was during the Wii era. Everything about these titles screams confidence. Rather than building around grounded, linear traversal, the developers asked, What if you could run around upside-down on a floating piece of cake orbiting a black hole? And then they made it happen — repeatedly.
From the moment Mario launches off a Star Launcher and begins spiralling through space, you’re reminded of that rare sensation games sometimes deliver — genuine awe. These aren’t just platformers; they’re playable magic tricks. The game packs in so many incredible core memories :
- Skating across frozen galaxies to twinkling piano melodies.
- Punching a meteor so hard it explodes into a planetary highway.
- Hopping into a Bowser boss fight that feels more like a fireworks finale.
And Galaxy 2 — often considered the superior sequel — wastes no time getting wild. It’s faster, leaner, and far less interested in exposition. While Galaxy 1 indulges in quieter star-gazing wonder with Rosalina’s melancholy storybook, the sequel is all chaos, challenge, and Yoshi-based aerobatics.
There is an art to integrating Yoshi into a Mario game, and Super Mario Galaxy 2 strikes the perfect balance. Yoshi is not in every level and is only used when it makes sense for him to be there. There is a ton of different mechanics you can use by eating and shooting that offer up different playstyles, and it flips up with Mario’s bounce ability to never feel overly repetitive.
Visual Upgrade – Subtle but Significant
Nintendo hasn’t rebuilt these games from the ground up like Metroid Prime Remastered, but they have given them respectable upgrades. On Switch 2, both titles now run at native 4K in docked mode, with 1080p handheld, and the results are clean, colourful, and surprisingly vibrant on the Switch 2 screen. Character models still retain some early-2000s roundness, but background galaxy detail and texture sharpness have markedly improved.
More importantly, the UI has been fully reworked, with sharper fonts and reduced clutter. It’s not dramatic, but it quietly modernises the presentation in a way that the Super Mario 3D All-Stars release simply didn’t.
New Features and Accessibility Options
Nintendo has wisely taken inspiration from Odyssey, adding Assist Mode to both games. This doubles your health, lets Mario auto-heal when standing still, and even rescues you in a bubble if you fall into the void. For younger players — or emotionally fragile adults replaying the infamous Perfect Run level — it’s a lifesaver.
Meanwhile, Co-Star Mode makes a return, allowing a second player to act as celestial support crew. Whether gathering Star Bits or stunning Goombas, it’s a cute, low-effort multiplayer mode that makes the games more approachable for families.
The storybook sequences — often overlooked elements of the originals — have been expanded. Galaxy 1 gets a brand-new chapter, while Galaxy 2 includes its own fresh storybook and accompanying music. They’re not essential, but they do add a little more charm to Rosalina’s already iconic role.
Controls – Serviceable, if Slightly Awkward
Here’s where things get slightly sticky. Without a Wii Sensor Bar, Nintendo has shifted pointer interactions to gyro controls — which work fine in theory, but not always in practice.
- Using a Pro Controller? Prepare to reset your cursor constantly with the R button.
- Playing handheld? Touchscreen controls are thankfully included, but gyro aiming still feels clunky in motion.
- Joy-Cons in each hand? Still the best way to replicate the Wii feel — if you don’t mind flailing on your couch like it’s 2007.
It’s certainly playable, but this is one aspect where time hasn’t quite solved everything. The motion controls were built around hardware that no longer exists, and while Switch 2 makes a strong effort, there’s no escaping the occasional awkward twist or accidental recenter. That being said, for me, it is much, MUCH easier in handheld mode than it was playing with the Pro controller. I’m not a huge motion controls guy (ANYMORE before you @ me!), so it can dampen your experience if you are expecting a controller-only playthrough.
Camera movement also feels more noticeable now than it used to — not broken, but just a little more stubborn compared to modern games with full manual control. Still, considering these levels fold around like origami, the fact that it rarely becomes frustrating is impressive in itself.
Price vs. Value – A Galaxy of Debate
Each game is priced at $69.95 AUD individually, or $109.95 as a bundle, which is… well, classic Nintendo pricing. Some will argue that these should’ve been half-price or packaged together as a single SKU. I totally get it, but the restoration on these titles and the fact they look so damn good on the Switch 2 screen make it an essential purchase.
But here’s the flip side: these aren’t basic ports — they’re two of the greatest platformers ever made, given new life in 4K with added accessibility and modern support. Whether that equates to value is personal. If you’ve never played them — or it’s been more than a decade — it’s absolutely worth it.
Final Verdict
Super Mario Galaxy and Galaxy 2 haven’t just aged well — they remain unmatched in imagination, unburdened by realism, and fuelled by sheer joy. The new technical polish and assist modes make them approachable for a new generation without compromising their integrity and personality.
Some control quirks prevent this from being a flawless re-release, and the pricing will sting for those who already double-dipped on Super Mario 3D All Stars. But when everything clicks — when you’re shooting through a starfield, spinning through gravity wells with orchestral trumpets blasting — it’s impossible not to smile.
Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 are gravity-defying masterpieces.
