Is Something Wrong With Me?

As all of you gamers know, our tastes change often. One minute, you're craving some guns and gore. The next, you're in the mood to test your brain. Days later, you have the need for speed. Then you get the itch for a good ol' street fight. It's inevitable that as we grow older and delve deeper into gaming, our preferences will shift often.

With that said, there are some games that are just destined to always grab our attention. No matter what happens, some franchises demand our thumbs (or wrists in the Wiimote's case) attention. And the #1 franchise that consistently captures hearts worldwide is our favorite plumber, Mario Mario.

When a Mario game is announced, gamers worldwide leap for joy. Smiles reach from ear to ear. Past memories of the warp zones and goomba stomping are recalled. So when Super Mario Galaxy was announced to be the "true" sequel to Mario 64, we all wept a tear of joy.

So the game is released to massive success. Cool. Critics and gamers alike all embraced the planet hopping platformer. As well they should have, because it's a freaking amazing game. But.....

When I first played Galaxy at a local Gamestop before release, I described my feelings to fellow message board gamers. I explained that while impressive, Galaxy just didn't give me the same "WOW" factor Mario 3 and Mario 64, and even Super Mario World did. I was immediately labeled a hater, Sony fanboy, idiot, and other things of the sort.

As I said last column, I now own both a Wii and Galaxy. It's been 2 weeks, and I have played Galaxy 3 times. 3. T-H-R-E-E times. And one of those times I fell asleep for an hour, only to wake up with the game still on. Now don't get me wrong, I like the game. It's ingenious and charming. The problem is, I'm starting to think I have outgrown Mario. And that's pretty sad if it's true. I own the second highest rated game ever, and I can't even play it for more than 30 minutes before I quit.

So my question is, am I the problem? Or is the game overhyped? I mean, after countless videos and reviews, EVERYONE was convinced this was an absolute game for the ages. But I've never had such a hard time playing a game that is receiving the praise Galaxy is. I considered dropping out of high school over FFVII. I logged countless hours on Chrono Trigger. I can recite every cutscene on the original MGS. I have seen every glitch known to man in Ocarina Of Time, including the fake triforce. I mean, come on! I need to know if I'm just being irrational about the game or not. So if you have an opinion favoring mine, or completely opposite, let me know. I'm interested to know if it's just me or not. Until next time gamers.