Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the direct sequel to one of the greatest games ever made — and somehow it manages to top it. Released on Wii in 2010, it takes everything that made the original Galaxy special and doubles down: more galaxies, more ideas, more power-ups, and this time Yoshi comes along for the ride. Where the first game had a poetic, melancholy quality with Rosalina’s story at its heart, Galaxy 2 is pure, relentless, creative platforming excellence. Every level throws something new at you.

The game launched to universal critical acclaim — a Metacritic score of 97/100, perfect 10s from IGN and GameSpot, and a perfect 10 from EDGE magazine, making it only the third Mario game to receive that honour (after Super Mario 64 and the original Galaxy). It sold over 7 million copies worldwide and is still regularly cited as one of the greatest video games ever created.

Mario and his Luma companion set off across the cosmos

Starship Mario — your flying planet-shaped home base

What’s remarkable about Galaxy 2 is that it didn’t just recycle Galaxy 1. Almost every single galaxy is brand new. The development team at Nintendo EAD Tokyo had so many ideas left over from the first game that they were able to fill an entire sequel — and the result feels endlessly inventive. It took three years to develop and was first revealed at E3 2009, where it caused a sensation.

The story keeps things simple — this is a game that wants you playing, not watching cutscenes. From the instruction booklet:

The opening scene — stars fall over the Mushroom Kingdom

Bowser, now giant-sized and powered by Grand Stars, has kidnapped Peach and taken her to the centre of the universe. A Luma transforms Mario’s spaceship into Starship Mario — a planet-shaped vessel in the form of Mario’s head — and the adventure begins. Rosalina makes an appearance too, guiding Mario from the Comet Observatory.

Rosalina returns, watching over Mario’s journey from the Observatory

The core gameplay is identical to Galaxy 1 — spherical gravity, spin attacks, Launch Stars — but Galaxy 2 adds a huge amount on top. The biggest additions are Yoshi and a suite of entirely new power-ups. Controls are the same: Wii Remote and Nunchuk, shake to spin, pointer to collect Star Bits.

Yoshi is the headline new feature. Found in eggs hidden across various galaxies, Yoshi can be ridden through sections that would be impassable without him. He eats fruits with special effects — Dash Pepper sends him sprinting up walls at breakneck speed, Blimp Fruit inflates him like a balloon to reach high platforms, and Bulb Berry makes him glow, revealing hidden platforms and paths. Each Yoshi berry creates a completely distinct gameplay style in its section.

Luigi can also ride Yoshi — unlocked after beating the main game

The Cosmic Cove Galaxy — one of 49 all-new galaxies

The Cosmic Guide is a new accessibility feature — if you die five times on a level, a blue Rosalina-like spirit appears and offers to complete the section for you, awarding a bronze star instead of a gold one. It’s entirely optional but a nice touch that makes the game more approachable without taking anything away from skilled players.

Instead of the Comet Observatory from Galaxy 1, your hub world in Galaxy 2 is Starship Mario — a giant planet shaped like Mario’s head that flies through space. It’s charming, compact, and packed with characters to talk to.

The launch portal on Starship Mario — your gateway to every galaxy

As you progress and collect more Power Stars, new areas of the Starship unlock. The Toad Brigade sets up camp here between missions. There’s a Banktoad who stores Star Bits and gives out 1-Up Mushrooms, a Mailtoad who delivers hints and letters from Peach, and a Hint TV system that plays video tips for tricky levels. Hungry Lumas appear on the world map and can be fed Star Bits to transform into new galaxies.

World 1 — the first set of galaxies spread across the star map

Galaxy 2 has 49 galaxies spread across 6 numbered worlds plus a secret World S for the most skilled players. Each world has a distinct visual theme and a boss at the end. All 49 galaxies are completely new — there’s no revisiting locations from Galaxy 1.

World 1 — Shooting Through the Stars

The opening world. Sky Station Galaxy eases you in, Yoshi Star Galaxy introduces Yoshi, and Bowser Jr.’s Fiery Flotilla ends with your first Gobblegut fight. Bright, colourful, and immediately impressive.

World 2 — Shooting Through the Stars

Puzzle Plank and Hightail Falls bring Yoshi back in creative ways. Dash Pepper first appears here, letting Yoshi sprint up impossible inclines. Mandibug Stack is the boss.

World 3

Includes Cosmic Cove Galaxy, Freezeflame Galaxy (revisited from Galaxy 1), and the gravity-flipping Rightside Down Galaxy. The Rock Mushroom appears here for the first time.

World 4

Gets seriously tricky. Melty Monster Galaxy’s lava rivers, Beat Block Galaxy’s rhythm-based platforms, and the gravity-inverting Flip-Swap Galaxy test everything you’ve learned.

World 5

Home to the Cloud Flower power-up. Cloudy Court and Tall Trunk Galaxy use the Cloud Mario transformation brilliantly. Fleet Glide Galaxy introduces the flying squirrel-style gliding.

World 6 & Final

The final gauntlet. Bowser’s Galaxy Generator is the climactic level — epic, difficult, and spectacular. Defeating Bowser here triggers the game’s emotional ending. Then World S awaits the truly dedicated.

Galaxy 2 introduces several brand new transformations alongside returning favourites. Each is genuinely distinct and tied to specific level design that makes creative use of it.

Cloud Flower → Cloud Mario

Shake to create up to three cloud platforms mid-air. Brilliant for bridging gaps — but clouds disappear after use.

Rock Mushroom → Rock Mario

Roll into a boulder by shaking the remote. Smashes crystal clusters and enemies — hard to steer once rolling.

Spin Drill → Drill Mario

Drill straight through a planet to emerge on the other side. One of the most creative ideas in the game — completely changes how you think about level geography.

Bee Mushroom → Bee Mario

Returns from Galaxy 1. Hover by shaking, cling to honeycombs and flowers. Water and damage cancel the form.

Boo Mushroom → Boo Mario

Returns from Galaxy 1. Float and phase through certain barriers. Boos fall in love with Boo Mario, which is as weird as it sounds.

Fire Flower → Fire Mario

The classic. Throw fireballs by shaking the remote — lights torches, defeats enemies. 30-second timer.

Ice Flower → Ice Mario

Returns from Galaxy 1. Skates across water and lava, creates ice platforms. 30-second timer.

Dash Pepper → Speed Yoshi

Yoshi goes into a frenzy and sprints up vertical walls and inclines at breakneck speed. One of the most exhilarating moments in the game.

Blimp Fruit → Balloon Yoshi

Yoshi inflates like a balloon and floats upward. Shake to move faster. Deflates after a while — time it carefully.

Every world ends with a boss fight, and Galaxy 2’s bosses are some of the most creative in the series. Most are fought multiple times in harder rematch variants.

Gobblegut

World 1 & 2 (Bowser Jr. Fortresses)

A giant serpentine dragon that circles its planet. Hit the glowing belly segments with a spin attack — then survive its increasingly furious thrashing as you whittle it down.

Digga-Leg

World 1 (Spin-Dig Galaxy)

A mechanical spider that drills underground. You need the Spin Drill to follow it through the planet and attack from below. Inventive and a perfect showcase for the new drill mechanic.

Megahammer

World 3 (Bowser Jr. Fortress)

A giant robotic Bowser Jr. armed with two massive hammers. Deflect its cannonballs back at the blue orbs on its chest to deal damage. Chaotic and spectacular.

Sorbetti

World 3 (Freezeflame Galaxy)

A giant rolling snowball with a carrot nose. Dodge its rolls and ground-pound the red nose when it comes around. Straightforward but satisfying.

Glamdozer

World 4 (Bowser Jr. Fortress)

A glamorous bug-like creature that flips the gravity of the arena. You have to flip gravity yourself to hit her vulnerable underbelly. One of the most creative bosses in the game.

Bowser

Worlds 2, 4 & 6 (Final)

Three fights, each more epic than the last. The final battle at Bowser’s Galaxy Generator is an incredible set piece — a multi-stage confrontation across a spectacular cosmic arena.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 landed in May 2010 and immediately joined the conversation for greatest game ever made. Critics fell over themselves to award it perfect scores.

The game sold over 7.7 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling Wii titles. IGN named it the best Wii game of all time. GameSpot gave it Best Platformer and Best Wii Game of 2010. It remains one of only a handful of games ever to score 97 or above on Metacritic.

• Super Mario Galaxy 2 was first revealed at E3 2009 — initially under the working title “Super Mario Galaxy 2” with no fanfare, just a brief trailer. The reaction was enormous.
• It’s only the third Mario game to receive a perfect 10 from EDGE magazine, alongside Super Mario 64 and the original Galaxy.
• The development team had so many unused ideas from Galaxy 1 that they were able to fill an entire sequel with almost entirely new content.
• Yoshi’s appearance was originally just a cameo — he grew into a full gameplay mechanic as development progressed.
• The Spin Drill — one of the most original ideas in the game — lets Mario drill through a planet and emerge on the opposite side, something no Mario game had done before.
• The Cosmic Guide feature was designed to let players who get truly stuck see a level completed, receiving a bronze star rather than a gold one — so skilled players lose nothing.
• The game’s soundtrack, like Galaxy 1’s, features a full live orchestra. Several tracks are arrangements of Galaxy 1 themes.
• World S is an entire secret world unlocked after collecting 120 stars — containing some of the hardest levels Nintendo has ever designed, culminating in the legendary Grandmaster Galaxy.
• Grandmaster Galaxy’s “The Perfect Run” challenge — complete the final level without taking a single hit — is widely considered one of the hardest achievements in the Mario series.
• Collecting all 242 stars (120 as Mario + 120 as Luigi + 2 green stars) unlocks a message from Miyamoto and the development team.
• A Yoshi’s head planet appears in the original Super Mario Galaxy as an Easter egg — a subtle foreshadow of Galaxy 2.
• The game was re-released digitally on Wii U eShop in 2015 and received an enhanced port for Nintendo Switch in 2025.

Three videos from our collection covering Super Mario Galaxy 2: