I apologize in advance for spending the majority of this ripping on Galaxy, but it's something that needs to be done. I am a lone voice in a sea of perfect 10/10 reviews and showering praise. Here's some examples:

"Super Mario Galaxy is one of those “perfect” games that comes along just once or
twice a decade." 10/10 - Aussie-Nintendo

"Super Mario Galaxy is more than just a new Mario game; it’s a giant leap for the platforming genre. A game light-years above the rest." 10/10 - Nintendo World Report

"It's been a decade since Mario 64 revolutionised the platform genre; now, Miyamoto and his team have done it again..." 10/10 - Total Video Games

"The best game Nintendo, or anyone else for that matter, has made since The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time." A+ Saving Progress

So I hate to rain on everyone's parade, but this game is not perfect, and before you race to the bottom of the screen to see what score I've given Galaxy, you need to understand something very important: I absolutely love this game. It's just that falling in love with a game doesn't mean it deserves a perfect ten.

For starters, this game is clearly trying to be the "new" Super Mario 64. There are still 120 stars to collect, some of which involves collecting 100 coins in a stage, collect five silver stars, etc. I'm not sure why people think this is the "perfect" Mario formula - This isn't true at all. If you have 120 stars to collect in a Mario game, then that means it's following the "Mario 64" formula. Let's not forget, Mario 64 came out in 1996, and I've got news for you - A lot of things have changed in the last ELEVEN YEARS.

I don't know why Nintendo feels they have to stop at 120 stars. The reason Mario 64 was so amazing when it came out was because it was a game way ahead of its time - apparently eleven years ahead of its time. So to see Nintendo leave the bar at the same mark today is quite puzzling to me. Remember all the hours you spent simply messing around outside the castle running and jumping? Nintendo expects us to do it all over again, but we don't feel the need to. The reason is because we were just learning how to control Mario in his first 3D environment, but now there's no more curiosity to what happens when we run and jump at certain angles because we know exactly what's going to happen from all the practice we've had over the years.

This is one of the reasons why the new gravity-based gameplay is so importat to this title. We're not used to how gravity pulls us around planets when we jump off large cliffs, and we're certainly not used to running upside-down, or even on the side of planets. If it wasn't for these strange gravity laws, this game would have a large amount of fun sucked right out of it.

You get to see an incredibly large number of returning enemies - including ones you haven't seen in a while. Boos, Koopas, Goombas, Bullet Bills, Penguins, Magikoopas, they're all here. Even the wrench-throwing mole from the airships in Mario 3? Amazingly, yeah. But even with so many returning characters, there are many missing, too. If this is the ultimate Mario game, then where the heck is Yoshi? Where's all the different Bowser kids? Where's Wario, Waluigi, Daisy, and Donkey Kong? I am willing to forgive some of these absences since there have been so many Mario games, it's probably impossible to get every single character in. But no Yoshi? Seriously...

There are power-ups that transform Mario into different forms, such as Fire Mario and Bee Mario, but they're not done correctly. For one, it's nice to be Fire Mario, especially since he hasn't been around for years. But can you believe there is a time limit on how long you can be Fire Mario? After about 20 seconds, he drops the ability. This is expected for when you're invincible, but as Fire Mario? I understand why this is the case: they want to challenge you to race to a location that you need to use your fireballs before your ability runs out.

But this takes us to a fundamental mistake when it comes to these Power-Up items. The only reason you get them is because a few levels require it. For example, you need to melt snowmen with fireballs to advance through the stage. There's a problem here - let me explain it. Think back to Super Mario Bros. 3, or Super Mario World - You could travel to past stages, collect a Yellow Cape, grab a Yoshi, and then take them to any other stage. Power-ups allowed you to choose what you wanted to use where. I may need a raccoon tail to get to an upper level, but I could choose to go through the level Hammer-Bro style. This creates a deep level of replay value that is sorely missing from Galaxy, since items are only used in specific moments, and there's no ability to use them anywhere else.

And again, if this is the perfect Mario game, then where's my raccoon tail? Where's the cape? Where's the frickin' Mushroom? I don't want to have a three-point health meter, I want to be the little Mario that can transform into Super Mario. Isn't that what a perfect Mario game would have?

The music is very well made, and it's nice to see many songs fully orchestrated. I was incredibly pleased with how this same team had used music to enhance the gameplay in DK Jungle Beat by adding more layers of instrumentation with each combo you performed. There isn't as much of it here, but where it is it really works. While riding on top of a glass ball, the speed you move affects how fast the music plays, as well as the number of instruments. If you're barely even moving then the music will reflect it with a gentle melody played by a flute. If you start going too fast, then the music will spiral out of control like a marching band tripping over each other. It's great stuff.

The only real complaint I have about the music is for when you fight Bowser. While I am very thankful they made an incredibly fierce orchestral arrangement for the fight sequence, which even included a choir, it doesn't really seem to fit. It feels like I'm fighting a battle as epic as the Emporer from Star Wars - but it's freakin' Mario and Bowser. As Tim put it, it's like writing an overly-done soundtrack to the epic climactic battle between Tom and Jerry.

Overall though, the soundtrack is absolutely outstanding, and many levels have very soon-to-be-classic melodies to sit with the likes of Rainbow Cruise.

But if you were to ask me, "Ray, we've known each other for so many years. We've been such good friends, and I know that when I ask you your opinion on a video game, you clearly know what you're talking about. So with that, what's the number 1 biggest flaw of Mario Galaxy?" My response to you would be the following:

It's way too easy.

Simple as that. I understand Nintendo is trying to make the game open for all ages, genders, and gaming skill. I don't have any problem with that. But in the quest to please everyone, they've left the hardcore crowd asking for more. The first 60 stars are too easy, and the last set of 60 stars isn't too much worse. It's nothing we haven't tackled before, and there's no real treat for those of us who are out to hunt down secret worlds. Instead, everything in the game is unlocked very naturally. Where's the super-secret Star World full of insane level-design packed wall to wall with difficult challenges?

Well there isn't one. That isn't a spoiler, is it?