Super Mario Galaxy 2: The Ultimate Test

"It's a-me, Mario!"
Thus began the 3D adventures of Mario, the first game released on the N64 (along with the oft-requested, Pilotwing 64). Much like it's predecessor, Mario 64 redefined a genre and in more ways than not, proved that 3d platformers could work. Its free camera allowed players to view the action from practically any angle and made jumping from one platform to the next that much easier. I remember playing the first Bowser stage numerous times, because of the music and the platforming element. Spinning the camera around had become second nature by then.

Although it took another system and more than a few years, the next 3d Mario, Super Mario Sunshine, although fun, was never considered a true sequel to Super Mario 64. This is in part due to the fact that you carry this water gun around and the best stages in the game are those where you are free from said water gun. To be faire, the fluid mechanic was used effectively and Nintendo most likely wanted to echo the ghostbusting vaccum of Luigi's Mansion (now, that is a game I'd love to see a sequel for). Needless to say, Sunshine is not that fondly remembered.

Super Mario Galaxy finally arrived in 2007 and it was the 3d Mario people had been waiting for all those years. Apparently, the staff at Nintendo had so many ideas (with the whole planet concept) that they made a sequel. Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the second Mario to use the same model that the previous did (the other being the real Super Mario 2, aka The Lost Levels). However, Galaxy 2 is a much better game than this other sequel (although almost as mean in certain aspects).

So where does this brief history lead us: The Ultimate Test. You see, once you grab the first 120 stars, you have to go beat Bowser again. Once you do this, you activate an extra 120 stars (the green stars). Effectively doubling the number of stars, you now have to seek from 2 to 3 stars per stage. This is basically the game telling you: can you use all of Mario's moves? Don't forget to use Luigi once in a while because he does jump higher. And once you grab those final 120 stars, the game doesn't end there, a new galaxy opens up: the Grand Master galaxy. Basically a true test of your Mario skills with the kind of cheap tricks you saw in The Lost Levels. By the way, did you put 9999 bits in your bank, because if you did, once you pass the Ultimate Test, you get to play the Perfect Run. It's this same bastard stage with one little different, you can't get hit.

So if you are crazy like me and reach for 242 stars, I hope you are patient because that last star truly is, the Ultimate Test.

Time to hit another game! Until next time Mario!

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