High praise. While I heard nothing but praise for the first Mario game, the sequel gets criticized for being overly repetitive, loud, and sensory-overloading, as well as lacking a plot, and so on. To me, that’s a bit of an exaggeration; after all, the narrative potential of Mario is limited to a simple story about simple things. I can't imagine a plumber lecturing me on morals (or lessons emerging from his adventures), even if it were done brilliantly, Pixar-style. I’m happy enough just watching him for the sake of pure, unadulterated fun.

Lol, you’re talking about the game; I thought you meant the sequel :D. As for Mario Galaxy, I only know it as the blueprint for many of the mechanics and ideas found in Sony’s Astro Bot. Apparently, Mario Galaxy is even better. I watched my partner play it, and the levels actually looked like fun to go through. I felt like I needed that kind of relaxing experience—no blood, guts, or frantic action. I couldn't play it every day, but it’s nice to embark on such a refreshing adventure every now and then.