Galaxy 2 is legitimately one of the best Mario games but gets slept on because Galaxy 1 was higher profile. All the fat was trimmed for a TON of great new levels with fun gimmicks all over the place. It's probably one of the purest gameplay experiences in modern times. It's a shame it hasn't been re-released (except as a Wii U download).
https://backloggery.com/FridgeBeard
http://i.imgur.com/AW4vp.png - Credit: Breloom