Super Mario Galaxy 2 continues the long tradition of bonkers plumber powerups in Nintendo’s Mario adventures. Ever since the mascot chomped on his first mushroom way back in the ‘80s, bonus items have played a massive role in the appeal of the series, and the latest title is no exception: read this part of our Super Mario Galaxy 2 review for your handy one-stop guide to Mario’s latest arsenal.
Read our Super Mario Galaxy 2 review
Super Mario Galaxy 2 review
Super Mario Galaxy 2 review: What’s new and different?
Super Mario Galaxy 2 review: Exploring the galaxy
Yoshi
Arguably the biggest addition in Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the jovial green dinosaur known as Yoshi. Mario can ride on his back and use his tongue to capture troublesome foes – namely those which cannot be defeated using Mario’s powers alone. For example, the spiky plants which dot many of the stages are impervious to Mario’s spin and jump attacks, but Yoshi can gobble them up with his stretchy tongue and spit them out as handy projectiles.
Dash Pepper
When you’re riding on Yoshi’s back you’ll find several items in Super Mario Galaxy 2 which come in very helpful – the Dash Pepper being one such example. If you find that a wall is simply too steep to traverse, shove one of these red-hot fruits down Yoshi’s gullet and he transforms into a reptilian express-train capable of dashing up almost vertical structures. Be careful, though: when Yoshi is in this frenzied state you can only steer him in the right direction and have no control over his speed. Also, contact with a solid object can throw Yoshi off course.
Cloud Suit
A new addition to Mario’s ever-increasing wardrobe of suits, the Cloud costume allows him to create new platforms in mid-air and thereby reach previously unobtainable goals. Like all of the suits in Super Mario Galaxy 2, the Cloud getup comes with a caveat – if Mario receives a hit he instantly sheds his fluffy attire. Bearing this in mind it’s vital that you avoid enemies when you’re high up in the air, as one unexpected knock could send the chubby chap plunging towards one of the many black holes which are found in each galaxy.
Drill
Another new feature in Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the introduction of the drill tool. Once Mario has collected this item he can use it to take out enemies and drill through soft earth. There are many planets on which this ability is essential for successful progress. For example, some have areas which can only be reached by tunnelling through from one side to the other. It’s worth noting that as versatile as the drill is, it cannot smash through solid rock. If Mario encounters such an obstruction when he’s underground he will be deflected back in the opposite direction. The drill tool is also instrumental in some of Super Mario Galaxy 2’s demanding boss battles.
Rock Suit
When Mario collects a stone mushroom he is imbued with the power of the rock suit and can roll himself into a ball to smash through previously impregnable barriers and destroy particularly resilient foes. As is the case with the Super Mario Galaxy 2’s Cloud costume, if Mario receives damage the Rock Suit is lost, so don’t get too cocky when attempting to steamroll over your enemies.
Flame Flower
Another familiar power-up item which can chart its origin way back to the very first Super Mario Bros game on the NES, the Flame Flower also appeared in the prequel to Super Mario Galaxy 2. Collecting it allows Mario to fling powerful fireballs at his enemies: these red-hot orbs can also be used to punch through certain barriers. Unlike the Flame Flower seen in the 8-bit originals, the one seen in Super Mario Galaxy 2 comes with a strict time-limit and once it runs out, Mario returns to normal.
Read our Super Mario Galaxy 2 review
Super Mario Galaxy 2 review
Super Mario Galaxy 2 review: What’s new and different?
Super Mario Galaxy 2 review: Exploring the galaxy
