Both Super Mario Galaxy games have amazing soundtracks, partly thanks to Nintendo using a symphonic orchestra to perform them. It’s still a crime that Nintendo never made the soundtrack CDs easily available outside of Japan (something Nintendo STILL does, seriously, people will pay you for your music). It’s actually shocking that I haven’t listed any of either games’ songs yet, so let’s rectify that.

I actually forgot all about this track from Super Mario Galaxy 2 since it’s been years since I last played it. But I instantly recognised it once I started listening to it, and fond childhood memories came flooding back.

Admittedly, I don’t think Puzzle Plank Galaxy was an all-time favourite world of mine from that game, but this music certainly made hunting its Power Stars a lot more fun. For some reason, the country feel to it matches the world’s aesthetic of floating, wooden blocks, and that violin playing is simply superb.

At the same time, though, you’ve got those weird, space-like noises that perpetuate throughout the track, helping the world seem more otherworldly. They surprisingly compliment the other instruments really well.

While the sweeping, epic, orchestral score is what people probably think of when asked about Super Mario Galaxy 2 music, let’s not forget the odd outliers like this one that are just as enjoyable.