Hidden star
Ply Hightail Falls’ hungry Luma with coins and he whisks Mario to a fist-eatingly tough crate-smash challenge. Gearmo (the robot chap from the original) hosts the game, asking you to burn crates with a fire flower in a maliciously brief time. Worth it for a bonus star.
Hub world
Galaxy 2 dumps star observatories for old-fashioned world maps explored with the Starship Mario. The thinking echoes New Super Mario Bros’: cut to the action and don’t obstruct progress. Good news: no more toing and froing trying to find the next comet star. Bad news: less time between game overs. Swings and roundabouts, readers.
Joint show-offs
If you found Mario smug when he grabbed a star, wait until he and Yoshi do it together. Performing a synchronised spin and victorious air punch, they givePosh and Becksa run for their money in the smug-o-couple stakes.
Kicking giant goombas
Exactly what it sounds like. Though the size of bungalows, Supermassive Galaxy’s Goombas still answer to Mario’s boot. Spin attack and Mario can kick these dazed goliaths into next week. Well, into two days from now, at least.
Koopa shells
It’s the little touches that make Galaxy. When Mario seizes an underwater Koopa shell it now comes with tiny brake lights when he slows down with Z. Bless.
Light yoshi
Let Mario’s dino chum eat a Bulb Berry in Haunty Halls Galaxy and he lights up. In this state he’ll illuminate platforms in the otherwise pitch black landscape. As the fruit wears off, the glow dims and the platforms vanish into the darkness. Precarious stuff.
Luigi
According to new info just released on the official Japanese site, the green machine Luigi is also returning for this galactic sequel.
Luma Shops
Selling 1-Ups and power mushrooms, these merchants were shrugged off by most of us in the first game. This time around they’re far more of a regular presence. What with Miyamoto’s new penchant for handing you your ass, you’d best set up a tab.
Mario’s head
AKA Starship Mario. Galaxy 1’s high review scores have gone to his head – the vain bugger has now got a ship in his own image. It’s a sandbox-y hub, gradually populated with powerups as Mario finds them in-game. Experiment with moves here or talk to Lumas for 1-Ups. Better get your gab on. You’ll need them.
Mayan influences
One stage, a stone wall dotted with rotating sections, has an almost Aztec/Mayan design. Even playing the early preview build, we were struck by the variety of stages, borrowing everything from Niagara Falls to medieval castles.
Mid-way flags
Galaxy nannied us with regular checkpoints. Galaxy 2 fires the nanny and sends you to bed without any supper. Mario now needs to hit flags – as in NSMB Wii – to save. Between these, the slightly more linear levels and the difficulty hike, Galaxy 2 feels far closer to a 2D Mario than any previous 3D outing.
