Super Mario Galaxy 2 alleviates many of the original Super Mario Galaxy's niggles (somewhat confusing navigation and level design), while taking players on an enchanting journey that provides hours of joyous entertainment. The original Super Mario Galaxy ($49.99, ) was, hands-down, the best Nintendo Wii game at the time of its release—not anymore. Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a marvelous creation featuring inventive 3D environments and the inventive charm that is a hallmark of Nintendo titles.

The Story
Super Mario Galaxy 2 starts with a very familiar Mario plot: Princess Peach has been kidnapped by Bowser and needs rescuing. The story's a bit shopworn, but it serves as the catalyst to get the game moving. Besides, Super Mario Galaxy 2 has one of the best game introductions I've seen, where pages in a book alternate between action and pauses for the pages to turn. At the risk of sounding like an impatient blockhead, I'll say that the narrative has been mercifully shortened (Super Mario Galaxy's story was needlessly lengthy), which lets gamers quickly jump into the action.

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Gameplay and Level Design
The hop-and-bop gameplay that made the Super Mario franchise famous is here, but with added bonuses. Grabbing a cloud-shaped flower grants the ability to create your own cloud platforms which came in handy when I took dangerous leaps; materializing a platform beneath my feet as I descended saved me from falling into the abyss on more than one occasion. Scoring the rock power up encases Mario in a ball of rock, which lets him bowl over enemies (something that never got old in my testing). You can ride Yoshi, Mario's trusty dino steed, after you find his egg and crack it open. He's particularly useful, as you can use his prehensile tongue to pull levers or swing you across gaps.

That said, it should be noted that those who are unaccustomed to the Wii Remote and Nunchuck may have a difficult time controlling Mario and Yoshi—at least initially. I'm not a big fan of motion controls. I tend to find them counterintuitive. But the implementation here is actually quite smooth. Within 15 minutes, I had gotten the hang of the control scheme, using the Wii remote to move Mario, and the Nunchuck to execute special moves.

As succeeding levels unfold, it all feels very magical and new. On one level you're chasing glowing fruit; on the next, you're leaping across vanishing platforms to the tune of the game's delightful soundtrack. During your journey you'll collect Comet Medals (one is hidden in each stage) which unlocks extra areas. Certain areas can not be accessed until you've amassed a number of Power Stars (rewarded for completing challenges).

Another positive change is the manner in which levels are linked. In Super Mario Galaxy, gamers had to endure a huge, non-linear hub that probably confused many in Nintendo's casual gamer base. In the new game, there's an increased use of 2D navigation; Super Mario Galaxy 2 users a map similar to that of Super Mario Bros. 3 or Super Mario World. It features the use of small planetoids plotted out on an easy-to-read map. Although this shrinks the game's scale, at least gamers won't scratch their heads as they wonder what to do next.

Graphics and Music
Graphically, Super Mario Galaxy 2 shines. The character models are cartoony and brightly colored, and the environments are inventive. There is the occasional camera issue—objects in the environment sometimes obstruct your view—but it's no big loss. You'll be so wrapped up in the game world, you'll wonder why more Wii games don't look this good. The superb soundtrack matches the sharp visuals; it's full of exceptional orchestrated music that gives the title an epic feel.

Super Mario is Super
Super Mario Galaxy 2 manages to take what I liked about its predecessor, and streamline it into a wonderfully tight game. In the process, Super Mario Galaxy 2 has lost some of its predecessor's epic scale (the new title is smaller in scope), but in the process it has become far more accessible to the average gamer. If you found the original a bit overwhelming, give Super Mario Galaxy 2 a try; it's one of the games that make the Wii worth owning and one of the best games of this console generation, period. Nintendo's latest Mario romp easily nabs a PC Mag Editors' Choice award for bringing a smile to my face with beautiful graphics, incredible music, and I-can't-put-the-controller-down gameplay.

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