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1[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/super_mario_galaxy_2.png]]
2[[caption-width-right:350:[[{{Tagline}} Mario and Yoshi blast off into a new galactic adventure!]]]]
3
4->''"Shining stardust falls on the Mushroom Kingdom once every hundred years. That time had come again..."''
5
6[[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]]... '''[[JustForFun/RecycledInSpace IN SPACE!]]... [[Main/MissionPackSequel AGAIN!]]'''
7
8A sequel to the original ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy'', ''Super Mario Galaxy 2'' was released in May 2010, two and a half years after its predecessor. Like the previous game, [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]] goes into space once again on a quest to [[SaveThePrincess rescue Princess Peach]] from a building-sized Bowser, who once again plans on creating an evil galactic empire at the center of the universe. Riding on a spaceship-planetoid [[{{Faceship}} built in Mario's likeness]], Mario must once again save the universe. Also, Mario's brother Luigi and their buddy Yoshi tag along for the ride.
9
10Like ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy'', this sequel features both 2D and 3D platforming, as well as gravity-related challenges as the mustached one careens through the cosmos. [[SequelDifficultySpike It's much more challenging than the original]]; Creator/ShigeruMiyamoto has stated that the game is geared toward players who felt the previous game lacked challenge.
11
12This game was re-released as a digital download on the UsefulNotes/WiiU's eShop on January 14, 2015.
13
14----
15[[foldercontrol]]
16!!This game features examples of:
17[[folder:#-C]]
18* HundredPercentCompletion: After beating the game, you unlock World S. Getting all the stars and Prankster Comet stars across all seven worlds gets you 120 stars. You must then beat the game a second time to unlock the Green Star challenge, which gives you ''another'' 120 stars to collect. Then after that, you unlock the Grandmaster Galaxy, which contains the final two stars. There are 242 total stars.
19* TwoAndAHalfD: Several areas of the game, most notably, the Rightside Down and Upside Dizzy Galaxies, and an unusual case in Honeybloom Galaxy, which involves traveling around a cube-shaped planet, but being locked in 2D after every turn of a corner.
20* AbnormalAmmo:
21** Star Bits, which can either be fired at enemies to stun them, [[VideoGameCaringPotential or at Lumas to feed them]].
22** Yoshi can spit several enemies out after eating them as an attack and to break glass cages, such as Spinies and Bullet Bills.
23* AbsurdlyShortLevel:
24** The second star in Honeybloom Galaxy. It's right after the start of the level and can be completed in less than one minute - if you know where it is, of course.
25** A lot of green stars are located right next to the entry of a level and can be obtained within 30 seconds. Some particularly egregrious examples:
26*** In the first level, Sky Station Galaxy, a green star is right next to the start, hovering above the ceiling of Yoshi's house. Granted, it's the first level and will likely serve as the introduction to how green stars work.
27*** In Boulder Bowl Galaxy, ''all three'' green stars can be received within the beginning area of the game. They are all on the first two planets.
28*** The cake takes the first green star in Fleet Glide Galaxy. Once you start the level proper with the bird, it takes ''one second'' to reach the star.
29* AccordionToMostSailors: The music for Starshine Beach Galaxy, the game's obligatory PalmtreePanic level, includes an accordion in its instrumentation.
30* AirAidedAcrobatics: In Cloudy Court Galaxy, Mario and Luigi can take advantage of the Cloud Flower's ability to create clouds in conjunction with the windmill's blows to maneuver upward while the cloud platforms move along with the wind.
31* AlliterativeName: Various galaxy names are alliterative. In their order of appearance: Sky Station, Puzzle Plank, Boudler Bowl, Cosmic Clove, Bowser's Lava Lair, Tall Trunk, Haunty Halls, Cloudy Court, Freezy Flake, Beat Block, Bowser Jr.'s Fearsome Fleet, Bowser's Gravity Gauntlet, Space Storm, Bowser Jr.'s Boom Bunker, Melty Monster, Battle Belt, Slimy Spring, Bowser's Galaxy Generator, Twisty Trials, Boss Blitz, and lastly, Grandmaster Galaxy.
32* AmazingTechnicolorBattlefield: The final part of the final boss takes place in, apparently, [[spoiler:the ''middle of a black hole'']], which has an enormous vortex that is constantly SuckingInLines.
33* AndYourRewardIsClothes: The Banktoad gets new clothes/items when you give him enough Star Bits. A shield and spear, a pickaxe, etc. Interestingly, though, he reverts to previous appearances if your "balance" dips back below what it took to get him them.
34* {{Antepiece}}: Nearly every boss level features a game mechanic or enemies with unique defeat strategies (if the boss is a KingMook) that will be used to defeat the boss at the end of the level. Here are four examples:
35** Digga-Leg, Megaleg's relative, is in a level introducing the Spin Drill powerup. The Spin Drill is activated by a spin and digs through planets. Digga-Leg is defeated by drilling through the planet and breaking the glass cage on his bottom half.
36** Megahammer. The level before the fight focuses on Yoshi spitting Bullet Bills at glass cages to continue through the level. To defeat Megahammer, you have to spit Bullet Bills at the glass domes on its front and back. And then its head when it leans forward.
37** Glamdozer, the [[KingMook Queen Mook]] of the [[http://www.mariowiki.com/images/thumb/b/b3/Pupdozer.png/150px-Pupdozer.png Pupdozers]], is defeated both with a game mechanic and an enemy kill strategy. The Pupdozers have the several-pointed star-like Ground Pound symbol on their bellies. To kill them, you have to pound through a grate that will flip you onto the other side of the (flat) planet and wait for it to crawl onto the grate. Then pound again, and they will be tossed on their backs and die. Glamdozer, a giant, morbidly obese, female version of the Pupdozers is on a disk-shaped planet with such grates all over it. She is sleeping, and you have to wake her up by pounding the grate she is covering. During the fight, you will have to repeat the process three more times, but she is fast, so it requires good timing and patience to do so.
38** Bowser is defeated by ground-pounding meteors that strike his planet into him. You do something similar to open the door leading to his boss fight in his fortresses.
39* AntiFrustrationFeatures:
40** The Cosmic Guide feature, for those who die too many times on a level. Using it, however, gives you a Bronze Star - functionally identical, but must be re-earned without the Cosmic Guide to unlock the final bonus level.
41** Most speedrun challenges take out all the checkpoints. However, the developers decided the last Bowser level is [[MarathonLevel just too long]] and kept one checkpoint. This doubles as SuspiciousVideogameGenerosity overlapping with ContinuingIsPainful, however, as if you die after the checkpoint, you start back at the checkpoint with a mere 30 seconds on the clock. Continuing from said checkpoint leaves you with so little time that you'll either bail or finish with 1-3 seconds left.
42** Every time you use the Spin Drill, you leave a patch of upturned earth at the entrance and exit of your path, telling you where you've already drilled so you don't get confused and waste time.
43** In "The Adventure of the Purple Coins" in the Clockwork Ruins Galaxy, there are numerous purple coins on each of the wheels and the nature of the level makes it quite hard to backtrack, so there's an NPC before the final wheel to tell you how many coins you should have at that point.
44** The Prankster Comets with time limits will have the timer disappear once you clear all the conditions needed to make the star appear.
45* AntiPoopSocking: Lubba will remind you to take a break if you've been playing for a while or have died repeatedly in the same level. He will also give you these reminders after you get a GameOver. Since it comes after a game over, the message seems threatening if anything.
46* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: Poor Bowser. "''My powers... gone... My empire... shrinking... [-[[spoiler:[[BrickJoke My huge cake... Never got a slice...]]]]-]''"
47* ArtCourse: Rolling Masterpiece Galaxy, hence the name, is art-themed and has many art supplies including paintbrushes, a paint palette, rulers, rolls of tape, and colored pencils.
48* ArtificialAtmosphericActions: In Boudler Bowl Galaxy, some toads are tasked to mine the gigantic crystals present on two planets in the level. Once Mario destroys the crystals for good, they comment on how easy it was for Mario - however, their animation still shows them hacking with their pickaxe into what is now thin air.
49* ArtisticLicenseSpace: All of the examples from the first game are still present in this one. RuleOfFun applies.
50* AscendedExtra:
51** The only "appearances" of Yoshi featured in the first game is one of the menu icons as well as a secret planet crafted in his image (even the mission refers to it as "Yoshi's Unexpected Appearance"). Here, he's not only a rideable character, but serves as the {{Deuteragonist}}; with the box art having him front and center alongside Mario.
52** The Toad Brigade still mostly goofs off, and they don't appear quite as many times, but this time around you can get letters from more than just the princess, and one of the Toads even starts a Star Bit bank. Plus unlike before, [[spoiler:they're with you at the ending]].
53** There are now 120 [[spoiler:Green Power Stars, which form a complete extra set]]; in the first game, there were only three[[spoiler:, which were part of the main 120]].
54** Life Mushrooms now appear much more frequently. While some appeared in levels in the first game, their main purpose was a pre-boss buff. Now they're more generous about providing them in tricky levels.
55* AttackItsWeakPoint:
56** Bowser Jr. tells you Gobblegut's weak point -- the red bulging areas on his body.
57** Regarding the [[TheSpiny Pupdozers]] in Flipsville Galaxy: "The soft bellies look so squishy!"
58** Sorbetti's weak point is his big red nose.
59** While he's bigger, the Whomp King's weakness is the same as ever, and in true ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'' fashion, he outright tells the player how to defeat him.
60* AttackOfThe50FootWhatever: Bowser spends 95% of the game at a size comparable to his Giant Bowser battles in ''[[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiBowsersInsideStory Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story]]''.
61* AttackOfTheTownFestival: The game begins once more with the onset of the Star Festival, which is once more interrupted by Bowser. Only this time, [[AttackOfThe50FootWhatever he's huge]].
62* {{Autosave}}: Where previous 3D ''Mario'' games left it to you to save, or gave you the option after finding a PlotCoupon, this installment just does it for you (it's still possible to save at any time on the {{Faceship}}). This is carried over to the next 3D games in the series.
63* BandLand: Cloudy Court Galaxy [[HailfirePeaks briefly mixes this]] with LevelInTheClouds. Bouncy drums and ground-poundable cymbals make up one small section, placing them alongside ridable clouds and windmills.
64* BatmanCanBreatheInSpace: Most all of the cast has no problem breathing in, well, space. Interestingly, though, both Mario and Luigi have {{Oxygen Meter}}s underwater.
65* BattleBoomerang: Unlike other enemies Yoshi can spit out as projectiles, Crabbers will return like boomerangs instead of flying in a straight line.
66* BattleThemeMusic: Like its predecessor, the game features a wide array of boss themes, meaning that only a small handful of boss share a common track with each other. Namely:
67** Frantic or fast-paced battles play [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJKv9LXojqI this theme]] (heard with Peewee Piranha, Rollodillo, Sorbetti, Prince Pikante).
68** Slow, yet methodical battles play [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XDwaa_GoOA this theme]] (heard with Digga-Leg and Whomp King).
69** King Lakitu plays a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06LOPcTeF5Y frantic theme,]] later borrowed by a duo of Stink Bugs in Puzzle Plank Galaxy.
70** Like in the first game, Bugaboom and King Kaliente [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdGuT0nnd64 share the same battle theme]]. Glamdozer (who debuts in this game) plays [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG7cQazt_bA a heavily modified remix]].
71** Like in the first game, [[spoiler:Dino Piranha and Fiery Dino Piranha]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yqyterw15c4 share the same theme]]. Gobblegut and Fiery Gobblegut (which debut in this game) [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfR_I1Hwrq4 share theirs analogously]].
72** All remaining bosses and minibosses play their own battle themes, with Bowser Jr. and Bowser having ''two'' each. Of special note is [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlz9fqpBzG4 the theme played for Squizzard's fight]], as it's composed and structured in a manner such that it incorporates VariableMix to transition into a BossRemix of the Fire Flower theme (this was done to prevent the latter from simply overriding the former whenever the Fire Flower is grabbed, a problem that occured with Baron Brrr's theme when Mario or Luigi used the Ice Flower in the original ''Super Mario Galaxy'').
73* BattleTops: The Topmen return from the first game, though Topmaniac does not.
74* BigBoosHaunt: Haunty Halls Galaxy, Boo Moon Galaxy and Flash Black Galaxy. The former two are traditional spooky levels with haunted planetoids and corridors. The latter is a more unique approach where it rains and the clouds in the sky make sight a lot more difficult; the lightnings briefly illuminate the level.
75* {{Bizarrchitecture}}: Bowser's Gravity Gauntlet looks like Bowser got M. C. Escher as one of his architects.
76* BlackoutBasement: Flash Black Galaxy is a large mansion where everything periodically goes dark.
77* BlatantLies: In the second mission for Haunty Halls Galaxy, there is an... ''unhelpful'' sign...
78--> "The Boos won't hurt you as long as you don't look them in the eyes, OK? ...tee hee."
79* BonusStage: In almost every stage, there are pads that you can stand on that will warp you to a planetoid filled with enemies, coins, and Star Bits. Defeating all the enemies in the time limit will give you three 1-Up Mushrooms. You have to grab them before time runs out, though, otherwise it's all for naught.
80* {{Bookends}}:
81** Same example [[VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy as last time]], condensed into one level: [[spoiler:[[BossRush Boss Blitz]], which begins with [[WarmUpBoss Dino Piranha]] and ends with [[IncendiaryExponent Fiery Dino Piranha]].]] Also, because [[spoiler:Boss Blitz is only unlocked after [[TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon Bowser's Galaxy Generator]], Fiery Dino Piranha is the [[OptionalBoss last boss in the game]]]], while Peewee Piranha is the first.
82** To even more of a ludicrous extent, Dino Piranha being the first game's first boss with [[spoiler:Fiery Dino Piranha being the second game's last]].
83** Grandmaster Galaxy counts as well: The music for Sky Station Galaxy (the first level in the game) is reused for the second portion of the last level (but not the last star), while the music for Good Egg Galaxy (the first level in the first ''Galaxy'') is reused for the second portion of the last star.
84* BossBonanza: Boss Blitz Galaxy in the Special World has one of these against five of [[VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy the first game]]'s bosses. Specifically, [[spoiler:[[WarmUpBoss Dino Piranha]], [[LethalLavaLand King Kaliente]] (both from the Good Egg Galaxy), [[TunnelKing Major Burrows]] (Gusty Garden Galaxy), [[GiantHandsOfDoom Bouldergeist]] (Ghostly Galaxy), and [[IncendiaryExponent Fiery Dino Piranha]] (Melty Molten Galaxy),]] in that order. They are even accompanied by their battle theme tunes from the first ''Super Mario Galaxy''.
85* BossOnlyLevel:
86** Boss Blitz Galaxy features five boss fights (against bosses from the first ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy'') in a row -- and nothing else.
87** Some of the Prankster Comets also count: Digga-Leg's Daredevil Run, Fiery Flotilla Speed Run, Megahammer's Daredevil Run, and Squizzard's Daredevil Run. Here, you land in the arena (or in the case of Squizzard's Daredevil Run, an area where you don't get too close to the sinkhole in which Squizzard makes his lair) where the boss appears.
88* BossRemix: Squizzard's battle theme features a remix of the Fire Flower theme, which is heard as soon as Mario or Luigi grabs the Fire Flower. The transition between themes is done via VariableMix.
89* BottomlessPitRescueService: In Honeybloom Galaxy, there are sections with plenty of water bubbles and clouds. Once you lose your Bee Power-Up (by being hit), you will fall through all of them unobstructed. Thankfully, in the first trickier section, below all the obstacles there is a single vine spanning the entirety of the area, so you're just directed back to the beginning instead of falling to your doom. Later sections of this galaxy are true bottomless pits though.
90* BrutalBonusLevel: [[spoiler:World S]] is a collection of galaxies accessible after the game is cleared for the first time; and many of them offer a bigger challenge than the standard worlds' galaxies. In turn, this world has [[spoiler:Grandmaster Galaxy]], unlocked after all stars (including green ones) are gathered; it features a very difficult obstacle course that requires skill and reflexes to be conquered. Lastly, in ''that'' level, there's the mission "The Perfect Run", unlocked after getting the corresponding Comet Medal and depositing 9999 Star Bits in Toad's bank; it requires completing the obstacle course without taking damage at all nor having any checkpoint flags available, offering a formidable challenge.
91* BubblegloopSwamp: Parts of the [[LevelInTheClouds Cloudy Court]] and [[BigBoosHaunt Boo Moon Galaxies]] from Worlds 3 and 5 respectively take place in a poison swamp. The purple water is so toxic that it kills Mario and Luigi instantly upon contact.
92* BuildLikeAnEgyptian: Like its predecessor, the game features a desert-themed galaxy with planetoids with the shape of double-sided pyramids: The galaxy is called Slipsand Galaxy, and also has a pyramid with sand-slides for good measure.
93* ButThouMust:
94** Early on, when Mario is asked if he's trying to save Peach, the possible responses are "That's right," and "Yes".
95** Also done with The Chimp in one of the galaxies where you have to score 10,000 points to get his star. No matter how many times you say no, he'll keep asking you to take his challenge until you say yes.
96* ByWallThatIsHoley: The final planet encountered in the [[TempleOfDoom "Clockwork Ruins Galaxy"]] has giant stone cog wheels crashing down at either Mario or Luigi. However, you can duck under the teeth holes when the cogs roll toward you.
97* CallBack: In the third Bowser Jr. level, you come across the destroyed body of Megahammer, the boss you fought in the second Bowser Jr. level. [[spoiler:Its Bullet Bill cannons are still working, too.]]
98* CanonImmigrant: The Grand Paragoombas that show up in the Supermassive Galaxy first appeared in ''[[Series/TheSuperMarioBrosSuperShow The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3]]'' cartoon.
99* CaptainObvious:
100** Bowser, early on.
101--->'''Bowser:''' [[LargeHam I'M HUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE!]]
102** Many of the signs and NPC dialogue, such as a sign that tells you not to fall into a lake of purple liquid that has skull signs sticking up out of it, or a Luma fifteen times bigger than Mario who tells you everything is big in the Supermassive Galaxy.
103* CelestialBody: The Cosmic Spirit, an avatar of Rosalina whose body is made of stars in a similar way to Cosmic Mario and Luigi.
104* {{Checkpoint}}: ''Galaxy 2'' is the first 3D game in the ''Mario'' series to use Checkpoint Flags (by the time of its release, they were only seen in ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii'', which was developed during the same period but released six months prior). This means that, unlike in the first ''Galaxy'', just reaching a new planet in a level no longer provides an automatic checkpoint, so reaching a flag and touching it will be necessary in order to resume from that point in case Mario loses a life. Fortunately, in almost all levels with a boss, the flag is placed right before their whereabouts.
105* CheckpointStarvation: The majority of Comet missions lack Checkpoint Flags, meaning that they have to be completed in one go without dying; this includes "The Perfect Run" from Grandmaster Galaxy, which further raises its difficulty. There is one exception; one of the speedrun levels in the second game takes place in a Bowser level, which is naturally longer than a standard level. There's one checkpoint in that specific challenge because the level is simply too long for players to keep restarting if they fail every time.
106* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome:
107** Polari, The Spooky Speedster, Guppy, Topmaniac, Tarantox, Kamella, Kingfin, and Megaleg are the only characters from the first game that do not appear in the sequel. [[FridgeHorror Especially if you consider what happened at the end of the first...]]
108** Several game mechanics from the first game, most notably Ice and Flying Mario.
109** Cosmic Comets were somewhat re-implemented into Clone Comets, although the two work vastly differently: Cosmic Comets pit you in a race against a cosmic copy of yourself, while Clone Comets spawn Cosmic Clones to hunt you down.
110* ColourCodedTimestop: Slowing down time makes everything fade into greyscale, and the music matches it by changing into a tinny, flat-sounding version of the normal BGM, almost like an early television.
111* TheComputerShallTauntYou: There is exactly one Star Bit in [[BrutalBonusLevel "The Perfect Run"]], right at the beginning, and the Star Bit count doesn't reset after a death. This means that, if the player doesn't use them as projectiles, the Star Bit counter effectively becomes a running tally of how many times they have failed to beat the level.
112* ContinuityNod:
113** Throwback Galaxy is [[spoiler:an exact replica of Whomp's Fortress from ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'']]. Furthermore, a pink Bob-omb within the level remakes that Mario looks familiar, and [[spoiler:both of the breakable wall corners from the ''64'' level's mission "Blast Away the Wall" have been chipped off, as if Mario's doing so in ''64'' has carried over]].
114** [[spoiler:When Rosalina appears at the end of the game, not only is she still piloting the Comet Observatory, but she and Lubba recognize each other, with the implication that she raised him just like all the other Lumas. Additionally, she [[RippleEffectProofMemory recognizes]] Mario and Peach immediately, and the game begins and ends with her reading a storybook to the Lumas, just as she did in her library in the previous game.]]
115--->'''Lubba:''' …I always thought we would [[ConnectedAllAlong meet again]].
116* ConvectionSchmonvection: In one mission in Freezy Flake Galaxy, there is a pool of lava with snow-covered islands. You can even roll big snowballs over the lava for a temporary bridge.
117%%* CoolStarship: Starship Mario.
118* CoOpMultiplayer: As in the first game, a second player can drop in at any time, adding another Star-Bit-[[PowerUpMagnet collecting]]-and-shooting pointer, and the ability to freeze some foes and obstacles. Player 2 has more to do in this game, though, because he or she also takes control of an orange Luma that hangs out over Mario's shoulder, who can fly over gaps and through walls in order to grab {{Power Up}}s and Purple Coins and bring them to Mario. The Luma also has its own spin attack that works just as well as Mario's, which can take a lot of the pressure off when the screen is crowded with enemies.
119* CorridorCubbyholeRun: There's a pair of areas in the Clockwork Ruins Galaxy in which enormous stone wheels roll down a hill Mario must traverse. There is one alcove in the first hill to take shelter in, and the wheels themselves have Mario-sized cutouts to aim for.
120* CosmeticAward: If you get every single star in the game, [[spoiler:Rosalina becomes a passenger on your spaceship]]. Also, if you max out your Star Bits on hand (as opposed to in the bank, which has a proper reward), then [[spoiler:[[RunningGag the coconuts turn into watermelons.]]]]
121* CrateExpectations: Like in the previous game, there are crates in several levels, which can be broken up with spin attacks or fireballs via the Fire Flower; there are two minigames involving the latter, in which Mario and Luigi use fireballs to break crates under a time limit. This game also introduces heavy crates reinforced with metal, which can only be broken with the Fire Flower.
122* CreativeClosingCredits: The credits are overlaid over little vignettes in which you can control Mario or Luigi. In fact, with some [[KaizoTrap extremely unintuitive messing around, you can even die in them.]]
123* CutAndPasteEnvironments: Various assets from the first game have been reused, and occasionally planets from the same game are reused later as well. One particularly striking example is the volcano in Yoshi Star Galaxy, which was directly taken from the first game's Melty Molten Galaxy.
124[[/folder]]
125
126[[folder:D-E]]
127* DamnYouMuscleMemory: The [[SpectacularSpinning Star Spin]]. The control itself is unchanged, but several new levels and features seem designed specifically to punish those who are too reliant on it — notably, the platforms in the Flip-Swap Galaxy ([[spoiler:and later, the Flip-Out Galaxy]]) and the limited-use Cloud Flower. The latter is particularly nasty in Shiverburn's [[spoiler:Green Star 3]], where you have to grab a Cloud Flower in the first section and reach the third section while retaining at least one cloud, meaning you effectively have to navigate a long section of moving platforms over lava damageless and spinless.
128* DarkIsNotEvil: The Cosmic Guide is a mysterious-looking [[CelestialBody starfield silhouette]], but is also a helpful AntiFrustrationFeature.
129* DegradedBoss: The Undergrunt Gunner is a RecurringBoss in ''Super Mario Galaxy''. In the sequel, the Gunners are now ordinary [[{{Mook}} mooks]] appearing in Bowser Jr.'s Fearsome Fleet and the Fleet Glide Galaxy.
130* DemotedToExtra:
131** [[spoiler:Rosalina, who remains unseen (except as the Cosmic Guide, and those who played the first game will probably recognize her) and just sends you letters, 1-Ups, and Star Bits. She only appears at the end of the game. [[HundredPercentCompletion Both ends.]]]]
132** The already-uncommon Boo Mushroom shows up just ''once'' in this game. It doesn't even get a second appearance via Prankster Comets or Green Stars. The same can be said for the Spring Mushroom (which appears in only one galaxy for a grand total of two missions, one of which is a Green Star). Luckily, the [[KillItWithFire Fire Flower]] and the [[InvincibilityPowerUp Rainbow Star]], both of which are series staples, did not receive the same treatment.
133** The Bee Mushroom has significantly fewer appearances in this game as well, and is only in two galaxies. Pull Stars are also much rarer compared to the first game.
134** Star Chips make fewer appearances in this game as well, with most levels being focused on platforming as the challenge toward reaching Launch Stars.
135** Warp Pads, which appeared everywhere as transportation on the Comet Observatory, are reduced to just one pair on Starship Mario.
136* DenserAndWackier: Overall, this game is much more lighthearted than the first. Your hub ship and BigGood are comical here rather than mysterious and elegant like Rosalina and her Observatory, Bowser's motivations and plan are much less frightening and threatening, and there are more comical and quirky NPC types introduced in the game.
137* DevelopersForesight:
138** If you're playing as Luigi and read one of Peach's letters, it's still addressed to Mario. The Mailtoad remarks, "I'm sure she just made a mistake!"
139** If you lose enough lives to activate the Cosmic Guide but refuse to use it, when you finish the level, Lubba will give you a little pep talk for going the extra mile.
140** Lubba talks to you if you complete a level after losing a lot of lives to suggest the co-star feature.
141** If you play past 3 AM, Lubba will feel sleepy and complain about how early it is.
142** If you park Starship Mario next to a portal on the world map, you'll be able to see the portal from the ship itself. Whether it's in front of or behind you depends on if you parked the ship near the world's entrance or exit.
143** In Honeybloom Galaxy, there are places where you can forgo the Bee Mushroom, and a vine swing you can reach without it, but this segment leads right into a section where the power-up is absolutely required to keep moving, as the bouncy fruits that make it up disappear unless you're a bee. Rather than killing you for your stubbornness, however, your strategy will be gently corrected, because the power-up is right where you will land from the vines without the ability to fly. This means you will automatically get the power-up and be allowed to continue.
144** If you get a GameOver before clearing "Peewee Piranha's Temper Tantrum" for the first time, instead of returning to Starship Mario, you return to the intro stage, just before the Launch Star, since Starship Mario isn't unlocked yet.
145** Like the Battlerock and Dreadnought levels in the first game, completing Tall Trunk's purple coin mission with exactly ''zero'' coins will result in unique dialogue from the Gearmo at the end, who's legitimately impressed that you managed to do so (but you'll still die and have to restart the level regardless).
146* DiggingToChina: The Spin Drill power-up allows the Mario Bros. to dig through dirt. On planets comprised mostly or entirely of the substance, they can drill straight to the other side.
147* DishingOutDirt: The Rock Mushroom power-up replaces the Star Spin with a move that encases Mario or Luigi in a rock shell. They use this to roll forward at high speed, and the rock-based strength enables them to plow through enemies and defeat a boss (Rollodillo) in Boulder Bowl Galaxy.
148* DisneyVillainDeath: Subverted. [[spoiler:After the fight with Bowser in his main base of operations, he shrinks back to normal and falls to his supposed death. However, when Mario goes to retrieve the Grand Star Bowser left behind, Bowser ''jumps back onto the platform and '''eats the Grand Star''' before Mario can reach it'', setting the scene for the ''true'' final battle...]]
149* DontExplainTheJoke: "Hey Mario! I'm on CLOUD CONTROL! ...get it? Instead of "crowd"? Never mind. Wow, [[ToughRoom tough galaxy]]."
150* DoubleUnlock: In order to unlock the very last mission in the game, you must both get the normal star in [[spoiler:Grandmaster Galaxy]], get the Comet Medal in it, ''and'' deposit 9999 Star Bits in the bank located on the {{Faceship}}.
151* DownTheDrain: Slimy Spring Galaxy from World 6 takes place inside a giant underwater cave. Due to the lacking number of bubbles and coins, the galaxy is a race against the OxygenMeter.
152* TheDragon: Bowser Jr., who holds half of the Grand Stars for Bowser.
153* DrivingADesk: Starship Mario. The ship's wheel will turn back and forth, but the ship itself will not actually turn in any direction. Also notable is the fact that the backgrounds for the galaxy the ship is in will have radically different colours and lighting conditions, and yet the ship and everything on it will have the same lighting as always, with lighting dissonance between the rear-projected background and the physical foreground.
154* EarnYourBadEnding: A downplayed example in that it's for a level rather than the whole game. In Tall Trunk's Purple Coin Slide you have to collect at least a hundred coins, otherwise you lose a life. If you manage to collect ''zero'' coins, you receive unique dialogue, with the Gearmo who would have otherwise given you the star noting that you must have done that on purpose and that it is impressive.
155* EasterEgg:
156** The smokestack on top of Starship Mario actually serves as an alternate entrance to the ship's engine room, similar to a Warp Pipe.
157** The "Hell Valley Sky Trees", which appear in the Shiverburn and Grandmaster Galaxies, and serve no other purpose other than to look creepy and to secretly watch you from far away on the background cliffs. They are seen if the player switches the POV to first person and carefully looks to the top of the cliffs on the background, appearing as a trio of shadowy, alien-like figures staring at the player. Due to the relatively tiny size of the levels, they will always be visible, almost appearing to follow you despite being unmoving flat images. The name for the figures comes from their texture files that can only be found by hacking.
158** During the first mission of Sky Station Galaxy, there's a sign at Yoshi's house telling you to go around the back. During the Prankster Comet version of the mission, stopping to read the sign has it amended to say it's from [[http://www.suppermariobroth.com/post/156115358715/during-the-first-mission-of-sky-station-galaxy-in "Yoshi the Space Dragon"]] rather than just Yoshi, as was the case with [[VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld the original]].
159* EggshellClothing: Peewee Piranha has an egg diaper. Breaking it off is key to damaging it.
160* EmpathicEnvironment: Yoshi Star Galaxy does this [[spoiler:after the boss fight]] in its second mission, ''Spiny Control'', where the clouds darkening the area immediately disappear.
161* EscortMission: It seems that Goombas and Topmen [[BadassBystander are like pets for Gearmos]]. However, the little monster is likely to get crushed under a boulder or fall to its death before you can lure it near its new owner. An interesting variant occurs in the Chompworks Galaxy, where you have to operate certain obstacles on a track to allow a Golden Chomp to roll safely into its destination.
162* EternalEngine: Chompworks Galaxy and Fleet Glide Galaxy. Clockwork Ruins Galaxy seems to be an incredibly ancient version.
163* EverythingInSpaceIsAGalaxy: Like in the original, the galaxies are very small and consist only of a few scattered {{Baby Planet}}s. An exception is the more realistically sized galaxies that appear in the backgrounds of Worlds 4 and 5.
164* ExtendedGameplay: Beating the final boss unlocks [[spoiler:World S]]. Collecting all of the Stars including the ones in World S unlocks [[spoiler:120 Green Stars]]. Getting those unlocks [[spoiler:the Grandmaster Galaxy]]. Beating ''that'' '''and''' getting its Comet Medal '''and''' [[spoiler:giving 9999 Star Bits to the Banktoad]] will unlock [[spoiler:the final Prankster Comet]]. You finish the FinalBoss 2/5 of the way through the game, and even earlier if you didn't get all the stars up to that point.
165[[/folder]]
166
167[[folder:F-H]]
168* {{Faceship}}: TropeNamer; Starship Mario is a planetoid-spaceship that is made in Mario's likeness, and Lubba coins the term.
169* FakeDifficulty:
170** Present in most of the Green Star missions. Some of the Green Stars are located out in space, requiring you to make a LeapOfFaith to get them (and if you don’t get them, you’ll die) and due to the occasional bad camera angle, it's next to impossible to gauge with any degree of certainty exactly where you need to aim your jumps. Flipsville Galaxy's third star [[note]]where you have to fall upward from a gravity-reversed platform toward a star you can't really see, in 3-D space, and where the slightest error means falling to your death [[/note]] is one of the best examples.
171** The Perfect Run, the last mission of the game, counts as well. It's incredibly hard to beat the obstacle course without damage anyway - but to make matters worse, the game forces you to beat half of it with the Cloud Mario power up. Which has different jump physics from normal Mario, making difficult jumps almost unpredictable.
172* FakeLongevity: The Green Stars, which send you on a scavenger hunt through all of the preceding galaxies. Nothing new is added. And to make matters worse, the Green Stars operate under one comet, meaning all of them (unless one is in another mission) will be on the map if you select one Green Star mission. However, only one Green Star can be collected per entry, forcing you to enter the level two or three separate times to get every Green Star, adding to the already-manufactured length. And you can't even skip the comet alert nor the introductory sequence to the galaxy, which is ''exactly'' the same as for the associated gold stars. It's not uncommon to beat a galaxy's green star with a total of two minutes of gameplay and three minutes of buildup between them
173* FastTunnelling: The Spin Drill. Mario and Luigi can dig extremely quickly through whole planets in seconds when using this powerup. Doing this is necessary to reach (and then hurt) the weak point of the boss Digga-Leg in Spin Dig Galaxy.
174* FeedItABomb: You kill Squizzard by [[KillItWithFire hurling fireballs into his mouth]].
175* FertileFeet: On one planet in Supermassive Galaxy, flowers spring up everywhere Mario/Luigi steps. Covering the entire planet in foliage earns you a hidden Star.
176* FireIceLightning: The first planet encountered in [[HailfirePeaks "Shiverburn Galaxy"]] is a U-shaped planet covered in lava, has several electric beam shooters, and will turn to ice after [[GroundPound Ground Pounding]] a switch found halfway around that planet.
177* FissionMailed: Losing The Chimp's challenge in Fluffy Bluff Galaxy results in the screen blacking out, you losing a life, then the screen comes back and asks if you don't think you can beat his challenge. The only way to leave is by Game Over or choosing to leave during the challenge. [[note]]A life is still deducted from your total if you manually back out, though.[[/note]]
178* FloatingWater: Cosmic Cove Galaxy provides a truly bizarre example; see MindScrew.
179* GameplayAndStoryIntegration: In the [[PlayableEpilogue playable credits]], [[spoiler:you can't use the Spin because the Baby Luma who gave you that power has gone home.]]
180* GimmickLevel: In addition to bringing back the rolling ball idea first seen in the previous game, ''Galaxy 2'' also adds flying on a bird (Fluzzard); its levels revolve around performing a test aerial race in the first mission, and then an official race against one or more rivals in the second. Passing through certain rings will allow Mario or Luigi to grab a Comet Medal near the goal.
181* GodhoodSeeker: Bowser's goal, though he doesn't state it directly, much like the last game. However, he takes it a step further, as instead of using the Grand Stars to power reactors, he uses them to power ''himself'' up.
182* GottaCatchThemAll: To achieve HundredPercentCompletion, the player has to collect not only the standard 120 Power Stars (which, indirectly, also requires collecting all 48 Comet Medals), but also [[spoiler:the 120 Green Stars, and then the two extra Power Stars and one extra Comet Medal located in the secret Grandmaster Galaxy; ''and'' the very last star also requires depositing 9999 Star Bits in Toad's bank]].
183* GrapplingHookPistol: Yoshi's tongue can be used this way when floating flower-shaped hooks are nearby.
184* GravityScrew: A major part of the game in general, and the entire shtick of the Rightside Down, Upside Dizzy, and Flipsville galaxies as well as Bowser's Gravity Gauntlet. There are also cylindrical planetoids (such as in Tall Trunk or Space Storm Galaxy) that have physics-defying radial gravity, like an electromagnetic field, causing Mario and Luigi to fall indefinitely around them until stopped by an object — in other words, ''literal'' gravity screws.
185* GreenHillZone:
186** The Sky Station Galaxy has grassy sections, though there is a minor RemilitarizedZone in the second mission.
187** Yoshi Star Galaxy, with a couple {{Prehistoria}} elements. It consists of planetoids made of plain grasslands and/or marble platforms, and only one is a mountain filled with fossils that has to be climbed.
188* GuideDangIt:
189** A few of the secret missions. For instance: to get the Hidden Star in Boo Moon Galaxy, you have to [[spoiler:stay in the place where the Launch Star is for just a moment to wait for another platform to materialize just across from you]]. While you may catch a glimpse of it, there's absolutely nothing to tip you off that you need to do this.
190** The locations of many of the green stars fall under this as well. Especially in Bowser Jr.'s Boom Bunker and Fleet Glide Galaxy.
191** Exactly ''how'' to unlock the [[spoiler:Prankster Comet for the Grandmaster Galaxy. While Lubba does hint that getting 9999 Star Bits does ''something'', you'll probably be too busy plowing through every single level trying to work out what you've missed. Add to the fact that a lot of players don't know whether the Star Bits need to be in the Toad Bank or on Mario/Luigi's person, ''plus'' the fact you only got [[BraggingRightsReward a cosmetic reward]] [[VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy last time]] for collecting 9999 Star Bits, and you get a galaxy-sized load of people assuming the Star Bits are now pointless]].
192* GustyGlade: There are winds in some levels, particularly Cloudy Court Galaxy, but they're there to help you by pushing your clouds (created with the Cloud Flower powerup) along instead of hindering you.
193* HailfirePeaks: Several galaxies:
194** Shiverburn Galaxy, like Freezeflame in the first game, combines LethalLavaLand with SlippySlideyIceWorld, but it's like this from the start, while Freezeflame's missions take a while to mix them.
195** Chompworks Galaxy and Fleet Glide combine EternalEngine with LethalLavaLand.
196** Cosmic Cove Galaxy turns UnderTheSea into SlippySlideyIceWorld at the press of a button.
197** Fluffy Bluff Galaxy combines GreenHillZone with LevelInTheClouds.
198** For a brief section, Cloudy Court combines LevelInTheClouds with BandLand.
199** Clockwork Ruins Galaxy combines RuinsForRuinsSake with elements of EternalEngine.
200* HardModeFiller: Like in the first game, most Prankster Comets revisit familiar missions in levels and remix them with unique perks to make them more challenging. In this game, the regular comets are of the same color and bring in more possible twists (such as forcing the player to defeat all enemies and a harder variation of the Speedy challenges where the time limit is so low that the player has to collect clocks constantly to avoid running out of time); ''Galaxy 2'' also has 120 Green Stars after you've defeated the game which are hidden throughout the levels and require the player to make progressively harder jumps to reach them. And the last star ("The Perfect Run"), which remixes the standard mission of Grandmaster Galaxy, is bar none the hardest to get in the game.
201* HeliCritter: Choppahs; a type of enemy that looks like a green parrot-like plant and flies by using four spinning blades around its neck.
202* HoistByHisOwnPetard: King Lakitu and Megahammer are both defeated by launching their projectiles (Spinies and Bullet Bills, respectively) back at them with Yoshi. A similar method is used to defeat Prince Pikante (with coconuts as the projectile of choice), but with your Spin instead of Yoshi.
203* HornetHole: The Honeybloom and Honeyhop galaxies. The bees are friendly, and the sticky honey can be used to scale walls when the Bee powerup is in use.
204* HubLevel: Starship Mario. It's much smaller than the hubs of all previous 3D ''Mario'' games (and, since then, it has also been the last area of this kind to appear in the series), as it functions more as a sandbox or training room where you can practice your moves and power-ups, talk to characters you bring aboard from the levels you complete, and get basic gameplay advice.
205* HumanCannonball: Way less frequent than in the predecessor, but in Bowser Jr.'s Boom Bunker, you have to launch yourself out of a cannon to reach the next area or [[spoiler:both Green Stars of the level]]. Interestingly, in the Throwback Galaxy, the cannon that was present in Whomp's Fortress was replaced with a Star Ring instead.
206[[/folder]]
207
208[[folder:I-M]]
209* IdleAnimation: If Mario/Luigi stays in place long enough, he'll yawn, sit down, and take a nap. After a while, he'll lie back and continue sleeping.
210* ImprovisedPlatform: Courtesy of the Cloud Flower, which grants Mario the ability to create up to three temporary cloud platforms without refreshing the power-up. This is often useful for Green Stars and shortcuts as well as standard progression, thus really putting the "improvised" in "improvised platform".
211* InCaseOfBossFightBreakGlass: All of the robot/machine bosses.
212* InfiniteOneUps: [[spoiler:Keep jumping on a giant Koopa's shell in Supermassive Galaxy.]] We'll wait.
213* InformedAbility:
214** The Chimp's gaming skills. In his challenges, you're supposedly beating the high scores that he set, but you never actually see him do this.
215** The Toad Captain is apparently able to WallJump (which is how he got so high in the Fluffy Bluff Galaxy).
216* InGameBankingServices: The Banktoad holds on to Star Bit deposits and allows the player to share them with other save files.
217* InflatingBodyGag: Caused by Yoshi's Blimp powerup, which is a CallBack to the P-Balloon from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld''.
218* InstantWinCondition: The green stars take this to the extreme. Many of them require you to actually ''[[ViolationOfCommonSense leap to your death]]''. As long as you can manage to collide with the star along the way, you're golden.
219* InterfaceScrew: The boss fight of the first star in Spin-Dig Galaxy, unlike the rest of either game, is not controlled relative to Mario, but by turning the stick to where you want Mario to go, as it is on a 2D plane.
220* InterfaceSpoiler:
221** Players who diligently full-clear every galaxy early may wonder why the icon for doing so is a ''silver'' crown. Then the Green Stars roll in and you find out you're only halfway done. Only upon getting ''those'' will you receive the anticipated gold crown.
222** Players who have all 120 stars may find it odd that according to the World Map, they are still missing a galaxy in World S.
223** The casino room on Starship Mario seems to be too big for just one die.
224* InvincibleMinorMinion: The Cosmic Clones, who only disappear by colliding with Mario[[note]]This is not a good idea — this causes damage like all other enemies, Life Mushrooms are never provided around Cosmic Clones--you can only take two collisions, and the number never decreases; a new one will come in to fill its place[[/note]] or when the objective of the area is complete.
225* ItsUpToYou: A more standard subversion than the original's DoubleSubversion by having the option to switch out Mario with Luigi, as well as adding an orange Luma into the Co-Star mode (in the first game, it was only the second player's cursor that affected the gameplay).
226* IWasToldThereWouldBeCake: Much like ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'', Mario is lured to the castle by the promise of sharing cake with Peach. Bowser wants Peach to make him a ''galaxy''-sized cake. [[spoiler:And in the ending, Mario, Peach, the Toads, and (if you're riding on him during the End Credits) Yoshi are standing by a cake.]]
227* JungleJapes: Wild Glide Galaxy is a colorful jungle with a river where Fluzzard and the Jibberjays participate in races. In the first mission, Mario or Luigi has to do a trial race with Fluzzard to reach the goal. In the second mission, they have to compete against the Jibberjays (again with the help of Fluzzard) and reach first place.
228* KaizoTrap:
229** In the [[spoiler:Grandmaster Galaxy]], even if you've killed the Boomerang Bros and made the Power Star/Launch Star appear, you can still be killed if there's a stray boomerang still on the screen.
230** The game has a glitch where you can die during the credits. The hidden ending suddenly becomes a lot funnier with this glitch in mind, as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swdVIHQVBS4 this video]] demonstrates.
231** {{Timed Mission}}s stop the timer whenever a cutscene occurs in which the star appears (for example, upon collecting the 100th Purple Coin or defeating the boss). However, bosses often reel from the final hit for a second or so before the actual cutscene starts, so if you defeat a boss at the last second, that moment of "Phew, just barely made it!" can quickly turn into "Aw, crap!" Still, it's preferable to the first ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy'', where timers continue ticking until the moment you touch the star.
232* KillEnemiesToOpen: The Battle Belt Galaxy is built on this premise, with a collection of small planets with enemies that must all be killed to progress to the next one.
233* KillItWithFire: Squizzard's weakness is fire, so when it opens its mouth Mario or Luigi has to shoot fireballs while under the effect of the Fire Flower to inflict damage onto it.
234* KingMook:
235** Peewee Piranha and the returning Dino Piranha (and his fiery form) are ones to the Piranha Plants
236** King Lakitu is one to the Lakitus
237** The returning Bugaboom and Mandibug Stack (to a lesser extant) are ones to the Mandibugs.
238** Glamdozer is one to the Pupdozers.
239** Prince Pikante and the returning King Kaliente are ones to the Octo-enemies, especially the Roctos.
240** Whomp King is one to the Whomps.
241** The returning Bouldergeist is one to the Bomb Boos (especially once his true form is revealed), despite the variant of Boos being only present in that said battle.
242** The returning Major Burrows is one to the Undergrunts, despite only two of them only appearing in Battle Belt Galaxy.
243* {{Kishotenketsu}}: Level designer Koichi Hayashida developed his levels with this structure in mind.[[note]]It was first attempted in the first ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy'', but as Hayashida himself noted the formula wasn't fully developed yet back then, as the game still largely retained the level design's philosophy of the previous ''[[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]]'' games, even with the linear level progression that made it distinguish itself from ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'' and ''VideoGame/SuperMarioSunshine''[[/note]] This allowed him to [[{{Antepiece}} introduce a new mechanic in a safe environment]] (''ki''), raise the stakes for the player (''sho''), put an unexpected complication on it (''ten''), and finally bring all previous ideas together for the home run to the finish pole (''ketsu'').
244* LamePunReaction: One of the Toads says: "I'm on cloud control! Ha ha! [[DontExplainTheJoke Get it? Instead of 'crowd', I said...]] Aww, never mind. Wow, [[ToughRoom tough galaxy]]". Becomes a StealthPun when you realize that the galaxy which he's in when he says this is a tough galaxy indeed.
245* LargeAndInCharge: Lubba, the biggest and fattest Luma (excluding those in Supermassive Galaxy), is the leader of the bunch. And there's Bowser and the various [[KingMook King Mooks]].
246* LargeHam: Bowser, in more ways than one
247-->'''Bowser:''' I'M HUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE!
248* LastLousyPoint: There are a few Green Stars that are rather tricky to get, such as the third one in Shiverburn ([[spoiler:bring a Cloud Suit to the end of the level, with at least one cloud left]]) or the first one in Stone Cyclone ([[spoiler:pull off a well-timed Triple Jump, and don't get crushed by a speedy Tox Box in the process]]).
249* LegacyBossBattle: Boss Blitz Galaxy is a BossRush level, where all five bosses are from the original game and not fought anywhere else.
250* LethalLavaLand: The Melty Monster Galaxy is the most prominent example, but several galaxies have elements of it, including all of the Bowser levels. Shiverburn is partially this, but ice areas also appear.
251* LevelAte: Sweet Mystery Galaxy is a bonus level accessed by feeding a Luma in World 4. Many of its passageways and planetary features are made of sweet meals like cookies, chocolate bars and donuts, though many of them will only appear (and thus be safe to stand on) while Yoshi's Light Bulb powerup is in effect.
252* LevelInTheClouds: The game has Fluffy Bluff Galaxy and Cloudy Court Galaxy. In this game, not only the Bee powerup allows Mario and Luigi to walk over the clouds; so can the Cloud powerup, which in addition allows Mario to create his own clouds! Cloudy Court also features windmills that make wind blow, which allows the plumbers to ride with their cloud platforms into areas that would be inaccessible otherwise.
253* LevelsTakeFlight: Wild Glide Galaxy and Fleet Glide Galaxy completely take place in the air, where you fly with the shy parrot Fluzzard.
254* LighterAndSofter:
255** Compared to the first game, literally. At many points in the first game where there was a dark starry sky, there is now a blue sky with clouds here, even on the cover art. Also, Bowser's first attack in this game, growing himself giant, is much more nonsensical than in the previous game, which starts with him bombarding Toad Town via airships.
256** Where the first game took the effort to make a darker, more poignant story for the game and backstory for Rosalina, this game goes back to the basic ExcusePlot of past ''Mario'' games.
257* LilyPadPlatform: Starshine Beach has some lily pad rafts Mario can ride by walking in them in the direction he wants to go. These are actually required to transport Cloud Mario to certain locations, as the plumber loses the PowerUp when he touches water.
258* LongSongShortScene:
259** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2GHF8icAXI The final boss theme.]] If you know what you're doing, the final phase of the last battle against Bowser won't last longer than a minute, not even long enough for the song to reach the halfway point.
260** Squizzard's theme also qualifies, since you're going to be spending the entire battle with the Fire Flower powerup, which adds its own track on top.
261* LosingYourHead: Sorbetti is a Tap-Tap-like snowball that is fought on a planet made to look like its body.
262* TheLostWoods: The Tall Trunk Galaxy is a forest-themed galaxy which has a huge tree as a centerpiece.
263* LuckBasedMission: Boss Blitz Galaxy Speed Run. The fourth boss, [[spoiler:Bouldergeist]], has a random attack pattern (only one attack summons the [[spoiler:Bomb Boos]] you need to defeat him). If you're unlucky, you'll run out of time. So yet again, a normally reasonable to beat boss makes the level much, much harder for the Prankster Comet.
264* LuckySeven: Getting 77 stars will prompt Lubba to say "77 stars! How lucky!" He'll say something similar if you have any amount of star bits with all digits being 7.
265* MacroZone: The Supermassive Galaxy from World 4 is a more traditional example, similar to Giant Land of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3'' fame (where it was also the fourth world). All setpieces and enemies have an enormous size, so Mario and Luigi have to be careful when traversing the level.
266* MajorInjuryUnderreaction: The Whomp King's last words, as he crumbles and dies:
267-->'''Whomp King:''' ...Dang it! ''*explodes*''
268* MarathonLevel:
269** Clockwork Ruins Galaxy. Numerous traps and hazards must be sorted to get the main star. So many that, for those wanting to hurry to beat the game, it's easier to proceed to the next galaxy by ''getting the hidden star''.
270** The second level of Cosmic Clove Galaxy qualifies as well. You have to slide across a lake, traverse a lengthy underwater section followed by another in space - and then you have just released the Luma that takes you to the ''actual'' challenge.
271* MechanicalMonster: The Megahammer is an enormous robot whose arms are shaped like hammers; Bowser Jr. challenges Mario with it in a battle for the Grand Star of World 3, and obviously loses. There's also Digga-Leg, a smaller version of Megaleg fought in Spin-Dig Galaxy which only guards a regular Power Star.
272* MercyMode: The Cosmic Guide becomes available for some stages if you die too many times. It is similar to the Super Guide from ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii'' in this regard. However, any stars you get [[EasyModeMockery will be tarnished bronze instead]], preventing you from unlocking the [[spoiler:Grandmaster Galaxy]] until you get it legit. She doesn't appear for [[ButtMonkey Luigi]], though.
273* MeteorSummoningAttack: Bowser summons meteors as an integral part of his boss fights, [[TacticalSuicideBoss sprouting out of the ground when he punches the planetoid you're on so that you can ground-pound them into his face.]]
274* MickeyMousing: In certain areas, the environment changes in direct response to the music. For instance, in Beat Block Galaxy, the yellow and green blocks alternate being solid in time with the beat, and in Upside Dizzy Galaxy, the gravity changes its orientation in sync with the beat.
275* MindScrew:
276** Cosmic Cove has square blocks of water in the middle of space. And they move. And you swim in them. And when you poke your head out of the water, you get air... in space?
277** [[spoiler:Was reality reset? Yet Rosalina ''remembers''! And was narrating ''the entire time.'']] So did it really happen?
278* MiniBoss: Most bosses in regular galaxies inadvertedly play this role, as they'll just guard a star and obstruct Mario's and Luigi's progression. The major bosses are the guardians of the Grand Stars (Gobblegut, Bowser Jr. with the Megahammer in World 3 and the Boomsday Machine in World 5, and Bowser), an in turn they're found in the corresponding final levels of the galactic worlds.
279* MirrorMatch: The Cosmic Clones follow your exact route and actions, including pausing to "take damage", through any level they appear in, at least until you finish. [[NintendoHard This gets really annoying really fast in some levels]], where likely error or necessary backtracking are made incredibly dangerous when the areas you've already tread are swarming with clones who can hurt you.
280* MissionPackSequel: Was originally intended to be one, but after the game went through a bit more development, it ended up being made up of mostly new concepts. Lampshaded in the on-disc ID name: "Super Mario Galaxy More".
281* MookMaker: Unlike the last game, where they only summoned [[PlayingWithFire fireballs]], Magikoopas now summon [[TheGoomba Goombas]] and Li'l Cinders.
282* MovingBuildings: The Boomsday Machine, which resembles a castle turret on tank treads.
283* MultiMookMelee: Battle Belt Galaxy. Each enemy on each planet must be defeated in order to advance, ranging from one Micro-Goomba on the first planet to four Silver Chomps on the last one.
284* MultiStageBattle: The first phase of the final battle plays out just like the other Bowser battles, even relinquishing the [[MacGuffin Grand Star]] at the end. [[spoiler:But it's a trap, and Bowser eats the Grand Star, [[MakeMyMonsterGrow grows gigantic once again,]] and initiates the final phase inside a ''black hole!'']]
285* MusicalGameplay: Much like the first game, several sound effects will tune in to the notes currently playing in the galaxy's music.
286* MusicalNod: Several. Notable examples:
287** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRutH5jCxBM Hightail Falls Galaxy]] = ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7bvnjQMgq4 Athletic theme]]
288** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWKLF50_rcc Haunty Halls Galaxy]] = ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fCx1m0tQT0 Ghost House theme]]
289** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P29JNk7945k Throwback Galaxy]] = ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBEUgYxgnoA main theme]]
290** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SJFLMdxQIY Slider]] = ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWJD5O2V__8 Slider theme]]
291** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHfXjpNZnyI Supermassive Galaxy]] = [[VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy Toy Time]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgjOBqD_ljk Galaxy]] = ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros1'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlwX5q_Y1-0 main theme]]
292** Space Storm Galaxy's second mission uses the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z29bt-wjS88 Buoy Base music]] from the first game.
293** A hidden star in Puzzle Plank Galaxy includes a fight against Bugaboom, previously seen in the Honeyhive Galaxy in ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy'', and accompanied by [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWd3Mxl1_vk the same music]] as in the previous game.
294** Boss Blitz Galaxy not only features a BossRush against five bosses from the first ''Super Mario Galaxy'', but it brings back each of their boss fight tracks as well: [[spoiler:[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yqyterw15c4 Dino]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S48fBArqbaI Piranha and Fiery Dino Piranha]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdGuT0nnd64 King Kaliente]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIKk5qgoXh4 Major]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QLJWjx9kP8 Burrows]], and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFCF3bev20A Bouldergeist]].]]
295** [[spoiler:"The Perfect Run"]] features three of the most popular pieces from the first game: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcZhJDUFb58 Gusty Garden]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy8Sn6DHIi0 Good Egg]], and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVZTMPLqNw8 Bowser's Galaxy Reactor]].
296* MusicalSpoiler: Unlike in the first game, where the track "A Tense Moment" played on several levels to foreshadow a BossBattle, in this game it only plays for the Daredevil Comet on Bowser Jr's Boom Bunker--which is a pretty ominous level in itself, featuring the wreckage of [[HumongousMecha Megahammer]], a castle with prison-style spotlights, a planet consisting of little more than a slew of spinning platforms and a [[UnrealisticBlackHole black hole]], a subspace swamp, and the sun as a massive fireball looming in the background.
297* MutuallyExclusivePowerups: As in the first game, a new power-up either replaces the old one or is kicked away. What's more, powerups are mutually exclusive with Yoshi (easiest to see on Starship Mario).
298* MythologyGag:
299** An infinite lives trick involves repeatedly bouncing on the shell of a giant Koopa Troopa in Supermassive Galaxy. This is an allusion to the level it's based on, Big Island[=/=]Giant Land from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3'', where an identical infinite lives trick was possible.
300** World S is an allusion to the Special World from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld''. This is backed up by the name for World S being "Here We Go!", which is also the official name for the main theme of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld''.
301** Like the Toy Time Galaxy theme from the previous game, of which it is a remix, the Supermassive Galaxy BGM is audibly based on [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6eCsk9P4QU "Mario Syndrome"]], a 1986 AlternativeDance remix of the ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros1'' overworld theme. The more Music/NewOrder-inspired elements like gated drums and high-register bass are removed, but apart from that the instrumentation and arrangement is nearly 1:1 with "Mario Syndrome".
302[[/folder]]
303
304[[folder:N-Q]]
305%% * {{Narrator}}: [[spoiler:Rosalina.]]
306* NightOfTheLivingMooks: Octoboos are ghostly versions of Octoombas that move in a circular pattern (similar to Boo Buddies). They cannot be defeated, as they merely turn invisible for a split second when they receive an attack (likely to evade it).
307* NonindicativeName: The Chimp, despite his name, is not a chimp. [[note]]He has a tail, and other characters correctly refer to him as a monkey.[[/note]] His name is possibly a pun on the word "champ", as he considers himself a champion game player.
308* NoobBridge: A lot of people forget or never learn the long jump when playing the first ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy''. This is due to it never being mentioned in-game (but it is in the manual) and never required to finish the game (unless you're going for 100% against Cosmic Luigi). The long jump is required in ''SMG 2'' starting in World 4, and these gamers can get stuck. Fortunately, the first significant use (Supermassive Galaxy) takes time to give a tutorial on the move.
309* NostalgiaLevel: The game references several previous games in the series this way:
310** The prologue level is based on ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii''.
311** The Chimp's Stomp Challenge in Fluffy Bluff Galaxy and its successor, The Chimp's Score Challenge in Honeyhop Galaxy, are minigames based around ScoringPoints from doing {{Goomba Stomp}}s. The scoring is reminiscent of the 2D games, with consecutive stomps gaining extra points and 9 or more stomps in a row resulting in an extra life.
312** [[MacroZone Supermassive Galaxy]] is a nod toward Giant Land from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3'' and/or Tiny-Huge Island from ''VideoGame/SuperMario64''. Fittingly, it is the first level of World 4 (Giant Land is the fourth world in its game).
313** Starshine Beach is a direct nod to ''VideoGame/SuperMarioSunshine'', complete with Piantas.
314** The Throwback Galaxy is based on Whomp's Fortress from ''Super Mario 64'', complete with a remix of the stage music. There are chips in the wall from one of the missions in the original, where one of them had to be blasted apart to reveal a Star. It is even called Nostalgic Fortress Galaxy in the Japanese, Spanish and Italian versions.
315** In a more subtle version, the layout of the second half of Flash Black Galaxy [[https://www.suppermariobroth.com/post/639249316498817024/top-the-design-of-the-final-portion-of-matter is cribbed almost entirely]] from the final section of Matter Splatter Galaxy from the first ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy''.
316** The Twisty Trials Galaxy is a scaled-up reproduction of [[spoiler:"The Secret of Ricco Tower", a FLUDD-less platforming level]] in ''VideoGame/SuperMarioSunshine''.
317** The Rolling Coaster Galaxy evokes both ''Super Mario 64''[='=]s Rainbow Ride and ''VideoGame/MarioKart''[='=]s Rainbow Road.
318** The Stone Cyclone Galaxy is a replica of to the Cyclone Stone from Beach Bowl Galaxy in the first game, and Mario Squared Galaxy is very similar to the 8-bit Mario planet in the Toy Time Galaxy from the first game. The mission "Luigi's Purple Coins" also appears in both games, with the same general name and premise in both, though the second game ups the difficulty [[spoiler:with Cosmic Clones]].
319** Boss Blitz Galaxy is simply a marathon of boss battles from the first ''Super Mario Galaxy''.
320* NotQuiteFlight: Fluzzard, who glides with minimal potential for ascending in height.
321* OldSaveBonus: All the Star Bits you bank are accessible to other save files on the disc.
322* OminousLatinChanting: Like the first game, Bowser's battles, but also remixes it into the ''Super Mario 64'' Bowser's Road theme. How to make good music better? Change it so half of it chants the tune in pseudo Latin. And as in the first game, this is of the "only ''reminds'' you of ominous Latin chanting" variety.
323* OneHitKill: Getting crushed by anything and falling in toxic water and dark matter. Smacking straight into anything in a Fluzzard mission is an instant-kill, though bouncing off obstacles obliquely is not. In Daredevil Comet missions, ''[[OneHitPointWonder anything]]'' can kill you in one hit.
324* OneHitPointWonder: If a Prankster Comet shows up and makes a mission with the word "Daredevil" in it, that's you.
325* OrchestralBombing: Music/MahitoYokota once again provides his musical flair for the Bowser battles. Also, Gobblegut is the first non-Bowser boss that has orchestral music accompanying his battle.
326* OxygenatedUnderwaterBubbles: An instant refill for the OxygenMeter, like before.
327* PaletteSwap: Gobblegut has a fiery counterpart in World 6 (Fiery Gobblegut), which fights similarly but is soaked in flames. And like in the first game, Fiery Dino Piranha is one to Dino Piranha, being once again an IncendiaryExponent to make its attacks more dangerous than those of its standard counterpart.
328* PalmtreePanic: The game has one in World 4, namely the Starshine Beach Galaxy, which is inhabited by Piantas. The large amount of water makes the collection of the Silver Stars (used to assemble a golded Power Star) difficult, but Yoshi's powerups make it easier.
329* PassThroughTheRings: The rings found in the Fluzzard races are optional for the Power Stars, but required to get the Comet Medals.
330* PathOfMostResistance: Invoked in World S's Rolling Coaster Galaxy. At a fork, a toad informs you that "Experts go right" - The right path is a lot more difficult than the left one, but it contains the level's Comet Medal.
331* PerpetualMolt: Fluzzard when he's flying.
332* PickupHierarchy:
333** '''Primary''': Power Stars. Grand Stars.
334** '''Secondary''': Purple Coins, Silver Stars (5 for a Power Star), Launch Star Pieces, and Comet Medals.
335** '''Tertiary''': Star Bits. Coins, Notes.
336** '''Extra''': Green Stars.
337* PivotalBoss: {{Subverted}} by the Boomsday Machine, as it becomes mobile once you get two hits on it. Megahammer and Squizzard are straight uses of the trope, though.
338* PlatformHell: The final Power Star mission, [[spoiler:The Perfect Run]]. First, you have to swing Yoshi through a minefield, where even one mistimed jump can result in getting blown up, while also having to dodge the Choppahs and Bullet Bills. Then, you get a board of blue switches you have to activate while avoiding a Sentry Beam's lasers. After that, you have to use the Cloud Suit and navigate through a sidescrolling maze of electric fences. Then you have to go through a segment where all the ground is either green tiles that disappear when you step on them, or flip-flop tiles that switch positions whenever you shake the Wiimote. In this area, you also have to dodge lasers from [[SpikesOfDoom spiky]] robots, and later on, Octurrets appear and start shooting at you, though thankfully, these can be killed by knocking a coconut back at them with a spin attack... but that flips the panels! And slowing down for even a second only makes it easier for the robots to kill ''you''. Then, you have to get through a section of moving electric fences using Pull Stars, the former of which move back and forth so quickly that you barely even have time to get past. Finally, you jump across a field of spinning platforms that try to flip you off ([[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant the]] [[FlippingTheBird platforms!!]]) while dodging Hammer Bros, after which point you have to fight three Boomerang Bros at once. And if this sounds like it's just regular NintendoHard, keep this in mind; You only have [[OneHitPointWonder one hit point]], and there are [[CheckpointStarvation no checkpoints]], meaning that the slightest slip-up will send you ''all the way back to the Yoshi section''.
339* PlayableEpilogue: There's an entire world (World S) accessible after the final Bowser battle. And after collecting every single star (normal and green), the [[spoiler:Grandmaster Galaxy]] is unlocked, which contains two new stars.
340* PointAndClickMap: The first 3-D ''Mario'' game to (mostly) abandon the [[HubLevel hub]] system and return to the world map from the classic games (in the same sense as ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros'') for stage selection.
341* PostEndGameContent: Combined with DoubleUnlock, the Green Star Challenge, as you need the 120 stars to start it plus ending the game.
342* PowerUpFood: [[PowerupMount Yoshi]] can ingest [[SuperSpeed Dash Peppers]], [[VideoGameFlight Blimp Fruits]], and [[SceneryAsYouGo Bulb Berries]] to help along the way.
343* PowerupMount: Downplayed with Yoshi. Yoshi can flutter jump, use his tongue as a hook to swing over wide bottomless pits and to eat enemies, and transform into Dash/Light/Balloon forms as power-ups. However, this game is one of the few instances where Yoshi does not provide an extra hit point at all. Taking a hit while riding Yoshi ''will'' result in Mario/Luigi losing a health wedge/life, '''and''' Yoshi will flee in the chaos.
344* {{Prehistoria}}: Yoshi Star Galaxy has a prehistoric element, along with being the first time you encounter Yoshi.
345* PumpkinPerson: Jack-O-Goombas are Goombas that wear Jack-O-Lantern masks, which protect them from being stomped on. A spin will smash the mask, turning them into a regular Goomba, and a GroundPound will take out the mask and Goomba. They occasionally create ghostly flames behind them, making a ground pound risky.
346* QuicksandSucks: As in the first game, quicksand in the desert levels can either suck down a character or move in a different pattern, depending on the gravity. The quicksand in the second mission of Slipsand Galaxy is wide enough to require Mario or Luigi to ride a Sand Sailer (a creature made of sand) to traverse it safely.
347[[/folder]]
348
349[[folder:R-Z]]
350* RacingMinigame: The main concept in the two Fluzzard flying levels. In both of them, the first mission only consists of reaching the end, while in the second you have to beat the AI opponents by reaching the end of the course first.
351* RainbowMotif: The worlds on the map select screen follow these colors. World 1 is blue, 2 is orange, 3 is green, 4 is indigo, 5 is violet, 6 is dual-layered with yellow on top and red below, and World S is rainbow-colored.
352* RecurringBoss: Like in the first game, multiple bosses are fought more than once each, whether by way of a Prankster Comet challenge that remixes an existing mission, or by simply reappearing in a later level.
353* RecurringElement: Besides the obvious, there are a few touches calling back to the first game, perhaps to strengthen the idea that this is the reconstructed universe from the end of the first game.
354** The first non-tutorial areas have light/dark themed disc planets as the very first place you're sent.
355** Both games have an early boss that returns late in the game on fire (Dino Piranha, Gobblegut).
356** The Hungry Luma planet from the Good Egg Galaxy reappears as a pre-existing planet in Yoshi Star Galaxy.
357** Both games have Octoomba bosses defeated by the coconuts they shoot (King Kaliente, Prince Pikante).
358** Both games have purple-clad Koopa bosses who provide the shell projectiles needed to defeat them (Kamella, King Lakitu).
359** The first boss of each game is a Piranha Plant dinosaur whose egg being broken begins the fight and is defeated by [[ChasingYourTail spinning something on its backside]] (Peewee Piranha, Dino Piranha).
360** Like before, Bowser Jr.'s three fights. One has him summon an unrelated boss (Kaliente round 2, Gobblegut), one has him using a giant robot (Megaleg, Megahammer), and one has him attacking you with one of his militaristic machines (airship, Boomsday Machine).
361** There's a mission in each that involves a long underwater swimming segment in order to free Captain Toad from a treasure chest (Bigmouth Galaxy, Slimy Spring Galaxy).
362** The Topman Tower in Space Storm Galaxy is essentially a waterless copy of the Buoy Base from the titular galaxy in the previous game.
363* RemixedLevel: Prankster Comets change a lot of galaxies substantially, varing from extra platforms to new collectibles (purple coins).
364* RenovatingThePlayerHeadquarters: At the beginning of the game, the barren planet is transformed into the Mario Faceship. During the progression of the game, you will gradually recruit new people to live on the spaceship, and gradually new elements are added as well.
365* RollingAttack: Rock Mario travels and attacks this way, and it's how the large crystals in Boulder Bowl Galaxy can be shattered. Also, due to the large size of the boss Rollodillo, its weak point can only be hurt by the strong impact of the Rock Mushroom's attack.
366* RuleOfCool: [[spoiler:Let's go fight Bowser in the core of a black hole with meteors. Sounds like a blast.]]
367* SandIsWater: One part of the "Slipsand Galaxy" level has Mario navigate a large river of quicksand on top of a large bird-shaped raft while at the same time avoiding the cacti and Magikoopas dwelling in the quicksand.
368* SaveGameLimits: You can only have three save files, as opposed to the original's six. And you can't copy to another file, again, unlike the original game. This is likely due to the Star Bits banking system.
369* SawBladesOfDeath: Grinders appear in Puzzle Plank Galaxy. In addition to damaging Mario, they saw through wood, making pieces of planks to fall off the map.
370%%* ScarfOfAsskicking: Cloud Mario's cloud scarf.
371* SceneryAsYouGo: Bulb Yoshi to an extent, but the platforms aren't created as you walk, they're just made visible and solid in a winding-down range.
372* SceneryPorn: This game looks every bit as good as the last one did, possibly even better. To cite some examples: the lush foliage and waterfalls in the mountain pass in Wild Glide Galaxy, the cascading lava in Melty Monster Galaxy, and the gorgeous sunrise at the end of Slimy Spring Galaxy. World 3's backdrop on the spaceship hub is also gorgeous.
373* SchizophrenicDifficulty:
374** World 6 features a mixture of easy parts and difficult parts. On the one hand, Slimy Spring Galaxy and Throwback Galaxy are relatively easy (though this may be justified in the latter's case, given its NostalgiaLevel status). On the other hand... Clockwork Ruins has likely the [[MarathonLevel longest mission in the game]], the second level of [[LethalLavaLand Melty Monster]] has been known to [[ThatOneLevel drive players up a wall]], and Battle Belt features a boss fight against [[ThatOneBoss Fiery Gobblegut]]. And finally, reaching the FinalBoss requires 70 stars, so if you've skipped most of the optional missions, you'll need to go back and finish them.
375** Also, [[spoiler:the Green Stars]]. Some in difficult late-game levels are incredibly easy to get, while some near the beginning of the game will make you weep.
376* SentientStars: Lumas, just like in the first game, are fully living little stars that can grow into planets when fed with enough star bits.
377* ShesAManInJapan: Lubba is actually dubbed a female in the German version.
378* ShiftingSandLand: Slipsand Galaxy. As with Dusty Dune Galaxy in the first game, the nonstandard gravity makes sand move and behave in unique ways (sometimes working in Mario's favor, sometimes not).
379* ShockAndAwe: The game marks the debut of Fizzlits, which are purple, malleable enemies that can blend with the ground's surface and electrify themselves in the process.
380* ShoutOut:
381** World 2's background solar system sure looks familiar, doesn't it? Especially that third planet from the sun? The blue one?
382** Flipsville Galaxy has a straw hat in the background that looks remarkably similar to the one [[Manga/OnePiece Luffy]] wears.
383** The first mission in Throwback Galaxy is called "[[Literature/LordOfTheRings Return of the Whomp King]]".
384* SkewedPriorities: One of the reasons Bowser kidnaps Peach is so she can make him a [[IWasToldThereWouldBeCake cake]].
385* {{Skybox}}: The level Shiverburn Galaxy is known for its skybox. If you look at the right spot, you can see a trio of ghostly figures standing on top of the cliff, seemingly watching you. Even stranger is that, in the game's files, the image including these entities is named "[=HellValleySkyTree=]," kicking off a lot of speculation about why it was included and what the name means.
386* SlideLevel: The second star mission of Tree Trunk Galaxy revolves around sliding through the interior of a large hollow trunk; hazards include thorny flowers, Wigglers and holes.
387* SlippySlideyIceWorld: Freezy Flake Galaxy. [[HailfirePeaks Shiverburn Galaxy's]] hot side turns into this, as does the underwater Cosmic Cove Galaxy, when you press a certain switch.
388* SnowySleighBells: Sleigh bells are used sporadically in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgbVzp7_kqc Freezy Flake Galaxy's theme]].
389* SolidClouds: Mario and Luigi can't stand on clouds without first acquiring a Bee Mushroom or Cloud Flower, but once they have either of the two, they can stand on clouds like platforms. The latter power-up also lets them spawn their own temporary clouds to be used as platforms.
390* SoundtrackDissonance: [[spoiler:The Perfect Run]] is already hard, but at the point where it really starts getting sadistic, it plays music from [[spoiler:the original's first level]].
391* SpaceZone: Technically the entire game, but Space Storm Galaxy is a classic example.
392* SpikesOfDoom: Seen in Clockwork Ruins and Flip-Out Galaxy.
393* SpinningOutOfHere: You activate teleport pads by spinning on them.
394* TheSpiny: In addition to the trope-naming Spinies (thrown at Mario and Luigi by Lakitus in Yoshi Star Galaxy), the game also introduces the Pupdozers; they can only be killed by Ground Pounding them from underneath via flippable gravity-reversing platforms. Thankfully, these enemies only appear in the one area where these platforms are found.
395* StatOverflow: The game features Life Mushrooms. When collected, they will increase Mario's HP to 6, wearing off once it drops back to 3 or less. They're typically uncommon, but some boss fights [[SuspiciousVideoGameGenerosity let you buy one for coins beforehand]].
396* StealthPun:
397** The mission "Bugaboom's Back" obviously refers to the fact that Bugaboom was in the first ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy'', making his appearance known in "Big Bad Bugaboom", the boss mission of the Honeyhive Galaxy, but then you remember that Bugaboom's weak spot... is his back.
398** There's also the name of Honeybloom Galaxy's "Bumble Beginnings" mission. Beside the obvious "humble beginnings" pun, it's also ''the first time you use the Bee Suit.''
399** The Spin-Dig and Flash Black galaxies are subtle puns on the terms "shindig" and "flashback", respectively.
400** There's also the Supermassive Galaxy. In real life, the term does exist, and the meaning is almost the same, with the exception that while the galaxy itself is much bigger, the things within it are not.
401* TacticalSuicideBoss:
402** Bowser attacks by summoning meteorites and [[MegatonPunch punching very, very hard]]. Said punch is strong enough to both imbue the meteorites with energy and toss them right back out of the planet's crust. You then have to kick said meteorites back at him. If he didn't do any of this, he'd be invincible.
403** Just like King Kaliente in the first game, Prince Pikante mixes up his fireballs with coconuts which you can whack back at his face. Again, if he'd just stick to fireballs, you wouldn't be able to beat him.
404** Squizzard opens his mouth at certain times. He's just inviting his opponent to [[FeedItABomb feed him with]] [[KillItWithFire fireballs]] this way. Or a better strategy for him would be to not have them in the arena at all.
405** Digga-Leg would be invincible if he kept his head upside-down. That thick skull is hard enough to protect him from the [[ThisIsADrill Spin Drill]].
406* TempleOfDoom: Clockwork Ruins Galaxy. It consists of giant stone blocks forming its planets, decorated with carvings and dotted with a variety of traps such as blocks of stone that try to push Mario into the void and rolling millstones that must be carefully navigated to progress.
407* TemporaryPlatform: Several varieties.
408** The shrinking checkered tiles from the first game reappear.
409** There are some stone platforms that collapse after being stepped on, which do not regenerate.
410** This game introduced the Beat/Beep Blocks, which switch from one set to the other with the music.
411** Flip-Swap Panels are a player-controlled version, switching with a spin and making planned jumps necessary.
412** Cloud Platforms created by the Cloud Mario power-up also fade after a few seconds.
413* TennisBoss: Prince Pikante spits fireballs and coconuts at you. Avoid the fireballs, {{Spin to Deflect|Stuff}} the coconuts back at him. However, unlike his predecessor, he doesn't begin to deflect them.
414* ThatsNoMoon: [[spoiler:Sorbetti]] is actually a planetoid Mario was traversing on just before he lands on the boss planet.
415* ThematicSequelLogoChange: The "Galaxy" portion of the logo has a clear sky to represent the increase of non-space themed locales, and the "2" is the exact color of the Co-Star Luma who makes their debut in this game as Mario's partner in co-op.
416* ThemeAndVariationsSoundtrack: The music for the levels Wild Glide Galaxy, Freezy Flake Galaxy, Starshine Beach Galaxy, Space Storm Galaxy and Slipsand Galaxy are all remixes of the music for the "Sky Station Galaxy" level, as with the game's title and ending themes and the bonus rooms. The theme was originally first heard in the latter half of Gusty Galaxy's music in the original ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy''.
417* ThisIsADrill: The Spin Drill power-up, used for burrowing through soft earth on some planets.
418* TimedMission: The Speedy Comets, some of the purple coin levels, and several mini-games. Thankfully, in this game, the clock ''does'' stop once you complete your objective (assuming it's something other than simply reaching the star), giving you all the time you need to grab the star. (This was not always the case in the first game.) Good thing, too, because the clock is much less generous in this game than it was in the first.
419* TimeLimitBoss: The Speedy Comet versions of Gobblegut and the entire Boss Blitz Galaxy.
420* TogglingSetpiecePuzzle:
421** The Red-Blue Panels are unique in that they're not controlled by switches, but by Mario's and Luigi's Spin Jump. By default, they'll face upward with the red sides, but performing a Spin Jump will make all of them flip 180 degrees into an adjacent position and face upward with their blue sides. This proves vital in the level Flip-Swap Galaxy, where you have to time carefully the Spin Jumps to land onto a panel and avoid falling down. The presence of moving electric barriers and spawning round Chomps (which will roll forward if the nearby panels are placed properly in front of them) adds to the complexity.
422** The final regular level, Flip-Out Galaxy, uses color-coded walls whose states can be controlled with Spin Jumps. By default, the red walls are protracted from the standard mortar walls and can be used for a WallJump, while the blue ones stay retracted; but with a Spin Jump, the red walls will retract and the blue ones will protract, and vice versa with the next Spin Jump. To complete the level, it'll be necessary to not only time the wall jumps, but also the spins to swap the walls' states whenever necessary; the last part in particular is very devious for this reason, and the Comet Mission requires you to tackle it while fleeing from Cosmic Clones.
423* TookALevelInBadass:
424** As if Bowser hadn't already done this in the first ''Galaxy'', he takes it further by using the Grand Stars to power ''himself'' up.
425** [[VideoGame/SuperMario64 The Whomp King.]] In addition to being ''massive'' compared to his previous appearances, the Whomp King can stun Mario with a ShockwaveStomp, [[FlunkyBoss summon smaller minions called Whimps]], and his [[FacePlant signature attack]] has been upgraded to a OneHitKill due to the way crushing works in the ''Galaxy'' games. Also, there's no {{Good Bad Bug|s}} that lets Mario pass through the Whomp King during his attacks.
426** Luigi can now actively help Mario without ''[[FailureIsTheOnlyOption having to]]'' [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption mess around]]. If the player is skilled, then Luigi might not mess around ''at all''. And at any rate, he's much less of a ButtMonkey than in most other post-2000 ''Mario'' games.
427* ToyTime: Large portions of the Rightside Down Galaxy are made out of wooden building blocks, as with the Upside Dizzy and Puzzle Plank Galaxies; also, Flipsville Galaxy appears to take place inside a giant dollhouse.
428* TreeTrunkTour: There's an unusual example in Tall Trunk Galaxy. Mario never gets inside the level's resident big tree, but he climbs it through its branches. He also does get to traverse a giant log and slide down a long, hollow tree in the same level.
429* TruckDriversGearChange: Almost all of the returning music from [[VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy the first game]] has been shifted up or down one tone, depending on the track.
430* TurnsRed: Multiple bosses turn red as soon as they were hit once or twice. Afterwards, they are faster, their attacks are more powerful and sometimes the music changes.
431* UndergroundLevel: Spin-Dig Galaxy and Slimy Spring Galaxy. The former takes place within a very large hollow planet that houses multiple smaller planetoids, all of which can be dug into with the help of the Spin Drill. The latter is an aquatic variant where Mario and Luigi navigate across a prolonged subterranean river filled with many enemies; it ends with an exit that provides a beautiful look at the sunset.
432* UnderTheSea: Cosmic Cove and Slimy Spring Galaxy, and parts of Starshine Beach.
433* UniqueEnemy: There is a single spiked Cheep-Cheep rolling towards you in Cosmic Cove Galaxy. It doesn't serve a purpose for any star. In the same level, there is a single Jam-o'War in a corner of the big lake. It's so out of the way that some players might not even see it.
434* {{Unwinnable}}: Averted fortunately for the main game, but not so much with some Green Star missions.
435** The third green star in Shiverburn Galaxy requires the Cloud Flower, and is found on the third planet; however, the Cloud Flower is only found on the first planet. If you lose your clouds on the second or third planet before reaching the star, it becomes impossible to get, and you have to start the level over from the beginning. Made worse by the checkpoints, which must be avoided if the player doesn't want to exit the level every time they fail, because otherwise they'll spawn past the Cloud Flower and have no way of getting it again.
436** In one mission, you have to lead a Goomba over to a Gearmo to receive a star (see EscortMission). Unlike the Topmen in a similar mission, the Goombas don't respawn if they get killed, so if you run out of Goombas, it's back to the beginning of the level with you.
437** Any of the green stars in the Wild Glide and Fleet Glide Galaxies (both of which are Fluzzard levels) can potentially become this. If you miss them on the way (which is [[FakeDifficulty far too easily done]] given [[{{Waggle}} the controls]]), then you have no choice but to start the level over.
438* VariableMix: As in all Mario games where he's ridable, getting on Yoshi adds extra percussion, usually bongo drums, to whatever music is playing at the time. However, this game has a wider variety of percussion fitted to certain tracks, including shaker[[note]]"Sweet Mystery Galaxy"[[/note]], tambourine[[note]]"Haunty Halls Galaxy"[[/note]], and even an entire electronic drum kit[[note]]"Megahammer"[[/note]].
439* VentPhysics: There are levels where Mario or Luigi has to deal with powerful blowing fans with the Cloud Flower. The SolidClouds formed with that powerup will be pushed by the wind gusts.
440* VerbalTic:
441** The Jibberjays have a habit, habit of repeating words twice, twice.
442** As in the first game, the rabbits have one too, boiyoing!
443* TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon: [[spoiler:Bowser's Galaxy Generator.]] World 6 gets a special mention for being represented by [[spoiler:a ''huge'' black hole comparable to the one in the first game]].
444* VideoGameCrueltyPotential: While the Co-Star Luma function can be lifesaving and very convenient, the second player controlling it can opt to be unhelpful by being passive to dangerous obstacles or picking up useful items and refusing to give them to the player.
445* ViolationOfCommonSense: Most of the green stars require you to risk certain death to obtain them. Hope you don't miss.
446* VoiceGrunting: No complete sentences are spoken by voice actors, only certain words and nonverbal vocalizations.
447%%* WakeUpCallBoss: Gobblegut, the last boss of World 1.
448%%* WalkOnWater: Running variation — Yoshi, after eating a Dash Pepper.
449%%* WarmUpBoss: Peewee Piranha.
450* WeirdMoon: In Boo Moon Galaxy, there is a ''literally'' waned crescent moon. Mario has to carefully tilt it in order to get the five Star Chips that take him to the next planet.
451* WelcomeToCorneria: Subverted. If you get defeated by the Whomp King, subsequent fights will have him say:
452-->'''Whomp King:''' It makes me so mad! We build your houses, your castles, your… [[LampshadeHanging Arrrgh! I'm tired of this speech!]]
453* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: [[spoiler:What happens to Bowser Jr. after you defeat him in World 5? He doesn't appear in the game again after that.]]
454* WideOpenSandbox: The Green Comet affects all galaxies at once, so the Stars can be taken in absolutely any order you want.
455* WindmillScenery: The Cloudy Court Galaxy, which has a rustic flair to it, features numerous floating windmills. Instead of using wind to rotate their blades, the reverse happens: the rotating blades ''create'' the gusts of wind.
456* XRaySparks: While still present, unlike the [[VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy previous game]], Mario will not die [[DemBones as a skeleton]] if he is killed by a shock.
457* YouNoTakeCandle: Whittles speak in a very simple, direct manner without articles.
458* YourPrincessIsInAnotherCastle: [[spoiler:See DisneyVillainDeath above.]]
459* ZeroEffortBoss: Bowser's final form. Any damage you take is automatically negated by a coin released from his only attack.
460[[/folder]]

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