Star Piece Cluster

Star Piece Clusters are semi-common items that consist of big blue Star Bits with spiky white crystal structures in them in Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2. They appear more often in Super Mario Galaxy 2 than in its predecessor. They are most commonly seen floating in space directly in the path of a Launch Star. When Mario or Luigi flies through the path, he smashes right through the Star Piece Cluster, releasing multiple separate Star Bits that circle around him and can be collected with the Star Pointer until he lands on the next planet.

In Super Mario Galaxy 2, Star Piece Cluster Rocks can sometimes be found floating just above the ground, though this is extremely rare, as this happens only during one mission in the Melty Monster Galaxy. In this mission, the Star Piece Cluster Rocks will be destroyed if they are hit by Rock Mario or Rock Luigi. For some reason, Star Piece Cluster Rocks produce only four Star Bits when broken. These clusters can also be broken by the Co-Star Luma's spin.

It is also possible to break a Star Piece Cluster by using Mario or Luigi's Star-Spin. To do this, he must go to the Cloudy Court Galaxy, choose the first mission, grab a Cloud Flower, and traverse through until he reaches the highest cymbal next to the Launch Star while having one carrying three clouds. At this point, there is a Star Piece Cluster in the Launch Star's path. The player must try to reach the Star Piece Cluster by creating clouds at the peak of their backward somersaults towards the Star Crystal. Even though the jumps may not be high enough, the last backward somersault can reach the Star Piece Cluster. At the peak of the last somersault, the player must star-spin at the Star Piece Cluster; the Star Piece Cluster breaks and Star Bits follow the player.

Three Star Piece Clusters also appear on the World Map: one near the end of World 1, and two at the beginning of World 2. The player can maneuver Starship Mario into these Star Piece Clusters in order to break them and release the Star Bits inside. These Star Piece Clusters appear to have a spiky yellow crystal inside them, and they release eight Star Bits when broken.