A Whole New Galaxy Of Fun!

I have only recently returned to consoles, being a dedicated PC gamer ever since my teens. In the past Nintnendo has made a number of bad decisions yet the company always manages to land on its feet for nothing else but for a single reason: it never forgets that gamers want first to have fun. And Super Mario Galaxy II is an excellent example.

The Wii console may have been made such a huge success story by applications such as Wii-FIT, but it will be remembered for the fun it offers with games such as this one. Super Mario Galaxy II makes the Wii shine at its best.

Princess Peach cannot seem to stay ...un-kidnapped more than a week, so her faithful plumber has to move heaven and earth to save her - yet again...But do we really need an excuse to dive in this galaxy of magic mushrooms, star-bits and coins, secret levels and surprising solutions to, apparently, insurmountable obstacles?

The levels blend beautifully 2D and 3D environments and the controls work superbly. I hadn't touched a console since my University years and had to get used to the controls of Zelda: The Twilight Princess - yet found the controls of Super Mario Galaxy II to fit like a glove from the very first moment.

This installment is not one you can breeze through, there are challenging moments. If you get stuck in a level you can ask for a mini-tutorial - but keep in mind that there is no free lunch in this galaxy: your need for assistance will be marked. Then again, retrying a level was never more fun.

There is invincible Rainbow-Mario, Rock-Mario, Spring-Mario and Cloud-Mario. And then there are Lumas and Yoshi. Every world has been imaginatively designed and gorgeously drawn. It is like a supernova of creativity exploding again and again. I believe this to be the best looking game on the Wii.

And it is the best platform game - ever!

Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!

Forgive me Source-Code for I have sinned. For years I was a dedicated PC-gamer. I though ill of gaming consoles, considering them consumer-toys rather than entertainment systems. Who needs overpriced and oversized gaming consoles that can play Movie-DVDs and even BluRayDisks when most good games are released for PCs as well and they look and play better on them, right? Well, the Nintendo Wii is a different breed.

Gaming on the Wii is an experience one has to live at least once - but preferably whenever he or she feels blue. Sure, it may not sport the cutting-edge graphical capabilities of a SONY PS3 or the game titles selection of the Xbox. Nevertheless, most Wii games take full advantage of the console's capabilities and the exclusive games selection include the unsurpassable The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, the absorbing Metroid Prime Trilogy, the mesmerizing Okami and the soothing Endless Ocean: Blue World.

Not to mention the capabilities of Wii Fit Plus and Wii Sports Resort when coupled with a Wii Balance Board!

If you can still find one, I would advise buying the (Limited edition) black one. I keep mine in our TV room and the black blends perfectly with my other home entertainment electronics. In any case, do not miss the revolution.

There is simply no other console that offers so much fun. Both SONY and Microsoft have technologically excellent gaming consoles - but Nintendo is the only one that always keeps in mind that gaming is supposed to be fun.