Super Mario Galaxy Impressions
Finally started this last night. Not going to be long about it, because I want to go play it more.
Even though I've played it for a few hours, I still don't completely have the hang of it. It really does bring to mind early times playing Super Mario 64. In that case, 3D platforming was completely new to me, and I remember saying to myself things like "Boy, it'll take a LONG time until I'm as familiar with this as with Super Mario World." I feel like this now. 3D platforming is old hat, but not like this. Getting used to walking around spherical planets, timing jumps on them, seeing Mario occasionally walk around upside down... this will take some geting used to!
Already there have been plenty of "Oh!" moments, though, where some particular trick has impressed me. Seeing a giant black hole through the background of a level, then eventually finding it's used to give normal old-school flat gravity to a non-spherical section above it. Finding a star in the middle of a group of pull points, so I have to switch which one is grabbing Mario in mid-pull to direct him towards the center. An area inside of a pill shaped planet where gravity changes direction depending on whether the background where you're standing has up arrows or down arrows, and having to make a big jump at one point to reach a gravity flipping point. Running around collecting a series of objects in a line, and getting a note of the "Super Mario Bros. underground" music after touching each. A level with rotating/scrolling floors with holes in them presenting a great running/jumping challenge, using updated music from Super Mario Bros. 3. And I don't even have 10 stars yet!