List of Super Mario Galaxy 2 pre-release and unused content

This is a list of pre-release and unused content for the game Super Mario Galaxy 2.

Early concepts

Early in production, the development team suggested that the game should feature cameos from other Nintendo IP, such as Pikmin and Donkey Kong series. Shigeru Miyamoto did not approve of the idea, however. One of the reasons was that the Pikmin's body shape would make them awkward to jump on. This suggests that they would have been featured as enemies or friendly non-playable characters.

A proposed Bone Mario power-up was rejected by Shigeru Miyamoto.

Concept artwork

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  A spread of concept art and model sheet of Cloud Mario.

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  A second page of Cloud Mario/Luigi including a "Lakitu" Cloud Mario.

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  A page containing most concept arts of the Freezy Flake Galaxy.

Early builds

In the debut trailer from E3 2009 and the two Nintendo Media Summit trailers, there were several changes before the game's release date. While the game was in development, it was originally called Super Mario Galaxy 1.5. Another title used was More Super Mario Galaxy.

E3 2009 trailer

• The trailer begins with Mario flying past a bunch of small asteroid planets. This was likely just used for promotional footage.
• In the E3 trailer, Sky Station Galaxy's music had an extra part (that sounded like part of "Gusty Garden Galaxy") that did not make it to the final version.
• Yoshi's Dash Pepper was originally called Dash Fruit (its Japanese name).
• Ground Pound symbols looked brighter and shinier.
• The Ground Pound pillars had a yellow top instead of brown.

Starship Mario

Yoshi and Mario on the early version of Starship Mario.

• A planet shaped as Mario's head is shown, likely meaning this planet is possibly an early version of Starship Mario.

Sky Station Galaxy

• Sky Station Galaxy had a different skybox in this trailer.
• The second planet in Sky Station's 2nd mission has an identical design to the final version, but cosmetically looks very different, having a red color scheme for the exterior, except for the Banzai Bill cannons. The planet's interior also looked very different, and had electric rails, which in the final version were replaced with Amps.
• An unused planet shows Mario jumping on three Twirlips in a row, and the planet itself does not resemble any of the planets or galaxies in the final release of the game.
• There is a planet very similar to the Second Fleet Ship planet in Sky Station Galaxy. The biggest differences are that there is a different camera angle, a red Koopa Troopa (another early element of the game), a few Pull Stars, and one Banzai Bill Cannon instead of just a few.
• A red Koopa Troopa was shown in the far back. In the final game, only green Koopa Troopas appear.

Yoshi Star Galaxy

• Yoshi Star Galaxy had a radically different starting planet, though this may have also been a test planet.
• The fruits that Yoshi can eat to get Star Bits originally looked more like peaches.
• The Blimp Fruit looks way more like a simple sphere.
• The trailer showed Yoshi eating a thorny flower on the galaxy's Tower Planet without having to move backwards to pull the thorny flower out.
• The Tower Planet has way more flowers.
• The Tower Planet's Launch Star may have originally had a different location.

Spin Dig Galaxy

• Diggas' eyes resembled those of Bullet Bills.
• The Spin Drill was originally in a different location on the Starting Planet.
• When fighting Digga-Leg, Spin-Dig Galaxy's background became purple.
• A Spin Drill shown on Digga-Leg's planet is always there, even when the player is currently using one. In the final version, they only appear when the player doesn't have one. Additionally, its dome did not crack when Mario attacked it.
• In the Spin-Dig Galaxy's second level, Silver Stars Down Deep, Star Chips were supposed to be collected instead of the Silver Stars, indicating that there could have been another planet.

Flip-Swap Galaxy

• The safe zone after the first section originally had normal blocks, and no crystal or Octoomba. An extra Goomba was also present.

Fluffy Bluff Galaxy

• A tiny water planet, potentially the a smaller variant of the one from Fluffy Bluff Galaxy, is shown in the trailer.

Puzzle Plank Galaxy

• The galaxy originally used a different skybox.
• Whittles are seen to inhabit the planets of Puzzle Plank Galaxy.
• The Starting Planet had entirely different colors, including the wood, ground pound marker, and more.
• The Wiggler Planet had wooden guardrails originally, instead of metal ones.
• At least two of the Ground Pound Switches on the first planet of Puzzle Plank Galaxy (which were actually tree stumps at that point) were not present. One space was taken by a Whittle. Four tree stumps are present. These were changed to four Ground Pound Switches.
• The Pound Pillars Planet had different colors as well, along with Whittles. The ? Coin and Hungry Luma are also absent.
• The 1-Up Mushroom was originally in place of the galaxy's Comet Medal.
• The Grinder Planet originally had a Launch Star at the end of the planet, instead of a Sling Star.
• Lumalee's Planet and the Picture Block may have been positioned differently, or not created at all at this time.
• The room in Puzzle Plank Galaxy where the Purple Coins are has a different color scheme, and some of the Purple Coins are positioned differently.

Hightail Falls Galaxy

• Hightail Falls Galaxy had a different color and terrain, originally having way more color variety, and grassy floors instead of wooden ones.
• The bridge on the galaxy's starting planet originally did not exist.
• When a player used a Dash Pepper, the player did not glow or leave a glowing trail as in the final version.
• The Dash Pepper originally looked more like a red fruit.
• Hightail Falls originally didn't even have the waterfall background, instead using Gusty Garden Galaxy's from the first game.
• There is no Whittle to guide the player on how to use the Dash Pepper.

Honeybloom Galaxy

• In the Honeybloom Galaxy, a Bee Mushroom is in an octahedral power-up crystal, like in Super Mario Galaxy. In the final version, the power-ups are in neither octahedral crystals, regular crystals, nor the opaque crystals first introduced in Super Mario Galaxy 2.
• The galaxy originally had a different skybox, as well as a more cave-like aesthetic, along with some unused lights and a waterfall. The planet also had a little less detail.

Cosmic Cove Galaxy

• In Cosmic Cove Galaxy, the switch which freezes the water into ice is placed on a wooden floating platform, similar to the place where Penguru is standing. In the final version, the switch is found on a tower. There was also no cutscene.

Tall Trunk Galaxy

• The galaxy may have originally used Good Egg Galaxy's background. The slide itself also has a rocky floor, and wooden tubes instead of ones made from tree trunks. The slide may have also originally been its own galaxy entirely.

Cloudy Court Galaxy

• Yoshi was seen in Cloudy Court Galaxy, but he never appeared in that galaxy in the final game.
• Green mushroom platforms appear in place of the green platforms and clouds in the starting area.
• The drums originally had an orange and red checkered pattern, instead of being entirely purple. The cymbals also used to have a checkered pattern, and no Launch Star present.
• The Ruined Tower Planets changed in a number of ways, looking very different cosmetically, having different grass, bushes, and lacking the windmill and Octoomba from the final build.
• The Castle Wall had a completely different color scheme, and required Yoshi to traverse it, instead of the Cloud Flower.

Freezy Flake Galaxy

• The early version Snow Field Planet, in Freezy Flake Galaxy was much larger and emptier than the final version.
• Sorbetti's planet originally had crystals instead of snow mounds.
• Sorbetti's Planet had darker bricks originally.

Bowser Jr.'s Fearsome Fleet

• When the Airships coming out of portals were shown in the E3 trailer, it appeared to be a cutscene rather than actual gameplay.

Supermassive Galaxy

• Supermassive Galaxy originally had large 1-ups, pipes and coins, that looked exactly like their normal sized versions.
• A planet is shown that does not appear in the final version of Supermassive. This may have been later redesigned to the final build of the Starting Planet from said galaxy.
• A large, moving block appears in the trailer which is not found anywhere in the final game.
• In an early version of the Blooming Garden Planet in the Supermassive Galaxy, it was shown that Goombas appeared. In the final version, they do not appear. The planet is also entirely dirt instead of grass, and was slightly bigger.

Space Storm Galaxy

• The galaxy originally used Good Egg Galaxy's skybox.
• Topman's Tower went through many changes, as it originally had much brighter wood grain, white lines instead of green, no Warp Pipe, different platforms, no electric rails and water instead of lava.
• The switch that slows time, which appeared in a lot of galaxies, was originally activated by a Spin, and not by Ground Pound. Additionally, it looks way more similar to a rotary switch.

Boo Moon Galaxy

• The starting planet in Boo Moon Galaxy was originally going to look similar to the Crystal Planet in Space Junk Galaxy from the first game, but with darker brick walls and yellow tiles, both of which do not appear in the final version.

Battle Belt Galaxy

• A big Homing Chomp seemed to appear as a boss, possibly in the early Battle Belt Galaxy.

Nintendo Media Summit trailer

• The game's logo is identical to the final version, but lacks the Co-Star Luma.
• The Teleporters still lack the glowing light from the final version.
• Megahammer was originally going to be named Mallettoid.
• Digga-Leg was originally going to be named Digg-Leg.
• Comet Medals were designed differently, as the comet's star had no eyes.
• The handles are green instead of red.
• There was once a Piranha Plant in the patch of blue flowers next to the pillar on the Starting Planet of Yoshi Star Galaxy. In the final version, there is an Octoomba.
• A Mini Goomba is in place of an Octoomba on the muddy path of the Starting Planet in Yoshi Star Galaxy.
• The teleporter in Yoshi Star Galaxy is slightly moved, and there are no crystals on the planet.
• Yoshi Star's volcano had a more detailed texture.
• On the Marble Blocks planet in Yoshi Star Galaxy, the Launch Star is revealed after Yoshi eats the giant fruit, there is a Twirlip instead of a Lakitu and Spiny, and the planet is smaller. In the final version, the Launch Star is in a cage.
• Spin-Dig Galaxy originally had an extra Luma.
• In Flip-Swap Galaxy, there were more giant Empty Blocks. In the final game, there is only one giant Empty Block, which is where the Cosmic Spirit stands.
• Gobblegut's bulbs could be popped simply with a stomp.
• In the Hightail Falls Galaxy, on the Slope Planet, it was shown that the big coin would activate a row of Star Bits. In the final version, it was changed to coins.
• The final planet in Hightail Falls Galaxy is missing a Black hole.
• Tall Trunk Galaxy originally had taller and brighter grass.
• Haunty Halls Galaxy originally had an extra area that was completely removed in the final build.
• The Blooming Garden Planet in Supermassive Galaxy is still made of dirt.
• In Upside Dizzy Galaxy, there was a spring where the row of Empty Blocks are. The final section also has an additional electric rail.
• Clockwork Ruins Galaxy originally had brighter colors, and is missing a green Octoomba.

Nintendo Media Summit B-roll

• The Launch Star in Yoshi Star Galaxy is moved.
• The platforms in Supermassive Galaxy have their directions reversed from the final product.
• The giant Piranha Plant pipes show the Piranha Plant's shadow on the outside of the pipe, but this was seemingly a visual glitch.

Miscellaneous

• In September of 2021, Nintendo showed off more images of Super Mario Galaxy 2, but were only shown off to students during an online seminar, where Nintendo would explain game development. A student who attended this seminar took screenshots of some of the images shown, including one showcasing concept art for Yoshi Star Galaxy, and another which showed an early build of the Starting Planet from the same galaxy.
• Starship Mario was originally going to be mushroom-shaped.

Gallery

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  An early screenshot of the heroes in galaxy what appears to be Yoshi Star Galaxy. Note the details over the grass were removed in the game's final version.

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  The switch's original position in Cosmic Cove Galaxy.

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  A water-covered planetoid, possibly an early version of Pond Planet of the Fluffy Bluff Galaxy or Starshine Beach Galaxy's Starting Planet. Mario appears to be bigger than this planet.

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  An early version of Topman's tower in Space Storm Galaxy that resembles the Buoy Base Galaxy. The switch used to decelerate time is shown as well.

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  Mario on an early planet which was to be the main planet in the Yoshi Star Galaxy, with a Chance Cube.

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  An early screenshot of Mario standing near a Yoshi Egg.

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  Mario talking to a Whittle in an early version of Puzzle Plank Galaxy.

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  Two Giant Goombas walking towards Mario in an early screenshot of the Supermassive Galaxy. Note the giant 1-Up Mushroom and the big coin. The big coin is a platform in the final game rather than a collectible item as it appears in the picture above.

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  A planet in an early version of Sky Station Galaxy. Notice the Red Koopa in the distance.

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  Mario next to an early Comet Medal with no eyes.

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  Mario cornered by Cosmic Clones in the early version of the Puzzle Plank Galaxy.

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  An early Silver Chomp in an early version of the Battle Belt Galaxy.

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  Mario and Yoshi blasting off in an early Cloudy Court Galaxy. Note that Yoshi does not appear in this galaxy at all in the final game.

Unused data

The unused P texture.

There is an unused map theme for World 1 and World 2 and an unused galaxy song within the soundtrack, which can be heard here.

Track 9, "Galaxy Song 25", is never played in the game at all in the final release. The game's coding also showed an unused track called "SMG2_galaxy08_strm". This track was scrapped before reaching the orchestra stage, since it is performed with synthesized instruments.

Gobblegut, Digga-Leg/Whomp King, Megahammer, and Glamdozer all have "angry" versions of their music in the game's files. Digga-Leg, Whomp King, and Megahammer do not really get angry, ultimately not needing an alternate theme. Gobblegut gets angry and has a cutscene, but for some reason, his alternate theme was still not used. Glamdozer does get angry, but doesn't have an "angry cutscene".

Although they are not found in the final game, Ice Mario and Flying Mario from the previous game can be playable via hacking, and their music is even altered to match the other power-ups. In addition, Flying Mario is complete on the disk, unlike Ice Mario (who only has his theme remaining in the code), suggesting it was cut significantly later and very late in development.

An unused texture of a "Magic Balloon Fruit" was also found. This texture had a "P" like the ones of the Power Balloons from Super Mario World.

When defeated and facing down, Whomp King has an otherwise unused expression that can be seen only by hacking.

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  Whomp King's face when defeated. Since he faces down when defeated, it is impossible to see his face.

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  King Lakitu without his glasses

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  Animation of King Lakitu without his glasses

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  Early models of Diggas in Spin-Dig Galaxy. Their eyes were more separated and looked more like yellow Bullet Bills.

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  Mario's skeleton animation

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  Mario's skeleton animation

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  Mario's skeleton

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  Yoshi E3 animation

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  Yoshi E3 animation

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  An unused zone titled "ChaosStartZone"

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  An unused zone titled "StaffUnbabaHomePlanetZone"

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  An unused zone titled "EarthenPipeRoomEZone"

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  A texture for the Chance Cube

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  A texture for the Chance Cube

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  A brown piece of the Snake Block

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  A purple Luma