Hightail Falls Galaxy

"Climb fast!"

- Whittle

The Hightail Falls Galaxy is a galaxy that appears in Super Mario Galaxy 2 for the Wii. The bulk of the galaxy accommodates the use of the Dash Pepper, which transforms Yoshi into Dash Yoshi and allows him to scale walls and steep slopes; it is from this that the galaxy derives its name (the word "hightail" meaning "move quickly"). The background of this galaxy consists of several large waterfalls cascading over rocks.

On the Starting Planet, there is a small rope bridge, in the middle of which is a single Paragoomba. After crossing the bridge, Mario must crack a Yoshi Egg to release Yoshi. Mario and Yoshi must move up a near-vertical ramp by using a Dash Pepper to turn Yoshi into Dash Yoshi. After the ramp flattens out, there are a set of platforms that fall and then a second ramp, after which is a Launch Star.

This large ramp comprises the second planet of the galaxy. The planet itself has two main paths. If Mario takes the left path upward, he finds Penguru at the top, who advises Mario to collect as many Coins as possible; if Mario aims the camera to the left of Penguru, he can collect many Star Bits. The right path is shorter in length and easier to navigate, and ends with a Launch Star.

The Launch Star from the Giant Ramp Planet leads Mario to this planet, where Yoshi must incorporate the Dash Pepper's speed capabilities to quickly race across the falling platforms of the planet. Two different types of platforms exist here: solid, unmoving blocks, and grey, touch-sensitive plates. The latter will fall a short time after Mario and Yoshi have stepped on them. Few Coins litter the expanse, found only on touch-sensitive platforms. The mission's Teleporter is located here as well.

After Mario and Yoshi get past the Falling Platforms Planet, they end up on this planet. Yoshi must eat a Dash Pepper and run up the left ramp. After navigating the turns, along with the various pegs protruding from the surface, they end up on the other side, where there is a bridge that connects this planet to the Left Turn Slope Planet.

After crossing the bridge from the Double Slope Planet, Mario and Yoshi end up on this small, yet difficult, slope. To the right of the slope is a Hungry Luma who transforms into the Kleptoad Planet if fed thirty Coins. Yoshi needs to eat a Dash Pepper in front the slope to be able to run up it. There is one big moving platform and a sharp left turn at the top; the Comet Medal is located at this turn. After the two reach the other end, they must use the Flower Grapples to reach the U-Turn Slope Planet.

Once Mario and Yoshi cross the gap via Flower Grapples, they end up on this final slope. This slope proves challenging because Mario and Yoshi need to make a sharp U-turn at the top, and because there are many blocks that protrude from the slope and act as obstacles. The Power Star is located on top of a diamond-shaped block.

After feeding the Hungry Luma thirty Coins, it flies off into the distance and transforms into this planet. The planet is spherical and has a mixture of grassy and dirt terrain. The player must track down the Kleptoads that inhabit this planet in order to find five of them that are carrying one of five Silver Stars. After recovering all five Silver Stars, they turn into a Power Star.

Enemies

 * Paragoombas
 * Smeeches
 * Kleptoads

Hot-Stepping Dash Pepper
When Mario arrives on the Starting Planet, he has to get Yoshi out of the Yoshi Egg by jumping on it. Mario must then ride Yoshi to the Dash Pepper and have him eat it to turn into Dash Yoshi so they can cross the slope and use the Launch Star located at the end of it. After using it, Mario and Yoshi arrive at the Giant Ramp Planet, where they must again collect a Dash Pepper to traverse the slope. The Launch Star is located on a platform to the right. After the Launch Star blasts them off, Mario and Yoshi land on the Falling Platforms Planet. To get across, Yoshi has to eat a Dash Pepper again. The Launch Star can be found at the end of the planet.

After using it, Mario and Yoshi are led to the Double Slope Planet. Mario and Dash Yoshi must run across the slope to the other side while avoiding pegs. After crossing the bridge to the Left Turn Slope Planet, Mario and Dash Yoshi need to go up the slope and make a left turn at the top. After crossing a few Flower Grapples thereafter, Mario and Yoshi end up on the U-Turn Slope Planet, where Yoshi has to eat one more Dash Pepper. At the top of the planet, a sharp U-turn has to be made; the Power Star resides at the top right section of the bottom segment of the planet.


 * Planets visited
 * Starting Planet
 * Giant Ramp Planet
 * Falling Platforms Planet
 * Double Slope Planet
 * Left Turn Slope Planet
 * U-Turn Slope Planet


 * Enemies
 * Paragoombas


 * Names in other languages

Hightail Falls Speed Run
The player repeats the Hot-Stepping Dash Pepper mission. However, they only have three minutes to complete it. Falling Meteors present throughout the mission act as obstacles for Mario and Yoshi. As a result of the falling Meteors, pieces of platforms are missing and additional gaps are present. In this mission, Smeeches replace Paragoombas. The Speedy Comet must be in orbit in order to access this mission.


 * Planets visited
 * Starting Planet
 * Giant Ramp Planet
 * Falling Platforms Planet
 * Double Slope Planet
 * Left Turn Slope Planet
 * U-Turn Slope Planet


 * Enemies
 * Smeeches


 * Names in other languages

Silver Stars in Hightail Falls
The player repeats the Hot-Stepping Dash Pepper mission. However, they must collect thirty Coins to feed to the Hungry Luma located at the base of the Left Turn Slope Planet. After feeding the Hungry Luma the correct amount of Coins, it transforms into the Kleptoad Planet. On this planet, the player needs to collect five Silver Stars from multiple Kleptoads. Once the player has collected all five Silver Stars, the stars transform into the mission's Power Star.


 * Planets visited
 * Starting Planet
 * Giant Ramp Planet
 * Falling Platforms Planet
 * Double Slope Planet
 * Left Turn Slope Planet
 * Kleptoad Planet


 * Enemies
 * Paragoombas
 * Kleptoads


 * Names in other languages

Green Star 1
The player repeats the Hot-Stepping Dash Pepper mission. The Green Star is located on the top of the Giant Ramp Planet; in order for the player to reach the it, they must use Dash Yoshi. When running up the Giant Ramp Planet, the player needs to stay to the left, avoiding the obstacles and getting a second Dash Pepper to make it to the top.


 * Planets visited
 * Starting Planet
 * Giant Ramp Planet


 * Enemies
 * Paragoombas

Green Star 2
The player repeats the Hot-Stepping Dash Pepper mission. This time, they must make their way to the Left Turn Slope Planet. The player must use Dash Yoshi to get to the top of the slope. However, instead of making a left turn, the player must go out of boundaries on the top portion and Flutter Jump to the purple block. The Green Star is floating in the air on the right and must be obtained by using a Flutter Jump.


 * Planets visited
 * Starting Planet
 * Giant Ramp Planet
 * Falling Platforms Planet
 * Double Slope Planet
 * Left Turn Slope Planet


 * Enemies
 * Paragoombas

Green Star 3
The player repeats the Hot Stepping Dash Pepper mission. They must make their way to the Left Turn Slope Planet once again. However, they need to use Dash Yoshi to reach the end of the planet and the area with the Flower Grapples. The Green Star is floating in the air to the right of the Flower Grapples. The player has to climb to the top of the grapples and execute a perfectly-timed Flutter Jump to obtain the Green Star (or Flutter Jump and then jump off Yoshi).


 * Planets visited
 * Starting Planet
 * Giant Ramp Planet
 * Falling Platforms Planet
 * Double Slope Planet
 * Left Turn Slope Planet


 * Enemies
 * Paragoombas

Music
The music is a remix of the athletic theme from Super Mario World.

Trivia

 * The music heard in the galaxy is an orchestrated arrangement of the athletic theme from Super Mario World for the SNES.

Riesenwasserfall-Galaxie