Direct sequel to Mario Galaxy, harder, denser, more inventive. Yoshi finally playable with complementary abilities (tongue, transformations). Fifty galaxies with ever crazier ideas, Nintendo level design at absolute peak. Secret green stars for ultimate challenge, Comet mode for speedrun. Even more orchestral musically. Considered by many superior to the first, the peak of all-time 3D platforming. Absolute must-own.
Your verdict
Category
Platformer1 player3+
Description
Super Mario Galaxy sequel developed and published by Nintendo, Europe June 2010. Mario and Yoshi explore new galaxies with unprecedented spherical planets, new mushroom powers and Yoshi abilities to reach 120 new stars. Even more inventive levels with Cloud, Rock and Drill powers, Time Ghost challenging mode and Luigi challenge mode. More difficult and dense than the first episode, also hailed as a masterpiece.
Super Mario Galaxy 2 review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
More abundant still, the sequel multiplies spherical planets of inexhaustible visual ideas, bathed in dazzling stellar light. The addition of Yoshi enriches already sumptuous tableaux without ever blurring readability. This graphic inventiveness, generous and refined, pushes the cosmic enchantment even further.
Extending the symphonic splendour of the first, the score pushes the orchestral ambition even further, piling up heroic themes and cosmic flights of rare richness. Each galaxy pulses with a polished melody, between vertigo and wonder. This sonic generosity confirms the series as a musical peak for Nintendo.
Gameplay
"Masterful"
Taking the gravity mechanic and pushing it further, faster, denser: the sequel tightens its focus around pure challenge, chains the trickiest galaxies and adds a Yoshi of jubilant powers. The jump precision and the limpid camera stay exemplary. Less surprising in structure than the first, but of superior generosity and demand.
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Pushing the cosmic genius even further, with Yoshi as backup and an avalanche of gameplay ideas that renew with every galaxy: this sequel condenses the best of the first and adds more. Jumping, twirling and defying gravity stays a constant wonder, carried by a grandiose soundtrack. Denser, more inventive and as magical as ever, an unbeatable peak of platforming.
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Chaining idea-packed galaxies, riding Yoshi and aiming for a concealed Star sets up a relentlessly inventive platformer where every level reinvents its own rules. Snatching the celestial bodies, ferreting out the hidden Stars and chasing 100% keeps the session going. Difficulty spikes hard toward the end, but this creative generosity remains one of the genre's peaks.
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Massive"
Setting off after 120 brand-new stars, this time aided by Yoshi and fresh powers, restarts a platforming loop even more inventive and demanding than the first game. Ghost mode pushes you to refine your times, while the Luigi challenge and post-credits content stretch the quest for 100 % considerably. This generosity, married to an unapologetic difficulty, makes it a masterpiece that holds out for a long time before giving up all its secrets.
Super Mario Galaxy 2, a sequel that pushes 3D platforming inventiveness further with an avalanche of gravity ideas and Yoshi's arrival, judged by many to match its acclaimed predecessor. Sold in great numbers, its desirability rests on this status as a creative peak of the genre and an affective demand rather than scarcity, the copy staying common. An essential but accessible piece for a Wii platform set.
A cult cover
Mario rides a green Yoshi through a maze of colorful planets, tongue out and a mischievous look: the sequel flaunts more life, depth and color than the first stellar jaunt from the start. The profusion of worlds and the shared momentum convey a cosmic adventure more playful still. Sparkling and warm, it promises vertigo and smiles.
Is Super Mario Galaxy 2 still worth playing in 2026?
Released in 2010 on Wii, Nintendo's project pushes the gravitational formula of the first Galaxy toward even higher density and creativity, concentrating the adventure on a string of galaxies overflowing with new ideas. The return of Yoshi, whose tongue and transformations renew the exploration, and a level design of wild inventiveness make for a peak of the genre. The difficulty, better measured and steeper than in the first, rewards mastery. The less narrative structure divides nostalgics. A masterpiece of the platforming game, recommended for any fan of the genre seeking excellence.
