'Super Mario Galaxy 2' Ranked Among 'Best Video Games of All Time'

When a game reaches huge levels of popularity, sequels almost become inevitable. Studios will try to recapture the magic of their hit game while expanding the world in brave new directions, and the results are typically disappointing.

There are exceptions to the rule, but video game sequels rarely manage to live up to the expectations placed upon them by great games that simply had the advantage of coming first.

Super Mario Galaxy 2, however, overcame those odds. Released just three years after the first game (and onto the same console), this sequel took everything that worked about the original and amplified it with creative new ideas and improved gameplay mechanics.

The story remained much the same, with Mario traveling through space to different planets to platform his way to safety and eventually save Princess Peach from the clutches of Bowser. The decision to have such a simple, familiar story was a major reason for Super Mario Galaxy 2's success, as it didn't feel to overwhelming—and the developers could spend more time making the individual levels more creative and challenging.

The game was originally intended as a deluxe edition of Super Mario Galaxy (which explains the familiar story), but later evolved into a fleshed-out sequel with its own mechanics and updated gameplay.

The game was an immediate success with critics, who viewed it as a worthy successor to an already groundbreaking video game. It was one of the Nintendo Wii's tentpole releases, displaying just how much video game mechanics had advanced throughout the past decade.

There were concerns about the game's lack of story and sharp increase in difficulty, but these were also features that many fans appreciated. The smaller-scale story meant that levels could be longer and more expansive, and the increased difficulty gave players a real challenge.

Today, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is one of the highest-rated games ever on Metacritic, which collates critics' reviews to determine its scores. At 97%, the game has the exact same score as the original Super Mario Galaxy.

Both games have quickly become some of Nintendo's most beloved titles, and they continue to play a role in today's gaming landscape. The games were enhanced and remastered for the Nintendo Switch in 2025, allowing a whole new generation of video game fans to discover two of the most formative titles of the past two decades.