12 Super Mario Galaxy Facts

Today it’s time to load the cannon and blast into space as we explore Super Mario Galaxy a little closer with some fun facts and trivia on the game. Released in 2007 to critical acclaim and a hungry audience it’s no surprise that this revolutionary 3D platform game has sold over 12.22 million copies and was the 8th best selling game for the Wii! So sit back, feed some hungry Lumas and Letsa Go with these 12 Galactic Super Mario Galaxy Facts and trivia!

Number 12

Blasting straight into our list of facts with this unused land mine hiding on the games disc! Through the magic of game modification you can however insert these back into a level and they are fully functional. Why they were removed from the final game, no one knows. (refer to video below)

Number 11

I always love to find out the inspiration behind things in the Mario universe and the origins of the Star Bits in Super Mario Galaxy don’t disappoint. It turns out that both the Gratitude Crystals from Skyward sword and the Star Bits from Galaxy are based on the popular Japanese candy Konpeito! Mmmm Star bits…

Number 10

The battle against the boss Megaleg is actually a little bit thieved. The concept for this boss fight was originally planned for the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Link was going to have to scale a colossal Ganon to beat the game. The idea originally landed in the scrap heap but wasn’t forgotten and was then adapted for use in Super Mario Galaxy, much to the excitement of the development team!

Number 9

Similar to Super Mario Sunshine, there was a few grammar issues in the Japanese version of the game when it came to getting a star. The Japanese game announces “Star Get!” or “Grand Star Get!” when you find a Grand Star. The US and international versions cleaned up the Engrish a little and changed this to “You got a star!” and “You got a Grand Star!” when you managed to find them.

Number 8

The Bully from Super Mario 64 may have been planned to make a return at some point! Hiding in the games data are these unused models for the Bully! The textures are polished and the animations are even complete so it’s unclear why this guy was cut from team Galaxy.

Number 7

An interview with Nintendo’s Tokyo Software development office revealed that Yoshi was planned to appear in Super Mario Galaxy. In fact an early proposal for the game even featured Mario riding Yoshi. As you will have noticed in the finished product however, Developers removed him. The thought process was that “it would’ve been too much all at once” given the new elements of the game. The dev’s also noted that “if you’re going to put Yoshi in a game, he has to be a main element…” and that “even if they had have used him, they might have only been able to use him on a single stage”.

Number 6

Hiding in the games data is this unused Luma named “Ticojii”. This guy clearly was meant to be an older Luma and actually looks a bit like the Eldstar from Paper Mario or the Millennium star from Mario Party 3. I guess they couldn’t find a place in the game for old Ticojii here…

Number 5

There is a super strange collection of bug sprites and animations hiding in the games files. These include not only their bug forms but also their early larval forms too! Animations can be found of the enemies squirming, attacking and dying. No one knows what these odd alien styled guys would have been used for or why they were scrapped but they really seem out of place in the Mario Universe.

Number 4

A neat little Easter egg here to watermelon-o-fy your game a little. If you manage to collect 9999 star bits then all of the coconuts in the games turn into watermelons. No one really knows why this happens but it’s also one of those things we probably should just enjoy and not question too much. (refer to video)

Number 3

Rosalina has looked pretty much the same since she arrived in Super Mario Galaxy but her original design was quite different! Her outfit was more like Peach’s or Daisy’s and her facial features were more unique than the final version. The most noticeable difference however was her beehive hairdo and rocking bangs which were replaced for a more Princess-ey style in the final cut.

Number 2

Speaking of Rosalina, In the French version of the game in the last chapter of her story bock, on the second last page there is an additional detail that’s missing from other versions. When translated this text adds “I would like, once every hundred years, to return back to my blue planet, and doze on the knees of my father, stroking the moustache that was his pride.” *Spoiler alert* This little tid bit has even been used in one of Game Theory’s videos to suggest Mario is actually Rosalina’s father!

Another odd bit about Rosalina’s Storybook! It was written by Yoshiaki Koizumi in one night without telling anyone what he was doing!

Number 1

There are a number of hat tips towards other Nintendo games throughout Super Mario Galaxy! Apart from this weird hidden toy train that serves no purpose in Toy Time Galaxy there is also a reference to the Legend of Zelda series in Rolling Gizmo Galaxy, hiding is this star bit cluster that looks like a Blue Rupee!

There are also a couple of planetoid cross overs hiding as well. Next time you are in the Space Junk Galaxy see if you can find this ship planetoid that looks a lot like the ship from Pikmin 2!

If Pokémon is more your style there is also a planetoid in Buoy Base Galaxy that really looks like it is a Poké Ball! Nintendo are pretty amazing at these little crossovers, there’s always something to find in a Mario game!

(Refer to video for footage)