How do you follow up a game like Mario Galaxy? Well, with its direct sequel, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Nintendo refined and expanded upon the original’s outrageous gravity-based gameplay. The result is one of the finest 3D platformers of all time; one that constantly pushes you down surprising and thrilling new paths. After its exclusion from Super Mario 3D All-Stars, Galaxy 2 is finally available on Switch, and it’s never looked better.

Nintendo’s decision to create a Galaxy sequel was so it could implement a variety of unused gameplay features. As such, many aspects of the game feel familiar. The visuals, the audio, and the way in which you control Mario are all very similar. But Galaxy 2 more than justifies its existence with some of the most ridiculous galaxies yet.

Standouts include: Supermassive Galaxy, where the size of your enemies is blown up to absurd proportions; Haunty Halls Galaxy, where Mattermouths chomp away at the surface of moving platforms; and Throwback Galaxy, a faithful remake of Whomp’s Fortress from Super Mario 64. If the first game was a proof of concept, Galaxy 2 pushes the limits of creativity to the extreme. It’s marvellous stuff.

Perhaps the biggest addition, of course, comes with Yoshi. Mario’s trusted sidekick adds a new layer to the gameplay, allowing you to gobble up items and enemies with the on-screen pointer, swing from floating flowers to gain height, and obtain temporary power-ups. These include the ability to run at high speeds and blow up like a balloon to float up into the sky. It’s as hilarious as it is useful.

Mario himself also benefits from a few new power-ups. In addition to the existing abilities carried over from Galaxy 1, you now also have Cloud Mario (which lets you create your own platforms), Rock Mario (transforms you into a rolling boulder), and Spin Drill (lets you dig through the ground and smash into the underbellies of your enemies). None of them outstay their welcome, and they all feel intuitive to control.

In terms of structure, Galaxy 2 still has a hub world, but it’s now a spacecraft shaped like Mario’s head, and all of the levels are accessed via a single overworld split into seven main sections. Starship Mario includes its own engine room, and it's here you’ll find a new storybook added just for this Switch release. Much like the added content in the first game, it’s superfluous stuff, but it made for a pleasing and surprisingly emotional read.

Galaxy 2 on Switch includes the same additions as the first game. It introduces Assist Mode to give newcomers a leg up, and if you're playing co-op, Player Two can use the mouse controls on Switch 2. It also suffers from the same quirks: the gyro controls, although perfectly serviceable, never feel quite as good as the original Wii controls, though some of the camera issues in the original perhaps aren’t quite as prevalent here.

Overall? Galaxy 2 is 3D Mario at its peak, and it’s a must-play.