Dark matter



Dark Matter is an obstacle in Super Mario Galaxy, and its sequel Super Mario Galaxy 2, which appears in Bowser's Dark Matter Plant. It can be found in patches, and has a swirly, purple and black appearance to it. In its sequel, they are found rarely in the game. One of its two appearances was the Daredevil Run for Bowser Jr.'s Boom Bunker and the other was Purple Pond Planet from the Cloudy Court Galaxy. A Mattermouth will eat the Dark Matter away.

If Mario or Luigi touch any Dark Matter, they disintegrate and lose a life. Dark Matter can also burn holes in the ground that make Mario or Luigi lose a life should they fall into one.

Trivia

 * In reality, Dark Matter is a theoretical substance that takes up a significant portion of the universe and explains how galaxies move faster than they should in according to Kepler's third law of orbital motion. It does not emit nor absorb a significant level of radiation of any sort, making it difficult to detect.
 * It is possible to escape from Dark Matter in the level Luigi's Purple Coins in the Toy Time Galaxy. Sometimes, a Flip Tile can scoop the character out.