Super Mario Galaxy 2

This article is about the Wii game. For other uses, see Super Mario Galaxy 2 (disambiguation).

Super Mario Galaxy 2
For alternate box art, see the related gallery.
Developer	Nintendo EAD Tokyo
Publisher	Nintendo
Platforms	Wii, Wii U
Release dates	Wii (original release): May 23, 2010 May 23, 2010 May 27, 2010 June 11, 2010 July 1, 2010 December 4, 2010 December 4, 2010 January 20, 2011 Wii (Nintendo Selects): June 13, 2014 August 27, 2015[?] March 11, 2016 April 6, 2016 Wii U (digital download): January 13, 2015 January 14, 2015 January 15, 2015 January 15, 2015
Languages	English (United States) English (United Kingdom) Japanese Chinese (Traditional) French (Canada) French (Europe) German Italian Korean Spanish (Latin America) Spanish (Europe)
Genres	Platformer, action-adventure
Ratings	ESRB: - Everyone CERO: - All ages PEGI: - Three years and older USK: - Six years and older ClassInd: - General audience[?] GRAC: - All ages GSRR: - All ages ACB: - General
Modes	Single player, two-player cooperative
Format	Wii: Optical disc Wii U: Digital download
Input	Wii: Wii Remote Wii Remote and Nunchuk Wii U: Wii U GamePad Wii Remote Wii Remote and Nunchuk
Serial code	RVL-SB4E-USZ

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a 3D action-adventure platform game released for the Wii on May 23, 2010. It is the sequel to the 2007 game Super Mario Galaxy, the thirteenth entry in the Super Mario series, the fourth 3D platformer, and the only 3D platformer in the Super Mario series to be released on the same console as its predecessor. The sequel retains many elements from its predecessor, such as the adventure being in outer space, the element of gravity, items such as the Bee Mushroom and Spring Mushroom, and recurring objects such as Launch Stars and Sling Stars. However, the game introduces new elements as well, such as the utilization of Yoshi, new power-ups like the Cloud Flower, and the use of a guide within the game for beginner players. The Japanese, European and Australian releases included a beginner's DVD to help players understand the controls and items if they had not played Super Mario Galaxy. In North America, help for beginners was found on the official website as well as on the Nintendo Channel.

Like its predecessor, Super Mario Galaxy 2 has been considered one of the greatest video games of all time by critics.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 was also the first Wii title to be digitally re-released on the Wii U's Nintendo eShop service. In celebration of the 40th anniversary of Super Mario Bros., an enhanced port of the game was released with upscaled graphics on the Nintendo Switch on October 2, 2025, as part of the Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 bundle and as a standalone digital-only version, 15 years after its original launch.

Story

From the instruction booklet

Shining stardust falls on the Mushroom Kingdom once every hundred years. That time had come again...

Dear Mario,

Would you like to share some cake while we watch the shooting stars? Meet me at the castle!

Peach

Mario ran through the field with stars falling around him. Suddenly, he noticed a strange light in the grass. As he peered cautiously through the reeds, he saw a small, lost Luma. With the baby Luma tucked safely under his cap, Mario rushed on to the castle. But when he got there, something unexpected was waiting for him…

Super Bowser

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is "another story of stardust". The game begins at the time of the Star Festival, which only happens every 100 years. Princess Peach invites Mario to share some cake while watching the shooting stars. On his way to Peach's Castle, Mario finds a lost Baby Luma, who seems to like Mario and jumps into his hat, granting him spin power. Near the castle, Mario discovers it under attack by Bowser, now gigantic thanks to the Power Stars, who kidnaps Peach and takes her to the center of the universe. In response, Lumas who crashed near the castle offer to aid Mario to chase Bowser by transforming into a Launch Star and launching Mario to space.

After collecting a Power Star, Mario arrives on a planet-like object, where he meets Lubba, who tells him that her crew and their spaceship were attacked by Bowser. Realizing both her and Mario need each others' help to collect the stolen Power Stars and rescue Peach, she uses the Power Star to fix her ship and transform it into Starship Mario, which is used to travel through space and find more Power Stars. During his travels, Mario has to deal with Bowser's forces, including Bowser Jr. and Super Bowser himself.

Baby Luma bidding farewell to Mario and Peach.

Finally, Mario and friends locate Bowser's Galaxy Generator, where Bowser is fought for the final time. After Bowser's defeat, his empire becomes undone, and Peach is saved. A comet which was caught by Bowser's fortress is also freed and is revealed to be the Comet Observatory. Rosalina then appears, happy to see that Baby Luma is safe. Baby Luma, overjoyed that he's reunited with his "mama", heads back to his home, and takes Mario's cap as a souvenir, much to Mario's surprise. After the Comet Observatory leaves, Mario and Peach return to their own home using the Starship Mario. Along the way, Bowser is shown in a tiny form near Peach's Castle.

Rosalina telling stories to the Lumas.

If the player collects the first 120 Power Stars and battles Bowser again in his fortress, an extra scene is shown after the credits, revealing Rosalina and her Lumas in the Comet Observatory's Library. She has finished reading a story to them (possibly the events of the game itself) and plans on telling the Lumas a new story about the Green Stars. A new feature is then unlocked in which all the galaxies are visited by green Prankster Comets. From there, the player must hunt down all the Green Stars. When they are all collected (adding up to 240 Power Stars), the Grandmaster Galaxy is opened in World S. It houses the last two Power Stars, and when the last one is reached, Rosalina congratulates the player and appears on Starship Mario.

Gameplay elements

Mario on the deck of Starship Mario.

Mario near the Portal leading to World 4.

The gameplay is similar to Super Mario Galaxy, with a focus on platforming based on and around 3D planets of varying sizes and with many different types of surfaces. Power-ups, such as the Bee Mushroom, Boo Mushroom, Spring Mushroom, and Fire Flower make a return, along with new ones such as the Rock Mushroom and the Cloud Flower, as well as various enemies and Airships. Launch Stars reappear for interplanetary navigation, along with a Luma and Mario's spin action. Additionally, the concept of "dark matter" appears as the medium of which Cosmic Clones are composed, and as a portal through which Airships emerge. 2-D stages featured in Super Mario Galaxy are also included in Super Mario Galaxy 2, introducing many new features. The game has only three file slots to use, unlike the six files in the preceding game; also, files can no longer be copied.

Mario is controlled with the analog stick and can jump with the . The works just as the trigger did in Super Mario 64. The player uses it to make Mario crouch, do Somersaults, and do Long Jumps. The centers the camera behind Mario, while the can adjust the camera angle manually. By pressing the upper part of the , the player can enter a first-person perspective.

The game also uses the motion sensors in the Wii Remote. The pointer of the Remote appears as the Star Pointer on the screen. The Star Pointer is used to perform a variety of actions, such as using Pull Stars, manipulating Sling Pods, and collecting Star Bits. Shaking the Wii Remote or Nunchuk makes Mario perform a spin.

Luigi and Yoshi about to get a Blimp Fruit in Starshine Beach Galaxy.

One of the more notable additions in Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the inclusion of Yoshi. When Mario finds a Yoshi egg, he can crack it to release and use Yoshi. Yoshi changes colors when eating either a Dash Pepper, Blimp Fruit or Bulb Berry; a Dash Yoshi darts at rapid speeds, a Blimp Yoshi inflates and floats upwards, and a Bulb Yoshi lights up and shows hidden paths for a certain amount of time, respectively. When utilizing Yoshi, the player's Wii Remote cursor turns into a red sphere that detects targets for Yoshi's tongue. Using the cursor allows Yoshi to swallow enemies and swing from special flowers.

Elements from older games are also included in the new game. These elements include an arrangement of Super Mario Bros.'s "Ground BGM" (itself a slight variation of an arrangement used in Toy Time Galaxy from Super Mario Galaxy); Supermassive Galaxy, a galaxy that is reminiscent of Giant Land from Super Mario Bros. 3; an arrangement of "Athletic BGM" from Super Mario World; the Checkpoint Flag from New Super Mario Bros. Wii; Throwback Galaxy, a galaxy based on Whomp's Fortress from Super Mario 64; and arrangements of "Main Theme" and "Slider" from Super Mario 64.

Mario and Co-Star Luma on the underwater portion of Cosmic Cove Galaxy.

Like Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario Galaxy 2 features a main hub. For traveling between different galaxies, Mario uses a planet shaped like his head, Starship Mario. Starship Mario can be explored, much like the Comet Observatory, although it is smaller. The game has a total of 242 stars to collect, twice the number of stars found in Super Mario Galaxy, including 120 Power Stars, 120 Green Stars and an extra 2 Power Stars in Grandmaster Galaxy.

Multiplayer from the original Super Mario Galaxy reappears, but in addition to being another star pointer, the second player is a Co-Star Luma. The second player can stun enemies and pick up Star Bits like in Super Mario Galaxy, but now they can pick up coins (including Purple Coins) and mushrooms, defeat enemies by spinning, stop the Star Ball (while player 1 is riding on it), activate checkpoints, and flip switches.

Mario in the Cosmic Guide mode of Flip-Swap Galaxy.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 features ways to help players during gameplay similar to the Super Guide mode seen in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. In some levels, the player may watch the Tip Network, which is a short demonstration of Mario taking some actions to progress. Another way the game offers is the Cosmic Guide mode. If the player finds a very difficult obstacle on their way, an entity known as the Cosmic Spirit asks Mario if he needs some help. Activating this mode, Mario passes automatically through the level to find the Star. The player may stop this mode by pressing the , though once the player has chosen this mode, they finish a level by getting a Bronze Star instead of one gold. The player must play through the level without the Cosmic Guide to gain a gold Star.

Unlike in Super Mario Galaxy, the player can now switch between playing as Mario or playing as Luigi in certain levels. If the player clears Bowser's Galaxy Generator, Luigi can be played as in any level. Like in most Super Mario games, Luigi can jump higher but has reduced traction.

Controls

Action(s)	Input(s)
Mario and Luigi controls
Move
Spin, engage object, throw object, skate	Shake /
Kick	Make contact with stunned enemy
Jump, speak, read, swim
Double jump	when making contact with the ground while moving (repeat twice)
Triple jump	when making contact with the ground while moving (repeat thrice)
Backwards somersault	+
Wall jump	against a wall
Side somersault	(in reverse direction) +
Long jump	+ while running
Spin jump	Shake / in midair
Ground pound	in midair
Homing ground pound	Shake / + in midair
Grab or release pole	alongside a pole
Climb or slide down pole	(While grabbing pole) up or down
Spin around pole	(While grabbing pole) left or right
Crouch, dive underwater
Crawl	+
Sweep kick	+ shake /
Move camera
Enter first-person view
Reset camera
Roll the Star Ball, soar with Fluzzard	Tilt
Move leaf raft	Adjust
Yoshi controls
Move
Head shake	Shake /
Kick	Make contact with stunned enemy
Jump, speak, read, swim
Double jump	when making contact with the ground while moving (repeat twice)
Side somersault	(in reverse direction) +
Flutter jump	Hold in midair
Eat, spit, grapple	+
Pull	Hold + pull back with → release
Crouch
Crawl	+
Dismount Yoshi	+
Power-up controls
Create platform in Cloud form	Shake /
Roll into a boulder in Rock form	Shake /
Adjust trajectory in Rock form
Toss fireball in Fire form	Shake /
Hover in Bee form	Hold
Float in Boo form
Phase through walls in Boo form	Shake /
Bounce in Spring form	when colliding with the ground
Get a speed boost in Yoshi's Dash form	on a surface
Slow Yoshi's ascent in his Blimp form	Hold
Star Pointer and Co-Star Luma controls
Collect a Star Bit	Move over a Star Bit
Shoot a Star Bit	+
Rapidly shoot Star Bits	+ hold
Enter a Pull Star (P1 only)	+ hold
Fire cannon (P1 only)	+
Star spin ( only)	Shake
Stop an enemy ( only)	Move over an enemy + hold
Defeat an enemy ( only)	Shake while stopping an enemy
Collect item or activate object ( only)	+
Make a sound on P1's Wii Remote ( only)
Make a sound on P2's Wii Remote ( only)	/ / /