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The music ranges from great to amazing, without a false note to be heard. The orchestrated themes are as vast and majestic as befits a game that spans the universe, and the sly interweaving of dynamic sound and classic motifs creates a soundscape that is quintessentially Mario yet uncharacteristically sophisticated.
Galaxy demonstrates the difference between a good game and a great game: attention to detail and reliable, consistent game rules. The worlds you'll visit in the course of collecting the game's 120 Stars frequently challenge the assumptions you take for granted when you play a platformer, but the new rules that come into play always operate consistently within their context. There are no "gotcha" moments, no cheap sections of memorization, even in the most challenging special stages. Intuition, logic, and reactions will win the day. Excellent reactions, mind you -- Galaxy is unforgiving at times, like the best classic Mario games. Anyone can beat Galaxy with enough persistence, but complete mastery of the game demands genuine skill.
And those who like to "break" games or perfect speed runs will find much to love in Mario's huge repertoire of skills, power-ups, and tantalizing, just-out-of-reach platforms -- which simply beg for mastery and exploitation. Galaxy channels the spirit of Super Mario Bros. 3 in many ways -- the bite-sized stages, the vast array of specialized power-ups, the airships -- but none are as remarkable as its exhilarating sense of freedom.
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In short, Galaxy is one of the most impressive, engrossing games in recent memory -- and quite the contrast to the rest of this year's triple-A gaming crop, which tends toward the dark, the M-rated, and the first-person perspective. Gaming may be growing up (per se), but gamers will always appreciate beautifully polished gameplay and inventive design...even if it's sugarcoated with squeaky baby stars and a goofy cartoon of a hero. Galaxy proves that Mario matters just as much today as he did 25 years ago, and that makes him one of a kind in this medium. But don't play Galaxy simply because Mario is the timeless godfather of gaming. No, play Galaxy because it's fantastic.
9.5/10 and the game looks like it will be a blast.
http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3164124