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# Super Mario Galaxy Walkthrough: How to Find Every Star
- URL: https://idleweekend.net/super-mario-galaxy-walkthrough/
- Published: 2026-10-11T20:31:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-11T20:31:00.000Z
- Description: A Super Mario Galaxy walkthrough works best when you use it star by star. Here is how the guides are organized and how to use them when you get stuck.
- Author: Alex Morgan
- Tags: Super Mario Galaxy, Wii games, platformer walkthrough, #gce-0613da41

You can use a Super Mario Galaxy walkthrough to track down every star without guessing. The game has 121 Power Stars in total, and a walkthrough can cover each one [\[1\]](https://www.ign.com/wikis/super-mario-galaxy/Walkthrough?ref=idleweekend.net). That is a lot of ground, so knowing where to start makes a real difference.

Use the walkthrough only for the stars you are missing, so the game stays fun. If you read the whole guide before you play, you lose the discovery that makes each galaxy worth exploring. Pick the star you are stuck on, then look up just that one section.

This article shows how the guides are organized and how to use them. You will learn how to find the star you need, what to do when a high star seems out of reach, and which walkthroughs are worth your time.

## How is a Super Mario Galaxy walkthrough organized?

Each walkthrough is organized star by star, so you can jump straight to the one you need. You don't have to read the whole game to fill a single gap in your collection. IGN's guide has a walkthrough for every star [\[1\]](https://www.ign.com/wikis/super-mario-galaxy/Walkthrough?ref=idleweekend.net).

### How the star list works

The main list is a table of areas, galaxies, and star types. Each row names a star and links to its walkthrough. The table is also a checklist you can use to track the stars you have collected [\[1\]](https://www.ign.com/wikis/super-mario-galaxy/Walkthrough?ref=idleweekend.net).

Each row also tells you where the star is. For example, Racing the Spooky Speedster is listed under Boo's Boneyard Galaxy and is a Power Star [\[1\]](https://www.ign.com/wikis/super-mario-galaxy/Walkthrough?ref=idleweekend.net). That lets you find the right galaxy without opening every entry.

### Scan the names before you read

Before you read any steps, scan the star names in the guide. Find the galaxy you are currently in, then look for the stars you have not collected yet. For example, if you are in Good Egg Galaxy and still need Dino Piranha, that row tells you which entry to open [\[1\]](https://www.ign.com/wikis/super-mario-galaxy/Walkthrough?ref=idleweekend.net).

Scanning first keeps you from reading steps for stars you already have. It also shows how many stars remain in each galaxy, so you can plan a session around one galaxy at a time.

### Check your version first

The IGN walkthrough is written for the original Nintendo Wii release [\[1\]](https://www.ign.com/wikis/super-mario-galaxy/Walkthrough?ref=idleweekend.net). Its steps are based on that release, so make sure your copy matches before you follow them. If a step doesn't match what you see on screen, check your version before you assume the guide is wrong.

### Use the layout to your advantage

The star-by-star structure works best when you already know what you're after. Open the guide, find your galaxy, and read only the entry for the star you need. When you finish it, close the guide and go back to playing. That keeps the walkthrough a helper rather than the main event.

## How do you reach a launch star?

To reach a launch star, you go under it, spin directly beneath it, and you get launched toward the next area [\[2\]](https://nintendo.fandom.com/wiki/Nintendo:Super%5FMario%5FGalaxy%5FWalkthrough?ref=idleweekend.net). The whole trick is three moves, so the key is getting the positioning right.

### Step one: get under the star

Move Mario until he is directly below the launch star. Lining him up matters more than speed. If the star hangs above a ledge, stand on the lower ground and look straight up at it, so you know you are centered before you go on.

### Step two: spin directly under it

Spin while you stay directly beneath the star, not off to one side. The source describes this as spinning directly under the star [\[2\]](https://nintendo.fandom.com/wiki/Nintendo:Super%5FMario%5FGalaxy%5FWalkthrough?ref=idleweekend.net). If you drift sideways, the spin will not send you the right way, so reposition and try again.

### Step three: jump first if the star is high

Sometimes the star is too high for a spin from the ground. In that case, jump first, then spin from underneath it [\[2\]](https://nintendo.fandom.com/wiki/Nintendo:Super%5FMario%5FGalaxy%5FWalkthrough?ref=idleweekend.net). Think of the jump as getting close enough for the star to catch you. Time the spin at the top of the jump so you stay under the star for the whole move.

### Where you land

After the spin, you will be launched toward the next area [\[2\]](https://nintendo.fandom.com/wiki/Nintendo:Super%5FMario%5FGalaxy%5FWalkthrough?ref=idleweekend.net). Watch where you fly, because that is the part of the galaxy you are heading into. Look at the new area before you move, so you know whether you are near a path, a platform, or another star.

### If it does not work the first time

Most misses come from one of two problems. Either Mario was not centered under the star, or the spin came too early. Go back to the spot under the star, line him up again, and try once more.

Keep the trick for stars that look out of reach. Using it when a star is low or easy to walk to only wastes time. Save it for the high stars that you cannot get to any other way, and the game will keep moving at a good pace.

![A cartoon hero is launched upward from a glowing star into a dark starry sky, with planets and rings below.](https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?q=gamer%27s%20hands%20on%20controller%20as%20hero%20launches%20into%20starry%20sky&w=800&h=450&rs=1&c=4)

## Which walkthroughs are worth using?

Start with IGN if you want a guide for every star. Its walkthrough is the most complete of the three options, and it works well as your main reference.

### IGN: a guide for every star

IGN's walkthrough covers all 121 stars, with a guide for each one [\[1\]](https://www.ign.com/wikis/super-mario-galaxy/Walkthrough?ref=idleweekend.net). That matters if you are missing a star and don't want to search for a page that might not exist. Each star in the list links to its own walkthrough, so you can jump straight to the one you need [\[1\]](https://www.ign.com/wikis/super-mario-galaxy/Walkthrough?ref=idleweekend.net).

The same list doubles as a checklist. Mark off stars as you collect them, and the list shows which ones are still open.

### GameFAQs: more than one writer's take

GameFAQs lists 16 guides and walkthroughs for the Wii version [\[3\]](https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/wii/915692-super-mario-galaxy/faqs?ref=idleweekend.net). That gives you a choice when one explanation doesn't click. If a step in one guide feels unclear, reading another writer's version of the same star can help.

The number is a useful way to judge how much coverage exists, but it doesn't tell you how each guide is laid out. Skim the first few entries before you commit to one.

### StrategyWiki: help with the mechanics too

StrategyWiki describes itself as a video game walkthrough and strategy guide wiki [\[4\]](https://strategywiki.org/wiki/Super%5FMario%5FGalaxy?ref=idleweekend.net). Its Super Mario Galaxy page has a Walkthrough section along with pages on gameplay, controls, enemies, and items [\[4\]](https://strategywiki.org/wiki/Super%5FMario%5FGalaxy?ref=idleweekend.net). That makes it a good place to look when you want to understand a move, not just find a star.

For example, if you keep missing a jump, the controls and gameplay pages can explain the move before you return to the star's walkthrough.

### Which one should you pick?

Use IGN as your main walkthrough, since it covers every star. Turn to GameFAQs or StrategyWiki when you want a second explanation or help with how the game works. Using one main guide and one backup keeps you from bouncing between pages every time you get stuck.

## What should you do when you are stuck on one star?

Start with the galaxy and star name where you are stuck. Write them down, then open only the matching part of the walkthrough. A narrow search keeps the rest of the game's stars a surprise.

The IGN walkthrough is organized by galaxy, and its table lists each star under the galaxy it belongs to. For example, Dino Piranha appears under Good Egg Galaxy [\[1\]](https://www.ign.com/wikis/super-mario-galaxy/Walkthrough?ref=idleweekend.net). If you are stuck on Dino Piranha, find the Good Egg Galaxy entries first, then look for that star name.

Save the names somewhere you can see them while you play. A sticky note or a line in your phone's notes app works well. That way you do not have to remember them while you switch between the game and the guide.

Next, skip the rest of the guide. Scroll only to the entry for your star and ignore the other stars in that galaxy. Reading past it can reveal hints about stars you still want to find on your own.

Then go back to the game and try the step yourself before reading more. Read just the first instruction, then play it. If you still cannot find the next move, return to the guide and read one more step.

Repeat that cycle until the star is yours. Many stars have one tricky moment, so you may need only one or two steps before you can carry on. Reading in small pieces keeps the rest of the puzzle yours.

If a step seems to end somewhere unexpected, look around the level again. A jump you skipped or an enemy you have not tried yet often shows the path you missed.

Stop reading as soon as you have your next move, even if the entry keeps going. The rest of the steps will still be there if you need them later.

## What is your next step?

The one thing to remember is that you don't need to read the whole guide. Find the galaxy you are on, then open its section of the walkthrough and pick the star you want. Every star has its own entry, so you can jump straight to it [\[1\]](https://www.ign.com/wikis/super-mario-galaxy/Walkthrough?ref=idleweekend.net).

If a high star seems out of reach, try the launch star trick. First, go under a launch star. Next, spin directly under it. If it is high up, jump first, and then you'll be launched toward the next area [\[2\]](https://nintendo.fandom.com/wiki/Nintendo:Super%5FMario%5FGalaxy%5FWalkthrough?ref=idleweekend.net). Come back to the guide only when you are stuck on a specific star, and then read just that star's entry.

## Sources

1. [Walkthrough - Super Mario Galaxy Guide](https://www.ign.com/wikis/super-mario-galaxy/Walkthrough?ref=idleweekend.net)
2. [Super Mario Galaxy/Walkthrough](https://nintendo.fandom.com/wiki/Nintendo:Super%5FMario%5FGalaxy%5FWalkthrough?ref=idleweekend.net)
3. [Super Mario Galaxy FAQs, Walkthroughs, and Guides for Wii](https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/wii/915692-super-mario-galaxy/faqs?ref=idleweekend.net)
4. [Super Mario Galaxy](https://strategywiki.org/wiki/Super%5FMario%5FGalaxy?ref=idleweekend.net)