galaxy > mario 64. this is the best game on the wii hands-down (zelda's got nothing on it). i played about 2.5 hours last night. i crumbled under the temptation when i heard my local game crazy had it in.
so far the game is as fun as been stated by the japan owners on this forum. from the get go you're overwhelmed with a bunch of worlds/galaxies to explore. there's a bit too much story this time around, but i'm assuming it's nintendo fan service at play.
graphically, it's good, not great. it's great if you compare it to last gen consoles that max out at 480p. art style is top notch, but if you've got an expensive LCD setup like i do, sit FAR back to avoid all the jaggies and low res textures. the effects were done nicely and the variety of color schemes is a nice change of pace if you've been playing gritty shooting games as of late. the good thing is, you'll soon forget about the game's ugliness once you become immersed in the gameplay.
gameplay wise, it's the ultimate fusion of super mario 3/64/sunshine. the controls are tight and waggle responsiveness is exceptional. level progression and use of gravity is probably the most "innovative" parts i've experienced thus far. but even with those elements, i'm not convinced that this game is as revolutionary as some claim it to be. i'll have to get further into the game to see if there's anything truly mind blowing. so far, it's more of a twist on traditional mario 64 gameplay with elements from all the previous mario games. personally, i'm a bit mixed on the spherical worlds approach. the bite sized chunks are nice, but the camera isn't flawless. sometimes it's too far out and i have a hard time judging how close/far i am from an item or baddie. the disorientation will take some time to get used to as well. the camera is not always centered, so you'll be fumbling around with the controls from time to time. this may change as you become more accustomed to the mechanics.
overall, the game is extremely solid, fun, and imo, the only reason worth owning a wii (unless you like wii sports). if you've been a long time fan of mario games, this should fill the void you've been experiencing since super mario 64. aside from the collect-a-thon i don't see much longevity/replayability in the game. there is a shit-ton to do and explore, so it'll keep you busy for quite some time. but it's definitely a "beat-it-shelve-it" type game. the pacing and progression is pretty slow, so i don't think i can have extended play sessions like i do with other games. to me, it will be a game i keep coming back to in between my twitch shooters and action games. you rpg whores will probably be fine. this will be my wii goty, but that's not saying much.
one last note. i played co-op with my wife last night. perfect for my lazy ass because i didn't have to collect any of the stars. she just pointed away and got them for me. but one thing that sucks about co-op is that too many times instead of stunning a baddie (by pointing and pressing A), she'd click on mario which causes him to jump or spin (if you're in mid-air). so i highly recommend only playing co-op with someone that can aim good.
