Super Mario Sunshine demonstrated Nintendo's intention to take the legendary plumber's adventures in a new direction. But for this writer, turning Mario into a hose-wielding slime-disposal expert (fitting job though that may be for a plumber) wasn't a tenable long-term strategy. Going interstellar, on the other hand, was completely, ingeniously bonkers; if farmer Matthew McConaughey could be sent into space, why shouldn't Mario? The gameplay harked back to the Mario 64 days and the 2D Mario days, eschewing weird weapons and sludge for beautiful worlds and a focus on good old-fashioned jumping and platforming. But a pure throwback to the olden days wouldn't have landed Galaxy in the number one spot. The space travel is utterly breathtaking, and you'll be euphorically clenching your teeth as you're cannonballed between the disparate planets of the game. The spherical dimension to many of the levels allows you to jump off a planet and have gravity pull you back towards it on the other side, making for a beautiful, mind-bending, and confusing-in-a-good-way experience. Galaxy proved that the WiiMote was more than just a gimmick, using it sparingly but brilliantly as you flew between planets and rode strange creatures within them. The game also reassured us, at the end of a decade defined by video-game realism, that there would always be a place for the 3D platformer is alive, well, and here to stay. What's your favourite platformer of the 2000s? Let us know in the comments!
Gamer, Researcher of strange things.
I'm a writer-editor hybrid whose writings on video games, technology and movies can be found across the internet. I've even ventured into the realm of current affairs on occasion but, unable to face reality, have retreated into expatiating on things on screens instead.
