Although it’s difficult to choose, I would have to say that Intelligent Systems is one of my favorite development groups. It seems as though nearly everything that comes out of them is either pleasantly unique or highly polished (or both). Their diverse selection of franchises includes Metroid, Advance Wars, Fire Emblem, WarioWare, and, of course, the Paper Mario series.

This is a difficult review to write. It’s a strange thing when you have been gaming for twenty-two years, nestled comfortably within your relatively static range of preconceptions of the quality and creativity of each new title, and then, suddenly, one game comes along and shatters even your most basic notions. It’s a bit intimidating to try and define a game that itself redefines the concept of a genre. Rarely does a high-profile title meet, and exceed, all expectations set by the astronomical hype that predates it. My friends, Super Mario Galaxy is that game.