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Four Ways Super Mario Galaxy 2 is More Casual-Friendly

Cloud Mario, Cosmic Witches, Hint TV and Lumas make SMG2 easier than you might think.

April 22, 2010
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Super Mario Galaxy 2 Credit: Nintendo

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The last time we checked out Super Mario Galaxy 2, I innocently asked the Nintendo representative if the company considers SMG2 the more "hardcore" Mario game while last year's New Super Mario Brothers Wii was the "uses nostalgia to capture the casuals" title. Actual difficulty aside, NSMB is pretty damn casual-friendly, with its fine-tuned mechanics, 2D-ness, and help (from the super guide and the bubbles). While I realize that "anecdote" isn't synonymous with "data," I can recall a time when I and a few complete non-gamers actually bumbled our way through NSMB Wii to completion -- sure, we used shortcuts, and level 8-1 was an absolute meat grinder, but people who haven't played a Mario game since Super Mario World were able to finish it.

Since the next 3D Mario includes a host of wacky stuff like hybrid 3D/2D levels, power-ups like the Rock Mushroom and the SpinDrill, and a fruit-loving Yoshi, it's easy to assume that SMG2 is going to be a hard game. And after the few times I've played it, I do admit: brushing up on the original Super Mario Galaxy is advised (something that frequent Retronauts guest Chris Kohler has done). But during a recent demo session, I found that some of the new features occasionally make SMG2 feel even easier than early levels of NSMB Wii.

All-around Nintendo-guru Bill Trinen describes Hint TV as "somewhat similar to the super guide from New Super Mario Brothers Wii. It'll give you little tips in different parts of some levels -- it'll show you how to get across certain areas." I notice that it tends to show up either when you've just acquired a new ability, or are near a tricky action sequence that might utilize a specific aspect of a newly-acquired item. It's a nice little step to make sure you absolutely know what you're doing.

No. 2 -- The Cosmic Witch Is The New NSMB Wii Super Guide Mode: Part Two

Similarly, there's the Cosmic Witch, which is a bit more specialized. Early on in one of the levels, Trinen points out this random blue woman hanging out near a nasty-looking platform sequence. He details, "She'll give you access to the Cosmic Guide. She only appears after you die a certain number of times or if you spend too much time in a certain level. And unlike New Super Mario Brothers Wii, she's not on every level -- only in certain choke points to help you along. It does work the same as in New Super Mario Brothers Wii in that after you start it, you can drop out of it very quickly. What's different this time is that if you go through and complete the level, and you used the Cosmic Witch at any point, instead of getting an actual golden star, you get a dull, bronze one." I ultimately choose to not ask for her help -- sure, I make a huge mistake and butt-stomp my way through a cloud into oblivion, but I make it through the level. Eventually.

No. 3 -- Cloud Mario Can Make His Own Platforms

The most recently revealed new item is the Cloud Flower. Besides making Mario look like the Michelin Man, Cloud Mario can, create clouds to serve as platforms. Sure, he can only make three before needing to pick up another Cloud Flower, and each cloud only lasts about fifteen seconds, but fundamentally, this flower lets Mario make his own jumping puzzles. Okay, there are some sequences where you need to be really skilled at placing clouds to cross a giant chasm, but in general, there's a lot of room for error. The few levels with Cloud Flowers that I play, they are scattered all over the place, and a few times I almost completely screw up, but I'm able to create a last-minute cloud just in time to grab a conveniently placed Cloud Flower and then resume my cloud-hopping spree.

No. 4 -- Two-player Co-op Makes Getting Items Trivially Easy

Okay, this is the big one: Co-Star mode returns, but man alive, the little Luma that player two controls makes some of the more skill-based aspects of SMG2 seem downright trivial. While the Luma is still mostly pointer-driven, and can still scoop up Starbits and the like, it also features two significant improvements: it can grab on to and shake things (like enemies), and it can grab items directly.

The first point is pretty big, because now player two can actually take out foes. While the main Mario player runs, jumps, and butt-stomps around, the second player can snatch random Goombas/Koopas/the like and shake them away. So if Mario makes a jump early and is about to land on a Piranha Plant, the Luma can swoop in for a rescue.

The second point is a straight "holy cats!" moment. Grabbing stuff is huge -- I'm not just talking Starbits, but items too. Trinen advises me to actually grab onto a Coin, but to not give it to him yet -- if he gets injured as Mario, I can instantly spot-heal him with the Coin in my hands. In my limited experience, this makes some of the trickier Coins and power-ups almost trivial. Instead of swinging from platform-to-platform in perfect sequence, all Trinen has to do is make sure the item is on-screen, and I can simply point-at-and-snatch the out-of-the-way Coin or 1UP mushroom. Heck, the Luma can even grab air bubbles during underwater stages.

As much as I think Co-Star mode is secretly the "I Win" mode, Trinen points out that everything I see is based on just the first few galaxies. Sure, SMG2 does seem harder in parts, and I can only imagine how devious some of the later bosses will be -- I'm just surprised that for a game I assumed would be consistently hard throughout, it has even more to make it newbie-friendly.

Originally posted at 1UP.

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