This was the first time I was ever truly hyped for a game. Galaxy 1 meant so much to me as a kid, so it was surreal that they actually made a sequel to me. Thus, I'll always remember this date without having to look it up.
Anyways, Galaxy 2 remains the only 3D Mario sequel on the same system, and is a great case as to why it shouldn't be the only one.
The level design is superb, improving on Galaxy 1's by having nearly every ability in that game plus a ton more. Some may say it's a glorified DLC pack, but the glass half full in me sees it as a refinement and perfection from a gameplay standpoint.
the story, however, didn't have the same heart in my opinion, an unfortunate interference from Miyamoto. It lost the spacey vibes that made the first one super special as well, barely any galaxies have a space background.
In the long run, I look back and I see Galaxy 2 as a transition that Galaxy has already started toward more linear games. Galaxy 2 upped the linearity, and I believe a lot of 3D Land's DNA comes from it, even using many assets. Many galaxies in the game look like levels that would come to appear in 3D Land and 3D World, having even less open areas than its predecessor. I'd say it's just as much 3D Land as it is SMG1.
Regardless, I think all in all it's an absolutely fucking fantastic game. Now the question is, will it appear in that Mario 3D collection?
So how do you feel now that SMG2 is 10?