Launch Star
Launch Stars are items in the Super Mario Galaxy franchise. They are seen in many galaxies. Mario will jump into their "slingshot mechanism" and can use them to fly across space when it recoils back into their body when he uses his Star Spin in a place near wherever they lie. Upon their use, Mario tends to fly from their location through space at high speed, often over 300 miles per hour. Launch stars have been a way of moving around levels. They have a far range of launching, since the evidence of launching Mario from the observatory to distant galaxies, though their more common range is typically hundreds of metres. Some Launch Stars can launch Mario for miles within galaxies.
Launch Star kinds[]
There are 3 types of launch stars, they are the normal launch star, a pink launch star formed by a Hungry Luma when fed, and the Green Launch Star seen in the observatory (named the gateway to the Trial Galaxies). There are also Sling Stars that act like Launch Stars do, but Sling Stars usually are shorter ranged and function more like a magnetic rail gun (with Mario being the "rocket ship") when struck with a Star Spin.
Star Chips[]
When launch stars are smashed by a meteor, they break into five star chips (as reference to the five tips of the star). They reform after you collect all five of their pieces.
Star Trails[]
When Mario flies through the level, he typically leaves behind a blue glowing trail that shows the route of the launch star; when you replay that level, you can see that you are launching through the exact same route. Launch stars show no trail when they are used in the Grandmaster Galaxy, however.
Trivia[]
- Launch Stars appear in other games, but their purpose varies. In the Mario Kart series, driving through Launch Stars may either provide a speed boost, or (at least in Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 8) produce a cannon effect. These games also show them as rings with cyclic stars in the middle. Rosalina uses a Launch Star for her recovery and Up Special in the Super Smash Bros. franchise.
- In most cases, when using a Launch Star, you can collect Star Bits while flying to your destination. These Star Bit collection sequences only last for a few seconds.
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