E3 2009: Super Mario Galaxy 2

Nintendo learned last year, at E3 08, that if you don't feed the Hardcore Nintendo nerds some juicy gaming goodness, they will bite you. After being bit repeatedly, Reggie, Cammie, and the rest of the Big N got the picture and promised to never treat E3 like their personal Casual Games Showcase. In place of Wii Music, this year we saw the surprise announcement of Super Mario Galaxy 2. While the game has no official release date and there is no playable build on the show floor, it is looking very promising.

Galaxy 2 was born out of the ideas Miyamoto had left once the original Galaxy was completed. It is rare for a Mario title to be created on the same engine as its predecessor. In fact, you have to go back all the way to Super Mario Bros 2: The Lost Levels to find a game created with the same engine in the Mario World. Despite this, Super Mario Galaxy 2 looks just as fun as the first title and has plenty of innovation to make things interesting.

We know that players will explore worlds and collect stars. In addition to this, you will be able to turn water into ice and back into water again--via switches--for a new spin on an ice world. There will also be a device that allows Mario to drill into planets and can even turn certain worlds Black and White. In other sequences, we discovered that Mario can sometimes be tiny, as seen in some past Mario games, with GIANT Goombas and Bullet Bills to block your path. But with the help of special suits, making a return appearance, Mario should be able to handle himself.

Mario games are always about fun and though the graphics won't be improved--at least in the build shown--the Galaxy engine was already polished, running smoothly, and looked plenty good. The fact an old engine is being used does not bother me at all. Really, if we can get Mario games out sooner than once every 4 years, I am all for the use of old engines.

Nintendo is remaining tight-lipped about any other Super Mario Galaxy 2 details so I wouldn't expect any more information on the title until TGS timeframe or next E3. Keep reading CVGames for the latest on Galaxy 2.