You can argue that this is a better video game than the first Galaxy, but it does not beat the first one as an experience.

For a while I'd think back to some levels and forget which Galaxy game they were in. Oh yeah whomp's fortress was in this game? There's a lot of great ones that blur together. I think there's a wider array of levels than aren't as deep as Galaxy 1. Nice new power ups though and who doesn't love throwing Yoshi in the mix?

The main example of "video game vs. experience" that comes to mind is the boss rush galaxy near the end. That's the whole gimmick of the level, nothing organic feeling that'd you'd stumble upon in space like all of the first game. It's there to serve its video game purpose, not to bring you closer to the center of the universe.

Despite the story being Miyamoto-fied, still an all time masterpiece.

I've heard that one of the reasons Galaxy 2 happened was because Nintendo had so many ideas they couldn't fit it all into one game. If true, I can see why. This game offers everything the first did: superb control, whimsical soundtrack & many more bizarre & creative locales to sink your exploration teeth into. It even adds Yoshi, which is always a plus, especially considering all his new abilities in this game. There's a few very minor missteps, like a not-as-memorable hub world, but I'd pretty much be nitpicking beyond that. Great game.

"One more small step for Nintendo, yet another fun leap for Mario."

Of all the 3D Marios to get a sequel, this one was a welcome surprise. More of the same stuff from the OG , but with many fun level concepts, Yoshi, and some really cool powerups. I actually appreciate the more broadened approach to this game and the fantastic vision really means a lot to me, than simply opting for a bigger hub. Both Galaxy games are tied for my favorite 3D Mario platformers of all time, launching themselves straight into my number 1 spot. No amount of Gravity is gonna bring these down for me regardless.