Some video games have the ability to fill you with a sense of unbridled glee, satisfaction, stupefaction, and delight. Super Mario Galaxy is one such title.

Released on the Wii around in 2007, it effortlessly bagged Game of the Year in most media circles and remains a masterpiece to this day. The game took 3D Mario platforming into the depths of space for a physics-defying, uplifting romp that remains a near perfect delight.

The Skyrocketing Joys of Super Mario Galaxy

Nintendo place a heavy emphasis on outright fun in gaming. The Mario series is the perfect example of this and Super Mario Galaxy is the Wii’s masterpiece.

With total genius, it showcased the Wii’s gesture-based controls to perfection and offered a wonderful challenging to all ages.

The plot is minimal – Princess Peach gets kidnapped by Bowser and you’ve got to save her. From there, you have to get to grips with the demands of Mario’s new environment – space.

Mario visits different galaxies filled with planets which have gravitational forces, so you’re able to circumnavigate the environments you leap to and generally blast through space with wild gusto.

The endless imagination is what’s truly stunning. Each galaxy you visit offers weird and wonderful new experiences, with planets offering a horde of oddities and strange experiences to keep you on your toes.

It’s an epic adventure, simply put, with thrilling bursts through space mixed with familiar Mario platforming action.

It was revolutionary when it came out and remains a sweeping classic of the highest order – by Jove, buy it if you’ve missed on this one.

A Note on Super Mario Galaxy’s Exceptional Score

Nintendo brought in a full orchestra for the soundtrack, which elevates the game to a grand scale. It’s perfect, simply put, building up to a rousing level as you traverse the cosmos, take in the sights, and blast from one planet to the next with a shake of your wrist.

The company wanted the game to appeal to all ages, with Miyamoto eventually choosing the orchestral theme which Yokota created several months later.

We’ve always really loved this little piece as well. It plays between levels when Mario makes his way around the observatory, which opens up new stages of the game.

The further you progress, the more dramatic and professional this music becomes. It’s a glorious little touch, as at the start of your adventure it’s simplistic, before reaching this mighty crescendo as you prepare to take on Bowser.

But one that can be cut back to beautiful piano numbers like this.

The score has really set the scene for all future Super Mario games since, heading for 20 years after its original release. Such was its instant impact.

And Then There Was Super Mario Galaxy 2

In 2010, the outstanding Super Mario Galaxy 2 launched on the Wii. It’s debatable whether it’s better than the first game, losing some of its impact from the surprise mechanics of the original, but it’s still one hell of a good game.

It’s very creative and builds on the first outing in many ways, bombarding players with crazy and fun concepts.

We do feel the first game kind of dwarfs the sequel a bit, somewhat unfairly, so it’s important to remember this title offers gaming excellence as well.