For the classic Super Mario Galaxy completion route, collect 120 Power Stars as Mario and defeat Bowser to unlock Luigi, then collect 120 as Luigi and defeat Bowser again. After that, complete the Grand Finale Galaxy’s 100-Purple-Coin mission once as each brother. The route awards 121 Stars per character—242 when both routes are counted. Beating Bowser after 60 Stars reaches the story ending, but does not complete the full route.
What counts as 100% completion?
The game’s first story ending and its full postgame route are different milestones. Nintendo Wire’s guide to the 3D All-Stars version says you can reach the story’s Bowser fight with 60 Power Stars; the full route requires collecting 120 as Mario, unlocking and completing the Luigi route, and earning each character’s final Star in the Grand Finale Galaxy. The commonly cited 242-Star total counts the two character routes, which repeat the same mission set, rather than 242 unique objectives. Nintendo Wire’s Power Star guide
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Completion checklist
- Reach the first ending: collect 60 Power Stars as Mario and defeat Bowser. This clears the story but is not the full completion route.
- Finish Mario’s 120-Star route: continue collecting Stars until you have 120, then defeat Bowser again. This unlocks Super Luigi Galaxy.
- Complete Luigi’s route: collect 120 Power Stars as Luigi and defeat Bowser at the end of that route.
- Earn the final Star for each character: go to the Planet of Trials and enter the Grand Finale Galaxy. Complete its The Star Festival mission by collecting all 100 Purple Coins as Mario, then repeat as Luigi. Each clear earns that character’s 121st Star. Nintendo Wire’s Power Star guide
How the Star totals and unlocks work
Nintendo Wire’s guide describes 121 Stars on one character’s complete route. That total includes special Star types; they are not extra categories to add on top of 121. Three Green Stars—found in Battlerock, Buoy Base, and Dusty Dune—unlock the Trial Galaxies: Rolling Gizmo, Bubble Blast, and Loopdeeswoop. Nintendo Wire’s Power Star guide
There are two separate 100-Purple-Coin milestones to distinguish. Gateway’s Purple Coins mission becomes available through the Observatory Gate after the sixth Grand Star and awards a Red Power Star. The Grand Finale Galaxy is a later, separate mission: after both characters have collected 120 Stars, its 100 coins award the 121st Star on each character’s route. Nintendo Wire’s Power Star guide
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- -Disc only. Original case and manual not included. Will come packaged in a generic case.
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The Wii instruction manual explains the underlying progression: completing a mission can open the next mission in its galaxy, while collecting a Grand Star in a dome’s final galaxy opens the next dome. It also says the game tracks mission and save progress. Nintendo’s Wii instruction booklet
Do coins, Star Bits, or lives have to be maxed?
The cited completion route is defined by the Stars, both character playthroughs, and the two Grand Finale clears. The Wii manual describes coins and Star Bits as gameplay resources, but neither it nor the cited route establishes a maximum coin, Star Bit, or life counter as a separate requirement. If you are using an edition with its own completion indicator, follow that indicator rather than assuming those counters must be maxed. Nintendo’s Wii instruction booklet Nintendo Wire’s Power Star guide
Rank #2
- Disc only. Original case and manual not included. Will come packaged in a generic case.
- This renewed game has been cleaned, tested, and shows minimal wear.
How long does the full route take?
Nintendo Wire reported an average estimate of about 42 hours for its 100% route, with a rushed estimate of around 27 hours and a slower estimate of 61.5 hours. The figures are based on player times polled by HowLongToBeat, so they are community estimates, not an official completion target or a prediction for an individual player. Nintendo Wire’s playtime guide
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Does this checklist apply to the current Switch edition?
The detailed checklist above is documented for the classic route and a guide to Super Mario 3D All-Stars. Nintendo’s Switch product listing mentions additional Storybook Chapters, an Assist Mode, and improved resolution. The available information does not establish whether the added material has separate completion tracking, so the 242-Star checklist should not be treated as a confirmed exhaustive checklist for every Switch-edition completion indicator. Nintendo’s Super Mario Galaxy for Nintendo Switch product page
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