Critics Hate The Mario Galaxy Movie - Inside Games Roundup

This week's Inside Games Roundup delivers a lighthearted yet insightful look at the polarizing reception of the Super Mario Galaxy movie, which has drawn a stark divide between critics and audiences. While critics panned the film for its lack of character depth and overwhelming sensory overload—earning a 40% score on Rotten Tomatoes—fans celebrated it with a strong 90% audience rating, highlighting the growing disconnect between professional reviews and consumer enjoyment. The episode also dives into major industry developments, including Bungie's upcoming patch for Marathon that improves the underperforming Recon class, the launch of IndiePass—a new $7/month indie-focused subscription service—and the surprising shift of Thick as Thieves from a PvPVE format to solo and co-op gameplay. Other highlights include free game giveaways across multiple platforms, upcoming titles like Samson, The House of Hikmah, and Pokemon Champions, and a playful critique of Nintendo’s current focus on franchises like Star Fox and Zelda over Mario. The tone remains upbeat and celebratory, celebrating small wins in a sometimes bleak industry landscape.