Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Nintendo; Wii; rated everyone)

Beyond its great artwork, outstanding music, and ingenious level design—and the stardust that encircles the highly anticipated Nintendo Wii release—Super Mario Galaxy 2 is astonishing in the pure amount of new activity it provides the player. But even more mind-boggling is that it’s all perfectly integrated. Not one of its new mechanics (you know what that means: new suits!) or power-ups feel like they were just thrown in there.

For instance, I can’t describe, nor fully believe how happy it made me to discover that I could use the Wii remote pointer as an aim/lock-on/trigger for Yoshi’s tongue. I don’t even like Yoshi. He’s a dinosaur—why the hell is he wearing boots?

But the point is said tongue mechanic is utilized for the gobbling of power-up fruits, and as a new mode of slingshot travel through specially designed Yoshi levels (about which I won’t be specific, as I don’t want to spoil anything in this one). That’s integration.

Now, generally, a good video game keeps you engaged well past the point where you’ve figured out how it works, and are able to predict what’s more than likely around the next corner.

But that point never arrives in Galaxy 2; it seldom presents you with the same thing twice or for very long; you never “master” it.

My time with the game reminds me that its predecessor, 2007’s Super Mario Galaxy shared this characteristic—it was also one big, impressive whoosh experience, with everything sort of blended together, and constant wonder and discovery replaced “figuring it out”.

Now, this can be a boon (think of all the times you’ve read, “This one is better described as an experience, than just a game”) or a bane. A game that throws something new at players every two minutes may deny them a potentially rewarding “learn-perfect-optimize” process.

I think it all depends. When a platformer sucks, its more repetitive elements are “stale and predictable”, but if it’s good, we call them “platforming staples”. Or retro. Similarly, constantly switching things up can either be “bold experimentation” or “muddled and noncommittal”.

By the way, don’t worry; Galaxy 2 has time attacks and score-based challenges as well. But it’s designed to keep you moving, not dwelling on a specific challenge all day.

Despite the fact it iterates heavily on its predecessor (it was originally conceived, by Mario godfather Shigeru Miyamoto, as “Super Mario Galaxy 1.5”), Super Mario Galaxy 2 doesn’t bore, frustrate, or coast—not once. Its emphasis on experimentation, in lieu of mastery, may be its great strength. But other virtues definitely aren’t hurting its case: for instance, terrific design, by the best in the business. It just feels so good to solve a puzzle, or uncover a new area, or beat a boss.

I implore you (that’s right, implore) to find a rough spot, or anywhere at all where they got lazy with an animation or sound effect. This may be Nintendo’s perfect game.

Chris Vandergaag is a Vancouver-based freelancer. When he's not gaming, writing, or forwarding links of questionable moral repute, he's asleep.