Beach Bowl Galaxy

Galaxy Information
First appearance	Super Mario Galaxy (2007)
Area	Kitchen
Number of Stars	6
Missions	Sunken Treasure Passing the Swim Test The Secret Undersea Cavern Fast Foes on the Cyclone Stone Beachcombing for Purple Coins Wall Jumping Up Waterfalls
Enemies	Cataquacks Goombas Gringill Piranha Plants Swoopers Thwomps Tox Boxes Urchins

Not to be confused with Boulder Bowl Galaxy.

The Beach Bowl Galaxy is one of the galaxies in Super Mario Galaxy. The galaxy is accessed from the Kitchen. It is unlocked when Mario gets 16 Power Stars in his possession, including the Grand Stars from Bowser Jr.'s Robot Reactor and Bowser's Star Reactor. The Galaxy is represented by its Starting and Cliffside planets and the Cyclone Stone. Its tropical setting is similar to many of the courses in Super Mario Sunshine. The largest planet in this galaxy is a beach area filled with Penguins. The waterfall area of the main landmass resembles a giant toilet. Gringills also appear in the Beach Bowl Galaxy.

Planets

Starting Planet (Heavenly Beach Planet)

This is the main planet in the galaxy. it features a class of penguins. Some sea life appears.

Starting Area (Bowl)

This is where Mario starts. There are some islands on the surface of the water, with underwater ruins at the bottom.

Underground Cave

This cave is hidden behind cracked stone, being visited in the third mission.

Cliffside Planet

This hangs onto the starting planet, featuring some Piranha Plants and Wigglers. Mario has to climb up here to get to the end.

Cyclone Stone

This mission is visited in the third mission. it is a twisted stone path surrounding a river of rushing water with a Black Hole at each end. Thwomps and Tox Boxes appear here; during the Prankster Comet mission, they become Fast Thwomps and Fast Tox Boxes.

Twin Fall Lake Planet

This planet is reached when Mario busts open a treasure chest on the far side of the Starting Planet. This summons a Launch Star that leads here. The Twin Fall Lake Planet is really two big planetoids with several small planetoids above the first one. There are several Ice Flowers here which Mario must use to perform Wall Jumps up the waterfalls; if he attempts to do so without it, he will clip through the waterfall. The second large planetoid is icy, where Mario has to lure a Cataquack to an island with a Power Star above it.

Missions

Main Missions

Sunken Treasure

The swim students are distracted by "sparklies" under the water. Mario needs to collect all five of the Star Chips (what "sparklies" refers to). The resulting Launch Star blasts Mario to the upper part of the main planet. The player will have Ground Pound the red switch to activate some platforms, and Mario will have to quickly backflip and Star Spin onto the platforms to reach the top of the planet. Mario then needs to Ground Pound another red switch to activate some walls that Mario can use to Wall Jump to the Power Star.

• Planets Visited:
  1. Starting Planet (Starting Area Only)
  2. Cliffside Planet
• Enemies:
  • Urchins
  • Gringills (both standard and giant)
  • Clampies
  • Piranha Plants
  • Wigglers

Passing the Swim Test

The player needs to talk to the Penguin Coach, and he will tell Mario that the final swim test is today. To pass the swim test, Mario must obtain the Gold Koopa Shell, which is in the possession of a fast-moving penguin underwater, so Mario must catch up to him and Star Spin to steal the shell away. Mario will have to take the gold shell to the Penguin Coach to obtain the Power Star.

• Planets Visited: Only the Starting Area of the Starting Planet is visited.
• Enemies:
  • Urchins
  • Gringills (both standard and giant)
  • Clampies

The Secret Undersea Cavern

To enter the undersea cavern, Mario needs to simply dive underwater, grab a Koopa Shell, and toss it at the breakable blocks in the wall that lines the ocean. Then Mario has to swim through the tunnel to reach the land on the other side. Mario needs to break the crates in the fence and the crates on the other side to reveal a Launch Star. The Launch Star will send Mario flying to an area called the Cyclone Stone. The Cyclone Stone is a long stone path filled with Tox Boxes and Thwomps. Mario must dodge all enemies to reach the end of the path, where the Power Star awaits.

• Planets Visited:
  1. Starting Planet
     1. Starting Area
     2. Underground Cave
  2. Cyclone Stone
• Enemies:
  • Urchins
  • Gringills (both standard and giant)
  • Clampies
  • Goombas
  • Bats
  • Thwomps
  • Tox Boxes

Secret Star: Wall Jumping Up Waterfalls

Known as Wall Kicking Up Waterfalls in Europe, this hidden Power Star is accessible from both The Secret Undersea Cavern and Passing the Swim Test. Mario will have to grab a Koopa Shell and break the chest located to the right of the waterfall (when facing the main landmass), revealing a Launch Star. Mario will land on a planet with many waterfalls, a ? Coin floating high in the air, and a Cataquack. The player needs to lure a Cataquack under the ? Coin to collect it, which will make an Ice Flower appear. After obtaining the item, Mario has to wall jump up waterfalls. The Power Star floats high above an isolated snowy island, and another small island contains a Cataquack. Mario must grab the Ice Flower, head to the Cataquack's island, and then create an icy bridge to allow the Cataquack to reach the island with the Power Star. The Cataquack will then launch Mario into the Power Star, completing the mission.

• Planets Visited:
  1. Starting Planet
     1. Starting Area
     2. Underground Cave (optional)
  2. Twin Fall Lake Planet
• Enemies:
  • Urchins
  • Gringills (both standard and giant)
  • Clampies
  • Goombas
  • Bats
  • Piranha Plants
  • Spiny Piranha Plants

Prankster Comets

As with other major galaxies, this Galaxy has two Prankster Comets: a Fast Foe Comet and a Purple Comet.

Fast Foes on the Cyclone Stone (Fast Foe Comet in Orbit)

Mario begins this level on the Cyclone Stone encountered in The Secret Undersea Cavern. He must reach the other end of the Cyclone Stone to gain the Power Star, as before, but this time the Thwomps and Tox Boxes move much more quickly. This mission, until completed, is only accessible when a Fast Foe Comet is in orbit.

• Planets Visited: Only the Cyclone Stone is visited.
• Enemies:
  • Fast Thwomps
  • Fast Tox Boxes

Beachcombing for Purple Coins (Purple Comet in Orbit)

Mario must collect one hundred Purple Coins scattered around the main planet. Only five of them are located in the sea; the rest are scattered around the landmasses. There is a Spring Mushroom located behind the waterfall that will aid in the collection of some Purple Coins. This Purple Coin mission has no time limit. This mission, until completed, is only accessible when a Purple Comet is in orbit.

• Planets Visited:
  1. Starting Planet (Starting Area only)
  2. Cliffside Planet
• Enemies:
  • Urchins
  • Gringills (both standard and giant)
  • Clampies
  • Piranha Plants

Music Tracks

The Galaxy's main theme is titled Beach Bowl Galaxy, which also plays in the Loopdeeloop, Sea Slide, and Loopdeeswoop Galaxies. This track plays in most missions, being featured on the Starting and Cliffside Planets, with the exception of underground. On the Cyclone Stone, the Space Athletic theme, which is derived from the underground theme from the original Super Mario Bros. with the first section in 4/4 time à la Super Mario Bros. 3 and copied four times and played at 160 beats per minute; however, during the first Prankster Comet mission, the track is swapped out for Cosmic Mario's theme. On the Twin Fall Lake Planet, the music is an arrangement of the Super Mario Bros. 3 athletic theme.

Nomenclature

In Japanese, the Beach Bowl Galaxy is called the "Gurasu Bīchi Galaxy" (written グラスビーチギャラクシー) with "Gurasu Bīchi" coming from a Japanese transliteration of "Glass Beach." Its Chinese name is Bōlí Shātān Yínhé (written 玻璃沙滩银河), which means "Glass Beach Galaxy." In the French dub, it is called the "Salad Bowl Beach Galaxy," or Galaxie Plage Saladier. Its German name is Glasstrand-Galaxie, meaning "Glass Beach Galaxy." In Italian, it is called Galàssia Atollo ("Atoll Galaxy"). Its Korean name is a transliteration of "Glaxx Beach Galaxy," just like Japanese, with the transliteration being Geullaeseu Bichi Gaelleoksi (글래스 비치 갤럭시). In Spanish, the Galaxy's name is Galáxia Playa Verde, which means "Green Beach Galaxy."

Trivia

• One of this Galaxy's prototypes can be seen in the files as the texture of the Black Hole's event horizon.