Super Mario Galaxy 1 & 2 Return to Switch — Breathtaking Remasters, Touchscreen Trade‑Offs, and a Price That Divides Fans
Nintendo has reissued Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 for Switch on Oct. 2, selling each game digitally for $39.99 or together in a physical double pack for $69.99. The remasters include visual updates, optional Assist Mode, and support for 4K via free Switch 2 patches, while motion controls and handheld play involve specific compromises.
Pricing and release
The two Switch remasters launched on Oct. 2. Each title is available as a standalone digital download for $39.99, and there is a physical double-pack priced at $69.99. In addition, both games received free patches for Switch 2 that add 4K resolution support.
Also, the games are of different ages: Super Mario Galaxy originally released around 18 years before this reissue, and Super Mario Galaxy 2 about 15 years earlier. Galaxy 2 had been made available on Wii U as a download in the past, while Galaxy appeared in Nintendo’s Super Mario 3D All-Stars compilation in 2020.
Visuals and presentation
Both remasters include sharper textures, clearer distant models, and less muddy cutscenes compared with previous re-releases. Colors and asset detail are improved, and the orchestral soundtrack can be accessed from the title screen. In Galaxy, a picture-book segment about Rosalina has been expanded and that expanded sequence now also appears in Galaxy 2.
Furthermore, Galaxy 2’s remastering presents the game with particularly crisp visuals; certain aspects look close to a new release due to texture and model improvements. Overall, the presentation work is subtle but aimed at preserving the original games’ look and feel.
Controls and modes
Both games were built around the Wii controller setup: a nunchuck for movement and a remote pointer for collecting Star Bits, interacting with the world, and performing shake-based actions like Mario’s spin. On Switch, those pointer interactions are best replicated when the Joy-Cons are detached and the system is used in TV or tabletop mode. In that configuration, the pointer and motion options are available and function similarly to the original.
However, in handheld mode and on Switch Lite the pointer is handled via the touchscreen, which requires frequent switching between on-screen taps and physical buttons. Nintendo added a button alternative in place of shake actions, and it also introduced an Assist Mode that increases Mario’s health and reduces penalties for falls. These adjustments make the titles more accessible, but the touchscreen method remains a practical compromise rather than a one-to-one match for the original Wii controls.
Design and legacy
Mechanically, Galaxy introduced gravity-based, pocket-universe platforming where planetoids exert local gravity and Mario can run under, around, and through small spherical worlds. Galaxy 2 expanded on these concepts with more concentrated, idea-heavy levels, a simpler world map, and a sequence of inventive level types (for example: rhythm sections, pop-up-book stages, and suspended water cubes). Together, the two games pushed 3D platforming into new directions and explored spatial mechanics that differed from earlier Mario titles.
Early reviews awarded high scores to both games at release. For context, see the Galaxy 2 review at Eurogamer for one contemporary perspective: Galaxy 2 at Eurogamer.
Summary
In short, these Switch remasters keep the original gameplay intact while adding visual polish, an optional Assist Mode, and Switch 2 4K support. Pricing is set at $39.99 per digital title or $69.99 for the physical double pack. Consequently, players should expect faithful reissues with necessary control compromises for handheld play, plus modest presentation upgrades that aim to preserve the original experience.
