Rainbow Mario

Rainbow Mario is a form of Mario that appears in Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2. Mario can reach this form by obtaining a Rainbow Star. It makes Mario invincible, much like the Super Star, but the effects of the Rainbow Star are more extensive and longer-lasting than those of a Super Star, and Mario can break through certain objects. However, he earns Star Bits by defeating enemies instead of extra lives, and he cannot combine this power-up with any other power-up; if Mario touches one while invincible, the other item will be kicked off-screen. As Rainbow Mario runs, he changes colors (but in Super Mario Galaxy 2, Mario and Luigi just turn red), and leaves a rainbow-colored afterimage trail behind him. The music as well as Mario himself increases in speed while in use, making Mario harder to control until it runs out. Rainbow Mario's theme is a re-orchestration of the Super Star theme, with the same melody heard from Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and Super Mario 64. Rainbow Mario's theme in Super Mario Galaxy 2 is slightly changed from its predecessor.

The artwork for Rainbow Mario is similar to Invincible Mario's artwork; Mario's poses in both artworks are identical, though he faces a different direction in each artwork.