Mario has a hard life. No sooner as he’s rescued the Princess (unless she’s in another castle) that Peach goes and gets herself kidnapped again by a creature that doesn’t realise how played out and clichéd he really is. Luigi isn’t any help, as anyone who played Luigi’s Mansion could testify. Yoshi only shows up if he smells something to eat, and then runs away when shit gets real. On top of all this carnage, poor Mario also has a mushroom addiction.

Everyone probably knows all this by now thanks to the countless streams of platforming gems Nintendo keeps on putting the portly plumber in. It’s no secret he’s been about a bit but it’s fair to say most of the games in the main Mario series are timeless classics that have to be experienced as a gaming rite of passage. In this vein, Galaxy was something that showed us that Nintendo still had something up their sleeve for the 3D branch of the series, which was quite surprising following Super Mario Sunshine.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is something special. It’s the first time there’s been a sequel to a Mario console game and it’s the fourth original 3D Mario console title. Nintendo could be blamed for being a bit conservative and sticking to the Galaxy formula in terms of game aesthetics and basic gameplay, but Galaxy 2 takes everything up a notch.

The thing that separates this from Galaxy is level design. Each galaxy has something interesting or new to introduce; whether that being playing around with gravity or offering a new power-up. The levels are designed with precision and they have all been crafted in the right order to give a steady difficulty curve. Despite a sometimes fixed wonky camera on some planets and some questionable power-ups, it really is a joy to play. Even the normally dreaded water levels play delightfully well. Jumping out of water could be improved but it’s a minor niggle given how well the rest of the controls work under the sea now.

Complementing all this is some superb presentation and animation. It feels a touch smoother than Galaxy and it proves that the Wii can deliver better graphics and design than many would think. On top of this, it feels responsive and logical, with most of the in-game deaths being solely player-responsible. The new power-ups are interesting in that the game didn’t really need them but they add a bit of fresh content. Mario purists may be turning recalling in horror, but there were only a few that perplexed us. The fact of the matter is, turning into a giant boulder and rolling over enemies is fun, but spawning clouds isn’t.

Another element that will have purists scratching their heads is the inclusion of Yoshi. He turns up in some levels, and in those he has to be ridden in order to complete them. There isn’t any of Super Mario World’s Yoshi riding just for the hell of it and it’s a bit of a shame. However, his levels are done well and his infamous tongue is controlled with some intuitive Wii pointer action. His trademark flutter jump also makes an appearance, but unfortunately it doesn’t have to be used in as many comic last-ditch efforts to stay alive.

The main flaw of Super Mario Galaxy 2 is with the motion controlled segments. They’re better than Galaxy but are still every bit as frustrating to non-motion gamers. It’s amusing that the group gamers call “non-gamers” will probably find these segments fun, having been enticed by the ways of motion by the Wii in the first place. Most hardcore gamers see motion as unnecessary and counter-intuitive after a life with controllers so there’s an odd disconnect there. Besides that, the motion parts have been cut down but if you want the stars you’ll have to put up with at least some of them.

In truth nitpicking Galaxy 2 is easy because it’s such a good game, which makes its blemishes easy to spot. Despite this, they are minor niggles and won’t stop you enjoying what could be the best platforming title of this generation and possibly decade. There hasn’t been anything quite like this and we’re proud Nintendo took time out of their busy schedule of catering to the casual market to make this labour of love to the series and its fanbase. We feel jealous of the children starting to game now, Mario 64 was groundbreaking but to start off with something this refreshing and vibrant is the perfect way to begin an illustrious gaming career.

Verdict: This is absolutely essential. If you do not own a Wii already, you have to get one and this game. This is an utterly compelling tour de force of game design and it’s full of moments that will give you a big silly grin.