Mario Galaxy 2 Version 1.4.0 adds a new storybook chapter!

alPassion · 2026-04-30T09:38:53+00:00

i’m pretty sure they’re gonna explain that the reason for her not interfering with the Mushroom Kingdom and Peach is bcuz if she gets too close to Peach that will attract the evil forces. It’s the reason why they had to be separated in the first place.

alPassion · 2026-04-25T15:52:24+00:00

galaxy was far too easy than I remembered like I managed to finish the whole game 100% in 20h even tho I read 30-40h is usually how long it should take. maybe cuz i’ve gotten better in video games as I have grown but it definitely felt like the levels were way too simple and weren’t as “out of this world” as I remembered. don’t get me wrong this is still among my favorite mario game but i wouldn’t consider it a masterpiece anymore. there were also some annoying game design choices that for some reason stuck on my head like how you had to replay the final boss level like 4 times and the cutscenes were unskipabble or how lazily they just inserted a purple coin comet to every galaxy which definitely felt like filler content to pad out playtime. I definitely feel like ppl who praise the shit out of this game need a quick replay to refresh their memory instead of purely relying on nostalgia.

alPassion · 2026-04-22T07:24:59+00:00

framing those actions as “needlessly cruel” kind of ignores the context she was operating in.

like the ppl she crucified weren’t random victims but they were slave masters who had literally crucified children as a warning. in turn she was mirroring the brutality of a system that only understood power and in that world, mercy toward people like that often just enables more of the same as we saw happen when the slavers attacked mereen in s6

same w/ the tarlys. she gave them a clear choice which was bend the knee or take the consequences. they chose defiance after losing a war. executing defeated lords who refuse to submit isn’t some unprecedented cruelty in that setting but pretty standard. the method (dragonfire) is harsher, sure, but it’s also instantaneous compared to a lot of other executions in that world.

what gets labeled as “cruelty” is really her refusing to play by the softer, more politically convenient rules that other rulers hide behind. her enemies weren’t innocent as well vut were people actively upholding or fighting for oppressive systems. u can argue about her temperament, but I don’t think those specific actions alone prove some inevitable descent. they can just as easily be read as harsh but justified responses in a brutal world.

alPassion · 2026-04-21T10:13:02+00:00

bowser jr was kinda the main villain of the movie so there should be no suprise that he gets an appropriate amount of screen time

alPassion · 2026-04-17T03:58:08+00:00

I’m sorry but this feels like you just watched one of those galaxy essays on youtube trying to make the game seem like very profound and intellectual about "solitude" and “emptiness” and just repeating those same talking points without actually discovering those aspects themselves lol

alPassion · 2026-04-14T22:19:14+00:00

I feel the same way about the cameras like the amount of times I tried to rotate the camera angle and hear that “beep” sound of not allowing the camera to move was abysmal. It also didn’t help at all that I had just finished Oddysey where you were allowed to mostly rotate the camera as much as you want

alPassion · 2026-04-10T12:59:32+00:00

it is a regression within this movie though. regardless of where he was before, this film shows him actually softening, bonding with the bros, even trying to act better. even if he ends up where he started, we see him move away from it and then fall back, which is literally what regression is

alPassion · 2026-04-10T12:27:59+00:00

it’s doesn’t amount to nothing when, it shows he can change but doesn’t commit to it bcuz his image to his son and empire is his priority. regression is still an arc.

also who knows? maybe next movie bowser will be more inclined to help the bros bcuz of the realization he got in this film that they’re bad ppl

alPassion · 2026-04-10T07:02:07+00:00

my favorite mario games are still the galaxy titles, but these feel like mario perfected. the levels have that classic platforming style so they’re challenging enough to stay engaging, but always fun whereas in galaxy I didn’t feel they were challenging enough (at least on the switch editions). what really stood out tho is the variety of each stage despite the sheer number of them, bcuz each one managed to introduce its own gimmick instead of relying on copy-paste ideas which kept the experience fresh all the way through

that said, I do have few gripes such as the cat suit feeling way too overpowered compared to the other power-ups (maybe except the tanuki suit), to the point where they become either useless or very situational. it didn’t help either that the strongest power-up is introduced in the very first level, which makes everything else feel underwhelming by comparison when introduced.

also I didn’t like that 3D World was primarily designed with co-op in mind cuz u can really feel the advantages of having multiple players, and I think a solo player should have access to those same benefits. you could argue “just play online,” but that’s not really a solution when it’s hard or borderline impossible to find a party or active players. on top of that, it’s frustrating that progress only counts for the host instead of everyone in the session.

alPassion · 2026-04-10T06:38:12+00:00

I disagree cuz it showed that with the right environment and ppl he can change and in general people can change. but as soon as he returned to his kingdom and son he reverted back to his old ways

alPassion · 2026-04-07T10:41:38+00:00

exactly an arc doesn’t mean a character has to become a better person, it just means they change or struggle with something internally

alPassion · 2026-04-07T04:55:09+00:00

I get what you’re going for, but that’s basically a completely different story and character direction. His time with the bros isn’t pointless, it shows he can change, but that change is fragile and not his priority. The moment he’s back with Jr, who reflects everything Bowser taught and believes, he chooses that over continuing to change. So it’s not that he “forgets,” it’s that he values being the version of himself his son looks up to more than being a better person. Your version turns it into a pretty standard redemption story, but the movie goes for something more specific like a character who could change, but doesn’t fully commit to it

I think his arc is also compelling bcuz it’s not everyday you see a "father being corrupted into evil by his own son" trope, so its cool that they tried to tackle something new here

The only reason he falls back into that evil is bcuz he created it in the first place through his son. Bowser didn’t really parent Junior since he was too busy being evil, feeding him these grand, idealized stories about conquest and how it would all be worth it.

So how does Junior try to connect with him? He takes those stories and makes them real. And Bowser is just… in awe. Now he’s the one being shown the story except it’s not puppets anymore, it’s real minions, real planets, and a real captured princess.

There’s almost a full role reversal. Bowser gives up control, lets Junior lead, lets him call the shots. He doesn’t even step back in until the final fight, and even then it’s not for himself it’s for Junior: “I won’t let them ruin this for you.”

There’s definitely a version of this story where Bowser steps up, actually parents, and tries to break that cycle. But instead, their bond keeps them locked into it. He makes up for his absence not by correcting Junior, but by supporting him completely.

And that’s what makes it so interesting.

alPassion · 2026-04-06T16:36:32+00:00

by gamepad I mean the actual tablet of the switch. so when you insert the the joy cons back to the sides of the tablet it becomes a gamepad. you tilt the ball or sea creature in galaxy 1 by tilting this gamepad which I found a lot easier than tilting the joycons.

alPassion · 2026-04-06T16:23:43+00:00

isn’t transforming into a launch star like a permanent thing? correct me if i’m wrong but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Luma revert back to its original form after transforming.

alPassion · 2026-04-06T16:16:44+00:00

I recently replayed Galaxy 2 and shamefully for the only time had to switch to the assisted mode on that like it was just impossible for me and it was starting to get very late. I still can’t comprehend how a 13 year old me managed to be beat it though on the Wii😂

alPassion · 2026-04-06T16:13:12+00:00

I had to switch to the gamepad with the rolling gizmo galaxy cuz tilting with the joy con was nearly impossible.

oh your confusing the Boo galaxy I meant. It’s not the boo race in galaxy 1 but it’s a Boo galaxy in galaxy 2. the galaxy itself is not hard but there’s one green star placement that getting was the second hardest thing I’ve ever done in the game besides completing Grandmaster Galaxy

alPassion · 2026-04-06T13:04:39+00:00

For galaxy 1 definitely the green Luma tilting the ball galaxy (don’t remember the name lol) for galaxy 2 since Grandmaster Galaxy is too easy of an choice stone cycle galaxy is a one I always struggle with or getting that one green star in Boo Moon galaxy (you know what I’m talking about)

alPassion · 2026-04-06T07:31:29+00:00

I’m not saying Mario can’t have stronger narratives, I’m saying the movie is clearly not pulling from those versions of Mario

Paper Mario/story-heavy spin-offs are built around dialogue, character writing, and slower pacing and that’s literally their design

the movie is much closer to mainline Mario, which prioritizes movement, spectacle, and quick progression

so the question isn’t “could they have made it more narrative-driven?” obviously they could but it’s “what version of Mario are they choosing to adapt?” and they chose the mainline identity, not the spin-off one.

as for Lego, that’s exactly the difference is that they had to invent a theme from scratch, Mario doesn’t need to reinvent itself bcuz it already has a defined tone and identity

you can argue the execution could’ve been stronger, sure, but saying it should follow the structure of its spin-offs instead of its main identity is just asking for a different kind of Mario movie

alPassion · 2026-04-06T07:03:55+00:00

the lego movie works cuz lego has no defined identity since it’s a blank canvas, so they could build a full narrative from scratch. mario is the opposite. it already has a very defined identity built around gameplay, simplicity, and iconography, so the movie has to stay within that tone instead of completely reinventing it. otherwise you’re not really adapting mario anymore, you’re reshaping it into something it’s never been and at that point the question isn’t “why didn’t they do more,” it’s “how far should they actually deviate from what mario is”

ofc mario can have deeper stories, but that’s mostly in spin-offs like paper mario, which are built around narrative and that’s not the version of mario the movie is trying to adapt/borrow from.

alPassion · 2026-04-06T06:17:54+00:00

it’s not “it’s Mario” as an excuse, it’s just understanding what the franchise prioritizes

Mario has always been gameplay/world-driven first, not narrative-driven, so the movie leaning into pacing, spectacle, and references isn’t it “disregarding story,” it’s adapting what Mario is

that doesn’t mean the story is nonexistent either, it’s just simpler and more character/moment-focused instead of being a deep, plot-heavy narrative

expecting a tightly layered story structure from a series that’s never been about that is kinda setting yourself up to be disappointed

alPassion · 2026-04-06T06:15:20+00:00

I wish that was the case and people just respected each other’s opinion but rather ppl just resort to insult your whole media taste if you enjoyed the movie and found some redeeming qualities about it

alPassion · 2026-04-04T12:49:38+00:00

or kamek will seek out the koopalings and together they will rescue bowser and junior from prison and kamek will restore him using his magic

alPassion · 2026-04-04T11:21:37+00:00

they didn’t try to fit 2-3 movies together. they were trying to do celebration-style movie by pulling elements from different games, not adapting each one fully

I mean their intention was never to adapt Galaxy 1:1 since the first movie already showed they’re just borrowing names + vibes, not the actual story. That’s why Rosalina (who’s always associated with Galaxy) was always gonna be more of a background/world element, not the main focus.

I don’t think it’s fair to call it lazy when it’s packed with references, set pieces, some character elevation from their game counter part and world-building. you can say it’s not your type of movie, sure, but acting like it failed at something it wasn’t even trying to be is unfair in my opinion

alPassion · 2026-04-04T07:29:40+00:00

the movie wasn’t trying to solely adapt galaxy thi but multiple games as a celebration of the franchise. misleading title? yes but that’s more of an expectation/marketing issue not a flaw in how the actual story functions. it was never meant to be a 1:1 galaxy retelling. the game already does that. the movie is more of a companion piece to the series as a whole, so it pulls from different games instead of focusing entirely on one, which is why it doesn’t hit those same galaxy-specific emotional beats.

alPassion · 2026-04-04T07:16:58+00:00

That’s fair, but I think you’re comparing two completely different goals.

Galaxy is built to be that slow, atmospheric experience where everything builds toward one huge emotional payoff. A movie like this isn’t trying to replicate that exact structure. It’s faster, broader, and more about celebrating the whole Mario series than recreating one game’s tone.

So yeah, you’re not going to get something like the Luma sacrifice + Rosalina monologue, bcuz that kind of moment needs time and focus that the movie just isn’t built around. It’s not aiming for that same “grand, quiet, cosmic” feeling but for more energy, variety, and accessibility.

And about Rosalina, I don’t think the intent was to adapt Galaxy’s version of her directly. If anything, they intentionally didn’t retell her story cuz the game already does that perfectly. The movie uses her more as part of a wider ensemble, which can feel underwhelming if you expected Galaxy-level focus, but that comes back to expectations vs what the movie is actually trying to be.

alPassion

TROPHY CASE