Power Star

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Not to be confused with Super Star.
This article is about a collectible item. For the Gaddget from Mario Party Advance, see Power Star (Gaddget). For a collectible essential to winning in the Mario Party games, see Star (Mario Party series). For Rosalina's Final Smash in the Super Smash Bros. series originally named "Power Star", see Grand Star (move).
Power Star
Power Star from Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker.
Artwork of a Power Star from Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
First appearance Super Mario 64 (1996)
Latest appearance WarioWare: Get It Together! (2021)

Template:Quote2 Power Stars, also referred to as Stars, are collectible items introduced in Super Mario 64 that can grant Mario access to more levels in-game, unlike the similar-looking Super Stars, which only give brief invincibility. In Super Mario 64, Super Mario Galaxy, and Super Mario Galaxy 2, when the Star for any given level has been collected, playing the level again turns the Star into a translucent version of itself (similar to how Star Coins work). This Star can be collected, but it does not add to the player's total Star count. While Power Stars themselves do not appear in Super Mario 3D World and Super Mario Sunshine, the Green Stars and Shine Sprites work similarly, unlocking levels should enough be collected.

History

Super Mario series

Super Mario 64

Power Star
Mario gets a Power Star on the Bob-omb Battlefield in Super Mario 64.
From Super Mario 64

In Super Mario 64, Power Stars are scattered throughout the various courses, most of which pertain to a mission. By obtaining a Power Star, the corresponding mission is cleared. Power Stars appear either in plain sight or after the player completes a mission objective, such as defeating a boss. There are seven Power Stars in each course; one is a secret Power Star that Mario can obtain from collecting 100 coins, although these Power Stars are not associated with a mission. The various ★ doors and Big Star Doors of the Mushroom Castle require Mario to have at least a certain number of Power Stars (which is displayed on normal doors).

There are eight Red Coins in each course, and collecting all of them causes a Power Star to appear over a Star Marker. If Mario has already collected a Power Star, it appears transparent gray on the course. The Jumbo Star does not count toward the Power Star total.

There is a total of 120 Power Stars. 15 of them are Secret Stars, either found in secret areas or held by Toads. At least 70 Power Stars are required to access Bowser in the Sky. Once Mario collects all 120 Power Stars, the cannon outside the Mushroom Castle is then available, giving access to the castle's roof.

Super Mario 64 DS

Power Star
Mario gets a Power Star in Whomp's Fortress in Super Mario 64 DS.
Power Star
From Super Mario 64 DS

In Super Mario 64 DS, there is a total of 150 Power Stars, 30 more than in the original game. An extra mission was added in each course, making a total of eight Power Stars per course (one of which is the 100-Coin Star). The game doubles the number of Secret Stars to 30. At least 80 Power Stars are required to enter Bowser in the Sky. Some Power Stars can be earned only by a certain character: two for Yoshi, 18 for Mario, 15 for Luigi, and 13 for Wario.

Some courses have a mission where five Silver Stars must be collected for the Power Star to appear in a Star Sphere. If the character loses a Silver Star, the Power Star disappears until he retrieves the Silver Star.

In VS Mode, the objective is for each Yoshi to get the most Power Stars within the time limit. In the mode, most Power Stars are contained within Star Spheres except for those in The Princess's Secret Slide. If a Yoshi is hit, it drops a Power Star, which bounces around the stage nonstop, much like Silver Stars, until a Yoshi picks it up.

Super Mario Galaxy

Mario collecting a Power Star
Mario getting a Power Star in the Good Egg Galaxy in Super Mario Galaxy

Power Stars make a return in the Wii game Super Mario Galaxy, where there is a total of 121 Stars to collect each for both Mario and Luigi (for a total of 242). They have a more metallic and rounded appearance than before.

There are four types of Power Stars: First, there are regular Power Stars which serve the same purpose in other 3D Mario games. The second kind is the three Green Stars that, in addition to acting as normal Power Stars, unlock the Green Launch Star in the Comet Observatory which leads to the Trial Galaxies. The third type is the Red Power Star. There is only one in the game; it appears in the Super Mario Galaxy mission "Gateway's Purple Coins". Last are the seven Grand Stars, the first of which, and the only one obtained without a boss fight, is the first star in Gateway Galaxy. Subsequently, the other six Grand Stars are each collected by beating Bowser or Bowser Jr. These power up the Comet Observatory and unlock new Domes to explore. Silver Stars also return from Super Mario 64 DS, working in the same way, though they float alongside Mario once collected, and can't be lost by taking damage.

In Hurry-Scurry Galaxy, as well as the planet that appears in Sea Slide Galaxy when the Hungry Luma transforms in the third mission, collecting notes turns the black hole into a Power Star.

In the game's file system, there is an unused blue texture in the Power Star's data folder, suggesting that Blue Power Stars were originally going to be collectibles, but they were scrapped during development. This was removed in the sequel's file system.[1][dead link]

Super Mario Galaxy 2

Mario and Yoshi get a Power Star in the Yoshi Star Galaxy of Super Mario Galaxy 2.
Mario and Yoshi getting a Power Star in Yoshi Star Galaxy in Super Mario Galaxy 2

In Super Mario Galaxy 2, Power Stars play the same role as in Super Mario Galaxy. There are 242 Power Stars in total (116 normal Power Stars, six Grand Stars, and 120 Green Stars). If the Cosmic Spirit is used to complete a mission, the star collected is a Bronze Star instead of a gold one.

Super Mario Maker

Captain Toad costume pose in Super Mario MakerToadette costume pose in Super Mario Maker

Power Stars make a cameo appearance in Super Mario Maker, where both the Captain Toad and Toadette Mystery Mushroom costumes hold up a Power Star in their poses when the player presses +Control Pad up.

Super Mario Odyssey

Mario standing next to the Tail Tree and a Mushroom Kingdom Power Moon

In Super Mario Odyssey's Mushroom Kingdom, Power Moons resemble the original appearance of the Power Stars, even playing the jingle that plays upon collecting a Power Star in Super Mario 64 when they are collected, which replaces the standard Power Moon jingle in this kingdom. When Mario collects his first Mushroom Kingdom Power Moon, Cappy suggests that Power Moons come in different shapes, implying Power Moons and Power Stars are the same type of object. When loaded into the Odyssey in the Mushroom Kingdom, they appear as regular Power Moons.

Mario Pinball Land

Stars reappear in Mario Pinball Land, working just like they do in Super Mario 64, obtained after completing certain trials, such as defeating a boss or a certain number of enemies in time, and their use is to make Mario's way to Bowser. At the end, the number of Stars obtained determines how much the point bonus is worth.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U

Main article: Grand Star (move)

A Power Star appears in Rosalina's Final Smash in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, it is replaced by a Grand Star.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

Power Stars reappear in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker and its Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS ports, appearing at the end of each stage. However, unlike in previous 3D platformers, which has the Power Stars counted when collected, the game does not count Power Stars, treating them more as Goal Poles in that they only serve to be the end of the level.

Minecraft

In the Super Mario Mash-up in Minecraft, a Power Star makes a small appearance on a painting of a Big Star Door.

Variants

There are several variations of the Power Star, some of which serve a different purpose from that of normal ones.

Color Description
Power Star from Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker.
gold
The yellow Power Stars allow Mario to access other levels. Sometimes, a mission is required to be completed to obtain one.
Mario and the Jumbo Star.
gold
A giant Power Star only found in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS, appearing after Bowser is defeated for the last time. Mario uses it to transform into Wing Mario and to free Princess Peach from the stained-glass window on her castle.
Artwork of a Green Star from Super Mario 3D World.
Green
In Super Mario Galaxy, Green Stars act like normal Power Stars, but also unlock the Green Launch Star leading to the Trial Galaxies. In Super Mario Galaxy 2, Green Stars appear when all regular Power Stars are collected, and are hidden in every galaxy. In Super Mario 3D World, Green Stars appear in most courses and permanently stay gray after being collected. Some Green Stars can be obtained by collecting all eight Green Coins from a Green Star Ring.
Red Power Star
red
Only a single Red Power Star is found in Super Mario Galaxy, and is granted to Mario by a red Luma after collecting all 100 Purple Coins in Gateway Galaxy.
Artwork of a Silver Star from Super Mario Galaxy 2
gray
When five Silver Stars are collected, they merge to form a Power Star.
Artwork of a Bronze Star from Super Mario Galaxy 2.
Brown
Bronze Stars are brown, "rusty" Power Stars which replace normal Power Stars when Cosmic Guide mode is activated by the Cosmic Spirit in Super Mario Galaxy 2. While they function identically to normal Power Stars, they are not added to the player's Power Star count to access Grandmaster Galaxy.
A Grand Star from Mario Kart Tour
gold
The Grand Star is the largest and most powerful version of the Power Star, being able to power up the domes on the Comet Observatory (in Super Mario Galaxy) or generate portals (in Super Mario Galaxy 2) to help Mario reach more galaxies.

Gallery

See also

Names in other languages

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese パワースター[?]
Pawā Sutā
Power Star
Chinese (simplified) 力量之星[2]
Lìliàng zhī Xīng
能量之星
Néngliàng zhī Xīng
力量星星[3] (Super Mario 3D All-Stars)
Lìliàng Xīngxing
Power Star

Energy Star

Power Star

Chinese (traditional) 力量星星[?]
Lìliàng Xīngxing
Power Star
Dutch Krachtster[?] Power Star
Finnish Tehotähti (Super Mario Galaxy 2 instruction booklet)[?] Power Star
German Power-Stern[?] Power Star
Italian Iper stella
Superstella (Super Mario Galaxy / Super Mario Galaxy 2)
Stella (Super Mario 64 DS)
[?]
Hyper Star
Super Star
Star
Korean 파워스타[?]
Pawo Seuta
Power Star
Russian Звезда силы
Звезда энергии
[?]

Zvezda sily
Zvezda energii
Power Star
Energy Star
Spanish Hiperestrella
Superestrella (Super Mario Galaxy / Super Mario Galaxy 2)
Estrella de Poder (Super Mario 64 DS)
[?]
Hyper Star
Power Star
Super Star
Spanish (NOE) Cosmoestrella (Super Mario Galaxy 2 instruction booklet)[?] Cosmic-Star

Trivia

References