Super Mario is officially leaping into middle-age, as this year marks the 40th anniversary of the 8-bit classic that started it all. Nintendo doesn’t have much in the way of original content to celebrate Super Mario Bros. turning the big four-oh, but they are rolling out newly-remastered versions of Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 for Switch, with an additional free upgrade available for Switch 2 owners. In the case of Super Mario Galaxy 2, this is actually the first time the red-headed stepchild of the Super Mario series has been re-released since it’s initial debut on the Wii in 2010.
Are Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 still out-of-this-world experiences? Or should you keep your expectations down to earth? Blast off for my impressions...
Note: This is an opinion piece and, thus, not as detailed as a full scored review would be.
To this day, there aren’t many, if any, other platformers quite like the Mario Galaxy games. The action in both titles mostly unfolds across a series of floating spheres and irregular objects, with Mario gravitationally drawn to these mini planets and asteroids. This allows Nintendo to create stages that offer full 3D freedom of movement, including some mind-bending gravity-defying stuff, while simultaneously eliminating the need for complex camera controls as the planetoids Mario explores are limited in size and move as he does.
The end result is a very fun and approachable form of 3D platforming, which, in turn, allows Nintendo to push the bar in terms of action and spectacle without overwhelming people. Mario Galaxy 2 largely sticks to the same formula, while upping the difficult a smidge and introducing Yoshi, an addition I’ve always been a bit mixed on, as I don't love the pointer-based controls for his tongue (I think Galaxy 1 is the better game overall, but your mileage may vary).
No question about it, Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 are still a blast to play, although Nintendo has pushed the weirdness bar so hard with Super Mario Odyssey, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, and Donkey Kong Bananza that the Galaxy games almost feel a little reserved today, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If you're looking for traditional platforming with a little extra flash, the Mario Galaxy games deliver even if they do feel a bit dated in some respects in 2025.
The Mario Galaxy games were originally designed around a Wiimote and Nunchuck control scheme, and while a pair of Joy-Cons stand in okay, gyro aiming just doesn’t feel as good or reliable as the old IR pointer. I admit, I also miss the sheer amount of secrets and extra stuff packed into Nintendo’s newer 3D platformers – the Galaxy games can feel a bit one-note and barren in comparison at times.
Only minimal changes have been made to Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2’s gameplay, with a new Assist Mode being the only real addition -- a somewhat odd choice of focus given the Galaxy games aren't known for their overwhelming difficulty. Nintendo has also expanded the Rosalina storybook content from the original game, which is cute, but obviously not something that's going to change your experience in a major way.
It was borderline miraculous what Nintendo was able to achieve visually with the Mario Galaxy games on the Wii, and the games held up well aesthetically for years afterwards, but they are starting to show their age now. These new versions of Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 are actual remasters, rather than the emulated ROMs running at a higher resolution we got in the Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection, although Nintendo has taken a pretty light touch here. Some textures, assets, and the UI have been updated, and on Switch 2 you can play at an uprezed 4K, but I played both the 3D All-Stars and new versions of Super Mario Galaxy back-to-back to test, and the latter was only a marginally better experience. Also, I swear the pointer controls actually feel better in the 3D All-Stars version of the game.
Nintendo is being more flexible than usual when it comes to these new versions of Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2, offering both a two-game physical/digital bundle for $70 and the ability to buy each individually digitally for $40, giving those happy enough with the 3D All-Stars version of Mario Galaxy an option to just buy Mario Galaxy 2. Of course, some will question Nintendo's pricing given these are older games, but it's hard to be too terribly upset when you're getting 30 to 60 hours of high-quality platforming for your 70 coin investment.
Still a Satisfying Star Trek
Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 are still great games that offer a stripped-down, streamlined, blockbuster brand of action that still stands out as unique next to Nintendo’s more recent exploratory collection-heavy 3D platformers. These new remasters do the games justice, but not a whole lot more than that, with little in the way of new content and a very light-touch visual makeover. Whether these games are for you, and in what configuration you want to buy them, will largely come down to your own personal play history with the series, but Super Mario Galaxy's skies haven't lost their sparkle.
Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 can be bought as a 2-pack for $70, or individually for $40 each, on October 2 for Nintendo Switch. Owners of the Switch versions can download Switch 2 upgrades for free.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
