Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2

Super Mario Galaxy + Galaxy 2 on Nintendo Switch are brilliant reminders of how timeless Nintendo’s design can be. Both games still feel magical to play, even years after their Wii debut. Jumping between planets and collecting stars feels as good as ever. It is easy to see why these titles were once considered the peak of 3D platforming.

Unfortunately, Nintendo did not rebuild these games from the ground up, but instead polished and repackaged them. The remaster offers better visuals with higher resolution and a very small portion of new content in the form of storybook chapters. While the art direction was already strong enough, the bump in clarity helps the colors and lighting shine on modern displays. Motion controls return as optional gyro input, and they still work properly, though they can feel slightly imprecise at times.

Gameplay-wise, both titles hold up astonishingly well. Movement is responsive and full of that Nintendo polish we expect from a major release. Even if there are no new galaxies, they remain imaginative and fun. I think it is one of the best Mario games to collect all the stars. Even after so many years, flying from one tiny world to another feels joyful and fresh.

However, when you look at this release from a value standpoint, things become more complicated. These are two Wii-era games with minor technical and content updates, yet they are being sold at nearly the price of a brand-new Switch title. For newcomers, that is an amazing bundle, offering two massive, high-quality adventures with dozens of hours of gameplay. But for returning players who already owned them on Wii, the improvements may not justify the cost unless you are looking for a convenient, portable version. The package feels respectful of the originals, but not celebratory. Nintendo clearly trusted the core experience to stand on its own, and while that is fair, it does make the price tag harder to ignore.

In the end, Super Mario Galaxy + Galaxy 2 remain some of the best 3D platformers ever made, remastered with care but not reinvention. If you have never played them before, this collection is absolutely worth it. For longtime fans, the value depends on how much you crave revisiting these classics in higher resolution. Nintendo has proven once again that they can rely on the brilliance of their design, but they have also reminded us that it comes with a price.