File this under one more reason to want a Wii. Nintendo has created a Co-Star Mode in the new Super Mario Galaxy that lets parents help younger players navigate the 3-D world in the game. from the GameDaily story:

As the second player, you don’t get a character on screen, you get a cursor that is used to capture gems, gather coins, help give Mario jump boosts and distract would-be foes. So younger gamers still get to control the primary character, feel like they’re controlling a game and ensures that the game experience lasts longer than what would occur based on their current abilities.

Very cool. The few times Carter and I have tried to play any games (albeit, it’s the X-Box), he just can’t quite grasp the controls and game play just yet. I don’t know how old I was when I received my first NES, but I remember playing it for hours. Newer games (and especially 3-D navigation) can be harder for younger players, so it’s cool that Nintendo realized this and actually did something about it.