Out with the new

In with the Mario Galaxy! Mass Effect bid our household adieu on Friday night and I can't say I'm sorry to see it go. Galaxy is the polar opposite to Effect, it is all fun game play with no story and no need for a story quite frankly. It is the spiritual successor to M64 that Sunshine could never be. Break free from your water nozzle powered jet pack and embrace 3D platforming with twisted gravity and innovation around every sphere.

Galaxy is another first party feather in Nintendo's cap, that shows how good the Wii can be when done right and how bad third parties really are. System crisis aside this is by far the best game for the console since Wii Sports. One could make the argument that either A. It doesn't really need the Wiimote or B. It could be even better on a Gamecube controller. Either way it is just plain fun to play.

While there are a ton different planets that offer different game play styles the core mechanics are very similar to M64. Except that gravity and small spherical and sometimes not so spherical planets and bodies are brought in to play. Jumping from one bodies gravitational pull to another's is a fluid and at times treacherous affair. It eventually becomes intuitive though (roughly 20 minutes) and allows for some real wow moments. The single player game on its own has enough draw and appeal to sell widely and then there is the coop.

Like 2D Sonic games of the past Galaxy integrates a casual coop aptly named "Co-Star Mode". A second player, wiimote in hand, can join in at any time during the single player experience to enhance said experience. The second player has a number of functions, but the main task they handle is collecting star bits for extra lives and to spend on bonus planets. They can also assist with jumping higher and holding enemies/objects. It is the quintessential Tails experience, assist if you want or take a break while player one continues on. It is the cream cheese frosting on an already deliciously moist cake.