Gateway Galaxy

File:Cosmic observatory.jpg

The Comet Observatory in the Gateway Galaxy.

The Gateway Galaxy is one of the many galaxies from Super Mario Galaxy for the Wii. Princess Rosalina calls this galaxy the "Gateway to the Starry Sky". It serves as the opening level for the game and is the location of the Comet Observatory. This is the first Galaxy in the game, and after Mario clears the first level in the Galaxy, he won't be able to return until he unlocks the Garden, later on in the game.

Levels

Grand Star Rescue

When Mario awakens on this planet, a Space Bunny will challenge him to a game of hide-and-seek. The player will have to follow the bunny until he reaches his two friends, who will run and hide. One is found in a crater near the tree stump and a small lake, another in the grass near the Warp Pipe, and the last in a Warp Pipe. The player will have to catch them all, and a new structure on the planet will appear. Mario will meet with Princess Rosalina and gain the Star Spin ability. Mario needs to Star Spin the nearby Launch Star to reach the next planet, which has five Star Chips scattered about. To go to the next planet, Mario will have to grab the Star Chips to make a Launch Star and blast Mario to the next planet. Here, a Luma in a cage tells Mario that one of the Goombas on the planet has the key. The player will have to defeat the Goombas on the planet until one gives up a key. The Luma then transforms into a Sling Star, which slings Mario to the next planet. On this planet, Mario must defeat the Giant Goomba near the top of the planet to free the other Luma and enter the Warp Pipe. The inside of the planet is filled with yellow switches and moving electrical walls. A big machine stands in the middle of the room; a Grand Star is inside it. Mario needs to step on all the yellow switches to turn them blue, which will shut the machine down and reveal the Grand Star.

Gateway's Purple Coins

This Power Star is only accessible after the Garden has been opened. When Mario enters the galaxy, Rosalina will meet him and a Red Luma will challenge him to gain one hundred Purple Coins. There are seventy coins are on the planet and thirty are in the air. Mario must use the new Red Star that gives him the ability to fly to gain the thirty in the air. This is the game's sole Red Power Star, and grabbing it allows the use of the Red Star power-up in the Observatory Grounds.