Super Mario Galaxy

Super Mario Galaxy controls essentially like Super Mario 64, with the addition of a spin mechanic, which is performed by shaking the Wii Remote. Spinning Mario not only produces an effective all-purpose attack, but is also used to activate certain level design features, launch from star catapults, provide a quick boost of speed underwater, and more. The game makes intelligent use of gravity, providing each celestial body in the game with a different gravity field of various strengths, allowing Mario to physically jump from one planet to the next in certain situations. Galaxy also makes the series' first use of a live orchestral soundtrack. Specific elements of gameplay are detailed below.

Black Holes

A new gameplay mechanic, Black Holes force Mario or Luigi's death where it may otherwise seem they would be able to live, particularly when falling into spaces at the center of planetoids and other planet-like platforms and objects. Black Holes also exist in the larger traditional levels so that players who fall of the edge do not fall aimlessly into space for eternity.

Coins

Coins in Super Mario Galaxy take a back seat to Star Bits as the main currency in the game, but do have several uses. Most importantly, coins restore lost health and fill up the air meter when underwater as they did in previous 3D Mario games. Coins no longer earn Stars and are not tracked as a major statistic by the game. Collecting 50 Coins earns a 1-UP. There are also purple coins that, when collected in a certain level, gives you a Power Star. These are missions given by comets and are considered one of the most challenging aspects of the game.

Co-Star Mode

Co-Star Mode allows a second player to cooperatively interact with Star Bits, enemies, and Mario and Luigi in the main single player game. Star Bits can be collected by the second player using the Star Cursor, and then shot at enemies and Mario or Luigi to stun them momentarily. Star Bits will also affect some platform elements in the game, such as rotating yellow tiles and disappearing green tiles that appear in several levels.

Ground Pound

Similar to previous games, Mario and Luigi can use the Ground Pound move to kill or stun most enemies, trigger switches, break blocks, and hasten death when falling a great distance. Performing a Ground Pound while in the middle of a mid-air Spin Attack performs a homing Super Ground Pound on the nearest enemy.

Health Meter

Mario and Luigi's health meter is segmented into three equal parts by default. When the player touches an enemy, lava, fire, or steam, one segment of the health meter is deducted. Standing in freezing water or staying underwater after the air meter is depleted deducts one health segment every few seconds until the players health is depleted entirely. Coins replenish the health meter, one coin for each segment.

There is a power up available in some levels that increase the health meter's segments to a total of six. When this enhanced health meter has been depleted to three remaining segments, the health meter returns to its default state of three segments.

Object Grabbing

Another new move for Mario and Luigi, some objects can be grabbed using the Star Cursor in context-sensitive situations. The Star Cursor can be placed over some objects or enemies which will turn it into a miniature depiction of Mario's gloved-hand, and the player can then press 'A' to grab the object. These objects include Pull Stars, Sling Pods, and the Bomb Boos enemies from the Bouldergeist boss battle in the Ghostly Galaxy.

Power-Up Forms

• Bee Mario: With a Bee Mushroom, Mario can fly by holding down the A Button so long as his Flight Meter still has power. Bee Mario can also climb on honeycomb walls and is light enough to walk on clouds, but water will turn him back to normal.
• Boo Mario: A special Boo Mushroom will transform Mario into Boo Mario. Mario can float and hover as a Boo, and by shaking the Wii Remote, he turns invisible, allowing him to pass through certain things in the environment. Light will revert Mario to his normal state.
• Fire Mario: When Mario gets a Fire Flower, he will transform into Fire Mario. By shaking the Wii Remote, he shoots fireballs that attack enemies and light torches. The transformation is time-limited, though.
• Ice Mario: Using an Ice Flower, Mario becomes Ice Mario. As Mario touches water, it becomes a hexagon of ice beneath his feet, allowing him to effectively walk and skate on the water. Like Fire Mario, it is time-limited.
• Spring Mario: With a special Spring Mushroom, Mario is encased in a coil of springs. If A is pressed right as one end of him hits the ground, he will do an incredibly high jump. Spring Mario is also weak to water, and the power-up disappears when he uses a Launch Star.
• Rainbow Mario: After collecting a classic Starman, Mario's color will change rapidly. He'll become invincible to all damage except the instant-death kind, and can destroy enemies and objects just by touching them. This power-up is very time-limited.
• Flying Mario: After unlocking and collecting the Red Starman, Mario's color scheme will change, and by jumping into midair and shaking the Remote, he can fly as if he was swimming while holding a turtle shell. This transformation is also time-limited, but does last for a considerable amount of time.

Pull Star

Pull Stars are small objects that appear in some levels and enable Mario and Luigi to navigate through large stretches of open space from one point to another. Placing the Star Cursor directly over them and pressing and holding the 'A' button appropriately pulls the player towards the Pull Star. Additional Pull Stars are usually near by, and can be used in succession to move the player to the nearest platform or landmass.

Moving the Star Cursor too far away from the Pull Star while hold 'A' or letting go of the 'A' button will allow the player to drop back to the nearest gravity source or will drop them into the black hole below to their death if no gravity source is nearby.

Sling Star

Comparable to an un-aimable cannon, Sling Stars shoot Mario and Luigi varying distances throughout a level, most often used to move from the many small planetoids than make up the non-traditional levels. Sling Stars are enabled by jumping into the middle of them, and then performing a Spin Attack manuevre.

Sling Pod

Sling Pods are large, sticky, elastic grey hands located primarily in the Sling Pod galaxy. They work like a sling shot and are used via Mario and Luigi's context sensitive grab mechanic to aim and shoot the player from one point to another.

Spin Attack

New to Mario 3D platformers, the spin attack adds several signifigant gameplay strategies. Through a quick lateral flick of the Wii remote, players can stun enemies and send them spinning (running into, jumping onto, or ground stomping on them then kills), activate Sling Stars, pull-in nearby coins and Star Bits, and extend jumps mid-air to collect coins from dangerous or high places, and save ones-self from falling undesirably.

Stars

There are a total of 121 unique Stars that are earned by completing objectives within each galaxy. Most objectives are met by reaching a goal point set at the end of an obstacle ridden-path or by collecting 100 Purple Coins. Unlike Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine, collecting 100 Coins is not rewarded with a Star.

Collecting 120 Stars with Mario unlocks Luigi as a second playable character. Collecting 120 stars with Luigi unlocks the Grand Finale Galaxy on the Planet of Trials, which contains the 121st star. This final star can be collected by both Mario and Luigi, making the total number of possible stars on a game save 242. A picture and congratulatory note is sent as reward to the player's Wii Message Board after collecting the 121st star. While the note is the same, collecting the star with Mario and Luigi earns unique pictures.