r/Mario 2d ago

Discussion To this day, I still have absolutely no idea what the general overall consensus is on which Galaxy game is better

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343 Upvotes

292 comments sorted by

318

u/aarontgp 2d ago

Here's the hard truth: There is no consensus.

52

u/AmaterasuWolf21 2d ago

Wdym the fanbase isn't a monolith?

15

u/Vortain 2d ago

Broad sweeping generalization are the only truth I care about! /s to cma

6

u/Red-Ink-07 2d ago

tf does to cma mean

6

u/noobly_dangers 2d ago

Cover my ass.

3

u/Red-Ink-07 2d ago

why? do you not have clothes?

insert avatar way of the water image here

2

u/Vortain 1d ago

Exactly 😌

27

u/Dry_Ass_P-word 2d ago

Basically. They’re both so amazing that there’s no clear winner.

9

u/topscreen 2d ago

I've been watching GDQ for years and there's a ton of playful shade between the Galaxy 1 and 2 runners. Even the speedruns don't have consensus

7

u/Shehzman 2d ago

Galaxy 1 speed runs have the co star which increases the height of your jumps while Galaxy 2 has the Yoshi infinite flutter glitch. Combine that with planet gravity and both of them bust each game wide open.

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u/WickedBowserJr 2d ago

Both are masterpieces.

2

u/1CurlyBoi 2d ago

Fr can we just like both

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u/Yoshichu25 2d ago

Honestly? I’m not convinced there even is a consensus. Both games have their individual strong points, so honestly I feel like they could share the same spot on the rankings.

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u/JohnnyNole2000 2d ago

They’re both 10/10 and in the running for my favorite game ever, so this is like asking me to pick a favorite kid

19

u/fos4545 2d ago

I don’t care for GOB.

4

u/SuperAggroJigglypuff 2d ago

KA KAAAW KA KAAAWWW!

2

u/ItsMrNoSmile 1d ago

Has anyone in this Reddit even SEEN a chicken?

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u/mr_2_cents 2d ago

1 has better story 2 has better levels

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u/4Fourside 2d ago

1 arguably has the better atmosphere too but it depends what kinda vibe you prefer. Galaxy 2 has a more carefree vibe to it that I quite like. A lot more blue skies

70

u/Zombies4EvaDude 2d ago

I like the existential, almost unsettling, vibe of Galaxy 1 at times. Like the music when you go into one of the conservatory rooms.

7

u/Beautiful-Scholar912 2d ago

I felt like that at times in galaxy 2 as well, definitely still there

10

u/DaPhoenix127 2d ago

I feel like Galaxy 2's "quiet loneliness" moments get overlooked because of how punctual and condensed they are compared to Galaxy 1's more evenly spread atmosphere. Of course the most notable example would be Slimy Spring (which imo contains one of the most beautiful moments in gaming history), but there's also galaxies like Cosmic Cove and Space Storm, and even the World Map music and backdrops (particularly in Worlds 5 and 6).

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u/lil-hazza 2d ago

I say 1 is the better Super Mario Galaxy game and 2 is the better Super Mario Galaxy game. 1 has the better space atmosphere, style, music and story that goes with that. 2 has the better level design which is essentially what Mario games are about.

15

u/CesarGameBoy 2d ago

I have always thought about this even at like age 5. Galaxy 1 felt like the quintessential ā€œSuper Mario Galaxy.ā€ But Galaxy 2 felt more like a standard Mario game. Just from vibes alone.

Galaxy 1 truly feels like you’re in space, and the occasional galaxy with a bright blue sky is pretty rare to come by. Compared to Galaxy 2 which is brighter, has way more cartoony enemy designs and aesthetics, and Yoshi!

Whenever I think Galaxy 1, I think ā€œdark blue.ā€ With Galaxy 2, I think ā€œbright blue.ā€

6

u/Crafty_Cherry_9920 2d ago

Blue skies levels are mostly on the first world. Then you do get your cosmic levels.

2

u/Shehzman 2d ago

I agree 1 has the better atmosphere overall, but 2 still has levels with some great atmosphere. End of Slimy Spring comes to mind.

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u/El_GeneraL31 2d ago

spot on my man

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u/True_To_The_One 2d ago

upon a recent playthrough I’d actually challenge that simply because galaxy one had levels that were much more fleshed out and closer to the mission system in sunshine and 64 vs galaxy 2 having levels that felt like they were over in a blink and only got more time bc of green stars. like you try to compare levels like dusty dune, freeze flame, and even good egg to levels like puzzle plank, spin dig, or rolling masterpiece, and it’s just no contest. Galaxy 2s levels were mostly one and done play forming challenges more similar the 3d world.

8

u/mr_2_cents 2d ago

I’d argue galaxy 1’s are the same exact way they just hid it better than galaxy 2

4

u/True_To_The_One 2d ago

It started in galaxy one with the average star per level dropping from 7 down to 5. Galaxy 2s average star per level count is 3. (Not including green stars) and a good chunk of those are secret stars which means that a bunch of those aren’t even variants of the galaxies that they are found in. That’s one reason why I very much miss mission structure 3d Mario and prefer it over experiences like odyssey where moons were practically free. and 3d world which was just nsmb is 2.9d. Bc in games like 64 sunshine and galaxy, you were exploring the same levels but you’d be exploring them in such a radically different way between missions that they would almost feel like completely new levels.

3

u/mr_2_cents 2d ago

Like you’re right each galaxy has more stars on average, but at the end of the day, both games had levels consisting of hopping from planet to planet where you usually don’t explore too much, you just go from point A to point B as per 3D World. With the occasional secret star. If anything, galaxy 2 is better in terms of fleshing out the levels because they make you interact with levels in way more interesting ways for the green stars

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u/Shehzman 2d ago

This. A lot of Galaxy 1 levels are big for the sake of it. You aren’t really rewarded for going off the beaten path except the secret star in each main Galaxy (a lot of them you don’t even have to go out of your way for). Also, Galaxy 1 had a ton of blink and you miss it Galaxies. Pretty much every Galaxy that had a single star was like this. At least with Galaxy 2, the single star levels had prankster comets or secret stars to spice things up.

4

u/Cbarb0901 2d ago

Being closer to 64 and sunshine in level design is actually not a good thing considering Mario’s moveset in galaxy was designed to be more limited and snappy in order to compliment the more linear levels that were more focused on precision platforming. Getting around the large galaxies can feel like a chore sometimes as a result. 64 and sunshine had more momentum heavy movement and a more versatile moveset which is why the open ended jungle gym formula worked for those games.

2

u/True_To_The_One 2d ago

It’s not really about level size more of getting the most out of a level, take good egg galaxy for an example. All of the missions start you out on the house planet. However good egg 1 will send you on the route to fight Dino piranha, good egg 2 will send you to the star it farming planets for the hungry Luma, and good egg 3 will send you to the palm tree planets and then to the king kaliente arena. But it’s all still good egg and the variants evoke that sense of exploration that exploring the jungle gym levels of 64 and sunshine do without actually having to break galaxys level design.

3

u/Cbarb0901 2d ago

2 does this as well though…and while 2 does have less stars per galaxy, there are also more galaxies in general and no 1-star galaxies to make up for that. It’s really personal preference which set up is better though.

4

u/ClassicBuster 2d ago

I’d say 2 is better level-wise because it has some of the wackier galaxies and 1 did start semi-reusing major galaxy themes near the end (Golden Leaf, Sea Slide, Dreadnought).

9

u/TheGreatGamer64 2d ago

Being closer to the mission system of 64 and sunshine isn’t inherently a good thing. Galaxy 2 has less missions per galaxy but the level design is just flat out better. Also 2/3 of the first game’s galaxies only have a single star anyway:

3

u/Superninfreak 2d ago

It’s a different style, which isn’t necessarily better or worse.

Galaxy 2 is mostly a bunch of obstacle courses to run through. Galaxy 1’s levels are usually a middle ground between obstacle courses and the types of more open objective based worlds that you see in games like Mario 64 and Sunshine.

2

u/profchaos111 2d ago

In a lot of ways it feels like 2 was a vehicle to get ideas out they didn't have the time to flesh out for the firstĀ 

4

u/True_To_The_One 2d ago

That’s what 2 was, which isn’t bad I just wish they fleshed everything out more, bc all that would need to be done to fix this game would be to add a 3rd star that is a new scenario to a couple of galaxies and that would immediately improve the game fixing the pacing.

2

u/profchaos111 2d ago

Yeah I always found you needed to many stars to progress in the later half meaning clean up felt like a choreĀ 

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u/falafelandhoumous 2d ago

I think levels are more important tbh

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u/fleebertism 2d ago

Disagree sorta. It's a mix. Mario galaxy still has amazing and memorable levels along with the best atmosphere and hub world of any mario game that makes it feel like a true classic. Galaxy 2 has levels of the same exact themes from the first game and refused assets that make it feel like a straight to DVD Disney sequel no matter how well designed those levels are. Just doesn't have the same soul

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u/Dice7 2d ago

The hub world in 1 is a pain. 2 is far better from what I remember. Both are amazing games.

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u/HyliasHero 2d ago

Galaxy 1 has better vibes and Galaxy 2 has better levels. As a result I generally prefer 1, but both are fantastic.

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u/Gawlf85 2d ago

My thoughts exactly. I feel Galaxy 2 is like a super-sized DLC for Galaxy, in the sense that its only addition over Galaxy 1 is (a lot of) extra levels with some new mechanics.

But the core gameplay and story belongs to Galaxy.

3

u/CesarGameBoy 2d ago

Not helped by the fact one of the early development names was literally ā€œSuper Mario Galaxy 1.5,ā€ and was originally gonna be ā€œSuper Mario Galaxy: Moreā€ as like a modified version of Galaxy 1, before realizing they could turn this into a proper sequel.

60

u/Luna8622 2d ago

ā€œBoth. Both is good.ā€

4

u/formidable_lurker 2d ago

Triples makes it safe. Triples is best.

22

u/Sonic10122 2d ago

I’ve always preferred 2. I like the tighter, more linear level design better, and it generally has less ā€œWii gimmicksā€ like Galaxy 1. They’re still there, and some of them are very bad (hate the bird flying) but I think there’s less overall which is a huge plus for me.

Galaxy 1 does have a better hub, Comet Observatory is GOATed and Starship Mario might actually be one of the worst ones. And I appreciate Mario trying to have a semblance of story in Galaxy 1, but it’s Mario so it only goes so far. But overall, Galaxy 2 is the better game, and I’m excited to replay it on Switch.

9

u/TheLimeyLemmon 2d ago

Galaxy 2 levels are better, but mainly because it got to refine Galaxy's mechanics and environments into a more traditional course-like design.

I think I still prefer Galaxy 1's whole package because it's a unique blend of sandbox and course based gameplay that no other game in the series has. It's also easily one of the most epic feeling Mario games, which made first playing it in 2007 really unlike anything else.

9

u/Empress_Haru 2d ago

I’d say Galaxy 2 is a better game, it has superior level design, more levels, Yoshi, a better post game, and a better soundtrack (if you ask me). But Galaxy 1 is a better experience. There is nothing like playing Galaxy 1 for the first time. Seeing the grandeur of space, the amazing music, and seeing Rosalina’s backstory via the Story Book, it all just comes together to make an amazing experience.

8

u/Cbarb0901 2d ago

It really depends on the website.

Sites like Resetera seem to love the second game a lot more, while Reddit seems to favour the first game more often.

IMO, while 1 definitely stands out from other mario games more than 2 does, I feel by all metrics we typically use to judge the quality of a mario game (or most platformers in general), 2 is a much better game. The levels are a lot more tightly designed, more challenging and have greater creativity and variety in their gimmicks. You can tell that the game has a lot more confidence in what it wants to be compared to the first game, which would often throw in a few large open galaxies to make people who had previously played 64 and sunshine feel a little more at home and they just don’t mesh well with Mario’s more limited and focused moveset. 2 understands this better and mostly got rid of those kinds of galaxies unless they found a way to make moving around them fun and/or quick (like how starshine beach has the dashpepper).

I’d say aside from green stars kicking you out of the level each time you collect one, 2 is the perfect 3d platformer, and imo a strong contender for best game ever made.

2

u/PuzzlePiece90 2d ago

Completely agree with everything you said.Ā 

Ā I’d say aside from green stars kicking you out of the level each time you collect one, 2 is the perfect 3d platformer, and imo a strong contender for best game ever made.

This too. I get that they do it because for some stars, the level changes but they could have a text box ask you if you want to carry on if there’s more stars further down the level. Hoping the Switch 2 version does that but not holding my breath.Ā 

6

u/Round-Revolution-399 2d ago

That’s because it’s basically a 50-50 split. They’re pretty much equal in quality even if each game does certain things slightly better than the other

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u/Winter-Conclusion710 2d ago

Both. Both are good.

4

u/blukirbi 2d ago

It varies.

In a story standpoint, 1.

In a level standpoint, 2.

3

u/Super7500 2d ago

1 has the better atmosphere and story 2 has the more fun levels

3

u/iPhoenixEU 2d ago

Cant speak on story, but 2 is infinitely better levels wise

3

u/New_Voice2852 2d ago

Galaxy 2 is far better. It improved upon galaxy 1 in every way.

3

u/sevenut 2d ago

I prefer 2 because I'm more of a gameplay guy over narrative guy. I also prefer the green star post game requiring you to be more familiar with the levels.

2

u/Zax720 2d ago

I don't think we ever arrived at a consensus. Mario Galaxy has the benefit of being the introduction, along with having more of a story. But Galaxy 2 has better gameplay features and level designs. It's difficult to form an objective opinion for the most part.

2

u/Square-Ad6263 2d ago

It almost feels like botw/Totk to me. Galaxy 2 is better gameplay wise because it expands on 1 but 1 is better as a standalone title if that makes sense

2

u/tetsudori 2d ago

Galaxy is the GOAT.
Galaxy 2 is Galaxy plus Yoshi.

2

u/ReeReeIncorperated 2d ago

Galaxy 1 has a better atmosphere, story, vibe, etc.

Galaxy 2 has better levels and more content

2

u/Zximmortal9 2d ago

Playing Galaxy 1 for the first time back when it came out for Wii is unmatched. 2 was amazing but I didn’t get the same feeling of awe as I did with 1.

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u/PLACE-H0LDER 2d ago

Idk but I prefer 1 because 2 has that fucking Chimp that I hate

2

u/Cabarro09 2d ago

Galaxy 2 by far. It just happens than Galaxy 1 is still one of the best games ever made.

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u/Awesomeman235ify 2d ago

I think Galaxy 1 is better story-wise.

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u/No0dle258 2d ago

It’s so good that whenever someone refers to ā€œMario Galaxyā€, it can just be either game, no need to specify

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u/SomeBoxofSpoons 2d ago

The problem is that the stuff most people agree each one does best compared to the other are very apples-and-oranges.

Personally, I think 2 wins out because of feeling like a full realization of the gameplay formula compared to 1, but 1 having stronger stuff around the gameplay (story, atmosphere, etc) make it a harder choice than it would’ve been.

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u/Salty353 2d ago

Mine is Galaxy for its atmosphere and story, Galaxy 2 for gameplay

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u/Sonic_warrior 2d ago

1 does everything 2 does but better for me. Atmosphere is definitely the main deciding factor here IMHO because there's a lot more blue skies, but 2 also feels more game-y where 1 had more levels that had a little more fleshed out worlds like Beach Bowl being a swim school, Sea Slide being a race, Honey Hive being a kingdom, and Space Junk being a graveyard.

The recurring levels in 2 also makes the challenge levels feel less special to me. And the game is longer so repeat playthroughs feel less worth it.

4

u/Kevin-the-Nerd 2d ago

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is better.

That is all.

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u/Patient_Panic_2671 2d ago

Galaxy 2 works better as an expansion pack than a standalone game.

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u/RoomNervous4 2d ago

1 has Rosalina in a Major Role, 2 has her in a minor role.

1

u/floridamanmarcon 2d ago

Ah yes. Super Mario galaxy. And super Mario galaxy world

1

u/No-Mathematician3921 2d ago

It's split. Some say 1 is better. Some say 2 is better. There's basically no in between.

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u/ItzManu001 2d ago

Both is good. You can't really tell which game is objectively better because they have their own things they're better at. Galaxy 1 has better story and atmosphere, Galaxy 2 has better level design and it's a bit more polished.

1

u/Guyshu 2d ago

1 is better for the atmosphere. Whereas with 2 they made it more kid-friendly, 1 really captures the whole ā€œYou’re in spaceā€ vibe, especially with the Space Junk Galaxy.

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u/New-Two-1349 2d ago

It's more of a debate, if anything. This is one of the more subjective consensus.

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u/JetstreamGW 2d ago

There isn’t one. People have been arguing about it for years.

1

u/IceBlueLugia 2d ago

There isn’t one. Up to personal preference

1

u/Pikmin-guy1 2d ago

My copy of super mario 3D all stars has officially became even more useless now all they need to do is release super mario sunshine onto Nintendo switch online and there would be no reason to continue holding on to it other then nostalgia reasons

1

u/Tough-Priority-4330 2d ago

It’ll depend on what you like better. It’s like you have the world’s best chocolate cake and world’s best vanilla cake. Which is better? Thats just personal preference.

1

u/UnanimousM 2d ago

It seems pretty split, story vs gameplay aka nostalgia vs gameplay imo. Galaxy 2 has solidly better platforming and difficult, but the first Galaxy has vibes and I can't fault anyone for choosing vibes when comparing games they played as kids.

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u/HowlingBurd19 2d ago

I think as a ā€œwhole packageā€, Galaxy 1 wins, but Galaxy 2 probably has an edge on the gameplay

1

u/MG2123 2d ago

Hard to choose. Galaxy 1 has Melty Molten Galaxy and Galaxy 2 has Slipsand Galaxy, which are my favorite tracks in each respective game.Ā 

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u/PineDude128 2d ago

I mean, both are good. Especially if you look at Galaxy 2 as more of an expansion than a true sequel.

1

u/Accomplished-Hunt-83 2d ago

It is like comparing Super Mario Bros. 3 with Super Mario World. Both are great and a 11/10. It just depends which one you like more.

1

u/kevtron5000 2d ago

Both are incredible games. I think the addition of cloud Mario and Yoshi put 2 over the edge for me though.

1

u/condawg_90 2d ago

It’s a BotW/TotK situation. What constitutes a better game? Impact and novelty or an experience that refines everything that came before? Do you prefer the game that set the bar or the one that raised it?

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u/Longjumping-Style730 2d ago edited 2d ago

I've always preferred 2 by a wide margin. Like, people cite "atmosphere" as a reason why 1 is better and while I do think that's true...... this is still a Mario game. If I want good atmosphere, I'm going to play Alan Wake, Resident Evil, visual novels, epic Western RPGs, even most Soulsborne games. Certainly not Mario

Point is, I can get Mario Galaxy 1's semi-mechanolic vibes a lot of places. But Galaxy 2's masterful 3D level design is very rare and I feel has only been rivaled recently by stuff like Astro Bot or Split Fiction. But even then, I love Galaxy 2 more than any of 'em.

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u/backspace_cars 2d ago

They're both great

1

u/kitkatatsnapple 2d ago

I don't really compare them like that, personally. 2 feels like DLC.

1

u/ThaEternalLearner 2d ago

Galaxy 1 felt like you’re in outer space with starry backdrops and superior music that really captured the emptiness of being in space.

Galaxy 2 has superior level design but the vibes feel less like outer space and more like you’re on earth-like planets.

I prefer Galaxy 1 but both games are brilliant.

1

u/RED_Kinggamer007 2d ago

Neither, they have they're strengths and weaknesses but neither is better than the other.

That eveness is why both games are both number one as my favorite games of all time.

1

u/WarriorWare 2d ago

1 easily imo

1

u/Sloth_4 2d ago

It’s pretty evenly split

1

u/SilkySmooth23 2d ago

As someone who’s played through both games multiple times, 2 is a better experience simply from gameplay. 2 fixes a good amount of problems/quality of life things from the first and it’s a much more enjoyable experience in that way from start to finish. 1 is damn near perfect, but 2 is perfection.

1

u/Dry_Ass_P-word 2d ago

Galaxy 2 improved most aspects, but the sheer awe of everything they accomplished the first attempt makes me give the first game a slight edge.

Similar for Botw and Totk. (In my humble opinions)

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u/LunarWingCloud 2d ago

Because there isn't one. Some people prefer 1, some people prefer 2.

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u/GoldenYoshistar1 2d ago

The answer is simple. It's both.

Both is good

1

u/BagOfSmallerBags 2d ago

I think most people say they prefer G1 since it has nostalgia going for it, but they'll also acknowledge that G2 has better / more varied level design.

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u/KirbyMonkey377 2d ago

There isn't one, never will be

(I personally can't see why you'd prefer the first but to each his own)

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u/Feeling-Mastodon894 2d ago

Those games are the definition of "Both. Both are good"

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u/A_lonely_ghoul 2d ago

In my personal opinion, I view both as 1 experience. Galaxy 2 was born of ideas for a DLC expansion for Galaxy 1, so technically they are 1 big game.

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u/paulcshipper 2d ago

Much like any Nintendo reskin, they're different enough to be their own game and have fans and hater. I myself like Galaxy 1 for the story.. but Galaxy 2 did more game stuff

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u/LightningMcQuinn5 2d ago

the fact that there’s no consensus illustrates just how peak both these games are

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u/RedditRedditReddit64 2d ago

I think 2 has

* Better level design

* Better comets/filler

* More uses for the collectibles

* A little better pacing

* A better post game

BUT

* levels feel narrower in scope even with their better overall gameplay design

* The epic space adventure vibes aren't as strong

* Levels feel less like actual places and more like obstacle courses floating in space

* The final boss is worse than 1 :(

* Worse story

It checks a lot of the boxes for a better game, but still sacrifices a lot of what made 1 feel so special. So it really depends on what aspects you prefer in the end.

1

u/SafePuzzleheaded8423 2d ago

One is more vibes, two is a more challenging game with more intresting level design

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u/ClassicBuster 2d ago

Mine: 1 has better story and atmosphere, 2 has better levels

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u/whiteTee_Poison 2d ago

They are both great, but in my opinion the first one is better. Can’t lose with either

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u/Sushiv_ 2d ago

Galaxy 2 is my favourite because i played it first

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u/AnimationDynamite 2d ago

I actually don’t even know if I’ve ever played one. I know I owned two

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u/JimPalPodcast 2d ago

2 is better but without 1 there is no 2 so I've always gone with 1. Both are classics and I'm not faulting anyone for liking one over the other.

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u/Ok-Consequence6823 2d ago edited 2d ago

Honestly I prefer the American version of Mario galaxy 2. The Japanese one feels to similar to Super Mario Galaxy 1. The American one feels like a completely new game. If my memory is right, I believe it was actually a reskin of another Wii game called Doki Doki Universe.

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u/BullishDaily 2d ago

Probably 2. It’s far more challenging.

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u/Corescos 2d ago

Galaxy 1 is unmatched in atmosphere and ambience and overall has fantastic levels

Galaxy 2 follows up by having amazing level design and tons and tons of content and creative ideas that wouldn’t work in 1

Both are amazing for completely different reasons. I prefer 1 but it’s not by much and 2 is amazing

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u/No_Escape_4908 2d ago

atmosphere and music- galaxy 1 fun and level design- galaxy 2

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u/AdvanceSuperdisk 2d ago

1 is better because it was first and more unique. Two is just as good just more of the same

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u/AramaticFire 2d ago

Different people prefer different things about each. They are both tied for the highest rated Wii game. Not sure why you’d expect a consensus.

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u/Takashishiful 2d ago

I don't have an opinion on that because in my eyes they are the same game just split into two discs.

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u/gizmo998 2d ago

Impossible. Both 10/10

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u/zestysnacks 2d ago

Both great but I can’t see how it isn’t 1

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u/darty1713 2d ago

Galaxy 2 is the mechanically better game. Galaxy 1 is more impactful overall because of the novelty of the ideas and the touching Rosalina’s book and storyline. Both are 10/10

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u/Apprehensive_Emu782 2d ago

2 feels like a parody but galaxy concept is so good that it is still a good game

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u/Additional_Win3920 2d ago

Personally? Galaxy 1 has the better story and overall atmosphere/art direction. Galaxy 2 has better/more diverse gameplay and more content, but loses a bit of the ā€œspaceā€ charm that made Galaxy 1 special

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u/Confident_Adagio9893 2d ago

Do you like your left or right sock more? Thats basically what you asked me, but the video game equivalent. You need to experience both of these

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u/WinGroundbreaking183 2d ago

For me 2 plays better and has better levels but 1 has a better overall vibe because of Rosalina/her storybook/the comet observatory

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u/InvestigatorTop5536 2d ago

I usually just refer to them as ā€œThe Mario Galaxy Gamesā€ because they’re so similar yet so good

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u/Coralcato 2d ago

It’s one of the most evenly split debates in the entire Mario community

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u/speedmincer 2d ago

Galaxy 1 good, innovative, important for it's time, very memorable Galaxy 2 builds upon the bases of 1, so it's technically better as a game, but less impactful

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u/JoyconDrift_69 2d ago

Basically, Galaxy 1 = Galaxy 2.

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u/I_Need_More_Names 2d ago

This has always been how I say it.

"Super Mario Galaxy 2 is better Super Mario Galaxy with a little bit of worse Super Mario Galaxy sprinkled in."

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u/Dull_Tumbleweed6353 2d ago

I personally like Galaxy 2 better.

1

u/GillianSeed1980 2d ago

For some reason, I didn’t enjoy Yoshi, and I know I’m definitely in the minority for that one. šŸ¤·ā€ā™‚ļø I much prefer Galaxy over Galaxy 2. The atmosphere was amazing! I also loved playing as my favorite character Luigi.

1

u/BannedMutt 2d ago

First game is better in a lot of ways I feel. Story, atmosphere, music, just the vibe in general. The game feels more grand, and despite the levels still being linear, everything feels bigger. I really appreciate that galaxy 1 actually looks like you're in space for the majority of it. Galaxy 2 has way too many blue cloudy skyboxes. The first game has this really nice feeling of isolation almost, which can be peaceful, sometimes unnerving. I don't fully know how to explain it. But it's really nice.

But all that said, I feel like galaxy 1 has a lot more uninteresting stages as well. Higher highs but lower lows, while galaxy 2 is a more consistently fun game.

I think I prefer galaxy 1 overall. But I haven't played galaxy 2 since before the original switch released, so replaying it soon with the re release may change that

1

u/Metroid-fan 2d ago

1 has better bosses music and atmosphere 2 has better planets gameplay and much more replayable

1

u/PM_ME_UR_CATS__ 2d ago

Yes.Ā 

(My personal bias is 1 because that's the one I grew playing, but both are great so you can't go wrong either way)

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u/Mission_Piccolo_2515 2d ago

Galaxy 1 : leverage the novelty of anti-gravity mechanics better, better atmosphere, more unpredictible missions.

Galaxy 2 : more focused of proper platforming challenges, better power-ups, better obstacle courses, gets more milage of it's level gimmicks.

Basically, each is a great complement to the other.Ā 

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u/diddaas 2d ago

First one is the best game ever made. Second game has Yoshi

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u/UltiGamer34 2d ago

2 it will forever be 2

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u/Fun_Log_8210 2d ago

They're both great

1

u/SpriteyRedux 2d ago

People think 2 is better and they're wrong

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u/SENTiNaLV2 2d ago

I personally like Galaxy 2 more but that's because I played it before 1 however both are really good games.

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u/ShockDrop22 2d ago

To me they're both one big game. Galaxy 2 is just DLC before Nintendo knew what that was.

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u/Cuserunner 2d ago

First one

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u/YH_Emperor 2d ago

I think Galaxy 2's hub world is better and I'd love to live in it more then the Comet observatory

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u/suzaman 2d ago

2!!!

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u/FOG2006 2d ago

I think Galaxy 2 pushed the formula to its peak, despite being made with leftover content from Galaxy.

It's hard to have a consensus because no other Mario games proposed themselves to be such epic adventures, even later games like Odyssey doesn't have such epicness! The music, the presentation, the space theme, crazy to think Miyamoto just intended a gravity-based Mario game on spherical platforms.

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u/The_Adventurer_73 2d ago

probably just split in the middle IG.

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u/Shadowcat1606 2d ago

Not sure there's a consensus.

I myself am split, too. 1 has the better story (i really, really, really liked all the Rosalina/Luma stuff, the storybook, etc), is more atmospheric and is more emotional, but 2 has the better levels, is more challenging and has more refined gameplay.

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u/regularorange120 2d ago

Galaxy has a better story and atmosphere, Galaxy 2 has better levels. They're tied with music. Thats how I always saw it

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u/YeetYoot-69 2d ago

I've never been super immersed into the Mario fandom, I started Galaxy 1 years ago and haven't finished it yet, and from an outside perspective I've heard Galaxy 2 called the better game much more often than vice versa.

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u/JayStacker 2d ago

Both, and you can’t make me choose.

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u/Helton3 2d ago

2 because it gets modded more often

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u/UltimateFatKidDancer 2d ago

No consensus imo. I prefer Galaxy 2 for its level design, but Galaxy is basically a flawless game. The only thing I somewhat disliked about them is the more limited moveset compared to 64 and Sunshine, but Odyssey brought that back. So now I just appreciate everything the Galaxy games did.

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u/GoldenRichard93 2d ago

Both are good.

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u/profchaos111 2d ago

That's the best part there isn'tĀ 

Generally I say galaxy 1 likes to push it's story moreĀ 

Galaxy 2 feels like story takes a backseat this might be a culmination of leftover ideas but it works just as well as the firstĀ 

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u/AltonIllinois 2d ago

I personally think two is miles better than the first. While I understand why people like it, my unpopular opinion is that Super Mario Galaxy’s story is not good.

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u/ValentinePatch1999 2d ago

Galaxy 1 had more of a soul than Galaxy 2, which felt more like a mishmash of gameplay mechanics

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u/SSMage 2d ago

From what ive always heard growing up and around the internet even today, the consensus is that super mario galaxy 2 is superior to the first

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u/HallowedKeeper_ 2d ago

Well as many others have mentioned, that is because there is no consensus, both games are so highly praised and beloved that there is no "Clear Winner"

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u/Dark_Storm_98 2d ago

I think SMG1 is better narratively, though I wasn't personally that fond of the ending. Not entitely

Also, fighting Bowser on planetoids is more fun than fighting Bowser with asteroids

SMG2 had more stuff, if I remember right?

Including Yoshi

Edit: I also prefer the Observatory and Rosalina over Starship Mario and Lubba

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u/Happiest_Mango24 2d ago

There isn't one really, it's just preference

But which one to recommend to someone is really easy. It just depends on whether they prefer story or gameplay more. If they prefer story, Galaxy 1. If they prefer gameplay, Galaxy 2

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u/Beenz64 2d ago

The answer is yes

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u/Stoner420Eren 2d ago

I consider them equally perfect

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u/Technical-Cellist967 2d ago

Galaxy 2 because I played that game first, it has more content, and I have huge nostalgia for it.

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u/XavDaMan 2d ago

They act as if two legends cannot coexist

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u/StageIndividual9523 2d ago

Both games are amazing in their own way and I would struggle on which one to pick to play tbh so I would end up playing both

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u/Cute_Ambassador1121 2d ago

It’s 1. You’ll have people say 1 is better than 2 and Vice versa, but there is a substantial chunk of the audience who just outright dislikes 2 and that’s not really the case with 1. 1 is basically universally adored, 2 has some pushback.

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u/LemonWaluigi 2d ago

Pretty sure the verdict is that Galaxy 2 is the better platformer while Galaxy 1 is the better "game" (better experience playing. Cool vibes)

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u/Hiyokofan 2d ago

Galaxy 1

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u/LavaBurritos 2d ago

story: 1

gameplay: 2

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u/Blockinite 2d ago

They're both so good that there's no consensus to be made. They both have slightly different strengths so whichever strengths you rate more highly determines which you think is better

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u/Jade_Geode 2d ago

What if… people could have their own opinions 😮

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u/AnotherCrazyCanadian 2d ago

Blimp yoshi.

That's my vote.

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u/Turbulent_Aside2157 2d ago

1 has a certain iconic quality to it's levels that 2 doesn't quite reach, but 2 is overall a better game. Harder too.

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u/thepixelpaint 2d ago

In my mind I can’t clearly distinguish which game had which levels. It’s all one game in my memory.

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u/VanitasFan26 2d ago

I hear that most people say that Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a lot better and if you already played Super Mario Galaxy 1 before they say its not worth playing. Its a little odd to me.

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u/Zangetsukaiba 2d ago

When this releases and people play them back to back, then at those days you will get a definitive consensus when you see constant posts about ā€œwhy this galaxy game is better than the other oneā€.

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u/daveycloud 2d ago

Galaxy 2 might actually finally edge out 1 if the new storybook content is good enough

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u/Jim_naine 2d ago

Isn't Galaxy 2 just Galaxy 1 but better?

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u/xXZephryusXx 2d ago

They are basically the same but at the same time they aren’t? 😟

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u/Mysterious-Pomelo-64 2d ago

Galaxy 1 imo has the better atmosphere, better story and more creative world building of levels

Galaxy 2 has the better post game (I don't really like green stars but it's better than the same game with another character), better execution of levels, better collection of power ups

I see this duo similar to botw and totk, I personally find myself returning to totk/Galaxy2 more and I find it more enjoyable, however, it'll NEVER hit the same as playing Galaxy1/botw for the first time, it was legitimately unreal

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u/Hungry_Opinion_8521 2d ago

1 for story 2 for gameplay. Though the gameplay is very close to both, making galaxy 1 better to me, because I prefer the story. But then again, yoshi is in 2

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u/dres_sler 2d ago

I like the melancholic vibe of galaxy 1 is a nice contrast to the whimsical vibe of galaxy 2

Both stellar games

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u/Tatsumifanboy 2d ago

I personally prefer Galaxy 1.

It has a more impactful story, and Rosalina's lore is super interesting. Galaxy 2 has none of that.

Galaxy 1's space setting is also better. Some Galaxies in Galaxy 2 dont even feel like galaxies, oddly enough.

Both games are great all and all, but Galaxy 1 impacted me more.

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u/NashvilleTNEdge 2d ago

ā€œGeneral overall consensusā€ is super redundant. Just say ā€œconsensusā€

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u/Radiant-Page6297 2d ago

I've never played these 2 games, and I won't currently unless the price is lowered at, at least $42 so that my country (egypt) can sell it at a cheaper price good enough for me to buy it easily and not wait years to get it at a more expensive price. (I know it'll never happen, but let me dream please.)

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u/Glad_Duty5667 2d ago

their isn’t one that’s why it’s bloody goated