Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
We land on a planet with the Toad Brigade. The wreck of the Megahammer is strewn over the planet. It's broken, according to Red Toad, but the eyes of the cockpit still light up. The other four Toads are cowering nearby. Red Toad is confident, but when we approach him, the Megahammer lauches Bullet Bills. I am hit by one. I get a 1-up from a die. Three purple smooshing enemies are present and I take a hit from one of them, as well. I find I have to lure a Bullet Bill to a cage to open up the cannon. I take a hit from them twice, and am rotated off the platform.
Take 2- We use the Bullet Bill to open the cannon and get a 1-up from the die. I take a hit from the Bullet Bill and launch to a flagpole. I have to deal with 2 Boomerang Bros., who make a weird noise when they throw their Boomerangs. I took two more hits from the Boomerang Bros. and died.
Take 3- I take hits from the purple electric enemy and a Bullet Bill. I free the cannon, but my aim was just far enough off to send Mario flying into oblivion.
Take 4- We launch in the cannon, take a hit from a Boomerang Bro, and kill both of them. A Launch Star appears and we get a Life Shroom above the back left flagpole. We launch to the midgate, which is on a spherical planet with a cannon. We aim for the bull's eye, and hit it for applause and a 1-up. The bull's eye turns orange. We continue to rotating platforms, miss one and fall in.
Take 5- I got a 1-up from the bull's eye, but made a bad jump.
Take 6- Same as Take 5, but I tried a bad long jump.
Take 7- I got a 1-up from the bull's eye, get the Cloud Suit, but am knocked off by a space bomb.
Take 8- I got a 1-up and got knocked off. At this point, I reset the game so I wouln't trigger the appearance of Super Guide.
Take 9- I had to start over, opened the cannon, launched, but it was a bad shot.
Take 10- I take a hit from a Boomerang Bro, launch to the midgate, got a 1-up from the bull's eye, get the Comet Medal over a blue platform, and finally make it to the other side. I ground pound some stones and launch. Bowser Jr. appears in a tower. Bowser'll get angry if we get another Grand Star. (So let's take one!) It's time to break out the Boomsday Machine! (Uh-oh. That can't be good!) He'll continue to relax in his comfy cockpit. He'll watch us go boom! The Bowser Jr. music from Galaxy is heard here, which I really like. The tower is surrouded by fire bars. I take a hit from one. There are many clouds in the level, as well as Cloud Flowers. I get the Cloud Suit and create a cloud over a fan to reach a permanent cloud. The tower shoots out balls of lightning which will vaporize any cloud it comes in contact with. I create a path of clouds to the tower, land on the cockpit glass, which makes Bowser Jr. very upset. I pound the glass and crack it. Mario is magically pushed off the glass and lands just out of range of the fire bars. The tower then electrifies (Great! It's a remake of the tower Monty Mole controlled in Galaxy!). The tower also activates its fans, which will draw all clouds to the tower while it is electrified. We proceed cautiously, nearly taking a hit, but jumping off at the last second. We finally time it right and get in the 2nd hit. This time, the tower rises out of the ground to reveal that it is really a tank! (Oh dang! I do not need this!) Now we must hit a moving, sometimes electrified, target that can run us over. We also need to reach the higher sets of clouds so we can actually reach the target. We finally get in the third hit after some trial. The tower lights up and explodes, launching Bowser Jr. far away, crying in disappointment and despair. The Grand Star appears.
GRAND STAR GET #5!
Star Get #58, 32 Comet Medals, 357 Star Bits, 1301 Coins, 12 Lives
Interlude
Mario holds onto the tip of the Grand Star as they fly back to S.S. Mario. Chush! Lubba says he had a feeling we could get the fifth Grand Star. Next is the 6th "world". Bowser is going to put up an even stronger fight. Let's get Power Stars and save our Special One. The big fight awaits, the battle draws near. We must do our best and get him this time!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Shiverburn Galaxy - Prince Pikante's Peppery Mood
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
We land back on the lava covered planet. After taking a hit from the laser, we freeze the planet over so we can get the 1-up and the Life Shroom. I take 3 more hits from the laser and launch.
We trip the midgate on a dome of lava. There are rock platforms rotating over the dome. I fell into the lava two times and lost the awesome power of the Life Shroom. I open up a chest containing a 1-up using a coconut. In the next area, there are meteors raining down from the sky. I take a hit from one, get the Comet Medal, and move to an ice covered area. The meteors melt into lava in the ice. We go to another ice planet, but with 1 health bar left, I die from a hit from a green Octoomba.
Take 2- I got at 100 Star Bit 1-up, but fell into the meteor-created lava. I almost fell off the planet getting a Life Shroom. I beat the Octoomba. There are octopi out in the lava that shoot coconuts at you. Line yourself up with the coconut and spin to send it back, taking out the Octopus. It will return automatically; you don't have to aim. After taking them all out, a bridge forms over the lava. Ice falls down from the sky, and makes hexagonal crystals just like the Ice Flower in Galaxy. I got a 1-up, but fell in the lava three times and lost the Life Shroom. We launch to a green Starshroom.
Green Toad says we're deep in enemy territory, so I buy a Life Shroom. We trip the midgate and launch to a filled-in figure-8 shaped planet. We see a crowned, caped green octopus riding in a tank. This is Prince Pikante, the son (-in-law? The game makes no attempts to clarify.) of King Kaliente, whom we battled in Galaxy. I take hits from the meteor lava and the tank. Prince Pikante moves about quickly in his tank, making it difficult to line yourself up with a coconut that he will periodically shoot. He also shoots rocks from his tank. When you do line up with a coconut, spinning it will automatically send it to hit him regardless of where he is. He then shoots out several rocks and coconuts at once. I dodge them, but fall in the lava. I get in my 2nd and 3rd hits. The tank lights up and explodes. The Star finally appears!
Star Get #57, 32 Comet Medals, 227 Star Bits, 1288 Coins, 28 Lives
Interlude
A Comet appears in Bowser's Gravity Gauntlet. Baby Luma gets another letter, saying that many kind-hearted people out there are watching over him. May the stars shine down on him. 50 Star Bits were attached.
We land back on the lava covered planet. After taking a hit from the laser, we freeze the planet over so we can get the 1-up and the Life Shroom. I take 3 more hits from the laser and launch.
We trip the midgate on a dome of lava. There are rock platforms rotating over the dome. I fell into the lava two times and lost the awesome power of the Life Shroom. I open up a chest containing a 1-up using a coconut. In the next area, there are meteors raining down from the sky. I take a hit from one, get the Comet Medal, and move to an ice covered area. The meteors melt into lava in the ice. We go to another ice planet, but with 1 health bar left, I die from a hit from a green Octoomba.
Take 2- I got at 100 Star Bit 1-up, but fell into the meteor-created lava. I almost fell off the planet getting a Life Shroom. I beat the Octoomba. There are octopi out in the lava that shoot coconuts at you. Line yourself up with the coconut and spin to send it back, taking out the Octopus. It will return automatically; you don't have to aim. After taking them all out, a bridge forms over the lava. Ice falls down from the sky, and makes hexagonal crystals just like the Ice Flower in Galaxy. I got a 1-up, but fell in the lava three times and lost the Life Shroom. We launch to a green Starshroom.
Green Toad says we're deep in enemy territory, so I buy a Life Shroom. We trip the midgate and launch to a filled-in figure-8 shaped planet. We see a crowned, caped green octopus riding in a tank. This is Prince Pikante, the son (-in-law? The game makes no attempts to clarify.) of King Kaliente, whom we battled in Galaxy. I take hits from the meteor lava and the tank. Prince Pikante moves about quickly in his tank, making it difficult to line yourself up with a coconut that he will periodically shoot. He also shoots rocks from his tank. When you do line up with a coconut, spinning it will automatically send it to hit him regardless of where he is. He then shoots out several rocks and coconuts at once. I dodge them, but fall in the lava. I get in my 2nd and 3rd hits. The tank lights up and explodes. The Star finally appears!
Star Get #57, 32 Comet Medals, 227 Star Bits, 1288 Coins, 28 Lives
Interlude
A Comet appears in Bowser's Gravity Gauntlet. Baby Luma gets another letter, saying that many kind-hearted people out there are watching over him. May the stars shine down on him. 50 Star Bits were attached.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Shiverburn Galaxy - The Chimp's Ultimate Skating Challenge
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
Shiverburn? That name has a similar pattern as Freezeflame. We land in the galaxy, and surprise, surprise, it has the same music as Freezeflame. We land on a lava covered planet, with the lava version of the Freezeflame music playing. There are lava pillars ande a volcano. We ride a platform through the lava while dodging lasers. We get a Cloud Suit and jump to a blue switch. We pound it and the planet completely freezes over. There's no timer, and the music changes permanently. We have frozen lava! We take a hit from the laser andget a 1-up and a Life Shroom. I get another Cloud Suit, take two more hits from lasers and fell off the edge.
Take 2- I fell in the lava, and later froze the planet. I get the 1-up and the Life Shroom and wander past the Launch Star to a green pipe at the other edge of the planet. We enter into the frozen lair of The Chimp. He says for this challenge, we need to bump the Gummits. We should avoid the spiked Gummits, or not. We start the challenge with 40 seconds to get 600 points, with green Gummits worth 10 points and gold ones worth 50 points. The Ray Surfing music plays as we skate around, running into the Gummits. On my first try, I got 440 points. Fortunately, The Chimp won't kill you if you fail, so we can try until we get it! I slowly figure out that the Gummits will always appear in the same pattern with a certain time limit before they disappear. We also can change directions must faster by jumping. It took 27 tries to get a score of 620, and my hands hurt afterward. The Chimp can't believe we beath his score. We may be his eternal rival when it comes to gaming skill. Seeing us in action was well worth a Star. He flips and claps and the Star appears.
Star Get #56, 118 Star Bits, 1280 Coins, 25 Lives
Shiverburn? That name has a similar pattern as Freezeflame. We land in the galaxy, and surprise, surprise, it has the same music as Freezeflame. We land on a lava covered planet, with the lava version of the Freezeflame music playing. There are lava pillars ande a volcano. We ride a platform through the lava while dodging lasers. We get a Cloud Suit and jump to a blue switch. We pound it and the planet completely freezes over. There's no timer, and the music changes permanently. We have frozen lava! We take a hit from the laser andget a 1-up and a Life Shroom. I get another Cloud Suit, take two more hits from lasers and fell off the edge.
Take 2- I fell in the lava, and later froze the planet. I get the 1-up and the Life Shroom and wander past the Launch Star to a green pipe at the other edge of the planet. We enter into the frozen lair of The Chimp. He says for this challenge, we need to bump the Gummits. We should avoid the spiked Gummits, or not. We start the challenge with 40 seconds to get 600 points, with green Gummits worth 10 points and gold ones worth 50 points. The Ray Surfing music plays as we skate around, running into the Gummits. On my first try, I got 440 points. Fortunately, The Chimp won't kill you if you fail, so we can try until we get it! I slowly figure out that the Gummits will always appear in the same pattern with a certain time limit before they disappear. We also can change directions must faster by jumping. It took 27 tries to get a score of 620, and my hands hurt afterward. The Chimp can't believe we beath his score. We may be his eternal rival when it comes to gaming skill. Seeing us in action was well worth a Star. He flips and claps and the Star appears.
Star Get #56, 118 Star Bits, 1280 Coins, 25 Lives
Fleet Glide Galaxy - Fluzzard's Wild Battlefield Glide
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
We land on an abandoned rocket to find Fluzzard and 2 Jibberjays. The same pre-King Lakitu music is playing. One Jibberjay says that we must fly through all 5 gates to get the Comet Medal. Another says that Fluzzard says we're okay and he'll glide with us. Through this rocket. Fluzzard, you've become so bold so quickly! When did that happen? I guess Mario brought out the best in him. We first have to dodge some Blaargs-actually, just one. (There are more, but they're out of the way.) I miss the Life Shroom and fly into a circular platform. The music is adventurous, Indiana Jones escapes from certain death, style.
Take 2- I made it through the first gate, but took hits on the side walls and ceiling. I took the straight route into a hallway where we see Thwomps and Banzai Bills. I hit the floor and died.
Take 3- We made it to the end, dodging falling columns and debris, and a slowly closing door. We flew over Airships to the Sun Gate.
Star Get #55, 24 Star Bits, 24 Lives
A Comet appears in Slipsand Galaxy. It took me 24 more tries to get the Comet Medal. On the 23rd take, I cleared all 5 gates, but missed the Medal. I also had some difficulty finding the 2nd gate, because it is not in the line of sight. We found it past the first 1-up by rotating around the rocket, because that area is open. This is one of the last things I did before getting 120 Stars.
We land on an abandoned rocket to find Fluzzard and 2 Jibberjays. The same pre-King Lakitu music is playing. One Jibberjay says that we must fly through all 5 gates to get the Comet Medal. Another says that Fluzzard says we're okay and he'll glide with us. Through this rocket. Fluzzard, you've become so bold so quickly! When did that happen? I guess Mario brought out the best in him. We first have to dodge some Blaargs-actually, just one. (There are more, but they're out of the way.) I miss the Life Shroom and fly into a circular platform. The music is adventurous, Indiana Jones escapes from certain death, style.
Take 2- I made it through the first gate, but took hits on the side walls and ceiling. I took the straight route into a hallway where we see Thwomps and Banzai Bills. I hit the floor and died.
Take 3- We made it to the end, dodging falling columns and debris, and a slowly closing door. We flew over Airships to the Sun Gate.
Star Get #55, 24 Star Bits, 24 Lives
A Comet appears in Slipsand Galaxy. It took me 24 more tries to get the Comet Medal. On the 23rd take, I cleared all 5 gates, but missed the Medal. I also had some difficulty finding the 2nd gate, because it is not in the line of sight. We found it past the first 1-up by rotating around the rocket, because that area is open. This is one of the last things I did before getting 120 Stars.
Slipsand Galaxy - Sailing the Sandy Seas
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
We land back in Slipsand on the sand tube. There are moving platforms on the sand tube. I get a Life Shroom and take 2 hits from Dry Bones. There is a green pipe on the rock that breaks up the 2 areas of sand. It is a 2D ant farm, where I hit a fire bar and lose the Life Shroom. In this area, there are gravity arrows that rotate around and follow you, so whichever surface you walk on, you can stand there. I take two more hits, but recover with coins. I leave through an orange pipe, but I think I'm in the same place I started, but I'm not. I go through the green pipe again, because I can't get past the sand. I get across the platforms and launch.
We land on a small platform with signs sticking out of the sand with skulls and crossbones. This is the instantly lethal quicksand, and yet the signs don't get pulled down. A sign says not to fall in. I trip the midgate and approach the Legendary Sand Bird! This one is smaller than in Sunshine. We step on it and it glows, and moves forward across the quicksand. We approach a cactus, but instead of turning away, it runs straight through it, the section taken out by the cactus. We simply have to look ahead and move to an area that won't be taken out by a cactus. We then find out that the Legendary Sand Bird has phoenix powers, and will slowly reform. We also encounter Magikoopas, whose magic will destroy the Sand Bird in mainly diagonal lines. We take a hit from the magic, but stay on. We get a 1-up past the Magikoopas and the Sand Bird moves faster. The Silver Chomp returns, periodically rolling into the Sand Bird, removing large chunks at a time. When our journey finally ends, we reach the Star.
Star Get#54, 496 Star Bits, 1278 Coins, 26 Lives
Interlude
A hungry Luma wants 1500 Star Bits. After making a withdrawal from our friendly Banktoad, we feed it and it henshins into Fleet Glide Galaxy.
We land back in Slipsand on the sand tube. There are moving platforms on the sand tube. I get a Life Shroom and take 2 hits from Dry Bones. There is a green pipe on the rock that breaks up the 2 areas of sand. It is a 2D ant farm, where I hit a fire bar and lose the Life Shroom. In this area, there are gravity arrows that rotate around and follow you, so whichever surface you walk on, you can stand there. I take two more hits, but recover with coins. I leave through an orange pipe, but I think I'm in the same place I started, but I'm not. I go through the green pipe again, because I can't get past the sand. I get across the platforms and launch.
We land on a small platform with signs sticking out of the sand with skulls and crossbones. This is the instantly lethal quicksand, and yet the signs don't get pulled down. A sign says not to fall in. I trip the midgate and approach the Legendary Sand Bird! This one is smaller than in Sunshine. We step on it and it glows, and moves forward across the quicksand. We approach a cactus, but instead of turning away, it runs straight through it, the section taken out by the cactus. We simply have to look ahead and move to an area that won't be taken out by a cactus. We then find out that the Legendary Sand Bird has phoenix powers, and will slowly reform. We also encounter Magikoopas, whose magic will destroy the Sand Bird in mainly diagonal lines. We take a hit from the magic, but stay on. We get a 1-up past the Magikoopas and the Sand Bird moves faster. The Silver Chomp returns, periodically rolling into the Sand Bird, removing large chunks at a time. When our journey finally ends, we reach the Star.
Star Get#54, 496 Star Bits, 1278 Coins, 26 Lives
Interlude
A hungry Luma wants 1500 Star Bits. After making a withdrawal from our friendly Banktoad, we feed it and it henshins into Fleet Glide Galaxy.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Super Mario Galaxy 2 Complete!
I got all 120 Stars with Mario today! It was a long a difficult journey, but I made it with persistence and perseverance. So, it's on to Super Luigi Galaxy 2, right? Not quite. There's a slight change in plans. You'll see.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Slipsand Galaxy - Squizzard's Sandy Sinkhole
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
This galaxy has some awesome music. It's Egyptian-themed, with some Indiana Jones-type adventure music. We land on a snaking tube of sand. There are torches around us, but it is so hot in this galaxy, that we can't put out the torches. I took a hit from the flames. While walking around, I found a green pipe. I got most of the coins, but not all of them. I launched at the end of the sand tube.
We land on another sand tube, but this time, there are blocks trying to push us off. There are also green Pokeys and bomb-dropping roosters from Galaxy to make this difficult. I take 2 hits from the bombs, get the Comet Medal above some safe rocks, and am knocked off the level.
Take 2- I take 3 hits from flames and launch. I take a hit from a Pokey, get the Comet Medal, and get a Fire Flower. I use the fireballs to light the torches. A 1-up appears. There are more blocks, but this time, they try to crush you. I ride on top of them to avoid getting killed. We reach the midgate and launch to a sand slide coming out of the pyramid. Mario sits down for this slide. Hey, wait!. The camera's facing Mario and behind him! I can't see where I'm going! It's not safe driving out of your rear view mirror! After a few seconds, I find out what's going on in front of me is not nearly as important as what's coming up behind me: rolling columns (minus the mummy wrapping from Super Mario 64) are barreling towards me! They pass us and we have to dodge them to avoid being rolled over. At one point, we are forced to the edge of the slide, and I fell off.
Take 3- I start the slide again. The sides of the columns are safe to touch, so I keep sliding into them to stay on the slide. We make it past the first bunch of columns, and then the slide gets narrower. We are then flanked by Star Bits. I get a 100 Star Bit 1-up here. The slide becomes so narrow, that we must line ourselves up, and not touch the joystick to stay on. We land at the midgate. Phew! I buy a Life Shroom from the Luma Shop and we launch yet again.
We land in a giant quicksand pit. There are rocks interspersed throughout, so we have someplace to stand. We get close the the center and a sand lizard appears! Also, a Fire Flower orbits the center of the battlefield in a bubble. We take it, and hear a new remix of the Fire Flower music that I like. It sounds Fire Flower meets Carnival. After throwing some rocks, the lizard will open its mouth. What do we do? Take the Wiimote, make Mario face the lizard directly, and shake it like a Polaroid picture! I'm not sure how many fireballs need to go in his mouth to count as a hit, but the same notes play as when you volley a coconut with King Kaliente. We get in 2 hits, but I take a hit from a spiky projectile. The lizard also throws yellow rocks, which make coins. After the the 2nd hit, blasters appear from beneath the sand. These shoot bombs we have to dodge or destroy with fireballs. We can take out any of the projectiles with the fireballs. I take a hit from a bomb, and the lizard opens his mouth in a daze. We send in the last of the fireballs we need-after each one, he turns a little bit darker. He explodes into a Star and the sand stops moving.
Star Get # 53, 31 Comet Medals, 448 Star Bits, 1252 Coins, 25 Lives
This galaxy has some awesome music. It's Egyptian-themed, with some Indiana Jones-type adventure music. We land on a snaking tube of sand. There are torches around us, but it is so hot in this galaxy, that we can't put out the torches. I took a hit from the flames. While walking around, I found a green pipe. I got most of the coins, but not all of them. I launched at the end of the sand tube.
We land on another sand tube, but this time, there are blocks trying to push us off. There are also green Pokeys and bomb-dropping roosters from Galaxy to make this difficult. I take 2 hits from the bombs, get the Comet Medal above some safe rocks, and am knocked off the level.
Take 2- I take 3 hits from flames and launch. I take a hit from a Pokey, get the Comet Medal, and get a Fire Flower. I use the fireballs to light the torches. A 1-up appears. There are more blocks, but this time, they try to crush you. I ride on top of them to avoid getting killed. We reach the midgate and launch to a sand slide coming out of the pyramid. Mario sits down for this slide. Hey, wait!. The camera's facing Mario and behind him! I can't see where I'm going! It's not safe driving out of your rear view mirror! After a few seconds, I find out what's going on in front of me is not nearly as important as what's coming up behind me: rolling columns (minus the mummy wrapping from Super Mario 64) are barreling towards me! They pass us and we have to dodge them to avoid being rolled over. At one point, we are forced to the edge of the slide, and I fell off.
Take 3- I start the slide again. The sides of the columns are safe to touch, so I keep sliding into them to stay on the slide. We make it past the first bunch of columns, and then the slide gets narrower. We are then flanked by Star Bits. I get a 100 Star Bit 1-up here. The slide becomes so narrow, that we must line ourselves up, and not touch the joystick to stay on. We land at the midgate. Phew! I buy a Life Shroom from the Luma Shop and we launch yet again.
We land in a giant quicksand pit. There are rocks interspersed throughout, so we have someplace to stand. We get close the the center and a sand lizard appears! Also, a Fire Flower orbits the center of the battlefield in a bubble. We take it, and hear a new remix of the Fire Flower music that I like. It sounds Fire Flower meets Carnival. After throwing some rocks, the lizard will open its mouth. What do we do? Take the Wiimote, make Mario face the lizard directly, and shake it like a Polaroid picture! I'm not sure how many fireballs need to go in his mouth to count as a hit, but the same notes play as when you volley a coconut with King Kaliente. We get in 2 hits, but I take a hit from a spiky projectile. The lizard also throws yellow rocks, which make coins. After the the 2nd hit, blasters appear from beneath the sand. These shoot bombs we have to dodge or destroy with fireballs. We can take out any of the projectiles with the fireballs. I take a hit from a bomb, and the lizard opens his mouth in a daze. We send in the last of the fireballs we need-after each one, he turns a little bit darker. He explodes into a Star and the sand stops moving.
Star Get # 53, 31 Comet Medals, 448 Star Bits, 1252 Coins, 25 Lives
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Boo Moon Galaxy - Haunting the Howling Tower
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
We land back in the halls of the dark house. We can't jump over the walls, so we have to walk around. I found a 1-up in a crystal in front of a picture of a 1-up. There is another 1-up in crystal. I took 3 hits from Boos and got lost. There is a door by the Bowser statue-this took me several minutes to figure out because you have to get close to the door for it to open. I finally found the green pipe I needed, which warped me to the midgate. We are in another 2D antfarm, with a Boo Mushroom. We are in a house, and must henshin into Boo Mario (I'm going ghost!) to ascend. There are Ghost Octoombas and hermit crabs to make our lives difficult. There are fans that push us along we can become transparent by shaking and can go through grates. I take too many hits from the hermit crabs near the fan that blows upward and died.
Take 2- I get a 1-up near the 1-up picture. I reach the tower part of the house, and take too many hits trying to ascend from Ghost Octoombas.
Take 3- I get the 1-up, and take too many hits from the hermit crabs and Octoombas. The controls are also difficult, as it is a 2D level, but Boo Mario tries to move in 3D.
Take 4- I get the 1-up, take a hit from a hermit crab and reach the Star otherwise unhit. Getting up the tower is the hardest part because it is narrow and there are a few Octoombas. I don't know why it's called the Howling Tower; it was rather quiet. If anything, I was doing the yelling.
Star Get #52, 364 Star Bits, 1230 Coins, 25 Lives
Interlude
Chee? Lubba says we have a soft, white mushroom now. What he fails to mention is we brought back a soft, white mushroom with FANGS! We brought back the Boo Mushroom. We find weird stuff, but Lubba chalks it up to that's just the universe.
We land back in the halls of the dark house. We can't jump over the walls, so we have to walk around. I found a 1-up in a crystal in front of a picture of a 1-up. There is another 1-up in crystal. I took 3 hits from Boos and got lost. There is a door by the Bowser statue-this took me several minutes to figure out because you have to get close to the door for it to open. I finally found the green pipe I needed, which warped me to the midgate. We are in another 2D antfarm, with a Boo Mushroom. We are in a house, and must henshin into Boo Mario (I'm going ghost!) to ascend. There are Ghost Octoombas and hermit crabs to make our lives difficult. There are fans that push us along we can become transparent by shaking and can go through grates. I take too many hits from the hermit crabs near the fan that blows upward and died.
Take 2- I get a 1-up near the 1-up picture. I reach the tower part of the house, and take too many hits trying to ascend from Ghost Octoombas.
Take 3- I get the 1-up, and take too many hits from the hermit crabs and Octoombas. The controls are also difficult, as it is a 2D level, but Boo Mario tries to move in 3D.
Take 4- I get the 1-up, take a hit from a hermit crab and reach the Star otherwise unhit. Getting up the tower is the hardest part because it is narrow and there are a few Octoombas. I don't know why it's called the Howling Tower; it was rather quiet. If anything, I was doing the yelling.
Star Get #52, 364 Star Bits, 1230 Coins, 25 Lives
Interlude
Chee? Lubba says we have a soft, white mushroom now. What he fails to mention is we brought back a soft, white mushroom with FANGS! We brought back the Boo Mushroom. We find weird stuff, but Lubba chalks it up to that's just the universe.
Boo Moon Galaxy - Silver Stars Pop-up
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
This galaxy has the same music as Haunty Halls. We land on a dark, spherical planet with walls. It is a house. There is a beam of light around Mario so we can see where to go. We hear some Boos laugh. I move to the right where there is a coin. The door opens automatically, but it isn't obvious where the doors are. I failed the Bonus Area with the Pumpkin Goombas. The place is pretty dusty-Mario leaves footprints, which will allow us to see where we've been- it's a maze. I take 2 hits from Boos and found the Launch Star.
We launch to a purple snake platform over a goop lake. We ride to the midgate, where we take another snake platform. The land will sink into the goop after you get off it. We get the ? Coin, which makes musical notes appear that play the musical scale. Getting all of them makes 3 1-ups appear-they won't move. I fell in the goop because I jumped and missed the musical notes.
Take 2- I got the 3 1-ups. I reach another snake platform, which takes me along to a platform where the gravity transitions and the world flips up 90 degrees. I take a hit from a Ghost Octoomba, but didn't recover-the snake platform moves quickly and I couldn't recover in time.
Take 3- I get the 3-up, miss the platform, and fell in.
Take 4-I got the 3-up and reach a fourth snake platform and the world flips up again. This one takes you to the Comet Medal and the Launch Star.
We launch to a crescent moon with Launch Star Chips. It's a 2D moon and it tilts with Mario's weight. We get all 5 and create the Launch Star.
We launch to a flat planet with a background of a house behind some graves. There are Silver Stars, most of which are high above the ground. One is at ground level near a grave marker. The second is above a red switch, which we pound. This makes half of the planet flip up like a pop-up book. The grave markers pop-up so we can stand on them. There are few Boos to make this difficult. I take a hit from one. The planet goes back down, but will come back up without you having to pound the switch again. Once we get the other 3, the Star appears and land on the ground.
Star Get #51, 30 Comet Medals, 314 Star Bits, 1219 Coins, 23 Lives
Interlude
We get another letter from a Gearmo, who wants some work done on Space Storm. We'll deal with him later.
This galaxy has the same music as Haunty Halls. We land on a dark, spherical planet with walls. It is a house. There is a beam of light around Mario so we can see where to go. We hear some Boos laugh. I move to the right where there is a coin. The door opens automatically, but it isn't obvious where the doors are. I failed the Bonus Area with the Pumpkin Goombas. The place is pretty dusty-Mario leaves footprints, which will allow us to see where we've been- it's a maze. I take 2 hits from Boos and found the Launch Star.
We launch to a purple snake platform over a goop lake. We ride to the midgate, where we take another snake platform. The land will sink into the goop after you get off it. We get the ? Coin, which makes musical notes appear that play the musical scale. Getting all of them makes 3 1-ups appear-they won't move. I fell in the goop because I jumped and missed the musical notes.
Take 2- I got the 3 1-ups. I reach another snake platform, which takes me along to a platform where the gravity transitions and the world flips up 90 degrees. I take a hit from a Ghost Octoomba, but didn't recover-the snake platform moves quickly and I couldn't recover in time.
Take 3- I get the 3-up, miss the platform, and fell in.
Take 4-I got the 3-up and reach a fourth snake platform and the world flips up again. This one takes you to the Comet Medal and the Launch Star.
We launch to a crescent moon with Launch Star Chips. It's a 2D moon and it tilts with Mario's weight. We get all 5 and create the Launch Star.
We launch to a flat planet with a background of a house behind some graves. There are Silver Stars, most of which are high above the ground. One is at ground level near a grave marker. The second is above a red switch, which we pound. This makes half of the planet flip up like a pop-up book. The grave markers pop-up so we can stand on them. There are few Boos to make this difficult. I take a hit from one. The planet goes back down, but will come back up without you having to pound the switch again. Once we get the other 3, the Star appears and land on the ground.
Star Get #51, 30 Comet Medals, 314 Star Bits, 1219 Coins, 23 Lives
Interlude
We get another letter from a Gearmo, who wants some work done on Space Storm. We'll deal with him later.
Upside Dizzy Galaxy - A Walk on the Weird Side
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
We're walking on the weird side, are we? Haven't we been doing that the entire time? When flying to the galaxy, we can see the incinerator in the background. We get a 1-up on the ceiling near the green pipe. We also get a Life Shroom, which is good, because we take a hit from the electric fence. This galaxy has gravity arrows throughout. We reach the midgate and hit a blue ! Switch. Pounding it switches the gravity arrows on the top half to the opposite direction. We see another green pipe. It warps us to a 2D antfarm with the Beat Block music, which means that the gravity arrows will change with music. We have to be careful-I landed on the electric fence when the arrows changed. We take damage from a Fly. We deal with some blue creatures from Galaxy that will stick to Mario and can be removed with a spin-you should get rid of them because they make it difficult to jump. We get the Comet Medal near an electric fence, which we take three hits from, as well as a Fly. I lost the Life Shroom. We get near the Star, but we need good timing to deal with the arrows and the electric fence. I take a hit from the electric fence and finally get the Star.
Star Get #50, Galaxy Complete! 29 Medals, 219 Star Bits, 1215 Coins, 17 Lives
We're walking on the weird side, are we? Haven't we been doing that the entire time? When flying to the galaxy, we can see the incinerator in the background. We get a 1-up on the ceiling near the green pipe. We also get a Life Shroom, which is good, because we take a hit from the electric fence. This galaxy has gravity arrows throughout. We reach the midgate and hit a blue ! Switch. Pounding it switches the gravity arrows on the top half to the opposite direction. We see another green pipe. It warps us to a 2D antfarm with the Beat Block music, which means that the gravity arrows will change with music. We have to be careful-I landed on the electric fence when the arrows changed. We take damage from a Fly. We deal with some blue creatures from Galaxy that will stick to Mario and can be removed with a spin-you should get rid of them because they make it difficult to jump. We get the Comet Medal near an electric fence, which we take three hits from, as well as a Fly. I lost the Life Shroom. We get near the Star, but we need good timing to deal with the arrows and the electric fence. I take a hit from the electric fence and finally get the Star.
Star Get #50, Galaxy Complete! 29 Medals, 219 Star Bits, 1215 Coins, 17 Lives
Upside Dizzy Galaxy - Burning Upside Dizzy
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
This looks and sounds like Rightside Down Galaxy. We land directly in the green pipe of a castle, and the galaxies look similar and have the same music. It is another 2D antfarm. I take a hit from a fly. I reach another green pipe with the Secret Area music. There are more crates and a Fire Flower. Sounds familiar. The crates are arranged in a pyramid, with an orange pipe in the middle under some crates. I only destroy one of the other boxes in the pyramid-destroying all the other crates will make it difficult to reach the tall orange pipe. We warp through the pipe to another dump planet with a Gearmo. He wants us to again burn all of the crates. More indulging our inner pyro! There are more crates this time, and we get a Fire Flower and 20 seconds. It took me 18 tries until I got it-I got it on the 18th try. I tried destroying every patch of boxes individually, then randomnly spinning around and shooting fireballs. I finally got it right- destroy the crates right in front of me with one fireball, then move to the back and snipe all of the crates from behind with a few fireballs, then moved to the back of the other sections. I finished with one second to spare. The Gearmo gives us a Star he found while cleaning as thanks.
Star Get #49, 145 Star Bits, 1155 Coins, 15 Lives
Interlude
We land in the engine room, which means we brought back an item. Screaming pulsars! We brough back the Fire Flower. He says it looks like a flower with a face. We collect some of the most interesting stuff he's ever seen. (Really? We've seen these since the very beginning!) Now 5 of the domes have been filled. Which will be the last 2 items we bring back.
This looks and sounds like Rightside Down Galaxy. We land directly in the green pipe of a castle, and the galaxies look similar and have the same music. It is another 2D antfarm. I take a hit from a fly. I reach another green pipe with the Secret Area music. There are more crates and a Fire Flower. Sounds familiar. The crates are arranged in a pyramid, with an orange pipe in the middle under some crates. I only destroy one of the other boxes in the pyramid-destroying all the other crates will make it difficult to reach the tall orange pipe. We warp through the pipe to another dump planet with a Gearmo. He wants us to again burn all of the crates. More indulging our inner pyro! There are more crates this time, and we get a Fire Flower and 20 seconds. It took me 18 tries until I got it-I got it on the 18th try. I tried destroying every patch of boxes individually, then randomnly spinning around and shooting fireballs. I finally got it right- destroy the crates right in front of me with one fireball, then move to the back and snipe all of the crates from behind with a few fireballs, then moved to the back of the other sections. I finished with one second to spare. The Gearmo gives us a Star he found while cleaning as thanks.
Star Get #49, 145 Star Bits, 1155 Coins, 15 Lives
Interlude
We land in the engine room, which means we brought back an item. Screaming pulsars! We brough back the Fire Flower. He says it looks like a flower with a face. We collect some of the most interesting stuff he's ever seen. (Really? We've seen these since the very beginning!) Now 5 of the domes have been filled. Which will be the last 2 items we bring back.
Space Storm Galaxy - To the Top of Topman's Tower
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
When we get our first glimpse of Topman's Tower, I notice it looks very similar to Buoy Base in Galaxy. When we fly to the galaxy, we hear the unforgettable Buoy Base music. Go figure. I like the music a lot. I get a 1-up from under Pull Star sphere. We dodge the faster moving Amps. There is a blue ! Switch. Pounding it turns everything black-and-white and time slows down. The music also distorts. We launch to the base of the tower. There are water blasters that try to knock us off the planet. The wood floor is split into three panels that move in alternating directions to keep us away from another switch. Flipping it opens fences so we can continue. We hop on a laser with a spring head so we can sling to the midgate. We get past the past moving Thwomps, moving at Fast-Foe speed. There is a green spring Topman, which we use to get to a ! Switch. I also noticed that when time slows, coins appear that disappear when time returns to normal speed. Higher up on the tower are the moving platforms found on Buoy Base, but they move much faster. What do we do? You guessed it- slow time down! We reached the top of the tower. When time returns to normal speed, a cage comes up from the ground and two red Topmen appear. We spin both of them into the surrounding electric fence. Then, a green spring Topman appears, which springs us to the Star.
Star Get #48, 137 Star Bits, 1136 Coins, 15 Lives
When we get our first glimpse of Topman's Tower, I notice it looks very similar to Buoy Base in Galaxy. When we fly to the galaxy, we hear the unforgettable Buoy Base music. Go figure. I like the music a lot. I get a 1-up from under Pull Star sphere. We dodge the faster moving Amps. There is a blue ! Switch. Pounding it turns everything black-and-white and time slows down. The music also distorts. We launch to the base of the tower. There are water blasters that try to knock us off the planet. The wood floor is split into three panels that move in alternating directions to keep us away from another switch. Flipping it opens fences so we can continue. We hop on a laser with a spring head so we can sling to the midgate. We get past the past moving Thwomps, moving at Fast-Foe speed. There is a green spring Topman, which we use to get to a ! Switch. I also noticed that when time slows, coins appear that disappear when time returns to normal speed. Higher up on the tower are the moving platforms found on Buoy Base, but they move much faster. What do we do? You guessed it- slow time down! We reached the top of the tower. When time returns to normal speed, a cage comes up from the ground and two red Topmen appear. We spin both of them into the surrounding electric fence. Then, a green spring Topman appears, which springs us to the Star.
Star Get #48, 137 Star Bits, 1136 Coins, 15 Lives
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Space Storm Galaxy - Follow Me, Bob-omb
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
We have more eerie, spacey music here, but it's not like Space Junk. However, the Pull-Star spheres we land on are like Space Junk. Walking under the 1st one gives a 1-up. I reach the next sphere and take a hit from an Amp. There are Pull Stars rotating around a Launch Star, so we have to time it carefully to reach it. I lose power and conveniently fall into the Launch Star.
We land on a long cylinder planet where we have to get to the other side by navigating rotating platforms. I land on the electric fence 3 times and find the Comet Medal after the 2nd or 3rd set of rotating platforms. We thankfully reach the end and launch to a spool shaped planet.
Here we can see through the floor, where there is a Launch Star. There is also a Life Shroom in a cage. It took me some time to figure out what to do, so I wandered around and took 2 hits from the electric fence. I noticed the Bob-omb launcher near the Launch Star. It will still follow us, so we must lead it on the narrow path to the cage. Breaking the cage opens up a hole into the interior of the planet. We get the Life Shroom and free the Luma, who says spinning a Bob-omb will allow us to pick it up. With that good advice, we launch to the next planet.
We trip the midgate on a partial cylinder of a planet. There are spiked Topmen that come out of black holes, as well as smaller, yellow Topmen. There is also a Bob-omb launcher, and I use a Bob-omb to break a cage so I can proceed and get a 1-up. At the other side of the planet, there are a series of Pull Stars. I used one, but couldn't reach another in time before the power ran out and I fell into a black hole.
Take 2- A yellow Topman knocks me into an electric fence and I fell into a black hole.
Take 3- I get the 1-up and use the Pull Star, but I let go and fall in.
Take 4- I get a 100 Star Bit 1-up and the caged 1-up and use the Pull Stars to reach the Star.
Star Get #47, 28 Comet Medals, 128 Star Bits, 1124 Coins, 14 Lives
Completing this Star mission gives access to almost all of the other galaxies.
We have more eerie, spacey music here, but it's not like Space Junk. However, the Pull-Star spheres we land on are like Space Junk. Walking under the 1st one gives a 1-up. I reach the next sphere and take a hit from an Amp. There are Pull Stars rotating around a Launch Star, so we have to time it carefully to reach it. I lose power and conveniently fall into the Launch Star.
We land on a long cylinder planet where we have to get to the other side by navigating rotating platforms. I land on the electric fence 3 times and find the Comet Medal after the 2nd or 3rd set of rotating platforms. We thankfully reach the end and launch to a spool shaped planet.
Here we can see through the floor, where there is a Launch Star. There is also a Life Shroom in a cage. It took me some time to figure out what to do, so I wandered around and took 2 hits from the electric fence. I noticed the Bob-omb launcher near the Launch Star. It will still follow us, so we must lead it on the narrow path to the cage. Breaking the cage opens up a hole into the interior of the planet. We get the Life Shroom and free the Luma, who says spinning a Bob-omb will allow us to pick it up. With that good advice, we launch to the next planet.
We trip the midgate on a partial cylinder of a planet. There are spiked Topmen that come out of black holes, as well as smaller, yellow Topmen. There is also a Bob-omb launcher, and I use a Bob-omb to break a cage so I can proceed and get a 1-up. At the other side of the planet, there are a series of Pull Stars. I used one, but couldn't reach another in time before the power ran out and I fell into a black hole.
Take 2- A yellow Topman knocks me into an electric fence and I fell into a black hole.
Take 3- I get the 1-up and use the Pull Star, but I let go and fall in.
Take 4- I get a 100 Star Bit 1-up and the caged 1-up and use the Pull Stars to reach the Star.
Star Get #47, 28 Comet Medals, 128 Star Bits, 1124 Coins, 14 Lives
Completing this Star mission gives access to almost all of the other galaxies.
"World" 5 - Trial of the Galaxies
This "world" has lots of spiral galaxies in the background. The music is more eerie here. Lubba says this place might be pretty well protected as we're moving in on the enemy's home base. We should drop in unannounced-maybe they'll have snacks when we show up! Yes, Lubba is always the comedian. Let's continue-we're getting close!
The music on S.S. Mario becomes more elaborate with an extra melody. The same thing happened when we get a lot of Grand Stars for the Observatory. There are more brass and winds. We get a letter from the Princess with 5 1-ups. Banktoad found a 1-up for us and poofs on glasses because he thinks they make him look good at math.
The music on S.S. Mario becomes more elaborate with an extra melody. The same thing happened when we get a lot of Grand Stars for the Observatory. There are more brass and winds. We get a letter from the Princess with 5 1-ups. Banktoad found a 1-up for us and poofs on glasses because he thinks they make him look good at math.
Bowser's Gravity Gauntlet - Breaking into Bowser's Castle
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
This "galaxy" has the same music as the last time we tried to beat Bowser, but with more lava and fire! We get a Life Shroom and the move along as the area switches into 2D ant farm. We trip the midgate and backflip to get the Comet Medal. There are Podoboos jumping out of the lava, some of which dive into another pool of lava at a 90 degree angle. The walking surface rotates 90 degrees, but the camera doesn't change, so we have to adjust the way we control the joystick. I take 2 hits from Podoboos and we walk onto the ceiling, where I take another hit and lose the Life Shroom. We have to swim through a water area, where the water is magically suspended above the ground. There are Cheep-cheeps to avoid. We exit the area, trigger the midgate, and the game goes back to 3-D. Mario died from being crushed by a Whomp.
Take 2- I kill the Whomp that took Mario out in Take 1. There is another Whomp, and near it, a 1-up. We go around a corridor, and it goes back to 2D. I take a hit from a Goomba and jump to a rotating platform with fire bars, which hit me. I launch to the midgate on the other side reached by walking around the platform.
We find another meteor-we know what to do with these! But first, we must seek out a Life Shroom, found in the right crystal. We break the seals on the door with the meteors and ride the purple warp beam to the battle area.
Baby Luma comes out from under our hat. The throne is empty and Bowser isn't here. He waves the all-clear. Suddenly, Bowser appears out of nowhere. He expects as much that we're here because we're his archnemesis. But our time is up. It's smooshing time! His huge fist is going to meet our puny face. Baby Luma cowers behind Mario. We fly up to the battle planet.
Bowser's fist now glows purple, and makes shockwaves when it hits the ground. I take a hit from a meteor, which also creates shockwaves when it lands. Bowser will punch the planet twice before the meteors rain down. I get in 2 hits and the music speeds up and Bowser starts breathing fire. I take a hit from the fire. I get in my 3rd and 4th hits and he spits up the Grand Star. He flails and reaches in vain for it and shrinks. He wonders how we did it, but his master plan is too far along and we can't stop him. GWAHAHAAH! He spins and disappears like last time. I noticed the floor on the planet from which we see his throne. It looks like onyx and lapis lazuli stone is the flooring, which is very nice. The Grand Star appears.
GRAND STAR GET #4!
Star Get #46, 27 Comet Medals, 1258 Star Bits, 1120 Coins, 23 Lives
Interlude
Chush! Lubba says we did great work finding the 4th Grand Star and fighting the monster. But, we look more banged up this time (I agree), which means Bowser's getting stronger. We must stop him before he gets more powerful. Let's hit it, on the double!
That was another great game session. I got 14 Stars this time. I am currently at 110 Stars and opened one of the last galaxies in the game. But the Stars are getting harder to get, so my rate will decrease.
This "galaxy" has the same music as the last time we tried to beat Bowser, but with more lava and fire! We get a Life Shroom and the move along as the area switches into 2D ant farm. We trip the midgate and backflip to get the Comet Medal. There are Podoboos jumping out of the lava, some of which dive into another pool of lava at a 90 degree angle. The walking surface rotates 90 degrees, but the camera doesn't change, so we have to adjust the way we control the joystick. I take 2 hits from Podoboos and we walk onto the ceiling, where I take another hit and lose the Life Shroom. We have to swim through a water area, where the water is magically suspended above the ground. There are Cheep-cheeps to avoid. We exit the area, trigger the midgate, and the game goes back to 3-D. Mario died from being crushed by a Whomp.
Take 2- I kill the Whomp that took Mario out in Take 1. There is another Whomp, and near it, a 1-up. We go around a corridor, and it goes back to 2D. I take a hit from a Goomba and jump to a rotating platform with fire bars, which hit me. I launch to the midgate on the other side reached by walking around the platform.
We find another meteor-we know what to do with these! But first, we must seek out a Life Shroom, found in the right crystal. We break the seals on the door with the meteors and ride the purple warp beam to the battle area.
Baby Luma comes out from under our hat. The throne is empty and Bowser isn't here. He waves the all-clear. Suddenly, Bowser appears out of nowhere. He expects as much that we're here because we're his archnemesis. But our time is up. It's smooshing time! His huge fist is going to meet our puny face. Baby Luma cowers behind Mario. We fly up to the battle planet.
Bowser's fist now glows purple, and makes shockwaves when it hits the ground. I take a hit from a meteor, which also creates shockwaves when it lands. Bowser will punch the planet twice before the meteors rain down. I get in 2 hits and the music speeds up and Bowser starts breathing fire. I take a hit from the fire. I get in my 3rd and 4th hits and he spits up the Grand Star. He flails and reaches in vain for it and shrinks. He wonders how we did it, but his master plan is too far along and we can't stop him. GWAHAHAAH! He spins and disappears like last time. I noticed the floor on the planet from which we see his throne. It looks like onyx and lapis lazuli stone is the flooring, which is very nice. The Grand Star appears.
GRAND STAR GET #4!
Star Get #46, 27 Comet Medals, 1258 Star Bits, 1120 Coins, 23 Lives
Interlude
Chush! Lubba says we did great work finding the 4th Grand Star and fighting the monster. But, we look more banged up this time (I agree), which means Bowser's getting stronger. We must stop him before he gets more powerful. Let's hit it, on the double!
That was another great game session. I got 14 Stars this time. I am currently at 110 Stars and opened one of the last galaxies in the game. But the Stars are getting harder to get, so my rate will decrease.
Chompworks Galaxy - Where the Chomps Are Made of Gold
Welcoime Back to the Galaxy!
This galaxy has the same music as Flipsville. This mission took me a little while to figure out how to progress, but not too long. We land on a planet that is an assembly line for Chomps. The Gearmos run this operation. The pink one stands in front of a basin that must be kept clear. We see the assembly line up on a platform with several Chomps rolling out and running into a wall and bursting apart. Above the Chomps is a Comet Medal. I go up to the assembly line, get the Comet Medal, and get knocked off.
Take 2- I got the Comet Medal and took a hit from a Chomp. I flip a switch and the wall they were running into drops so they can continue on wire rails. I try to follow them on the rails, but Mario is not a Chomp and falls through.
Take 3- I got the Comet Medal and flipped the switch. The Chomps rolled down the rails, but ran into a platform, which broke them up. I stood on said platform and it lowered, allowing the Chomp to roll into the basin, but not before hitting me. The Chomp turns into a Launch Star and we launch to the midgate.
There is a Gearmo standing in front of a line of rolling Chomps, saying to give their best shot. They run into him and burst into pieces. We walk on the right side of the assembly line, where there are other platforms. On one is a green platform circled by Mini Chomps. I got 2 1-ups from the dice. I get some coins and long jump to the Launch Star. There is a cluster of Star Bits shaped like a Chomp in space.
We land on another assembly line. There are the red/blue platforms from Flip-Flop. We have to reach the beginning of the assembly line and clear the way for the Chomp by flipping the platforms and tilting the green platform, so it will land in the basin. It does, and we get a 1-up and 100 Star Bit 1-up on the way. The Chomp becomes a Launch Star and launch to the next planet.
We trip the midgate and find ourselves at yet another assembly line. This time, Gold Chomps roll out of lava. As we can all guess, gold means Star. There is a basin nearby, which means we must lead the Chomp into it for the Star. Before I can do that, however, I fell in the lava twice and took a hit from a Helmet Goomba.
Take 4- We depress the platforms so the Chomp can roll on its way. Don't worry if you lose one of them; an unlimited supply will come out of the lava. Because we have to stay ahead of the Chomp, the Chomp will periodically go on some rails so we can move forward without it hurting us. After depressing the 2nd platform, I jumped to the next area and waited at the switch. We pounded the switch with good timing-after the Chomp has rolled onto the platform we have to raise, but before it hits the wall. It rolls in the basin and burst into the Star.
Star Get # 45, 26 Comet Medals, 1190 Star Bits, 1112 Coins, 22 Lives
Interlude
We get a yellow/black letter from a Gearmo, who wants odd jobs done in Boulder Bowl Galaxy. I would love to indulge my inner pyro by burning more crates, but there are other Stars I need to get. I'll take care of this later.
This galaxy has the same music as Flipsville. This mission took me a little while to figure out how to progress, but not too long. We land on a planet that is an assembly line for Chomps. The Gearmos run this operation. The pink one stands in front of a basin that must be kept clear. We see the assembly line up on a platform with several Chomps rolling out and running into a wall and bursting apart. Above the Chomps is a Comet Medal. I go up to the assembly line, get the Comet Medal, and get knocked off.
Take 2- I got the Comet Medal and took a hit from a Chomp. I flip a switch and the wall they were running into drops so they can continue on wire rails. I try to follow them on the rails, but Mario is not a Chomp and falls through.
Take 3- I got the Comet Medal and flipped the switch. The Chomps rolled down the rails, but ran into a platform, which broke them up. I stood on said platform and it lowered, allowing the Chomp to roll into the basin, but not before hitting me. The Chomp turns into a Launch Star and we launch to the midgate.
There is a Gearmo standing in front of a line of rolling Chomps, saying to give their best shot. They run into him and burst into pieces. We walk on the right side of the assembly line, where there are other platforms. On one is a green platform circled by Mini Chomps. I got 2 1-ups from the dice. I get some coins and long jump to the Launch Star. There is a cluster of Star Bits shaped like a Chomp in space.
We land on another assembly line. There are the red/blue platforms from Flip-Flop. We have to reach the beginning of the assembly line and clear the way for the Chomp by flipping the platforms and tilting the green platform, so it will land in the basin. It does, and we get a 1-up and 100 Star Bit 1-up on the way. The Chomp becomes a Launch Star and launch to the next planet.
We trip the midgate and find ourselves at yet another assembly line. This time, Gold Chomps roll out of lava. As we can all guess, gold means Star. There is a basin nearby, which means we must lead the Chomp into it for the Star. Before I can do that, however, I fell in the lava twice and took a hit from a Helmet Goomba.
Take 4- We depress the platforms so the Chomp can roll on its way. Don't worry if you lose one of them; an unlimited supply will come out of the lava. Because we have to stay ahead of the Chomp, the Chomp will periodically go on some rails so we can move forward without it hurting us. After depressing the 2nd platform, I jumped to the next area and waited at the switch. We pounded the switch with good timing-after the Chomp has rolled onto the platform we have to raise, but before it hits the wall. It rolls in the basin and burst into the Star.
Star Get # 45, 26 Comet Medals, 1190 Star Bits, 1112 Coins, 22 Lives
Interlude
We get a yellow/black letter from a Gearmo, who wants odd jobs done in Boulder Bowl Galaxy. I would love to indulge my inner pyro by burning more crates, but there are other Stars I need to get. I'll take care of this later.
Starshine Beach Galaxy - Climbing the Cloudy Tower
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
We land on the same platform as last time and launch to the main planet. We receive word that the Piantas are having a Strongest Pianta Tournament. We see some Piantas making lifting motions. When we approach them, they throw us up high so we can reach things we normally couldn't. The pink Pianta will lift us up into the trees. The yellow one on the hill will throw us to a 1-up. Another Pianta is not participating in the tournament, but decided to open up a Leaf Raft shop. They are available for us to try. We are told by another Pianta that the highest platform can only be accessed from deep water, so we dive in. Coins lead the way to the entrance and we swim upwards and sling to the surface. On the top of the platform is a water blaster and a switch. Said switch activates the water blaster and makes a Cloud Flower appear. The Star is on top of the tall tower, where in the last mission, we found a Silver Star. Now we have a way to reach it! We use the blaster to get off the platform and get the Cloud Flower. But we can't just walk to the tower: the path is covered in water. The Cloud Flower is on a sandbar near the dock where the leaf boats are. We long jump to a leaf boat, and tilt the Wiimote in the direction we want to go. I tried using the Piantas to toss us way up high, but they deactivate the Cloud Suit and only throw you straight up. We go back to get another Cloud Flower and come back to the tower. We climb the clouds circling the tower and jump to land on it. We recharge the Cloud Suit and make cloud stairs to the Star.
Star Get #44, 1001 Star Bits, 1196 Coins, 22 Lives
Interlude
We land on the base. Did we bring back a Pianta? Lubba says the Cloud Flower looks like fun. It appears by the brim of S.S. Mario's hat. Lubba says we should try to stay grounded. I look around, but don't find anything.
We land on the same platform as last time and launch to the main planet. We receive word that the Piantas are having a Strongest Pianta Tournament. We see some Piantas making lifting motions. When we approach them, they throw us up high so we can reach things we normally couldn't. The pink Pianta will lift us up into the trees. The yellow one on the hill will throw us to a 1-up. Another Pianta is not participating in the tournament, but decided to open up a Leaf Raft shop. They are available for us to try. We are told by another Pianta that the highest platform can only be accessed from deep water, so we dive in. Coins lead the way to the entrance and we swim upwards and sling to the surface. On the top of the platform is a water blaster and a switch. Said switch activates the water blaster and makes a Cloud Flower appear. The Star is on top of the tall tower, where in the last mission, we found a Silver Star. Now we have a way to reach it! We use the blaster to get off the platform and get the Cloud Flower. But we can't just walk to the tower: the path is covered in water. The Cloud Flower is on a sandbar near the dock where the leaf boats are. We long jump to a leaf boat, and tilt the Wiimote in the direction we want to go. I tried using the Piantas to toss us way up high, but they deactivate the Cloud Suit and only throw you straight up. We go back to get another Cloud Flower and come back to the tower. We climb the clouds circling the tower and jump to land on it. We recharge the Cloud Suit and make cloud stairs to the Star.
Star Get #44, 1001 Star Bits, 1196 Coins, 22 Lives
Interlude
We land on the base. Did we bring back a Pianta? Lubba says the Cloud Flower looks like fun. It appears by the brim of S.S. Mario's hat. Lubba says we should try to stay grounded. I look around, but don't find anything.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Starshine Beach Galaxy - Surf, Sand, and Silver Stars
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
I was going to nickname this Delfino Galaxy, but after checking it out, it looks nothing like Isle Delfino. It does remind me of Beach Bowl Galaxy. Tropical music plays. It somewhat sounds like a remix of the trailer theme and another song from Galaxy 2. We land on a platform above a platform on a ball of water. We dive into the water (which sports a similar underwater style to Beach Bowl) and launch to the main planet.
Here we meet more Piantas. All of them are male and have the same voice as in Sunshine. One of them has seen Silver Star that magically appeared over night. We get Yoshi, who can eat and spit out the crabs on the planet, just like Spinies. We take a hit from a Spiny, and use it to break open a cage for a Silver Star on the hill. A green Pianta draws our attention to the Silver Star on the tower. We move into deep water, where Yoshi slowly doggy paddles. We smash another cage with a crab to release a Blimp Fruit. We use it to get a 1-up and the 2nd Silver Star. We find a green pipe and get 2 1-up and some coins from the dice. The 3rd Silver Star is by the water striders. The 4th is over a floating gourd-like structure. We stand on its side to rotate its top up, revealing a pink, springy surface. This takes some time. There is a Dash Pepper that lets Yoshi run on water. We don't need it right now. At this point, I noticed that I hadn't seen the Comet Medal yet. I ditched Yoshi, because he can't dive underwater, and dove into the deepest part of the planet. (I didn't realize that there was a safer back entrance.) There are hermit crabs, Bloopers, and eels underwater. The Comet Medal is between the 2 eels in the cavern with the back entrance. The tallest platform on the planet extends into the depths, and contains a water blaster. We get Yoshi back and use the Swing Flowers to get the last Silver Star over the Pianta statue. The Silver Stars combine to form a Star (not a Shine), which lands near the yellow Pianta.
Star Get #43, 25 Comet Medals, 926 Star Bits, 1095 Coins, 20 Lives
I was going to nickname this Delfino Galaxy, but after checking it out, it looks nothing like Isle Delfino. It does remind me of Beach Bowl Galaxy. Tropical music plays. It somewhat sounds like a remix of the trailer theme and another song from Galaxy 2. We land on a platform above a platform on a ball of water. We dive into the water (which sports a similar underwater style to Beach Bowl) and launch to the main planet.
Here we meet more Piantas. All of them are male and have the same voice as in Sunshine. One of them has seen Silver Star that magically appeared over night. We get Yoshi, who can eat and spit out the crabs on the planet, just like Spinies. We take a hit from a Spiny, and use it to break open a cage for a Silver Star on the hill. A green Pianta draws our attention to the Silver Star on the tower. We move into deep water, where Yoshi slowly doggy paddles. We smash another cage with a crab to release a Blimp Fruit. We use it to get a 1-up and the 2nd Silver Star. We find a green pipe and get 2 1-up and some coins from the dice. The 3rd Silver Star is by the water striders. The 4th is over a floating gourd-like structure. We stand on its side to rotate its top up, revealing a pink, springy surface. This takes some time. There is a Dash Pepper that lets Yoshi run on water. We don't need it right now. At this point, I noticed that I hadn't seen the Comet Medal yet. I ditched Yoshi, because he can't dive underwater, and dove into the deepest part of the planet. (I didn't realize that there was a safer back entrance.) There are hermit crabs, Bloopers, and eels underwater. The Comet Medal is between the 2 eels in the cavern with the back entrance. The tallest platform on the planet extends into the depths, and contains a water blaster. We get Yoshi back and use the Swing Flowers to get the last Silver Star over the Pianta statue. The Silver Stars combine to form a Star (not a Shine), which lands near the yellow Pianta.
Star Get #43, 25 Comet Medals, 926 Star Bits, 1095 Coins, 20 Lives
Flipsville Galaxy - Flipsville's New Digs
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
We land back in the farmhouse cube, and notice that it is dirty, falling apart, and potentially charred. The grates have been replaced with patches of dirt and Mecha-Koopas. There are drills nearby so we can drill through the dirt patches. I complete the Bonus Area for 3 1-ups. I reach the top of the house and drill nearby for a 1-up. Red Toad is once again at the top of the house. He says the Brigade bailed on him because they got scared. He's scared, too. We launch to the midgate.
On this planet, we find a similar drill challenge to that on Spin-Dig. We drill through the towers until we reach a pipe. It takes us to a 2D ant farm of a house of 9 squares. The music from Beat Block plays; this time, it controls the gravity arrows. There are only two directions the arrows can turn in each room. It's another Silver Star mission. I get a 1-up. There are Fuzzies populating the house. I get all 5 Silver Stars (each in a different room) and take a hit from a Fuzzy. The Star appears in the center room, so we have to drill at good times to reach it.
Star Get #42, 834 Star Bits, 1021 Coins, 17 Lives
We land back in the farmhouse cube, and notice that it is dirty, falling apart, and potentially charred. The grates have been replaced with patches of dirt and Mecha-Koopas. There are drills nearby so we can drill through the dirt patches. I complete the Bonus Area for 3 1-ups. I reach the top of the house and drill nearby for a 1-up. Red Toad is once again at the top of the house. He says the Brigade bailed on him because they got scared. He's scared, too. We launch to the midgate.
On this planet, we find a similar drill challenge to that on Spin-Dig. We drill through the towers until we reach a pipe. It takes us to a 2D ant farm of a house of 9 squares. The music from Beat Block plays; this time, it controls the gravity arrows. There are only two directions the arrows can turn in each room. It's another Silver Star mission. I get a 1-up. There are Fuzzies populating the house. I get all 5 Silver Stars (each in a different room) and take a hit from a Fuzzy. The Star appears in the center room, so we have to drill at good times to reach it.
Star Get #42, 834 Star Bits, 1021 Coins, 17 Lives
Flipsville Galaxy - Flip-Flopping in Flipsville
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
Flipsville has new slow techno music, which makes it sound very mechanical. We land on a cube planet that is divided up into sections and looks like a house from the inside. There are grates in the floor. We can pound the grates to flip to the other side of the house, which is essential to progress. It is also essential to staying on the planet. There are new enemies, which I'll call Dozers (you'll understand soon). They are spiked on the top, but when they crawl over the grates, we can see the ground pound symbol on their bellies. Yellow Toad alerts us to this fact, saying their soft bellies look squishy. If we pound them from underneath them while on the grates, we can take them out. Green Toad directs our attention to the top of the house, where Red Toad is waiting. I take a hit from a blue Octoomba and walk off the level, trying to get the Comet Medal on the other side of the planet. I have to flip a grate so I will actually stay on.
Take 2- I took a hit from a Dozer and failed the Bonus Area- there were the spinning flowers. On the other side of the Bonus Area Blue Disc is the Comet Medal. I make my way all around the house and flip the last grate, where I fall through to the grate below. I flip it to the top of the house where Red Toad says a monster was spotted on a different planet. We get into a Lauch Star and take off.
We land on a planet which is a long stretch of grass where Chomps roll out and crash when the reach the end. We flip a grate so we can reach another. I take a hit from a blue Octoomba and grab a Life Shroom in the basin where the Chomps crash. We launch again. As we launch we see more of the scenery, which includes a barn. The first planet looked a lot like a farm house, too. In the background are large gravity arrows.
We reach the midgate, take another hit from a blue Octoomba, and ride a grate platform. We flip the grate to dodge the spikes in our path. I flipped too soon and took a hit from the last set of spikes. We take out the Dozers and lauch to the Starshroom.
Blue Toad says we must lure Glamdozer in close, then KER-THWOMP! We trip the midgate and launch to the next planet where Glamdozer lies.
Glamdozer is asleep on the planet when we arrive. It wears a pink collar and a crown, like King Lakitu, and it has the blue eyeshadow and pouty lips of King Croacus V, from Super Paper Mario, but Glamdozer's eyes are the same size. We flip to the other side of the planet (but we can walk around to the other side here), walk to the grate it is sleeping on, and pound it. It wakes up and chases us. It can crawl to the other side of the planet. We see an opportunity to attack, (and the ground-pound symbol on its belly) and pound the grate it is standing on. It then starts plugging up the grates with balls of lava. I take a couple of burns, one from a bad hit. We shouldn't run from it too quickly, because if we stand on a grate that is just the right distance from Glamdozer, the lava balls won't plug up the grate. We get in the 2nd hit, and like so many bosses we've beaten before, Glamdozer turns red. I take another two hits from the lava, and after a long game of cat-and-mouse, get in the 3rd hit. Glamdozer looks likes it's about to vomit, just like before it shoots out lava balls. It collapses and explodes and the Star appears.
Star Get #41, 24 Medals, 761 Star Bits, 991 Coins, 9 Lives
Interlude
Baby Luma gets another letter. It says if he's ever feeling alone, he should know his friends are behind him. May the Stars shine down on him. 50 Star Bits are attached.
Flipsville has new slow techno music, which makes it sound very mechanical. We land on a cube planet that is divided up into sections and looks like a house from the inside. There are grates in the floor. We can pound the grates to flip to the other side of the house, which is essential to progress. It is also essential to staying on the planet. There are new enemies, which I'll call Dozers (you'll understand soon). They are spiked on the top, but when they crawl over the grates, we can see the ground pound symbol on their bellies. Yellow Toad alerts us to this fact, saying their soft bellies look squishy. If we pound them from underneath them while on the grates, we can take them out. Green Toad directs our attention to the top of the house, where Red Toad is waiting. I take a hit from a blue Octoomba and walk off the level, trying to get the Comet Medal on the other side of the planet. I have to flip a grate so I will actually stay on.
Take 2- I took a hit from a Dozer and failed the Bonus Area- there were the spinning flowers. On the other side of the Bonus Area Blue Disc is the Comet Medal. I make my way all around the house and flip the last grate, where I fall through to the grate below. I flip it to the top of the house where Red Toad says a monster was spotted on a different planet. We get into a Lauch Star and take off.
We land on a planet which is a long stretch of grass where Chomps roll out and crash when the reach the end. We flip a grate so we can reach another. I take a hit from a blue Octoomba and grab a Life Shroom in the basin where the Chomps crash. We launch again. As we launch we see more of the scenery, which includes a barn. The first planet looked a lot like a farm house, too. In the background are large gravity arrows.
We reach the midgate, take another hit from a blue Octoomba, and ride a grate platform. We flip the grate to dodge the spikes in our path. I flipped too soon and took a hit from the last set of spikes. We take out the Dozers and lauch to the Starshroom.
Blue Toad says we must lure Glamdozer in close, then KER-THWOMP! We trip the midgate and launch to the next planet where Glamdozer lies.
Glamdozer is asleep on the planet when we arrive. It wears a pink collar and a crown, like King Lakitu, and it has the blue eyeshadow and pouty lips of King Croacus V, from Super Paper Mario, but Glamdozer's eyes are the same size. We flip to the other side of the planet (but we can walk around to the other side here), walk to the grate it is sleeping on, and pound it. It wakes up and chases us. It can crawl to the other side of the planet. We see an opportunity to attack, (and the ground-pound symbol on its belly) and pound the grate it is standing on. It then starts plugging up the grates with balls of lava. I take a couple of burns, one from a bad hit. We shouldn't run from it too quickly, because if we stand on a grate that is just the right distance from Glamdozer, the lava balls won't plug up the grate. We get in the 2nd hit, and like so many bosses we've beaten before, Glamdozer turns red. I take another two hits from the lava, and after a long game of cat-and-mouse, get in the 3rd hit. Glamdozer looks likes it's about to vomit, just like before it shoots out lava balls. It collapses and explodes and the Star appears.
Star Get #41, 24 Medals, 761 Star Bits, 991 Coins, 9 Lives
Interlude
Baby Luma gets another letter. It says if he's ever feeling alone, he should know his friends are behind him. May the Stars shine down on him. 50 Star Bits are attached.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Honeyhop Galaxy - The Sweetest Silver Stars
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
This galaxy features the music from Honeybloom. We get the Bee Suit again. I take a hit from a Piranha Plant and get another suit so I can climb the honeycomb. We reach a water area, where there is a green pipe with 3 dice and a 1-up on the lower level. I got a 1-up from one of the dice. I take a hit from a pink Octoomba and use a flower bloom to sling up to a new level. There are balls of water rolling down several slopes. I take a few tries, but finally get up to where the water comes out from a cave. We find some Floaty Fluff and we take it to the next planet, popping 2 balloons in the process. We land and trigger the midgate.
Above one of the flowers is a Life Shroom. We see a Silver Star nearby, between the water jets. There is another one near the water blasters. We lose the Bee Suit to the water jets, which is fine, because when we go around the right side, we find an area to wall-jump up for another Silver Star. We wall-jump up higher for the Comet Medal. We reach the top and find the Queen Bee. She once again has an itch on her back. We don the Bee Suit and climb around to find the source of the itch- a Silver Star! But we're missing one. The last one is on the left side above a man-eating flower. As you might expect, the Star flew to the top of the planet, so we have to go back.
Star Get #40, 23 Comet Medals, 662 Star Bits, 947 Coins, 9 Lives
Interlude
A Comet appears in Supermassive Galaxy. We land in the Engine Room. Lubba says we brought back a striped mushroom, the Bee Shroom. He tells us to have fun with our unusual toy-once again, he's not judging. Lubba tries to appear to be the least judgmental character, but his message comes through loud and clear: we are very strange. I don't disagree with him, but I wonder how we bring stuff back with us.
This galaxy features the music from Honeybloom. We get the Bee Suit again. I take a hit from a Piranha Plant and get another suit so I can climb the honeycomb. We reach a water area, where there is a green pipe with 3 dice and a 1-up on the lower level. I got a 1-up from one of the dice. I take a hit from a pink Octoomba and use a flower bloom to sling up to a new level. There are balls of water rolling down several slopes. I take a few tries, but finally get up to where the water comes out from a cave. We find some Floaty Fluff and we take it to the next planet, popping 2 balloons in the process. We land and trigger the midgate.
Above one of the flowers is a Life Shroom. We see a Silver Star nearby, between the water jets. There is another one near the water blasters. We lose the Bee Suit to the water jets, which is fine, because when we go around the right side, we find an area to wall-jump up for another Silver Star. We wall-jump up higher for the Comet Medal. We reach the top and find the Queen Bee. She once again has an itch on her back. We don the Bee Suit and climb around to find the source of the itch- a Silver Star! But we're missing one. The last one is on the left side above a man-eating flower. As you might expect, the Star flew to the top of the planet, so we have to go back.
Star Get #40, 23 Comet Medals, 662 Star Bits, 947 Coins, 9 Lives
Interlude
A Comet appears in Supermassive Galaxy. We land in the Engine Room. Lubba says we brought back a striped mushroom, the Bee Shroom. He tells us to have fun with our unusual toy-once again, he's not judging. Lubba tries to appear to be the least judgmental character, but his message comes through loud and clear: we are very strange. I don't disagree with him, but I wonder how we bring stuff back with us.
Supermassive Galaxy - In Full Bloom
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
I cannot believe how much I failed on what has to be the EASIEST Star ever! It's easier than Purple Coin omelet, and, dare I say it, easier than The Star Festival's purple coins, and you can't even die in that level! The reason I died so many times is that I thought that there was a hungry Luma somewhere in the Galaxy that wanted coins. After the area with the Star Chips, there is a ? Coin that will make several coins appear for a short time. I tried getting them all, but they all require a long jump, which is how I died most of the time. The other times, I was knocked off by a Piranha Plant. I got a couple of 1-ups from 100 Star Bits To save space, it took me 8 tries to get the Star. After Take 7, I decided to forget getting the coins and launched to the planet that I ignored last time. I held the Wiimote still and let Mario drop out of the Launch Star on the small green planet. When we landed, flowers started appearing under our feet wherever we ran. We cover the planet in flowers, (and a few mushrooms popped up, too), get coins from it, and then a vine appears. We swing along the vine, which takes us directly to the Star. So easy!
Star Get #39, 610 Star Bits, 923 Coins, 7 Lives
I cannot believe how much I failed on what has to be the EASIEST Star ever! It's easier than Purple Coin omelet, and, dare I say it, easier than The Star Festival's purple coins, and you can't even die in that level! The reason I died so many times is that I thought that there was a hungry Luma somewhere in the Galaxy that wanted coins. After the area with the Star Chips, there is a ? Coin that will make several coins appear for a short time. I tried getting them all, but they all require a long jump, which is how I died most of the time. The other times, I was knocked off by a Piranha Plant. I got a couple of 1-ups from 100 Star Bits To save space, it took me 8 tries to get the Star. After Take 7, I decided to forget getting the coins and launched to the planet that I ignored last time. I held the Wiimote still and let Mario drop out of the Launch Star on the small green planet. When we landed, flowers started appearing under our feet wherever we ran. We cover the planet in flowers, (and a few mushrooms popped up, too), get coins from it, and then a vine appears. We swing along the vine, which takes us directly to the Star. So easy!
Star Get #39, 610 Star Bits, 923 Coins, 7 Lives
Supermassive Galaxy - Huge Trouble with Big Wigglers
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
It's TinyHuge Galaxy- where you're tiny, and everything else is huge. It has a remix of the Toy Time music. Everything is big here, including the Lumas. We start off on huge brick blocks, and long jump over the gap to get the Comet Medal. There is a giant rotating coin nearby. We can't get it, but it will provide another surface so we can wall-jump up. We dodge a huge Piranha Plant and take a rising green pipe up to another set of blocks. We long jump for a 1-up and have to avoid even larger Thwomps.
We launch to a circular planet that is a 2D sidescroller. There are large green Koopas and a drill, which we use to dispatch them. We have to walk just to the right of the opposite side they're on so we can take them out with our drill. Doing so flips them over and they explode into a coin. We release a Launch Star when all 3 are gone.
We reach the midgate, where a large Luma lets us know that our spin can take out even the giant Paragoomba. We walk across giant Launch Star Chips and take out the Paragoomba as instructed. We pass 2 Piranha Plants and another Paragoomba and double launch to a new planet. We'll check the planet that we skipped later.
There are several giant Wigglers walking around the inside of a giant cyclone stone. I decide to take it safe and walk around to the connecting stone platforms. I take a hit from a red Wiggler. I long jumped to the end platform with a flagpole. On top is a Star. I jump, fall onto another platform and try again. This time, I missed and fell into a Black Hole.
Take 2- I made it through the cyclone stone and reached the flagpole. I found out what I did wrong- I didn't jump from a handstand-otherwise, you'll rotate around, instead of jumping straight up. I jumped from a handstand and got the Star.
Star Get #38, 22 Comet Medals, 364 Star Bits, 10 Lives
A Comet appeared in Bowser's Lava Lair. Wait a second! This isn't supposed to happen! There aren't any Comets in Grand Star levels!! Because I have some difficulty with these levels, I will put off the Comets until I am ready.
It's TinyHuge Galaxy- where you're tiny, and everything else is huge. It has a remix of the Toy Time music. Everything is big here, including the Lumas. We start off on huge brick blocks, and long jump over the gap to get the Comet Medal. There is a giant rotating coin nearby. We can't get it, but it will provide another surface so we can wall-jump up. We dodge a huge Piranha Plant and take a rising green pipe up to another set of blocks. We long jump for a 1-up and have to avoid even larger Thwomps.
We launch to a circular planet that is a 2D sidescroller. There are large green Koopas and a drill, which we use to dispatch them. We have to walk just to the right of the opposite side they're on so we can take them out with our drill. Doing so flips them over and they explode into a coin. We release a Launch Star when all 3 are gone.
We reach the midgate, where a large Luma lets us know that our spin can take out even the giant Paragoomba. We walk across giant Launch Star Chips and take out the Paragoomba as instructed. We pass 2 Piranha Plants and another Paragoomba and double launch to a new planet. We'll check the planet that we skipped later.
There are several giant Wigglers walking around the inside of a giant cyclone stone. I decide to take it safe and walk around to the connecting stone platforms. I take a hit from a red Wiggler. I long jumped to the end platform with a flagpole. On top is a Star. I jump, fall onto another platform and try again. This time, I missed and fell into a Black Hole.
Take 2- I made it through the cyclone stone and reached the flagpole. I found out what I did wrong- I didn't jump from a handstand-otherwise, you'll rotate around, instead of jumping straight up. I jumped from a handstand and got the Star.
Star Get #38, 22 Comet Medals, 364 Star Bits, 10 Lives
A Comet appeared in Bowser's Lava Lair. Wait a second! This isn't supposed to happen! There aren't any Comets in Grand Star levels!! Because I have some difficulty with these levels, I will put off the Comets until I am ready.
Sweet Mystery Galaxy - Bulb Berry's Mysterious Glow
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
We fed a hungry Luma 1200 Star Bits, and it transformed into this galaxy. Now this is "sweet space goodness"! The planets here are made of sweet treats and junk food. The only remotely healthy planet is a stack of pancakes, but we don't get to go there. I'm getting hungry just looking at it. The music is slow, calm, but mysterious and eerie. We get Yoshi, who can also eat those annoying green birds with spike helmets. Yoshi eats a Bulb Berry, which illuminates the path we have to take, just like in Haunty Halls. The annoying thing about the Bulb Berry is that it projects the path in a spotlight mainly in front of Yoshi, making it difficult to find your way if you're not facing the right direction. This time, the Bulb Berry will illuminate the path underneath your feet as well. We get X-ray vision and can see what kind of candy bars we're standing on. We can see through any wrappers. The path is made up of cookie sandwiches with filling. I reached the midgate, but fell through.
Take 2- I got a 100 Star Bit 1-up, but the Bulb Berry's power ran out and I fell through. If you know the power will run out soon, quickly get to a normal platform-one you can see without the Bulb Berry, or just stay put on a normal platform and get a Bulb Berry from there.
Take 3- I fell through from a bad jump.
Take 4- I got another 100 Star Bit 1-up, and the Comet Medal, which is past one of the 1-ups. I took a hit from a green bird. I reached the midgate and the music changes. I had to clear Flip Switches to make the Launch Star appear, and launched to another midgate. We can see the Star above a box that opens up and shrinks. I am hit by a green bird, and fall off, because I was knocked off Yoshi.
Take 5- We approach the box again. It is a cake with candles. It didn't shrink, it just became invisible and we needed the Bulb Berry to see it. I reached the Star on top just as the power was running out.
Star Get #37, 21 Comet Medals, 271 Star Bits, 8 Lives
We fed a hungry Luma 1200 Star Bits, and it transformed into this galaxy. Now this is "sweet space goodness"! The planets here are made of sweet treats and junk food. The only remotely healthy planet is a stack of pancakes, but we don't get to go there. I'm getting hungry just looking at it. The music is slow, calm, but mysterious and eerie. We get Yoshi, who can also eat those annoying green birds with spike helmets. Yoshi eats a Bulb Berry, which illuminates the path we have to take, just like in Haunty Halls. The annoying thing about the Bulb Berry is that it projects the path in a spotlight mainly in front of Yoshi, making it difficult to find your way if you're not facing the right direction. This time, the Bulb Berry will illuminate the path underneath your feet as well. We get X-ray vision and can see what kind of candy bars we're standing on. We can see through any wrappers. The path is made up of cookie sandwiches with filling. I reached the midgate, but fell through.
Take 2- I got a 100 Star Bit 1-up, but the Bulb Berry's power ran out and I fell through. If you know the power will run out soon, quickly get to a normal platform-one you can see without the Bulb Berry, or just stay put on a normal platform and get a Bulb Berry from there.
Take 3- I fell through from a bad jump.
Take 4- I got another 100 Star Bit 1-up, and the Comet Medal, which is past one of the 1-ups. I took a hit from a green bird. I reached the midgate and the music changes. I had to clear Flip Switches to make the Launch Star appear, and launched to another midgate. We can see the Star above a box that opens up and shrinks. I am hit by a green bird, and fall off, because I was knocked off Yoshi.
Take 5- We approach the box again. It is a cake with candles. It didn't shrink, it just became invisible and we needed the Bulb Berry to see it. I reached the Star on top just as the power was running out.
Star Get #37, 21 Comet Medals, 271 Star Bits, 8 Lives
"World" 4 - The Many Mysteries of the Cosmos
"World" 4 is our next stop on our mission to collect more Power Stars. There is a spiral galaxy in the background and there is eerie, spacy music. Let's continue!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Bowser Jr.'s Fearsome Fleet - Bowser Jr.'s Mighty Megahammer
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
We hear the same music and see more of those purple sparking enemies. They hit me twice and a Bullet Bill gets in a shot. We get Yoshi, who can eat these pesky Bullet Bills and shoot them out like Spinies to break stuff. We make Yoshi shake his head to activate a switch so the platform moves. We encounter honing Bullet Bills. We take too many hits from the Bullet Bills and the Bob-ombs and died.
Take 2- I take 4 hits from the purple enemies. While on the platforms, we take out the Monty Moles with the Bill Blasters with the Bullet Bills that they fire. We miss the next platform and die from a purple enemy.
Take 3- We made it to the 2nd platform. We break the glass with a Bullet Bill to reveal a Sling Star and a black hole. We sling to the midgate. We snipe a Hammer Bro with a Bullet Bill and destroy a Bowser Jr. statue for a 1-up. I touch an electric fence. We lure a Bullet Bill to break the glass around the switch. Dark matter appears to the left and Airships come out of it. On the 2nd Airship, we quickly grab the Comet Medal and get back on the platform. We get a Life Shroom from the Luma Shop and trip the midgate. We launch to the next planet. Bowser Jr. appears in his cockpit. We don't know when to quit-(nope!). He will enjoy tkaing us out from the cozy confines of his robot cockpit (Hint-hint-target it!).He wants to know if we're any match for Megahammer. If we are, we'll get a Grand Star. The cockpit merges with a giant robot with 2 very big hammers-Megahammer indeed! It's got the Clown Copter's eyes. It shoots out Bullet Bills and Banzai Bills. It has two blue glass panels in the front, and we know what to do with glass-break it! Yoshi eats a Bullet Bill and we aim for a glass panel and it partially shatters. We take a hit from a Bullet Bill and break both sets of glass. We take another hit from a Bullet Bill, and then the Megahammer uses its hammers to knock out chunks in the floor. We walk off into a black hole.
Take 4- We buy another Life Shroom and launch. The battle music is weird with the sound effects of the robot. We take out the front pieces of glass. We wander around the ring to a Sling Star and sling over and behind the robot. We take out the glass in the back and take 2 hits. The cockpit flips around to reveal Bowser Jr. We fell in the hole because the hammers blocked our escape.
Take 5- We get another Life Shroom and have 2 lives left at this point. I took out the glass but took 2 many hits and died. At this point, I gave up because I needed more lives.
Take 6- I came back to this on the same day. I reached the midgate, got the statue 1-up, the Comet Medal, and barely made it to the pre-battle midgate- I broke the glass at the very last second. I bought a Life Shroom and launched. I got in all of the glass hits and died from Bullet Bills and the hammer shockwaves.
Take 7- I bought a Life Shroom and launched. I got in the glass hits. I finally had my epiphany- when the hammers pound twice, the robot leans forward enough, so that if Yoshi jumps while holding a Bullet Bill in his mouth, he can aim it at the cockpit. I finally got in my first hit. After taking a few more hits, I got in my 2nd hit. The cockpit glass is destroyed. I had taken a hit and I believe I was down to my last health bar. Yoshi was appearing to go in his shell when the cutscene takes over and the robot explodes. Bowser Jr. flies away and the Grand Star appears. I use the Sling Star to reach the Grand Star. Even though he went into his shell, Yoshi appears behind us for the Grand Star Get sequence.
GRAND STAR GET #3!
Star Get #36, 20 Comet Medals, 829 Star Bits, 909 Coins, 8 Lives
Interlude
Chush! Lubba says we did great work for getting the 3rd Grand Star. We're ready to fly through space and time. The monster's still out there so let's ship out to the next "world". We've come a long way thanks to our efforts, let's keep this good thing going. (Yes, our symbiotic relationship is going swimmingly. Still, why couldn't he build us a bigger, more opulent faceship? This one's starting to get crowded!)
We hear the same music and see more of those purple sparking enemies. They hit me twice and a Bullet Bill gets in a shot. We get Yoshi, who can eat these pesky Bullet Bills and shoot them out like Spinies to break stuff. We make Yoshi shake his head to activate a switch so the platform moves. We encounter honing Bullet Bills. We take too many hits from the Bullet Bills and the Bob-ombs and died.
Take 2- I take 4 hits from the purple enemies. While on the platforms, we take out the Monty Moles with the Bill Blasters with the Bullet Bills that they fire. We miss the next platform and die from a purple enemy.
Take 3- We made it to the 2nd platform. We break the glass with a Bullet Bill to reveal a Sling Star and a black hole. We sling to the midgate. We snipe a Hammer Bro with a Bullet Bill and destroy a Bowser Jr. statue for a 1-up. I touch an electric fence. We lure a Bullet Bill to break the glass around the switch. Dark matter appears to the left and Airships come out of it. On the 2nd Airship, we quickly grab the Comet Medal and get back on the platform. We get a Life Shroom from the Luma Shop and trip the midgate. We launch to the next planet. Bowser Jr. appears in his cockpit. We don't know when to quit-(nope!). He will enjoy tkaing us out from the cozy confines of his robot cockpit (Hint-hint-target it!).He wants to know if we're any match for Megahammer. If we are, we'll get a Grand Star. The cockpit merges with a giant robot with 2 very big hammers-Megahammer indeed! It's got the Clown Copter's eyes. It shoots out Bullet Bills and Banzai Bills. It has two blue glass panels in the front, and we know what to do with glass-break it! Yoshi eats a Bullet Bill and we aim for a glass panel and it partially shatters. We take a hit from a Bullet Bill and break both sets of glass. We take another hit from a Bullet Bill, and then the Megahammer uses its hammers to knock out chunks in the floor. We walk off into a black hole.
Take 4- We buy another Life Shroom and launch. The battle music is weird with the sound effects of the robot. We take out the front pieces of glass. We wander around the ring to a Sling Star and sling over and behind the robot. We take out the glass in the back and take 2 hits. The cockpit flips around to reveal Bowser Jr. We fell in the hole because the hammers blocked our escape.
Take 5- We get another Life Shroom and have 2 lives left at this point. I took out the glass but took 2 many hits and died. At this point, I gave up because I needed more lives.
Take 6- I came back to this on the same day. I reached the midgate, got the statue 1-up, the Comet Medal, and barely made it to the pre-battle midgate- I broke the glass at the very last second. I bought a Life Shroom and launched. I got in all of the glass hits and died from Bullet Bills and the hammer shockwaves.
Take 7- I bought a Life Shroom and launched. I got in the glass hits. I finally had my epiphany- when the hammers pound twice, the robot leans forward enough, so that if Yoshi jumps while holding a Bullet Bill in his mouth, he can aim it at the cockpit. I finally got in my first hit. After taking a few more hits, I got in my 2nd hit. The cockpit glass is destroyed. I had taken a hit and I believe I was down to my last health bar. Yoshi was appearing to go in his shell when the cutscene takes over and the robot explodes. Bowser Jr. flies away and the Grand Star appears. I use the Sling Star to reach the Grand Star. Even though he went into his shell, Yoshi appears behind us for the Grand Star Get sequence.
GRAND STAR GET #3!
Star Get #36, 20 Comet Medals, 829 Star Bits, 909 Coins, 8 Lives
Interlude
Chush! Lubba says we did great work for getting the 3rd Grand Star. We're ready to fly through space and time. The monster's still out there so let's ship out to the next "world". We've come a long way thanks to our efforts, let's keep this good thing going. (Yes, our symbiotic relationship is going swimmingly. Still, why couldn't he build us a bigger, more opulent faceship? This one's starting to get crowded!)
Hightail Falls - Hightail Falls Speed Run
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
Yes, I did another Comet Star. This time, it's a normal Speed Run: we get 3 minutes. Making this more challenging than it needs to be is the presence of raining meteors. I took a hit from a meteor and fell into the black hole because I couldn't recover- the dash pepper ran out.
Take 2- I was knocked off the side wall by a meteor into a black hole.
Take 3- I failed to get up the larger slope too many times, so I had only 10 seconds left to reach the Star. I fell in the void. Let's try that again.
Take 4- I made it to the Star area, but I couldn't land on it, and ran out of time. Aarrgh!
Take 5- I got a 100 Star Bit 1-up, but was knocked off by a meteor. The good thing about failing so many times, is we can get more Star Bits for the hungry Lumas that will henshin into galaxies.
Take 6- I couldn't reach the ledge where the Star was.
Take 7- I reached the Star area with 1 minute left. I got another 100 Star Bit 1-up and reached the Star after a few tries. Finally! I don't want to trigger the appearance of Super Guide if I don't have to.
Star Get #35, Galaxy Complete! 753 Star Bits, 905 Coins, 8 Lives
Yes, I did another Comet Star. This time, it's a normal Speed Run: we get 3 minutes. Making this more challenging than it needs to be is the presence of raining meteors. I took a hit from a meteor and fell into the black hole because I couldn't recover- the dash pepper ran out.
Take 2- I was knocked off the side wall by a meteor into a black hole.
Take 3- I failed to get up the larger slope too many times, so I had only 10 seconds left to reach the Star. I fell in the void. Let's try that again.
Take 4- I made it to the Star area, but I couldn't land on it, and ran out of time. Aarrgh!
Take 5- I got a 100 Star Bit 1-up, but was knocked off by a meteor. The good thing about failing so many times, is we can get more Star Bits for the hungry Lumas that will henshin into galaxies.
Take 6- I couldn't reach the ledge where the Star was.
Take 7- I reached the Star area with 1 minute left. I got another 100 Star Bit 1-up and reached the Star after a few tries. Finally! I don't want to trigger the appearance of Super Guide if I don't have to.
Star Get #35, Galaxy Complete! 753 Star Bits, 905 Coins, 8 Lives
Monday, July 12, 2010
Sky Station Galaxy- Peewee Piranha's Speed Run
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
After failing to wrest the Grand Star from Bowser Jr., I decided to check out some of the Comets. It's a speed run, so we get a set amount of time to go through the galaxy, and get the Star before the time runs out. Simple enough. How much time to I get to beat Peewee? 20 seconds? Are you kidding me? There is NO way I can go through the entire galaxy and beat Peewee in under 20 seconds. Looking around, though, there are clocks scattered about. Each clock adds 10 seconds to our allotted time. I got the 1-up on the first planet and ran out of time and died. I did not realize just yet that the clocks are lined up in a prescribed path that we should follow so we don't run out of time.
Take 2- I got three of the clocks, but I fell in a black hole. We skip most of the planets- it goes first planet, then cylinder planet with the carts, then Peewee's planet.
Take 3- I got almost all of the clocks. I launched to Peewee's planet, where there are more clocks. I take a hit from Peewee, but finish him off with about 16 seconds to go. I won't be sure of times anymore, because once the Star is released, the timer stops. That wasn't so bad!
Star Get #34, Galaxy Complete! 427 Star Bits, 886 Coins, 10 Lives
After failing to wrest the Grand Star from Bowser Jr., I decided to check out some of the Comets. It's a speed run, so we get a set amount of time to go through the galaxy, and get the Star before the time runs out. Simple enough. How much time to I get to beat Peewee? 20 seconds? Are you kidding me? There is NO way I can go through the entire galaxy and beat Peewee in under 20 seconds. Looking around, though, there are clocks scattered about. Each clock adds 10 seconds to our allotted time. I got the 1-up on the first planet and ran out of time and died. I did not realize just yet that the clocks are lined up in a prescribed path that we should follow so we don't run out of time.
Take 2- I got three of the clocks, but I fell in a black hole. We skip most of the planets- it goes first planet, then cylinder planet with the carts, then Peewee's planet.
Take 3- I got almost all of the clocks. I launched to Peewee's planet, where there are more clocks. I take a hit from Peewee, but finish him off with about 16 seconds to go. I won't be sure of times anymore, because once the Star is released, the timer stops. That wasn't so bad!
Star Get #34, Galaxy Complete! 427 Star Bits, 886 Coins, 10 Lives
Rolling Masterpiece Galaxy - Silver Chomp Grudge Match
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
We begin one of a few Star-rolling missions. We see the Star right in front of us. Unfortunately, it is trapped in a clear ball. We can't get it out, but we can walk on the ball circus-style. Bill Board gives us the same instructions in Galaxy- we need to tilt the Wiimote to make Mario start walking. The same music from Galaxy plays. These levels are interesting- it is easy to fall off, but we are essentially invincible because the ball will roll over any enemy and squish it. We roll up to the edge of the planet and find a hole that will blast us to the next planet. It is a spherical planet with lots of paintbrushes sticking out of it. The blaster is covered up by a cage that requires a key to open. The key is nearby in the blue area. I got lost after the cutscene reverted back to me. I realized that all I had to do is immediately backpedal. We find our way back and blast off. We find the path forming blocks from Space Junk Galaxy, which makes our lives difficult- we have to immediately veer to the left to a narrow platform without falling off with a worse ability to brake than Luigi. We get a 1-up and get on a rising platform with Goombas. We rise to 6 Flip-switches in a pyramid arrangement. I fell off here.
Take 2- I cleared the switches, but rolled off.
Take 3- I cleared the switches and a clear ruler appeared to guide us to the next planet with the blaster. We land on a wood planet with saws. I got the Comet Medal here and made it to the end of the planet, with another clear ruler to guide us to a checkerboard planet. When we land, a Silver Chomp with red eyes appears from a hole. Silver is a good sign, to we roll around, trying to bump into it and knock it off the level. After a while, we finally knock it off the level. Another clear ruler appears and we guide the ball into the blaster, which breaks the ball and releases the Star. It flies to the top of the flagpole, where we get it.
Star Get #33, 19 Comet Medals, 283 Star Bits, 856 Coins, 6 Lives
Interlude
Young Master Luma got a letter. He grabs Mario's hat and starts spinning above his head. It is a white letter with light blue and salmon stripes. We hear Rosalina's laugh in the background. Whoever wrote the letter is worrying about him, but knows he is safe with us. May the stars shine down on him. There was an item attach- 50 Star Bits. There was no return address and Pink Toad wants to meet this mysterious person soon.
That was a good session- 9 Stars! I have 94 Stars currently.
We begin one of a few Star-rolling missions. We see the Star right in front of us. Unfortunately, it is trapped in a clear ball. We can't get it out, but we can walk on the ball circus-style. Bill Board gives us the same instructions in Galaxy- we need to tilt the Wiimote to make Mario start walking. The same music from Galaxy plays. These levels are interesting- it is easy to fall off, but we are essentially invincible because the ball will roll over any enemy and squish it. We roll up to the edge of the planet and find a hole that will blast us to the next planet. It is a spherical planet with lots of paintbrushes sticking out of it. The blaster is covered up by a cage that requires a key to open. The key is nearby in the blue area. I got lost after the cutscene reverted back to me. I realized that all I had to do is immediately backpedal. We find our way back and blast off. We find the path forming blocks from Space Junk Galaxy, which makes our lives difficult- we have to immediately veer to the left to a narrow platform without falling off with a worse ability to brake than Luigi. We get a 1-up and get on a rising platform with Goombas. We rise to 6 Flip-switches in a pyramid arrangement. I fell off here.
Take 2- I cleared the switches, but rolled off.
Take 3- I cleared the switches and a clear ruler appeared to guide us to the next planet with the blaster. We land on a wood planet with saws. I got the Comet Medal here and made it to the end of the planet, with another clear ruler to guide us to a checkerboard planet. When we land, a Silver Chomp with red eyes appears from a hole. Silver is a good sign, to we roll around, trying to bump into it and knock it off the level. After a while, we finally knock it off the level. Another clear ruler appears and we guide the ball into the blaster, which breaks the ball and releases the Star. It flies to the top of the flagpole, where we get it.
Star Get #33, 19 Comet Medals, 283 Star Bits, 856 Coins, 6 Lives
Interlude
Young Master Luma got a letter. He grabs Mario's hat and starts spinning above his head. It is a white letter with light blue and salmon stripes. We hear Rosalina's laugh in the background. Whoever wrote the letter is worrying about him, but knows he is safe with us. May the stars shine down on him. There was an item attach- 50 Star Bits. There was no return address and Pink Toad wants to meet this mysterious person soon.
That was a good session- 9 Stars! I have 94 Stars currently.
I Beat Bowser!
I finally beat Bowser! Getting there took a few tries, but the battle itself I did in one go. You'll read about it later. I also caught someone playing my file. They had reached the secret "world", which could only be accomplished on my file. (The other 2 had 0 and 2 Stars.) This is why I back-up my game files religiously.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Beat Block Galaxy - Step to the Beep
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
This is a really cool concept for a galaxy. There are two sets of blocks- yellow and green-that alternate to the music. I like the music here. It's a remix of the Underground theme (think of music in 1-2 from the original Super Mario Bros). It's one of my favorite remixes of the Underground theme. The music beeps (it's more like a whistle) three times (which is after each measure of the song), and the blocks flash just before they are about switch. There are enemies on the blocks, but they don't fall through when the blocks switch. If you're patient, this should not be a too difficult level. I took a hit from a blue Octoomba. I got the Comet Medal and a 1-up in the crystal. There are safe platforms that don't disappear. I reached the midgate. We then find out the true mission of this galaxy- it's a Silver Star mission. They are on safe platforms on a series of blocks arranged in a pyramid. I barely survived getting the Silver Stars, taking a few hits from the blue Octoombas. Once you get all 5 Silver Stars, the blocks stop alternating, so every other block is missing when you try to reach the Star at the top.
Star Get #32, 18 Comet Medals, 209 Star Bits, 850 Coins, 10 Lives
Interlude
There is a Comet in Hightail Falls Galaxy. We get a purple, pink, black letter from Jibberjay- the orange bird in Wild Glide who says everything twice. There is a race at Wild Glide Galaxy-don't chicken out, don't wait. We'll race later.
This is a really cool concept for a galaxy. There are two sets of blocks- yellow and green-that alternate to the music. I like the music here. It's a remix of the Underground theme (think of music in 1-2 from the original Super Mario Bros). It's one of my favorite remixes of the Underground theme. The music beeps (it's more like a whistle) three times (which is after each measure of the song), and the blocks flash just before they are about switch. There are enemies on the blocks, but they don't fall through when the blocks switch. If you're patient, this should not be a too difficult level. I took a hit from a blue Octoomba. I got the Comet Medal and a 1-up in the crystal. There are safe platforms that don't disappear. I reached the midgate. We then find out the true mission of this galaxy- it's a Silver Star mission. They are on safe platforms on a series of blocks arranged in a pyramid. I barely survived getting the Silver Stars, taking a few hits from the blue Octoombas. Once you get all 5 Silver Stars, the blocks stop alternating, so every other block is missing when you try to reach the Star at the top.
Star Get #32, 18 Comet Medals, 209 Star Bits, 850 Coins, 10 Lives
Interlude
There is a Comet in Hightail Falls Galaxy. We get a purple, pink, black letter from Jibberjay- the orange bird in Wild Glide who says everything twice. There is a race at Wild Glide Galaxy-don't chicken out, don't wait. We'll race later.
Haunty Halls Galaxy - A Glimmer of Bulb Berry
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
We land in a galaxy crawling with ghosts! Who ya gonna call? Luigi! But he's not here right now, nor does he have the Poltergust. (I don't think the Ghostbusters take galactical missions.) The Ghost House music plays here. There is a moving path that will move you towards the Ghost Octoombas. We can't kill these- which is really annoying. I take a hit from a Ghost Octoomba and get knocked off the level.
Take 2- I failed the Bonus Area, which is crawling with the Pumpkin Goombas, and no powerups. I took many hits here, but reached the Launch Star after leaving. We land on a planet. There is a moving path coming out between dark matter walls. We must move quickly to get through the path before it moves and disappears on the right side. We can wait for the path to get to the right and it will reappear from the left side shortly. Unfortunately, the path is narrow and I was knocked off by a Ghost Octoomba.
Take 3- We launched to the disappearing path area. We made it across to the midgate. I got a 1-up, but I fell off trying to dodge a Ghost Octoomba.
Take 4- I got the 1-up and take a hit from a Ghost Octoomba. I made it past the second path, but fell off.
Take 5- I made it to the other side unharmed and made it to the red path that moves much faster. I almost made it and tried to jump to the edge, but I missed.
Take 6- I made it across the last red path- another path appeared from the left that I didn't see before. Just past the landing area is the Comet Medal floating in midair. If you approach the edge and wait for a little while, a green path will appear so you can get it. We find a green pipe and it warps us into a house. There is a Yoshi egg and a yellow fruit, as well as the midgate. This fruit is the Bulb Berry, and when Yoshi eats it, a timer starts and things, like the floor start to appear, and you can see through things. It's like Matter Splatter, but you're more in control. We can see through the painting and see a picture of the Bulb Berry. I let it run out and fell. Once the power runs out, if you aren't standing on a platform you can see without the berry, you'll fall through.
Take 7- Let's do this before Super Guide appears! We use the Bulb Berry and get the key near the door. We must keep going and move quickly. More of the mansion is revealed to us, but is has many holes in it that we must jump over. We use the Swing Flower to land under the Star, but the timer is running out. We keep jumping and finally get the Star as the platform disappears.
Star Get #31, 17 Comet Medals, 1061 Star Bits, 813 Coins, 5 Lives
Interlude
A Comet appears in Sky Station Galaxy. We get a letter from a Star Bunny saying we should jump and spin to get to secret areas. I went to get more lives from Sky Station (I got 6, but I can get 11. I go here when I get low in lives.) After returning, a Comet appears around Boulder Bowl Galaxy.
We land in a galaxy crawling with ghosts! Who ya gonna call? Luigi! But he's not here right now, nor does he have the Poltergust. (I don't think the Ghostbusters take galactical missions.) The Ghost House music plays here. There is a moving path that will move you towards the Ghost Octoombas. We can't kill these- which is really annoying. I take a hit from a Ghost Octoomba and get knocked off the level.
Take 2- I failed the Bonus Area, which is crawling with the Pumpkin Goombas, and no powerups. I took many hits here, but reached the Launch Star after leaving. We land on a planet. There is a moving path coming out between dark matter walls. We must move quickly to get through the path before it moves and disappears on the right side. We can wait for the path to get to the right and it will reappear from the left side shortly. Unfortunately, the path is narrow and I was knocked off by a Ghost Octoomba.
Take 3- We launched to the disappearing path area. We made it across to the midgate. I got a 1-up, but I fell off trying to dodge a Ghost Octoomba.
Take 4- I got the 1-up and take a hit from a Ghost Octoomba. I made it past the second path, but fell off.
Take 5- I made it to the other side unharmed and made it to the red path that moves much faster. I almost made it and tried to jump to the edge, but I missed.
Take 6- I made it across the last red path- another path appeared from the left that I didn't see before. Just past the landing area is the Comet Medal floating in midair. If you approach the edge and wait for a little while, a green path will appear so you can get it. We find a green pipe and it warps us into a house. There is a Yoshi egg and a yellow fruit, as well as the midgate. This fruit is the Bulb Berry, and when Yoshi eats it, a timer starts and things, like the floor start to appear, and you can see through things. It's like Matter Splatter, but you're more in control. We can see through the painting and see a picture of the Bulb Berry. I let it run out and fell. Once the power runs out, if you aren't standing on a platform you can see without the berry, you'll fall through.
Take 7- Let's do this before Super Guide appears! We use the Bulb Berry and get the key near the door. We must keep going and move quickly. More of the mansion is revealed to us, but is has many holes in it that we must jump over. We use the Swing Flower to land under the Star, but the timer is running out. We keep jumping and finally get the Star as the platform disappears.
Star Get #31, 17 Comet Medals, 1061 Star Bits, 813 Coins, 5 Lives
Interlude
A Comet appears in Sky Station Galaxy. We get a letter from a Star Bunny saying we should jump and spin to get to secret areas. I went to get more lives from Sky Station (I got 6, but I can get 11. I go here when I get low in lives.) After returning, a Comet appears around Boulder Bowl Galaxy.
Freezy Flake Galaxy - Sorbetti's Chilly Reception
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
We land on the same planet as the previous Star. The Star Bunny is still hiding in his cabin because there is a snow monster with a red nose out there. (It's not Rudolph!) There is a Rock Shroom on the porch this time, which we use to break the Goomba sculpture. We launch to the planet that had the first Bowser sculpture. It is gone now. I got some coins from the dice blocks. I got the 1-up from the hill. One of the Star Bunny says that there aren't any Launch Star Chips. We find some in a crystal and in Goomba sculptures and trees. Once we get all five, the Launch Star appears. The Star Bunny acknowledges that there were Star Chips here-liar! Another Star Bunny was going to find the Star Chips, but we found them first. We launch through the clouds to another planet and the midgate.
The same music from before the King Lakitu battle plays here and we're in the middle of a blizzard, which significantly reduces our visibility, so I proceed slowly. I found a green pipe which had 3 dice. I got 2 coin faces and a Bowser face. The planet is fenced in, but there is coin over a platform we can't see, so we don't approach it. I got a Life Shroom from the Luma Shop. We find the Launch Star nearby and take off.
We land on a strangly shaped planet that looks like a dog chew toy. I take the sling star to a spherical planet, but the chew toy planet drops down. It has crystal eyes and a red nose. This is the enemy the Star Bunny was talking about- Sorbetti! As you may guess, his red nose is his weak spot. I take a hit from Sorbetti, but aim well and spun his nose twice. I was hit again 8 times. Sorbetti moves much faster now and won't always roll in a way that you can easily hit his nose. I finally got in the third hit and Sorbetti exploded into the Star.
Star Get # 30, 1005 Star Bits, 810 Coins, 11 Lives
A Comet appeared in Spin-Dig Galaxy.
We land on the same planet as the previous Star. The Star Bunny is still hiding in his cabin because there is a snow monster with a red nose out there. (It's not Rudolph!) There is a Rock Shroom on the porch this time, which we use to break the Goomba sculpture. We launch to the planet that had the first Bowser sculpture. It is gone now. I got some coins from the dice blocks. I got the 1-up from the hill. One of the Star Bunny says that there aren't any Launch Star Chips. We find some in a crystal and in Goomba sculptures and trees. Once we get all five, the Launch Star appears. The Star Bunny acknowledges that there were Star Chips here-liar! Another Star Bunny was going to find the Star Chips, but we found them first. We launch through the clouds to another planet and the midgate.
The same music from before the King Lakitu battle plays here and we're in the middle of a blizzard, which significantly reduces our visibility, so I proceed slowly. I found a green pipe which had 3 dice. I got 2 coin faces and a Bowser face. The planet is fenced in, but there is coin over a platform we can't see, so we don't approach it. I got a Life Shroom from the Luma Shop. We find the Launch Star nearby and take off.
We land on a strangly shaped planet that looks like a dog chew toy. I take the sling star to a spherical planet, but the chew toy planet drops down. It has crystal eyes and a red nose. This is the enemy the Star Bunny was talking about- Sorbetti! As you may guess, his red nose is his weak spot. I take a hit from Sorbetti, but aim well and spun his nose twice. I was hit again 8 times. Sorbetti moves much faster now and won't always roll in a way that you can easily hit his nose. I finally got in the third hit and Sorbetti exploded into the Star.
Star Get # 30, 1005 Star Bits, 810 Coins, 11 Lives
A Comet appeared in Spin-Dig Galaxy.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Freezy Flake Galaxy - Bowser on Ice
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
I love the music here! It sounds like a remix of the trailer theme and Brazzle Dazzle Day. It isn't very wintery, but it still sounds good. We land on a snow covered planet near a small cabin. There is a Star Bunny inside the cabin. He says the snow sculptures scare him and he won't leave his cabin. There are 2 large Goomba snow sculptures on the planet and a Fire Flower on the cabin porch. I know what we can do with this-torch the ice sculptures. This game gives us a few times to indulge our inner pyro. We use fireballs on the Goomba sculptures. The one on the same side as the cabin gives us Star Bits and the one on the underside releases a Launch Star. Both sculptures disintegrate, leaving one giant snowball each.
We launch to the next planet, where there are more Goomba sculptures as well as a Bowser sculpture. If we slide down the hill to the right of the highest tree, we get some Star Bits and a 1-up. We also get a 1-up from a die. We use the fireballs to take out the trees- which reveal blocks. We use fireballs on the Bowser sculpture and predictably, he goes down in 3 hits. The sculpture appears to hold up a hand in pain after the first hit, and his head falls off after the second. Doing so reveals the midgate and a slide. Mario goes down the slide sitting down like a normal person.
We land on another snow-covered planet. This one has a pile of cubes in its center. I take a hit from one of the Ice Demons present. Underneath one of the cubes, I can see the Comet Medal. We walk around to find a Fire Flower so we can destroy these cubes. Some of them are made of brick and won't be destroyed. However, ones made of ice can be taken out, but ice cubes above them will fall. I was crushed by one of them.
Take 2- I used the Fire Flower to get the Comet Medal. Destroying more ice cubes reveals a very tall green pipe. We warp to a lava covered planet with patches of snow. Somehow, lava and ice can coexist here. In the center is a giant snow sculpture of Bowser. We trigger the midgate and try rolling a snowball around. It's not that easy due to the small size of the ice patches. We can push the snowballs into the lava to form temporary bridges to other snow patches. We free a Star Bunny from a crate who says to roll the snowball around to make it bigger. I take a couple fo hits from falling in the lava. I ran out of coins to heal myself, so instead of exploring further, I used a Fire Flower to destroy the much larger Bowser sculpture, who falls in the same way, but gives us a Star.
Star Get #29, 10 Comet Medals, 978 Star Bits, 743 Coins, 9 Lives
A Comet appears around Cloudy Court. With 28 Stars, we can take a Warp Pipe to last galaxy in this "world".
I love the music here! It sounds like a remix of the trailer theme and Brazzle Dazzle Day. It isn't very wintery, but it still sounds good. We land on a snow covered planet near a small cabin. There is a Star Bunny inside the cabin. He says the snow sculptures scare him and he won't leave his cabin. There are 2 large Goomba snow sculptures on the planet and a Fire Flower on the cabin porch. I know what we can do with this-torch the ice sculptures. This game gives us a few times to indulge our inner pyro. We use fireballs on the Goomba sculptures. The one on the same side as the cabin gives us Star Bits and the one on the underside releases a Launch Star. Both sculptures disintegrate, leaving one giant snowball each.
We launch to the next planet, where there are more Goomba sculptures as well as a Bowser sculpture. If we slide down the hill to the right of the highest tree, we get some Star Bits and a 1-up. We also get a 1-up from a die. We use the fireballs to take out the trees- which reveal blocks. We use fireballs on the Bowser sculpture and predictably, he goes down in 3 hits. The sculpture appears to hold up a hand in pain after the first hit, and his head falls off after the second. Doing so reveals the midgate and a slide. Mario goes down the slide sitting down like a normal person.
We land on another snow-covered planet. This one has a pile of cubes in its center. I take a hit from one of the Ice Demons present. Underneath one of the cubes, I can see the Comet Medal. We walk around to find a Fire Flower so we can destroy these cubes. Some of them are made of brick and won't be destroyed. However, ones made of ice can be taken out, but ice cubes above them will fall. I was crushed by one of them.
Take 2- I used the Fire Flower to get the Comet Medal. Destroying more ice cubes reveals a very tall green pipe. We warp to a lava covered planet with patches of snow. Somehow, lava and ice can coexist here. In the center is a giant snow sculpture of Bowser. We trigger the midgate and try rolling a snowball around. It's not that easy due to the small size of the ice patches. We can push the snowballs into the lava to form temporary bridges to other snow patches. We free a Star Bunny from a crate who says to roll the snowball around to make it bigger. I take a couple fo hits from falling in the lava. I ran out of coins to heal myself, so instead of exploring further, I used a Fire Flower to destroy the much larger Bowser sculpture, who falls in the same way, but gives us a Star.
Star Get #29, 10 Comet Medals, 978 Star Bits, 743 Coins, 9 Lives
A Comet appears around Cloudy Court. With 28 Stars, we can take a Warp Pipe to last galaxy in this "world".
Cloudy Court Galaxy - Silver Stars in the Purple Pond
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
Luigi is the galaxy upon our arrival. We can play as him, but I decide not to. I get the -1up from under the dinosaur hedge and the Life Shroom. I collect as many coins as I can and have 29 by the time I reach the drums. Near the fan on the planet with the Luma are more coins, so I have 30 to feed to the Luma. The Luma henshins into a new planet that looks like a planter bowl. We launch to the new planet and trigger the midgate.
We see lots of clouds floating over toxic purple goop. There are skull signs and the sign says don't fall it. There are Silver Stars over the clouds. This shouldn't be too difficult, right? It isn't, until you move to get the Silver Stars. Cosmic Clones appear to make your life difficult. I fell in after taking a hit from a Cosmic Clone. Taking a hit gets rid of your cloud power, so you can no longer stand on clouds. This level is very unforgiving. The sound as Mario fell in let me know that this was Dark Matter.
Take 2- I fell in the Dark Matter again. The Cosmic Clones will generate at each Silver Star, so you'll have many following you as you progress.
Take 3- I fell in between the clouds.
Take 4- I took a hit from a Cosmic Clone at the third Silver Star- there is a general path to follow.
Take 5- My aim was off and I jumped into the Dark Matter.
Take6- I fell in between the clouds.
Take 7- Okay, I'm failing way too much. I don't want to trigger the appearance of Super Guide, so let's take it easy. I get each Silver Star, dodging them when I have to back track. When I got the 5th Silver Star, the Cosmic Clones poofed. The Star flew over to where the signs were. I changed my camera perspective and slowly made my way back.
Star Get # 28, 890 Star Bits, 718 Coins, 15 Lives
Interlude
A Prankster Comet appeared in Yoshi Star Galaxy. No! Not Comets! (I know it's my fault for collecting the medals, but I don't like Comets!) Chush! Lubba says a Prankster Comet's been spotted. Comets can transform galaxies into wildly different places. (Don't I know it!) Collecting more Medals makes more Comets appear. (Drat!) We can get a Star from every Comet. (Goodie! But it won't be easy!) I'm going to save the Comet Stars for later when I have more experience.
Luigi is the galaxy upon our arrival. We can play as him, but I decide not to. I get the -1up from under the dinosaur hedge and the Life Shroom. I collect as many coins as I can and have 29 by the time I reach the drums. Near the fan on the planet with the Luma are more coins, so I have 30 to feed to the Luma. The Luma henshins into a new planet that looks like a planter bowl. We launch to the new planet and trigger the midgate.
We see lots of clouds floating over toxic purple goop. There are skull signs and the sign says don't fall it. There are Silver Stars over the clouds. This shouldn't be too difficult, right? It isn't, until you move to get the Silver Stars. Cosmic Clones appear to make your life difficult. I fell in after taking a hit from a Cosmic Clone. Taking a hit gets rid of your cloud power, so you can no longer stand on clouds. This level is very unforgiving. The sound as Mario fell in let me know that this was Dark Matter.
Take 2- I fell in the Dark Matter again. The Cosmic Clones will generate at each Silver Star, so you'll have many following you as you progress.
Take 3- I fell in between the clouds.
Take 4- I took a hit from a Cosmic Clone at the third Silver Star- there is a general path to follow.
Take 5- My aim was off and I jumped into the Dark Matter.
Take6- I fell in between the clouds.
Take 7- Okay, I'm failing way too much. I don't want to trigger the appearance of Super Guide, so let's take it easy. I get each Silver Star, dodging them when I have to back track. When I got the 5th Silver Star, the Cosmic Clones poofed. The Star flew over to where the signs were. I changed my camera perspective and slowly made my way back.
Star Get # 28, 890 Star Bits, 718 Coins, 15 Lives
Interlude
A Prankster Comet appeared in Yoshi Star Galaxy. No! Not Comets! (I know it's my fault for collecting the medals, but I don't like Comets!) Chush! Lubba says a Prankster Comet's been spotted. Comets can transform galaxies into wildly different places. (Don't I know it!) Collecting more Medals makes more Comets appear. (Drat!) We can get a Star from every Comet. (Goodie! But it won't be easy!) I'm going to save the Comet Stars for later when I have more experience.
Cloudy Court Galaxy - Head in the Clouds
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
This galaxy has the same music as Fluffy Bluff. There are lots of windmills and similar architecture. There are lots of moving platforms. There is a hedge cut like a dinosaur and underneath it is a 1-up. The Cloud Flower retuns. Out over the abyss is a Life Shroom, which I get. I also try to get the ? Coin coins but fall off.
Take 2- I get the 1-up and the Cloud Flower and just move forward. A Whittle says "Cloud wind ride?" and, judging by the proximity of a windmill, we can create a cloud and ride it through the wind, like we did in the bubble. We are taken to a set of purple drums, which are springy. We land on a pair of cymbals, which make noise and have a switch to pound for Star Bits. We launch to a new area.
We reach the midgate and find a hungry Luma who wants 30 coins, but we can't get enough. Nearby is the Bonus Area with Paragoombas, but we fail it. We ride the cloud up from a fan beneath the planet. We take hits from a Paragoomba and green Octoomba and reach the Launch Star. We can see the Bonus Area from here. (If you're in the right area and look, most of the time, you can see the Bonus Area for the galaxy.)
We land near the midgate in another 2D area. We have to dodge red spiky plants. A Whittle says "Go down. Ride wind." We jump down and create a cloud where the air currents are. When we reach the end of the ride, we wall jump up and head to the left, where we use our clouds to get 3-ups on a high ledge. We go right and find two large walls moving together and apart. There are gaps in it and an air current moving upward. We have to time our jumps so we don't get squished. We carefully ascend and find the Comet Medal in one of the gaps. Once we reach the top, we see a tall windmill creating air currents to the left. Immediately to its left is the Star. We must use our clouds to go up, fight the wind and get the Star.
Star Get# 27, 15 Medals, 868 Star Bits, 712 Coins, 19 Lives
Interlude
Luigi appears! He got left behind and had to hustle to get to S.S. Mario. He decided to look for Power Stars, too. He will appear in a galaxy, so if we see him, we should say hi so he can help save the universe. Because if anyone should save the universe, it should be him! Strong words coming from a guy only slightly braver than the Toads. You'll get your turn, Luigi, be patient. But if we want to switch, we can begin Super Luigi Galaxy 2!
This galaxy has the same music as Fluffy Bluff. There are lots of windmills and similar architecture. There are lots of moving platforms. There is a hedge cut like a dinosaur and underneath it is a 1-up. The Cloud Flower retuns. Out over the abyss is a Life Shroom, which I get. I also try to get the ? Coin coins but fall off.
Take 2- I get the 1-up and the Cloud Flower and just move forward. A Whittle says "Cloud wind ride?" and, judging by the proximity of a windmill, we can create a cloud and ride it through the wind, like we did in the bubble. We are taken to a set of purple drums, which are springy. We land on a pair of cymbals, which make noise and have a switch to pound for Star Bits. We launch to a new area.
We reach the midgate and find a hungry Luma who wants 30 coins, but we can't get enough. Nearby is the Bonus Area with Paragoombas, but we fail it. We ride the cloud up from a fan beneath the planet. We take hits from a Paragoomba and green Octoomba and reach the Launch Star. We can see the Bonus Area from here. (If you're in the right area and look, most of the time, you can see the Bonus Area for the galaxy.)
We land near the midgate in another 2D area. We have to dodge red spiky plants. A Whittle says "Go down. Ride wind." We jump down and create a cloud where the air currents are. When we reach the end of the ride, we wall jump up and head to the left, where we use our clouds to get 3-ups on a high ledge. We go right and find two large walls moving together and apart. There are gaps in it and an air current moving upward. We have to time our jumps so we don't get squished. We carefully ascend and find the Comet Medal in one of the gaps. Once we reach the top, we see a tall windmill creating air currents to the left. Immediately to its left is the Star. We must use our clouds to go up, fight the wind and get the Star.
Star Get# 27, 15 Medals, 868 Star Bits, 712 Coins, 19 Lives
Interlude
Luigi appears! He got left behind and had to hustle to get to S.S. Mario. He decided to look for Power Stars, too. He will appear in a galaxy, so if we see him, we should say hi so he can help save the universe. Because if anyone should save the universe, it should be him! Strong words coming from a guy only slightly braver than the Toads. You'll get your turn, Luigi, be patient. But if we want to switch, we can begin Super Luigi Galaxy 2!
Tall Trunk Galaxy - Tall Trunk's Big Slide
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
We return to Tall Trunk, but a few things have changed. The music changes to that in Wild Glide before you start gliding. There are also swings hanging from the branches. The Whittles have interesting things to tell us: they are brave and protect this tree, they show courage by sliding and get a Star, the tree is sacred, we must swing hard. Two give us some very important news: a "Green Stache" got nervous and ran away. This means Weegee was here! (Luigi-that's what Baby Mario calls his younger brother.) This can also mean that the Whittles are working for Bowser-only he calls Luigi "Green Stache" and, formerly, "Greenie". I get 3-ups- 1 from the crystal and 2 from the Bonus Area. We use the swings to climb up the tree to the Launch Star and take off.
We land on a flat, grassy, fenced in planet with a midgate and more Whittles. "Slide. Never quit." "Be brave. Jump in." "Sharp red things. No touch." "We watch slide." We move to the start of the slide. There is no music here, only the sound of wind rushing by. Well, there's nothing else to do but tackle the slide. We jump in!
The music is a remix of the music used in all of the Super Mario 64 slides. But this is no ordinary slide- Mario is standing the entire time! There are also enemies along the slide-Spinies, Wigglers, and red spiky plants. I take hits from all 3, but there are coins along the slide so we can recover health. We get a 1-up, but we fell off the slide. Steering is not that easy- the slide loops upside down and to the side. In places, it goes into a mossy tunnel, where the desirable path is worn away to dirt.
Take 2- I got a 1-up, hit the Spinies twice and fell off near the red wigglers because I couldn't recover. This slide is not very forgiving.
Take 3- I fell off early trying to get Star Bits without actually steering.
Take 4- I took several hits and fell from a bad jump.
Take 5- I took many hits and fell off near the end-I couldn't recover.
Take 6- I took a hit from a Red Wiggler, which makes train whistle noises, and couldn't recover.
Take 7- I took many hits, but I made it to the end! We land on a fenced in planet with another tall tree. Behind the tree from where we land, there is a 1-up. The Whittles judge us very brave, the bravery symbol, the Star is ours. Here is the symbol of courage!
Star Get#26, 819 Star Bits, 681 Coins, 13 Lives
Interlude
We land on the base, so we brought someone back with us. Lubba says we brought back a Whittle-(not Luigi?) Lubba likes Whittles and this one has something to tell us about Comet Medals. The Whittle says if we collect many medals, a Comet arrives. There is always a Medal the 1st time in a galaxy. Look hard for them. Find.
We return to Tall Trunk, but a few things have changed. The music changes to that in Wild Glide before you start gliding. There are also swings hanging from the branches. The Whittles have interesting things to tell us: they are brave and protect this tree, they show courage by sliding and get a Star, the tree is sacred, we must swing hard. Two give us some very important news: a "Green Stache" got nervous and ran away. This means Weegee was here! (Luigi-that's what Baby Mario calls his younger brother.) This can also mean that the Whittles are working for Bowser-only he calls Luigi "Green Stache" and, formerly, "Greenie". I get 3-ups- 1 from the crystal and 2 from the Bonus Area. We use the swings to climb up the tree to the Launch Star and take off.
We land on a flat, grassy, fenced in planet with a midgate and more Whittles. "Slide. Never quit." "Be brave. Jump in." "Sharp red things. No touch." "We watch slide." We move to the start of the slide. There is no music here, only the sound of wind rushing by. Well, there's nothing else to do but tackle the slide. We jump in!
The music is a remix of the music used in all of the Super Mario 64 slides. But this is no ordinary slide- Mario is standing the entire time! There are also enemies along the slide-Spinies, Wigglers, and red spiky plants. I take hits from all 3, but there are coins along the slide so we can recover health. We get a 1-up, but we fell off the slide. Steering is not that easy- the slide loops upside down and to the side. In places, it goes into a mossy tunnel, where the desirable path is worn away to dirt.
Take 2- I got a 1-up, hit the Spinies twice and fell off near the red wigglers because I couldn't recover. This slide is not very forgiving.
Take 3- I fell off early trying to get Star Bits without actually steering.
Take 4- I took several hits and fell from a bad jump.
Take 5- I took many hits and fell off near the end-I couldn't recover.
Take 6- I took a hit from a Red Wiggler, which makes train whistle noises, and couldn't recover.
Take 7- I took many hits, but I made it to the end! We land on a fenced in planet with another tall tree. Behind the tree from where we land, there is a 1-up. The Whittles judge us very brave, the bravery symbol, the Star is ours. Here is the symbol of courage!
Star Get#26, 819 Star Bits, 681 Coins, 13 Lives
Interlude
We land on the base, so we brought someone back with us. Lubba says we brought back a Whittle-(not Luigi?) Lubba likes Whittles and this one has something to tell us about Comet Medals. The Whittle says if we collect many medals, a Comet arrives. There is always a Medal the 1st time in a galaxy. Look hard for them. Find.
Tall Trunk Galaxy - The Flotacious Blimp Fruit
Nice and easy! Power up! -Transmission 12
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
The galaxy name is very descriptive. We land on a planet with a very tall tree. The music from Yoshi Star Galaxy plays here. We can walk under the tree to the dirt below. There is a 1-up on the underside in crystal, and we also find a Yoshi egg. Back near the tree, we get 2-up from dealing with 8 Piranha Plants in the Bonus Area. The inhabitants of Tall Trunk are people made out of carved wood- the Whittles. We are told "Tree top. Good." and "Blue fruit. Delicious." We approach the aforementioned blue fruit, which looks like a large, bulbous berry. Yoshi eats it and automatically inflates and starts floating upward as he exhales in a whistle. Yoshi runs out of air and lands on a platform branch of the tree. There is a sign that says we can make Yoshi hold his breath to float and hover in midair. Another sign says to shake to land. On a higher branch, we get a Life Shroom. Looking out from near the top of the tree, we can see two more planets in the distance. One is cylindrical and the other is very long and sometimes spiraled. We reach the Launch Star and launch to the cylindrical planet.
We reach the midgate which has more of the blue Blimp Fruit. We use it to get the Comet Medal near the ? Coin. We also collect the coins from the ? Coin for a 1-up. Nearby we find Launch Star Chips. We know the drill-collect all 5 to reform the broken Launch Star. We have to make the cylindrical nature of the planet work for us so we can collect all of the Chips when our Blimp Fruit runs out. To complicate matters are Paragoombas and the red spiky plants. We take a hit from a red spiky plant, but recover Yoshi and launch once we get all 5 Chips.
We land near the midgate in a spiral 2D planet. The path moves in a spiral and we must float upwards towards the Star while dodging the red spiky plants and Paragoombas.
Star Get #25, 14 Medals, 725 Star Bits, 664 Coins, 10 lives
The dinosaur has landed. -Transmission 12
Interlude
The music has changes slightly on S.S. Mario. Lubba says we have another hungry mouth to feed. There is a new pipe in the left ear. There is a new friend with something special for us. There are shooting stars in the background. We go into the green pipe and find a plush red room with a blue Luma waving around dice. We can trade 30 Star Bits for one spin, but I decide I can get my own 1-ups much more cheaply. I get a 1-up from the die outside the pipe.
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
The galaxy name is very descriptive. We land on a planet with a very tall tree. The music from Yoshi Star Galaxy plays here. We can walk under the tree to the dirt below. There is a 1-up on the underside in crystal, and we also find a Yoshi egg. Back near the tree, we get 2-up from dealing with 8 Piranha Plants in the Bonus Area. The inhabitants of Tall Trunk are people made out of carved wood- the Whittles. We are told "Tree top. Good." and "Blue fruit. Delicious." We approach the aforementioned blue fruit, which looks like a large, bulbous berry. Yoshi eats it and automatically inflates and starts floating upward as he exhales in a whistle. Yoshi runs out of air and lands on a platform branch of the tree. There is a sign that says we can make Yoshi hold his breath to float and hover in midair. Another sign says to shake to land. On a higher branch, we get a Life Shroom. Looking out from near the top of the tree, we can see two more planets in the distance. One is cylindrical and the other is very long and sometimes spiraled. We reach the Launch Star and launch to the cylindrical planet.
We reach the midgate which has more of the blue Blimp Fruit. We use it to get the Comet Medal near the ? Coin. We also collect the coins from the ? Coin for a 1-up. Nearby we find Launch Star Chips. We know the drill-collect all 5 to reform the broken Launch Star. We have to make the cylindrical nature of the planet work for us so we can collect all of the Chips when our Blimp Fruit runs out. To complicate matters are Paragoombas and the red spiky plants. We take a hit from a red spiky plant, but recover Yoshi and launch once we get all 5 Chips.
We land near the midgate in a spiral 2D planet. The path moves in a spiral and we must float upwards towards the Star while dodging the red spiky plants and Paragoombas.
Star Get #25, 14 Medals, 725 Star Bits, 664 Coins, 10 lives
The dinosaur has landed. -Transmission 12
Interlude
The music has changes slightly on S.S. Mario. Lubba says we have another hungry mouth to feed. There is a new pipe in the left ear. There is a new friend with something special for us. There are shooting stars in the background. We go into the green pipe and find a plush red room with a blue Luma waving around dice. We can trade 30 Star Bits for one spin, but I decide I can get my own 1-ups much more cheaply. I get a 1-up from the die outside the pipe.
"World" 3 - The Far Reaches of the Universe
There is a starry blue background of this new "world". The music is different from the first two "worlds" and sounds familiar, but I can't place it. It's a piano solo that's slow and relaxing, but somewhat haunting. The path splits ahead of us. Lubba says we make the choices as the captain. Choose your own adventure! Let's get more Stars!
Friday, July 9, 2010
Bowser's Lava Lair- Bowser's Big Lava Power Party
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
A lava party, huh? This can't be good. I don't like dealing with lava. This also isn't called a galaxy for some reason. The music is a remix of the Bowser music from Super Mario 64, but it's different than that found in Galaxy. Let's get our next Grand Star!
Take 1- Some days you just walk right off the level. I'm having one of those days.
Take 2- We walk forward and a Magikoopa appears at the edge of the platform. We spin to defeat it and a Pull Star appears. We land on a cylindrical planet with moving gears at its ends. In its center is a pool of lava with platforms moving through it. We reach the edge and pound the spring to go to the next planet. Here we have to negotiate circling balls of fire. I fell into the lava twice, but as with many lava levels, there is a Life Shroom. There is also a 1-up over the pool of lava. After breaking the crystal to free the Launch Star, we launch to a midgate.
The next area has more lava, with flipping platforms with Thwomp faces. They shake before they flip, so we can time our jumps over them. I fell in the lava here. Just to the left of them, we find the Toad Brigade. They are all scared, and surprisingly (or not surprisingly), Yellow Toad is wide awake. They found a Star Bit to help us. (Not a 1-up? A Star Bit isn't going to do me much good, guys!) I fell in the lava 2 more times and reached the next platform. Because the game didn't make the joke, I'm going to: Hammer Time! There's a Hammer Bro that we have to defeat here. We can spin to defeat him, which releases a Sling Star. There's a ? Coin. We get a 1-up for getting all of the coins within the time limit. We pound the red switch, which sends us plummeting to a new level. We find a few Whomps here. They also now sport the Ground-Pound symbol on their backs, but we already know what to do. I found the Comet Medal above a Whomp, but I was killed by it trying to reach the Medal.
Take 3- I defeated the Hammer Bro, got the 1-up from the ? Coin, a 100 Star Bit 1-up, took a hit from a Dry Bones and fell in the lava. I got the Comet Medal by standing near the top of the Whomp and stood on the flat surface when it stood up. We pass the Whomps to find the midgate, a large golden sphere with a Ground Pound symbol, and a nearby Luma. He says we can ground-pound this meteorite to break down the door. The meteorite has its own gravitational field, so we jump on it, stand on the symbol, and pound it. It goes flying into the door in front of it, sporting a seal with Bowser's logo on it. The seal breaks and releases the chain, opening the door. A purple beam, similar to the blue ones found in the final Bowser battle in Galaxy, appears and we are warped through the door to a new area.
There are Dry Bones skulls chewing holes into the floor. They move in circles, the floor regenerates, and jumping on their heads makes them change directions. Falling through the floor means death. I take a hit from a skull and move on. I find a 3x3 purple block platform, marked like the snaking platforms in some of the Mario sidescrolling games. This one operates the same way, but it can move in 3 dimensions. I get a Life Shroom and get good advice from a Luma to beware the statues. They are nearby Bowser statues, which turn toward you. They are paired on opposite sides of the platform and fire their lasers to create an electric fence. I take a hit from the electric fence and fell in the lava many times, but I made it to the other side with 1 Health Bar left. I defeated more Hammer Bros and got coins from the torches- this is a good sign: it's not searing hot here!.
I reach another midgate with a meteorite and 3 Bowser seals. I go to the left to find a flagpole with a Life Shroom over it -thank goodness! I jump on a meteorite and send it into the center seal. Another meteorite appears out of the ground. The 2nd one hits its mark. I tried hitting the next one, but it misses-you have to aim! I aim the 4th one and it breaks the seal. The door opens and the purple beam takes us through the door.
We land on a flat planet, and Mario puts on his angry face. We see why: Bowser is sitting on his throne, looking at us, mildly amused. To showcase his size, his throne is made up of a castle and its turrets. He says we finally showed up and calls us a little flea on a puny planetoid. He has the power to flatten us like a space pancake-I don't doubt that! Young Master Luma comes out from under Mario's hat to cheer us on.
Bowser sends us to a new planet. Bowser is so huge that he just floats over the planet. He summons meteors, creating golden shadows, to smash us and I take a hit from one. He then casts a golden shadow over the planet. (If he created a dark shadow, we wouldn't be able to see it against the brown planet.) He then punches the planet, where you happen to be standing, if you don't move. Not knowing the battle strategy yet, I tried to climb up his arm and attack his face. I took damage this way. It took a couple of cycles, but I finally noticed that when he punches the planet, the meteors rise up out of the ground. They shed their brown coating and reveal that they are meteorites, and we know what to do with these! I took a hit from one and rode it up. I send it flying into Bowser and he is stunned and Star Bits appear. Bingo! I know how to beat him now! He breathes fire over the planet, and I get burned by it. I send a 2nd meteorite into his head and later a 3rd into his body. This last hit knocks the Grand Star out of him -it comes out of his belly- and he shrinks back to his normal size, futilely clawing for it, but it's just out of his reach.
We land back where we first saw him. He remembers why we're his archnemesis-we're annoyingly hard to squish. (I'll take that as a compliment.) But he wins anyway: his master plan moved onto the next phase during the battle. Tough luck! The fiend! He was just stalling us! He spins with the dark power from the 2nd Battle in Galaxy and disappears. The Grand Star appears after he leaves-otherwise he could just take it again.
GRAND STAR GET #2!
Star Get #24, 13 Medals, 593 Star Bits, 645 Coins, 11 Lives
Interlude
The Grand Star becomes a portal to a new "world". Chush! Lubba says we fought a giant monseter, but he turned tail and ran off. Let's get on after him because we can keep going with the new Grand Star's power. Our special one's still with the monster, so let's not sit around getting older. Let's get going!
A lava party, huh? This can't be good. I don't like dealing with lava. This also isn't called a galaxy for some reason. The music is a remix of the Bowser music from Super Mario 64, but it's different than that found in Galaxy. Let's get our next Grand Star!
Take 1- Some days you just walk right off the level. I'm having one of those days.
Take 2- We walk forward and a Magikoopa appears at the edge of the platform. We spin to defeat it and a Pull Star appears. We land on a cylindrical planet with moving gears at its ends. In its center is a pool of lava with platforms moving through it. We reach the edge and pound the spring to go to the next planet. Here we have to negotiate circling balls of fire. I fell into the lava twice, but as with many lava levels, there is a Life Shroom. There is also a 1-up over the pool of lava. After breaking the crystal to free the Launch Star, we launch to a midgate.
The next area has more lava, with flipping platforms with Thwomp faces. They shake before they flip, so we can time our jumps over them. I fell in the lava here. Just to the left of them, we find the Toad Brigade. They are all scared, and surprisingly (or not surprisingly), Yellow Toad is wide awake. They found a Star Bit to help us. (Not a 1-up? A Star Bit isn't going to do me much good, guys!) I fell in the lava 2 more times and reached the next platform. Because the game didn't make the joke, I'm going to: Hammer Time! There's a Hammer Bro that we have to defeat here. We can spin to defeat him, which releases a Sling Star. There's a ? Coin. We get a 1-up for getting all of the coins within the time limit. We pound the red switch, which sends us plummeting to a new level. We find a few Whomps here. They also now sport the Ground-Pound symbol on their backs, but we already know what to do. I found the Comet Medal above a Whomp, but I was killed by it trying to reach the Medal.
Take 3- I defeated the Hammer Bro, got the 1-up from the ? Coin, a 100 Star Bit 1-up, took a hit from a Dry Bones and fell in the lava. I got the Comet Medal by standing near the top of the Whomp and stood on the flat surface when it stood up. We pass the Whomps to find the midgate, a large golden sphere with a Ground Pound symbol, and a nearby Luma. He says we can ground-pound this meteorite to break down the door. The meteorite has its own gravitational field, so we jump on it, stand on the symbol, and pound it. It goes flying into the door in front of it, sporting a seal with Bowser's logo on it. The seal breaks and releases the chain, opening the door. A purple beam, similar to the blue ones found in the final Bowser battle in Galaxy, appears and we are warped through the door to a new area.
There are Dry Bones skulls chewing holes into the floor. They move in circles, the floor regenerates, and jumping on their heads makes them change directions. Falling through the floor means death. I take a hit from a skull and move on. I find a 3x3 purple block platform, marked like the snaking platforms in some of the Mario sidescrolling games. This one operates the same way, but it can move in 3 dimensions. I get a Life Shroom and get good advice from a Luma to beware the statues. They are nearby Bowser statues, which turn toward you. They are paired on opposite sides of the platform and fire their lasers to create an electric fence. I take a hit from the electric fence and fell in the lava many times, but I made it to the other side with 1 Health Bar left. I defeated more Hammer Bros and got coins from the torches- this is a good sign: it's not searing hot here!.
I reach another midgate with a meteorite and 3 Bowser seals. I go to the left to find a flagpole with a Life Shroom over it -thank goodness! I jump on a meteorite and send it into the center seal. Another meteorite appears out of the ground. The 2nd one hits its mark. I tried hitting the next one, but it misses-you have to aim! I aim the 4th one and it breaks the seal. The door opens and the purple beam takes us through the door.
We land on a flat planet, and Mario puts on his angry face. We see why: Bowser is sitting on his throne, looking at us, mildly amused. To showcase his size, his throne is made up of a castle and its turrets. He says we finally showed up and calls us a little flea on a puny planetoid. He has the power to flatten us like a space pancake-I don't doubt that! Young Master Luma comes out from under Mario's hat to cheer us on.
Bowser sends us to a new planet. Bowser is so huge that he just floats over the planet. He summons meteors, creating golden shadows, to smash us and I take a hit from one. He then casts a golden shadow over the planet. (If he created a dark shadow, we wouldn't be able to see it against the brown planet.) He then punches the planet, where you happen to be standing, if you don't move. Not knowing the battle strategy yet, I tried to climb up his arm and attack his face. I took damage this way. It took a couple of cycles, but I finally noticed that when he punches the planet, the meteors rise up out of the ground. They shed their brown coating and reveal that they are meteorites, and we know what to do with these! I took a hit from one and rode it up. I send it flying into Bowser and he is stunned and Star Bits appear. Bingo! I know how to beat him now! He breathes fire over the planet, and I get burned by it. I send a 2nd meteorite into his head and later a 3rd into his body. This last hit knocks the Grand Star out of him -it comes out of his belly- and he shrinks back to his normal size, futilely clawing for it, but it's just out of his reach.
We land back where we first saw him. He remembers why we're his archnemesis-we're annoyingly hard to squish. (I'll take that as a compliment.) But he wins anyway: his master plan moved onto the next phase during the battle. Tough luck! The fiend! He was just stalling us! He spins with the dark power from the 2nd Battle in Galaxy and disappears. The Grand Star appears after he leaves-otherwise he could just take it again.
GRAND STAR GET #2!
Star Get #24, 13 Medals, 593 Star Bits, 645 Coins, 11 Lives
Interlude
The Grand Star becomes a portal to a new "world". Chush! Lubba says we fought a giant monseter, but he turned tail and ran off. Let's get on after him because we can keep going with the new Grand Star's power. Our special one's still with the monster, so let's not sit around getting older. Let's get going!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Wild Glide Galaxy - Fluzzard's First Flight
Roger that! All report go! Bird Mario- ca-caw! -Transmission 10
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
We land in the galaxy with new jungle-themed music. There are a couple of small orange birds waiting around. The first one says that Fluzzard doesn't fly because he's shy. But for some reason, he's comfortable with us-we only just met! Fluzzard is bigger than the other birds, and looks like a smaller, less confident, differently colored version of the legendary Pokemon Ho-oh. We can't talk to him to find out what made him trust us instantly, but hey, we've got to move the plot along somehow. The tutorial reveals that gliding is like ray-surfing, but we can only speed up by nose-diving. Practically speaking, it has similar dynamics to flying with the Wing Cap from Super Mario 64 - it's falling with style. (Actually, falling/jumping off the planet with a Rainbow Star is falling with style.) We take flight and pass through a few rings and holes in the rock. The music changes into a remix of the trailer theme. There are balloons scattered throughout. Popping them releases Star Bits that automatically go to you- no Star Pointer needed! What makes this challenging is that if you touch any part of the planet, you take damage. There are no Life Shrooms and if you hit something head on, you die automatically. That is how I lost my first life here.
Take 2- I died when I hit the edge of a ring.
Take 3- I got through 3 rings, but took too much damage from the rock and ground and gave up- I had only 2 lives left.
Take 4- I got through the first ring, but steered into the rock face.
Take 5- At this point, I decided to ignore the rings and just get the Star. I got a 1-up and steered into the Sun Ring-from ray-surfing- looks a lot like a Shine Sprite. My time was 1:15.81. The orange bird congratulates us for flying and gives us the Star. I did not get the Comet Medal, and it took a few more tries for me to find it. I found out later that I have to go through all 5 rings to get it-it's stuck in purple sphere that I can't seem to steer into. I'll get it later.
Update: I finally flew through all 5 rings. It took me a few tries to do it, and a few of the tries, I failed to steer in to the Comet Medal. I have it now after another 9 tries.
Star Get # 23, 430 Star Bits, 10 Lives
That's a big Woo-hoo! - Transmission 10
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
We land in the galaxy with new jungle-themed music. There are a couple of small orange birds waiting around. The first one says that Fluzzard doesn't fly because he's shy. But for some reason, he's comfortable with us-we only just met! Fluzzard is bigger than the other birds, and looks like a smaller, less confident, differently colored version of the legendary Pokemon Ho-oh. We can't talk to him to find out what made him trust us instantly, but hey, we've got to move the plot along somehow. The tutorial reveals that gliding is like ray-surfing, but we can only speed up by nose-diving. Practically speaking, it has similar dynamics to flying with the Wing Cap from Super Mario 64 - it's falling with style. (Actually, falling/jumping off the planet with a Rainbow Star is falling with style.) We take flight and pass through a few rings and holes in the rock. The music changes into a remix of the trailer theme. There are balloons scattered throughout. Popping them releases Star Bits that automatically go to you- no Star Pointer needed! What makes this challenging is that if you touch any part of the planet, you take damage. There are no Life Shrooms and if you hit something head on, you die automatically. That is how I lost my first life here.
Take 2- I died when I hit the edge of a ring.
Take 3- I got through 3 rings, but took too much damage from the rock and ground and gave up- I had only 2 lives left.
Take 4- I got through the first ring, but steered into the rock face.
Take 5- At this point, I decided to ignore the rings and just get the Star. I got a 1-up and steered into the Sun Ring-from ray-surfing- looks a lot like a Shine Sprite. My time was 1:15.81. The orange bird congratulates us for flying and gives us the Star. I did not get the Comet Medal, and it took a few more tries for me to find it. I found out later that I have to go through all 5 rings to get it-it's stuck in purple sphere that I can't seem to steer into. I'll get it later.
Update: I finally flew through all 5 rings. It took me a few tries to do it, and a few of the tries, I failed to steer in to the Comet Medal. I have it now after another 9 tries.
Star Get # 23, 430 Star Bits, 10 Lives
That's a big Woo-hoo! - Transmission 10
Cosmic Cove Galaxy - Exploring the Cosmic Cavern
Welcome Back the Galaxy!
We return to the galaxy to find an urgent situation. There's a Luma trapped in a cage and a key is needed to unlock it. We must go and find the key! The water is still frozen (as well as the Cheep-cheeps) from our last adventure. We run into "Ice Demons", previously seen in Freezeflame. I take a hit from one and kill the rest. None of them have the key, so we have to search some more. We go into a green pipe.
We are transported into yet another 2D antfarm. There are water bubbles rolling down hill. We reach the midgate and reach a switch. Flipping it opens a gate below so we can progress. We dodge the eels present and swim down to the green pipe at the bottom.
We find ourselves high in space on yellow/orange striped platforms, still in 2D mode. There are blocks of water hovering in midair. We swim through them and go to others to move on. We find a set of three moving water blocks, where we must keep swimming (like Dory said)or risk falling out. I fell out a few times, but safely landed on platforms instead of spiralling into the black hole. Over the third water block is the key. We get the key, which automatically unlocks the cage. Nearby is a green pipe, as well as Star Bits in the shape of a Luma. The green pipe takes us back to the beach. The Luma thanks us- the cage was getting humid.(Well, I'm sorry you were uncomfortable and had to wait.)
But we're not done yet! The Luma doesn't provide us a Star as thanks, but transforms into a Launch Star and we are launched to a red Starshroom, where Red Toad directs our attention to the Star. The Toad Brigade can't go swimming on their "vacation" because the water's frozen. We clear the midgate and launch to the planet.
On this planet, we find new enemies. They are purple, and they smoosh to the ground to create an electric field. They can be killed by spinning. There are dirt patches among the rock, and we drill through them to get to the other side of the planet. (You can't walk across- there's a tall rock "equator" blocking your path.) Drilling in the long patch just off center will take you to the other side. There are Mechakoopas here. We break the one near the "equator" to release the key. Inside the cage was -wait for it - a patch of dirt! We drill into it and it floods the planet so we can reach the Star on the platform above the planet.
We return to the galaxy to find an urgent situation. There's a Luma trapped in a cage and a key is needed to unlock it. We must go and find the key! The water is still frozen (as well as the Cheep-cheeps) from our last adventure. We run into "Ice Demons", previously seen in Freezeflame. I take a hit from one and kill the rest. None of them have the key, so we have to search some more. We go into a green pipe.
We are transported into yet another 2D antfarm. There are water bubbles rolling down hill. We reach the midgate and reach a switch. Flipping it opens a gate below so we can progress. We dodge the eels present and swim down to the green pipe at the bottom.
We find ourselves high in space on yellow/orange striped platforms, still in 2D mode. There are blocks of water hovering in midair. We swim through them and go to others to move on. We find a set of three moving water blocks, where we must keep swimming (like Dory said)or risk falling out. I fell out a few times, but safely landed on platforms instead of spiralling into the black hole. Over the third water block is the key. We get the key, which automatically unlocks the cage. Nearby is a green pipe, as well as Star Bits in the shape of a Luma. The green pipe takes us back to the beach. The Luma thanks us- the cage was getting humid.(Well, I'm sorry you were uncomfortable and had to wait.)
But we're not done yet! The Luma doesn't provide us a Star as thanks, but transforms into a Launch Star and we are launched to a red Starshroom, where Red Toad directs our attention to the Star. The Toad Brigade can't go swimming on their "vacation" because the water's frozen. We clear the midgate and launch to the planet.
On this planet, we find new enemies. They are purple, and they smoosh to the ground to create an electric field. They can be killed by spinning. There are dirt patches among the rock, and we drill through them to get to the other side of the planet. (You can't walk across- there's a tall rock "equator" blocking your path.) Drilling in the long patch just off center will take you to the other side. There are Mechakoopas here. We break the one near the "equator" to release the key. Inside the cage was -wait for it - a patch of dirt! We drill into it and it floods the planet so we can reach the Star on the platform above the planet.
Star Get #22, Galaxy Complete, 408 Star Bits, 622 Coins, 9 Lives
Yippee- no Comets in this galaxy!
Interlude
We land on the base, which means we brought somebody back! Lubba says there's a sassy penguin on board who wants to talk to us. He tells us to shake while swimming for speed, but we already knew that from Galaxy. It also drains your Air Meter very quickly.
Cosmic Cove Galaxy - Twin Falls Hideaway
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
We return to Cosmic Cove to collect more stars. Previously, we talked to Penguru, the grandfather penguin. He said we need a power to climb the waterfalls. I bet that's where the Star is! It also means we need the power of ice! You might be thinking I should search for an Ice Flower, but they do not make a return appearance. We have to look elsewhere for this ice power. We swim to the castle tower in the middle of the water. A nearby penguin mentions that he is tired of swimming and can't wait for ice skating season. On top of the tower, there is a red switch. Pounding it freezes all the water, including the waterfalls! We have the power to make winter!
As we go onto the ice, we find it is a permanent feature- no timer, and we can't ground pound through the ice. The water striders are also frozen in place. Running/skating into them makes them burst into Star Bits. (Knowing this for the previous mission would have been helpful.) We skate over to the frozen waterfalls. Just behind them are frozen Cheep-cheep, who also burst into Star Bits when run into. We approach the waterfalls and wall-jump up them. At the top, there are two grassy platforms. The right one has a crystal on it. We break the crystal to release the Star, which moves to the other platform. We jump over and collect the Star.
Star Get #21, 281 Star Bits, 575 Coins, 6 Lives
We return to Cosmic Cove to collect more stars. Previously, we talked to Penguru, the grandfather penguin. He said we need a power to climb the waterfalls. I bet that's where the Star is! It also means we need the power of ice! You might be thinking I should search for an Ice Flower, but they do not make a return appearance. We have to look elsewhere for this ice power. We swim to the castle tower in the middle of the water. A nearby penguin mentions that he is tired of swimming and can't wait for ice skating season. On top of the tower, there is a red switch. Pounding it freezes all the water, including the waterfalls! We have the power to make winter!
As we go onto the ice, we find it is a permanent feature- no timer, and we can't ground pound through the ice. The water striders are also frozen in place. Running/skating into them makes them burst into Star Bits. (Knowing this for the previous mission would have been helpful.) We skate over to the frozen waterfalls. Just behind them are frozen Cheep-cheep, who also burst into Star Bits when run into. We approach the waterfalls and wall-jump up them. At the top, there are two grassy platforms. The right one has a crystal on it. We break the crystal to release the Star, which moves to the other platform. We jump over and collect the Star.
Star Get #21, 281 Star Bits, 575 Coins, 6 Lives
Cosmic Cove Galaxy - Catch that Star Bunny
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
We find ourselves in the Cosmic Cove Galaxy. It has a large lake in its center where penguins swim all day. The music is very relaxing. The effect created in Space Junk Galaxy with the piano solo is recreated here with a harp and piano duet, for a water theme. We land on the small beach. We pick up a Koopa Shell and dive right in. The music does not change while we're underwater. I take a hit from a tubeworm-like creature that does not like the light. Swimming farther back, we find the Comet Medal in a green shell underwater. Nearby is a Sling Star. We sling out of the water and find a hungry Luma on a platform floating on the water. He wants 15 coins, which is simple enough for us to get. On the water's surface, there are water striders, and we take a hit from one. We get the 15 coins for the Luma and it henshins into a hole-filled planet covered in water. We launch to the midgate.
On the planet, we meet a Star Bunny who wants us to catch him. The same music from Galaxy plays when we start chasing him. I take a hit from a water-strider and set off to kill the rest of them to make catching the Star Bunny easier. After killing most of them, I chase the Star Bunny to a blue switch. Pounding said switch freezes the water temporarily so we can skate. We can now move faster and fall into the black hole much easier. After hitting the switch twice, we finally catch the Star Bunny. He gives us a Star.
Star Get #20, 12 Comet Medals, 218 Star Bits, 508 Coins, 4 Lives
We find ourselves in the Cosmic Cove Galaxy. It has a large lake in its center where penguins swim all day. The music is very relaxing. The effect created in Space Junk Galaxy with the piano solo is recreated here with a harp and piano duet, for a water theme. We land on the small beach. We pick up a Koopa Shell and dive right in. The music does not change while we're underwater. I take a hit from a tubeworm-like creature that does not like the light. Swimming farther back, we find the Comet Medal in a green shell underwater. Nearby is a Sling Star. We sling out of the water and find a hungry Luma on a platform floating on the water. He wants 15 coins, which is simple enough for us to get. On the water's surface, there are water striders, and we take a hit from one. We get the 15 coins for the Luma and it henshins into a hole-filled planet covered in water. We launch to the midgate.
On the planet, we meet a Star Bunny who wants us to catch him. The same music from Galaxy plays when we start chasing him. I take a hit from a water-strider and set off to kill the rest of them to make catching the Star Bunny easier. After killing most of them, I chase the Star Bunny to a blue switch. Pounding said switch freezes the water temporarily so we can skate. We can now move faster and fall into the black hole much easier. After hitting the switch twice, we finally catch the Star Bunny. He gives us a Star.
Star Get #20, 12 Comet Medals, 218 Star Bits, 508 Coins, 4 Lives
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Honeybloom Galaxy - The Secret Wall Jump
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
I had a little difficulty getting this Star. I just couldn't reach the 2nd ladder wall, no matter how high I swung. I kept falling down, but I got back up. (You won't die from falling in this area.) I then talked to a Bee who tells us to spin. Bingo! I reached the wall after spinning. I wanted to get the Star Bits in the crystal, so I kept sliding down. But I got high enough to see that at the top, there was a Luma. I got the Star Bits a few tries later and jumped up to the ledge. It wasn't a Luma that I had seen, it was a Star! (In my defense, at a quick first glance, they look very similar.) Once I reached the ledge, I could now move in 3-D to the Star hovering above some water. (You can't reach this Star with the Bee Suit- when back-tracking, there are drops of water that will get rid of the Bee Suit, and you can't wall-jump with the suit when your flight meter runs out.)
Star Get #19, 164 Star Bits, 561 Coins, 3 Lives, Galaxy Complete!
Interlude
We land on the Base of S.S. Mario. Lubba mentions we brought back a Bee. He's allergic to bees and wants us to keep it away from him. However, Lubba likes watching the Bee, and says he possibly knows some bee tricks. (Read: Talk to him!) We talk to the Bee, who says bees can fly farther if they grab coins in midair. (I tried this out. It's not as helpful as I thought- you only recover a tiny sliver of the Flight meter.)
I had a little difficulty getting this Star. I just couldn't reach the 2nd ladder wall, no matter how high I swung. I kept falling down, but I got back up. (You won't die from falling in this area.) I then talked to a Bee who tells us to spin. Bingo! I reached the wall after spinning. I wanted to get the Star Bits in the crystal, so I kept sliding down. But I got high enough to see that at the top, there was a Luma. I got the Star Bits a few tries later and jumped up to the ledge. It wasn't a Luma that I had seen, it was a Star! (In my defense, at a quick first glance, they look very similar.) Once I reached the ledge, I could now move in 3-D to the Star hovering above some water. (You can't reach this Star with the Bee Suit- when back-tracking, there are drops of water that will get rid of the Bee Suit, and you can't wall-jump with the suit when your flight meter runs out.)
Star Get #19, 164 Star Bits, 561 Coins, 3 Lives, Galaxy Complete!
Interlude
We land on the Base of S.S. Mario. Lubba mentions we brought back a Bee. He's allergic to bees and wants us to keep it away from him. However, Lubba likes watching the Bee, and says he possibly knows some bee tricks. (Read: Talk to him!) We talk to the Bee, who says bees can fly farther if they grab coins in midair. (I tried this out. It's not as helpful as I thought- you only recover a tiny sliver of the Flight meter.)
Honeybloom Galaxy - Bumble Beginnings
Copy that! Detecting anomaly. Grape maneuvers, Mario! - Transmission 9
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
This galaxy has a jazzier remix of the Honeyhive music. We begin by landing on a flowering vine. As we touch each flower bud, it blooms and releases a Star Bit. This is another 2-D sidescroller. We find the bees from Honeyhive here, and they're looking for a Star for their queen, but they can't find it. Sorry, Queen Bee, that Star's ours! I wall-jumped up to an area with Star Bits. The walls look like ladders, and there is another area with ladders that I just can't reach with the swing. I'll find what's up there later. We continue and find a Bee Mushroom and henshin into Bee Mario. We fly up to the midgate, after which the planet rotates into another 2-D sidescrolling view. I unfortunately wandered too far and fell into a black hole.
Take 2- I take a hit from a green bird with a spike helmet. I get the Comet Medal past the 2nd green bird on a ledge. We take a swing on the vines and land on some springy grapes. I take another hit from a green bird and reach another midgate. There are Fuzzies on the poles we have to climb. We get past them unharmed and take the vines to another midgate. There are green plants with red spikes that try to spear us. The other danger we have to deal with are pink flowers with coins above them. If you stand on them for too long-which isn't much time, they will swallow you and spit you out. My fly meter was empty and I fell into a Black Hole.
Take 3- I'm on my last life, but fortunately get a 100 Star Bit 1-up. I take a hit from a green, spiky plant, beut make it successfully over the Black Holes. I get past the carnivorous flowers to an area with clouds. We fly from the clouds to reach the Star.
Star Get #18, 11 Comet Medals, 106 Star Bits, 553 Coins, 1 Life
Grape night and grape luck! - Transmission 9
Interlude
We get a brown, yellow, and white letter from a honeybee. It's a certificate of commendation for getting the Star in Honeybloom. Our reward for bravery is a 1-up. I also pick up a 1-up from the Starshroom.
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
This galaxy has a jazzier remix of the Honeyhive music. We begin by landing on a flowering vine. As we touch each flower bud, it blooms and releases a Star Bit. This is another 2-D sidescroller. We find the bees from Honeyhive here, and they're looking for a Star for their queen, but they can't find it. Sorry, Queen Bee, that Star's ours! I wall-jumped up to an area with Star Bits. The walls look like ladders, and there is another area with ladders that I just can't reach with the swing. I'll find what's up there later. We continue and find a Bee Mushroom and henshin into Bee Mario. We fly up to the midgate, after which the planet rotates into another 2-D sidescrolling view. I unfortunately wandered too far and fell into a black hole.
Take 2- I take a hit from a green bird with a spike helmet. I get the Comet Medal past the 2nd green bird on a ledge. We take a swing on the vines and land on some springy grapes. I take another hit from a green bird and reach another midgate. There are Fuzzies on the poles we have to climb. We get past them unharmed and take the vines to another midgate. There are green plants with red spikes that try to spear us. The other danger we have to deal with are pink flowers with coins above them. If you stand on them for too long-which isn't much time, they will swallow you and spit you out. My fly meter was empty and I fell into a Black Hole.
Take 3- I'm on my last life, but fortunately get a 100 Star Bit 1-up. I take a hit from a green, spiky plant, beut make it successfully over the Black Holes. I get past the carnivorous flowers to an area with clouds. We fly from the clouds to reach the Star.
Star Get #18, 11 Comet Medals, 106 Star Bits, 553 Coins, 1 Life
Grape night and grape luck! - Transmission 9
Interlude
We get a brown, yellow, and white letter from a honeybee. It's a certificate of commendation for getting the Star in Honeybloom. Our reward for bravery is a 1-up. I also pick up a 1-up from the Starshroom.
Boulder Bowl Galaxy - Rock and Rollodillo
We've got one! We've got Chomps! - Transmission 13
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
Boulder Bowl has the same music as Spin-Dig. We see a new object in a force-field cage. Killing the Green Octoomba releases it. It is the Rock Mushroom and Mario henshins into Rock Mario. His hat and overalls are made of rock. Shaking the Wiimote makes Mario roll into a rock ball and allows him to roll around for a period of time. Unfortunately, there is no way to stop him early, except by running into large objects. We notice some of the Toads near a very large pink crystal. One of them has a pick, but he says he can't break it. We roll into it to reveal the Comet Medal. We unfortunately roll off the edge.
Take 2- After getting the Rock Mushroom and the Comet Medal, we use our new power to knock down the bridge so we can use it. There are enemies that greatly resemble bowling pins and they squeak. We bowl a 5 out of 6 and roll up the ramp to the midgate. There are a lot of Octoombas here, as well as boulders and some wooden fence. Rock Mario can break this fence (it's rather flimsy). I took too many hits from the Octoombas and died because I tried to stomp on them after taking a hit. I did not realize that there was a Rock Shroom on the planet at the time.
Take 3- Killed by Octoombas.
Takes 4 and 5- Rolled off the level.
Take 6- I developed a new strategy so that I wouldn't get killed. I used the Rock Mushroom to take care of the Octoombas near the cage so I wouldn't roll off the level. I then stomped on the rest. I released the Launch Star. I found a green pipe in one of the pillar-like rocks on the planet. I got a 1-up from the die. This planet is crawling with Chomps and boulders in mud tracks. I broke the pink crystal to free the Launch Star and launched to the midgate. I launched onto a spherical planet, and met Rollodillo, an armadillo covered in spiky armor. I still have my Rock Mushroom, so I try to hit his face with Rock Mario. I took 2 hits this way. His spiky armor cannot be pierced by the Rock Mushroom. I finally tried rolling into him, but missed, rolling right past him. I then saw that his rear was unguarded. (It was also blue and furry.) This is the 2nd enemy whose backside we have to target because it is unguarded. I used Rock Mario to roll and hit him from behind. I got in my 2nd hit and accidently touched him. I got in my 3rd and 4th hits and he exploded. The Star appeared.
Star Get #17, 10 Comet Medals, 660 Star Bits, 544 Coins, 5 Lives
Nicely executed! - Transmission 13
(I beg to differ.)
Interlude
We land in the Engine Room. (I figured out the pattern- if we land in the Engine Room, we brought back an item. If we land on the Base, we brought back a helpful character.) Lubba mentions that we brought back a Rock Mushroom, but he thinks it's just a rock. He doesn't mind because we have room. I feed a hungry Luma 700 Star Bits and it henshins into Honeybloom Galaxy. Let's go there next!
Welcome Back to the Galaxy!
Boulder Bowl has the same music as Spin-Dig. We see a new object in a force-field cage. Killing the Green Octoomba releases it. It is the Rock Mushroom and Mario henshins into Rock Mario. His hat and overalls are made of rock. Shaking the Wiimote makes Mario roll into a rock ball and allows him to roll around for a period of time. Unfortunately, there is no way to stop him early, except by running into large objects. We notice some of the Toads near a very large pink crystal. One of them has a pick, but he says he can't break it. We roll into it to reveal the Comet Medal. We unfortunately roll off the edge.
Take 2- After getting the Rock Mushroom and the Comet Medal, we use our new power to knock down the bridge so we can use it. There are enemies that greatly resemble bowling pins and they squeak. We bowl a 5 out of 6 and roll up the ramp to the midgate. There are a lot of Octoombas here, as well as boulders and some wooden fence. Rock Mario can break this fence (it's rather flimsy). I took too many hits from the Octoombas and died because I tried to stomp on them after taking a hit. I did not realize that there was a Rock Shroom on the planet at the time.
Take 3- Killed by Octoombas.
Takes 4 and 5- Rolled off the level.
Take 6- I developed a new strategy so that I wouldn't get killed. I used the Rock Mushroom to take care of the Octoombas near the cage so I wouldn't roll off the level. I then stomped on the rest. I released the Launch Star. I found a green pipe in one of the pillar-like rocks on the planet. I got a 1-up from the die. This planet is crawling with Chomps and boulders in mud tracks. I broke the pink crystal to free the Launch Star and launched to the midgate. I launched onto a spherical planet, and met Rollodillo, an armadillo covered in spiky armor. I still have my Rock Mushroom, so I try to hit his face with Rock Mario. I took 2 hits this way. His spiky armor cannot be pierced by the Rock Mushroom. I finally tried rolling into him, but missed, rolling right past him. I then saw that his rear was unguarded. (It was also blue and furry.) This is the 2nd enemy whose backside we have to target because it is unguarded. I used Rock Mario to roll and hit him from behind. I got in my 2nd hit and accidently touched him. I got in my 3rd and 4th hits and he exploded. The Star appeared.
Star Get #17, 10 Comet Medals, 660 Star Bits, 544 Coins, 5 Lives
Nicely executed! - Transmission 13
(I beg to differ.)
Interlude
We land in the Engine Room. (I figured out the pattern- if we land in the Engine Room, we brought back an item. If we land on the Base, we brought back a helpful character.) Lubba mentions that we brought back a Rock Mushroom, but he thinks it's just a rock. He doesn't mind because we have room. I feed a hungry Luma 700 Star Bits and it henshins into Honeybloom Galaxy. Let's go there next!
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