This page contains speed strategies for individual stars in Super Mario Galaxy. For each galaxy, stars are listed in the same order as on the galaxy's star select screen.

Terrace

Good Egg Galaxy

• Entry requirement: 1 star

1. Dino Piranha:
   • Possible strats for the beginning after landing into the Galaxy Video:
     • Run down-left and triple jump into the path leading to the Launch Star.
     • Run down, triple jump towards the tower, and use wall-jumps to climb to the top.
     • Long jump up-left and follow the path to the Launch Star.
   • Skip the Luma near the start by long jumping as you reach the top of the castle wall. This only saves around a second, though.
   • Skip defeating the small red piranha plant: triple-jump off of the gray platform that the blue electrogoomba is on, and you'll be pulled to the next planet.
   • Skip defeating the large purple piranha plant: do a high jump over the boulder generator to get pulled to the next planet. A backflip from the top of the boulder generator is easiest, but a triple jump from the ground near the boulder generator works too.
2. A Snack of Cosmic Proportions (100 star bits):
   • Use a triple jump to skip the blue Luma/pull stars. (Video to be added.) Also can be done using a Homing Jump Boost off of the yellow Luma, which is easier. Video
   • Instead of collecting the pull star bits on the last platform, just long jump into the center to collect the star.
3. King Kaliente's Battle Fleet:
   • Get on the roof early. There are various jump methods to do this, but the fastest way is probably a triple jump.
   • Skip defeating the spiky plant: do a triple jump off of the ground next to the plant, and you'll be pulled to the next planet.
   • Skip defeating the coconut-spitting electrogoombas (risky): long jump between the railings of the two ships.
4. Dino Piranha Speed Run: Functionally the same as the Dino Piranha level.
5. Purple Coin Omelet:
6. Luigi on the Roof: Get on the roof early. The fastest star in the game.

Honeyhive Galaxy

• Entry requirement: 3 stars

1. Bee Mario Takes Flight:
   • Skip almost the entire level (may be impractical for single-segment): head to the place where the first launch star is in "Trouble on the Tower" (see the notes on this star about how to get there). There are two wooden structures there. Stand on one of the structures, then do a backflip and a wall jump off of the side of the tree to get on top of the tree. Climb up the slope of the tree with jumps and spins (read about Slope Climbing), then slide down toward the other tree on the left. Double jump from the edge, then when you're near the other tree, spin, wall jump, and spin to make it on top. Finally, climb the slope to reach the Toad Brigade. Video
     • There are two other ways to cross the gap between the two trees. One way is a single jump instead of a double jump; this method gives less distance but may be easier to set up. Another way is to slide off of the first tree, spin, and wall jump off of the side of the first tree; this has only been tried with Luigi, but might work for Mario as well. Video
   • If not using the above trick, take a shortcut to the slide area near the first launch star. From the start of the level, head to the fountain, then jump over the fence on the right. Video
2. Trouble on the Tower:
   • Getting to the first launch star: from the start, go left, and use spins to get up the slope. Then, use a triple jump or backflip to get onto the platform above. From here, there are three methods of interest to get to the launch star. The third method (the waterfall jump) is the fastest and most difficult.
     • Take the normal route, but skip the first switch with a long jump, and the second switch with a backflip and wall jump. Unlike the next two paths, this path cannot be used in the episode "Bee Mario Takes Flight".
     • Don't go toward the bridge switch, but instead go right, and do a backflip or triple jump followed by a wall jump to reach the upper ledge. Go left and use spins to get up the grassy slope. After getting up the slope, use a backflip and wall jump to get to the upper area, then long jump to the launch star.
     • Go right and reach the upper ledge, then head right toward the waterfall. Go behind the waterfall, stand near the edge, and face the wall. Do a backflip and veer backward in the air to avoid hitting the ceiling, then veer forward toward the wall and spin. Then use a wall jump to reach the top of the waterfall. The tricky part is hitting a good spot of the wall so you can wall jump off of it.
   • Skip having to climb the windmill by falling straight onto the top of it. Method 1: after the launch star, head to the second planet and then triple jump near the bottom (next to the sling star), then spin and fall to the windmill tower (Video). Method 2: after the launch star, head to the bottom of the third planet, do a backflip or triple jump followed by a wall jump against the tree-trunk-shaped structure, then spin and fall to the windmill tower Video.
3. Big Bad Bugaboom
4. Honeyhive Cosmic Mario Race:
   • Jump off the fence near the fountain to land on the lower ledge.
   • A faster but riskier strat is to go straight from the start of the race to a small pond past a short wall. Go to the right of this pond, fall of the ledge, and spin backwards to reach the Star. Video 1 Video 2 (Second method might not be possible with Mario.)
5. The Honeyhive's Purple Coins:
6. Luigi in the Honeyhive Kingdom (requires completing Battlerock Galaxy's "Luigi Under the Saucer"): Spin repeatedly up the yellow slope, then use a triple jump + wall kick + spin to reach the upper ledge.

Loopdeeloop Galaxy

• Entry requirement: 5 stars

1. Surfing 101 55:61

Flipswitch Galaxy

• Entry requirement: 7 stars

1. Painting the Planet Yellow: The timing of the moving elements depends on whether you skip the cutscenes.
   • If you don't skip the cutscenes, here is one fast route: color three panels on the top face, color the right face, long jump to the left face, and then color the rest of the top face.
   • If cutscenes are skipped, it may be better to go to the left face before the right face, and then long jump to the right face.

Sweet Sweet Galaxy

• Location: Comet Observatory - Hungry Luma outside Terrace
• Entry requirement: 7 stars + 400 star bits

1. Rocky Road

Bowser Jr.'s Robot Reactor

• Entry requirement: 8 stars

1. Megaleg's Moon:
   • Skip the launch star: triple jump from the top of one of the cages or platforms on the first planet. If you find a good spot, you can be pulled into the gravity of Megaleg's planet. Two places that it works at are the starting platform and the launch star cage. After landing at Megaleg's planet, stand near the red octagon on the floor to trigger the cutscene and start the battle.
   • Backflip over the fence on Megaleg's head and lure a Bullet Bill directly to the Grand Star to skip a hit.

Fountain

Space Junk Galaxy

• Entry requirement: 9 stars

1. Pull Star Path:
   • In the first Pull Star section, use the second-to-last Pull Star (before the Star Chips) to get some momentum towards the top of the screen. Press Z or shake the Wiimote to cancel the Pull Star while holding down on the analog stick. With enough momentum, you can fall to one of the large Pull Star orbs after the space ship. Video
   • During the asteroid part, you can go over an asteroid by grabbing the 2nd, 4th and 6th pull star.
   • Skip rescuing the Toad Brigade by backflipping from atop a Question Block and bouncing off a Scuttle Bug (spider). video
2. Kamella's Airship Attack:
   • Skip the fire-spitting electrogoombas (may be risky): Two methods. (1) Long jump across, and try to grab or land on the tiny ledge that's just to the side of the bridge. YouTube video. (2) Jump toward an electrogoomba with good timing so that you get hit by a fireball, then steer yourself over the electrogoomba and onto the ship.
   • When Kamella is charging up a fire shot, spin against her to cancel the shot. Also, spin near a mid-air green shot to turn it into a shell immediately.
3. Tarantox's Tangled Web:
   • Enter the glass sphere's launch star from above: stand on the glass sphere over where the launch star is, then while spinning, crouch and un-crouch. A reliable way to do this is to move around while repeatedly spinning and tapping Z. If you did it right, you should be pulled into the launch star.
   • Skip the first sling pod and the purple Toad with a long jump to the next planet. On the rocket, skip the next sling pod with a triple jump. YouTube video.
   • You can hit Tarantox's face to stun it for a few seconds. This is an especially good idea for the second phase of the fight. Also note that you can launch the Toad into Tarantox.
4. Pull Star Path Speed Run: Functionally the same as the Pull Star Path level.
5. Purple Coin Spacewalk: 1:28 left on timer
6. Yoshi's Unexpected Appearance (50 star bits): You can get 50 star bits without entering the glass sphere. On the planet with the spiders and crystals, you can stand at a certain spot and angle and press Up on the Control Pad to look toward a distant rocket and three pull-star spheres. You can then collect about 10 star bits from the spheres and the shooting stars that fall down to the rocket.

Battlerock Galaxy

• Entry requirement: 12 stars

1. Battlerock Barrage:
   • Skip the blue star chips by triple jumping up to the launch star.
   • After the launch star, skip the purple spring enemy and use a triple jump up to the next saucer instead. This only saves 1-2 seconds, though.
2. Breaking into the Battlerock: Inside the battlerock, destroy the ice and enter the launch star in one shot. The launch star always appears in the middle of the room, so just make sure to break the ice in the middle.
3. Topmaniac and the Topman Tribe:
   • Near the beginning, there is a saucer that moves through a field of spike bombs toward another saucer. You can do a triple jump near the side of the moving saucer to get to the destination saucer early.
   • Note that you can shoot star bits at the Topmen to push them, but it's more difficult to push them in a particular direction this way.
   • In the 2-D section, get up to the area with the crushers early. The fastest way is probably a triple jump and wall jump, but the easiest way is to get hit by the firebar so that you're boosted upward. (Video to be added.)
4. Topmaniac's Daredevil Run:
5. Purple Coins on the Battlerock:
6. Battlerock's Garbage Dump (30 star bits):
   • A possible star bit strategy: collect 16 star bits under the saucers at the start; you can collect these while waiting for the bomb to break the launch star's cage. At the planet with the chomps, go to the bomb generator, and defeat two chomps with bombs. A bomb will explode upon contact with a chomp. Each chomp will yield 9 star bits, so this strategy yields 34 star bits.
   • You can clear the garbage dump minigame with 4 bombs. (Example: near-left and near-right, blow up 4 piles in diamond formations. Far-right, blow up 4 piles. Far-left, blow up just 3 piles.) Also, note that you can hold a lit bomb next to a non-lit bomb to light it.
7. Luigi under the Saucer (requires completing Good Egg Galaxy's "Luigi on the Roof"): See the notes on "Battlerock Barrage".

Rolling Green Galaxy

• Entry requirement: 11 stars

1. Rolling in the Clouds:
   • Risky shortcut after the first jump between platforms: roll approximately to the left (find the correct angle by experimenting), jump over the side of the platform, and land on the rails below. There may be easier variations of this shortcut, but this is probably the fastest way.
   • After the stone bridge, there's a choice of paths; take the right one instead of the left.

Hurry-Scurry Galaxy

• Entry requirement: 18 stars

1. Shrinking Satellite

Sling Pod Galaxy

• Location: Comet Observatory - Hungry Luma outside Fountain
• Entry requirement: Complete Space Junk Galaxy #3 - "Tarantox's Tangled Web" + 400 star bits

1. A Very Sticky Situation

Bowser's Star Reactor

• Entry requirement: 15 stars

1. The Fiery Stronghold:
   • After the first thwomp, long jump over the green platform to land in the gravity arrow section directly. If you spin for maximum distance, you can land one or two steps up, or possibly even reach the gravity arrows that point to the ceiling.
   • After the gravity arrow section, backflip off of the yellow platform to reach the firebar platform early (instead of waiting for the yellow platform to move all the way). This way, it's possible to pass the last thwomp without waiting.
   • On the crumbling staircase, use a long jump to reach Bowser's platform more quickly, skipping a few stairs.
   • If you spin against Bowser's face, you can interrupt his shockwave/fireball pattern and make him start his stomping pattern immediately.
     • When you do this, you'll get knocked back and stunned and won't be able to move before Bowser aims his first stomp. If you get knocked down directly onto the breakable blue glass, though, you can save as much time as possible. This can be tricky when Bowser is standing on the blue glass to begin with (as he will on hits 2 and 3). Approach Bowser head-on, then do a short hop and try to spin at the right time to get knocked down onto the blue glass.

Kitchen

Beach Bowl Galaxy

• Entry requirement: 16 stars

1. Sunken Treasure:
   • Triple jump + spin onto the top of the palm tree to skip collecting the star launcher pieces. Use another triple jump + wall kick + spin to land on the upper ledge. Video
   • Then, three methods of interest to get up to the star crystal, in order from fastest to slowest:
     • Take a direct line to the star and use a triple jump followed by a wall jump or edge hop to land on the star platform.
     • Triple jump up to the "lip" over the waterfall, then jump up from there onto the star platform. Video
     • Head to the other side of the upper area where the land is higher, then triple jump or backflip + wall jump up to the star platform.
2. Passing the Swim Test
3. The Secret Undersea Cavern:
   • From the start of the cyclone stone, either (a) long jump to the path on the right (0:48 in this video), or (b) long jump forwards and long jump to the bar-shaped moving platforms (Video). You might pick one method or the other, depending on the timing of the platforms and Tox Boxes.
   • Later on the cyclone stone, instead of going through the long, clockwise path to the star, take a shortcut jump directly to the star platform. Before the clockwise path starts, jump on the raised land on the corner and do a northwest long jump directly toward the star platform, followed by a wall jump to get on the platform. (For videos, see the previous point about the start of the cyclone stone.)
4. Fast Foes on the Cyclone Stone: See "The Secret Undersea Cavern". Timing of platforms and Tox Boxes will be different.
5. Beachcombing for Purple Coins:
6. Wall Jumping up Waterfalls: After landing on the waterfall planet, grab the ? coin with a triple jump.

Ghostly Galaxy

• Entry requirement: 20 stars

1. Luigi and the Haunted Mansion:
   • After the first launch star, break the rock spire on the right to reveal a rainbow star. Grab it, run to the mansion, and use your invincibility to defeat the portrait Boo. (Spin near the portrait to reveal the Boo immediately.)
   • Skip the first room of the mansion Luigi is in: walk through the gap in the railing in front of the door, then fall while veering toward the camera. Grab the pull star before it goes off-camera. You'll go up and you'll hit the underside of the platform; keep holding the pull star as this happens. After hitting the platform, let go of the pull star at the right moment, and you'll float at an upward angle and go through the mansion wall. Spin to get out of the pull star bubble, and you should be in the room with the second Boo mushroom.
2. A Very Spooky Sprint:
   • Cut to the left of the first set of meat obstacles by getting good momentum from a pull star. After the second set of meat obstacles, use the sling star. At the mine field near the end, stay to the right to find a pull star path which is relatively mine-free.
   • Video: 37:xx
3. Beware of Bouldergeist:
   • At the start of the first sling pod area, use a triple jump on the steps to reach a higher ledge early. Triple jump shortcut Video
   • Skip collecting star chips on the second wall (may be very difficult). Use the upper-left sling pod to launch toward the hole-filled sphere, and land on the edge of one of the holes. Then do your best to long jump over to the launch star. Video
   • Bouldergeist fight strategies:
     • You can shoot star bits at the rocks to break them. If you shoot the black rocks, you can release and use the Bomb Boos early.
     • See MOKURENN's Part 44 for more boss ideas.
4. Bouldergeist's Daredevil Run: A possible consistent strategy: run in a close clockwise circle around Bouldergeist's head, and simply spin when a black rock hits the ground. This allows you to use the Bomb Boo as soon as it appears, so there's no risk of losing the Boo to the gray rocks, and the Boo should always go directly toward Bouldergeist's head. If you keep running, you should dodge the gray rocks.
5. Purple Coins in the Bone Pen: See MOKURENN's Part 43
6. Matter Splatter Mansion:
   • Skip the first key: touch the flame to boost yourself over the door, or simply go around the door with a jump and spin.
   • After that, take a shortcut to the main vertical chamber. There are at least two methods of interest:
     • Skip the ? coin and simply long jump to the right to make it to the doorway.
     • Grab the ? coin and follow the moving floor. Long jump to the right as soon as the moving floor has gone past the second ? block. You should land at the vertical chamber. This is slower but easier than the previous method.
   • In the vertical chamber, after the second-highest floor materializes, do a triple jump toward the ledge in front of the star's door, then wall jump off of the side of ledge and land on the ledge. Then jump out to get the ? coin, and claim the star once the door opens.
   • The invisible doors leading up to the Star are always solid. You can wall jump off the front or sides of them and land on top. Use these doors as platforms to jump up to the Star without waiting for the auto-scroller to complete. (Video 1, Video 2)

Bubble Breeze Galaxy

• Entry requirement: 19 stars

1. Through the Poison Swamp: Skip almost all of the second half of the level. Video

Buoy Base Galaxy

• Entry requirement: 30 stars + Complete Beach Bowl Galaxy #1 - "Sunken Treasure"

1. The Floating Fortress
2. The Secret of Buoy Base:

Drip Drop Galaxy

• Location: Comet Observatory - Hungry Luma outside Kitchen
• Entry requirement: Complete Beach Bowl Galaxy #1 - "Sunken Treasure" + 600 star bits

1. Giant Eel Outbreak

Bowser Jr.'s Airship Armada

• Entry requirement: 23 stars

1. Sinking the Airships:
   • Use the first ship's cannon to aim for the third ship (on the left). It is also possible to shoot directly to the switch-activated boat with precise aiming: Video. For this cannon shot, try to line up the top edge of the lower crosshair with the top of the boat.
   • In the Bowser Jr. fight, after getting 3 hits in, quickly grab another shell before the cutscene begins. After the cutscene, you will still have the shell in hand, so throw it immediately for the 4th hit.

Bedroom

Gusty Garden Galaxy

• Entry requirement: 24 stars

1. Bunnies in the Wind: Ride the third Floaty Fluff to the planet that has a purple piranha plant and a 1-up. From there, triple jump or use the vine on the bottom of the planet to get to the other purple piranha plant, which you must defeat to get the launch star.
2. The Dirty Tricks of Major Burrows: At the apple planets, skip the third worm by triple jumping up to the launch star.
3. Gusty Garden's Gravity Scramble: three methods of interest for the last part, in order of fastest to slowest:
   • Hit the first gravity arrow, then wall jump back up onto the block you were standing on. Backflip onto one of the moving blocks behind you, then do a long jump roughly to the right. Hopefully you'll manage to land at the cannon area (the cannons will be turned off). Video.
   • Hit the first gravity arrow and fall down. From the block with the second gravity arrow, do a long jump to the right, then wall jump off of a block to get up. You'll be in the middle of the cannon area; the cannons will be turned off. Video.
   • Hit the first gravity arrow, fall down, then go past the second gravity arrow and long jump north over the gap, landing on a cylinder shaped platform. Fall to the gravity arrow on the side and spin the arrow with good timing. You'll land at the start of the cannon area, but the cannons will be firing.
4. Major Burrows's Daredevil Run:
5. Purple Coins on the Puzzle Cube:
6. The Golden Chomp

Freezeflame Galaxy

• Entry requirement: 26 stars

1. The Frozen Peak of Baron Brrr: Take the wall-jumping shortcut to the left in the first icy water section.
2. Freezeflame's Blistering Core:
   • From the start of the lava area, go forward and then right to the two tall structures with torches in front of them. Get on top of one of these structures with a triple jump and wall jump, or a backflip from the top of a torch followed by a wall jump. Then long jump toward the platform on the ceiling, and the gravity will flip so you can land on the platform. First part of this video.
   • From the previous trick, go forward and then head to the place on the right with the ? block. Run to the right edge and long jump off to the right. The gravity will flip, and you'll be able to land in front of the last part of the level with the moving platforms. Video.
   • At the last part, grab the fire flower and then long jump toward the right torch. Land on the lava and then land at the spot behind the torch to recover. From there, shoot fireballs at the two torches to reveal the star. Third part of this video.
3. Hot and Cold Collide:
   • At the first part, do a long jump, backflip, or ice skating jump backwards to reach the first launch star directly.
   • You can get in the cage with the fire flower with a triple jump or a backflip and wall jump. (Note that you can ground-pound the item crystal to break it.) You can then get out with a backflip and wall jump.
4. Frosty Cosmic Mario Race: Use ice-skating long jumps for shortcuts.
5. Purple Coins on the Summit:
6. Conquering the Summit:
   • After launching to the ice mountain planet, get to the first sling star without the ice flower by spinning up a slope. Video.
   • After the second sling star, use a backflip and wall jump up for a large shortcut. Then backflip onto the snowman, and backflip and wall jump up to the next area. Finally, use another backflip and wall jump to skip the part with the pushing walls.
   • Video of a 1'41" speedrun

Dusty Dune Galaxy

• Entry requirement: 29 stars

1. Soaring on the Desert Winds: Before the star, there is a glass wall covering three vertical corridors: normally, you go up the left one, down the middle one, and up the right one to get to the star. For a shortcut, go up the left corridor, stand on the divider between the left and middle corridors, and do a backflip followed by a wall jump off of the middle/right divider. You can land on the divider or on one of the retracting red platforms, then you can jump up to the shifting sand where the star is.
2. Blasting through the Sand:
   • At the beginning, defeat the 5 pokey heads with one spin by luring them all to the center of the platform. Then, when the big pokey's flower appears on the sand, ground pound the center of the flower to make the pokey pop out immediately.
   • Near the end, reach the ground-pound switch early by long jumping from the top of the Thwomp. Video
3. Sunbaked Sand Castle
   • The Star Chips on the second planet can be skipped. There are two different ways to do this skip depending on whether 2P co-op is used or not:
     • 1P Video: After ground-pounding the switch, position yourself near the Koopa Troopa. Once the planet descends almost to its lowest point, do a homing ground-pound off the Koopa Troopa. The ground-pound should be aimed in the direction of the next planet, and you should ideally land on one of the protrusions on the rim of the planet. (If you miss the protrusion, you can use slope jumps along the rim to get yourself there.) Once you land on the rim, long-jump towards the next planet. When you get stuck on the boundary between the upper and lower gravity, you can use alternating spins and ground-pounds to gradually get closer to the planet.
     • 2P Video: If the Koopa Troopa and a Dry Bones are lined up right, you can get an extra bounce off the Dry Bones after ground-pounding off the Koopa Troopa. This requires using the 2P pointer to hold the Dry Bones in place to prevent it from descending with the planet after ground-pounding the switch. With the extra bounce off the Dry Bones, you can do the homing ground-pound while the planet is positioned higher. The higher position allows you to long-jump from the rim to the next planet without getting caught in the boundary between the upper and lower gravity.
4. Sandblast Speed Run: The Thwomp trick cannot be used in this version of the star.
5. Purple Coins in the Desert:
6. Bullet Bill on Your Back
   • The Star Chips can be skipped in the same way as in Sunbaked Sand Castle.
7. Treasure of the Pyramid (20 star bits): Inside the pyramid, use backflips to get over the walls. See MOKURENN's Part 42.

Honeyclimb Galaxy

• Entry requirement: 42 stars

1. Scaling the Sticky Wall: See MOKURENN's Part ??

Bigmouth Galaxy

• Location: Comet Observatory - Hungry Luma outside Bedroom
• Entry requirement: Complete Dusty Dune Galaxy #1 - "Soaring on the Desert Winds" + 800 star bits

1. Bigmouth's Gold Bait: To access the higher body of water (with the gold shell) early, swim to the surface of the lower body, then use a spin to leap out of the water + wall kick. This skips collecting the star chips on the ocean floor.

Bowser's Dark Matter Plant

• Entry requirement: 33 stars

1. Darkness on the Horizon
   • Some shortcuts can be taken on the section with the gravity arrows and moving platforms. See Paraxade's Video (4:45 - 5:16).
   • After the group of 4 square, yellow platforms and just before a 1 Up Mushroom in a crystal, long jump to the right to get behind the wall of the second 2D section of the Galaxy. You should be able to clip through the back wall and land on one of the platforms in the foreground. Video
   • In the last part of the level with the frozen Lumas and green/white checkerboard paths, use backflips or sideflips to avoid saving the Lumas. Video

Engine Room

Gold Leaf Galaxy

• Entry requirement: 34 stars

1. Star Bunnies on the Hunt:
   • Clockwise route: after getting the star chip from the crate, use a triple jump followed by a wall jump to get up to the higher ledge on the right. Video
   • Counter-clockwise route: use the flower next to the start to get up the slope, then use a triple jump to get up to the ledge with the trampoline and star chip. After getting the star chip from the crate, use a backflip or triple jump to get up to the slightly higher ledge on the left.
2. Cataquack to the Skies:
   • Get up to the first launch star from below: use the cataquack or a triple jump followed by a wall jump to get up to the launch star.
   • After landing from the first launch star, use a triple jump instead of a cataquack to get pulled to the grass cube planet.
   • After that, a (more difficult) triple jump can take you to the zigzag-shaped planet: after landing on the grass cube planet, run toward the side with the cataquack picture on the ground and start a triple jump. Your third jump should be done from the grass on the side that has the cataquack picture. Video
   • For the last planet, a standard method is to get the Bee Mushroom (preferably with a triple jump), use the cataquack to boost yourself up to the wood block tower, and then use the flowers to reach the star. However, there are two faster methods of interest:
     • Get the Bee Mushroom and return to the planet's starting platform. From there, fly up onto one of the flowers before the star, then fly to the star. This method has only been done with Luigi so far.
     • Skip the Bee Mushroom, and use a triple jump or cataquack boost followed by a wall jump to get onto the wood block tower. Then get across the flowers in a continuous chain of long jumps to reach the star. This method involves very difficult timing, but appears to be possible for both Mario and Luigi.
3. When it Rains, it Pours:
   • Take a shortcut straight to the beginning of the tower: get onto the higher ledge over the boulder generator, then go over to the large tree in the back. The camera should turn the other way when you get close to the tree; position yourself behind the tree, so that you can only see your shadow through the tree. Now do a backflip and a wall jump off of the tree, then a (difficult) wall jump off of the wooden platform to get up. Video 1, Video 2
     • Alternative method: do a triple jump and a single wall jump off of the tree, and you can barely make it up to the wooden platform if your wall-jump angle was good.
   • Tower climbing shortcuts: after using the swing to get onto the tower, head left and do a triple jump or a backflip and wall jump to get to the higher ledge. Then backflip right and wall jump off of the railing to get onto the trampoline platform. Ground-pound the trampoline, veer right in the air, and wall jump off of the tower to make it up to the ledge with the arrow sign.
4. Cosmic Mario Forest Race: Use the same tree-wall-jump shortcut as the beginning of "When it Rains, it Pours". However, the camera behaves differently around the tree in this episode, which may make the shortcut slightly easier.
5. Purple Coins in the Woods:
6. The Bell on the Big Tree: Use spins to get up the slope next to the start.

Sea Slide Galaxy

• Entry requirement: 36 stars

1. Going after Guppy
2. Faster than a Speeding Penguin:
   • A surface-spinning strategy can get a time around 47:15. Surface spin from the start of the race to the place where the water surface starts to curve downward, near the red-and-white rings. From there, use underwater spins or a red shell. Start the surface spin again near the brick blocks, and keep surface spinning until the end of the race. (To do: add details on how to do the surface spin.)
   • A red-shell strategy can get a time around 1:11:xx. Simply grab the first red shell and ride it from start to finish, cutting corners as much as possible. Use the boost rings near the end.
3. The Silver Stars of Sea Slide: Collect all silver stars without transforming into Bee Mario.
   • The silver star on top of the huge tree: to get onto the tree, turn around from your starting point in the level, then either (a) backflip or triple jump from the edge of the level up to the green platform, or (b) stand on the small stone platform and long jump + wall jump up to the green platform. Then use backflips or triple jumps to climb up the platforms on the tree. Video
   • The silver star on the stone arch: stand on the edge of the level, then backflip up toward the top of the stone arch. Follow with a jump or slope jump to get to the silver star.
4. Underwater Cosmic Mario Race: Three methods of interest:
   • Use surface spins (fastest way).
   • Long jump along the right edge of the level.
   • Go underwater and use the red shell and boost rings.
5. Purple Coins by the Seaside:
6. Hurry, He's Hungry (40 star bits): On the star planet, run in a zigzag path to collect two rows of notes at once. This is faster than just running in a straight line through single rows. Starting from any vertex of the star planet, one non-backtracking path that works is: down, left, up, left, down, left, up, left, down, left, up, left.

Toy Time Galaxy

• Entry requirement: 40 stars

1. Heavy Metal Mecha-Bowser:
   • Timesaver after the first launch star: go past the first mini-mechakoopa and long jump forward to the lower area. Go right, past the laser robot, and triple jump or backflip up to the magnetic wall near the launch star. Turn the screw, then long jump directly into the launch star alcove.
   • Complete the level without Spring Mario with backflip/triple jump + wall jump combos.
     • At the area with the first spring mushroom, use backflip + wall jump combos to get up to the launch star.
     • At the glass bottle, use a triple jump or a backflip from the stone platform to land on the side of the bottle, then jump up to the bottle's opening.
   • Climbing Mecha-Bowser, part 1:
     • Skip all of the screws at the beginning. First climb the leg on the right, then near the first screw, long jump to the right. Spin and veer backward toward the robot's side and wall jump, then do a series of wall jumps between the robot's side and arm. You can wall jump up (a) all the way to the robot's neck if you're positioned well, or (b) up onto the arm, where you can backflip + wall jump up to the neck when the arm rises to a good height. Video
     • Slower but possibly easier strategy: spin the first two screws, take the sling star that appears, then long jump to the right to land on the robot's arm directly. Then backflip + wall jump up to the neck when the arm rises to a good height.
   • Climbing Mecha-Bowser, part 2: from the neck, you can directly backflip or triple jump followed by a wall jump to get up to the laser robot. You can also go up to where the fire cannon is, and backflip + wall jump up to the laser robot from there. From the laser robot, use backflips and wall jumps to get to the top.
2. Mario Meets Mario
3. Bouncing Down Cake Lane: the entire level can be completed without the spring powerup.
   • At the cake with the first spring powerup, use a triple jump to barely get up to the wall-jump area above. It may be easier to start a wall jump if you touch the wall with your back.
   • At the boss, reach the top of the mole cannon with a backflip or triple jump followed by a wall jump.
4. Fast Foes of Toy Time:
5. Luigi's Purple Coins: Route
6. The Flipswitch Chain (50 star bits):

Bonefin Galaxy

• Entry requirement: 55 stars + Complete Drip Drop Galaxy - "Giant Eel Outbreak"

1. Kingfin's Fearsome Waters

Sand Spiral Galaxy

• Location: Comet Observatory - Hungry Luma outside Engine Room
• Entry requirement: Complete Sea Slide Galaxy #2 - "Faster than a Speeding Penguin" + Complete Ghostly Galaxy #1 - "Luigi and the Haunted Mansion" + 1000 star bits

1. Choosing a Favorite Snack: Choose the Boo Suit: it is quicker than the Bee Suit. Also, you can Long Jump with Rainbow Mario from platform to platform.

Bowser Jr.'s Lava Reactor

• Entry requirement: 45 stars

1. King Kaliente's Spicy Return: When you reach the two mini-Kalientes, get in between them and spin attack to hit both coconuts at once.

Gate

Gateway Galaxy

• Entry requirement: 0 stars to enter initially; Engine Room unlocked (34+ stars) to return

1. Grand Star Rescue:
   • One good route for catching the Luma bunnies is: crater, grass, pipe. Methods for catching them, from fastest to slowest:
     • Shoot the bunny with a star bit to stun it. (Around 9 star bits can be collected before the hide-and-seek game begins.)
     • Chase the bunny into an obstacle, such as a rock, a house, or a puddle of water, so that it slows down.
     • Keep chasing the bunny closely until it gets tired and slows down.
   • When you enter the Grand Star's chamber, jump immediately after landing to skip the Luma's speech.
2. Gateway's Purple Coins:

Boo's Boneyard Galaxy

• Location: Comet Observatory - Hungry Luma outside Gateway
• Entry requirement: Complete Gateway Galaxy #2 - "Gateway's Purple Coins" + Complete Ghostly Galaxy #1 - "Luigi and the Haunted Mansion" + 1200 star bits

1. Racing the Spooky Speedster 33:xx

Garden

Deep Dark Galaxy

• Entry requirement: 46 stars

1. The Underground Ghost Ship: Use the cannon to reach the ghost ship directly, skipping almost the entire level. Video
2. Bubble Blastoff: Use the cannon to reach the upper area directly. Speedrun (1'17")
3. Guppy and the Underground Lake
4. Ghost Ship Daredevil Run:
5. Plunder the Purple Coins:
6. Boo in a Box

Dreadnought Galaxy

• Entry requirement: 48 stars

1. Infiltrating the Dreadnought - The final section can be cleared without filling the water. Use a backflip + spin + wall kick + spin on the pillar right before the star. Speedrun (2'16")
2. Dreadnought's Colossal Cannons: Skip over the first set of flipswitch panels by backflipping over the laser beams. In the "Colossal Cannons" section, use long jumps and hop on cannonballs to skip portions of the rides. Video 1 Video 2
3. Revenge of the Topman Tribe
4. Topman Tribe Speed Run:
5. Battlestation's Purple Coins:
6. Dreadnought's Garbage Dump

Melty Molten Galaxy

• Entry requirement: 52 stars

1. The Sinking Lava Spire: Volcano edge shortcut Lava spire shortcuts
2. Through the Meteor Storm: Bullet Bill shortcut. Skip the entire Thwomp Planet. Video
3. Fiery Dino Piranha: Skip the fire bubbles. (Requires at least 3 units of health.) Video
4. Lava Spire Daredevil Run: Speedrun (2'14")
5. Red-Hot Purple Coins:
6. Burning Tide (80 star bits):

Matter Splatter Galaxy

• Entry requirement: 50 stars + Complete Toy Time Galaxy #1 - "Heavy Metal Mecha-Bowser"

1. Watch Your Step: See MOKURENN's Part ??

Snow Cap Galaxy

• Location: Comet Observatory - Hungry Luma outside Garden
• Entry requirement: Complete Melty Molten Galaxy #1 - "The Sinking Lava Spire" + 1600 star bits

1. Star Bunnies in the Snow: Rabbit locations: snowman (activate 5 flipswitch panels to unlock fire flower), chest (destroy snowman for a green shell), burrow near plant outside Fire Flower alcove (blow away snow to uncover)

Planet of Trials

Rolling Gizmo Galaxy

• Entry requirement: 3 green stars (Battlerock #7, Buoy Base #2, Dusty Dune #7)

1. Gizmos, Gears, and Gadgets: In the starting section, you can skip breaking the blocks by rolling on the edge.

Loopdeeswoop Galaxy

• Entry requirement: 3 green stars (Battlerock #7, Buoy Base #2, Dusty Dune #7)

1. The Galaxy's Greatest Wave: 48"21 We can skip the loop-de-loop by jumping right before it starts.

Bubble Blast Galaxy

• Entry requirement: 3 green stars (Battlerock #7, Buoy Base #2, Dusty Dune #7)

1. The Electric Labyrinth: Skip a pipe.

Grand Finale Galaxy

• Entry requirement: 120 stars with Luigi (240 stars total)

1. The Star Festival: You can skip talking with the leader of the toad brigade by approaching the gate a bit from the right and long jumping past him.

Bowser's Galaxy Reactor

• Location: Comet Observatory - Talk to Rosalina
• Entry requirement: 60 stars + "Darkness on the Horizon" cleared

1. The Fate of the Universe: In Section 2 (with the moving platforms over lava), long jump in the opposite direction and get burnt once to reach the warp point immediately.