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One thing is for certain with Nintendo; when they find a successful gaming formula, they capitalize on it. You can always be certain that the big N's flagship franchises will deliver on proven gameplay time and time again. This is especially true with the Nintendo's biggest pride and joy, the Mario series. It has survived decades. Super Mario Galaxy is a shinning example of the awesome we have come to love and know and carries little baggage from history.

What would any Mario game be if the princess had not been captured, again, by Bowser? And would it truly be a Mario title if he didn't run off to rescue her and bring order back to the Mushroom Kingdom? The twist here is that Bowser has finally wizened up (only a little mind you) and realized that it's not the Princess he needs to stop capturing, or Mario he needs to thwart, but to create a galaxy where Mario doesn't exist! So, in Bowser's generously optimistic plan to be rid of Mario once and for all, he sets the whole thing in motion, and Mario runs, or more accurately, zooms off to accomplish what he has and will accomplish a hundred times over.

Mariogames are never really about the story; it only serves as a side motivation for what propels Mario forward on his journey. Galaxy takes place, of course, in space, which is the chief factor in deciding many of the unique gameplay mechanics such as gravity, planets and missions you will undertake. The game starts with a rather simple tutorial to let you get use to the Wii-mote and controls and then sets you off to a rather gigantic spaceship, which will serve as your comfortable hub during the game.

The format of Galaxy is very similar to previous 3D Mario games as you travel around in search of stars strewn about in the several levels you can access via the main area. You will have access only to the first group of levels and then be given more freedom as you gain more stars and will then be able to traverse the worlds in any manner you wish. Galaxy has the added fun of levels designed in a galaxy theme and are separate worlds unto themselves, with varying themes and gravity to which you will have to become accustomed.

You have your basic level palettes to choose from, with Grass, Desert, Ice, Fire, Water, Spooky, etc. Each of the main worlds will have six or seven stars you can gain through different challenges, such as time trials, boss battles and jumping (platforming) sections, as well as smaller worlds maybe dedicated to a single star with a rather more focused series of obstacles you will have to overcome to claim your ever-important star prize.

You eventually will have your level-oriented boss battle in which a showdown with Bowser is necessary for greater access to more areas, which continues — wash, rinse, repeat — until the very last battle in which Mario saves Peach in one final climactic bash against Bowser once and for all (again).

The tried and true formula is still intact but is a double-edged sword: A very easy to recognize formula but with a lack of innovation and yet it is a little bit evolved. Galaxy at least delivers on the principle that what was beautiful before will be again with ample polish, and that is noticeable from the ground up throughout the game.

The first real noticeable amount of spit shine on Galaxy is the audio. I found that the older days of Mario were very memorable musical tracks but they just didn't carry the same weight in later installments. Galaxy boasts an impressive album of fully orchestrated songs that have such a beautiful flare, a perfected sound and an equaled fit to the environment; you will be easily drawn in to any number of the planets and feel comfortably warm no matter what area you enter.

Some of the more notable background scores go to Beach Bowl and the Dreadnaught, and special notice goes to the main Hub area itself. Never have I been so in love with a main area's score as I am in Super Mario Galaxy. The song creates the perfect mood of a warm welcome and a job well done. It's somehow so perfectly created for the hub, that I find a feeling of self-encouragement; I find myself dawdling around just to have some easy fun. In addition to some revised classics from old school Mario games (with excellent use of retro Mario songs in the Toy Time Galaxy and the Sweet Sweet Galaxy), you have top-notch audio to fall in love with while you scour the galaxy and collect power stars.

The visuals, in short, are the best on the Wii to date. Though the Wii will never win any major graphic competitions, the visuals in Galaxy are vibrant, ensuring any and all objects in the environment are brimming with color and light. Using the level theme as a visual and a control, whether it be fire, water or any sort of strange enemy from Goomba's to Bullet Bill's, melds together in a gorgeous way to create a uniquely bountiful virtual playground to enjoy. The art direction for Mario games are always heavy on the whimsical, without spiraling too out of control into the overly cute area so that the visual direction is appreciated by both children and adults alike - a broad spectrum of beauty to several different groups that only becomes more imaginative as the game goes on.

The gravity system plays a large part as you'll have to master several of the different jumping mechanics implemented on each galaxy to fully appreciate each galaxy architecture. I much preferred some of the later platforming heavy levels, such as the Toy Time Galaxy (which hits on all cylinders, by the way), The Spooky Galaxy and the smattering of tinier objective-based galaxies like the Hurry Scurry Galaxy and the Buoy base galaxies, as they had a great sense of urgency about them to heighten the excitement of the already obstacle-ridden path in conjunction with all of the different angles one could jump to.

The different gravity systems that each galaxy implements are as engaging as one could imagine, and to fly here and there between the planets to have a new set of bouncy rules to follow is what really distinguishes Galaxy from its predecessors. The momentum required to encircle an entire obstacle never failed to be entertaining.

The great sense of freedom derived from jumping Mario to one side of a distant safe zone only to be thrust in a completely opposite direction as you spin about every which way is incredibly thrilling. The best part of all of the amusement was not jumping, but staying free form in suspension and deciding where to land. The spot usually lent itself to so many different ways to traverse any one jump, you would find yourself going back and forth just to see all of the different aspects in which to take advantage of all the different gravities in place. All of the galaxies were really that engaging. Rest assured that the separate planets were given the attention they deserved, and the results show in a gloriously pleasant way.

There is a multiplayer aspect, but it more or less is to get a spouse or loved one to help in a small way so that they can be part of the game playing experience. You and a buddy won't be tearing it up through the Dusty Dry Galaxy anytime soon or having marathon sessions as he uses the Wii-mote to shoot star bits at enemies, but it was a nice afterthought for anyone who would want to spend time with the player.

Though the game delivers on quite a few levels, even Mario is not immune from criticism, and the game does have a few sour points, which don't dilute the experience much. The game difficulty is one such point. Any multiple-lives mechanic from recent years is something of a joke: you can amass so many extra lives so easily that 'Game Over' screens have become a thing of the past. It seems we are now far from the golden age of arcade gaming.

I was disappointed to find that so few difficult areas exist in Galaxy, with those that do exist reserved for the very end of the game. The game is simply too easy — the bosses in particular. This takes away one of the classic Mario gameplay mechanics that should have lived on with the reused formula. So long, 'Game Over' screen.

I also have concerns about the Mario franchise itself. At the end of the day, Mario is about jumping, the formula will eventually wear thin. After such an impressive showing with Galaxy, I'm wondering if Nintendo can really keep the series going in a positive direction while staying fresh enough to maintain an improved style.

Though the storytelling seems to be in the vein of awkward and scarce, I mentioned before it was not integral, so it does not come off to me as a major part of negativity. The camera system is not saved from this same grievance clause, as at this point in 3D gaming, especially on Mario's part, this should be as close to faithful as the capturing of Princess Peach. The reason the camera system usually fails, is though while all the magnificent platforming sections dealing with gravity going on are charming on the control end, the camera just doesn't see it the same way, as constant near re-centering of frames with Mario are constantly missed, and more times then should be expected, you will fall to a foolish death because of a twisted angle on depth perception. Though the seemingly endless supply of lives seems to work in favor here, two wrongs don't make a right, and while the camera system works well on the whole, they should have spent a little more time getting the point of focus to work on a dime and avoid any messy missed jumps because of a simple wrong camera adjustment.

With the few bumps of old Nintendo habits weighing down small parts of Mario, the game that is waiting to be played is still going with the best titles out there and is easily one of the best platformers that have come out of any console for a long time. The entire package of sights, sounds and spot-on platforming is nestled so cozy in one gigantic adventure; you'll be surprised you went as long as you did without a true Mario epic to grace the Wii. If you own the system, you should own this game, and if you don't have a Wii, freeze yourself for a couple months so you can get your hands on Super Mario Galaxy pronto. This game is a blast for anyone who would play it, and that's one long-time habit I hope the Big N will keep alive for years to come.