Editing Super Mario Galaxy

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{{FA}}

{{redirect|Mario Galaxy|the stage in [[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U]] and [[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]|[[Mario Galaxy (stage)]]}}

{{redirect|Super Mario Wii|the game released in 2009|[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]}}

{{game infobox

|image=[[File:Super Mario Galaxy NA Box Art.jpg|250px]]

|release='''Original release:'''<br>{{flag list|Japan|November 1, 2007|USA|November 12, 2007|Mexico|November 12, 2007<ref>{{cite|author=Carlos Rodriguez, Antonio, editor|title="Las recomendaciones de Club Nintendo para el mes de noviembre" ''[[NWiki:Club Nintendo Mexico|Club Nintendo]]''|format=192|language=es|location=Mexico City|publisher=[[Nintendo of America]]|date=Nov. 2007|page=54}}</ref>|Europe|November 16, 2007|Australia|November 29, 2007|South Korea|September 4, 2008}} '''[[Nintendo Selects#Wii|Nintendo Selects]]:'''<br>{{flag list|USA|August 28, 2011|Europe|September 16, 2011|Australia|November 7, 2013|South Korea|April 23, 2015}} '''Wii U (digital download):'''<br>{{flag list|Japan|May 31, 2015<ref name=wiiuJP>{{cite|author=[[Nintendo|Nintendo Co., Ltd.]] [Nintendo 公式チャンネル]|url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBl3jNhi73Q|title=スーパーマリオギャラクシー 紹介映像|language=ja|publisher=YouTube|date=31 May 2015|accessdate=6 Mar. 2021}}</ref>|USA|December 24, 2015<ref name=wiiuUS>{{cite|author=[[Nintendo of America]]|archive=web.archive.org/web/20160309231304/http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/super-mario-galaxy-wii-u|title=Super Mario Galaxy (Wii U)|publisher=Nintendo Official Site|date=2015|accessdate=13 Dec. 2015}}</ref>|Europe|February 4, 2016<ref name=wiiuEU>{{cite|author=Whitehead, Thomas|url=www.nintendolife.com/news/2016/02/nintendo_download_4th_february_europe|title=Nintendo Download: 4th February (Europe)|publisher=Nintendo Life|date=1 Feb. 2016}}</ref>|Australia|February 5, 2016}}'''Nvidia Shield TV:'''<br>{{flag list|China|March 22, 2018<ref name=shield>{{cite|author=Nvidia [英伟达SHIELD]|url=weibo.com/6154885380/G8y23yTnm?ssl_rnd=1616376742.279&type=comment|title=#NVIDIA SHIELD# #任天堂#《超级马力欧银河》今天正式登陆SHIELD国行版。全新中文体验+1080p高清重置画面，仅供SHIELD中国玩家专享，现在进入NVIDIA游戏中心即可购买。在这款重力弯曲、翱翔银河的满分神作里，玩家的征途真的是星辰大海！|language=zh|publisher=Sina Visitor System|date=22 Mar. 2018|accessdate=21 Mar. 2021}}</ref>}}

|languages={{languages|en_us=y|en_gb=y|es_es=y|es_latam=y|fr_ca=y|fr_fr=y|de=y|it=y|jp=y|zh_simp=y|zh_simp_note={{footnote|main|1}}|kr=y}}{{footnote|note|1|Only in the Nvidia Shield TV version.}}

|genre=[[Genre#Platform games|Platformer]], action-adventure

|modes=Single-player, two-player co-op

|ratings='''Original release:'''{{ratings|esrb=E|pegi=3|usk=6|cero=A|acb=G|rars=0+|grac=all}} '''Nintendo Selects:'''{{ratings|classind=L}} '''Wii U (digital download):'''{{ratings|acb=PG}}

|platforms=[[Wii]], [[Wii U]], {{wp|Nvidia Shield TV}} (Mainland China only)<ref>{{cite|author=浪玩堂|archive=web.archive.org/web/20171207175754/http://overseas.weico.cc/share/11183651.html?weibo_id=4181546857933690|title=英伟达全球副总裁，中国区总经理张建中先生在现场为我们介绍国行英伟达SHIELD的最新消息，来看看他的游戏阵容！任天堂Wii上游戏将在SHIELD上与我们见面！|language=zh|publisher=Sina Visitor System|date=5 Dec. 2017|accessdate=21 Mar. 2021}}</ref>

|format={{format|wii=1|wiiudl=1|nvshield=1}}

|input={{input|nunchuk=1|wiiununchuk=1|wiimote=1|wiiumote=1|nvshield=1}}

|serials={{flag list|Japan|RVL-RMGJ-JPN}}

Upon its release, ''Super Mario Galaxy'' was met with critical acclaim and commercial success. It received various awards and accolades, including from the {{wp|Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences}}, the {{wp|Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association}}, and the {{wp|British Academy of Film and Television Arts}}. It has sold 12.8 million copies, making it the ninth-best-selling Wii game.<ref name=sales>{{cite|author=[[Nintendo|Nintendo Co., Ltd.]]|url=www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/sales/software/wii.html|title=IR Information : Financial Data - Top Selling Title Sales Units - Wii Software|publisher=Nintendo Co., Ltd|date=31 Mar. 2020|accessdate=6 Mar. 2021}}</ref> It was rereleased in 2011 under the [[Nintendo Selects]] branding for having sold so well. It is one of the few Wii titles to have been [[Reissue#Re-releases|rereleased]] on the {{wp|Nvidia Shield TV}} console in 2018. Another rerelease with upscaled graphics was included in ''[[Super Mario 3D All-Stars]]'' alongside ''Super Mario 64'' and ''Super Mario Sunshine'' on September 18, [[List of games by date#2020|2020]], to correspond with the [[Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary|35th anniversary]] of ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'' (1985).<ref name=3DAS>{{cite|author=[[Nintendo of America]]|url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_UcjEq2Dgk|title=Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary Direct|publisher=YouTube|date=3 Sep. 2020}}</ref> After its original release, a dedicated sequel, ''[[Super Mario Galaxy 2]]'', was developed and released for the Wii on May 22, [[List of games by date#2010|2010]].

 

''Super Mario Galaxy'' has gone on to be considered one of the {{wp|List of video games considered the best|greatest video games of all time}} and a masterpiece.<ref name=cremin>Cremin, Colin (Jan. 2012). [https://doi.org/10.1177/1555412012440309 The Formal Qualities of the Video Game: An Exploration of ''Super Mario Galaxy'' With Gilles Deleuze]. ''Games and Culture, 7''(1), SAGE Publishing. Page 72–86.</ref><ref name=Polygon>{{cite|author=Polygon Staff|archive=web.archive.org/web/20180303210843/https://www.polygon.com/features/2017/11/27/16158276/polygon-500-best-games-of-all-time-500-401|title=The 500 Best Video Games of All Time|publisher=Polygon|date=27 Nov. 2017|accessdate=30 Dec. 2022}}</ref><ref name=asahi>{{cite|author=TV Asahi staff|title=国民5万人がガチ投票！テレビゲーム総選挙|language=ja|publisher=TV Game Sousenkyo『乃木坂46 賀喜遥香』|date=27 Dec. 2021}}</ref><ref name=ashcraft>{{cite|author=Ashcraft, Brian|url=kotaku.com/poll-here-are-japans-top-100-video-games-of-all-time-1848275437|title=Poll: Here Are Japan's Top 100 Video Games Of All Time|publisher=Kotaku|date=28 Dec. 2021|accessdate=30 Dec. 2022}}</ref>

'''From the instruction booklet'''

<blockquote>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.

[[File:SMG Prolog1.png|thumb|upright=1.1|left|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 [[Earth|planet]] below. [[Princess Peach]] invites [[Mario]] to her [[Peach's Castle|castle]] to join in the festivities and receive a special gift. As Mario arrives in the [[Castle Gardens]], [[Bowser]] suddenly attacks the [[Toad (species)|Toad]]s with his [[airship]]s and encases them in [[Crystal (Super Mario Galaxy)|crystal]]s. He "invites" Peach to the creation of his brand new galaxy and uses a [[UFO]] to lift the castle off the ground and carry it to the center of the universe, taking her and two Toads with it. Mario manages to reach the castle just before it is taken into outer space, but before he can get to Peach, [[Kamek]] suddenly appears and casts a spell at him, knocking him off the castle and deep into space. An [[Baby Luma|apricot-colored Luma]], whom Peach was carrying before her abduction, flees to look for Mario before Kamek uses another spell to warp the castle away.

[[File:SMG Unknown Floating Object.png|thumb|upright=1.1|Peach's castle being lifted into space by Bowser.]]

Mario is awoken by the apricot-colored Luma on a [[Gateway Galaxy#Starting Planet|small, grassy planet]]. Here, he meets other [[Luma]]s and [[Rosalina]], a mysterious woman who acts as the protector of the [[galaxy|galaxies]] and the mother of the Lumas. She tells Mario that her ship, the [[Comet Observatory]], had its [[Power Star]]s stolen by Bowser. Without them, the Comet Observatory is unable to move through space. Rosalina asks him to reclaim her Power Stars and offers to help rescue Peach and defeat Bowser in exchange. To help him on his quest, Rosalina gives Mario the apricot-colored Luma, who grants Mario the ability to [[spin]] and travel through space. Together, they travel to various galaxies in opened [[dome]]s 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 the [[Grand Star]]s, which are larger and more powerful versions of Power Stars, would be in the possession of either Bowser or [[Bowser Jr.]] Rescuing a Grand Star unlocks the next dome, and when enough Power Stars are collected, the Comet Observatory is able to take Mario to the center of the universe.

[[File:SMG Mario and Peach fly through space.png|thumb|left|upright=1.1|Mario flying with Peach after rescuing her.]]

After arriving at and traversing through Bowser's [[Bowser's Galaxy Reactor|brand new galaxy]], Mario defeats him, retrieves the last Grand Star, and rescues Peach. Just as they are about to leave, however, a large sun in Bowser's near-complete galaxy undergoes a supernova and becomes a supermassive [[black hole]], which begins pulling in everything in sight. 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 and slightly different across each repetition.

Mario later awakens in the Mushroom Kingdom near Peach's Castle, where he witnesses the various friends and foes he met throughout his adventure celebrating together. He then notices Bowser and Peach lying next to him as they begin to stir. When he looks into the sky, he notices a newborn galaxy and hears Rosalina's words echoing in his mind. Mario stands up and exclaims, "Welcome! Welcome new galaxy!" as 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 [[Fourth wall|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 [[Starshroom|starship]]. This alludes to the idea of how the universe repeats itself. The events of the [[Rosalina's Story|past]] will carry out anew, with the lost apricot Luma searching for its mother.

[[File:SMG Space Junk Pull Stars.png|thumb|left|Mario navigating a level with [[Pull Star]]s, environmental objects controlled with the Star Pointer.]]

The player controls [[Mario]],<ref name=luigi group=note>Unless explicitly specified otherwise, any mentioning of Mario is equally applicable to [[Luigi]] during his playthrough.</ref> who mainly traverses across spherical planetoids and he [[level]]s by collecting [[Power Star]]s. His [[jump]]ing actions allow him to hop between [[platform]]s 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#Wii Remote|Wii Remote]] makes Mario spin. In addition to taking out enemies, spinning makes Mario engage [[switch]]es, parry certain attacks, [[skate]] on ice, throw held items, and perform an extra [[Spin Jump|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 {{button|wii|Pad}}. Pressing {{button|wii|C}} centers the camera behind Mario and pressing {{button|wii|Padup}} 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 [[Star Ball|Rolling Ball]], surfs on the back of a [[Ray|manta ray]], or travels through the air in a giant [[bubble]]. [[List of power-ups|Power-ups]] change his appearance and give him a unique set of abilities in place of his usual ones (see [[#Power-ups|below]]). While in water, Mario can [[swim]]. Pressing {{button|wii|Z}} makes him dive. Pressing {{button|wii|A}} makes Mario perform a breaststroke, propelling him forward.

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 Bit]]s, small colorful items, automatically collects them. Pressing {{button|wii|B}} fires a Star Bit from the pointer. There are non-playable characters called [[Hungry Luma]]s 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 [[kick]]s a stunned enemy just by making contact with it, defeating it and releasing collectible Star Bits.

Mario's health is represented by a three-segmented [[Health Meter|life meter]]. Receiving damage removes one section, and losing all 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.  

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, "<font color=Blue>1P</font>" appears below Player 1's Star Pointer, and "<font color=Orange>2P</font>" 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 {{button|wii|A}}, 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.<ref>{{cite|author=Juliusaurus|url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRantJ0Acm8|title=Super Mario Galaxy Co-op Fun: Midair Jumps|publisher=YouTube|date=4 Jan. 2009|accessdate=6 Mar. 2021}}</ref>

===Luigi===

[[File: SMG Freezeflame Frosty Cosmic Luigi Race.png|thumb|left|Luigi about to race against Cosmic Luigi in Freezeflame Galaxy.]]

Completing "[[The Fate of the Universe]]" after 120 Power Stars have been collected allows the player to replay the entire game as Mario's brother, [[Luigi]], who otherwise appears as a non-playable character that assists Mario. Luigi can jump higher than him but has worse traction, making him skid. He also runs slightly 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 Mushroom]]s 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, who will now react with confusion at seeing a copy of himself (although his height is marginally different). When the player collects 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.<ref>{{cite|author=リンカー Linker / 紫月リン Rin Shizuki|url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHRw7Mw6bfY|title=スーパーマリオギャラクシーを実況プレイ Part52|language=ja|publisher=YouTube|date=6 Oct. 2011|accessdate=27 Oct. 2019}}</ref>

===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 {{wp|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.<ref>{{cite|author=Chinese Nintendo [@chinesenintendo]|url=twitter.com/jhstjh/status/978431140959805440|title=For some reasons, the A button when choosing a Galaxy has been bound to RT instead of A. (The second image is the same text from the original English release)|publisher=Twitter|date=24 Mar. 2018|accessdate=6 Mar. 2021}}</ref> The original tilt controls in the game is also replaced by the regular left analog stick control.<ref>{{cite|author=Chinese Nintendo [@chinesenintendo]|url=twitter.com/chinesenintendo/status/1019812333621669888|title=And yes, tilting in Super Mario Galaxy has been replaced by simply the left analog stick on Nvidia Shield|publisher=Twitter|date=19 Jul. 2018|accessdate=6 Mar. 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite|author=ドラガリキノピコ|url=youtu.be/OryQXvTC-t4|title=スーパーマリオギャラクシー Part2 ワールド2 バスルーム|language=zh|publisher=YouTube|date=21 Jun. 2018|accessdate=6 Mar. 2021}}</ref>

For the control scheme of the iteration included in ''Super Mario 3D All-Stars'' for [[Nintendo Switch]] systems, click [[Super Mario 3D All-Stars#Super Mario Galaxy|here]].

!colspan=5 style="background:#FF7733;"|Mario and Luigi controls

|{{button|wii|A}} when making contact with the ground while moving<br>(repeat twice)

|{{button|nvshield|A}} when making contact with the ground while moving<br>(repeat thrice)

|Grab or release [[pole]]

|[[Crouch]], dive underwater

|[[Sweep Kick|Sweep kick]]

!colspan=5 style="background:#FF7733;"|Power-up controls

|{{button|wii|A}} when colliding with the ground

|Collect a [[Star Bit]]

|Move {{icon|SMG-Pointer}} over a Star Bit

|Move {{button|nvshield|RightStick}} over a Star Bit

|Enter a [[Pull Star]], blow air to direct [[bubble]] (P1 only)

|Fire from [[Sling Pod]] (P1 only)

[[File:Ch2 5.png|x90px|thumb||right|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, which are referred to in the game as "galaxies", are staged on worlds far removed from [[Mario]]'s [[Earth|home planet]]. This is the first entry in the [[Super Mario (series)|series]] to explicitly include an outer space setting since the [[Space Zone]] in ''[[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 preceding ''Super Mario'' games.<ref name=iwata/>

A galaxy is an isolated cluster of small planets and other planetary bodies. Some planets are shaped like spheres, but many are not. Most have their own [[Gravity|gravitational pull]], which lets Mario return to his starting position by continuing to move forward and prevents him from falling off the edge. Mario's movement, physics, and trajectory bend organically around a planet's shape.<ref name=montreal/><ref name=jasper/> Because they have their own pull, Mario can directly travel between sufficiently close planets just by [[jump]]ing. More distant planets are reached by using objects such as [[Launch Star]]s and [[Pull Star]]s. Not all planets pull Mario inwards. When inside a planet, gravity may be inverted so that Mario walks on the underside of the ground. Many other planets are shaped like the more traditional courses of ''[[Super Mario 64]]'' and ''[[Super Mario Sunshine]]'', and thus have only one gravitational plane, which is communicated by sharp edges and steep drops along their sides. In contrast, planets that have their own gravity, even if they are not spheres, have rounded edges.<ref name=jasper/> Some planets are on 2D planes and Mario's movement options are restricted accordingly (i.e. the player cannot tilt {{button|wii|Stick}} down to make him walk toward the camera and fall off the side). [[Gravity field]]s occur in the 2D sections of five galaxies that shift the direction of gravity from the floor to another plane.

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 peek 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 {{wp|Fresnel lantern|Fresnel}}-like glow in certain positions as if struck by the light from distant stars. In many galaxies, [[black hole]]s are present in place of [[bottomless pit]]s. ''Super Mario Galaxy'' includes some motifs associated with science fiction, such as [[Gearmo|humanoid robots]], fortified battle facilities, [[UFO]]s, starships, an [[#Music|orchestrated soundtrack]], and {{wp|theremin}}-like synthesizers. Much of the game's setting includes whimsical, tranquil, and surreal elements comparable to those found in children's books.<ref name=kohler1>{{cite|author=Kohler, Chris|url=www.wired.com/2007/12/interview-super/|title=Interview: ''Super Mario Galaxy'' Director On Sneaking Stories Past Miyamoto|publisher=WIRED|date=4 Dec. 2007|accessdate=27 Feb. 2021}}</ref><ref name=geller>{{cite|author=Geller, Jacob|url=youtu.be/IZ1y75vxO0o|title=The Quiet Sadness of Mario Galaxy|publisher=YouTube|date=15 Feb. 2019|accessdate=30 Jan. 2021}}</ref><ref name=ruben>Meintema, Ruben Aize (Apr. 2010). [https://doi.org/10.7557/23.6121 Planets as small as your house: A review of Super Mario Galaxy]. ''Eludamos: Journal for Computer Game Culture, 4''(1), University of Tromsø – The Arctic University of Norway. Pages 125–28.</ref> Locations are reached via a palace-like starship called the [[Comet Observatory]], the game's {{wp|Overworld|hub world}}. It is overseen by a princess named [[Rosalina]] and is a nursery for spacefaring star children called [[Luma]]s. In lieu of aliens, the people found living in the galaxies include [[Star Bunny|Star Bunnies]], [[Honeybee]]s, and [[penguin]]s. [[Star Bit]]s, small collectibles that fall from the sky like shooting stars, resemble {{wp|Konpeitō|konpeitō candies}} and can be fed to the Lumas. There are [[:File:Moving Cake Planet.png|planets]] and [[Sweet Sweet Galaxy|entire galaxies]] that look like desserts.

 

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'', ''{{iw|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time}}'' (1998), and ''Super Mario Sunshine'' that prevented complete immersion and intimidated inexperienced players.<ref name=montreal>{{cite|author=[[Yoshiaki Koizumi|Koizumi, Yoshiaki]]|date=27 Nov. 2007|archive=youtu.be/A25Ab7RyUPs|title=''Super Mario Galaxy: The Journey from Garden to Galaxy''|location=Montréal|publisher=Montreal International Games Summit, Alliance numériQC|archiver=YouTube by Eric St-Cyr and A Hover|archivedate=24 Sep. 2016|accessdate=27 Feb. 2021}}</ref><ref name=jasper>{{cite|author=Ashworth, Michael [Jasper]|url=youtu.be/QLH_0T_xv3I|title=How Spherical Planets Bent the Rules in Super Mario Galaxy|publisher=YouTube|date=29 Sep. 2020|accessdate=27 Feb. 2021}}</ref> 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.<ref name=iwata>{{cite|author=[[Satoru Iwata| Iwata, Satoru]]|url=iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/wii/super_mario_galaxy/0/0/|title=Wii interviews: Super Mario Galaxy|publisher=Iwata Asks|date=2007|accessdate=7 Mar. 2012}}</ref> In 2017, a [[:File:3D Mario Infograph.jpg|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 more linear, "course clear-style" game.<ref name=switch/> 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.<ref name=jasper/> 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.<ref name=montreal/><ref name=kohler1/><ref name=hakoniwa/>

 

|'''Top row''': the exterior of the Terrace dome on the Comet Observatory (left) and a display of the galaxy-selection screen within it (right).<br>'''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.

|align=right

 

 

At the center of every dome is a [[Pull Star]] that, upon being entered, brings Mario to an interactive selection screen of all the dome's galaxies, which all orbit around the Pull Star (the {{wp|Origin (mathematics)|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. As such, the galaxies closest to the origin typically have the greatest number of missions and require the lowest number of Power Stars to unlock, while the galaxies furthest from the origin contain the fewest missions and require the highest number of Power Stars to unlock. Using the [[Terrace (Super Mario Galaxy)|Terrace]] as an example, a dome contains three different types of galaxies:

*"'''{{conjectural|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, meaning that 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 Comet]]s. The robust galaxies of the Terrace are [[Good Egg Galaxy]] and [[Honeyhive Galaxy]].

*"'''{{conjectural|Mystery galaxies}}'''" that each contain one mission. Before being unlocked, they are represented by course preview models shaped like [[? Block]]s. These galaxies are highly distinctive in theme and mission. Some of them entail minigames like [[ray surfing]] or [[Star Ball|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]].

 

[[File:SMG Fat Hungry Luma.png|thumb|250px|left|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.]]

 

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 mission "[[Luigi and the Haunted Mansion]]" 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. Whenever Luigi visits a galaxy, he gets stuck and sends a letter to Mario asking for help, with each letter including a picture that hints at his location. 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 enemy bases. If the Comet Observatory, its [[Library (Super Mario Galaxy)|library]], and its domes are considered individual levels, then the true total number is 50. Some galaxies have tiny otherworldly subareas reached via [[Warp Pipe|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 table 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 table detailing what the symbols used in it represent.

!colspan=3 style="background:red;color:white"|Galaxies

|colspan=3 style="background:#70D105"|[[File:SMG Terrace Dome Model.png|25px]] '''{{color-link|white|Terrace (Super Mario Galaxy)|The Terrace}}'''

!width=16% style="background:#B5F987"|01. [[Good Egg Galaxy]]<br>{{icon|SMG-totalS}}×6 {{icon|SMG-totalP}}×19 {{icon|SMG-totalB}}×3

|rowspan=3 align=center style="background:white"|[[File:Good Egg Galaxy Starting Planet.png|x90px]]

|width=17%|{{icon|SMG-Mission}} [[Dino Piranha (mission)|Dino Piranha]]

|width=17%|{{icon|SMG-Mission}} [[A Snack of Cosmic Proportions]]

|{{icon|SMG-Mission}} [[King Kaliente's Battle Fleet]]

|{{icon|SMG-CometS}} [[Dino Piranha Speed Run]]

|{{icon|SMG-CometP}} [[Purple Coin Omelet]]

|{{icon|SMG-MissionS}} [[Luigi on the Roof]]

|colspan=3 align=center|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 [[Octoomba|Electrogoomba]]s, [[Dino Piranha]], and [[King Kaliente]].<br>'''Unlock criterion''': complete "Grand Star Rescue"

!width=16% style="background:#B5F987"|02. [[Honeyhive Galaxy]]<br>{{icon|SMG-totalS}}×6 {{icon|SMG-totalP}}×7 {{icon|SMG-totalB}}×2

!colspan=2"width=34% style="background:#B5F987"|Missions

|rowspan=3 align=center style="background:white"|[[File:SMG Honeyhive Starting Planet.png|x90px]]

|{{icon|SMG-Mission}} [[Bee Mario Takes Flight]]

|{{icon|SMG-Mission}} [[Trouble on the Tower]]

|{{icon|SMG-Mission}} [[Big Bad Bugaboom]]

|{{icon|SMG-CometC}} [[Honeyhive Cosmic Mario Race]]

|{{icon|SMG-CometP}} [[The Honeyhive's Purple Coins]]

|{{icon|SMG-MissionS}} [[Luigi in the Honeyhive Kingdom]]

|colspan=3 align=center|The Honeyhive Kingdom – a forested galaxy inhabited by [[Honeybee]]s. Its planets have large trees and clear bodies of water. Some areas are covered in [[honey]]. The kingdom is invaded by [[Mandibug]]s.<br>'''Unlock criterion''': collect 3 Power Stars

!style="background:#B5F987"|03. [[Loopdeeloop Galaxy]]<br>{{icon|SMG-totalS}}×1 {{icon|SMG-totalP}}×3

!colspan=2 style="background:#B5F987"|Mission

|align=center style="background:white"|[[File:SMG Loopdeeloop Overview.png|x90px]]

|colspan=2|{{icon|SMG-Mission}} [[Surfing 101]]

|colspan=3 align=center|A looping stretch of water. [[Penguin]]s surf on the backs of [[Ray|rays]] here. [[Coach (Super Mario Galaxy)|Coach]] explains the basics to [[Mario]].<br>'''Unlock criterion''': collect 5 Power Stars

!style="background:#B5F987"|04. [[Flipswitch Galaxy]]<br>{{icon|SMG-totalS}}×1 {{icon|SMG-totalP}}×1

!colspan=2 style="background:#B5F987"| Mission

|align=center style="background:white"|[[File:SMG Flipswitch Galaxy Mission.png|x90px]]

|colspan=2|{{icon|SMG-Mission}} [[Painting the Planet Yellow]]

|colspan=3 align=center|[[Flipswitch Panel]]s arranged like a cube around a [[black hole]]. [[Spike Trap|Spike]]s move along suspended tracks over the panels.<br>'''Unlock criterion''': collect 7 Power Stars

!style="background:#B5F987"|05. [[Bowser Jr.'s Robot Reactor]]<br>{{icon|SMG-totalS}}×1 {{icon|SMG-totalP}}×2 {{icon|SMG-totalB}}×1

!colspan=2 style="background:#B5F987"|Mission

|align=center style="background:white"|[[File:SMG Screenshot Bowser Jr.'s Robot Reactor (Megaleg's Moon).png|x90px]]

|colspan=2|{{icon|SMG-StarGrand}} [[Megaleg's Moon]]

|colspan=3 align=center|A metal sphere with [[Bill Blaster]]s and an artificial moon orbiting an earth-like planet. [[Bowser Jr.]]'s robot, [[Megaleg]], is on the moon.<br>'''Unlock criterion''': collect 8 Power Stars

!style="background:#B5F987|{{icon|SMG-LumaH}} [[Sweet Sweet Galaxy]]<br>{{icon|SMG-totalS}}×1 {{icon|SMG-totalP}}×3

!colspan=2 style="background:#B5F987"|Mission

|align=center style="background:white"|[[File:SMG Screenshot Sweet Sweet Galaxy (Rocky Road).png|x90px]]

|colspan=2|{{icon|SMG-Mission}} [[Rocky Road (mission)|Rocky Road]]

|colspan=3 align=center|An athletic course made of cakes, cookies, and other sweets. It has long stretches of continuously moving platforms with shapes cut out of them.<br>'''Unlock criteria''': collect 7 Power Stars and feed the Hungry Luma 400 Star Bits

|colspan=3 style="background:#5AB0F7"|[[File:SMG Fountain Dome Model.png|25px]] '''{{color-link|white|Fountain|The Fountain}}'''

!style="background:#8FC9F9"|06. [[Space Junk Galaxy]]<br>{{icon|SMG-totalS}}×6 {{icon|SMG-totalP}}×16 {{icon|SMG-totalB}}×2

!colspan=2 style="background:#8FC9F9"|Missions

|rowspan=3 align=center style="background:white"|[[File:SMG Screenshot Space Junk Galaxy (Pull Star Path).png|x90px]]

|{{icon|SMG-Mission}} [[Pull Star Path]]

|{{icon|SMG-Mission}} [[Kamella's Airship Attack]]

|{{icon|SMG-Mission}} [[Tarantox's Tangled Web]]

|{{icon|SMG-CometS}} [[Pull Star Path Speed Run]]

|{{icon|SMG-CometP}} [[Purple Coin Spacewalk]]

|{{icon|SMG-MissionS}} [[Yoshi's Unexpected Appearance]]

|colspan=3 align=center|A stretch of rocks and space debris. Large portions of the galaxy are navigated via [[Pull Star]]s and [[Sling Pod]]s. A [[Tarantox|giant spider]] lives here and traps members of the [[Toad Brigade]] in its web.<br>'''Unlock criteria''': collect 9 Power Stars and complete "Megaleg's Moon"

!style="background:#8FC9F9"|07. [[Rolling Green Galaxy]]<br>{{icon|SMG-totalS}}×1 {{icon|SMG-totalP}}×4

!colspan=2 style="background:#8FC9F9"|Mission

|align=center style="background:white"|[[File:SMG Rolling Green End Overview.png|x90px]]

|colspan=2|{{icon|SMG-Mission}} [[Rolling in the Clouds]]

|colspan=3 align=center|Flat, grassy planets arranged like a golf course. They can only be navigated by riding the [[Star Ball|Rolling Ball]]. Most planets have flowerbeds and groups of [[Goomba]]s.<br>'''Unlock criterion''': collect 11 Power Stars

!style="background:#8FC9F9"|08. [[Battlerock Galaxy]]<br>{{icon|SMG-totalS}}×7 {{icon|SMG-totalP}}×11 {{icon|SMG-totalB}}×2

!colspan=2 style="background:#8FC9F9"|Missions

|rowspan=4 align=center style="background:white"|[[File:SMG Battlerock Overview.png|x90px]]

|{{icon|SMG-Mission}} [[Battlerock Barrage]]

|{{icon|SMG-Mission}} [[Breaking into the Battlerock]]

|{{icon|SMG-Mission}} [[Topmaniac and the Topman Tribe]]

|{{icon|SMG-CometD}} [[Topmaniac's Daredevil Run]]

|{{icon|SMG-CometP}} [[Purple Coins on the Battlerock]]

|{{icon|SMG-MissionS}} [[Battlerock's Garbage Dump]]

|colspan=2|{{icon|SMG-StarGreen}} [[Luigi under the Saucer]]

|colspan=3 align=center|A battle facility equipped with electric traps and artilleries. [[Cannon]]s and Bill Blasters line the Battlerock and start firing when Mario is in close proximity. The galaxy introduces the [[Topman Tribe]].<br>'''Unlock criterion''': collect 12 Power Stars

!style="background:#8FC9F9"|09. [[Hurry-Scurry Galaxy]]<br>{{icon|SMG-totalS}}×1 {{icon|SMG-totalP}}×2

!colspan=2 style="background:#8FC9F9"|Mission

|align=center style="background:white"|[[File:SMG Screenshot Hurry-Scurry Galaxy (Shrinking Satellite).png|x90px]]

|colspan=2|{{icon|SMG-Mission}} [[Shrinking Satellite]]

|colspan=3 align=center |[[Shrinking platform]]s arranged into a {{wp|rhombicuboctahedron}}. A black hole is at the center of the planet. [[Note]]s cover the tiles. Collecting each one causes the black hole to disappear.<br>'''Unlock criterion''': collect 18 Power Stars

!style="background:#8FC9F9"|10. [[Bowser's Star Reactor]]<br>{{icon|SMG-totalS}}×1 {{icon|SMG-totalP}}×4 {{icon|SMG-totalB}}×1

!colspan=2 style="background:#8FC9F9"|Mission

|align=center style="background:white"|[[File:SMG Screenshot Bowser's Star Reactor (The Fiery Stronghold).png|x90px]]

|colspan=2|{{icon|SMG-StarGrand}} [[The Fiery Stronghold]]

|rowspan=3 align=center style="background:white"|[[File:SMG Beach Bowl Galaxy Heavenly Beach Planet.png|x90px]]

!colspan=2 style="background:#F7F05F"|Mission

|align=center style="background:white"|[[File:SMG Bubble Breeze Aerial 1.png|x90px]]

!style="background:#DD7169"|23. [[Toy Time Galaxy]]<br>{{icon|SMG-totalS}}×6 {{icon|SMG-totalP}}×14 {{icon|SMG-totalB}}×1

|rowspan=3 align=center style="background:white"|[[File:SMG Screenshot Toy Time Galaxy (Mario Meets Mario).png|x90px]]

|{{icon|SMG-Mission}} [[Heavy Metal Mecha-Bowser]]

|{{icon|SMG-Mission}} [[Mario Meets Mario]]

|-

|{{icon|SMG-Mission}} [[Bouncing Down Cake Lane]]

!style="background:#DD7169|{{icon|SMG-LumaH}} [[Sand Spiral Galaxy]]<br>{{icon|SMG-totalS}}×1 {{icon|SMG-totalP}}×4

!colspan=2 style="background:#DD7169"|Mission

|align=center style="background:white"|[[File:SMG Screenshot Sand Spiral Galaxy (Choosing a Favorite Snack).png|x90px]]

|colspan=2|{{icon|SMG-Mission}} [[Choosing a Favorite Snack]]

|colspan=3 align=center|A galaxy with several [[power-up]]s. 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.<br>'''Unlock criteria''': complete "Luigi and the Haunted Mansion", "Faster Than a Speeding Penguin", and feed the Hungry Luma 1000 Star Bits

|colspan=3 style="background:#FF93CD"|[[File:SMG Garden Dome Model.png|25px]] '''{{color-link|white|Garden (Super Mario Galaxy)|The Garden}}'''

!style="background:#FFCDE8"|26. [[Deep Dark Galaxy]]<br>{{icon|SMG-totalS}}×6 {{icon|SMG-totalP}}×6 {{icon|SMG-totalB}}×3

!colspan=2 style="background:#FFCDE8"|Missions

|rowspan=3 align=center style="background:white"|[[File:SMG Screenshot Deep Dark Galaxy (The Underground Ghost Ship).png|x90px]]

|{{icon|SMG-Mission}} [[The Underground Ghost Ship]]

|{{icon|SMG-Mission}} [[Bubble Blastoff]]

|{{icon|SMG-Mission}} [[Guppy and the Underground Lake]]

|{{icon|SMG-CometD}} [[Ghost Ship Daredevil Run]]

|{{icon|SMG-CometP}} [[Plunder the Purple Coins]]

|{{icon|SMG-MissionS}} [[Boo in a Box]]

|colspan=3 align=center|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]].<br>'''Unlock criteria''': collect 46 Power Stars and complete "King Kaliente's Spicy Return"

!style="background:#FFCDE8"|27. [[Dreadnought Galaxy]]<br>{{icon|SMG-totalS}}×6 {{icon|SMG-totalP}}×15 {{icon|SMG-totalB}}×2

!colspan=2 style="background:#FFCDE8"|Missions

|rowspan=3 align=center style="background:white"|[[File:SMG Screenshot Dreadnought Galaxy (Revenge of the Topman Tribe).png|x90px]]

|{{icon|SMG-Mission}} [[Infiltrating the Dreadnought]]

|{{icon|SMG-Mission}} [[Dreadnought's Colossal Cannons]]

|{{icon|SMG-Mission}} [[Revenge of the Topman Tribe]]

|{{icon|SMG-CometS}} [[Topman Tribe Speed Run]]

|{{icon|SMG-CometP}} [[Battlestation's Purple Coins]]

|{{icon|SMG-MissionS}} [[Dreadnought's Garbage Dump]]

|colspan=3 align=center|Topman facilities. Its largest planet is a dreadnought equipped with cannons. Its interior contains gravity fields. A large landing strip mounted with [[Pulse Beam]]s and smaller planetoids surround the dreadnought.<br>'''Unlock criterion''': collect 48 Power Stars

!style="background:#FFCDE8"|28. [[Matter Splatter Galaxy]]<br>{{icon|SMG-totalS}}×1 {{icon|SMG-totalP}}×4

!colspan=2 style="background:#FFCDE8"|Mission

|align=center style="background:white"|[[File:SMG Screenshot Matter Splatter Galaxy (Watch Your Step).png|x90px]]

|colspan=2|{{icon|SMG-Mission}} [[Watch Your Step (mission)|Watch Your Step]]

!colspan=2 style="background:#97FFF0"|Missions

|colspan=3 align=center|The first course of the game. Its starting planet is an ethereal sphere covered in flowers and small cottages. This sphere orbits [[Earth|Mario's homeworld]] and is frequented by [[Rosalina]]. A hollow planetoid and artificial planets covered with Goombas appear in "Grand Star Rescue".<br>'''Unlock criteria''': complete the prologue (first visit); complete "King Kaliente's Spicy Return" (revisit)

|-

!style="background:#97FFF0"|31. [[Bowser's Galaxy Reactor]]<br>{{icon|SMG-totalS}}×1 {{icon|SMG-totalP}}×10 {{icon|SMG-totalB}}×1

|align=center style="background:white"|[[File:SMG Screenshot Bowser's Galaxy Reactor (The Fate of the Universe).png|x90px]]

|colspan=2|{{icon|SMG-StarGrand}} [[The Fate of the Universe]]

|colspan=3 align=center|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.<br>'''Unlock criteria''': collect 60 Power Stars and complete "Darkness on the Horizon"

|colspan=3 align=center|A skull-shaped planet in a starless sky. Its interior is a network of interconnected caverns navigated by the [[Spooky Speedster]].<br>'''Unlock criteria''': complete "Luigi and the Haunted Mansion", "Gateway's Purple Coins", and feed the Hungry Luma 1200 Star Bits

|colspan=3 style="background:#84D660"|[[File:SMG Asset Model Planet of Trials.png|25px]] '''{{color-link|white|Planet of Trials}}'''

!style="background:#C2EAB0"|[[Rolling Gizmo Galaxy]]<br>{{icon|SMG-totalS}}×1 {{icon|SMG-totalP}}×4

|align=center style="background:white"|[[File:SMG Screenshot Bubble Blast Galaxy (The Electric Labyrinth).png|x90px]]

|colspan=3 align=center|[[Princess Peach]]'s [[Castle Gardens]] in the [[Mushroom Kingdom]]. A small village of [[Toad (species)|Toad]]s and a large lake flank the road to the castle. The locals are in the midst of celebrating the [[Star Festival]].<br>'''Unlock criteria''': begin a new save file (first visit); collect 120 Power Stars as Luigi (revisit)

|colspan=3 style="background:#E4E4E4; color:black"|'''Table information and legend''': Galaxies accessed from inside a dome are designated with a number that correlates with the galaxy's distance from its dome's origin. It roughly correlates with their order on the [[Star List]]. Galaxies accessed by feeding [[Hungry Luma]]s are not located within domes and are denoted with {{icon|SMG-LumaH}}. Trial Galaxies lack numerical designation because they are unlocked concurrently and can be accessed in any order. Three symbols convey attributes about each galaxy: {{icon|SMG-totalS}} denotes the total number of obtainable [[Power Star]]s; {{icon|SMG-totalP}} denotes the total number of reachable planets and/or areas; and {{icon|SMG-totalB}} denotes the number of boss battles. The name of each mission is accompanied by a star symbol indicating the type of mission it is and the type of Power Star obtained.

===Prankster Comets===

===The Comet Observatory===

[[File:SMG Comet Observatory Bedroom Overview.png|x180px|thumb||right|The Comet Observatory as viewed from a circular platform by the Bedroom.]]

The Comet Observatory is the hub world of the game. It is a bridge between [[dome]]s and serves as a place for the player to rest in between missions.<ref name=geller/> It is a sprawling structure similar to a palace, with a tall central spire and ornamental architecture. These attributes visually make it reminiscent of [[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 Star]]s. The beacon is what allows the Comet Observatory to travel through space, but it remains in orbit around [[Earth|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 (Super Mario Galaxy)|Gate]]. The platform is directly anchored to the observatory via [[Warp Pad]]s, unlike the Planet of Trials.

Including Gateway Galaxy, there are nine galaxies that can be directly accessed from the Comet Observatory, six of which come from the [[Hungry Luma]]s 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 Mushroom]]s 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, leaving the [[Terrace (Super Mario Galaxy)|Terrace]] as the only accessible room. As Mario collects Power Stars, energy is restored to the observatory and new areas become lit to convey that they are now accessible. Throughout the Comet Observatory are several Warp Pads, which can be used to quickly reach adjacent locations on the hub. A [[Red Star]] appears above the [[Bedroom (Super Mario Galaxy)|Bedroom]] once Mario completes "[[Gateway's Purple Coins]]". Touching it transforms him into [[Flying Mario]] and allows him to freely soar through the skies of the observatory. Mario cannot take damage while on the observatory and is safely returned to solid ground if he falls off its edge.

[[File:SMG Library Mario Cutscene.png|x100px|thumb||left|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 [[Luma]]s, who are cared for by [[Rosalina]] as if they were her children. As light is restored to the observatory, more and more Lumas appear. The Comet Observatory was built by Rosalina during her childhood with an [[Baby Luma|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 space 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 (Super Mario Galaxy)|garage]] and the [[Library (Super Mario Galaxy)|library]]. The garage is framed as an intergalactic repair shop that [[Starshroom|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. Although it is entered like a dome, the library does not contain any galaxies or tangible incentives for visiting it, and as such, the player is never required to enter it. This is where Rosalina reads a [[Rosalina's Story|storybook]] to the Lumas. New chapters become available as Mario<ref name=luigi group=note/> collects more 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]].<ref name=kohler1/> While Miyamoto considers complex narrative elements to be extraneous for a ''Super Mario'' game, Koizumi believes they help the player foster an emotional resonance with the game that keeps them motivated.<ref>{{cite|author=Byford, Sam|url=www.theverge.com/2017/8/28/16213402/nintendo-yoshiaki-koizumi-super-mario-odyssey-interview-gamescom-2017|title=Nintendo's Yoshiaki Koizumi on Super Mario Odyssey and the Future of the Switch|publisher=The Verge|date=28 Aug. 2017|acessdate=6 Jan. 2024}}</ref> In his view, the optional storybook chapters do this without burdening disinterested players, as well as {{wp|Flavor text|contextualize}} the game's premise.<ref name=kohler1/> Rosalina's Story is noted for its heartfelt and melancholy elements.<ref name=geller/> The illustrations on the pages<ref name=ruben/> and narrative themes of the story have been likened to ''{{wp|The Little Prince}}''.<ref name=geller/><ref>{{cite|author=Beaumont, Peter|url=www.theguardian.com/world/2010/aug/01/little-prince-return-multimedia|title=Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's Little Prince poised for a multimedia return to Earth|publisher=The Observer|date=31 Jul. 2010|accessdate=22 Dec. 2023}}</ref>