supermariogalaxy
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Time magazine names Halo 3 game of the year
It's time for Time magazine and every other publication to start dropping their "top whatever" lists of the year. Taking the high honor this year from Time in video games for being "a pebble that has been rounded over the centuries by the gentle splashing of the ocean waves" is Halo 3. The magazine notes that Bungie has refined the series to the point of "pure, unadulterated gaming bliss," though we're a little lost when it calls Halo "graphically gorgeous." Still, it's Time -- we're not expecting too much accuracy from the mainstream press when it comes to video games lately.The next two spots on the Time list are held by The Orange Box and Rock Band, with both games getting their spots for presenting a bunch of things in one package. Rounding out the top five are Super Mario Galaxy and BioShock. With any luck, BioShock won't be missing from many mainstream lists just because it came out more than a month ago. Heck, we're hoping it doesn't get forgotten on a lot of industry lists.
Witness Super Mario Galaxy's deepest secrets
Super-super-super long jumps? Homing butt stomps? Freezing enemies with your best friend? All of these strategies are yours for the taking in Super Mario Galaxy! The spoiler-tastic video above shows off some neat tricks and glitches from Mario's latest 3D outing. Some are more useful than others, and at least one reveals one of the game's biggest surprises, so those who haven't completed Galaxy should click with caution.
This Thwomp won't crush you
Wow. Just ... wow. That is an amazing piece of art and to think it is made from just paper. That's the kind of piece we would pay good money for, but lucky us we don't have to. See, the instructions to make our very own Thwomp (Super Mario Galaxy version) are available online. Any of you out there planning on making your own? Any of you successfully make one?[Via Go Nintendo]
WRUP: Getting every last star edition
Yes, we're still knee-deep in Mario's latest outing, despite a strong desire to pick up the latest release chock full of block-stacking. We're so busy what with blogging a lot that we've only had enough time to gather about 30 stars, maybe a few more. All of you out there in Reader Land probably could put us to shame with your own star count.As with every Friday, we're doomed to that question that must be asked: what are you playing? Are you going to be gathering up stars or will you be stacking blocks? Are you planning on playing something else?
Dean Takahashi lists best games for kids
And guess what company is at the top of the thing?Yup, Nintendo ranks pretty high on the list, with Mario's latest outing on the Wii enjoying "top dog" status. Coming in at the bottom of the list is The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass on the DS. The two sandwich in eight titles, mostly for the Wii, including Mario & Sonic at the Olympics and EA Playground.We figured we'd mix Dean's list up a bit and have you all pick your favorite kid-friendly Wii games. What do you think is the best the system has to offer for younger gamers?
Don't look away! It's a Boo Mario cake!
We've managed to abstain from posting about video game-related cakes for a record seven weeks now -- mostly to avoid the hackneyed "The cake is a lie" comments that inevitably follow -- but we're breaking that streak today with this fondant-covered beauty. Chefs John Thai, Zack Ginies, and Lori Diaz baked this Boo Mario together, sprinkling the plate with 1UPs before sending him out to save his imprisoned brother. Isn't he adorable? Shake your Wii remote and float past the post break to see more photos of this haunting dessert. Make sure to avoid the swinging spotlights!
MTV muses on gaming with girlfriends/boyfriends
Sharing is difficult. For those of us blessed with significant others who game, we know this all too well. When games become "ours" instead of "mine" or "yours" how do you go about sharing the gameplay? MTV copy editor Katie Byrne has been thinking about this exact same problem, specifically with reference to her and her boyfriend's shared save file on Super Mario Galaxy.Although things start well with sharing the game -- switching off every other planet, and dividing play-time equally -- the plan goes a bit haywire when she visits home for Thanksgiving, and her beau just keeps on playing... and beats the game without her.Of course, we think the answer is obvious: separate save files for separate people. Single-player games are hard to turn into shared experiences, especially when both parties desire equal play-time. Read about Katie's upsetting experience on gaming with a significant other, and share your own success/horror stories below.
Miyamoto talks Mario
Everytime Miyamoto talks, we listen. The man has some serious clout. And, for good reason, considering that just about every single thing we love about Nintendo can be directly attributed to his efforts at the company. This latest interview is the usual Miyamoto fare, where he comments on just how utterly insane he is (making your own puppets and playing with them?!).The piece focuses mainly on Mario (considering his recent success). His origins, as well as where he has come after all of these years, is discussed with the iconic figure. Oh, and he even takes some time to talk about the horrible movie based (oh-so-loosely) on the gaming property.
GameTrailers compares Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Sunshine
Bad news, friends of the Lumas. After an extra week of reviews, Super Mario Galaxy has slipped to the number two spot on GameRankings, returning a certain ocarina-wielding Hylian to his long-held number one spot.To commemorate the super-duper astroplumber's brief stint as king of all videogames, GameTrailers has whipped up a graphical comparison between Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Sunshine, the last of the home console Mario games. It's common knowledge that the Wii is just two Gamecubes duct taped together, does this mean Galaxy equals two Sunshines? You tell us.
Galaxy back down to #2 in all-time rankings, we burn our copies
Super Mario Galaxy's recent appearance at the top of the Game Rankings all-time pile has come to a swift end. Previously, the Mario romp had former champ The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time pinned against the ropes, thanks to an average review score that was just 0.3% higher than that of Zelda. But the fresh-faced pretender tired, and has now slipped back into second place, thanks to a recent flurry of new reviews. Will the plumber get another shot at the top spot? Barring a sudden deluge of perfect scores, probably not.On another note, it's nice to see the top three can all be played on the Wii.
Super Mario Galaxy soars with 500k units sold in US first week
Nintendo stated Super Mario Galaxy sold a half million units during its first week in the US. According to George "packing up his office" Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vp of marketing, Super Mario Galaxy has the strongest first week sales of any Mario game ever.The critical acclaim would seem to say that Super Mario Galaxy deserves all the sales it's getting. We also know that Galaxy sold 250k units its first week in Japan. Oh Mario, you just know how to print money.
Get Super Mario Galaxy on the cheap come Friday
We apologize for the lack of quality in the above image, but when you take into account the news it brings, the image doesn't really matter. See, if you're the brave type to go out and about on Black Friday, then you might want to hit up your local Circuit City, where Super Mario Galaxy will be available for the discounted price of $34.99.Anyone plan on picking up a copy on the cheap? Maybe as a gift for a friend or loved one this holiday season? Or, maybe you haven't had the dough to get it yourself yet?[Thanks to everyone that sent this in!]
Assassin's Creed tops UK charts
Ubisoft's parkour piece man sim, Assassin's Creed, has scurried to the top of the UK sales charts, bumping off Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare in the process. GamesIndustry.biz reports that the Xbox 360 version gathered 67% of total sales, with the PlayStation 3 edition accounting for 43% 62% the rest. The speedy commercial success also made Altair's anachronistic adventure the fastest-selling new IP since 2002's The Getaway. In other fastest-selling title news, Nintendo's Super Mario Galaxy managed a number five spot, flying off shelves faster than any other Wii title before it. But what of the games in-between the portly plumber and the murderous flag gatherer? The aforementioned Call of Duty 4 wound up in second place, The Simpsons Game in third and WWE Smackdown Vs. Raw 2008 in fourth.
Super Mario Galaxy highest rated game of all time
Despite certain reviews that highlight the game's flaws, Super Mario Galaxy is currently the highest rated game of all time on Game Rankings. The aeronautical plumber surpassed The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time by the skin of his pearly Italian teeth, with an average score of 97.8 percent from 30 reviews to Zelda's 97.6 percent from 31 reviews.While all it would take is one less-than-flattering review to knock the game from its pedestal, we're sure Mario's position on top of the dog pile is enough to give Wii owners and Nintendo fanboys something to gloat about. That is, until M&M's Kart Racing inevitably seizes the throne.[Thanks, Rubang B]
Wii Warm Up: Star search
We expect that most of you are at least several hours deep into Super Mario Galaxy, smiling with each new discovery and throwback detail. The more dedicated among you have delved in much further, biting right into the tootsie pop to feast on its chocolate center like Mr. Owl and his ruthless beak. Our question today: How many stars have you so far collected in Super Mario Galaxy? Are you the shame of your neighborhood, having rounded up only a few in your journey? Or are you on the cusp of attaining all 120? Don't forget that if you're having trouble finding these shiny balls of plasma, you can always turn to Hardcore Gamer Magazine's video guides!
Japanese Club Nintendo members get too-awesome-for-words bonuses
Just look at that. Isn't it glorious? What you're seeing above, folks, is a Wii-compatible SNES pad. Let's say that again, shall we? A Wii-compatible SNES pad. Don't get too worked up though, because unless you're a member of Club Nintendo in Japan, these are off-limits (not that using a SNES pad for your VC games is impossible, but still, this is the real deal).Yep, it's another reason we really should move to Japan. Hit the link below, and you'll see two more: a 2-disc Super Mario Galaxy soundtrack and a Mario desk calendar. All of which are horribly, tortuously unobtainable. Sob.[Thanks Daniel!]
Fanswag: And Super Mario Galaxy goes to ...
The time has come to crown the winner of our latest giveaway and hook them up with possibly the best game that ever existed. And, in the interest of feeling good and being happy, we'd like to say that we're glad to have had the opportunity to present one lucky reader with the title. Without further ado, let's hook up: Josh, who loves the first level of Super Mario World Well, if Josh isn't the luckiest guy! Congratulations, Josh and thanks to the rest of you for entering and, as always, thanks for reading Wii Fanboy!
Stop the presses: Love for Galaxy apparently *not* universal
Here at Wii Fanboy, we like to think we offer ... balanced, objective coverage of Nintendo's world-beating home console. So, just as we'll happily scoff at Super Mario Galaxy bagging a ludicrous 11/10 in one publication, we'll also take time out to archly snigger at the non-specialist press who just don't "get it." Like Variety, for instance. The entertainment industry newspaper has just posted its review of Galaxy, and it's not a favorable one. Naturally, we respect anybody's right to make negative comments about the title -- and plenty of reviewers have done just that already -- but some of Variety's observations do somewhat miss the point. Complaints about poor storytelling are weak enough, given that Mario games have never been designed with compelling narratives in mind. Elsewhere, the game is criticized for graphics that "simply aren't up to par with [those] on the Playstation 3 or Xbox 360," and is also described as "evidence of how bad the Wii is for third-person action games." Which sounds more like a broader statement about the Wii hardware, rather than the game itself.Still, before you begin punching out that rage-filled, vitriolic piece of hate mail Variety's way, your bottom lip trembling and the tears barely dry on your cheeks, judge for yourself and give the review a proper read.And then mail it anyway.[Thanks, Bobby!]
A video guide to the stars
Having trouble getting all the stars you need to advance in Super Mario Galaxy? Hardcore Gamer Magazine has put together a near-complete collection of videos demonstrating the best ways to tackle each stage and earn your stars. This long list of clips takes you all the way from Dino Piranha to the final stage!Sure, watching the tutorials ruins the fun of the game's exploration and figuring stuff out on your own, but we understand that some of you just want to get to the next galaxy to see what's waiting for you over there. If there's a particular group of planets holding you up, look to these videos for help!
Reminder: Your last chance at Super Mario Galaxy
If you're the type of person who's forced to eat Ramen on a regular basis, you've likely been without the funds to engage in Mario's latest, and sure to be GOTY, adventure. It's OK, we've all fallen on our share of tough times. But, there is a light of hope at the end of that tunnel, as you still have less than 12 hours to enter at your chance to win a copy from us. That's right, in case you're snacking on those noodles under a rock, you might've noticed that we're giving a copy of the game away to one lucky reader.So, do yourself a favor and head on over to the contest post and follow the entry rules. One entry per person, though, so if you've already entered, then sit back, relax and think about how awesome it's going to be if you're that lucky somebody.
