Here is Q&A from ONM (Official Nintendo Magazine). You can also join the ONM forums and submit your own question about the game if you want to.
Source: http://forum.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=97213
Is Bowser Jr a boss in this game?
Sort of - he arrives at times and instructs other bosses to attack you.
is bee mario easy to controll?
Yes. You hold A to hover, and that's about it. Simple!
Does this game steer away from the gimmicky style of Super Mario Sunshine (which was still great but had flaws) and has it become a true and proper Mario platformer just like it's amazing predecessor Super Mario 64?
I know what you mean, and yes, it's a proper platformer. There are so many bits where you feel like you're playing 64 again (and I mean that in a good way), and there are even some awesome 2D bits where it's proper side-scrolling and the controls are locked to just left and right. It's much more about platforming than roaming about.
Is the Wiimote used sensibly? Or too much...
Wii Remote is used perfectly. You point at pieces of star to pick them up (it's really satisfying) and flick it to do Mario's spin attack, and other than that it's only used for the mini-game type galaxies.
With Nintendo's "Appealing to all audiences", I have felt this may be a little easy. So please put my doubts to rest; Is it challenging enough?
It's about as tricky as Mario 64. Each level is cleverly designed so that you never get stuck and frustrated, but casul gamers will definitely struggle with it. This is a proper Mario game.
Would the game still be great if it was released on the GC.
No. Firstly, GameCube couldn't handle this. It's the first Wii game I've seen that simply couldn't be done on the GameCube graphically. Secondly, although the whole "pick up star pieces by pointing with the Remote" thing may sound like a gimmick, now I've tried it out I couldn't imagine it being on the GameCube because it'd feel like a huge handicap not being able to do it.
In Super Mario 64 Princess Peaches castle was the "main area"
In Super Mario Sunshine Delfino Plaza was the "main erea"
Is there a "main area" in Super Mario Galaxy?
Or is it just going from one planet to another?
Yup. The main hub is Rosalina's observatory, which has run out of power because all the stars are lying around the galaxies. As you collect more stars you can blast off to further galaxies, and as you collect Grand Stars you light up other parts of the observatory. It's basically a fancy version of Peach's Castle in Mario 64. Instead of going into a room and jumping into a painting you go to a part of the observatory and blast off to a galaxy. Instead of getting a key when you beat Bowser and unlocking access to more rooms in the house you get a Grand Star and unlock access to more rooms in the observatory.
Some people criticized the Wind Waker for having to much sea, to little land.
Could they do the same in Galaxy? With to much space and to little land?
That's not really how it works though. There are no times where you're just flying through space and it's under your control. The whole space setting is just an excuse for Miyamoto and co to really make full use of their imagination. It's all land and sea in this game.
How different is the game from when you played it for the first time?
Well, it's obviously bigger (I only played about 5 stars' worth), and there are slight differences in the levels I played.
How long is it expected to last hardcore gamers?
Took me around 8 or 9 hours to complete it with 60 stars, 17-18 or so for 120. But bear in mind I'd played the demo levels to death previously and knew the first couple of hours' worth inside out before starting, so I just sped through those without having to explore too much.
Same question, but for casual gamers.
It'll be a challenge for casual gamers. It's a bit like New Super Mario Bros in that it's great fun but never frustratingly difficult for hardcore gamers, but casual gamers will find it quite difficult.
How much voice-acting is in it? If there's a lot, is it any good?
There's a fair amount, but it's not proper speech. Rosalina gives the odd "Mario!" or "Look!" and then you get a text bubble, and the other characters make a noise. It's basically the same as Mario 64.
Do the new items add more to the experience?
Yup. They're all quite cleverly used.
Is Luigi (or any other Mario character) in the game?
Yes.
How does it feel like to play as Spring Mario?
Can't talk about that, because the embargo stops me talking about that section before the game's released.
Do the powerups and suits make it feel like you're playing SMB 3 again?
Funny you should say that, because that's exactly what I say in the review. Getting the Bee suit for the first time reminded me of when I got the Raccoon Suit in SMB 3.
Are the levels big enough to allow a decent mixture of running around aimlessly and completing your goal?
Sort of. The levels are very large, but you won't be running about them "aimlessly" like yo udid in Sunshine and (to a lesser extent) Mario 64. Because there are stars that blast you to other areas, most of the time once you've blasted off you can't return to that area. While this seems like it might be annoying, there's really no need to go back to an area once you've been there: you don't get a star for collecting 100 coins any more so there's no need to backtrack.
Loading times. How are they?
The version I played wasn't running from disk so I can't say, but assuming it's the same they're non-existent. It's very cleverly done because it seems that while you're choosing a star and then shown the wee intro showing off the galaxy you're going to and where the star is (just like Mario 64 did), your level's loading in the background. I didn't see a single "now loading" screen at any point.
Is it easy to get used to?
Yes, especially if you've played Mario 64 or Sunshine.
Do you collect red coins?
No.
How long is the review? Is it as long as the Twilight Princess review?
Six pages.
Is it able to get a bit of emotional reaction? I mean, will it give the player a feeling of excitment/sadness/laughter etc or is it going to be another game that always feels like its just a game. When I saw the opening scenes in the Video Vault, I thought it was pretty exciting to watch but I wonder if that runs through out the game.
This may sound like an exaggeration, but there were times when I was just overwhelmed by it all and had to just stop to take it in. That's never happened to me with a game before. But when I was running about the Observatory at the start I just stopped and soaked it all in because it was all amazing: it looks stunning, the orchestral music is the best I've ever heard in a Nintendo game (it could go straight into an old-school Disney movie and fit in perfectly) and I just had to stop and take it all in. I laughed out loud a few times, my mouth dropped open a few times and I felt genuinely touched a few times, and I was the only person in the room so I wasn't doing it for a reaction. Whether it's a better game than Mario 64 is open to debate, but I personally think it's far more emotionally powerful.
Is the Camera good or not, because from the trailers it does not look like its good?
Camera's fine.
How many Mario costumes are there, combined?
I can't answer that, because there's at least one that hasn't actually been revealed yet. So when someone previously said there were 6 they were wrong, but as I say, the NDA means I can't say any more.
Is this one of the best Mario games we'll have played in a long time, or does it fall in the average likes of the Sports games?
You'll not be disappointed.
Who is the ONM teams favourite Mario Costume? =D
I like the Bee one, I have to admit.
ive seen a video with mario saving luigi, so what role does luigi play in this game...
Can't say, I don't think. In that particular mission you do have to save Luigi though.
Who in the office got to play it first ? (bet it was you lol)
Lee and Chandra, back when they revealed it at E3 2006. I played it a couple of weeks later.
How many stars are there?
120, though it can be completed with 60.
How far into the game are you (e.g 50%,75%)?
100%.
Do any 'surprise' characters apart from luigi turn up?
Can't say, but there are loads of enemies from all the old Mario games.
Does the game feel polished and ready, and does it feel...right?
Yup. It all gels together superbly.
How many stars can you earn on each level? (E.g. Mario 64, you can collect 7 stars per level)
It varies. Some of the bonus galaxies only have one star, while others initially have three, then other stars are added as the game progresses.
Would you say the difficulty was either 1,2,3,4 or 5 on difficulty?
3.
are thier any space toads or aliens to talk to in the levels like in 64 with the pink bomb-ombs?
Yup. Most galaxies have characters wandering around who you can talk to. What's nice about it is that while you talk to the "important" ones the usual way (walk up to them and press A), when it comes to the ones that only have funny, throwaway lines (like a bee saying "this honey is heavy!") you only have to walk past them and a speech bubble will come up with the line in it. So simple and so convenient.
compared to TP how much longer does this last?
It's a totally different game to TP so it's shorter. TP's lifespan is stretched out with long story scenes and dungeon exploring, Galaxy doesn't have that.
Was there any parts that had you saying "that really didn't work very well" or "that could have been done a lot better"?
Nothing springs to mind.
Where is Nintendo's HQ and what is it like?
It's in Windsor. It's very nice. There's a big Link statue when you go in.
Do the extreme speed airborne moments and very sudden changes in gravity sometimes become confusing or disorientating?
No, actually. This was my big worry but it's actually fine. The "extreme speed airborne moments" (ie the moments where Mario's blasted off to another area) are set-pieces where the camera's locked, but you still have to keep focused because you can pick up the star bits he flies past. The gravity never "suddenly changes" as such, because you're always in control of when to go upside down and when to go the right way up.
Is the music good and is it ochestrated?
The music's phenomenal. I'm going to buy the soundtrack as soon as I can.
Source: http://forum.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=97213
