Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 remain a compelling pair of 3D platformers: the first builds its adventure around gravity-bending worlds and a strong sense of wonder, while the sequel pushes the format with more varied challenges. Together, they make a persuasive case for revisiting two landmark Mario games on Switch—but “defining” is a judgment, not a fact settled by Nintendo’s feature list. The Switch collection includes both games, presentation and content additions, Assist Mode, and a free visual update for Switch 2.
Is Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 worth playing on Switch?
Yes, especially for players who want two substantial, distinctive 3D Mario adventures in one collection. Their central pleasure is the way gravity turns each small planet into a platforming space with its own orientation and routes. The games are approachable in their basic movement, but their levels keep changing the terms of a jump, a climb, or a route through space.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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| 1 |
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Super Mario Galaxy™ + Super Mario Galaxy™ 2 | $64.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 (European version ) | $55.49 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe - US Version | $52.98 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - US Version | $52.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Mario Party Superstars - US Version | $52.79 | Buy on Amazon |
The original Galaxy is the more cohesive introduction to that idea. It uses the observatory and its accumulating Power Stars to give the journey a clear sense of place and forward motion. Galaxy 2 is more willing to foreground level-by-level invention, with a brisker sequence of challenges and Yoshi sections that alter the feel of traversal. That makes the sequel feel less like a repeated first game and more like a second, differently paced expression of the same design.
They are not interchangeable, and the collection’s value is strongest when both are wanted: one is a memorable adventure with a connected hub, the other a dense succession of platforming ideas. If you have already played the Wii versions, the question is whether the Switch presentation and added material are enough to make another visit appealing; Nintendo confirms enhancements, but the scale of their value depends on how much you want to replay the games.
#1 Best Overall
- Journey through space in two Super Mario adventures, now improved for the Nintendo Switch system!
- Travel the stars with enhanced resolution, improved UI, and additional content
- Learn more about the Lumas from additional Storybook chapters, groove to a bit of additional music
- Get additional Health and fall recovery in Assist Mode
- Join Rosalina and the Lumas to restore the Comet Observatory and rescue Princess Peach in Super Mario Galaxy.
What is included in the Switch collection?
Nintendo describes the package as enhanced versions of both games for Nintendo Switch. Its announced additions include improved resolution and UI, extra Storybook chapters, newly added music, and Assist Mode. The collection is playable on Nintendo Switch 2, where Nintendo says a free update provides improved visuals. Nintendo’s collection announcement lists these features.
These enhancements are not a new game or a redesign of the original adventures. The core appeal remains the two platformers; the additions offer a more polished way to revisit them and a little more material around the storybook framing.
Rank #2
- Explore the galaxy in two classic games Travel the stars with Mario in enhanced versions of these beloved adventures—coming soon to the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2!
- Super Mario Galaxy Mario meets Rosalina in this star-studded adventure. In Super Mario Galaxy, Mario must rescue Princess Peach and recover the stolen Power Stars from Bowser.
- Super MarioGalaxy 2 Mario teams up with an old friend and travels to different worlds on Starship Mario! In Super Mario Galaxy 2, Mario is once again called upon to rescue his friend, Princess Peach. This time, he teams up with Yoshi and travels across the universe in Starship Mario, a flying vessel shaped like Mario’s head!
- A free update will be available for the Nintendo Switch 2! Enjoy the game at 4K resolution in TV mode or 1080p in Handheld and Tabletop mode.* *4K resolution and 120 fps are available in supported games and require a compatible display. Frame rates capped at 60 fps for 4K output.
How do the two games differ?
Super Mario Galaxy: a journey with a sense of place
The first game gives its progression a memorable anchor in the Comet Observatory. Returning there between excursions makes the succession of compact planetary stages feel like parts of a larger voyage. Its best levels make gravity more than a visual trick: they use spherical terrain, shifting orientation, and carefully placed platforms to make familiar Mario movement feel newly uncertain.
That constant change is also the game’s defining constraint. A camera angle or a sudden shift in perspective can make a route less immediately legible than in a conventional side-view or ground-based platformer. The pleasure comes when a level’s spatial puzzle clicks, but players who prefer a consistent horizon and predictable depth may need time to adjust.
Rank #3
- A variety of playable characters are available, some with unique attributes that affect gameplay and platforming physics.
- Younger and less-experienced players will love playing as Toadette, who is brand new to both games, and Nabbit, who was formerly only playable in New Super Luigi U. Both characters offer extra assistance during play.
- Multiplayer sessions are even more fun, frantic, and exciting thanks to entertaining character interactions. Need a boost? Try jumping off a teammate’s head or getting a teammate to throw you.
- Features a wealth of help features, like a Hints gallery, reference videos, and a Super Guide in New Super Mario Bros. U that can complete levels for you if they’re giving you trouble.
- Three additional modes—Boost Rush, Challenges, and Coin Battle—mix up gameplay and add replayability, while also upping the difficulty for players who want to try something harder. Players can use their Mii characters in these modes.
Super Mario Galaxy 2: more concentrated level invention
The sequel largely trades the observatory’s sense of a shared home for a more direct progression through levels. It is often the more immediately energetic game: new platforming situations arrive rapidly, and its additions—including riding Yoshi—change how some stages are traversed. That pace creates variety, though it offers less of the first game’s connective atmosphere.
For a newcomer, playing the first game before the sequel makes the shift in structure easy to appreciate. For a returning player, either can stand on its own; the collection’s real advantage is that it lets the contrast become part of the experience rather than asking you to choose one style.
Rank #4
- New stages and fighters are joined by the combined rosters of every past Super Smash Bros. Game
- Challenge others anytime, anywhere, whether you're on the couch or on the go
- Play any way you want—locally, online, in TV mode, Tabletop mode, Handheld mode, or even with GameCube Controllers
- Fight faster and smarter with new and returning techniques, like the perfect shield and directional air dodge
- Face off in 2-4 player battles, or play against the computer
How do controls, Assist Mode, and multiplayer work?
Controls on Switch
Nintendo says the collection supports button, stick, and motion controls adapted from the original Wii releases. Its description is that players can use those methods to “jump, glide, swing, and more” while collecting Power Stars and power-ups. That confirms the available control approaches, not that every player will find each equally comfortable. Choose the setup that suits your preference, particularly if motion input is not how you want to play a platformer.
Assist Mode
Assist Mode provides additional Health and recovery from falls, according to Nintendo. It is an optional support feature for players who would like a more forgiving experience; its presence should not be mistaken for a verdict that the games are uniformly difficult or easy.
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- Bring the party on 5 classic boards from the Nintendo 64 Mario Party games
- Show your friends and family who’s boss in 100 minigames from throughout the Mario Party series
- All game modes can be played online
- Matches with friends in board game mode are saved after each turn both locally and online—pick up where you left off
- Play using a single Joy-Con controller, two Joy-Con with the Joy-Con grip accessory, Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, or Nintendo Switch Lite system
Co-Star Mode
Both games support Co-Star Mode. Nintendo says a second player can join with a Joy-Con 2 or Joy-Con controller held horizontally, and that other controller combinations can also be used. The published setup information confirms that a second player can join, but does not establish how substantial that player’s role feels during play. Nintendo Support’s Co-Star instructions cover the feature for both games.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What optional features and practical details matter?
- amiibo: Nintendo lists limited in-game effects: Mario and Luma figures grant a Life Mushroom; Rosalina and Lumas figures grant a 1-Up Mushroom; other amiibo grant a coin. The documented effects are optional extras, not stated requirements for completing either game. See Nintendo Support’s amiibo guide.
- Storage: The Australian Nintendo eShop listing gives required space as 6.4 GB for Switch and 6.5 GB for Switch 2. These are regional store-page figures and can change; check the listing for your region before downloading. Nintendo eShop Australia’s bundle page also notes that Save Data Cloud requires a paid Nintendo Switch Online membership.
- Galaxy 2 update: Nintendo Support’s Super Mario Galaxy 2 software entry identifies version 1.4.0, released April 29, 2026, as including general fixes and adjustments plus a new Storybook story. This version detail applies to that support entry; it should not be assumed to describe both games or every regional bundle. See Nintendo Support’s Galaxy 2 update page.
Who should play this collection?
- Play it if you enjoy platformers that make space and orientation part of the challenge, or want two contrasting Mario adventures together.
- It is a particularly good fit if you missed the Wii games and want to experience the original gravity-driven design in the Switch collection.
- Consider carefully if you already own and recently replayed both Wii releases. Nintendo confirms presentation and content additions, but whether those justify another purchase is a personal value judgment.
- Use the support options if you want extra help with health and falls, or want a second person to join through Co-Star Mode.
Nintendo’s official Super Mario home likewise identifies the games as available on Switch and playable on Switch 2 with a free update.
Quick Recap
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