Super Mario Galaxy 1 or 2?

[BetaWolf47]

I know we have a Super Mario Galaxy 2 thread, but I wanted to have a poll. What do you consider the superior of the two games?

This is a tough choice for me. Although Super Mario Galaxy 1 is only 2 1/2 years old, I still feel some nostalgia towards it. I still consider it one of the top three 3D games I've ever played, if not the top. It blew me away from beginning to end.

When I first played Super Mario Galaxy 2, it didn't have the same novelty (oxymoron?), due to having played Galaxy 1 extensively. There's no doubt that it brings new things to the table. However, none of these new things are as innovative as what was introduced in Galaxy 1. All of the items have been done in one form or another throughout different games in different series. The more open and nonlinear levels don't enhance the game as much as you'd think.

I'd have to vote for Super Mario Galaxy 1.

[Urzu402]

I voted 2 because, I actually enjoy it more, I got like 102 stars in Super Mario Galaxy 2 and like 85 in Galaxy 1 because I like 2 more so i played it more.

I like 2 because 2 does the same stuff 1 does but makes it better. the only thing I don't like about 2 is the small hub world. That's what i miss from 1

[SpaceHarrier]

This is an extremely tough one for me, as Super Mario Galaxy (1) is definitely on my top 10 favorite games list. I believe, from a "visual-appeal" design standpoint, that it excels over 2 and the story and hub-world offer far more charm. Plus the music was actually original, 2 just recycles the themes for the most part. And, of course the game had to establish all the crazy ideas dealing with gravity and power-ups.

That said, I actually picked SMG 2 because it took it a step further, reduced the number of annoying stages, added the green star quest, added Yoshi and was just generally a much more compelling game in my view.

I currently have about 70 or so stars in SMG 1. That is where I left off. In 2, I am at 240. I couldn't stop playing. I find myself returning to replay levels in 2 over and over. When it comes down to it, I rate a game's success on how much it compels me to keep at it, and 2 is definitely the winner by that standard.

[Malon_Forever]

I voted for Galaxy 2. Even though I beat the first, and still haven't beat the second, Super Mario Galaxy 2 was just more fun right from the start. I also hated navagating the main "plaza" in Super Mario Galaxy 1, and Galaxy 2 fixed that. I still stand by Sunshine being more fun than Galaxy 1, but not sure about Galaxy 2.

[Icarus Moonsight]

It's too soon for me to pick a preference between the two. I've played the first much more, but the reason for that is obvious. I vote for neither as a vote for both at this point.

[jonebone]

Galaxy 2 is to Galaxy 1 as SMB 3 is to SMB 1, IMO.

Galaxy 2 took all of the good things in Galaxy 1 and refined them even more. The yoshi addition was nice, galaxies are much more diverse (average of 3 stars per galaxy instead of 5 or 6) and there's the entire green star run for the hardcore completionist.

I don't see anything that Galaxy 1 offers that Galaxy 2 does not.

[Dumsday]

For once I think I'm qualified to answer - I got all 242 stars in SMG2, then went back and got 120 stars in SMG1 with Luigi so I could get the elusive 121st star. So in the last 5 months I've put in a lot of SMG time (and I really don't want to see another one for a loooong time!).

I voted SMG2 because going back and re-playing SMG1 after finishing SMG2 made the refinements in SMG2 stand out. Like some of the level types that just didn't work or some controls that were wonky. I didn't experience that in 2. I thought generally 2 was a tad too easy, but it made up for that in 4 or 5 of the hardest gold stars. Getting that 120th REALLY felt like an accomplishment. A little more nostalgia in 2 helped too. The Yoshi addition was fun...especially in the Green Star challenge where you had to learn how to maximize your jump height for many stars.

But both are great.

[portnoyd]

Galaxy 2 is to Galaxy 1 as SMB 3 is to SMB 1, IMO.

Galaxy 2 took all of the good things in Galaxy 1 and refined them even more. The yoshi addition was nice, galaxies are much more diverse (average of 3 stars per galaxy instead of 5 or 6) and there's the entire green star run for the hardcore completionist.

I don't see anything that Galaxy 1 offers that Galaxy 2 does not.

All kinds of THIS.

[BetaWolf47]

Galaxy 2 is to Galaxy 1 as SMB 3 is to SMB 1, IMO.

Galaxy 2 took all of the good things in Galaxy 1 and refined them even more. The yoshi addition was nice, galaxies are much more diverse (average of 3 stars per galaxy instead of 5 or 6) and there's the entire green star run for the hardcore completionist.

I don't see anything that Galaxy 1 offers that Galaxy 2 does not.

In my opinion, Galaxy 2 is to Galaxy 1 as Lost Levels is to SMB 1. Lost Levels refined a lot and added a lot of difficulty. There's an extra quest after the game if you're a completionist.

[Ze_ro]

Buy both, play both.

--Zero

[klausien]

Galaxy 2, by a hair.

I've developed a bit of ADD with games as I've gotten older/amassed too many of them, so I haven't played all the way through Galaxy 2 yet. I have played though the story in the first one, but have not completed all the little stuff. (Incidentally, I still haven't even managed to see Sunshine all the way through to Bowser. Even though it makes perfect sense for a plumber to man a water jet system, the resulting severe learning curve makes Sunshine a chore. That said, it's more laziness than anything else)

The first Galaxy was a real return to form for Nintendo, and a real benchmark game for the series. It isn't perfect, but I consider it a truly triumphant title. There are some pretty electrifying moments throughout. It's also absolutely stunning both visually and aurally.

However, despite lacking the impact advantage the first had, Galaxy 2 manages to best the original by somehow recapturing some of the magic Super Mario Bros. 3 had as a sequel. I think it really boils down to the abundance of truly well designed & fun Mario suits & gimmicks. The choice to dispense with the hub world concept of 64, Sunshine & the Galaxy in favor of a map system is another reason. It is also more lighthearted, and less bogged down in exposition than the original.

For my taste, it's a better video game.