I have to admit, prior to this review, it’s been a while since I played either Super Mario Galaxy or Galaxy 2. I dabbled a bit in the first entry in Super Mario 3D All-Stars, but I spent the majority of my time there playing Mario Sunshine (still my ‘favourite’ of the 3D entries – blame nostalgia, I guess) before getting sidetracked by other games.

So in the time since I last properly ventured into the great beyond with my favourite plumber, I’ve experienced a plethora of genuinely incredible 3D platformers like Astro Bot, Crash Bandicoot 4, Donkey Kong Bananza, and of course, Super Mario Odyssey. Jumping back into Galaxy and Galaxy 2 on Switch 2, two things became apparent: first, a few minor technical hiccups with the games are perhaps more noticeable now than they were 15 years ago; and second, they still represent 3D Mario at its absolute peak.

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Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)

These games are Nintendo’s crowning achievement. They’re bursting with creativity to a degree I’ve not seen elsewhere before or since. Whether you’re skating across a frozen lake against a backdrop of stars and a beautiful piano melody, or ground-pounding a bloomin’ meteor into a giant floating Bowser accompanied by the most bombastic orchestral track imaginable, this pair provides experiences that will stick with you forever. They’re simply that impactful.

They've never looked as beautiful as they do here, either. Not only do you get to enjoy them at up to 4K in docked mode and 1080p in handheld, but many textures have been updated to take advantage of those crisper resolutions. There’s nothing here that’s comparable to the upgrades seen in, say, Metroid Prime Remastered, and it’s possible you might not immediately register the changes, but many environmental assets in particular look much more detailed.

The UI is also cleaner, with an altered font and slightly smaller icons. The version of Galaxy 1 included in 3D All-Stars did the bare minimum, but Nintendo has finally given both games the love that they deserve, and they look glorious.

In addition to the enhanced visuals, these releases also feature several gameplay additions. ‘Co-Star Mode’ makes a welcome return for those who wish to bring a friend on board to help gather Star Bits or defeat enemies. Player Two waggles their Joy-Con about to move the onscreen cursor, but if you’re on Switch 2, you can also use the console’s mouse functionality, and it works wonderfully. Chances are you’ll play both games solo, but it’s a nice little extra regardless.

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Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)

Taking inspiration from Odyssey, both games also feature ‘Assist Mode’ to help out newcomers or really anyone who needs a bit of a leg up. This automatically doubles available health, and you can even nullify damage by standing still to regain it. Finally, if you happen to fall off a ledge, a bubble will encircle Mario and bring him safely back to land. Galaxy 2 in particular can be pretty tricky, so it may prove useful.

For those interested in Galaxy’s in-game storybook, the first entry has a brand-new chapter. In addition, a completely fresh storybook has been added to Galaxy 2, with its own new accompanying music. I won’t go into detail, but they’re fun, albeit inconsequential additions that I enjoyed reading.

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Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)

And finally, amiibo are supported, though you’d be hard-pressed to find a scenario in which they actually prove useful. I don’t have many, granted, but every amiibo I tapped into the game yielded about three Star Bits. Pretty useless, then. There are, however, two Mario Galaxy amiibo coming on 2nd April 2026 (yeah, only 182 days after the games launch!) - the Mario & Luma amiibo provides a health boost, while Rosalina grants a 1-Up mushroom.

As for the general controls, if you’ve played 3D All-Stars, then you’ll know roughly what to expect. Naturally, you can't use a Wii Sensor Bar on Switch, so gyro is used for collecting Star Bits and executing the Spin Attack (though you can also just tap ‘Y’ for this). It’s undoubtedly the most sensible solution, but it’s still not ideal; you’ll find yourself frequently tapping ‘R’ to recentre the pointer, and if you’re using a Pro Controller, twisting and turning it constantly feels somewhat awkward. Using the Joy-Con separately is the best way to play in docked mode.

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Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)

In handheld mode, you can use the touchscreen, but gyro control (for the pointer) is also available, which was missing from 3D All-Stars. Waggling the console around to collect Star Bits can sometimes feel a bit weird, and again, you’ll be resetting the cursor with ‘R’ constantly. The sensitivity feels about right, though, so relatively small movements yield big results. Regardless, let’s just say you probably won’t find me playing these games on public transport.

Otherwise, Mario feels just as natural to control as ever. You could argue that Nintendo pushed the movement fluidity even further with Odyssey, but whether you’re hopping around on a series of tiny planets or swinging from flowers atop Yoshi’s back, it never feels any less than exhilarating. Mario Sunshine rightly garnered some criticism for its twitchy, unpredictable movement, but the Galaxy games struck the perfect balance, taking everything that worked so well in Mario 64 and polishing it to a mirror sheen.

As for the games themselves, if you’ve somehow never played either before, then it’s worth knowing roughly what each entails. The first — you'll be shocked to hear — sees the dastardly Bowser kidnap Peach (along with her entire castle) before blasting Mario off into the far reaches of space. Our hero meets Rosalina and the Lumas, and must travel to a host of galaxies to collect enough stars to reach Peach and defeat Bowser. It’s standard stuff, but Rosalina's introduction is significant, with the character making multiple appearances in subsequent games and becoming a fan favourite. It's also worth adding here that if you also own Galaxy via 3D All-Stars, you can't transfer your save over to this new version.

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Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)

In Galaxy 2, the setup remains roughly the same, with newcomer Lubba taking over Rosalina’s role as leader of the Lumas. Here, you travel between galaxies via Starship Mario, a delightful little fortress fashioned after the plumber’s head. Neither game provides a particularly captivating story (though the storybooks do a good job at fleshing things out), but this really doesn’t matter one iota – the gameplay more than makes up for any narrative shortcomings.

Indeed, the real draw of both games is the galaxies themselves, with standouts including SpaceJunk Galaxy (oh man, the music!), Throwback Galaxy (a Mario 64 recreation, are you kidding me?!), and Toy Time Galaxy (giant Mecha Bowser – need I say more?). I also adore Bowser's levels, which include an awesome rendition of his classic theme from Mario 64 before ending with spectacular boss encounters that feel genuinely epic.

Sending Mario into space sounds ridiculous on paper, but it really was a stroke of genius. The way the games subvert expectations around how a 3D platformer should function is marvellous. Gravity plays tricks at every turn, and there are countless moments where you think you might fall into the abyss only to flip upside down and land on the underbelly of a teeny, tiny planet. It’s utterly absurd, but it just works.

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Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)

The only caveat is that sudden changes in camera angles can occasionally mess with your directional inputs; you need to release the left stick entirely and let things recentre before continuing.

The absurdity is really what makes these games so special. They go places and do things that aren’t possible elsewhere, even in the mighty Mario Odyssey. Most games are tied to the limitations of their worlds, but going into space gave Nintendo licence to break the rules and create scenarios that stretch the absolute limits of creativity. There’s nothing else quite like it. One moment you'll be buzzing around and climbing a wall of honey with the Bee Mario power-up in Honeyhive Galaxy, and the next you'll be flipping up and down as the gravity shifts in time with the funky music in Upside Dizzy Galaxy.

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Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)

I mentioned one power-up there, but both games include several awesome transformations that completely turn the gameplay on its head, and they're all wonderful. If you want, you can also swap over to Luigi in both games after meeting certain criteria; a lovely little bonus for fans of Green 'Stache.

Which brings me to the price. You’re looking at $39.99 / £33.99 for each game separately, or $69.99 / £58.99 for the bundle. That’s a lot of money, no question about it. I can understand why folks have gotten up in arms about it, but it's hard to deny the quality of the "content" and "value" here; Galaxy and Galaxy 2 are two of the greatest platformers of all time that, if you’re playing on Switch 2, run at native 4K while docked. Even if you’re on Switch 1, you’re still going to benefit from a whole bunch of upgraded textures that make the games look better than ever.

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Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)

Should they be cheaper simply because they’re ‘old’? I don’t know. It’s a tough scenario, and ultimately, I wouldn’t begrudge anyone for skipping these releases if you already own them on the Wii. What I can say with absolute certainty, however, is that if you do pick them up on Switch, you’ll be treating yourself to 40 hours+ of borderline perfect video gaming.

Conclusion

There’s no question about it: Super Mario Galaxy and Galaxy 2 are two of the most sublime games ever created. With gameplay that subverts expectations and scenarios that wouldn’t be possible if not for the creative freedom of the cosmos, they represent the Mario series at its absolute best. They look better than ever, boast small yet welcome additions, and expand upon the narrative with new storybook pages.

Gyro aiming simply isn’t as effective as the Wii pointer, however, and you’ll be recentring the onscreen cursor a lot. Very minor issues with the camera are also a bit more noticeable now than they were 15 years ago, but the fact that Nintendo managed to pull off some utterly ridiculous sequences without the camera going haywire remains a remarkable feat. These games command a high price on Switch, to be sure, but you’ll be playing them for the rest of your life.

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