Super Mario Galaxy 2

[Trainman]

I don't believe this thread has been created yet. If it hasn't, I dunno why it hasn't been already.

Anyway, I wanted to direct all of the Galaxy 2 thoughts/speculation into one wrapped up thread since it's been spreading to several threads.


First, I'd like to point out some the old-school bits (namely enemies) I've noticed in the trailer (besides Yoshi, duh):

-At 0:08, in the background you notice a rotating block resembling a ! or ? block at a 45º angle. It has some red thing that resembles Bowser's face or something on it, then you notice a 1-Up Mushroom, and on the last side you see that it's a coin. Could that be replacing the Luma you have to feed 30 star bits to to get a 1-Up/Life Shroom or just a generic, random-item-spawning ? block?

-At 0:20, you notice that a familiar enemy has come back: Paragoombas. How freakin' awesome is that? There's more at 1:08.

-At 0:35, apparently that's Megaleg's little brother or something. That's cool.

-0:40 features the return of sliding courses as a possible shoutout to SM64's.

-0:46 reveals another familar enemy: Grinders from Super Mario World. That's very nice to see.

-Right at 0:59 (if you're quick) and 1:00, right before Mario freezes the water, you can see enemies that bear a striking resemblance to Skeeters that float on the water from SM64, flat-padded feet and all.

-1:26 shows the red & blue flippy platforms from.... wait, weren't those in Sunshine in one of the "The Secret of ....." levels? Also, you see huge ? blocks that have already been hit.

-1:34, it's impossible not to notice the SMB theme going on there.

-1:37, pause it right as Mario hits the third flower. In the top left of the screen, you see a ? block with wings reminiscent of Super Mario World's flying block.

-1:39, seems like Koopas might be common enemies instead of only being in a few levels. Also, that one's red! I wonder if they made them walk on all fours to make it easier to jump on them, or if they're trying to reference Mario Bros.'s shellcreepers or SMB/SMB3. The all-four walk is apparently being retained in SMG2.

-Lastly, who couldn't help but notice at 1:43 that you're Mario running on a planetoid of your own head?

So, yes, holy crap, I'm loving the old enemies/etc. that I've seen so far. We have Paragoombas from SMB3, Grinders and winged ? blocks from SMW, red/blue flipping platforms from Sunshine, sliding levels from SM64 and more of the SMB theme going on in the galaxies that resemble "The Secret of ...." levels in Sunshine. Friggin' awesome.

Discuss.

[Turtlekid1]

Ahh, the 'Secret of...' levels.  The one enjoyable part of Sunshine.  Hope they make a return.

Also, I hope a remixed Gusty Garden theme is put in SMG2 somewhere.  It was in the trailer music, along with a few other themes from SMG, so it's probably not too far-fetched of a theory.

[ShadowBrain]

I think that weird spinning block thing is not the equivalent of an in-level Luma in SMG (those little guys are conspicuously absent, by the way...), but rather one of those blocks in SMW that rapidly cycled between items and you'd have to hit it at the right time to get what you wanted.

Also, Grinders, flying blocks, new slide levels, etc. on that list are cool, but after a while that kind of thing starts looking less like nostalgic references and more like unoriginality.

[Trainman]

True, but we haven't seen Grinders in ages, and the last winged ? blocks I can remember are in NSMB. I don't think that they'd be beating it to death by using it in SMG2.

Also, I almost forgot about the transparent cycling block. I always get a star from them because I like SMW's starman song.

[CrossEyed7]

You can see a Luma (presumably the one named Luma) for a split-second.



Paragoombas are indeed awesome. One of many enemies that need to show up more outside of Paper Marios, along with Fuzzies and Ninjis.

Around 0:29, you get a tiny glimpse of what looks like one of those Grounder-ish enemies from Sonic 1, or at least its head. The slide part looks like the same animation as skating. If we get to skate more often in the game, I'll be quite happy. That was possibly even funner than shell-surfing in 64.

Now that I look at it, they do look a lot like Grinders. That's my favorite kind of retro throwback -- ones where instead of just throwing things in, they just happen to end up with elements similar to ones they've had before, and then go ahead and make them the same thing.  I like it when they make the Marioverse seem a little more cohesive like that. Kind of like the opposite of what they did in MP8, making a character that looks just like Chuck Quizmo but is actually someone different who will never show up again.

Skeeters were probably my least-favorite new enemies from 64, but I think I like this new design. Now if only they could do the same thing for those ugly bee-colored plunger-footed spiders from NSMB.

[ShadowBrain]

Oh, yeah... that's right, you need him (for whatever reason) for the spin move. I forgot what happens to him at the end of SMG... will he be a hanger-on from the last game or is a reintroduction in order? We still haven't seen if Rosalina, the Observatory, etc. is returning, so I suppose it's all up in the air at this point.

Also, CE7 just made me realize that Fuzzies and Ninjis have never been in a 3D Mario game... and now I really want them to be!

...Also also, I've just decided that I think I'm going to just download the trailer.

[Weegee]

Paragoombas are indeed awesome. One of many enemies that need to show up more outside of Paper Marios, along with Fuzzies and Ninjis.

I'm gonna pull a Chupperson here by pointing out several instances of why your comment is technically incorrect: Paragoombas have appeared in SMB3, SMW (along with Fuzzies and Ninjis), NSMB, Mario Superstar Baseball, several Mario Parties, and not to mention Melee and Brawl.

But you're right nonetheless. And hey, if Nintendo bothered to resurrect those wrench-throwing mole-creatures from SMB3 for Galaxy, what can't they?

[ShadowBrain]

I think what he meant is that, these days, they're just in the Paper Mario games (as you accurately pointed out, though, that's not the case).

[Chupperson Weird]

Weegee, he said "show up more", not show up at all.

[jdaster64]

Also, CE7 just made me realize that Fuzzies and Ninjis have never been in a 3D Mario game... and now I really want them to be!

Nor have any of the Buzzy Beetle clan (discounting MP8 and the NSMBs, as they aren't fully 3D)

I'm liking the throwbackness of it all. Let's hope Nintendo gets this right!

[ShadowBrain]

I guess the sliding effect of a Buzzy Beetle would be harder to pull off in 3D...?

[Trainman]

Get him, Chupperson! (not saying that in a sarcastic way)

[CrossEyed7]

Oh, I was also going to mention that one of the Iwata Asks said that they made the Koopa Troopas walk on all fours in Galaxy to make it clear that you're supposed to jump on them. Makes sense; upright ones look more like characters than enemies these days.

[ShadowBrain]

That's fine with me--after all the Mario RPGs having bipedal Koopas morally differentiated by nothing but shell color and a pair of shades, a throwback to the classic Koopas of yesteryear provides both clarity and nostalgia... though I think the Koopas in SM64 were on two legs and we got the message. Eh.

[Kimimaru]

I guess the sliding effect of a Buzzy Beetle would be harder to pull off in 3D...?

It would certainly be harder, but Nintendo can obviously do it. Mario Party 8 has a battle minigame where a Lakitu, for some reason, throws Buzzy Beetles onto an ice platform. The players can then jump on the Buzzy Beetle and knock the shell at someone else to hit him/her off the platform.