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Super Mario Galaxy

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"Mario Galaxy" redirects here. For the stage in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, see Mario Galaxy (stage).
This article is about the game known as "Super Mario Wii" in Korean. For the game commonly referred to as "Super Mario Wii" in other languages, see New Super Mario Bros. Wii.
Super Mario Galaxy
Boxart for Super Mario Galaxy.
For alternate box art, see the game's gallery.
Developer Nintendo EAD Tokyo
Publisher Nintendo
Platform(s) Wii, Wii U, Nvidia Shield TV (Mainland China only)[1]
Release date Original release:
Template:Release Nintendo Selects:
Template:Release Wii U (digital download):
Template:ReleaseNvidia Shield TV:
Template:Release
Language(s) English (United Kingdom)
English (United States)
French (France)
French (Canada)
German
Spanish (Spain)
Spanish (Latin America)
Italian
Japanese
Simplified Chinese1
Korean

1 - Exclusive to the Nvidia Shield TV version.
Genre Platformer, action-adventure
Rating(s) Original release:
ESRB:E - Everyone
PEGI:3 - Three years and older
CERO:A - All ages
ACB:G - General
USK:6 - Six years and older
RARS:0+ - All ages
GRAC:All - All ages
Nintendo Selects:
Wii U (digital download):
ACB:PG - Parental Guidance
Mode(s) Single-player
Two-player co-op
Input
Wii:
Wii U:

Super Mario Galaxy is a 3D action-adventure platform game for the Wii, first released in Japan on November 1, 2007. It is the eleventh entry in the Super Mario series,[2] the third 3D platformer, and the first of what would be recognized – in retrospect – as the "course clear-style" games of the series.[3][4] In this game, the player controls Mario in outer space, moving across spherical planetoids with their own centers of gravity. The levels are more linear than those found in its 3D predecessors Super Mario 64 (1996) and Super Mario Sunshine (2002). Similar to prior games, he is collecting Power Stars to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser, who is trying to establish his own galaxy at the center of the universe. Mario is aided by his brother Luigi, a brigade of Toads, star-shaped creatures called Lumas, and a mysterious woman named Rosalina. The save data description for the game is "Launch into a cosmic adventure!"

Upon its release, Super Mario Galaxy was met with critical acclaim and commercial success. It received various awards and accolades, including from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, the Interactive Achievement Awards, and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. It has sold 12.80 million copies, making it the ninth best-selling Wii game.[5] It was re-released in 2011 under the Nintendo Selects branding for having sold so well. It is one of the few Wii titles to have been ported to the Nvidia Shield TV console in 2018. A port of the game with upscaled graphics was included in Super Mario 3D All-Stars alongside Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine on September 18, 2020 to correspond with the 35th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. (1985).[6] After its original release, a dedicated sequel, Super Mario Galaxy 2, was developed and released for the Wii on May 22, 2010.

Super Mario Galaxy has gone on to be considered one of the greatest video games of all time and a masterpiece.[7][8][9][10]

Story

From the instruction booklet

Every hundred years, a huge comet flies by in the skies above the Mushroom Kingdom. One year, that comet filled the entire sky, and from it fell a stream of shooting stars. The Toads scooped up the Star Bits and brought them to the castle, where they were reborn as a great Power Star. It was a happy time in the Mushroom Kingdom. Then one night Mario received a letter...

Dear Mario, I'll be waiting for you at the castle on the night of the Star Festival. There's something I'd like to give you. From Peach

With invitation in hand, Mario headed off to the castle just as the Star Festival was getting into full swing. Surrounded by Toads gleefully trying to catch falling Star Bits, Mario was looking forward to the night's festivities.

But then, something happened...

Castle Gardens
Castle Gardens, the beginning area.

Every century, on the eve of the Star Festival, a comet passes over the Mushroom Kingdom and causes stars to fall to the planet below. Princess Peach invites Mario to her castle to join in the festivities and receive a special gift. As Mario arrives in the Castle Gardens, Bowser suddenly attacks the Toads with his airships and encases them in crystals. He "invites" Peach to the creation of his brand new galaxy and lifts the castle off the ground with a UFO to carry it to the center of the universe, taking her, two Toads, and Mario with it. Before Mario can reach Peach, Kamek suddenly appears and casts a spell at him, sending him into space. An apricot-colored Luma, whom Peach was carrying before her abduction, flees to look for Mario before Kamek warps the castle away with another spell.

Peach's Castle in Super Mario Galaxy
Peach's castle being lifted into space.

Mario is awoken by the apricot-colored Luma on a small grassy planet. Here, he meets other Lumas and Rosalina, a mysterious woman who acts as the protector of the galaxies and the mother of the Lumas. She tells Mario that her ship, the Comet Observatory, had its Power Stars stolen by Bowser. Without them, the Comet Observatory is unable to move through space. Rosalina asks him to reclaim her Power Stars. In exchange, she offers to help rescue Peach and defeat Bowser. Rosalina gives him the apricot-colored Luma to help him on his quest. He grants Mario the ability to spin and travel through space. Together, they travel to various galaxies in opened domes to obtain Power Stars. Once a mission is completed in one galaxy, Mario collects a Power Star and unlocks the next mission. Most domes contain five galaxies. Once Mario has collected enough Power Stars, the next galaxy in the current dome is an enemy base where either Bowser or Bowser Jr. would be using the power of one of the Grand Stars, large varieties of Power Stars. Rescuing the Grand Star unlocks the next dome. When enough Power Stars are collected, the Comet Observatory takes Mario to the center of the universe.

Mario flying with Peach after rescuing her.

Once there, Mario defeats Bowser in his brand new galaxy, retrieves the last Grand Star, and rescues Peach. Just then, a large sun in Bowser's near-complete galaxy undergoes a supernova and becomes a supermassive black hole which begins pulling in everything. The Lumas from the Comet Observatory, including the apricot-colored Luma, throw themselves into the black hole in order to neutralize it, and it soon evaporates in a massive explosion. Mario appears in front of Rosalina, who saves him from the cataclysm and tells him that this is not the end, but a new beginning for the universe, which repeats its cycle indefinitely, each time a little differently.

Mario later awakens in the Mushroom Kingdom near Peach's Castle. He sees characters and enemies he met throughout his adventure celebrating together. Bowser and Peach lie next to him and begin to stir. When he looks into the air, he notices a newborn galaxy as Rosalina's words echo in his mind, and exclaims, "Welcome! Welcome new galaxy!" The camera pans out into space, revealing the reconstructed universe. After 120 Power Stars have been collected, a special cutscene plays after the staff roll: Rosalina thanks the player and says, "I will watch over you from beyond the stars." before flying off with the Comet Observatory. Alone in the rubble left by the supermassive black hole, an apricot-colored Luma appears behind a decrepit starship. This alludes to the idea of how the universe repeats itself. The events of the past will carry out anew, with the lost apricot Luma searching for its mother.

Gameplay

Mario navigating a level with Pull Stars, environmental objects controlled with the Star Pointer.

Super Mario Galaxy is a 3D action-adventure platform game where the player navigates spherical planetoids and completes levels by collecting Power Stars. The player controls series protagonist Mario,[note 1] who has a number of jumping actions at his disposal that allows him to hop between platforms and stomp enemies. Most enemies that cannot be stomped on can be taken out or dazed with a spin, a move new to the series. Rather than performed with button inputs, shaking the Wii Remote makes Mario spin. In addition to taking out enemies, spinning makes Mario engage switches, parry certain attacks, skate on ice, throw held objects, and perform an extra small jump in the air. Several actions in Super Mario Galaxy are not strictly tied to button inputs and are instead performed by shaking, tilting, or rotating the remote. The game's camera organically pans across levels, but the player can manually angle it with +Control Pad. Pressing Nunchuk C Button centers the camera behind Mario and pressing +Control Pad up enters a first-person perspective.

There are scenarios in the game that change what button inputs do. In some missions, Mario rides on top of a Rolling Ball, surfs on the back of a manta ray, or travels through the air in a giant bubble. Power-ups change his appearance and give him a unique set of abilities in place of his usual ones (see below). While in water, Mario can swim. Pressing Nunchuk Z Button makes him dive. Pressing A Button makes Mario perform a breaststroke, propelling him forward.

Artwork of Mario spinning from Super Mario Galaxy.
Artwork of Mario spinning.

Pointing the Wii Remote at the screen makes an on-screen reticle appear called the Star Pointer. It gives the player a way to engage with the game that is not tied to Mario. Passively moving the Star Pointer over Star Bits, small colorful objects, automatically collects them. Pressing B Button fires a Star Bit from the pointer. There are non-playable characters called Hungry Lumas that transform into new levels when shot at with Star Bits - their source of food. Most enemies become dazed when shot by a Star Bit. Mario kicks a stunned enemy just by making contact with it, defeating it and releasing collectible Star Bits.

Mario's health is represented by a life meter that has three bars. Receiving damage causes one of the bars to disappear, and losing all three makes him lose a life. Collecting a Life Mushroom replenishes any lost health and adds a second health meter, giving Mario a total of six bars. If Mario is reduced to three bars again, the second meter permanently disappears and the effect of the Life Mushroom is lost. He does not take damage by falling from high areas, a departure from proceeding 3D games. While underwater, he gains an air meter that decreases and starts to deplete Mario's normal life meter when it hits zero.

Most levels are clusters of small planetary bodies with their own centers of gravity, causing Mario to organically bend around them as he moves or jumps. Not all planetary bodies are spherical, but they at least have rounded edges to compliment the concept.[11] Planets with sharp edges only have one gravitational plane, like the courses in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. Mario will fall and lose a life if he jumps off the edges of these planets. Some planetoids are so close to each other that Mario can simply jump between them, but others are very distant. In most cases, he can reach them by using Launch Stars, yellow objects that fire Mario through the sky. The levels in the game can be accessed by domes scattered across the Comet Observatory, the game's hub world. For more detail on level structure, galaxies, and the hub, see "Locations" below.

Co-Star Mode

The game has a multiplayer mode called Co-Star Mode. Connecting a second Wii Remote allows another player (P2) to join in and assist the first one (P1) by controlling a second Star Pointer. There are a number of actions that are available only to the second player. When Co-Star Mode is active, "1P" appears below Player 1's Star Pointer, and "2P" appears below Player 2's Star Pointer to help differentiate between them. Like the first player, P2 can collect Star Bits and fire them at enemies to briefly stun them. When P2 directs their Star Pointer at Mario and presses A Button, he performs a unique action called the Co-Star Super Jump. Combining both jump techniques can make Mario jump higher than when controlled with only one controller. This works in midair, but it can be done only once before the player touches a horizontal surface.[12]

Luigi

Cosmic Luigi
Luigi about to race against Cosmic Luigi in Freezeflame Galaxy.

Collecting all 120 Power Stars and completing "The Fate of the Universe" a second time allows the player to replay the entire game as Mario's brother Luigi, who otherwise appears as a non-playable character who assists Mario. Luigi can jump higher than him, but has worse traction. This makes Luigi skid. He is also faster than Mario but takes longer to reach top speed. Luigi loses air faster while underwater and loses a chunk of air every time he spins underwater. Cosmic Luigi, one of the rival characters, is more challenging than Cosmic Mario, and Luigi receives twenty 1-Up Mushrooms from Princess Peach instead of Mario's usual five (although if Luigi's life counter is too high, he only receives five). Outside of these changes, the storyline is almost completely unchanged and even includes the original NPC Luigi. When the player collect 120 Power Stars and replays "The Fate of the Universe", Grand Finale Galaxy becomes available for both Mario and Luigi, allowing the 121st Power Star to be collected by each of them.

This mode is referred to by Rosalina as "another world". In the Japanese version, she describes it as the world where Mario may come across his alternate self who is not him.[13]

Controls

When playing on a Wii or Wii U console by oneself (P1), the game requires one to use the Wii Remote attached to the Nunchuk. If the player attempts to access the game without the Nunchuk attached, it will prompt the player to do so before proceeding. One will not be able to access the rest of the game unless they do so. In Co-Star Mode, the second player (P2) is not required to have the Nunchuk attached to their Wii Remote but it still must be held vertically.

The controller for the Nvidia Shield TV has a more conventional layout, cannot display a pointer on screen, and lacks the same motion-sensing capabilities of the Wii Remote. To compensate, actions that originally involved shaking the Wii Remote are performed by pressing the X button. Actions involving the Star Pointer are instead performed with the right analog stick. In Co-Star Mode, both analog sticks can be used to control the Star Pointer.[14] The original tilt controls in the game is also replaced by the regular left analog stick control.[15][16]

For the control scheme of the iteration included in Super Mario 3D All-Stars for Nintendo Switch systems, click here.

Action(s) Input(s)
Wii Remote + Nunchuk Nvidia Shield controller
Mario and Luigi controls
Move Nunchuk Control Stick Left Analog Stick
Spin, engage object, throw object, skate Shake Wii Remote X Button
Kick Make contact with stunned enemy
Jump, speak, read, swim A Button A Button
Double jump A Button when making contact with the ground while moving
(repeat twice)
A Button when making contact with the ground while moving
(repeat twice)
Triple jump A Button when making contact with the ground while moving
(repeat thrice)
A Button when making contact with the ground while moving
(repeat thrice)
Backward somersault Nunchuk Z Button + A Button Left Bumper + A Button
Wall jump A Button against a wall A Button against a wall
Side somersault Nunchuk Control Stick (in reverse direction) + A Button Left Analog Stick (in reverse direction) + A Button
Long jump Nunchuk Z Button + A Button while running Left Bumper + A Button while running
Spin jump Shake Wii Remote in midair X Button in midair
Ground pound Nunchuk Z Button in midair Left Bumper in midair
Homing ground pound Shake Wii Remote + Nunchuk Z Button in midair X Button + Left Bumper in midair
Grab or release pole A Button alongside a pole A Button alongside a pole
Crouch, dive underwater Nunchuk Z Button Left Bumper
Crawl Nunchuk Z Button + Nunchuk Control Stick Left Bumper + Left Analog Stick
Sweep kick Nunchuk Z Button + shake Wii Remote Left Bumper + X Button
Move camera +Control Pad Control Pad
Enter first-person view +Control Pad up Control Pad up
Reset camera Nunchuk C Button Y Button
Rolling ball Tilt Wii Remote Tilt Left Analog Stick
Ray surfing A Button + tilt Wii Remote A Button + tilt Left Analog Stick
Power-up controls
Hover in bee form Hold A Button Hold A Button
Float in Boo form A Button A Button
Phase through walls in Boo form Shake Wii Remote X Button
Toss fireball in fire form Shake Wii Remote X Button
Bounce in spring form A Button when colliding with the ground A Button when colliding with the ground
Takeoff or ground in flight form Shake Wii Remote X Button
Change direction in flight form A Button while in flight A Button while in flight
Star Pointer controls
Collect a Star Bit Move Star Pointer over a Star Bit Move Right Analog Stick over a Star Bit
Shoot a Star Bit Star Pointer + B Button Right Analog Stick + B Button
Rapidly shoot Star Bits Star Pointer + hold B Button Right Analog Stick + hold B Button
Enter a Pull Star, blow air to direct bubble (P1 only) Star Pointer + hold A Button Right Analog Stick + hold A Button
Fire cannon (P1 only) Star Pointer + A Button Right Analog Stick + A Button
Fire from Sling Pod (P1 only) Hold A Button + pull back with Star Pointer → release A Button Hold A Button + pull back with Right Analog Stick → release A Button
Stop an enemy (P2 only) Move Star Pointer over an enemy + hold A Button Move Right Analog Stick over an enemy + hold A Button
Make Mario jump (P2 only) Move Star Pointer over Mario + A Button Move Right Analog Stick over Mario + A Button
Make Mario spin (P2 only) Move Star Pointer over Mario while he is midair + A Button Move Right Analog Stick over Mario while he is midair + A Button
Make Mario do a powerful jump (P2 only) Move Star Pointer over Mario + A Button while P1 presses A Button Move Right Analog Stick over Mario + A Button while P1 presses A Button
Menu controls
Navigate menu Star Pointer Right Analog Stick
Confirm command A Button A Button
Cancel command B Button B Button
Select galaxy A Button Right Trigger
Display HOME menu HOME Button Home Button
Display pause menu Plus Button / Minus Button Start Button / Back Button

Locations

Setting

Official artwork of outer space from Super Mario Galaxy. This piece appears on the boxart for the game and in various promotional materials. It is comparable to this artwork of Gelato Beach from Super Mario Sunshine that is also incorporated into promotional wallpaper.
Key artwork of outer space as presented on the game's boxart.
Rosalina's Story Chapter 2, page 5
Rosalina netting Star Bits as she rides in a starship.

Super Mario Galaxy is set in outer space. With the exception of Grand Finale Galaxy, which is Princess Peach's Castle Gardens in the Mushroom Kingdom, all levels – referred to as "galaxies" in this game – are staged on worlds far removed from Mario's home planet. This is the first entry in the series to explicitly include an outer space setting since Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (1992) and the first time it has been realized by Nintendo EAD, the studio responsible for most of the proceeding Super Mario games.[17] A galaxy is an isolated cluster of small planets and other planetary bodies. Some are shaped like spheres, but many are not. Most planets have their own gravitational pull, which prevents Mario from falling down bottomless pits and enables him to return to his starting position if he just keeps moving forward. Mario's movement, physics, and trajectory bend organically around a planet's shape.[18][19] Because they have their own pull and are usually close to each other, most planets can be directly traveled between just by jumping. More distant planets can be reached via objects called Launch Stars and Pull Stars. Not all planets have their own unique gravity: some are shaped like the more traditional courses of Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. These planets have only one gravitational plane, which is communicated by sharp edges and steep drops along their sides. Planets that have their own gravity, even if they are not spheres, have rounded edges.[19] Some planets are on two-dimensional planes and Mario's movement options are restricted accordingly (i.e. when Mario is on a 2D side-scrolling plane, the player cannot tilt Nunchuk Control Stick down towards the z-axis to make him fall off the side).

The theme of space is communicated in various ways throughout Super Mario Galaxy. Many galaxies include distant asteroid belts or views of massive, unreachable planets orbiting suns that peak over their horizons. Depending on the distance from the game's camera, the light from a visible sun retracts, mimicking the behavior of real sunlight. The skyboxes of the galaxies feature nebulas, auroras, and starry skies. Three-dimensional objects – including Mario himself – exhibit a soft glow in certain positions as if struck by the light from distant stars. Black holes occur in place of bottomless pits in many galaxies. Super Mario Galaxy includes some motifs associated with science fiction, such as humanoid robots, fortified battle facilities, UFOs, and starships. Much of the game's setting includes whimsical, tranquil, and surreal elements comparable to those found in children's books.[20][21][22] Locations are reached via a palace-like starship called the Comet Observatory, the game's hub world. It is overseen by a princess named Rosalina and is a nursery for spacefaring star children called Lumas. In lieu of aliens, the people found living in the galaxies include Star Bunnies, Honeybees, and penguins. Star Bits, small collectibles that fall from the sky like shooting stars, resemble konpeitō candies and are eaten by the Lumas. There are planets and entire galaxies that look like dessert.

According to director Yoshiaki Koizumi, the primary goal behind Super Mario Galaxy was to create a Super Mario game with spherical worlds. It was thought that these worlds would make it less likely for players to get disoriented or have to reposition the camera. These were issues he observed during the development of Super Mario 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998), and Super Mario Sunshine that prevented complete immersion and intimidated inexperienced players.[18][19] The decision to stage the game in outer space was made because the development team thought that the spherical worlds would most intuitively make sense as planets.[17] In 2017, a figure was released by Nintendo that conveys that Super Mario Galaxy is structurally viewed as a different type of 3D Super Mario game from its immediate predecessors – the "sandbox-style" games Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. Nintendo aligns it with the succeeding games Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2010), Super Mario 3D Land (2011), and Super Mario 3D World (2013) as a linear "course clear-style" game.[3] However, many of the levels in Super Mario Galaxy are structured similarly to the ones in its predecessors, particularly in the robust six-mission galaxies and the large planets that do not have their own centers of gravity.[19] The principals of the "sandbox-style" games derive from hakoniwa, or "box gardens", and Koizumi directly cites them as an influence behind the worlds in Super Mario Galaxy as well.[18][20][4]

Galaxies

Main article: Galaxy
SMG Terrace Exterior.pngTerrace dome galaxies. "Super Mario Galaxy World Map," so to say.
Figure. Visual representation of the galaxies accessed from inside the Terrace in Super Mario Galaxy. This was created to serve as visual aide to help explain: (a) levels orbit around an origin; (b) the distance from the origin positively correlates with how many Power Stars are necessary to unlock them; (c) negatively correlates with the number of missions within each galaxy; (d) there are three different types of galaxies within a dome; and (e) levels do not need to be completed in the unilateral way one may expect from a 2D Super Mario game. Though this figure represents the Terrace, these attributes are reflective of all domes. The way levels are accessed in Super Mario Galaxy is intuitive in execution, but is difficult to explain in exclusively in writing. It is highly distinctive from previous and subsequent Super Mario platformers.
Top row: the exterior of the Terrace dome on the Comet Observatory (left) and a display of the galaxy selection screen map within it (right).
Bottom row: a figure of the Terrace's galaxies conveying their positioning from the Pull Star; how they are accessed; the correlations involving their distance from the Pull Star; and the three different types of galaxies within domes. These attributes generally are representative of all domes in the game.

In Super Mario Galaxy, levels are accessed inside of domes on the Comet Observatory. They are spatially distributed across the hub, similar to the access points for levels in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. However, with the exception of the Garden, each dome contains a set of five different galaxies instead of just one dedicated course. Domes are unlocked unilaterally as the player completes certain criteria. These make the domes analogous to the worlds of the 2D Super Mario games like Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988). However, as in its 3D predecessors, the player is not restricted to linear course progression in Super Mario Galaxy.

Each galaxy contains objectives referred to as missions. Completing a mission has Mario acquire one of the galaxy's Power Stars, the same tokens used in Super Mario 64 for unlocking levels. One mission correlates with one Power Star. The start of each mission has a brief cinematic preview of the galaxy that hints at the location of the Power Star, as was similarly done in Super Mario Sunshine. Once a specified number of Power Stars has been accumulated, a new galaxy becomes unlockable at the player's discretion. Only half of the Power Stars in the game are required for progression. The minimum number of Power Stars needed to access the game's final level is 60 in a game that contains 120 total. Consequently, a player who completes as many missions as possible within one dome may unlock all the galaxies within the next all at once when they enter it for the first time.

Every dome has a Pull Star at its center. Entering the Pull Star brings Mario to an interactive selection screen of all the dome's galaxies. The galaxies orbit around the Pull Star (the origin; see right). The display is directly comparable to models of solar systems, with each galaxy following a circular trajectory around the Pull Star. The distance of these orbital lines from the Pull Star has a positive correlation with the number of Power Stars required to unlock the galaxies and a negative correlation with the number of missions available within them. (i.e. The galaxies closest to the origin typically have the greatest number of missions and require the lowest number of Power Stars to unlock. The farthest ones contain the fewest and require the highest number of Power Stars to unlock.) Using the Terrace as an example, a dome contains three different types of galaxies:

  • "Robust galaxies" that contain at least six missions. They either feature a high number of visitable planets or a small selection of large ones to explore. The missions build off of each other environmentally or narratively. (i.e. The events that occur in one mission foreshadow the events of the subsequent mission.) Two or more of the six missions typically involve a boss battle. Most domes contain two or three of these galaxies, and they are all listed together on the first page of the in-game Star List. They are the only galaxies orbited by Prankster Comets. The robust galaxies of the Terrace are Good Egg Galaxy and Honeyhive Galaxy.
  • "Mystery galaxies" that each contain one mission. Before being unlocked, they are represented by course preview models shaped like ? Blocks. These galaxies are highly distinctive in theme and mission. Some of them entail minigames like ray surfing or ball rolling. Others are athletic obstacle courses. Mystery galaxies usually require completing a certain mission in another galaxy in addition to accumulating a specific number of Power Stars to unlock. Each dome contains one or two mystery galaxies. In the Terrace, they are Loopdeeloop Galaxy and Flipswitch Galaxy.
  • "Boss galaxies" that each contain one mission. They feature linear obstacle courses that lead to a boss battle. Half of them involve Bowser Jr., either directly or as the inciter for another boss to go after Mario. The other half feature Bowser himself. With the exception of the Garden, each dome contains one boss galaxy and it is always on the outermost ring in the dome. Completing the mission in these galaxies is a criterion needed to unlock a subsequent dome and is required for game progression. They have the highest or second-highest Power Star threshold. The preview model in orbit resembles a bust of Bowser's head with glowing eyes. The boss galaxy in the Terrace is Bowser Jr.'s Robot Reactor.
A screenshot of a Hungry Luma nearly filled with Star Bits
A Hungry Luma outside the Terrace, almost completely stuffed with Star Bits. Feeding it the requested number of Star Bits makes the Luma transform into a wholly new galaxy.

There are galaxies accessible outside of the domes. With the exception of Gateway Galaxy, these ones can also be categorized as mystery or boss galaxies. Most of them are unlocked by feeding Hungry Lumas a requested number of Star Bits. These Lumas appear on the Comet Observatory once certain criteria are met within the dome galaxies (see chart below). There is a Hungry Luma associated with every dome, essentially functioning as an extra level for each one. A tiny house called the Gate rests on a grassy platform orbiting the observatory. It grants Mario access to Gateway Galaxy. This galaxy is the first level of the game, but it can only be revisited via the Gate once "King Kaliente's Spicy Return" is completed. Though it is not a dome, there is a Hungry Luma associated with it as well. A planetoid called the Planet of Trials orbits the observatory and has three galaxies of its own. It becomes reachable once all three of the secret Green Power Stars have been collected. A Launch Star leading to Grand Finale Galaxy appears here after the player has collected 120 Power Stars as Mario and Luigi. Bowser's Galaxy Reactor is only reachable by speaking to Rosalina after 60 Power Stars have been collected.

Mario encounters his brother in four galaxies: Good Egg Galaxy, Honeyhive Galaxy, Battlerock Galaxy, and Ghostly Galaxy. In Ghostly Galaxy, Luigi is at the end of the "Luigi and the Haunted Mansion" mission and gives Mario a Power Star when reached. After Luigi is rescued, he appears in the observatory and offers to help Mario collect Power Stars. When Luigi visits a galaxy, he gets stuck and sends a letter to Mario asking for help. A picture that hints at his location is included with each letter. Finding him within a galaxy awards Mario with a secret Power Star.

There are 42 dedicated galaxies in the game. Of this total 15 are robust galaxies, 20 are mystery galaxies, and 6 are boss galaxies. If the Comet Observatory, its library, and its domes are considered individual levels, then the true total number is 50. Some galaxies have tiny otherworldly subareas reached via pipes that contain an interactive side objective. If each of these areas were to be considered levels as well, then the true number is even higher. The chart below lists the galaxies of the game roughly as they are listed on the Star List. Each galaxy is given a brief description, an in-game screenshot, and a list of their missions. There is a legend at the bottom of the chart detailing what the symbols used in it represent.

Galaxies
Model of the Terrace Dome from Super Mario Galaxy The Terrace
01. Good Egg Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×6 Total number of reachable areas.×19 Total number of boss battles.×3
Missions
Good Egg Galaxy Starting Planet.png Power Star Dino Piranha Power Star A Snack of Cosmic Proportions
Power Star King Kaliente's Battle Fleet Prankster Comet Dino Piranha Speed Run
Prankster Comet Purple Coin Omelet Secret Star Luigi on the Roof
A galaxy in low orbit of an earth-like planet. Each planet is highly distinctive, but most of them have grassy knolls and are shaped like food. It introduces the reoccurring Electrogoombas and King Kaliente.
Unlock criterion: complete "Grand Star Rescue"
02. Honeyhive Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×6 Total number of reachable areas.×7 Total number of boss battles.×2
Missions
SMG Honeyhive Starting Planet.png Power Star Bee Mario Takes Flight Power Star Trouble on the Tower
Power Star Big Bad Bugaboom Prankster Comet Honeyhive Cosmic Mario Race
Prankster Comet The Honeyhive's Purple Coins Secret Star Luigi in the Honeyhive Kingdom
The Honeyhive Kingdom – a forested galaxy inhabited by Honeybees. Its planets have large trees and clear bodies of water. Some areas are covered in honey. The kingdom is invaded by Mandibugs.
Unlock criterion: collect 3 Power Stars
03. Loopdeeloop Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×1 Total number of reachable areas.×3
Mission
Overview of the Loopdeeloop Galaxy Power Star Surfing 101
A looping stretch of water. Penguins surf on the backs of rays here. Coach explains the basics to Mario.
Unlock criterion: collect 5 Power Stars
04. Flipswitch Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×1 Total number of reachable areas.×1
Mission
SMG Flipswitch Galaxy Mission.png Power Star Painting the Planet Yellow
Flipswitch Panels arranged like a cube around a black hole. Spikes move along suspended tracks over the panels.
Unlock criterion: collect 7 Power Stars
05. Bowser Jr.'s Robot Reactor
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×1 Total number of reachable areas.×2 Total number of boss battles.×1
Mission
A screenshot of Bowser Jr.'s Robot Reactor during the "Megaleg's Moon" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Grand Star Megaleg's Moon
A metal sphere with Bill Blasters and an artificial moon orbiting an earth-like planet. Bowser Jr.'s robot, Megaleg, is on the moon.
Unlock criterion: collect 8 Power Stars
Hungry Luma Sweet Sweet Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×1 Total number of reachable areas.×3
Mission
A screenshot of Sweet Sweet Galaxy during the "Rocky Road" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Power Star Rocky Road
An athletic course made of cakes, cookies, and other sweets. It has long stretches of continuously moving platforms with shapes cut out of them.
Unlock criteria: collect 7 Power Stars and feed the Luma 400 Star Bits
Model of the Fountain Dome from Super Mario Galaxy The Fountain
06. Space Junk Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×6 Total number of reachable areas.×16 Total number of boss battles.×2
Missions
A screenshot of Space Junk Galaxy during the "Pull Star Path" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Power Star Pull Star Path Power Star Kamella's Airship Attack
Power Star Tarantox's Tangled Web Prankster Comet Pull Star Path Speed Run
Prankster Comet Purple Coin Spacewalk Secret Star Yoshi's Unexpected Appearance
A stretch of rocks and space debris. Large portions of the galaxy are navigated via Pull Stars and Sling Pods. A giant spider lives here and traps members of the Toad Brigade in its web.
Unlock criteria: collect 9 Power Stars and complete "Megaleg's Moon"
07. Rolling Green Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×1 Total number of reachable areas.×4
Mission
An overview of the Rolling Green Galaxy Power Star Rolling in the Clouds
Flat, grassy planets arranged like a golf course. They can only be navigated by riding the Rolling Ball. Most planets have flowerbeds and groups of Goombas.
Unlock criterion: collect 11 Power Stars
08. Battlerock Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×7 Total number of reachable areas.×11 Total number of boss battles.×2
Missions
An overview of the Battlerock Galaxy Power Star Battlerock Barrage Power Star Breaking into the Battlerock
Power Star Topmaniac and the Topman Tribe Prankster Comet Topmaniac's Daredevil Run
Prankster Comet Purple Coins on the Battlerock Secret Star Battlerock's Garbage Dump
Green Star Luigi under the Saucer
A battle facility equipped with electric traps and artilleries. Cannons and Bill Blasters line the Battlerock and start firing when Mario is in close proximity. The galaxy introduces the Topman Tribe.
Unlock criterion: collect 12 Power Stars
09. Hurry-Scurry Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×1 Total number of reachable areas.×2
Mission
A screenshot of Hurry-Scurry Galaxy during the "Shrinking Satellite" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. (What a gorgeous skybox.) Power Star Shrinking Satellite
Shrinking platforms arranged into a rhombicuboctahedron. A black hole is at the center of the planet. Notes cover the tiles. Collecting each one causes the black hole to disappear.
Unlock criterion: collect 18 Power Stars
10. Bowser's Star Reactor
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×1 Total number of reachable areas.×4 Total number of boss battles.×1
Mission
A screenshot of Bowser's Star Reactor during "The Fiery Stronghold" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Grand Star The Fiery Stronghold
A stone fortress orbiting a giant sun. It features a twisting path and gravity fields. Fire Bars and Thwomps obstruct the path. It feeds into a big staircase leading to Bowser.
Unlock criterion: collect 15 Power Stars
Hungry Luma Sling Pod Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×1 Total number of reachable areas.×2
Mission
A screenshot of Sling Pod Galaxy during the "A Sticky Situation" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Power Star A Very Sticky Situation
A cluster of Fire Bars, Space Mines, and cannons above a black hole. The galaxy is only traversable with Sling Pods.
Unlock criteria: complete "Tarantox's Tangled Web" and feed the Luma 400 Star Bits
Model of the Kitchen Dome from Super Mario Galaxy The Kitchen
11. Beach Bowl Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×6 Total number of reachable areas.×3
Missions
Beach Bowl Galaxy Power Star Sunken Treasure Power Star Passing the Swim Test
Power Star The Secret Undersea Cavern Prankster Comet Fast Foes on the Cyclone Stone
Prankster Comet Beachcombing for Purple Coins Secret Star Wall Jumping up Waterfalls
A beach galaxy inhabited by penguins. Its largest planet is a hemisphere filled with water. The second is an obstacle course with Thwomps and Tox Boxes. A third, secret planet has waterfalls and Cataquacks.
Unlock criteria: collect 16 Power Stars and complete "The Fiery Stronghold"
12. Bubble Breeze Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×1 Total number of reachable areas.×1
Mission
The first area of the Bubble Breeze Galaxy Power Star Through the Poison Swamp
One giant planet covered in toxic sludge. Areas are separated by stone columns. It can only be navigated in a bubble. Space Mines and rotating objects within the areas can pop the bubble.
Unlock criterion: collect 19 Power Stars
13. Ghostly Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×6 Total number of reachable areas.×12 Total number of boss battles.×2
Missions
A screenshot of Ghostly Galaxy during the "Beware of Bouldergeist" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Power Star Luigi and the Haunted Mansion Power Star A Very Spooky Sprint
Power Star Beware of Bouldergeist Prankster Comet Bouldergeist's Daredevil Run
Prankster Comet Purple Coins in the Bone Pen Secret Star Matter Splatter Mansion
Decrepit planets orbiting a dimly-lit sun. Luigi is held captive in the largest planet, a haunted mansion. The ghost that captured him lives in this galaxy.[23]
Unlock criterion: collect 20 Power Stars
14. Buoy Base Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×2 Total number of reachable areas.×2
Missions
A screenshot of Buoy Base Galaxy during "The Floating Fortress" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Power Star The Floating Fortress Green Star The Secret of Buoy Base
Two planets filled with water. Its largest planet is a hemisphere with a fortress at its center. It is equipped with rotating platforms, Water Shooters, and other hazards. The second is a sphere equipped with Ball Beamers.
Unlock criteria: collect 30 Power Stars and complete "Sunken Treasure"
15. Bowser Jr.'s Airship Armada
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×1 Total number of reachable areas.×4 Total number of boss battles.×1
Mission
A screenshot of Bowser Jr.'s Airship Armada during the "Sinking the Airships" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Grand Star Sinking the Airships
Bowser's airship fleet. Airships must be boarded to navigate the fleet, each one carrying enemies. A lift brings Mario to Bowser Jr. A tiny planetoid can be visited that has a bouncy surface.
Unlock criterion: collect 23 Power Stars
Hungry Luma Drip Drop Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×1 Total number of reachable areas.×1
Mission
A screenshot of Drip Drop Galaxy during the "Giant Eel Outbreak" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Power Star Giant Eel Outbreak
An ocean planet where penguins swim. The birds are troubled by Gringills. A sunken airship and damaged Starshroom rest at the bottom of the ocean.
Unlock criteria: complete "Sunken Treasure" and feed the Luma 600 Star Bits
Model of the Bedroom Dome from Super Mario Galaxy The Bedroom
16. Gusty Garden Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×6 Total number of reachable areas.×20 Total number of boss battles.×2
Missions
A screenshot of Gusty Garden Galaxy during the "Bunnies in the Wind" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Power Star Bunnies in the Wind Power Star The Dirty Tricks of Major Burrows
Power Star Gusty Garden's Gravity Scramble Prankster Comet Major Burrows's Daredevil Run
Prankster Comet Purple Coins on the Puzzle Cube Secret Star The Golden Chomp
Flowery planets above a sea of clouds. Floaty Fluffs grow here: they can be used to travel on gusts of wind to reach other planets. Star Bunnies live in this galaxy and grow flowers. They are chased by Undergrunts.
Unlock criteria: collect 24 Power Stars and complete "Sinking the Airships"
17. Freezeflame Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×6 Total number of reachable areas.×5 Total number of boss battles.×1
Missions
A screenshot of Freezeflame Galaxy during "The Frozen Peak of Baron Brrr" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Power Star The Frozen Peak of Baron Brrr Power Star Freezeflame's Blistering Core
Power Star Hot and Cold Collide Prankster Comet Frosty Cosmic Mario Race
Prankster Comet Purple Coins on the Summit Secret Star Conquering the Summit
A galaxy with cold and hot planets. The cold planet features Freezy Peak, a snowy mountain with freezing water at its base. The hot planet is a molten sphere split in half. Stone platforms enable traversal between the two halves.
Unlock criterion: collect 26 Power Stars
18. Dusty Dune Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×7 Total number of reachable areas.×14
Missions
A screenshot of Dusty Dune Galaxy during the "Soaring on the Desert Winds" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Power Star Soaring on the Desert Winds Power Star Blasting through the Sand
Power Star Sunbaked Sand Castle Prankster Comet Sandblast Speed Run
Prankster Comet Purple Coins in the Desert Secret Star Bullet Bill on Your Back
Green Star Treasure of the Pyramid
Sandy planets under a desert sun. Shifting and rising sand makes platforms move rapidly or sink underground. One planet is a floating pyramid that can be entered, and some are covered in quicksand.
Unlock criterion: collect 29 Power Stars
19. Honeyclimb Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×1 Total number of reachable areas.×3
Mission
A screenshot of Honeyclimb Galaxy during the "Scaling the Sticky Wall" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Power Star Scaling the Sticky Wall
Giant slabs of honeycombs. The Bee Mushroom appears here. Meteors and Mandibugs appear as hazards.
Unlock criterion: collect 42 Power Stars
20. Bowser's Dark Matter Plant
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×1 Total number of reachable areas.×5 Total number of boss battles.×1
Mission
A screenshot of Bowser's Dark Matter Plant during the "Darkness on the Horizon" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Grand Star Darkness on the Horizon
A dark world containing a trap-filled obstacle course. It features gravity fields and concentrations of dark matter. Most of the course is on a two-dimensional plane. The course leads to Bowser.
Unlock criterion: collect 33 Power Stars
Hungry Luma Bigmouth Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×1 Total number of reachable areas.×1
Mission
A screenshot of Bigmouth Galaxy during the "Bigmouth's Gold Bait" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Power Star Bigmouth's Gold Bait
A giant stone fish orbiting a massive ocean planet. The belly of the fish contains two lakes, whirlpools, beds of seaweed, and Boos. Penguru comes here when he wants to be alone.
Unlock criteria: complete "Soaring on the Desert Winds" and feed the Luma 800 Star Bits
Model of the Engine Room Dome from Super Mario Galaxy The Engine Room
21. Gold Leaf Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×6 Total number of reachable areas.×6 Total number of boss battles.×1
Missions
A screenshot of Gold Leaf Galaxy during the "Star Bunnies on the Hunt" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Power Star Star Bunnies on the Hunt Power Star Cataquack to the Skies
Power Star When It Rains, It Pours Prankster Comet Cosmic Mario Forest Race
Prankster Comet Purple Coins in the Woods Secret Star The Bell on the Big Tree
Wooded planets inhabited by Honeybees. Its largest planet mirrors the Honeyhive Kingdom. Cataquacks live on the surrounding wooden planets.
Unlock criteria: collect 34 Power Stars and complete "Darkness on the Horizon"
22. Sea Slide Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×6 Total number of reachable areas.×3
Missions
A screenshot of Sea Slide Galaxy during "The Silver Stars of Sea Slide" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Power Star Going after Guppy Power Star Faster Than a Speeding Penguin
Power Star The Silver Stars of Sea Slide Prankster Comet Underwater Cosmic Mario Race
Prankster Comet Purple Coins by the Seaside Secret Star Hurry, He's Hungry
An ocean galaxy with penguins. Its largest planet is a cavernous sphere with a looping stretch of water feeding through it. There is a teardrop-shaped planet with tidal pools at the galaxy's center.
Unlock criterion: collect 36 Power Stars
23. Toy Time Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×6 Total number of reachable areas.×14 Total number of boss battles.×1
Missions
A screenshot of Toy Time Galaxy during the "Mario Meets Mario" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Power Star Heavy Metal Mecha-Bowser Power Star Mario Meets Mario
Power Star Bouncing Down Cake Lane Prankster Comet Fast Foes of Toy Time
Prankster Comet Luigi's Purple Coins Secret Star The Flipswitch Chain
A playroom galaxy. Its planets are shaped like wooden blocks, puzzle pieces, colored pencils, and model trains. Some areas resemble cakes and other sweets. The galaxy is maintained by Gearmos, some of which are trapped within a giant robot.
Unlock criterion: collect 40 Power Stars
24. Bonefin Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×1 Total number of reachable areas.×2 Total number of boss battles.×1
Mission
SMG Kingfin Planet Overview.png Power Star Kingfin's Fearsome Waters
A cavernous planet with conical mountains. Beneath its surface is an ocean with hydrothermal vents. The shark Kingfin swims here.
Unlock criteria: collect 55 Power Stars and complete "Giant Eel Outbreak"
25. Bowser Jr.'s Lava Reactor
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×1 Total number of reachable areas.×3 Total number of boss battles.×1
Mission
A screenshot of Bowser Jr.'s Lava Reactor during "King Kaliente's Spicy Return" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Grand Star King Kaliente's Spicy Return
A lava planet that looks like a red giant. Metal platforms dot the planet's surface. They sink into the lava when stepped on. King Kaliente is in the northern pole of the planet. A rocky planetoid orbits the lava planet.
Unlock criterion: collect 45 Power Stars
Hungry Luma Sand Spiral Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×1 Total number of reachable areas.×4
Mission
A screenshot of Sand Spiral Galaxy during the "Choosing a Favorite Snack" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Power Star Choosing a Favorite Snack
A galaxy with several power-ups. Its biggest planet is a giant barrel filled with Boos and quicksand. A glowing moon orbited by rocky paths lies at the back of the barrel. Its starting planet is a damaged airship.
Unlock criteria: complete "Luigi and the Haunted Mansion", "Faster Than a Speeding Penguin", and feed the Luma 1000 Star Bits
Model of the Garden Dome from Super Mario Galaxy The Garden
26. Deep Dark Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×6 Total number of reachable areas.×6 Total number of boss battles.×3
Missions
A screenshot of Deep Dark Galaxy during "The Underground Ghost Ship" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Power Star The Underground Ghost Ship Power Star Bubble Blastoff
Power Star Guppy and the Underground Lake Prankster Comet Ghost Ship Daredevil Run
Prankster Comet Plunder the Purple Coins Secret Star Boo in a Box
A galaxy of strange planets. Its largest has a rocky beach with an underwater lake and a wrecked airship. Other planets include a replica of Gateway Galaxy and a hollow sphere containing a watermelon.
Unlock criteria: collect 46 Power Stars and complete "King Kaliente's Spicy Return"
27. Dreadnought Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×6 Total number of reachable areas.×15 Total number of boss battles.×2
Missions
A screenshot of Dreadnought Galaxy during the "Revenge of the Topman Tribe" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Power Star Infiltrating the Dreadnought Power Star Dreadnought's Colossal Cannons
Power Star Revenge of the Topman Tribe Prankster Comet Topman Tribe Speed Run
Prankster Comet Battlestation's Purple Coins Secret Star Dreadnought's Garbage Dump
Topman facilities. Its largest planet is a dreadnought equipped with cannons. Its interior contains gravity fields. A large landing strip mounted with Ring Beamers and smaller planetoids surround the dreadnought.
Unlock criterion: collect 48 Power Stars
28. Matter Splatter Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×1 Total number of reachable areas.×4
Mission
A screenshot of Matter Splatter Galaxy during the "Watch Your Step" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Power Star Watch Your Step
Stone ruins within a dark void. The ruins materialize and become tangible when struck by bouncing droplets of matter. Contact is accompanied by a flash of green light.
Unlock criteria: collect 50 Power Stars and complete "Heavy Metal Mecha-Bowser"
29. Melty Molten Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×6 Total number of reachable areas.×14 Total number of boss battles.×1
Missions
A screenshot of Melty Molten Galaxy during "The Sinking Lava Spire" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Power Star The Sinking Lava Spire Power Star Through the Meteor Storm
Power Star Fiery Dino Piranha Prankster Comet Lava Spire Daredevil Run
Prankster Comet Red-Hot Purple Coins Secret Star Burning Tide
Several sun-like planets covered in lava. Volcanic debris travels between lava pools and suns at various sites. One planet has a sinking mountain called the Lava Spire, and another has a path for the Rolling Ball.
Unlock criterion: collect 52 Power Stars
Hungry Luma Snow Cap Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×1 Total number of reachable areas.×2
Mission
Snow Cap Galaxy Power Star Star Bunnies in the Snow
A capsule-shaped planet covered in light snow. The snow can be removed with the Star Pointer. Star Bunnies live here. The starting area is a planetoid resembling a glass orb.
Unlock criterion: complete "The Sinking Lava Spire" and feed the Luma 1600 Star Bits
Rendered model of the Comet Observatory in Super Mario Galaxy. The Comet Observatory and the Gate
30. Gateway Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×2 Total number of reachable areas.×4
Missions
A screenshot of Gateway Galaxy during the "Grand Star Rescue" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Grand Star Grand Star Rescue Red Star Gateway's Purple Coins
The first course of the game. Its starting planet is an ethereal sphere covered in flowers and small cottages. This sphere orbits Mario's homeworld and is frequented by Rosalina. A hollow planetoid and artificial planets covered with Goombas appear in "Grand Star Rescue".
Unlock criteria: complete the prologue (first visit); complete "King Kaliente's Spicy Return" (revisit)
31. Bowser's Galaxy Reactor
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×1 Total number of reachable areas.×10 Total number of boss battles.×1
Mission
A screenshot of Bowser's Galaxy Reactor during "The Fate of the Universe" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Grand Star The Fate of the Universe
Bowser's galaxy generator at the center of the universe. It contains a series of gravity-bending traps and a system of environmental planets: one covered in lava; one in ice; and one in quicksand. It orbits a large sun.
Unlock criteria: collect 60 Power Stars and complete "Darkness on the Horizon"
Hungry Luma Boo's Boneyard Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×1 Total number of reachable areas.×2
Mission
A screenshot of Boo's Boneyard Galaxy during the "Racing the Spooky Speedster" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Power Star Racing the Spooky Speedster
A skull-shaped planet in a starless sky. Its interior is a network of interconnected caverns navigated by the Spooky Speedster.
Unlock criteria: complete "Luigi and the Haunted Mansion", "Gateway's Purple Coins", and feed the Luma 1200 Star Bits
Rendered model of the Planet of Trials in Super Mario Galaxy. white
Rolling Gizmo Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×1 Total number of reachable areas.×4
Mission
A screenshot of Rolling Gizmo Galaxy during the "Gizmos, Gears, and Gadgets" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Power Star Gizmos, Gears, and Gadgets
One of the Trial Galaxies. It is a Rolling Ball course similar to Rolling Green Galaxy, but it resembles a Rube Goldberg machine with many shifting platforms.
Unlock criterion: collect all 3 Green Power Stars
Bubble Blast Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×1 Total number of reachable areas.×2
Mission
A screenshot of Bubble Blast Galaxy during "The Electric Labyrinth" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Power Star The Electric Labyrinth
Another Trial Galaxy, this one navigated via bubble. It is similar to Bubble Breeze Galaxy, but involves navigating a maze bordered by electric fields that destroy the bubble on impact.
Unlock criterion: collect all 3 Green Power Stars
Loopdeeswoop Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×1 Total number of reachable areas.×6
Mission
A screenshot of Loopdeswoop Galaxy during "The Galaxy's Greatest Wave" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Power Star The Galaxy's Greatest Wave
A Trial Galaxy similar to Loopdeeloop Galaxy, where Ray is surfed along a watery course. This course has sharper turns, spikes, and twists that makes it more challenging than its predecessor in the Terrace.
Unlock criterion: collect all 3 Green Power Stars
Grand Finale Galaxy
Total number of obtainable Power Stars.×1 Total number of reachable areas.×1
Mission
A screenshot of Grand Finale Galaxy during "The Star Festival" mission from Super Mario Galaxy. Power Star The Star Festival
Princess Peach's Castle Gardens in the Mushroom Kingdom. A small village of Toads and a large lake flank the road to the castle. The locals are in the midst of celebrating the Star Festival.
Unlock criteria: begin a new save file (first visit); collect 120 Power Stars as Luigi (revisit)
Level chart information and legend: Galaxies accessed from inside a dome are designated with a unique number. This number correlates with the galaxy's distance from its dome's origin, with smaller numbers being closer and larger numbers farther. It very roughly correlates with how galaxies are listed within the game's Star List. Galaxies accessed by feeding Hungry Lumas are not located within domes and are denoted by Sprite of a Hungry Luma from the user interface (UI) of Super Mario Galaxy.. Trial Galaxies lack numerical designation because they are unlocked concurrently and can be accessed in any order. Three symbols convey attributes about each galaxy: Sprite of a Power Star used on the UI for Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2. denotes the total number of obtainable Power Stars; Rendered model of the Dino Piranha planet in Good Egg Galaxy from Super Mario Galaxy. denotes the total number of reachable areas; and Sprite of Bowser from the user interface (UI) of Super Mario Galaxy 2. denotes the number of boss battles. The name of each mission is accompanied by a symbol that indicates what type of mission it is and the type of Power Star obtained. Power Star icon from Super Mario Galaxy. denotes a normal mission; A Grand Star icon from Super Mario Galaxy. denotes a Grand Star mission; Smg icon greenstar.png denotes a Green Power Star mission; Red Power Star icon for use in infoboxes. denotes a Red Power Star mission; Smg icon speedycomet.png denotes a Speedy Comet mission; Smg icon daredevilcomet.png denotes a Daredevil Comet mission; Smg icon cosmiccomet.png denotes a Cosmic Comet mission; Smg icon fastfoecomet.png denotes a Fast-Foe Comet mission; Smg icon purplecomet.png denotes a Purple Comet mission; and Sprite of a Secret Star used on the level selection screen (abbreviated as "LS" in the filename) for Super Mario Galaxy 2. denotes an intramissionary Secret Star.

Prankster Comets

Main article: Prankster Comet

Prankster Comets are objects that interfere with a galaxy and give it an extra attribute. The 30 Comet Stars are obtained by completing special challenges in the robust galaxies, namely speed runs; "daredevil" runs (in which Mario is defeated if he takes a single hit); races against Cosmic Mario; and doubling the speed of enemies and obstacles. They only appear after the corresponding normal mission (e.g. Ghostly Galaxy's "Beware of Bouldergeist") is completed, sometimes immediately, and at other times, only after another galaxy's level is completed. Prankster Comets appear and disappear every other time a mission is completed. After a mission is completed while a Prankster Comet is active, all Prankster Comets disappear until a second mission is beaten. In some cases, such as in Space Junk Galaxy, all normal missions within a galaxy have to be beaten first before a comet can appear. There are two Prankster Comets in each of the 15 robust galaxies: one of the comet types just described, plus a Purple Comet where Mario must collect 100 Purple Coins. These comets only begin to appear after "The Fate of the Universe" is completed at least once. Which and where Prankster Comets appear can be manipulated by feeding Comet Tico 20 Star Bits.

The Comet Observatory

Main article: Comet Observatory
The Comet Observatory as viewed from a circular platform by the Bedroom.

The Comet Observatory is the hub world in the game. It is a bridge between domes and serves as a place for the player to rest in between missions.[21] It is a sprawling structure similar to a palace, with a tall central spire and ornamental architecture. These attributes visually make it reminiscent of Princess Peach's Castle, the hub of Super Mario 64. The core of the observatory is a comet called the beacon that is fueled by Power Stars. The beacon is what allows the Comet Observatory to travel through space, but it remains in orbit around Mario's home planet throughout most of the game. The observatory has two extraplanetary satellites: the Planet of Trials and a grassy platform that holds the Gate. The platform is directly anchored to the observatory via Warp Pads, unlike the Planet of Trials.

Including Gateway Galaxy, there are nine galaxies directly accessed from the Comet Observatory. Six of these galaxies come from the Hungry Lumas affiliated with each dome. Unlike the hub worlds of Super Mario Galaxy's predecessors, there are no hidden Power Stars directly found on the observatory, though accessing the Planet of Trials, entering the Gate, and the arrival of Hungry Lumas are framed similarly. Five 1-Up Mushrooms are hidden in the observatory. Most of the observatory is obscured by darkness when Mario first arrives due to the abduction of its Power Stars and only the Terrace can be accessed. As Mario collects Power Stars, energy is restored to the observatory and new areas become lit to convey that they are now accessible. Warp Pads dot the Comet Observatory. They can be used to quickly reach adjacent locations on the hub. A Red Star appears above the Bedroom once Mario completes "Gateway's Purple Coins". Touching it transforms him into Flying Mario and allows him to soar through the skies of the observatory. There is nothing on the observatory that can harm Mario, and he will safely be transported back to solid ground if he falls off its edge.

Frame from the introductory cutscene that plays when Mario enters the library after a new chapter has been unlocked.

The Comet Observatory is a nursery ground for Lumas. They are cared for by Rosalina, who treats them as if they were her children. As light is restored to the observatory, more and more Lumas appear. It was built by Rosalina when she was a child with an apricot-colored Luma. Over time, as more Lumas arrived and needed care, she expanded its size. The Comet Observatory visits Mario's home world once every hundred years, which is celebrated in the Mushroom Kingdom as the Star Festival. When the beacon is at its maximum size, Rosalina can make the observatory fold into the shape of a rocket ship and soar through the sky like a comet. The domes are framed as an extension of the observatory that provide a view of the cosmos. Each one is themed around rooms in a house, such as a bedroom, kitchen, and so on. There are two locations similar in concept that are not domes on the observatory: the garage and the library. The garage is framed as an intergalactic repair shop that starships can dock to. This is where the Toad Brigade and Luigi establish themselves once "Bee Mario Takes Flight" and "Luigi and the Haunted Mansion", respectively, are completed.

The library is a closed off space behind the beacon that becomes accessible once "The Fiery Stronghold" is completed. Though entered like a dome, there are no galaxies here. The are no tangible incentives for coming to the library, and the player is never forced to enter it. This is where Rosalina reads a storybook to the Lumas. New chapters become available as Mario[note 1] accumulates Power Stars. The book details her personal backstory, the history of the Comet Observatory, and provides insight into the past of the apricot-colored Luma that travels with Mario. This part of the game was created by Yoshiaki Koizumi and included at the discretion of Shigeru Miyamoto. Rosalina's Story is noted for its heartfelt and melancholy elements.[20][21] The illustrations on the pages have been likened to The Little Prince.[22]

Characters

Playable characters

Name Description
Rendered model of Mario in Super Mario Galaxy.
Mario
The game's protagonist. Princess Peach invites him to her castle to celebrate the Star Festival. However, the celebration is cut short when Bowser arrives and kidnaps her. After a failed rescue attempt, Mario is left isolated on a tiny planet far from home. It is here that he meets an apricot-colored Luma and his caretaker - the mysterious Rosalina. With the Luma giving him the power to travel through space, Mario sets off to collect Power Stars, rescue Princess Peach, and stop Bowser from creating his galaxy at the center of the universe.
Rendered model of Luigi in Super Mario Galaxy. Luigi has two models in Super Mario Galaxy: one as an NPC, and one as a playable character derived from Mario's model.
Luigi
Mario's younger brother. The player can replay the game as Luigi after they have collected 120 Power Stars and completed "The Fate of the Universe" as Mario. He can jump higher and run faster than Mario, but at the cost of reduced traction and increased startup. This causes Luigi to skid as he moves, and increases the risk of him falling off of a platform or colliding with an obstacle. In addition, the Spin Jump's height difference between shaking the Wii Remote and Nunchuk is switched. He otherwise appears as a supporting character who goes on quests to collect Power Stars for his brother. He still fulfills this supporting role during Luigi's playthrough, leading to a situation where there are two of them. Luigi can be quite cowardly and is afraid of ghosts.


Non-playable characters

With the exception of Princess Peach, Toads, and penguins, all of the characters encountered by the player are completely new to the Super Mario franchise. Most characters are met within galaxies, though Rosalina, the Toad Brigade, and the Lumas are found on the Comet Observatory. In addition to the characters listed below, Yoshi has a cameo in Space Junk Galaxy and can be set as the file select icon for the player's saved file. Miis can also be set as the file select icon, representing their first appearance in a Super Mario game.

Name Description Locations
Super Mario Galaxy promotional artwork: A Luma
Apricot Luma
Mario's traveling companion - a young Luma who resides under his cap. He grants Mario[note 1] the ability to spin and travel through space. Before being kidnapped, Princess Peach was going to give this Luma to Mario as a gift during the Star Festival. It is implied that he is a reincarnation of the first Luma that Rosalina ever encountered. All galaxies
Rendered model of Princess Peach in Super Mario Galaxy.
Princess Peach
The ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom. She is kidnapped by Bowser on the night of the Star Festival and taken to the center of the universe. The game follows Mario's quest to save her. She periodically sends letters of encouragement to Mario that contain 1-Up Mushrooms. She does so even during Luigi's playthrough. Rosalina refers to Peach as Mario's "special one". Castle Gardens, Bowser's Galaxy Reactor
Super Mario Galaxy promotional artwork: Rosalina with her wand held.
Rosalina
A mysterious woman who serves as the guardian of the cosmos. She travels through space in the Comet Observatory, a vessel she built for the Lumas. It is abruptly stopped and stripped of its power source, the Power Stars, by Bowser. Rosalina makes an arrangement with Mario where he collects Power Stars to restore power to the observatory. In return, she helps him stop Bowser and rescue Princess Peach. Her past is revealed to the player as they accumulate Power Stars through Rosalina's Story. The Lumas recognize Rosalina as their mother, who in return sees them as her family. Comet Observatory, Gateway Galaxy
Artwork of a yellow Luma from Super Mario Galaxy
Lumas
Star children that make their home in the Comet Observatory. Lumas appear in some galaxies to aid Mario, typically by transforming into Launch Stars. Lumas become celestial bodies when they grow up, and which ones they become is dependent on their color. Lumas eat Star Bits and squeal with delight when fed via the Star Pointer. Comet Observatory, Good Egg Galaxy, Battlerock Galaxy, Bowser's Star Reactor, Bowser Jr.'s Airship Armada, Bowser's Dark Matter Plant, Gateway Galaxy, Dreadnought Galaxy, Bowser's Galaxy Reactor
Super Mario Galaxy promotional artwork: The black Luma Polari
Polari
An elderly Luma who serves as Rosalina's advisor. He appears within each dome of the observatory and grants access to the map when prompted. He teaches the player how to use the Star Pointer. Comet Observatory
Hungry Luma
Hungry Lumas
Big Lumas. The ones on the Comet Observatory transform into galaxies when fed a specified number of Star Bits. When encountered in dome galaxies, they transform into planets. Visiting them triggers a hidden mission. Comet Observatory, Good Egg Galaxy, Space Junk Galaxy, Battlerock Galaxy, Dusty Dune Galaxy, Sea Slide Galaxy, Toy Time Galaxy, Melty Molten Galaxy
Lumalee's artwork for Super Mario Galaxy
Lumalees
Big Lumas that run Luma Shops. One typically proceeds a boss encounter and transforms into a Mushroom of choice in exchange for thirty Star Bits. Battlerock Galaxy, Ghostly Galaxy, Bowser Jr.'s Airship Armada, Melty Molten Galaxy, Dreadnought Galaxy
SMG Comet Tico.png
Comet Tico
A Hungry Luma that is knowledgeable about Prankster Comets. It provides details on these comets to the player when prompted. Alternatively, it can shift where a Prankster Comet appears in exchange for twenty Star Bits. Comet Observatory
Artwork of Toad in Super Mario Galaxy (also used in Mario Party DS and Mario Party: Island Tour)
Toads
Denizens of the Mushroom Kingdom. They are mushroom people that come in a variety of colors. Toads are celebrating the Star Festival when Peach is abducted. Pink-capped Toads in red dresses appear in the prologue that look like Toadette. Castle Gardens, Grand Finale Galaxy
This picture is sent to the Wii Message Board once Luigi gets all 121 Power Stars and talks to Mailtoad
The Toad Brigade
A five-member team of Toads looking for Princess Peach. They travel through space in search of Power Stars on a starship called a Starshroom. The Lumas built it for them. There are three Toads other than the red-capped leader and purple-capped mail carrier that are part of the brigade. There is a knowledgeable Blue Toad who typically provides information on an area of interest; a Green Toad who carries a pickaxe and constructs cannons for Mario; and a sleepy Yellow Toad. Comet Observatory, Honeyhive Galaxy, Sweet Sweet Galaxy, Space Junk Galaxy, Hurry-Scurry Galaxy, Bubble Breeze Galaxy, Ghostly Galaxy, Bowser Jr.'s Airship Armada, Freezeflame Galaxy, Dusty Dune Galaxy, Bigmouth Galaxy, Sea Slide Galaxy, Toy Time Galaxy, Sand Spiral Galaxy, Deep Dark Galaxy, Grand Finale Galaxy
Rendered model of the Toad Brigade Captain from Super Mario Galaxy.
Toad Brigade Captain
The captain of the Toad Brigade. This Red Toad self-designated himself as the brigade captain and typically sends his teammates into dangerous situations without his direct involvement. According to the Blue Toad, the captain is the most cowardly member of the team. All galaxies that feature the Toad Brigade
Rendered model of Mailtoad in Super Mario Galaxy.
Mailtoad
A member of the Toad Brigade who runs a postal service for Mario on the Comet Observatory. He delivers mail from Princess Peach or Luigi. When out on missions with the brigade, he is usually wearing a snorkel. All galaxies that feature the Toad Brigade
Star Bunny from Super Mario Galaxy / Super Mario Galaxy 2
Star Bunnies
Spacefaring rabbits that like to play. They award Mario a Power Star for catching them. The Star Bunnies of Gusty Garden Galaxy like to garden and are hunted by Undergrunts. Some Star Bunnies are Lumas in disguise. Unlike them, the real rabbits often end their sentences with "boiyoing" or wear vests. Gateway Galaxy, Bowser Jr.'s Airship Armada, Gusty Garden Galaxy, Gold Leaf Galaxy, Snow Cap Galaxy, Grand Finale Galaxy
Artwork of Bees from Super Mario Galaxy
Honeybees
Bee people that collect honey. They teach the player how to use their bee form. Most Honeybees are members of the Honeyhive Kingdom and are in the midst of a dispute with Mandibugs. The bees of Gold Leaf Galaxy keep Cataquacks as pets. Honeyhive Galaxy, Sea Slide Galaxy, Gold Leaf Galaxy, Grand Finale Galaxy
QueenBee.png
Queen Bee
The ruler of the Honeyhive Kingdom. She has a large body that can be clung to by the player when in their bee form. When she meets Mario for the first time, she mistakes him for a physician and asks him to take care of an "itchiness" for her. Honeyhive Galaxy
Rendered model of a Board from Super Mario Galaxy.
Boards
Talking boards that call out to Mario to teach him unique mechanics. Different individuals teach different things: Gil Board teaches Mario how to Wall Jump; Bill Board teaches him how to use the Rolling Ball; Phil Board teaches him how to use the Bubble; and Jill Board reminds him how to use his Boo form. Honeyhive Galaxy, Rolling Green Galaxy, Bubble Breeze Galaxy, Gusty Garden Galaxy, Melty Molten Galaxy, Boo's Boneyard Galaxy, Rolling Gizmo Galaxy, Bubble Blast Galaxy, Grand Finale Galaxy
RaySMG.png
Ray
The manta ray that Mario surfs on during the ray surfing minigame. Safely reaching the finish line within a specified time limit awards Mario with a Power Star. Loopdeeloop Galaxy, Loopdeeswoop Galaxy
Penguin
Penguins
Flightless birds who love to swim. Some penguins share swimming techniques with Mario when prompted, while others try to play with him. Most individuals are young birds that are a little shorter than Mario, but the two adults in the game – Coach and Penguru – tower over him. The penguin in Freezeflame Galaxy calls Mario an "old man" and challenges him to a race. Loopdeeloop Galaxy, Beach Bowl Galaxy, Buoy Base Galaxy, Drip Drop Galaxy, Freezeflame Galaxy, Sea Slide Galaxy, Loopdeeswoop Galaxy, Grand Finale Galaxy
Coach
Coach
A big penguin that teaches young birds how to swim. He has a paternal disposition. Coach is the host of the ray surfing minigame and gives Mario a tutorial on how to move Ray. Loopdeeloop Galaxy, Beach Bowl Galaxy, Loopdeeswoop Galaxy, Grand Finale Galaxy
Penguru from Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2.
Penguru
An elderly penguin who likes to fish. While he oversees young penguins, he prefers spending time by himself. Drip Drop Galaxy, Bigmouth Galaxy, Sea Slide Galaxy, Grand Finale Galaxy
Rendered model of Coach from Super Mario Galaxy. The yellow feathers above his eyes make him resemble a rockhopper penguin.
Penguin racers
A four-member swimming team. While most penguins are blue, each member of this team is a different color. Mario can compete with them when he talks to the purple racer. The team's leader – a red penguin with yellow, brow-like feathers – awards Mario a Power Star for outswimming them. Sea Slide Galaxy, Grand Finale Galaxy
Artwork of a Gearmo from Super Mario Galaxy 2
Gearmos
Maintenance robots. Gearmos can be found upkeeping battle stations affiliated with the Topman Tribe, but they themselves are not enemies. The Gearmos of Toy Time Galaxy teach the player how to use their spring form. An overworked individual hosts the Bob-omb Blasting minigame. Another helps maintain the Comet Observatory's Engine Room. Comet Observatory, Battlerock Galaxy, Buoy Base Galaxy, Toy Time Galaxy, Dreadnought Galaxy, Grand Finale Galaxy
Squared screenshot of the worm from Super Mario Galaxy.
Worm
A giant caterpillar that lives in one of the apple-shaped planets in Gusty Garden Galaxy. Ground pounding a stump in one of these planets stirs the caterpillar to the surface and makes it tunnel into another apple planet, creating a bridge between them. Gusty Garden Galaxy
Spooky Speedster
Spooky Speedster
An Atomic Boo who challenges Mario to a race when prompted. He begrudgingly gives Mario a Power Star if he reaches the finish line before him. Ghostly Galaxy, Boo's Boneyard Galaxy
GuppySMG.png
Guppy
An orca whale who bullies the penguin racers. He only relents if Mario can complete his eight-ring swim challenge, as well as award him a Power Star. Unlike most other characters, Guppy cannot be jumped on and – while not damaging – knockbacks Mario if touched. Sea Slide Galaxy, Deep Dark Galaxy
Cosmic Mario from Super Mario Galaxy.
Cosmic Mario
An entity that looks like Mario and has all of the same abilities. He challenges him to a footrace to a Power Star when a Cosmic Comet is in orbit during Mario's playthrough. Making contact with Cosmic Mario during the race makes him release Star Bits. Honeyhive Galaxy, Freezeflame Galaxy, Gold Leaf Galaxy, Sea Slide Galaxy
Cosmic Luigi
Cosmic Luigi
An entity that looks like Luigi. Mirroring Cosmic Mario, he only appears when a Cosmic Comet is in orbit during Luigi's playthrough. He is a more challenging opponent than Cosmic Mario. Honeyhive Galaxy, Freezeflame Galaxy, Gold Leaf Galaxy, Sea Slide Galaxy

Enemies and obstacles

Roughly ninety enemies are in Super Mario Galaxy. Including bosses and obstacles, there are over one-hundred. Most enemies that can be defeated by Mario[note 1] drop different spoils depending on how they are attacked: enemies drop coins if stomped on and Star Bits if spun into. Most enemies that actively attack Mario briefly stop after successfully causing damage. This gives the player a chance to get their bearings before responding. Some enemies, such as Piranha Plants, laugh at Mario when they successfully land a hit.

About fifty of the enemies and varieties in Super Mario Galaxy are wholly new to the series. Some of them are incorporated into subsequent Super Mario games or have inspired staple elements. Notable groups include: octopus creatures called Electrogoombas, of which several varieties fire rocks; mechanical, spinning enemies called Topmen; and stationary enemies that discharge rings of electricity called Beamers. Though some enemies look like robots, there are no enemies visually comparable to the typical alien designs found in science fiction. Some of the new enemies are derivative of creatures that appeared in earlier Super Mario games in both design and behavior, with a particular focus on Super Mario 64. Some of them resemble recurring enemies in The Legend of Zelda series. Specifically, the bats resemble Keeses and the Electrogoombas resemble Octoroks. The Japanese name for Rocto directly derives from the name "Octorok".

Super Mario Galaxy makes use of the Super Mario series' back catalog of enemies. This game represents the first instance that some of these enemies were ever integrated into a 3D platformer. There are enemies in Super Mario Galaxy that, with the exception of re-releases or remakes, never appeared outside of their debut titles. The enemies that are incorporated contrast greatly with the ones in the previous 3D Super Mario game, a title that made a conservative use of the series' back catalog and introduced enemies that largely never appeared again.

New enemies

Name List of enemies Description List of enemies Locations Possible spoils
Model of a boltless Ball Beamer from Super Mario Galaxy.
Ball Beamer
Stationary enemies that discharges wide-ranging shockwaves on the surface of spherical planets. The shockwaves damage Mario on contact. They are discharged in consistent three-part intervals that can be timed. Most Ball Beamers lack interactive components, but there is one in Buoy Base Galaxy with a screw on its top. Spinning the screw disengages the Ball Beamer and opens up the metal planet it is fastened to. Buoy Base Galaxy, Deep Dark Galaxy Indestructible
SMG Bat Artwork.png
Bat
Bats roost in caves and swoop down to attack Mario. They pause and laugh if they land a hit. They can be defeated with a spin or stomp. Beach Bowl Galaxy, Ghostly Galaxy, Toy Time Galaxy Coin×1
Star Bit×3
Bomb Boo
Bomb Boo
Explosive Boos. Unlike normal Boos, Bomb Boos do not cower when faced by Mario. They charge directly towards him on sight. Spinning near a Bomb Boo causes Mario to grab onto its tongue and swing it like a lasso. It detonates if it is swung into an object or wall. If Mario does not release the Bomb Boo, it is pulled in closer and damages him. Bomb Boos are conjured by Bouldergeist and can be used to destroy the boss's stone armor. Ghostly Galaxy None
Rendered model of a Bone Twister from Super Mario Galaxy.
Bone Twister
Whirlwinds that move along set paths. They trap Mario when they make contact, but this does not harm him. Mario is propelled high into the air like a bamboo-copter if he tries to spin. Some Bone Twisters carry jagged rocks that damage Mario if he makes contact. Dusty Dune Galaxy Indestructible
Rendered model of a Bonefin from Super Mario Galaxy.
Bonefin
Undead sharks. They appear during the boss fight with Kingfin, who summons them from a hydrothermal vent as he accumulates damage. They lock-on and launch towards Mario when he comes in close proximity to them. Bonefins can be defeated by leading them to the water's surface or by striking them with a shell. All Bonefins disappear when Kingfin is defeated. Bonefin Galaxy Star Bit×7
Rendered model of a Clampy from Super Mario Galaxy.
Clampy
A giant clam that opens and closes its mouth. Star Chips or coins can be found inside it. Snapping shut with Mario inside damages him. Beach Bowl Galaxy Indestructible
Rendered model of a Cluckboom from Super Mario Galaxy.
Cluckboom
Red Plurps that lay explosive eggs. They fly in set paths, fluttering back and forth. Cluckbooms fall to the ground if shot by a Star Bit, which leaves them dazed and open to attack. Dusty Dune Galaxy Coin×1
Star Bit×3
Rendered model of a blue Crabber from Super Mario Galaxy.
Crabber (Blue)
Sidestepping crabs that scuttle away from Mario. Crabbers have hard shells that protect them from jumps and spins head-on, but their fleshy rears are exposed and can be struck. Blue Crabbers bury themselves underground in an attempt to escape and resurface shortly after. Dusty Dune Galaxy, Sea Slide Galaxy, Deep Dark Galaxy, Bigmouth Galaxy 1-Up Mushroom×1
Rendered model of a red Crabber from Super Mario Galaxy.
Crabber (Red)
Red Crabbers actively pursue Mario, but move slowly. Dusty Dune Galaxy, Sea Slide Galaxy, Deep Dark Galaxy, Bigmouth Galaxy Star Bit×3
Electrogoomba
Electrogoomba
Goomba-like octopus creatures. They sidestep back-and-forth along a set path and keep their eyes locked onto Mario when he is nearby. If in close proximity, they attempt to strike him with the hair-like protrusion on their heads. Electrogoombas can be defeated with a spin or a stomp. Good Egg Galaxy, Battlerock Galaxy, Bowser Jr.'s Airship Armada, Toy Time Galaxy Coin×1
Star Bit×3
A model of an Eye Beamer from Super Mario Galaxy.
Eye Beamer
Mechanical eyes that are suspended in the air. They shoot electric beams that damage Mario on contact. Some Eye Beamers move while others are stationary. The back of Eye Beamers is undamaging and flat: they can be stood on and used as platforms. Dusty Dune Galaxy, Dreadnought Galaxy Indestructible
Rendered model of a Fire Shooter from Super Mario Galaxy.
Fire Shooter
Mounted flamethrowers that shoot streams of fire. The flames recede in set intervals that can be timed. Bowser's Star Reactor, Toy Time Galaxy, Deep Dark Galaxy, Bubble Blast Galaxy Indestructible
Flipbug.png
Flipbug
When Mario is in close proximity, Flipbugs try to fly away before tiring out and falling to the ground, flailing their legs. If spotted in his bee form, they pursue him. Honeyhive Galaxy, Gusty Garden Galaxy, Gold Leaf Galaxy Coin×1
Star Bit×3
Rendered model of a Giant Gringill from Super Mario Galaxy.
Giant Gringill
Large Gringills found in underwater caves. They bite Mario if he approaches the mouth of their caves. Beach Bowl Galaxy, Sea Slide Galaxy, Deep Dark Galaxy 1-Up Mushroom×1
A giant prickly plant from Super Mario GalaxyFloating prickly plant in Super Mario Galaxy.
Giant prickly plant
Large prickly plants. Their behavior is shared with the normal-sized prickly plants. Hovering variants appear in Gusty Garden Galaxy. Good Egg Galaxy, Gusty Garden Galaxy, Dusty Dune Galaxy Star Bit×7
Sling Star×1
Rendered model of a Gold Chomp from Super Mario Galaxy.
Golden Chomp
A rolling Chomp made of gold. It can only be destroyed by Mario if he collides with it in his rainbow form. Gusty Garden Galaxy Power Star×1
Goombeetle
Goombeetle
Helmet-wearing Goombas. The helmets protect them from being stomped. Spinning one flips it upside down, exposing its unprotected underside. It can be defeated in this state. Bowser Jr.'s Robot Reactor, Battlerock Galaxy, Buoy Base Galaxy, Bowser's Dark Matter Plant, Dreadnought Galaxy Coin×1
Gringill SMG.png
Gringill
Giant eels. Gringills lunge at Mario if he approaches the mouth of their caves. They can only be defeated by projectile shells. In some instances, they can be found swimming in open water. Beach Bowl Galaxy, Sea Slide Galaxy, Drip Drop Galaxy, Deep Dark Galaxy, Bigmouth Galaxy Star Bit×7
Ground Urchin in Freezeflame Galaxy
Ground Urchin
Red Urchins found in hot areas. They protract their spines and roll towards Mario when nearby. Ground Urchins can only be defeated by fire and lava. There is a box-like stone sculpture in Freezeflame Galaxy that continuously expels these Urchins. Freezeflame Galaxy, Deep Dark Galaxy Star Bit×5
An ice bat
Ice bat
White bats. Making direct contact freezes Mario. They can only be damaged by fire. Freezeflame Galaxy Star Bit×3
An Ice Bubble from Super Mario Galaxy.
Ice Bubble
Floating ice enemies that freeze Mario on contact. Spinning near them neutralizes their icy cloud and forces them to the ground. This leaves them vulnerable to being kicked. Neutralized Ice Bubbles propel themselves towards the nearest pool of freezing water to regenerate their cloud. Freezeflame Galaxy, Toy Time Galaxy Coin×1
Model of a Jam-o'-War (without its cap) from Super Mario Galaxy.
Jam-o'-War
Large Jammyfish that idly float in place. They electrocute Mario if touched. Jam-o'-Wars are defeated when they are hit by a shell twice. The first strike turns them green. Deep Dark Galaxy, Bigmouth Galaxy Coin×1
Jammyfish Bigmouth SMG.png
Jammyfish
Jellyfish that swim in schools along a set path. They damage Mario on contact, but do not actively pursue him. Deep Dark Galaxy, Bigmouth Galaxy Coin×1
A Li'l Cinder from Super Mario Galaxy
Li'l Cinder
Floating fire enemies that burn Mario on contact. Spinning near them extinguishes their flame and leave them vulnerable to being kicked. Extinguished Li'l Cinders hop towards the nearest pool of lava to reignite. Freezeflame Galaxy, Melty Molten Galaxy Coin×1
Mandibug
Mandibug
Stink bug-like enemies. They charge towards Mario after making visual contact, snapping their jaws. They are defeated when Ground Pounded. A Mandibug trembles if Mario stands on its back but will eventually shake him off. Honeyhive Galaxy, Bowser Jr.'s Airship Armada, Honeyclimb Galaxy, Gold Leaf Galaxy Star Bit×3
Rendered model of the meteor obstacle in Super Mario Galaxy.
Meteor
Fiery space rocks. Bowser shoots them out of his mouth to destroy the big staircase in Bowser's Star Reactor, and Bowser Jr. fires them from the cannons in his airship in Bowser's Galaxy Reactor. They otherwise appear raining from the sky in lava-themed galaxies. Bowser's Star Reactor, Honeyclimb Galaxy, Bowser Jr.'s Lava Reactor, Melty Molten Galaxy, Gateway Galaxy, Bowser's Galaxy Reactor None
Mikey Mine
Mikey Mine
Naval mines that bob up and down on chains. Mikey Mines keep their eyes shut unless Mario is in close proximity. They regenerate after detonating. Deep Dark Galaxy None
Rendered model of the Mini Chomp enemy in Super Mario Galaxy.
Mini Chomp
Little Chomps that roll out of small houses. Mini Chomps cannot be damaged directly: they are only destroyed once all nearby Flipswitch Panels are activated. Dreadnought Galaxy Star Bit×3
Rendered model of the Monty enemy in Super Mario Galaxy.
Monty
Bandana-wearing moles that sit in hatches and throw wrenches at Mario. They close and hide in the hatch if he approaches them. Montys can be stunned by Ground Pounding the earth near them or by dazing them with a Star Bit. This leaves them vulnerable to attack. Battlerock Galaxy, Gusty Garden Galaxy, Dreadnought Galaxy Coin×1
Star Bit×3
Octoguysmg.png
Octoguy
Red Electrogoombas that shuffle backwards from Mario when approached. They periodically stop to spit a rock at him. Octoguys are defeated with a spin or jump. Honeyhive Galaxy, Buoy Base Galaxy, Bowser Jr.'s Airship Armada, Gold Leaf Galaxy, Deep Dark Galaxy Coin×1
Star Bit×3
A Pokeyplant from Super Mario Galaxy
Pokeyplant
A red Pokey. It shimmies away from Mario while attempting to slam its head onto him. The Pokeyplant can be defeated by destroying each of its body segments, or by stomping on its head from above. If reduced to just a head, it attempts to flee. Dusty Dune Galaxy Star Bit×7
Rendered model of the prickly plant in Super Mario Galaxy.
Prickly plant
Plants with needle-like flowers. They damage Mario on contact. Destroying them without a power-up usually requires striking them with another object, such as a coconut or rubbery bulb. Good Egg Galaxy, Gusty Garden Galaxy, Dusty Dune Galaxy, Toy Time Galaxy, Gateway Galaxy, Bowser's Galaxy Reactor Coin×1
Star Bit×3
Sling Star×1
Pumpkinhead Goomba
Pumpkinhead Goomba
Slow-moving Goombas with jack o'lanterns covering their heads. They periodically leave blue flames that damage Mario on contact. Pumpkinhead Goombas can be defeated in one hit with a Ground Pound. Spinning them destroys the pumpkins and turns them into regular Goombas. Ghostly Galaxy Coin×1
A Pulse Beam's model from Super Mario Galaxy
Ring Beamer
Spiked Beamers that discharge shockwaves. Attempting to jump on a Ring Beamer damages Mario. Toy Time Galaxy, Dreadnought Galaxy Indestructible
Rendered model of the Rocto enemy in Super Mario Galaxy.
Rocto
Stationary Octoroks that sit in barrels. They shoot coconuts[note 2] and flaming rocks at Mario. The coconuts can be deflected back at them if spun against. Roctos are always found in pairs. Good Egg Galaxy, Space Junk Galaxy, Bowser Jr.'s Lava Reactor, Dreadnought Galaxy None
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Sentry Beam
Stationary robots that fire lasers. Sentry Beams are completely invincible, although standing on top of one temporarily prevents it from firing. They follow Mario's position when he is close. Battlerock Galaxy, Bowser Jr.'s Airship Armada, Toy Time Galaxy Indestructible
A Sentry Garage's model from Super Mario Galaxy
Sentry Garage
A large Spring Vault that releases four Topminis from its sides. After jumping on its head, it can be used as a spring to reach higher areas. Buoy Base Galaxy None
Offical artwork of Slurple
Slurple
Slurples latch onto Mario and gradually deplete his life meter. Spinning defeats them. Good Egg Galaxy, Honeyhive Galaxy, Gusty Garden Galaxy, Gold Leaf Galaxy, Sea Slide Galaxy Star Bit×1
A Space Mine from Super Mario Galaxy.
Space Mine
Mid-air Mikey Mines. They are usually fixed in one spot, but some move along purple-colored streaks of light. Making contact with a Space Mine makes it explode, causing damage. They are destroyed when shot by a Star Bit. Battlerock Galaxy, Bubble Breeze Galaxy, Ghostly Galaxy, Bowser Jr.'s Airship Armada, Sling Pod Galaxy, Dreadnought Galaxy, Sand Spiral Galaxy, Bubble Blast Galaxy None
Spiky Topman
Spiky Topman
Spinning top enemies. Spiky Topmen do not directly harm Mario, but they can push him into hazards or off of a platform. The spike on their heads protects them from being stomped on and damage Mario on contact. Spiky Topmen can only be defeated if knocked into an electric rail or off the side of a platform. Battlerock Galaxy, Dreadnought Galaxy Coin×1
Spiny Piranha Plant
Spiny Piranha Plant
Giant Piranha Plants that slam their heads into the ground. Spinning one stuns it, while jumping on its head defeats it. Good Egg Galaxy, Beach Bowl Galaxy, Gusty Garden Galaxy Star Bit×7
Sproutle Vine×1
Closeup of a Spoing in Super Mario Galaxy
Spoing
Stationary spiders that hop up and down. Spoings are stunned when shot by a Star Bit. Jumping on one defeats it. They laugh if they successfully strike Mario. Space Junk Galaxy, Ghostly Galaxy Coin×1
Star Bit×3
A Spangler in the Sea Slide Galaxy
Sprangler
Spiders hanging from silk. They sway back and forth in an attempt to strike Mario. Spranglers briefly become incapacitated if spun into and can be kicked to defeat them. They otherwise can be jumped on. Ghostly Galaxy, Bowser Jr.'s Airship Armada, Sea Slide Galaxy Coin×1
Star Bit×3
Rendered model of the spring enemy in Super Mario Galaxy.
Spring
Mid-air springs. They knockback Boo Mario on contact but do not cause damage. Boo's Boneyard Galaxy Indestructible
Rendered model of the Spring Topman enemy in Super Mario Galaxy.
Spring Topman
Green Topmen. Colliding with Mario causes him to spin out of control. Jumping on one's head leaves it stunned. It can be jumped on while in this state to reach great heights. Some Spring Topmen can produce Topminis. Buoy Base Galaxy, Dreadnought Galaxy None
Spring Vault from Super Mario Galaxy
Spring Vault
Spring-like Ring Beamers. They can be used as springs after jumping on their head. Flipswitch Galaxy, Battlerock Galaxy, Dreadnought Galaxy None
Artwork of a Topmini from Super Mario Galaxy
Topmini
Tiny Topmen that are defeated when spun into. Topminis are incapable of damaging Mario and can only push him around. There are small portals that continuously produce Topminis. They otherwise are produced by Spring Topmen and Sentry Garages. Buoy Base Galaxy, Dreadnought Galaxy Star Bit×1
Rendered model of the Tracks enemy in Super Mario Galaxy.
Tracks
Sandal-wearing creatures. They are invisible while moving, but materialize when they stand still. Tracks are harmless, but they can be defeated to recover a large number of Star Bits. Their movement can be tracked by following their footsteps. Good Egg Galaxy, Gusty Garden Galaxy, Sea Slide Galaxy, Deep Dark Galaxy, Gateway Galaxy Star Bit×20
Rendered model of the Undergrunt enemy in Super Mario Galaxy.
Undergrunt
Burrowing Montys. They leave trails of disturbed dirt as they burrow through the ground. Undergrunts can be defeated by ground-pounding nearby earth. This forces them to the surface and dazed, leaving them vulnerable to being spun. Their spiked helmets damage Mario if he tries to jump on them. The helmets protrude from the ground as the Undergrunts burrow, allowing the player to track their movements. Gusty Garden Galaxy, Gold Leaf Galaxy Star Bit×3
Water Shooter
Water Shooter
Mounted nozzles that shoot large drops of water over great distances. A drop traps Mario if he is within its trajectory and carries him with it. He is freed if he spins. Honeyhive Galaxy, Buoy Base Galaxy, Deep Dark Galaxy, Sand Spiral Galaxy Indestructible

Returning enemies

Name List of enemies Description List of enemies Locations Possible spoils
An Amp
Amp
Floating, smiling orbs. Amps discharge electricity and shock Mario on contact. They move in one direction, typically in a circular pattern around poles. Buoy Base Galaxy, Dreadnought Galaxy, Bubble Blast Galaxy Indestructible
In-game render of the Atomic Boo enemy in Super Mario Galaxy, found only in the "Boo in a Box" mission.
Atomic Boo
A large Boo. It can only be defeated with a light source. The Spooky Speedster is an Atomic Boo. Deep Dark Galaxy Power Star×1
Rendered model of a Banzai Bill from Super Mario Galaxy.
Banzai Bill
Slow-moving missiles. Their line of trajectory is fixed in one direction, and they slowly rotate as they move. Bowser's Galaxy Reactor None
Rendered model of a Blooper from Super Mario Galaxy.
Blooper
Underwater squids. Bloopers swim erratically when approached by Mario in an attempt to strike him. Spinning one or striking it with a shell defeats it. They release a cloud of ink when defeated. Buoy Base Galaxy, Deep Dark Galaxy Star Bit×3
SMG Bob-Omb Artwork.png
Bob-omb
Walking bombs that look like wind-up toys. Bob-ombs actively pursue Mario until they explode. Jumping on a Bob-omb disengages it, turning it into a bomb that can be picked up. Battlerock Galaxy, Dreadnought Galaxy, Rolling Gizmo Galaxy None
Rendered model Bomp from Super Mario Galaxy.
Bomp
Stones that shift in and out of walls. They do not damage Mario directly, but they are positioned to push him off of platforms and solid ground. The tops of their bodies can be walked on. Buoy Base Galaxy, Freezeflame Galaxy Indestructible
Rendered model of a Boo from Super Mario Galaxy.
Boo
Ghost enemies. Boos pursue Mario when his back is turned towards them. If Mario looks directly at them, they shield their eyes and stop moving. Spinning shifts their position and forces them to phase through nearby walls, but they cannot be damaged this way. They are only weak to light – including the headlamp of the Toad Brigade Captain. Some Boos are found underwater. Mario can transform into one via the Boo Mushroom. Boos become infatuated with Mario if encountered in his Boo form and chase him. Ghostly Galaxy, Deep Dark Galaxy, Bigmouth Galaxy, Sand Spiral Galaxy Coin×1
SMG Bullet Bill.png
Bullet Bill
Missiles fired from Bill Blasters. Bullet Bills normally fly in a straight line, but they change course and directly target Mario if he is within their proximity. Mario can lure Bullet Bills towards cages and fences in order to destroy them. Their eyes flash with red light and their bodies twirl when they lock onto Mario. Good Egg Galaxy, Bowser Jr.'s Robot Reactor, Battlerock Galaxy, Buoy Base Galaxy, Bowser Jr.'s Airship Armada, Bowser Jr.'s Lava Reactor, Dreadnought Galaxy, Melty Molten Galaxy, Bowser's Galaxy Reactor, Bubble Blast Galaxy None
Rendered model of a Cannonball from Super Mario Galaxy.
Cannonball
Round ammunition shot from enemy cannons. They maintain a straight, horizontal trajectory and travel slowly. They burst when they make contact with Mario. A cannonball is taken out when shot by a Star Bit. Battlerock Galaxy, Bowser Jr.'s Airship Armada, Gusty Garden Galaxy, Sling Pod Galaxy, Dreadnought Galaxy Coin×1
Rendered model of a Cataquack from Super Mario Galaxy.
Cataquack
Duck-like creatures that toss Mario high into the air. This does not harm him. Cataquacks immediately charge towards Mario after making visual contact. They otherwise idly walk in circles or sleep on the ground. Spinning them or performing a Ground Pound temporarily dazes them. They cannot swim and drown if led into water. Beach Bowl Galaxy, Gold Leaf Galaxy None
SMG Cheep Cheep.png
Cheep Cheep
Pudgy red fish. Underwater, they passively swim in circles. On land or shallow water, they hopelessly bounce around in a set trajectory. They can be defeated with a spin or a jump. Deep Dark Galaxy Coin×1
Star Bit×3
Rendered model of a Chomp from Super Mario Galaxy.
Chomp
Metal enemies that roll in a set trajectory. The only way to defeat them is by running into them as Rainbow Mario. They bark when in close proximity. A cannon in Good Egg Galaxy expels Chomps. Good Egg Galaxy, Battlerock Galaxy, Ghostly Galaxy Star Bit×7
A Dry Bones
Dry Bones
Undead Koopa Troopas. They chase down and tackle Mario on sight. If stomped on, spun, or hit with a shell, Dry Bones crumble into a pile of bones, but regenerate after a few seconds. There are three ways to truly defeat Dry Bones: by luring a Bullet Bill into them; by running into them as Rainbow Mario; or by luring them into quicksand. Dusty Dune Galaxy, Bowser's Dark Matter Plant, Bowser's Galaxy Reactor Star Bit×3
Artwork of a Grand Goomba from Super Mario Galaxy.
Goomba
Squat mushroom creatures that chase Mario when he is in their line of sight. Goombas can be defeated with a single jump. Spinning or shooting them with Star Bits causes them to flip over and spin like a top. They can be kicked or stomped on in this state. Pumpkinhead Goombas become these if not fully defeated. Good Egg Galaxy, Space Junk Galaxy, Rolling Green Galaxy, Battlerock Galaxy, Hurry-Scurry Galaxy, Beach Bowl Galaxy, Buoy Base Galaxy, Bowser Jr.'s Airship Armada, Gusty Garden Galaxy, Freezeflame Galaxy, Dusty Dune Galaxy, Bowser's Dark Matter Plant, Gold Leaf Galaxy, Bowser Jr.'s Lava Reactor, Gateway Galaxy, Deep Dark Galaxy, Dreadnought Galaxy, Rolling Gizmo Galaxy Coin×1
Star Bit×3
Key×1
Rendered model of a Grand Goomba from Super Mario Galaxy.
Grand Goomba
A giant Goomba. It can only be defeated with a spin and a kick. Gateway Galaxy Key×1
Model of a green Koopa Troopa from Super Mario Galaxy.
Koopa Troopa (Green)
Green-shelled turtles. They walk back and forth in a straight line. When jumped on, they retreat into their shells, allowing Mario to pick it up and use it as a Green Shell. Space Junk Galaxy, Bowser Jr.'s Airship Armada, Dusty Dune Galaxy, Sea Slide Galaxy, Dreadnought Galaxy, Bigmouth Galaxy Green Shell×1
Rendered model of the Red Koopa Troopa enemy in Super Mario Galaxy.
Koopa Troopa (Red)
A red-shelled Koopa Troopa that walks around in a circle. Jumping on it causes it to retract and gives Mario access to a Red Shell. Sea Slide Galaxy Red Shell×1
Rendered model of the Lava Bubble enemy in Super Mario Galaxy.
Lava Bubble
Floating drops of lava that propel themselves towards Mario. Lava Bubbles appear during the boss battle with King Kaliente. Shooting them with a Star Bit defeats them. They otherwise burnout on their own. Good Egg Galaxy, Bowser Jr.'s Lava Reactor, Melty Molten Galaxy Coin×1
Super Mario Galaxy promotional artwork: A Magikoopa or Kamek holding his wand (reused for Mario Party DS as his artwork)
Magikoopa
Robed Koopas that can teleport. They toss magical fireballs at Mario with their wand. Shooting one with a Star Bit does not leave it dazed, but it does make it stall. A Magikoopa featured in one of the opening cutscenes is localized in English as "Kamek". Space Junk Galaxy, Bowser Jr.'s Airship Armada, Toy Time Galaxy, Deep Dark Galaxy, Matter Splatter Galaxy, Sand Spiral Galaxy Coin×1
Mecha-Bowser from Super Mario Galaxy
Mecha-Bowser
Mechanical Koopas that breathe fire. They can only be defeated with a Ground Pound. Spinning them causes their heads to swing back and briefly delays their fire breath attack. Toy Time Galaxy, Dreadnought Galaxy Coin×1
Model of a Micro Goomba in Super Mario Galaxy
Micro Goomba
Little Goombas. Like normal-sized Goombas, they charge towards Mario if he is near. They can be defeated with a single spin. Rolling Green Galaxy, Battlerock Galaxy, Freezeflame Galaxy, Dusty Dune Galaxy, Bowser Jr.'s Lava Reactor, Gateway Galaxy, Dreadnought Galaxy, Rolling Gizmo Galaxy Coin×1
Piranha Plant
Piranha Plant
Carnivorous plants that try to bite Mario when approached. They laugh if they land a hit. Piranha Plants can be defeated with a spin or a stomp, and can be stunned with a fired Star Bit. Sproutle Vines sometimes grow from where a Piranha Plant is defeated. They idly keep their heads raised skyward when unapproached. Good Egg Galaxy, Honeyhive Galaxy, Beach Bowl Galaxy, Gusty Garden Galaxy, Dusty Dune Galaxy, Gold Leaf Galaxy Coin×1
Star Bit×3
Sproutle Vine×1
Rendered model of the Pokey Head enemy in Super Mario Galaxy.
Pokey Head
Green Pokeys. They are buried with only their flowers visible. When approached by Mario, they burst out of the ground and start hopping towards him. A Pokey Head bounces in place if it successfully strikes Mario. They can be defeated in a single hit with a spin or stomp. Gusty Garden Galaxy, Dusty Dune Galaxy Coin×1
Star Bit×3
Pokeynut
Pokeynut
Giant Pokeys. They slam their heads downward to strike Mario. Their bodies fall apart when struck by coconuts, causing their head to fall and be partially submerged in the surrounding sand. Stomping on their overturned heads defeats them. Good Egg Galaxy, Dusty Dune Galaxy Launch Star×1
Rendered model of the boulder obstacle in Super Mario Galaxy.
Ruby Rock
Giant, rolling rocks. They are made of cragged stones with a red gem in their center. Ruby Rocks roll around in circles or off the sides of platforms, damaging Mario on contact. Spinning into their red gem destroys them. There are caves that indefinitely release Ruby Rocks in several galaxies. Good Egg Galaxy, Honeyhive Galaxy, Gusty Garden Galaxy, Freezeflame Galaxy, Dusty Dune Galaxy, Gold Leaf Galaxy, Melty Molten Galaxy Star Bit×7
Rendered model of the spike platform in Super Mario Galaxy.
Spike
Spiked lifts that slide along set paths, damaging Mario if he touches their sharp edges. Good Egg Galaxy, Flipswitch Galaxy, Toy Time Galaxy Indestructible
Rendered model of the Spiny Cheep-Cheep enemy in Super Mario Galaxy with its spines extended.
Model of a deflated Spiny Cheep-Cheep from Super Mario Galaxy
Spiny Cheep-Cheep
Pufferfish enemies. They protract their spines and charge towards Mario on sight. They are only found within sunken treasure chests. Drip Drop Galaxy Star Bit×7
Thwomp
Thwomp
Angry-looking stones. They are suspended in mid-air but periodically slam down towards the ground below. Crushing Mario completely depletes his life meter. The tops and sides of their bodies can be used as platforms and walls, respectively. Slightly smaller Thwomps appear in the 2D sections of several galaxies. Bowser's Star Reactor, Beach Bowl Galaxy, Buoy Base Galaxy, Dusty Dune Galaxy, Dreadnought Galaxy, Melty Molten Galaxy, Bowser's Galaxy Reactor Indestructible
Rendered model of the Torpedo Ted enemy in Super Mario Galaxy.
Torpedo Ted
Underwater missiles. Their eyes flash red and they home in on Mario when he is in close proximity. They can be lured towards glass cages to break them. Buoy Base Galaxy, Drip Drop Galaxy None
A Tox Box
Tox Box
Giant boxes made out of stone. They roll around in set trajectories. One of their sides is open and can be safely stood under. All other sides crush Mario. Tox Boxes are the same width of the paths they travel, making them difficult to avoid. Beach Bowl Galaxy, Toy Time Galaxy Indestructible
Urchin as seen in Super Mario Galaxy.
Urchin
Sea creatures with protractible spines. They roll towards Mario when he is in close proximity. They can only be damaged by shells and fireballs. Beach Bowl Galaxy, Buoy Base Galaxy, Freezeflame Galaxy, Sea Slide Galaxy, Drip Drop Galaxy, Deep Dark Galaxy Star Bit×5
SMG Wiggler Artwork.png
Wiggler
Caterpillars that walk around in circles. Performing a Ground Pound on nearby earth or directly spinning one flips a Wiggler onto its back. If the incapacitated Wiggler is not defeated within five seconds, it becomes angry and uprights itself. An enraged Wiggler is much faster and cannot be harmed. It calms down after a few seconds. Wigglers can be defeated in a single hit by Ground Pounding them. Honeyhive Galaxy, Beach Bowl Galaxy, Bowser Jr.'s Airship Armada, Gusty Garden Galaxy, Gold Leaf Galaxy Star Bit×7
Rendered model of the Zap Ball enemy in Super Mario Galaxy.
Zap Ball
Large Amps. They are typically in pairs. Unlike normal-sized Amps, the big ones lack faces. Space Junk Galaxy, Battlerock Galaxy, Buoy Base Galaxy, Gusty Garden Galaxy, Toy Time Galaxy Indestructible

Obstacles

Name List of enemies Description List of enemies Locations
A Banzai Bill Cannon in Bowser's Galaxy Reactor
Banzai Bill Cannon
Giant cannons that shoot Banzai Bills. Bowser's Galaxy Reactor
The sprite (by technical definition, even if it is incredibly large) of the black hole obstacle in Super Mario Galaxy.
Black hole
Bottomless voids with their own gravity. Mario is pulled into black holes if he gets too close and loses a life. They exist in the center of several spherical planets and function similarly to bottomless pits. Good Egg Galaxy, Honeyhive Galaxy, Flipswitch Galaxy, Bowser Jr.'s Robot Reactor, Space Junk Galaxy, Battlerock Galaxy, Hurry-Scurry Galaxy, Bowser's Star Reactor, Sling Pod Galaxy, Beach Bowl Galaxy, Ghostly Galaxy, Bowser Jr.'s Airship Armada, Gusty Garden Galaxy, Freezeflame Galaxy, Honeyclimb Galaxy, Bowser's Dark Matter Plant, Gold Leaf Galaxy, Sea Slide Galaxy, Toy Time Galaxy, Bowser Jr.'s Lava Reactor, Deep Dark Galaxy, Dreadnought Galaxy, Melty Molten Galaxy, Gateway Galaxy, Bowser's Galaxy Reactor, Bubble Blast Galaxy
Squared screenshot of a bone in Super Mario Galaxy.
Bone[24]
Floating barriers in courses where Mario races the Spooky Speedster. They can obstruct Mario's path. Ghostly Galaxy, Boo's Boneyard Galaxy
SMG Hedge Ring Planet.png
Bramble
Thick vines covered in thorns. Making contact damages Mario. Gusty Garden Galaxy
A Bill Blaster in Bowser Jr's Robot Reactor.
Bullet Bill cannon
The cannons that shoot Bullet Bills. Bullet Bill cannons are mounted onto the surface of planets, integrated into the walls of terrain, and attached to the sides of airships. Many Bill Blasters are built into the body of Megaleg. The cannons will not shoot more than one Bullet Bill at a time. Good Egg Galaxy, Bowser Jr.'s Robot Reactor, Battlerock Galaxy, Buoy Base Galaxy, Bowser Jr.'s Airship Armada, Bowser Jr.'s Lava Reactor, Dreadnought Galaxy, Melty Molten Galaxy, Bowser's Galaxy Reactor, Bubble Blast Galaxy
Squared screenshot of a bumper in Super Mario Galaxy.Squared screenshot of meat in Super Mario Galaxy.
Bumper / meat
Floating objects that bounce Mario on contact. Ghostly Galaxy, Bubble Blast Galaxy
A burner in Super Mario Galaxy
Burner
Cannons that create small explosions. It takes a few seconds for them to charge up. Good Egg Galaxy
Cannon firing a Cannonball in the Dreadnought Galaxy
Cannon
Enemy cannons that shoot cannonballs. They are built into the sides of terrain. They fire continuously in set intervals that can be timed. Battlerock Galaxy, Bowser Jr.'s Airship Armada, Gusty Garden Galaxy, Sling Pod Galaxy, Dreadnought Galaxy
Squared screenshot of a Chomp cannon in Super Mario Galaxy.
Chomp cannon
Giant turrets that release Chomps. Good Egg Galaxy
Darkmatterpools.png
Dark matter
Mario's body visually disintegrates when he makes contact with dark matter and he loses a life. Bowser's Dark Matter Plant
Ice Planet from Bowser's Galaxy Reactor.
Dry Ice Planet[25]
An ice planet. The surface is so cold that direct contact makes Mario to leap as if he was burned and reduces his life meter. Bowser's Galaxy Reactor
Mario in Battlerock Barrage
Electric Ball[26]
Metal orbs attached to the sides of disc-shaped planetoids. They electrocute Mario on contact. Battlerock Galaxy, Dreadnought Galaxy
The starting planet on the Bubble Blast Galaxy
Electric rail
Electric barriers. They emit either green or red electricity and move horizontally in some galaxies. Spiky Topmen can be defeated by spinning them into an electric rail. Topmaniac can only be damaged by knocking it into rails. Good Egg Galaxy, Flipswitch Galaxy, Battlerock Galaxy, Toy Time Galaxy, Dreadnought Galaxy, Sweet Sweet Galaxy, Bubble Blast Galaxy
SMG Fire Bar screenshot.png
Fire Bar
Rotating bars of fireballs that burn Mario on contact. Battlerock Galaxy, Bowser's Star Reactor, Toy Time Galaxy, Deep Dark Galaxy, Melty Molten Galaxy, Bowser's Galaxy Reactor, Sling Pod Galaxy
Melty Molten Galaxy
Fireball
Trailing fireballs shot out of lava. They move very slowly and burn Mario on contact. They usually move in arches over spherical platforms. Freezeflame Galaxy, Melty Molten Galaxy, Bowser's Galaxy Reactor
Cold water
Freezing water
The water is too frigid to swim in: staying in the water for too long depletes Mario's life meter. Freezing water is readily differentiated from normal bodies of water because the screen is briefly disrupted by a static-like visual effect when Mario enters it. Freezeflame Galaxy
Gravity Wall.png
Gravity field
Walls that control the direction of gravity which pulls Mario to a new plane. There are four different directions, each signified by a color: down, up, right, and left. Good Egg Galaxy, Battlerock Galaxy, Bowser's Star Reactor, Bowser's Dark Matter Plant, Bowser's Galaxy Reactor
Honey.png
Honey
A sweet substance collected by Honeybees. Honey reduces Mario's movement the same way mud does. Honeyhive Galaxy
Lava Planet Steel Platform Area.png
Lava
Molten rock. Direct contact burns Mario and makes him bounce into the air with his hands on his rear. A small planet in Melty Molten Galaxy has a sea of of lava that rises and falls like tides. Good Egg Galaxy, Bowser's Star Reactor, Freezeflame Galaxy, Bowser's Dark Matter Plant, Bowser Jr.'s Lava Reactor, Melty Molten Galaxy, Bowser's Galaxy Reactor
Rendered model of the Lava Geyser obstacle in Super Mario Galaxy.
Lava Geyser
Lava Geysers rise and fall in set intervals that can be timed. A rise is always proceeded by rapid bubbling on the lava's surface. Freezeflame Galaxy, Melty Molten Galaxy, Bowser's Galaxy Reactor
SMG Star.png
Lava Mini Sun Planet[27]
Red dwarves. Some suns can be found suspended in space, while others can be found on the surface of planetoids. Making direct contact burns Mario. Bowser's Star Reactor, Freezeflame Galaxy, Melty Molten Galaxy, Bowser's Galaxy Reactor
A Steam Jet
Lava Steam
Hot steam forced from the ground. Making contact burns Mario. Space Junk Galaxy, Freezeflame Galaxy, Melty Molten Galaxy, Bowser's Galaxy Reactor
Squared screenshot of a little house in Super Mario Galaxy.
Little house[28]
Doghouses that release Mini Chomps. Dreadnought Galaxy
The Speedy Sand Planet.
Moving sand[29]
Rapidly flowing sand. Mario can stand on it, but it will bring him down its intended trajectory and potentially into hazards. In the pyramid, sand begins to rapidly rise once Mario collects a Silver Star. Dusty Dune Galaxy
SMG Dreadnought Main Core.png
Moving wall
Moving walls that can move up and down and potentially crush Mario. Battlerock Galaxy, Dreadnought Galaxy
Boulder Planet.png
Mud
Mario's movement speed and jump height is greatly reduced when he is in mud. This puts him at potential risk if dangerous enemies are nearby. Good Egg Galaxy
The first area of Bubble Breeze Galaxy
Poison swamp
Poisonous sludge. Mario becomes trapped in the poison when he makes contact and will rapidly start to sink and lose a life. There is no way for the player to escape. Bubble Breeze Galaxy, Toy Time Galaxy
Dusty Dune Galaxy
Quicksand
Shifting sands. It functions identically to poison in that it will rapidly cause Mario to sink and he cannot escape its pull. Dusty Dune Galaxy, Sand Spiral Galaxy, Bowser's Galaxy Reactor
SMG Ghostly Galaxy Race Area.png
Rib bones[30]
Rotating barriers of bone. Ghostly Galaxy, Boo's Boneyard Galaxy
File:SMG Screenshot Rotating Green Platform.png
Rotating green platform[31]
Rotating walls in Bubble Blast Galaxy that will push Mario on contact. Bubble Blast Galaxy
The Stone Cyclone in the Beach Bowl Galaxy
Rushing water
Rapidly flowing water that traps Mario. In Beach Bowl Galaxy, water brings him into a black hole. Beach Bowl Galaxy, Sea Slide Galaxy
File:SMG Screenshot Silver Die.png
Silver die[32]
Big metal cubes. They can either push Mario off or obstruct his path. Rolling Gizmo Galaxy
Snapshot from the end credits of Super Mario Galaxy.
Snow
Powdery snow that reduces Mario's speed when walked through. The snow is cleared when the Star Pointer is waved over it or with fireballs. Snow Cap Galaxy
Squared screenshot of a spiky ice obstacle in Super Mario Galaxy.
Spiky ice obstacle
Floating chunks of ice, covered in sharp spikes. Contact damages Mario. Beach Bowl Galaxy
Mario in the Boo Mansion of the Ghostly Galaxy
Spotlight
Beams of light. They can be used to defeat enemy Boos, but they will also force Boo Mario back into his normal form. Ghostly Galaxy, Deep Dark Galaxy
A torpedo tube in the Buoy Base Galaxy.
Torpedo tube
Underwater cannons that shoot Torpedo Teds. Buoy Base Galaxy
Squared screenshot of a Ground Urchin generator in Super Mario Galaxy.
Urchin box
A stone box that releases Ground Urchins. Freezeflame Galaxy
Boo's Boneyard Galaxy.png
Wall
Barriers that block Boo Mario's path. He can phase through them by shaking Wii Remote. Boo's Boneyard Galaxy
Mario swimming in Sea Slide Galaxy
Whirlpool
A swirling vortex of water. Contact pushes Mario and temporarily stuns him, but it does not cause damage. Sea Slide Galaxy, Deep Dark Galaxy, Bigmouth Galaxy
Floaty Fluff.png
Wind
Wind is often generated by fans, but is naturally gusty in some galaxies. It can either help or hinder Mario. Bubble Breeze Galaxy, Gusty Garden Galaxy, Boo's Boneyard Galaxy

Bosses

Bosses are listed in the order that they are first encountered.

Name List of bosses Description List of bosses Missions
Dino Piranha
Dino Piranha
A Piranha Plant boss with a clubbed tail. It charges down Mario when he is in its line of sight. Spinning into its club knocks it at its head, damaging it. Its charges more quickly after the first strike. Dino Piranha, Dino Piranha Speed Run
KingKalienteProfile.png
King Kaliente
A giant Rocto that sits in lava. He shoots coconuts and flaming rocks at Mario. Spinning into a coconut smacks it back and damages him. He starts to parry these attacks as the fight progresses. King Kaliente's Battle Fleet
Rendered model of the Mandibug Stack in Super Mario Galaxy.
Mandibug Stack
A Mandibug that carries its child on its back. Both can be defeated by performing a Ground Pound. Defeating the child angers the parent and makes it harder to strike. Trouble on the Tower
Bugaboom
Bugaboom
A giant, winged Mandibug. It tries to bite Mario with its jaws. Ground Pounding its back damages it. Bugaboom takes flight after being struck once and starts releasing explosive droppings as it flies. Big Bad Bugaboom
SMG Megaleg and Moon Model.png
Megaleg
A giant robot. Its legs are covered with gravitational panels that enable Mario to walk up its body. Bullet Bill cannons are built into its body. A Grand Star is caged on its head that can be freed with a lured Bullet Bill. Megaleg's Moon
Kamella from Super Mario Galaxy.
Kamella
A Magikoopa boss. She launches magical fireballs and Green Shells from her wand. Striking her with shells is the only way to damage her. She starts to erratically teleport as the fight progresses. Kamella's Airship Attack, The Underground Ghost Ship, Ghost Ship Daredevil Run
TarantoxSMG.png
Tarantox
A giant spider cocooned in silk. The green orbs covering its body are its weak points: Mario can use Sling Pods to launch himself at them to damage it. It spits acid after being hit once. Tarantox's Tangled Web
Topmaniac
Topmaniac
A large Topman with serrated edges. Jumping on its head makes the blades retract, enabling Mario to safely spin it into an electric rail. Topmaniac and the Topman Tribe, Topmaniac's Daredevil Run, Revenge of the Topman Tribe, Topman Tribe Speed Run
Artwork of Bowser in Super Mario Galaxy
Bowser
The fire-breathing king of Koopas. He launches himself to the sky and back to generate shockwaves. Luring him above a glass panel causes him to crash through and burn his tail on lava. This leaves him vulnerable to a spin attack. He can conjure stone armor and roll like a Ruby Rock. He refers to Mario as his "archenemy".[33] The Fiery Stronghold, Darkness on the Horizon, The Fate of the Universe
Bouldergeist SMG.png
Bouldergeist
A ghost covered in rocks. It launches rocks and erects stone spikes to damage Mario. Attacking it with Bomb Boos destroys its armor and leaves it vulnerable to attack. During the second phase, it constructs giant hands to attack Mario and protect its body. It is the one who kidnaps Luigi.[23] Beware of Bouldergeist, Bouldergeist's Daredevil Run
Super Mario Galaxy promotional artwork: Bowser Jr.
Bowser Jr.
Bowser's son. He rides a miniature airship that fires Bullet Bills and cannonballs at Mario. Magikoopas aide Bowser Jr. during the fight. Throwing shells at the airship damages it and eventually makes it sink. Bowser Jr. otherwise has a recurring story presence throughout the game. Sinking the Airships
Major Burrows Artwork.png
Major Burrows
A giant Undergrunt chasing a Star Bunny. He burrows towards Mario before bursting from the ground with swiping claws. Performing a Ground Pound on the earth when his head is exposed forces him to the surface and leaves him vulnerable to a spin attack. The Dirty Tricks of Major Burrows, Major Burrows's Daredevil Run
Baron Brrr
Baron Brrr
A big Ice Bubble. He fires ice balls that freeze Mario on contact. If close, he thrusts himself downward and generates a freezing shockwave. Being close to the ground leaves him vulnerable to being spun. Doing so extinguishes his icy aura. The Frozen Peak of Baron Brrr
Undergrunt Gunner.png
Undergrunt Gunner
(Water Bazooka)
Blue Undergrunts that operate a rotating cannon. The cannon fires drops of water that trap Mario. The glass-encased cockpit is the weak point. When It Rains, It Pours, Bubble Blastoff
Rendered model of the boss Mecha-Bowser from Super Mario Galaxy.
Mecha-Bowser
An enormous robot modeled after Bowser. Gearmos are trapped inside of its mouth. To free them and destroy the robot, the stack of Stone Wheels on top of its head must be Ground Pounded. Heavy Metal Mecha-Bowser
An Undergrunt Gunner
Undergrunt Gunner
(Electric Bazooka)
A blue Undergrunt that operates a yellow cannon. The cannon shoots balls of electricity that home-in on Mario. Bouncing Down Cake Lane
SMG Kingfin Artwork.png
Kingfin
A massive shark that is defended by a school of Bonefins. It is vulnerable to shells. As it swims, it destroys underwater pillars. It does not actively pursue Mario, but it summons more Bonefins as the battle progresses. Kingfin's Fearsome Waters
of King Kaliente
King Kaliente (Black)
A stronger variant of King Kaliente. He launches more projectiles and can immediately parry attacks. He causes meteors to rain from the sky during the battle. King Kaliente's Spicy Return
Firey Dino Piranha from Super Mario Galaxy.
Fiery Dino Piranha
A fast-moving Dino Piranha. Its clubbed tail periodically catches fire. The flames burn Mario and prevent him from spinning the club. After making a successful strike, Fiery Dino Piranha becomes faster; leaves walls of fire in its wake; and spews giant balls of fire. Defeating this boss without being damaged requires well-timed precision. Fiery Dino Piranha

Items and objects

Items

Collectibles, pickups, and launchable objects.

Name Description Name Description
Power Star
Power Stars
Objects that power the Comet Observatory. They are stolen by Bowser to create a galaxy of his own at the center of the universe. Collecting them completes missions and unlocks new levels. It is inferred that yellow Lumas can become Power Stars at the end of their lifespans. Rendered model of a Green Shell in Super Mario Galaxy.
Green Shells
Shells of green Koopa Troopas. Mario grabs one when he makes contact or spins near it. Shaking Wii Remote makes Mario throw it. Green Shells travel in a continuous forward trajectory and defeats enemies on contact. Holding a Shell while underwater makes Mario automatically propel forward at a faster speed than if he were to swim. A light emits from the front of the shell when underwater that helps orient the player. This light can defeat Boos.
Greenstar.png
Green Power Stars
Hidden Power Stars. Collecting one attracts a green-colored Luma to the observatory. Collecting all three grants Mario[note 1] access to the Planet of Trials and its Trial Galaxies. The green Lumas become these Power Stars at the end of their lifespans. Rendered model of a Red Shell in Super Mario Galaxy.
Red Shells
Shells of red Koopa Troopas. They home-in on nearby targets when thrown. They give Mario a greater speed boost underwater than Green Shells.
Render of a red Power Star in Super Mario Galaxy.
Red Power Star
A Power Star affiliated with the Red Star power-up. Only one mission involves this Power Star, and collecting it makes the Red Star available in the Comet Observatory. Red Lumas can become these at the end of their lifespans. Rendered model of a Gold Shell in Super Mario Galaxy.
Gold Shells
Golden Koopa Shells. Of all the shells, these ones give Mario the greatest speed boost. They function identically to a Green Shells when thrown.
Render of a Silver Star in Super Mario Galaxy.
Silver Stars
Small Stars that represent one-fifth of a Power Star and are contained in bubbles. Silver Stars squeal like Lumas and trail after Mario when he pops their bubbles. When five are collected, they merge to form a full Power Star. Model of a bomb from Super Mario Galaxy.
Bombs
Disengaged Bob-ombs that can be picked up and tossed. They explode on impact. Bombs are used during Bob-omb Blasting to clear trash.
Grand Star
Grand Stars
Giant Power Stars of considerable energy. They are usually in the possession of bosses. Collecting them makes the beacon expand in size, restores light to the observatory, and unlocks new domes. Rendered model of a 1-Up Mushroom in Super Mario Galaxy.
1-Up Mushrooms
Green mushrooms that give Mario an extra life when obtained. They are sold at Luma Shops.
Artwork of a purple Star Bit from Super Mario Galaxy
Star Bits
Colorful objects that are eaten by Lumas. They are found floating in space and raining from the sky. They are collected when Mario makes physical contact or when they are touched with the Star Pointer. The Star Pointer works like a reticle: pressing B Button shoots a Star Bit at its on-screen positioning. Most enemies are stunned when struck by Star Bits. Holding B Button rapidly fires Star Bits. Fired Star Bits can be recovered by spinning, but only while using a Red Star or swimming underwater. Hungry Lumas transform into planets and galaxies when fed a requested number of Star Bits. Mario does not lose accumulated Star Bits if he loses a life during a mission, and they are added to total when he returns to the observatory. Collecting fifty Star Bits gives Mario an extra life. Life Mushroom
Life Mushrooms
Red mushrooms that doubles the amount of bars in Mario's health meter from three to six. If Mario loses three bars, they cannot be restored. The life meter returns to just three bars when Mario completes the mission, even if at full health. This mushroom is sold at Luma Shops.
Rendered model of a ? Coin in Super Mario Galaxy.
? Coins
Big coins with inconsistent properties. Making contact with one has different results depending on the level. Touching one can make a power-up, mushroom, note, or another ? Coin appear. They do not contribute to Mario's coin count. Render of a yellow Star Chip in Super Mario Galaxy.
Yellow Star Chips
Star fragments that each represent one-fifth of a Launch Star or Sling Star. Collecting five causes them to merge into either depending on the level context.
Rendered model of a Coin in Super Mario Galaxy.
Coins
Collecting a coin restores one bar to Mario's life meter. Collecting fifty during a mission gives Mario an extra life. If Mario loses a life during a mission, he loses all of the coins he collected within that specific mission. Render of a blue Star Chip in Super Mario Galaxy.
Blue Star Chips
Collecting five Blue Star Chips turns them into a Pull Star.
Rendered model of a Purple Coin in Super Mario Galaxy.
Purple Coins
Coins that only appear in a galaxy when Purple Comets are in orbit. Collecting 100 awards Mario with a Power Star. Rendered model of a Key in Super Mario Galaxy.
Keys
Collecting a key opens a corresponding case or Key Door, granting Mario access to a new area.
Animated gif of the Note from Super Mario Galaxy.
Notes
Music notes which can appear when Mario touches a ? Coin. They appear in trails in the immediate vicinity and disappear after a few seconds. Collecting every note before they can disappear awards Mario with a power-up, a mushroom, or a Power Star. Rendered model of a Coconut in Super Mario Galaxy.Rendered model of a Watermelon in Super Mario Galaxy.
Coconuts / watermelons
Green fruits. Spinning one launches it. Some enemies and bosses fire coconuts. Watermelons permanently replace them once Mario accumulates 9999 Star Bits on one save file.

Power-ups

Items that transform Mario's appearance and give him unique abilities.

Power-up Form (Mario) Form (Luigi) Description
Bee Suit
Bee Mushroom
Rendered model of Bee Mario in Super Mario Galaxy. Rendered model of Bee Luigi in Super Mario Galaxy. Touching the Bee Mushroom transforms Mario into Bee Mario. Holding A Button makes Mario hover, and his movement is controlled by tilting Nunchuk Control Stick. The Flying Meter depletes as Mario hovers. He falls when the Meter is empty, but it is refilled when he makes contact with the ground or wall. Bee Mario can cling to honey walls and stand on clouds. The radius of the spin move is reduced while Bee Mario. Receiving damage or making contact with water makes Mario lose the power-up.
Render of a Rainbow Star in Super Mario Galaxy.
Rainbow Star
Rendered model of Rainbow Mario in Super Mario Galaxy. Rendered model of Rainbow Luigi in Super Mario Galaxy. Making contact with the Rainbow Star transforms Mario into Rainbow Mario for thirty seconds. He is invincible and can defeat enemies on contact. Running in this form makes Mario build speed and shortens the height of his jump. Attempting to collect a different power-up in this form will instead launch it up without collecting it.
Render of a Boo Mushroom in Super Mario Galaxy.
Boo Mushroom
Rendered model of Boo Mario from Super Mario Galaxy. Rendered model of Boo Luigi from Super Mario Galaxy. Mario is transformed into a Boo when he touches the Boo Mushroom. Shaking Wii Remote makes Boo Mario become intangible for five seconds, enabling him to phase through walls. Continuously pressing A Button makes Boo Mario hover, and he can read signs written in "Booish". Enemy Boos become infatuated with Boo Mario when spotted and pursue him. Receiving damage or making contact with a light source makes Mario lose the power-up.
Rendered model of the Ice Flower power-up in Super Mario Galaxy.
Ice Flower
Rendered model of Ice Mario in Super Mario Galaxy. Rendered model of Ice Luigi in Super Mario Galaxy. Contact with the Ice Flower transforms Mario into Ice Mario for thirty seconds. Mario creates hexagonal ice platforms when he makes contact with water or lava. This enables Ice Mario to wall jump between waterfalls. Because he produces ice under his feet, Ice Mario can continuously skate over water and lava.
FireFlowerSMG.png
Fire Flower
Rendered model of Fire Mario in Super Mario Galaxy. Rendered model of Fire Luigi in Super Mario Galaxy. The Fire Flower transforms Mario into Fire Mario for thirty seconds. Shaking Wii Remote makes Mario toss a fireball. The fire lights torches and defeats enemies on contact. This is the only power-up to have appeared in prior Super Mario games.
Spring Mushroom
Spring Mushroom
Rendered model of Spring Mario in Super Mario Galaxy. Rendered model of Spring Luigi in Super Mario Galaxy. Making contact with the Spring Mushroom transforms Mario into Spring Mario. Mario continuously jumps in this form. Pressing A Button when he strikes the ground makes Spring Mario jump to a great height. His horizontal movement is slowed in this state. Receiving damage or making contact with water strips Mario of the power-up.
Render of a Red Star in Super Mario Galaxy.
Red Star
Rendered model of Flying Mario in Super Mario Galaxy. Rendered model of Flying Luigi in Super Mario Galaxy. The Red Star transforms Mario into Flying Mario for sixty seconds. Shaking Wii Remote makes Mario soar without any corresponding meter or limitation. Holding A Button makes Flying Mario switch direction. Purple Coins are drawn to Flying Mario while he is airborne. Shaking Wii Remote while flying makes Mario fall back to the ground.

Objects

Name Description
Transportation objects
Squared screenshot of Mario in a Bubble in Super Mario Galaxy.
Bubble
Big bubbles that are moved by the Star Pointer. Mario becomes stuck inside one when he touches it. The Star Pointer turns into an air-blowing nozzle that pushes the bubble with A Button. Pressing Nunchuk Z Button releases Mario.
Rendered model of a cannon in Super Mario Galaxy.
Cannon
Cannons that launch Mario to distant areas. They are accessed like pipes. Entering one shifts the screen perspective to inside the cannon and turns the Star Cursor into a reticle symbol. Aiming the cursor on screen and pressing A Button fires Mario.
File:SMG Screenshot Dash Ramp.png
Dash ramp
Curved ramps. They give the Rolling Ball a burst of speed.
Rendered model of an airborne Floaty Fluff in Super Mario Galaxy.
Floaty Fluff
Dandelion seeds that are carried on gusts of wind. Mario grabs onto one by spinning. It slowly descends as it floats. It ascends briefly by shaking Wii Remote, but only up to four times. Pressing B Button makes Mario let go of the Floaty Fluff.
Squared screenshot of a gravity spotlight in Super Mario Galaxy.
Gravity spotlight
Blue beams of light that have their own gravity. When Mario walks into one, he is pushed towards the direction of the light is being beamed. It enables him to walk on walls and ceilings, but only where the light is being directly struck.
Rendered model of a Key Door in Super Mario Galaxy.
Key Door
Doors that open when Mario makes contact with a key.
Launch Star
Launch Star
Floating Stars near the surface of planets that launch Mario to distant areas when spun near. Some yellow Lumas transform into Launch Stars when freed by Mario.
Rendered model of a green Warp Pipe in Super Mario Galaxy.
Pipe
Pipes going through the ground that bring Mario to new areas. He enters one when A Button is pressed while on top of one. Some pipes lead Mario to otherworldly bonus areas.
Rendered model of a Pull Star in Super Mario Galaxy.
Pull Star
Floating Stars that are interacted with the Star Pointer. Moving the cursor over a Pull Star and holding A Button pulls Mario to it. Gently pressing A Button again, pressing Nunchuk Z Button, or spinning releases Mario from the Pull Star. A Pull Star is at the center of every dome on the Comet Observatory. Blue Lumas can transform into them.
In-game screenshot of a ring for the Rolling Ball in Super Mario Galaxy.
Ring
Indentations in the ground for the Rolling Ball. Yellow rings launch the Rolling Ball from one planetoid to another. The blue ones are the final goals for the levels. They break the Rolling Ball and allow Mario to collect its Power Star.
Rendered model of the Rolling Ball in Super Mario Galaxy.
Rolling Ball
Balls that contain Power Stars. Mario takes control of one when he jumps on top of it. The ball is steered by shifting Wii Remote. Reaching the goal causes the Rolling Ball to break and release its Power Star.
Rendered model of a Sling Pod in Super Mario Galaxy.
Sling Pod
Clumps of spider silk. Mario becomes stuck to one when he makes contact with it. Pointing on it with the Star Pointer and holding A Button pulls the Spring Pod back. Releasing A Button slings Mario a great distance.
Artwork of the Sling Star from Super Mario Galaxy.
Sling Star
Small Launch Star-like objects that sling Mario towards a neighboring planet when spun near.
Rendered model of a Tornado from Super Mario Galaxy.
Tornado
Whirlwinds moves back and forth along set paths. Making contact will trap Mario within its gusts, but this does not damage him. Mario is propelled high into the air like a bamboo-copter if he tries to spin.
Rendered model of a Warp Pad in Super Mario Galaxy.
Warp Pad
Transport panels that move Mario along a curved beacon of light from one part of the Comet Observatory to another. More Warp Pads become available as energy is restored to the observatory.
Blocks and containers
Rendered model of a ? Block in Super Mario Galaxy.
? Block
Floating blocks that contain items. One releases its content when Mario jumps underneath it. ? Blocks that contain coins and some that have Star Bits can be jumped under in rapid succession to release more than one. Most ? Blocks become empty blocks when there contents are exhausted. There are ? Blocks containing Star Bits that burst immediately when jumped under. Some are invisible and only become viewable once interacted with.
UsedblockSMG.jpg
Block
Blocks that contain nothing and cannot be broken. Coin Blocks and some ? Blocks become these when their contents are exhausted.
Rendered model of a brick in Super Mario Galaxy.
Brick
Some are Coin Blocks that contain multiple coins like ? Blocks. Others are empty and fall apart when jumped under.
Squared screenshot of a glass cage in Super Mario Galaxy.
Case[34]
Clear cages that trap Lumas or contain objects of interest. They only open when Mario picks up a nearby key.
Rendered model of a Crate in Super Mario Galaxy.
Crate
Crates contain items or Goombas. They release their contents when spun near or ground-pounded. Crates are only found on the ground and break completely when struck.
Rendered model of the Gold Treasure Box in Super Mario Galaxy.
Gold Treasure Box
A treasure chest that only opens when struck by a Gold Shell. It contains a Power Star and the Toad Brigade Captain.
Squared screenshot of a sliding block in Super Mario Galaxy.
Sliding block
Flat blocks only found in Gold Leaf Galaxy. They slide across the surface of the planet like hockey pucks and can damage Mario on impact. Striking one with a Ground Pound releases an item.
Rendered model of a snow sculpture from Super Mario Galaxy.
Snow Block[35]
Blocks in Snow Cap Galaxy. They are destroyed with fireballs.
Squared screenshot of stone blocks in Super Mario Galaxy.
Stone block
Big blocks in Rolling Gizmo Galaxy. They are destroyed when struck by the Rolling Ball.
Rendered model of a treasure chest in Super Mario Galaxy.
Treasure chest
Wooden treasure chests that contain items. One opens when a Koopa Shells is thrown at it.
Strikable and spinnable objects
Render of a blue screw in Super Mario Galaxy.
Bolt
Mario pushes bolts into the ground when he spins on top of them. Doing so grants him access to new areas or triggers nearby events.
Rendered model of a Bowser Statue in Super Mario Galaxy.
Bowser Statue
Stone statues of Bowser that contain items. They are destroyed when struck by Bomb Boos or Bullet Bills.
In-game screenshot of a Cage in Super Mario Galaxy.
Cage[36]
Glass spheres. They contain objects of interest such as pipes, Star Bits, or Power Stars. In one mission, Luigi is trapped in a cage. They shatter when hit by Bullet Bills.
Rendered model of crystals in Super Mario Galaxy.
Crystal
Gemstones that break when spun into. Most crystals are small, contain Star Bits, and are broken with a single spin. Others are large, contain Power Stars, and require three spins to be broken.
Render of a rock spire in Super Mario Galaxy.
Rock spire
Stalagmites. They fall apart when spun into. Some contain items.
Rendered model of the Rubbery bulb plant in Super Mario Galaxy.
Rubbery bulb
Bulbous plants. Spinning into one flings it forward and return with the same force exerted. Mario receives knockback if hit by the rebound. The plants rebound is halted if it collides with an enemy or object. They can be used to break objects and defeat enemies.
Squared screenshot of a Shock Wave Generator in Super Mario Galaxy.
Shock Wave Generator
Spires that release waves of electricity when struck, stunning nearby enemies.
Render of a Snowman in Super Mario Galaxy.
Snowman
Snowmen are destroyed with fireballs. They obstruct narrow paths in some instances.
Squared screenshot of a Star Piece Cluster in Super Mario Galaxy.
Star Piece Cluster
Giant Star Bits that float in the set trajectory of Launch Stars. Colliding with one breaks it into seven collectible Star Bits.
In-game screenshot of a stone circle in Super Mario Galaxy.In-game screenshot of a shell circle in Super Mario Galaxy.
Stone circle / shell circle
A circle of eight objects embedded in the ground. Spinning inside the circle transforms the objects into Star Bits.
Squared screenshot of a tiny lamp in Super Mario Galaxy.
Tiny lamp
A shimmering protrusion in the ground. Firing a Star Bit at one turns it into a coin.
Rendered model of a torch from Super Mario Galaxy.
Torch
Lighting torches with fireballs solves puzzles and sometimes provides access to new areas.
Rendered model of Trash from Super Mario Galaxy.
Trash
Trash from Bob-omb Blasting. Tossing bombs at them destroys them.
Animated render of a valve in Super Mario Galaxy.
Valve
Spigots that trigger nearby events. It prevents the flow of water in one area.
Ground-poundable objects
File:SMG Screenshot Grate.png
Grate
Metal panels built into the floor of Bowser's airships. Ground Pounding one brings Mario to a lower deck.
Rendered model of a stone wheel from Super Mario Galaxy.
Stone Wheel
Stone discs. Ground Pounding one breaks it and usually releases an item. Breaking a Stone Wheel sometimes changes an element of the area it is in. In some galaxies, there are multiple Stone Wheels stacked on top of each other.
Rendered model of a Stump in Super Mario Galaxy.
Stump
Ground Pounding a stump either produces an time or triggers an event that enable level progression, similar to Ground-Pound Switches.
Squared screenshot of a "tennis" ball in Super Mario Galaxy.
Tennis ball[37]
Yellow balls within a clear planet in Deep Dark Galaxy. Ground Pounding one launches it at a watermelon in the planet's center and makes it expand.
Rendered model of a Trampoline in Super Mario Galaxy.
Trampoline
Trampolines bounce Mario into the air. Ground Pounding the surface of a trampoline launches Mario higher.
Climbable objects
Rendered model of a Banandelion in Super Mario Galaxy.
Banandelion
Big dandelions. Mario grabs onto one by spinning. Continuing to spin makes Mario ascend up the flower and flings him.
Render of a honey wall segment in Super Mario Galaxy.
Honey wall
Hexagonal panels attached to the side of walls within levels. Mario can cling and crawl on them while in his bee form.
Squared screenshot of bars in Super Mario Galaxy.
Nail
Metal rods embedded iton the caverns of Deep Dark Galaxy. Mario can use them like swings to reach higher areas.
In-game render of a Pole in Super Mario Galaxy.
Pole
Climbable poles. Mario clings to one by jumping onto it. He can ascend, descend, and change which face of the pole he is on by moving Nunchuk Control Stick. Pressing A Button makes Mario jump from whichever face he is on.
Squared screenshot of the Sproutle Vine in Super Mario Galaxy.
Sproutle Vine
Twisting vines that sprout from the base of defeated Piranha Plants. Mario grabs and swings up one by spinning. Sproutle Vines enable Mario to travel from one area to another.
In-game render of a trapeze from Super Mario Galaxy.
Swing
Trapezes made out of vines and flowers. Mario grabs onto one automatically when he makes contact with it. Moving Nunchuk Control Stick back and forth makes him swing. A swing bar can be used to bring Mario over gaps between platforms.
The vine texture from Super Mario Galaxy.
Vine
A rope swing that Mario will grab onto when he jumps towards it. Moving the Nunchuk Control Stick causes him to swing.
Switches
Rendered model of a green gravity switch from Super Mario Galaxy.Rendered model of a red gravity switch in Super Mario Galaxy.
Arrow Switch
Switches that shift the gravitational pull from the floor to the ceiling. They only occur in areas on 2D plane.
Rendered model of a blue switch from Super Mario Galaxy.
Blue switch
Blue ! Switches. Ground Pounding one usually triggers a timed event or changes an element in the area it is encountered.
Rendered model of a blue Flipswitch Panel from Super Mario Galaxy.Rendered model of a yellow Flipswitch Panel from Super Mario Galaxy.
Flipswitch Panel
Blue panels that turn yellow when Mario steps on them. Stepping on all of the panels in a confined area triggers access to a new area or the appearance of a Power Star.
Rendered model of a Ground-Pound Switch in Super Mario Galaxy.
Ground-Pound Switch
Buttons that trigger a change in the surrounding environment when Mario Ground Pounds them. A Ground-Pound Switch is only useable once. There are wooden and stone variants that are destroyed when activated.
A deactivated Lever Switch in Super Mario Galaxy
Lever Switch
Levers that physically change the surrounding area, usually by granting Mario access to a new area by making a door or bridge appear. Mario uses one by spinning near it.
Platforms
Artwork of an Airship from Super Mario Galaxy.
Airship
Bowser's flying ships. Enemies patrol the decks. Some are equipped with cannons that fire hazardous projectiles.
Rendered model of a red Assembly Block from Super Mario Galaxy.
Assembly Block
Multi-shaped platforms. They initially float in space far away from Mario, but will immediately assemble into an established configuration if he approaches the intended space. They fall away if Mario moves away from the intended space, meaning the player does not have a permanent visual as to where the platforms are going to appear.
Rendered model of a Bolt Lift in Super Mario Galaxy.
Bolts
Three giant bolts on a metal rod. The rod connects two distant areas. Walking perpendicular to the rod on the bolts makes them rotate, allowing Mario to travel between the areas.
Squared screenshot of candy-like lifts in Super Mario Galaxy.
Candy[38]
Moving platforms with holes of different sizes and shapes cut.
Rendered model of a cloud from Super Mario Galaxy.Rendered model of a rain cloud from Super Mario Galaxy.
Cloud
Floating platforms that Mario is normally too heavy to stand on. He can only do so in his bee form. There are raining gray variants that move along set paths.
Squared screenshot of a conveyor belt in Super Mario Galaxy.
Conveyor Belt
Platforms with moving surfaces. A blue Conveyor Belt has giant chocolate bars built into it.
Squared screenshot of a Flip Tile in Super Mario Galaxy.
Flip Tile
Yellow squares that flip downwards and turn indefinitely when stepped on.
File:SMG Screenshot Float.png
Float[39]
Floats sink in water when stepped on, then rise back up.
Rendered model of a flower from Super Mario Galaxy.
Flower
Floating flowers that recede if Mario makes contact with them. He can only stand on them while in his bee form.
In-game screenshot of ice in Super Mario Galaxy.
Ice
Frozen surfaces. Ice reduces Mario's traction and causes him to slide, but spinning causes Mario to start skating.
In-game screenshot of a Lift in Super Mario Galaxy.
Lift
Moving platforms. Their designs and environmental context for moving depends on where they are encountered.
Model of a robot turtle platform in Super Mario Galaxy.
Ocean Small Turtle
Buoyant Koopa-like platforms that moves across the surface of water.
Squared screenshot of a gravity ramp in Super Mario Galaxy.
Ramp[40]
Wooden ramps that enable traversal between two gravitational planes.
Rendered model of a shrinking platform from Super Mario Galaxy.
Shrinking platform
Checkerboard platforms that disappear once stood on.
Squared screenshot of a sinking rock platform in Super Mario Galaxy.
Sinking rock platform
Platforms that sink and permanently disappear when stepped on.
Rendered model of a red Starshroom from Super Mario Galaxy.
Starshroom
Mushroom-shaped starships with their own centers of gravity. They were created by the Lumas for the Toad Brigade.
Squared screenshot of a metal platform in Super Mario Galaxy.
Steel platform[41]
Platforms that sink in lava when stepped on, then rise back up.
Squared screenshot of a track in Super Mario Galaxy.
Track
Rails that carry the Rolling Ball without the player's input.
Squared screenshot of waterfalls in Super Mario Galaxy.
Waterfall
Water overflowing the sides of elevated drops. In Beach Bowl Galaxy, a series of waterfalls can be ascended when Mario wall jumps between them in his ice form.
Squared screenshot of a windmill in Super Mario Galaxy.
Windmill[42]
Four lifts attached to a pivot point in Honeyhive Galaxy. The windmill spins continuously.
Other objects
Rendered model of an Arrow Sign from Super Mario Galaxy.
Arrow Sign
Signs that direct players towards the intended focus of the mission they enter.
Close-up view of the Beacon in Super Mario Galaxy after 5 Grand Stars have been acquired.
Beacon
The comet at the center of the Comet Observatory that gives it its energy. Collected Power Stars are fed to it. Grand Stars make it grow larger and unlocks new areas of the observatory to explore.
In-game screenshot of a sign in Super Mario Galaxy.
Board
Posted signs that contain information on actions. Most Boards are inanimate objects that give Mario insight on his surroundings or actions when read. However, a few Boards are speaking characters that give specific instructions on how to use objects or power-ups that change how Mario is controlled.
SMG BobOmb Dispenser.png
Bob-omb dispenser
Bob-omb dispensaries. A single Bob-omb dispenser only releases one Bob-omb at a time: the current one out must explode before it releases another one. The Bob-ombs are usually active, but the Bob-omb dispensers in the Bob-omb Blasting minigame only release legless variants that can be picked up by Mario.
Squared screenshot of a Bubbler in Super Mario Galaxy.
Bubbler
Creates air bubbles.
Squared screenshot of a fan in Super Mario Galaxy.
Fan
Produce constant gusts of wind.
Squared screenshot of a flowerbed in Super Mario Galaxy.Squared screenshot of grass in Super Mario Galaxy.Squared screenshot of a leaf pile in Super Mario Galaxy.
Flowerbed / grass / leaf pile
Flora that rustles when walked through. Some release Star Bits or coins when disturbed.
Squared screenshot of matter in Super Mario Galaxy.
Matter
Matter can take two forms: bouncing droplets that reveal circular parts of the planet's terrain, and spotlights that move in a set path revealing parts of the planet in their range.
Rendered model of a painting from Super Mario Galaxy.
Portrait
A painting of a 1-Up Mushroom. Touching a nearby ? Coin makes a 1-Up Mushroom emerge from it.
Render of an underwater ring in Super Mario Galaxy.
Ring
Underwater rings. Swimming through one gives Mario a burst of speed.
Squared screenshot of a water spigot in Super Mario Galaxy.
Water spout
A device that shoots water into the air in timed intervals. Mario is briefly carried into the air when he enters the stream. When in his ice form, Mario can freeze the surface of the water to form temporary ice platforms.

Music

Main article: Super Mario Galaxy Original Soundtrack
Album and disc for Super Mario Galaxy Original Soundtrack.

The majority of the music in Super Mario Galaxy was composed and arranged by Mahito Yokota, who penned the entirety of the soundtrack for Nintendo EAD Tokyo's first title, Donkey Kong Jungle Beat (2004). Longtime series composer Koji Kondo contributed four tracks himself and mentored Yokota in developing a sound appropriate for the title. It is the first Super Mario game to feature a fully orchestrated soundtrack.[17] The game's orchestra performed at the Sound Inn Studios in Tokyo and consisted of roughly fifty members dubbed the "Mario Galaxy Orchestra". Koji Haishima, who had conducted pieces from Square Enix's Final Fantasy series and Capcom's Monster Hunter series, served as conductor.[43] Some of the pieces are orchestral arrangements of Kondo's compositions from Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, and Super Mario 64.

Yokota was professionally trained in orchestral composition and championed the use of an orchestra to producer Shigeru Miyamoto during the game's development. He was met with reluctance due to the anticipated expenses and the thought that it would detract from the player's immersion, which is why live instrumentation had seen only occasional use in prior Nintendo games.[17] It was ultimately decided that a live orchestra would be appropriate for Super Mario Galaxy after Yokota spent three months trying to develop the best sound with little success. Based on the music of prior titles in the series, Yokota's first attempts derived from Latin and pop music. Though approved by director Yoshiaki Koizumi, Kondo was displeased. When Yokota presented his work to him, he said, "Yokota-san, if somewhere in your mind you have an image that Mario is cute, please get rid of it... Mario is cool." This experience and the strenuous three months of work briefly made Yokota consider leaving the project.[17] A musical direction was definitively established when Yokota presented Miyamoto with three pieces – one orchestral, one a mix of orchestral and pop, and one entirely pop – and asked which he felt was the best style for Super Mario Galaxy. Miyamoto chose the fully orchestrated one, remarking that it sounded "the most space-like". This piece, titled "Egg Planet", was penned by Koji Kondo. It accompanied the game's debut trailer during E3 2006 and is incorporated as the level theme for Good Egg Galaxy in the final product.[17][43] Miyamoto's preference for it is what allowed Yokota to find his sound.

Mahito Yokota composed roughly thirty pieces for Super Mario Galaxy and oversaw their recording at Sound Inn. Unlike most orchestras, a metronome was used during recording sessions that was set to a tempo adjacent to Mario's running speed. He did this because he did not want the music to sound like a passive background element – he wanted it to sound like an organic part of the game.[17] Another major way this was accomplished was with the music itself being an influenceable element.[44] For example, there are three variations of "Rosalina in the Observatory", the waltz that plays on the Comet Observatory. The first variation is what plays in the earliest portion of the game, when many areas are inaccessible and the Observatory is largely cast in shadow. This variation is simplistic in orchestration. As the player accumulates more Power Stars and more areas on the Comet Observatory become accessible to the player, the variation that plays is progressively more richly orchestrated.[45] Within the levels themselves, unique sound effects and musical queues correlate with the actions performed by the player in real-time. Sound director Masafumi Kawamura established this by building on what he had integrated in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (2003) and Jungle Beat, which comparably included instances where the player's actions would influence the music in limited, context-specific instances. In Super Mario Galaxy, the player can influence sound throughout the majority of the game. It was accomplished by synchronizing a stream of the raw recording data from the orchestra with Musical Instruments Digital Interface (MIDI) data. This effect enhances the player's sense of rhythm and immersion within the game world.[17][45][44]

On January 31, 2008, two soundtracks were made available in Japan through Club Nintendo. One is a standard edition with 28 tracks on a single disc. The other is a "platinum edition" that has 81 tracks across two discs. The platinum edition was released in Europe on the same date.[43] The standard edition eventually saw a localized release in the United States on October 23, 2011 through its inclusion in a Wii console bundle.[46] The platinum edition would not become available in the US until the release of Super Mario 3D All-Stars on September 18, 2020. Select pieces from Super Mario Galaxy are included in Super Mario History 1985-2010 Sound Track CD, Nintendo Sound Selection: Endings & Credits, and The 30th Anniversary Super Mario Bros. Music. Music from Super Mario Galaxy has been rearranged and incorporated into succeeding video games by Nintendo, including Super Mario Galaxy 2, Super Mario 3D Land, Super Mario 3D World, Mario Kart 8 (2014), Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (2014), Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (2014), and Super Mario Maker 2 (2019). Film composer Brian Tyler incorporated select compositions into melodies he penned for The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Music from Super Mario Galaxy has been performed live in concert by the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra, the WDR Rundfunkorchester Köln, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra.[47][48][49]

Media

For a complete list of media for this subject, see List of Super Mario Galaxy media.
Video.svg Super Mario Galaxy - Trailer
File infoMedia:SMG Trailer.ogv
3:12
Audio.svg Overture - The song that is played on the game's title screen.
File infoMedia:Title Screen Super Mario Galaxy.oga
0:30
Audio.svg Prologue - The song from the prologue.
File infoMedia:Prologue Super Mario Galaxy.oga
0:30
Help:MediaHaving trouble playing?

Staff

Main article: List of Super Mario Galaxy staff

Super Mario Galaxy was developed by Nintendo EAD Tokyo, a development team established in 2003 that previously developed Donkey Kong Jungle Beat.[17] It is smaller than the Kyoto branch of the same name that developed the majority of the previous Super Mario games and consists of younger, less experienced staff.

Series creator Shigeru Miyamoto conceived of the game and served as one of its producers. Yoshiaki Koizumi, a friend and protégé of Miyamoto who has been involved with the series since Super Mario 64, served as director. This represents the first time he would serve as the sole director of a Super Mario game, after having co-directed Super Mario Sunshine with Kenta Usui. He previously directed Jungle Beat and believed that that game's development allowed the staff of Nintendo EAD Tokyo to get familiar enough with each other to confidently pursue a game as complex as Super Mario Galaxy.[17]

This is the first Super Mario game to feature Bowser's current voice actor, Kenny James.

The staff credits in the Nvidia Shield TV version shows three people in charge of Chinese localization as well as an "iQue testing group". It is possible that the game was fully translated for the iQue Wii release before the console was canceled.[50]

Development

1997-2004: Super Mario 128 and Donkey Kong Jungle Beat

Screenshot of Super Mario 128
Screenshot of the Super Mario 128 tech demo from SpaceWorld 2000.

Super Mario Galaxy was developed as a respond to the oversights of 3D game design established by Super Mario 64.[18] That game was one of the first 3D titles ever published and has had a significant foundational influence in how 3D games are made, not just at Nintendo but throughout the entire industry.[51][22][8][52][53] Despite its influence, there was a feeling amongst some of Nintendo's staff that it caused a divide between people that did not exist during the 2D era of video games. While some people enjoy playing 3D games, there are some who feel that they are too difficult. Yoshiaki Koizumi, who was one of the assistant directors on Super Mario 64, attributes this to overcorrection of the game's controls. He considers the three biggest hurdles in developing a comfortable 3D control interface to be: depth misperception; the ease with which a player can get lost; and motion sickness. The solutions created to mitigate these problems, most significantly camera controls, resulted in systems that were too cumbersome or at least intimidating for players.[18][17]

After Super Mario 64 was released, Shigeru Miyamoto assembled a team within Nintendo EAD to develop a successor tentatively titled Super Mario 128 that would address this problem in its decade-long development.[54][55] At SpaceWorld 2000, it was presented to the public as a technology demonstration for the Nintendo GameCube. Directed by Koizumi, it has the player control 128 Marios on a saucer-shaped platform that dynamically changes shape over the course of the demo. This iteration of Mario 128 was never released as a full game and parts of it were foundational for other titles such as Pikmin (2001), but Miyamoto did extrapolate the idea of having Mario run around "spherical worlds" from the demo.[56][57][55] It was believed that this concept would resolve many of the problems with previous 3D games in deemphasizing the need to control the camera and decreasing the likelihood of the player getting lost. When shared with Koizumi, he agreed this had the potential to become a full game, but was technically near-impossible.[17]

While Super Mario 128 continued to be worked on intermittently, Nintendo published Super Mario Sunshine in 2002 for the GameCube. It was the first entry in the Super Mario series released since Super Mario 64 and shares some elements with it. However, Super Mario Sunshine was assertedly unrelated to Super Mario 128 and was best viewed as a revisitation of Super Mario 64, not a proper successor.[58][59] Koizumi was one of the co-directors on Super Mario Sunshine and this would be the last 3D-related project he was involved with for several years. He oversaw the integration of a camera system in the game that, in his view, only exasperated the problems of 3D game controls. He came to the perspective that it was too difficult to produce the "perfect 3D control environment" where it was fun to play but not needlessly stressful for the player.[18][17]

Koizumi's next project was at the newly-formed branch Nintendo EAD Tokyo where he directed Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, a 2D action-adventure platformer released in 2004 for the GameCube. The player controls Donkey Kong with the DK Bongos, a controller with fewer input options than the conventional GameCube controller. The experience of directing Jungle Beat made Koizumi realize that one could create a robust action game with only a few button inputs required of the player. They had established what Koizumi calls "contextual binding", where available player actions would be changed depending on context, resulting in more diverse ways of play without increasing the number of buttons. Koizumi also observed that an exaggerated presentation delights bystanders that were not directly playing the game, allowing more people to gain from the experience than just the player. These were concepts he brought to Miyamoto, who was having consistent difficult working on Super Mario 128 as its sole director.[55] In 2003, before they had started development on Jungle Beat, a staff member expressed interest in making the next Super Mario game. The experience of working together as a team for Jungle Beat made Koizumi realize that this was something they could do. They had the technical skill needed to succeed the struggling Super Mario 128 project and bring Miyamoto's spherical world concept to fruition.[18][17]

2005-2007: Super Mario Revolution

Proposal documents for the first Super Mario Galaxy drafted in 2005. Of note, it includes a planet-shaped like Mario similar to Starship Mario and artwork of Yoshi from Super Mario Sunshine.
Yoshiaki Koizumi's proposal documents for "Super Mario Revolution", circa 2005.

In 2005, Koizumi prepared an outline for "Super Mario Revolution" for the GameCube's successor, the Wii. Adapted from the Super Mario 128 demo and building on what EAD Tokyo had accomplished with Jungle Beat, the core concept of "Super Mario Revolution" was for it to be a 3D action platformer with Mario running around spherical worlds. These worlds would have their own centers of gravity that prevent Mario from falling off the edge.[19][18] There would be few walls or ceilings on the worlds to obstruct Mario's path. If he kept moving forward in one direction, he would return to his starting position. This would mitigate the chances of the player becoming lost. After the project was greenlit by Nintendo's executives, Koizumi spent three months creating a small prototype with several other EAD Tokyo employees to present to Miyamoto for his feedback. The prototype was set in space because it was believed that most players would interpret the spherical worlds as small planets. This set a precedent where Miyamoto would be the first one to playtest all of the game's builds. A system was eventually set up that allowed the staff to send him a build from the Tokyo studio to his office in Kyoto as soon as it was finished. In the last few months of development, Miyamoto made frequent in-person visits to EAD Tokyo.[17]

Development progressed with the involvement of more staff. It succeeded the indefinitely-stalled Super Mario 128 project and was recognized as the "true" successor to Super Mario 64 by Miyamoto during development.[20][56] At some point it was renamed Super Mario Galaxy to reflect the game's outer space setting. An important tenet that informed development was to prioritize what Koizumi refers to as "ease of play" - to make the control system as unobtrusive to the player as possible. The number of button inputs required by the player was kept to a minimum. The spin move was added to supplement jumping actions, which Koizumi believes can be imprecise in a 3D environment.[18] Originally they made it so that Mario could spin indefinitely by shaking the Wii Remote, but Miyamoto had them integrate a delay after the spin to make the game more challenging.[17] Employing contextual binding resulted in the development of scenarios within the game that change what button inputs do, such as in the rolling ball levels, ray surfing, and controlling power-ups. Pointer controls were thoroughly integrated into Super Mario Galaxy to supplement or even replace traditional button inputs, as the team felt they were more intuitive.[17][18] To keep the player from "thinking about the camera", another tenet of development, EAD Tokyo developed a new camera system called the "planet camera". It gently follows Mario as he runs across a spherical world without sudden jerks or obscuring his positioning. It requires no input from the player.[18] This element of the game was very important to the staff because they did not want any players to experience motion sickness. To ensure the game was comfortable to play, they heavily relied on the feedback of playtesters, something that was also employed extensively during Jungle Beat's development.[17]

In concert with Nintendo's goal of making the Wii appeal to demographics beyond their core consumers, the team wanted Super Mario Galaxy to appeal to people who do not play video games.[17][56] One of the ways they did this was by integrating a cooperative multiplayer mode called Co-Star Mode. One player controls Mario and a pointer (P1) while a second player only has a pointer (P2). It was seen as a good way for family and friends to play together even if one of them was inexperienced with games.[18] Co-producer Takao Shimizu originally envisioned pointer controls being the same for both players, but Miyamoto had them restrict some actions to P2. This completely changed the balance of the game. For example, they originally allowed P1 to hold moving obstacles in place with the pointer. Staff felt that restricting this action to P2 improved the game's flow.[17] The desire to engage non-players also informed Super Mario Galaxy's theatrical cutscenes and lively character animations. This made the game fun for bystanders to watch.[18]

There were concentrated efforts to make the game easily accessible for beginners, such as with the integration of Bee Mario. Believing that one of the joys of a Super Mario game was simply moving around, Koizumi oversaw the integration of areas without enemies or objectives. The earliest builds of the game were too easy, however. Miyamoto reminded staff that it was important for a game to feel challenging to play, otherwise the player might feel disengaged. Measures were subsequently taken to ensure the game was still healthily challenging, such as by reducing the life meter from eight bars (as was done in Super Mario 64 and Sunshine) to three. Coins were made rarer, health-restoring items.[17]

EAD Tokyo was pressured to finish the game close to the Wii's launch, as several executives were disappointed by Super Mario Sunshine not being a GameCube launch title and thought that an earlier release could have helped the console's commercial performance. When Super Mario Galaxy was first shown off to the public during E3 2006, Miyamoto stated it would release within six months of the Wii's launch. However, EAD Tokyo felt it was more important to make a game they were really happy with, resulting in it launching eleven months after the Wii.[17]

Pre-release and unused content

Main article: List of Super Mario Galaxy pre-release and unused content

When first showcased at E3 2006, Toads with star-shaped spots appeared in the game that provided the player hints and could transform into rabbits. Lumas serve this role in the final game. Rosalina was originally conceived as "related" to Princess Peach and had a similar design reflecting this. Bonefin Galaxy was intended to be much darker, as was Deep Dark Galaxy. These were changed in the interest of playability. Guppy was first envisioned as a friendly character and had a design comparable to the Dolphins from Super Mario World (1990). Artwork of Sea Slide Galaxy and Beach Bowl Galaxy suggests that they were conceived as a single galaxy, with Beach Bowl's main planet in the center of Sea Slide's ring. A piece of concept art titled "Fortress" is very memorable to the staff since it was one of the first drawings made during development.[60] The planet shown in the art is not in the final game but it has some similarities to Good Egg Galaxy, Beach Bowl Galaxy, and Bowser Jr.'s Robot Reactor. The development team wanted to incorporate Yoshi and he appears in the 2005 "Super Mario Revolution" proposal documents, but he is relegated to cameos in the final release.[61]

Glitches

Main article: List of Super Mario Galaxy glitches

Floating Toad

A Toad in the Space Junk Galaxy floating due to a glitch
The floating green Toad.

To perform this glitch, the player should go to the level "Tarantox's Tangled Web". Mario should go to the final planet where Tarantox is fought and launch the green Toad onto the platform. Then, the player should jump into the sling pod and launch Mario onto the same platform so it breaks. If the player looks at Toad closely, he can be seen floating.

Out of bounds in Freezeflame Galaxy

To perform this glitch the player should go to the Freezeflame Galaxy's mission "Hot and Cold Collide". Mario should reach the second planet and triple-jump in the walkway between the sides of the planet. The player should use the slope-climbing glitch to reach the top of the planet. When the player walks on the planet, random textures of ice water will appear. The planet surface will also appear in the wrong spot or be invisible.

Notable promotions

Trading cards

Main article: List of Super Mario Galaxy trading cards

Trading cards were developed by EnterPlay to correspond with the release of Super Mario Galaxy. Each pack (called Fun Paks) contained two regular cards, a trivia card, a standee, and a temporary tattoo.[62]

Buzz Aldrin promotional event

To correspond with its release in the United States, Nintendo of America hosted an event in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 3, 2007 where someone dressed as Mario entered the reduced-gravity aircraft G-Force One with former astronaut Buzz Aldrin. It was coordinated with the Zero Gravity Corporation, who owns the aircraft.[63] Footage of the experience was aired on MTV. Patches labeled "Super Mario Galaxy Flight Team" were created for the suits worn by Aldrin and the assisting crew.[64]

Press Start 2008 concert

On September 14, 2008, Famitsu hosted the concert Press Start 2008 -Symphony of Games- at Bunkamura Orchard Hall. It is an intercompany celebration of video game music. One of Nintendo's contributions to the setlist was "Super Mario Galaxy 2008", a medley of the game's music arranged by Mahito Yokota and conducted by Taizo Takemoto. Koji Kondo and Yokota attended the event as guests.[47] A recording of this piece is featured on a compact disc included with the Super Mario 25th Anniversary Commemorative Book published in 2010.

Super Mario-kun adaptation

The events of the game are adapted in three volumes of the manga Super Mario-kun. The first volume, 38, was published October 28, 2008 and follows the conclusion of a story arc based on Super Paper Mario (2007). It sees Mario becoming demoralized after failing to rescue Princess Peach during the Star Festival, but his confidence is restored by Rosalina and the Lumas. He travels across various galaxies alongside them and other characters from Super Mario Galaxy. In vol. 39, published March 27, 2009, Mario plays with most of the game's power-ups and rescues Luigi. The arc concludes in vol. 40, published November 27, 2009, and is followed by a storyline adapted from Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (2009).

Reception

Super Mario Galaxy has been met with universal acclaim, receiving a GameRankings score of 97.64% from 78 reviews,[65] making it the highest rated game on the website, while scoring a 97/100 on Metacritic,[66] as of March 2019 the sixth-highest score on the latter website.

Famitsu has given Super Mario Galaxy a score of 38/40.[67][68] Official Nintendo Magazine gave the game 97%. It was called the best game of the decade and praised for having excellent graphics, sound and gameplay as well as a mixture of new and classic features.[69][70]

Reviews
Release Reviewer, Publication Score Comment
Wii Aaron Linde, Destructoid 9.6/10 "To say that they've succeeded almost isn't enough; Super Mario Galaxy is so incredible that it improves upon flaws in Mario 64 that I hadn't even noticed until, y'know, Galaxy did it better. And though there's little in the way of "innovation" of the genre, it's the refinement of the genre that solidifies Galaxy as the most essential platforming experience yet created."
Wii Edge 10/10 "Since the end of the N64 era, as Nintendo has explored new pastures and methodically tended old ones, it's been easy to forget the times when every major release from the company felt like this. It's a bravura piece of design that pulls off stunts no one else has even thought of."
Wii Margaret Robertson, Eurogamer 10/10 "The great challenge in making a follow-up to Mario 64 was always that to do it justice, you'd have to make a game which is as much its own as Mario 64 was. That's no easy task when you also have to integrate the traditions of two decades of Mario games and the expectations of millions of fans. Sunshine, despite its dazzle, ultimately collapsed under that weight, becoming repetitive and sometimes cumbersome as it tried to find the balance. Where Galaxy matches Mario 64 is not quite in its quality of execution - alongside the brilliance of some stars are others which fall a bit flat, and there isn't the overall sense of implacable perfection that that game had - but in its confidence and originality. Another decade needs to go by before we'll know whether it will come to be as revered as 64 did. For now, all that matters is that the waiting is finally over."
Wii Alex Navarro, GameSpot 9.5/10 "The stellar presentation and fantastic level designs combine to make Super Mario Galaxy the Wii's game to beat and one of Mario's greatest adventures yet."
Wii Matt Casamassina, IGN 9.7/10 "Galaxy isn't quite perfect. There are some minor issues -- tiny blemishes, if you will, hiding on the backside of a supermodel. There's the auto-camera, which works exceptionally well most of the time, but every so often stumbles. And there's the overall difficulty -- a little too easy to 60 stars and to defeat bosses for my tastes. But even with these potential drawbacks, Nintendo's Tokyo studio has created a platformer that deserves its place among the very best and will surely be remembered in another decade as a classic."
Wii Anthony Dickens, Nintendo Life 10/10 "Super Mario Galaxy is a fantastic game, a game that displays Nintendo's continuing ambition to explore the possibilities of a 3D platformer, something that no-one else has really managed to do. It's considerably better than Super Mario Sunshine on all accounts, with the new emphasis on gravity it becomes once again a game that requires skill and timing rather than just an exploratory mind. This will be an instant hit and surely go down as one of the best Mario games. A must have for all."
Wii Tom Orry, VideoGamer 9/10 "In the hands of anyone who's been longing for a true sequel to Mario 64, Super Mario Galaxy could well be the game of the year, but it's nowhere near as revolutionary as Mario 64."
Aggregators
Compiler Platform / Score
Metacritic 97
GameRankings 97.64%

Awards and recognition

Super Mario Galaxy is regarded as 2007's "Game of the Year" by editing staff of IGN,[71] GameSpot,[72] Kotaku,[73] and Yahoo! Games.[74]

In 2007, the game won an award for "Best Audio Design" from Edge.[75] In February 2008, the game received the "Adventure Game of the Year" award from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences at the Interactive Achievement Awards.[76]

In 2009, the game won "Best Game" at the 5th British Academy Games Awards.[77] That same year, Guinness World Records ranked Super Mario Galaxy 29th in their list of top 50 console games of all time based on initial impact and lasting legacy.[78]

The game placed 51st in the 200th Issue of GameInformer's "Top 200 Games of All Time".[79] Nintendo Power ranked it as best Super Mario mainstream title in its May 2012 issue,[80] as well as the third-best game ever released on a Nintendo console in its final issue.

In Japan, a 2021 poll conducted by TV Asahi with over 50,000 participants found Super Mario Galaxy amongst the top 100 video games of all time, ranked number 56 out of 100.[9][10]

Sales

Super Mario Galaxy has been a commercial success, selling 350,000 units in Japan within its first few weeks of sale.[81] In the United States, the game sold 500,000 units within its first week of release, earning it the highest first-week sales for a Super Mario game in the country at the time.[82] Super Mario Galaxy is the 8th best-selling game for the Wii, selling 12.72 million copies worldwide as of September 2017.[5] As of September 30, 2021, it sold 12.80 million copies worldwide.[83]

Controversy

Super Mario Galaxy was the first Super Mario game to be officially localized to French for Quebec; that market had previously received Super Mario titles in English rather than French. This followed a deal between the Office québécois de la langue française and the video game industry to have every game available for that region in French by 2009. In the Quebec localization, NPCs (particularly the Lumas and the Toad Brigade) make heavy use of Joual accents and slang. This localization choice sparked a minor controversy, with representatives of the Office québécois de la langue française and the Union des artistes criticizing it for promoting poor literacy to children.[84] A Nintendo representative responded that the localization was made with "localizing for the market" in mind, as the Quebec market made up 25% of sales for Nintendo of Canada at the time.[84]

Following the negative reception to the localizations of Super Mario Galaxy and The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (which featured a similarly Joual-heavy localization), later Canadian French localizations would be written in Standard French (with the exception of the similarly-localized Paper Mario: Sticker Star).

Re-releases and ports

North American box-art for Super Mario 3D All-Stars
North American box art for Super Mario 3D All-Stars, a compilation that includes Super Mario Galaxy.

Wii U eShop

The game was added to the Wii U eShop in late 2015 and early 2016, five months after its sequel was released on the console.[85][86][87] It remained available for purchase on the eShop until its closure on March 27, 2023. It was the seventh Wii game distributed on the eShop and one of the 35 overall to ever be released. The game was not ported or uniquely modified for this release. Rather, the Wii U is backwards compatible with nearly all Wii software (including the physical discs) and console peripherals. A Wii game can be played directly on the console by accessing the Wii Menu through the Wii U Menu. Save data from the original Wii console can be transferred to the Wii U system. When booting up a Wii game purchased on the Wii U eShop, it runs as if the game's disc was inserted into the console, loads it through the Wii Menu, and accesses the same save data (if it exists) on the console. The Wii U GamePad can be used to pause the game and return to the Wii U Menu, but it otherwise can only be controlled with the Wii Remote and Nunchuk.

Nvidia Shield TV

Super Mario Galaxy was ported to the Nvidia Shield TV microconsole and digitally distributed on March 22, 2018, exclusively in China.[88] It was the first of six Wii games to be made available on the Nvidia Shield TV. It remained available for download until late 2021, when all Wii games were removed from the Shield. The game was ported to the console, enabling it to run at 60 FPS and 1080p. Sprites and textures were upscaled to match the higher-definition display. Inputs have been modified for the more conventional Shield controller, which cannot track motion like the the Wii Remote can (see above). Unused assets present in the data of the Wii release were removed. The game was officially localized into Chinese (Simplified Chinese) by iQue. As the Shield does not support Miis, they are not available for save file icons in this version of Super Mario Galaxy.[89] The copyright information displays "© 2007-2008 Nintendo". It was unknown what 2008 means in this context, but it possibly refers to the year Super Mario Galaxy was planned for release on the iQue Wii before the console failed to make its way into the Chinese market.[89]

Super Mario 3D All-Stars

Main article: Super Mario 3D All-Stars

In correspondence with the 35th anniversary of Super Mario Bros., Nintendo released Super Mario 3D All-Stars for the Nintendo Switch on September 18, 2020 worldwide.[6] It is a compilation that includes upscaled versions of Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine in addition to Super Mario Galaxy. This version of the game is comparable to the Nvidia Shield TV release and they share similar revisions, though it does not include the Chinese localization. It only offers menu translation for the Chinese-speaking audience. This is reportedly due to the translation not being fully owned by Nintendo.[90] Like the Shield version, Miis cannot be chosen as save icons even though the Switch has an integrated Mii creation tool. The compilation had a limited physical release at retail outlets and was available to download on the Switch's eShop until March 31, 2021.[6] The official description of Super Mario Galaxy in the compilation is as follows:

It's the night of the Star Festival, and Star Bits are falling from the sky! As everyone celebrates, Bowser suddenly appears and lifts the castle—and Princess Peach—into space, leaving Mario stranded in orbit! It's here that Mario meets a curious star child, Luma, and a mysterious woman in blue...This game introduced new ways to control Mario, like pointing and shaking the Wii Remote, as he explores miniature planets with fun forms of gravity.

References to other games

References in later media

Rainbow Road
Rainbow Road in Mario Kart Wii.
Promotional artwork for Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U.
Promotional poster of Rosalina & Luma in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, an allusion to the original game's boxart.

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Super Mario Galaxy.

Names in other languages

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese スーパーマリオギャラクシー[?]
Sūpā Mario Gyarakushī
Super Mario Galaxy
Chinese (simplified) 超级马力欧银河[94]
Chāojí Mǎlìōu Yínhé
Super Mario Galaxy
Chinese (traditional) 超級瑪利歐銀河[93]
Chāojí Mǎlìōu Yínhé
Super Mario Galaxy
Korean 슈퍼 마리오 Wii 갤럭시 어드벤처[92]
Syupeo Mario Wii Gaelleoksi Eodeubencheo
Super Mario Wii: Galaxy Adventure

Trivia

  • Coincidentally, the title "Super Mario Galaxy" was first mentioned in a fan letter written to Nintendo Power in 1991. The letter details a fantasy game console called the "Raw Power System" that would come bundled with a game named "Super Mario Galaxy", otherwise known as "Super Mario Bros. 24".[95]
  • An automated phone message sent to people who preordered the game at GameStop stated Super Mario Galaxy is a Mature-rated game.[96]
  • The galaxy image in the Super Mario Galaxy wordmark derives from this photograph of the Andromeda Galaxy.[97][98]
  • Super Mario Galaxy is an established model in neurobiology for studies investigating how consistent engagement with interactive stimuli affects grey matter in elderly people.[99][100]
  • This game does not have a Dutch localization. Despite this, one single message in the game was translated, being the prompt to insert the Nunchuk into the Wii Remote.

Notes and references

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e Unless explicitly specified otherwise, any mentioning of Mario is equally applicable to Luigi during his playthrough.
  2. ^ Any mentioning of coconuts is equally applicable to watermelons, which replace all coconuts if the player accumulates 9999 Star Bits.

References

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