Super Mario Galaxy highest rated game of all time

by Griffin McElroy { Nov 17th 2007 at 3:05PM }

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]

Tags: Mario, Nintendo, Super-Mario-Galaxy, SuperMarioGalaxy, Wii

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

ali emamdjomeh @ Nov 17th 2007 3:09PM

that picture is amazing.

Fernando Rocker @ Nov 17th 2007 3:23PM

Amazing picture for the topic...

As I said before... Griffin McElroy rules!

=)

Rubang B (BRUSH WITH FAME) @ Nov 17th 2007 5:00PM

Not only is it a good picture of Mario whooping his ass, but you can also see up Link's skirt. I think I see his Triforce of Courage.

Limezor @ Nov 17th 2007 3:11PM

In February (assuming Brawl doesn't get delayed again ;D): "Super Mario Galaxy dethroned as highest rated game of all time!"

Vigi @ Nov 17th 2007 6:34PM

This would bring me untold joy.

B1gC72 @ Nov 17th 2007 10:55PM

yea i was thinking the exact same thing. i cant remember the last time i was as excited about a game as i am for Brawl. everytime it seems like it cant get any better they announce something else great like Sonic or something completely unexpected like the level editor. baring another delay, the house that Mario built will have the 3 top rated games of all time. well unless 4 is a Nintendo game 2 lol.

Mr Khan @ Nov 17th 2007 3:12PM

Wow, i figured this game would be another Metroid Prime 3, a god to the Nintendo fanbase, but a low 90s in metacritic

Highest of all time? Didn't see that coming

VampireHunter Z @ Nov 17th 2007 7:50PM

It also helps that reviews don't mean shit these days. Zelda OoT is still the best game of all time.

samfish @ Nov 17th 2007 9:31PM

I agree. Mario Galaxy kicks ass, but Ocarina of Time is still the better game, if you ask me.

Poisoned Al @ Nov 18th 2007 5:25AM

Two words for ya: "Fan boys" U R MR GAY is one great game, but never underestimate the retarded power of an Nintendo fan boy to massively over hype a game and totally blinker out any faults.

TheCassidy @ Nov 17th 2007 3:12PM

If fickle gamers are still playing SMG in 10 years, then we'll talk.

OoT was the first game that elicited an emotional reaction from me (c'mon, it's sad as hell).

SMG is a great game...BUT...we'll see.

coolforever4537 @ Nov 17th 2007 3:16PM

Good thing "U R MR GAY" has no effect of ratings.

Fernando Rocker @ Nov 17th 2007 3:16PM

Well deserved.

Howl @ Nov 17th 2007 3:27PM

Am I actually agreeing with Fernando?!!

Crazylink @ Nov 17th 2007 3:18PM

I feel horible for not having bought it yet.

B1gC72 @ Nov 17th 2007 11:02PM

lol me 2. sucks being a poor college student.

vidGuy @ Nov 17th 2007 3:20PM

That picture is genius for this post!

SMG is awesome and probably the first game that I feel couldn't even be approximated on another console. This is truly a Wii game in and out. I do agree though that it probably won't live up to the history of SM64 or OoT. Those games were SO revolutionary for those franchises and huge catalysts for games to follow - I don't see SMG being a historic game, just one of the best of this generation.

jomi294 @ Nov 17th 2007 3:41PM

Well said.

BananaBoat @ Nov 17th 2007 3:24PM

The game is amazing, but by no means is it up there with Mario 64 or Ocarina of Time. For one thing, Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time were the pioneers of their respective genre's (in 3D), and for another thing, Ocarina of Time had a real story, whereas Mario Galaxy has....well, I wouldn't call it a story so much as a device that allows you to do various missions. (not to mention that the *Spoiler Spoiler* end of Mario Galaxy is terribly generic and boring).

In 10 years, people will still be talking about Ocarina of Time, and Mario 64. Will they be talking about Mario Galaxy? I don't think so (although I did love the game)

Fatass of Kickassness @ Nov 17th 2007 3:28PM

It might not be revolutionary but boy is it fun. Now, I know I'm going to catch some serious flak for this, but while Super Mario 64 was indeed revolutionary, I can't play it through to the end these days, because, well, it's just plain boring. I don't know why - within the first few months of buying the game I had already gotten 120 stars several times over - but when I compare the two, Super Mario Galaxy is, level for level, more fun to play than Super Mario 64. THATS what it will be remembered for - not that it was revolutionary, but that it is truly one of the most addictive and just plain enjoyable games to come out this decade.

Fernando Rocker @ Nov 17th 2007 3:31PM

Exactly... Super Mario Galaxy is more fun for me, because every time you enter a Galaxy, it change the route or change the sceneario a little bit in each star.

Plus, the cinematic moments (when you launch from a Star) adds a lot of fun to the moment.

And the comet challenges add some flavor to the cake.

vidGuy @ Nov 17th 2007 3:31PM

I don't think anyone could deny the fun factor. I love to interact with the gravity and physics in this game - it's obviously not realistic but it's pretty creative.

There's this level early on with two small, mushroom shaped planets next to each other. If you long jump in the right direction, you can end up in orbit for a few rotations before gravity pulls you back to the planet. Now that is cool.

Fernando Rocker @ Nov 17th 2007 3:34PM

Oh, and I forgot... the music. Since the begginig to the end, excellent music compositions... I love the tune in the Egg World.

Fatass of Kickassness @ Nov 17th 2007 3:39PM

One of the best soundtracks in gaming, if not the best in my opinion. It won't keep that title for very much longer, though (Feb. 10, 2008 to be precise).

OM @ Nov 17th 2007 3:53PM

The fact that the game does not rely heavily on a revolution is what makes it more worthy of the ranking. Games that have the advantage of being some of the first 3D games had an advantage because they were the first of their kind. Mario Galaxy managed to overcome the advantage those games had on it's own by just being a great game.

gonk @ Nov 17th 2007 5:23PM

i like the worlds and graphics, but the controls still leave a bit to be desired. oh well, what's a few extra black hole deaths every now and then?

jorojoserojas @ Nov 17th 2007 6:18PM

It's a weird analogy to make, but I liken the disparity between SMG and Mario 64 like this:

Wilt Chamberlain invented the highlight reel; Michael Jordan perfected it. (I think I heard that on ESPN or something like that)

In many ways, I think Mario 64 is highly remembered and respected for its contribution to video games. It's a classic, no doubt, But Super Mario Galaxy takes that and polishes it to a greater experience.

I think the analogy fits.

And yes, the game is a blast...even dethroning Bioshock as my game of the year.

Santo @ Nov 19th 2007 2:35AM

Unless you want to wait a decade for every game review, how long people will still be playing a game cannot be a factor in a its rating. Reviewers don't have time machines, folks. They have to rate games based on how they play now, not ten years down the road.

jonniethm @ Nov 19th 2007 9:27AM

Yeah you sure sound like you love the game with all those negative remarkes even though Oot will always be close to my heart nintendo has convinced me galaxy deserves it

citan666 @ Nov 17th 2007 3:30PM

Something for the people who say it's not as good as M64 because it's not as revolutionary.

Neither was super Mario bros 3. The first Mario was way more revolutionary than Mario 3 but generally people still claim it as the best 2d Mario game. Galaxy is nowhere near as revolutionary as M64 but is the Mario 3 of 3d gaming.

thethirdmoose @ Nov 17th 2007 4:29PM

And it's the third 3d Mario... Holy three's, batman!!!

fester @ Nov 17th 2007 3:37PM

Definitely!! It's gorgeous, terrific graphics, and the colors are intense! This game is a system seller-nice top quality game-great job, Ninty!!

amx1978 @ Nov 17th 2007 3:44PM

I just think this is a testament of how starved we are for a genuine video game. Yes, Bioshock, Halo, Half Life 2, Call of Duty 4 blah blah blah are all fantastic games,and I can't deny that at all, and nobody else should. However, the presentation and depth make those more like epic movies that you play. Mario is no fluff, it's a video game in it's almost truest sense. You pick it up, play, have a blast, and save some for later. I don't think it's so much that it's a better game than OoT, I just think it's been a LONG time since we've just been able to play a traditional video game, and we are all happy to have it.

Mr Khan @ Nov 17th 2007 3:53PM

That seems about right

In a world where "pick up and play" (Wii Sports, Brain Age) and "challenging, involving experience" (BioShock) are usually mutually exclusive, Galaxy does both, and does them well

Slaziman @ Nov 17th 2007 4:37PM

Hmm, you found the words for my feelings!

I still think OoT is better because it's so goddarn good and flawless (really, what did OoT do wrong? NOTHING), while Mario Galaxy does have some flaws.

jorojoserojas @ Nov 17th 2007 6:22PM

Very well said. I didn't even think of it that way, but yes, you're right.

nealbailey @ Nov 17th 2007 8:45PM

"I just think this is a testament of how starved we are for a genuine video game. Yes, Bioshock, Halo, Half Life 2, Call of Duty 4 blah blah blah"

Wow.. all those games you just mentioned are far better to me than Super Mario Galaxy. I really enjoyed SMG but then Mario 64 came out when I was 20 years old so it hardly had the impact on me that the first NES mario did and SMG feels, to me, like nothing more than Mario 64-2.

As an adult, SMG is nice for nostalgic purposes but it's clearly for children and lacks the depth of all the aforementioned titles. Not to mentioned that these days with my limited gaming time I want to be wow'd by a game and SMG did not wow me anywhere near the way Bioshock of Call of Duty 4 really wow'd me.

Fatass of Kickassness @ Nov 17th 2007 9:07PM

Um, are you really about to tell me that SMG 'lacks depth' compared to the games you've listed that, in the case of all but one, can be completed in less than ten hours? The combat system may be a little simplistic but the sheer variety in levels and the level design itself more than makes up for it.

amx1978 @ Nov 17th 2007 10:21PM

nealbailey, is it that you just stopped reading at the blah blah blahs, or were unable to comprehend the point being made in my post and wanted to be confrontational?

Rob Accomando @ Nov 17th 2007 3:46PM

2D to 3D was revolutionary. I don't think it's fair that every Mario game will be compared to how "Revolutionary" Mario 64 was. I loved Mario Sunshine and Mario Galaxy without the need to compare them to Mario 64.

My ONLY complaint with Galaxy was how easy it was to get the fist 60ish Stars. Other than that, it's another instant classic.

Obie @ Nov 17th 2007 3:48PM

A well deserved honor, not bad for the old plumber.

E.P. @ Nov 17th 2007 3:49PM

It's just fitting to have Mario, Zelda, and Metroid as 1-2-3 (according to gamerankings.com), don't you think?

Mr Khan @ Nov 17th 2007 3:55PM

Aye, the last three Nintendo consoles, all much maligned in many cases, have the three best games ever (subjectively, of course)

Slaziman @ Nov 17th 2007 4:39PM

what a cool coincidence! let's just hope some dick doesnt drop a 70 on mario galaxy and ruins the whole thing.

jorojoserojas @ Nov 17th 2007 6:25PM

I think that's a testament to Nintendo. It' s not uncommon to see Super Metroid, Mario 64, Super Mario Bros., SMB3, or OoT to top lists of "greatest game of all time". For all the lack of third party support they have, one thing that Nintendo can always count on is Nintendo. Many people buy Nintendo consoles just to play Nintendo games.

Heck, it was Twilight Princess that made me jump into this generation with a Wii as opposed to the PS3 or 360.

Hashbrown_Hunter @ Nov 17th 2007 3:59PM

This is relating to BananaBoat's comment:

I honestly think that the only reason the game is ranked so highly is because it's more of a triumphant return to shape rather than the next masterpiece. Of course the game is great, but it doesn't seem to reflect that scale of it being the highest-ranked game of all time when compared to Ocarina of Time.

Actually Super Mario 64 was kind of the same situation as this. The game was the first to do a 3D platformer and it was so highly respected for that it is considered one of the best games of all time. I'm not saying Mario 64 doesn't deserve it, as it is one of my favorite games.

All I'm saying is that some games shouldn't be able to get away with gimmicks.

Which is also leading me to believe it will have a Twilight Princess effect. It will be regarded as one of the best games in modern history, but not many will buy it.