Ranking The Galaxies In Super Mario Galaxy

It's been quite a few years since I last played the Super Mario Galaxy duology, two of my favorite games of all time for their boundlessly creative level design, joyous antigravity mechanics, stellar atmosphere and soundtrack, and incredible levels of polish and detail. And since I was going to be replaying the Galaxy games, it's time for a project that has been long overdue. I'm going to rank all of the galaxies in both games, starting with the first.

Super Mario Galaxy 1 is my preferred entry of the two, just barely. While it may be a bit rougher around the edges compared to its sequel, it makes up for that with a hauntingly isolating sense of atmosphere and a unique level design philosophy so spontaneous that it manages to make the simple act of stumbling upon a new planet feel so momentous. It's a game that manages to be simultaneously infectiously playful and achingly melancholic, and with almost every level being an absolute blast to play, coming up with a concrete ranking is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do for this blog. 

Galaxy 1 has 15 main galaxies and a lot of smaller side galaxies, and I thought ranking all of them in a single list would be a bit unfair to the side galaxies, so I'm going to separate them into two lists. So, let's start by ranking the side galaxies:

27. Snow Cap Galaxy
Yeah, this one's pretty obvious. Most people agree that Snow Cap is the worst galaxy in the game, and I still don't even think it's that bad. There are some neat ideas here! I like drawing in the snow with my cursor, and I like that there's a bit of an order of operations you need to do before you can even begin catching the rabbits. That being said, I'm not the only one who thinks that Snow Cap's timer is a bit too strict for how much stuff you need to juggle, how slippery those rabbits can be to catch, and how inconsistent those buried holes are to uncover. And for the last Hungry Luma star in the game to be just another bunny catching mission is admittedly pretty underwhelming.

26. Sling Pod Galaxy
Sling Pod Galaxy is entirely focused around the titular sling pods which I've always been a bit hit-or-miss on. It's certainly really satisfying to fling Mario around and threading the needle through some of the hazards in this stage can feel great when it all works out, but the lack of any sort of reticle or aim vision means that it's pretty easy to just barely miss your target and get sent back to the start of the stage. It also doesn't help that Sling Pod's visuals are pretty much ripped right out of Space Junk Galaxy, so unless you just really love that sling pod mechanic, this galaxy doesn't have much else to offer.

25. Bubble Blast Galaxy
Bubble Blast Galaxy is easily my least favorite of the Trial Galaxies, and it really didn't have to be. While visually pretty sparse, it does do a solid job at putting your skills at the bubble mechanic to the test with a variety of challenges testing your speed and precision. Dealing with the swarm of Bullet Bills at the end is especially tense. So what's the problem? Its crushing length. The first half makes you do five separate challenges to get Star Chips with absolutely zero room for error. Mess up once, even if it's on the last Star Chip, and you'll have to start all the way back from square one. Thankfully, the second half of the stage does have a checkpoint, but that brutal first half alone makes it a stage I don't love going back to.

24. Flipswitch Galaxy
What you see is what you get with Flipswitch Galaxy. It's a galaxy entirely focused on hitting all the flipswitches. Being an early galaxy, it's very simple, probably even to a fault, but it's also the first time you'll have to get a handle on the antigravity mechanics in a more precarious setting. The retro Mario background also lends this stage a more surreal and memorable aesthetic than it probably would've had with just the usual blank starry sky.

23. Hurry Scurry Galaxy
Hurry Scurry truly lives up to its name. It's a stage that shows you the disappearing platforms work and wraps up pretty much immediately after. That being said, the main planet is iconic for a reason since charting a path to collect all the music notes without removing too many platforms is fun. I also love how if you remove all the platforms, you can do a full long jump around the star in the center that feels incredibly cool to do.

22. Drip Drop Galaxy
In terms of gameplay, Drip Drop Galaxy is pretty unremarkable. It's an underwater stage solely focused on sniping Gringills with shells, mostly there to be practice for the upcoming Kingfin fight. But in terms of atmosphere, Drip Drop really sticks out to me. When you're on the surface, the camera skews to fill most of the frame with the starry background to show just how alone this planet is. The unique music is both serene and haunting, and all the shipwrecks and debris on the ground just leave so much to the imagination. A great showcase of how Galaxy 1's atmosphere alone is able to carry even the most generic of side galaxies.

21. Boo's Boneyard Galaxy
Boo's Boneyard is a galaxy I grow to appreciate more over time. It's basically just a 2D Boo Mario race, but the track is filled to the brim with hidden shortcuts and secret areas. I like how you can go out of your way to trigger fans that will push you forward, and perfectly timing the vanish to phase through walls while keeping your momentum going feels really satisfying. I also really like the spooky, trippy atmosphere, I think this kind of environment definitely could've been fleshed out a bit more.

20. Honeyclimb Galaxy
Honeyclimb Galaxy is a solid exploration of Bee Mario's ability to climb walls of honey, and it's legitimately lengthy for a side galaxy. There are three planets, each introducing a new obstacle from moving platforms to falling meteors to Mandibugs hanging out on the walls. While it's not the most standout visually, I appreciate how thoroughly Honeyclimb fleshes out its singular concept and it makes for a fun little challenge.

19. Bubble Breeze Galaxy
Out of the three big motion control gimmicks, the bubble is mostly my least favorite for how slow its stages can be. Parts of Bubble Breeze Galaxy do let you blow the bubble around at top speed and it can be really fun, but it's only a matter of time before you'll be slowed to a halt and have to wait for a moving wall or mine (this is an issue in Bubble Blast as well). That being said, the more lenient checkpoints, unique swamp aesthetic, and abundance of secret paths make Bubble Breeze my preferred of the two bubble stages overall.

18. Bowser Jr's Robot Reactor
Bowser Jr's Robot Reactor is a stage entirely carried by its boss. The lead-up is comprised of a single planet where you learn how to lead Bullet Bills around, nothing too special there, but the encounter against Megaleg is easily one of my favorites in the game for its Shadow Of The Colossus-tier sense of scale. Running up the giant robot's leg feels like a fun platforming stage in itself, and the way the music swells once you get to the top never fails to leave me awestruck.

17. Bowser Jr's Lava Reactor
Stage-wise, this is basically just Robot Reactor but slightly more interesting. Guiding the Bullet Bill around is a bit harder, there's a fun lead-up to the boss that has you hopping across sinking platforms, and the whole galaxy being set on a massive sun helps it stand out visually. Bowser Jr's final boss being just a King Kaliente rematch is admittedly pretty underwhelming, but King Kaliente is still a fun encounter and this iteration of his fight is still decently hectic.

16. Loopdeloop Galaxy
I really like the manta ray surfing. It's always just been pure fun to me, and I never had any issues with the motion controls. Dealing with the waves can be a bit unwieldly, but once you really get to grips with the movement, it's really fun to improve on your times and take increasingly risky shortcuts by launching yourself off the waves. That being said, Loopdeloop is very much in the shadow of its successor, being pretty short and simple due to being one of the first side galaxies you'll visit.

15. Bigmouth Galaxy
Drip Drop, Bigmouth, and Bonefin almost form a trilogy of eerie underwater side galaxies, with each one expanding on the last. While Drip Drop was still fairly serene, Bigmouth is easily one of the most tense and eerie galaxies in the game, with its interior being filled with giant jellyfish, water tornadoes, a swarm of Boos, and all sorts of dangerous enemies. Even the usual fish is replaced with piranhas. Gameplay-wise, Bigmouth is admittedly pretty short and easy, but the atmosphere does so much to carry it for me.

14. Bowser Jr's Airship Armada
Bowser Jr's Airship Armada is definitely the most developed of Bowser Jr's boss stages, with the highlight being that shockingly fast moving platform setpiece that has you just barely squeezing through cannonballs and spiders dropping from the airship's bows. It's not my favorite airship stage in the game, I do think Space Junk's second star has a bit more going on, but this is a solid challenge to end off the third world with a pretty great boss fight to boot.

13. Sand Spiral Galaxy
Sand Spiral Galaxy has a fun premise built around the use of items. The first segment gives you the choice between using Boo Mario or Bee Mario to navigate an obstacle course, which gives the stage a really cool element of replayability. The second segment is also pretty fun since it's basically just a long Rainbow Star dash across an increasingly thin spinning platform. I wish this galaxy was longer since these concepts could definitely be fleshed out a bit more, but it still makes for one of the most memorable Hungry Luma galaxies overall.

12. Sweet Sweet Galaxy
Sweet Sweet Galaxy is a pretty fun introduction to the Hungry Luma galaxies. Dealing with the increasingly pit-filled conveyor belts make for the first real platforming challenge in the game, and the unique candy setting seen nowhere else in the game really helps Sweet Sweet stand out. I only wish it was just a bit longer, though.

11. Bonefin Galaxy
As a level, Bonefin Galaxy doesn't really have much going on. It's pretty much just a boss fight, but damn is it a good one. The fight against Kingfin is an incredible underwater boss. He's imposing, tossing shells at him is satisfying, dodging his homing fish minions is an absolute thrill, and his large size makes him both an active threat if he's chasing you down and an easy target to prevent any frustration.

10. Bowser's Dark Matter Plant
Bowser's Dark Matter Plant is my least favorite of the Bowser stages in this game, but it's still a pretty great platforming challenge. The addition of Dark Matter that can plug holes into the platforms you're on can make for some inventive setpieces, though the stage is mostly held back by the sheer amount of slow moving platforms. In particular, that antigravity bit with the plus-shaped platform is really cool in concept but takes a bit too long to go through in execution.

9. Grand Finale Galaxy
In an age of brutal final gauntlets in Mario games, Grand Finale Galaxy feels pretty quaint nowadays. But as a reward, it is really satisfying to finally get a chance to finish the Star Festival with one last, zero stakes Purple Coin challenge. Just a wonderful bookend for the whole game, even if some of the other side galaxies are simply more engaging mechanically.

8. Loopdeswoop Galaxy
Loopdeloop walked so Loopdeswoop can run, and any and all elements of fun and challenge that the first manta ray galaxy had is amplified tenfold here. This manta ray track has way more going on, from multiple huge jumps, to some really tight bits of track, to its infamous loop-de-loop. And once you beat the track, you get to take a Launch Star victory tour around the galaxy just to truly rub in your accomplishment.

7. Rolling Green Galaxy
The Star Ball is easily my favorite of the motion control gimmicks. I've always been a sucker for marble rolling games, and the consistently fun stage design combined with the iconic goofy music makes these sections an absolute joy. The decision to base the Star Ball tutorial on a golf course is also an act of pure genius, and the sheer amount of branching paths and risky secrets make for one of the most replayable side galaxies.

6. Gateway Galaxy
Gateway Galaxy's starting planet is my absolute favorite planet in the entire series. When you first visit, it serves as a perfect place to mess around with Mario's movement. The bunny chase sequence that kicks off Gateway Galaxy's first mission is one of the most serene, whimsical, and melancholic bits of gameplay I've ever played, only aided by its gorgeous music. By the end of the game, you get to revisit Gateway Galaxy where you have a heart to heart with Rosalina, play your first Purple Coin mission, and discover the ever-mysterious Red Star. At this point, it'll become obvious just how important this gateway planet is to Super Mario Galaxy as a whole, from both a gameplay and narrative perspective. So while most of Grand Star Rescue is admittedly a pretty standard first stage past the bunny setpiece, I just can't put Gateway Galaxy any lower than this, it just has too much meaning.

5. Buoy Base Galaxy
Buoy Base Galaxy is iconic for a reason. It's got a fun vertical layout, a planet shaped like a pokeball, one of the most purely epic pieces of video game music ever, and a hidden Green Star to boot. What's not to love? It's the one side galaxy so fleshed-out and memorable that most fans tend to treat it as an honorary main galaxy, and I can't blame them. If I'm being perfectly honest, I do think the Super Mario Galaxy 2 rendition in Space Storm is a bit more fun as a platforming challenge, but Buoy Base definitely wins out in terms of pure mystery and spectacle.

4. Bowser's Star Reactor
 Bowser's Star Reactor is just a damn solid Bowser Castle stage. The way it twists itself around and just abuses all the different kinds of antigravity mechanics helps it immediately stand out from prior games, and there's a solid variety of hazards from Thwomps, to flamethrowers, to firebars, all ending off with that exciting staircase setpiece (which Dark Matter Plant just so happens to completely lack). Overall, an incredibly well-paced and fun gauntlet to end off the first third of the game.

3. Rolling Gizmo Galaxy
Rolling Gizmo Galaxy is my favorite of the Trial Galaxies because it takes a mechanic I already love in the Star Ball and simply gives it more unique and interesting level design. The mechanical theming means you'll be rolling across spinning gears, knocking down bridges, dealing with pistons and Bob-Ombs, and using boost pads to propel yourself around. It's pretty tough but it's both short enough that dying doesn't feel like too much of a set-back and long enough that it's able to get the most out of its premise. Also the fact that the stage starts you off on a downward slope is so hilariously cruel that I kinda love it.

2. Matter Splatter Galaxy
Saving the best side galaxy for near last, Matter Splatter Galaxy is just a really fun series of surreal dark matter challenges. I love the visuals of those matter splotches creating pieces of the ground as it lands, and the Spring Mushroom is used pretty well here too. I like the fact that you can choose to carry it into the last area to get some 1ups at the cost of being stuck with it. I also adore the atmosphere here, between the skewed camera angles and trippy greeen background, Matter Splatter Galaxy just has this uncanny feeling to it that always fascinated me.

1. Bowser's Galaxy Reactor
Super Mario Galaxy's final act as a whole is easily my favorite in the series, and it might even be the reason why Super Mario Galaxy is my favorite game of all time. I mean, the whole game is great, but The Garden elevates the entire package even more in terms of atmosphere, challenge, and sheer finality. And then, there's the final level, Bowser's Galaxy Reactor. The moment you make the decision to head to the center of the universe, you are immediately hit with the coolest cutscene in the game as Rosalina turns the observatory into a comet that singlehandedly rips through Bowser's entire fleet. The stage itself manages to keep that momentum going, being a relentless, action-packed gauntlet of varied platforming stages that put everything you've learned about Mario's base movement to the test. The music is dramatic, the visuals are impressive, and the final boss is one of the series' finest purely for its sense of scope. And I don't think I need to tell you how memorable, bold, and dramatic that final cutscene is. Bowser's Galaxy Reactor sticks the landing incredibly hard, making for my personal favorite final level in all of Mario.

Now that that's over with, let's get into the main event. Here's my ranking of Super Mario Galaxy's 15 main galaxies from least favorite to favorite:

15. Sea Slide Galaxy
Despite being my least favorite main galaxy in the game, I don't even think Sea Slide Galaxy is all that bad. It's just a bit repetitive. The central planet just being a large race track limits the kind of stars Nintendo could make here, so three out of the six stars are simply underwater races. Fun underwater races, sure, but I tend to get tired by the Cosmic Mario one. There are also two exploration stars where you get to fully explore the planet for Silver Stars and Purple Coins, and I actually quite like these but they can admittedly take a very long time to do. And while the secret star being a harder version of Hurry Scurry Galaxy is fun, it's still a pretty blatant bit of asset reuse and makes Hurry Scurry itself feel a bit unnecessary by comparison. None of these stars are inherently bad, and I like the happy vibes and sense of community that Sea Slide has, there just isn't the same level of variety as in Galaxy's best areas.

14. Dusty Dune Galaxy
Dusty Dune Galaxy is the most consistently average galaxy in the game. I can't exactly say I dislike any of the stars, but I don't really love any of them either. Soaring Over The Desert Winds has some fun vertical and 2D platforming, and Sunbaked Sand Castle has that cool chase sequence at the end, but for the most part, Dusty Dune is just a bit dull. Blasting Through The Sand makes you take multiple laps around a planet to get all the Star Chips and missing that timed ground pound at the end can set you back quite a bit, Sunbaked Sand Castle and Bullet Bill On Your Back has a lot of waiting for pillars to move, and Treasure Of The Pyramid despite the incredible premise is pretty much just a glorified autoscroller that takes you back and forth through a samey maze. While the music is pretty stellar as always, the dull color palette also adds to the feeling of monotony. As I said, I don't dislike any of the stars here, but outside of some occassional bursts of excitement, I'm just not having the most fun here either.

13. Beach Bowl Galaxy
Believe me, I don't want to put all the underwater galaxies this low on the list. I actually really like how Galaxy 1 controls underwater, spamming spin attacks to propel yourself forward feels really nice. And Beach Bowl Galaxy does have a lot going for it. The first star Secret Treasure blends platforming and exploration quite nicely, the third star The Secret Undersea Cavern introduces the iconic Stone Cyclone planet, the secret star Wall Jumping Up Waterfalls is a solid introduction to the Ice Flower, and overall, Beach Bowl's central planet is fun to explore and has some comfy and upbeat music. But as I said with Sea Slide, Galaxy 1 has a tendency to drop the ball on the underwater missions, and Beach Bowl is the worst culprit. The second star, Passing The Swim Test, is my least favorite main star in the game for how comically short and easy it is, to the point of almost feeling like filler. Having a main star this underwhelming is a serious blow to Beach Bowl in the rankings, and I just can't say the other stars are amazing enough to pick up the slack in a game where every main galaxy is at the very least good.

12. Dreadnought Galaxy
As a followup to Battlerock Galaxy, Dreadnought is pretty cool if a bit flawed. A level centered around a giant battleship is super cool, and I love the cold industrial visuals this galaxy employs. Dreadnought is, in my opinion, the most challenging main galaxy in the game too, but sadly, I think that's both for better and for worse. The missions here are a bit hit-or-miss. I love Infilitrating The Dreadnought for its fun and varied platforming, and Revenge Of The Topman Tribe is memorable for its genuinely tough pull star section (which in turn makes for the most legitimately challenging Speedy Comet in the game). On the other hand, while Dreadnought's Colossal Cannons has some fun moments like the Chain Chomp doghouses, the moving platform setpiece it's built around suffers from some depth perception issues (though weirdly enough, I found the Purple Coin mission made it easier to stay on track thankfully). And of course, Dreadnought's Garbage Dump is far and away my least favorite star in the game. The Bob-Omb garbage missions are the one thing I unequivocably hate about Galaxy 1, between the clumsy throwing arc, the inconsistent explosion hitboxes, and brutally tight time window to do them in, and the one in Dreadnought is the one mission I always dread playing. So while Dreadnought does have a great atmosphere and a few really strong missions, its low points are especially low.

11. Honeyhive Galaxy
The fact that I'm placing Honeyhive this low is a testament to how good the main galaxies in Super Mario Galaxy 1 are, because it has a lot to love. The main planet is vast and a joy to explore, especially in the Purple Coin mission. I like how the missions lead into each other story-wise, the Bee Mushroom is probably Galaxy 1's most developed powerup, the second star Trouble On The Tower is a very fun little platforming gauntlet, the Toad Brigade is introduced, and Bugaboom is a very solid boss. Unfortunately, I do also have some gripes. While Bugaboom is a great boss, his stage is incredibly lacking as most of it takes place on the same central planet. The side stars also aren't anything too special, particularly the secret star being a very easy and underwhelming Luigi rescue mission. I have a lot of nostalgia for Honeyhive Galaxy in particular from when I played Galaxy as a kid and still find it to be a really comfy time, but I'll admit it's not the most engaging galaxy overall.

10. Deep Dark Galaxy
Deep Dark Galaxy is probably the biggest surprise out of any of the galaxies in the game for me, it's way better than I remember. It feels like the culmination of the creepy trench aesthetic galaxies like Bonefin and Bigmouth were setting up, and the surreal, uncanny atmosphere makes for a truly striking endgame setting. From the constantly shifting skyboxes, to the Gateway Galaxy knockoff, to the bizarre watermelon and Boo box planets, to the fascinating ghost ship grotto, there's a lot of strange and memorable sights to discover here. And most of the missions are really good. The Kamella rematch makes for the hardest Daredevil star in the game in my eyes, the Purple Coin star is a highlight for its tricky coin placement and its enclosed setting, Bubble Blowout is an absolute joy for its goofy miniboss and consistently strange platforming, and the Boo In A Box is one of my favorite secret stars even if it's way too easy to cheese. The only thing preventing Deep Dark from getting any higher is the pretty mediocre third star which is just another Guppy chase but with a camera that makes it hard to follow him.

9. Gold Leaf Galaxy
At the surface, Gold Leaf seems like a pretty blatant copy of Honeyhive and the first star being a pretty uninteresting Star Chip hunt doesn't help impressions. But beyond that, I actually think Gold Leaf has a more fun mission roster than its predecessor overall. The Cataquack and raincloud stars are both incredibly fun and creative thanks to their inventive hazards and great use of Bee Mario's abilities, and all of the side missions are pretty solid. Both the Cosmic Mario and Purple Coin comets make for pretty fun and tense obstacle course races (props to the Purple Coin mission having NPCs cheering you on), and the secret star finally gives you the opportunity to play a lot faster and looser with the bubble mechanic. I also like the autumn look of Gold Leaf, it's very visually pleasing. So yeah, while Gold Leaf isn't the most creative galaxy by any means, I can't exactly say it doesn't anything all that wrong either. It's consistently fun throughout and has a pretty strong lineup of missions.

8. Ghostly Galaxy
Ghostly Galaxy has a lot of incredible stars and moments. The first star where you get to explore the haunted mansion and use the Boo Mushroom to rescue Luigi without accidentally scaring him is a classic, the third star utilizes the sling pods really well in a more vertical setting and introduces one of my favorite Mario bosses in Bouldergeist, and the secret star introduces the Matter Splatter mechanic in a fun little platforming gauntlet. The music Waltz Of The Boos is also one of my favorite ghost house themes in the series and gives Ghostly Galaxy a lot of extra character. The only weaker star is Purple Coins In The Bone Pen which forces you to deal with collect 100 coins in a minute in a pull star maze filled with bumpers. It can be fun to fling yourself around with the Pull Stars, but it can also be equally infuriating considering how little time you have, making for a star that I can't really say I love. And when the competition is this fierce, a single weaker star can be enough to knock Ghostly out of the Top 5.

7. Battlerock Galaxy
Battlerock Galaxy is such a memorable and action-packed setting with a stellar lineup of main stars. Dodging an onslaught cannonballs on a UFO, breaking into the titular Battlerock multiple times over, fun pull star and cannon challenges, and some solid 2D platforming with lava and crushers. The bombastic setting and music only adds to the pure excitement of Battlerock's main stars, and it's a real testament to how good they are that this galaxy is so high up because sadly, the side stars aren't great outside of the typically solid Purple Coin comet. The Luigi mission is the best of the bunch since it requires some actual effort, but it's still a Luigi mission. The Daredevil challenge against Topmaniac is a complete joke, and worst of all, Battlerock has the first of the two Bob-Omb Garbage minigames. Admittedly, this is definitely the easier and least frustrating version of this minigame compared to its reappearance in Dreadnought, but it's still not pretty much and prevents Battlerock from reaching the Top 5 for me.

6. Good Egg Galaxy
Good Egg Galaxy is easily my favorite first level in any of these 3D Mario games. Each and every one of its main three stars is still a joy to play through, tossing a variety of wacky planets at you in brisk succession. From a giant apple planet, to a sampler of Flipswitch Galaxy, to the iconic first Hungry Luma planet, to the even more iconic antigravity pill, to planets themed on military bases and tropical islands, to a brisk airship segment, to a whopping two bosses, the pace at which Good Egg moves is utterly relentless and I love it. Coupled with the grandiose music, and it almost feels like Nintendo themselves is excited to show you all the ideas they have come up with. Unfortunately, just like the last few galaxies, Good Egg is held back a bit by a particularly weak side mission: Luigi On The Roof. Forget what I said about Passing The Swim Test, this is the most filler star in the entire game, requiring absolutely zero effort in the way of exploration or navigation. I don't care if it's the first Luigi mission, you should be at World 3 by this point so there's no excuse.

5. Space Junk Galaxy
Space Junk Galaxy is definitely one of my favorite levels in terms of atmosphere. The sparse background combined with the melancholic piano score makes for a truly striking stage all around. The star roster here is admittedly a bit unfocused with each main star feeling entirely different from the last, but I also don't think any of Space Junk's stars are even the slightest bit unfun. Pull Star Path is a super fun intro to the titular mechanic capped off with a memorable sequence with crystalline platforms that form around you. The airship level lets you explore the inside of the airship for the first and only time in a 3D Mario game, the third stage introduces the sling pod and has a very fun and trippy fight against Tarantox, the secret star has a Yoshi cameo, and the comets benefit from being based on missions that I already really liked to begin with. While it might not reach the heights that some of the later, harder galaxies have, Space Junk Galaxy is just consistently fun the whole way through even despite (or because of) its vastly varied mission objectives.

4. Gusty Garden Galaxy
Yeah, yeah, Gusty Garden Galaxy has an incredible music track, arguably one of the best in all of gaming. It's so grand and sweeping and freeing, but it wouldn't work if the stage itself didn't also cultivate that sense of freedom and discovery. The Floaty Fluff mechanic allowing you to literally soar through the wind is the perfect stage gimmick given Gusty Garden's design philosophy, and while the first star is admittedly a bit simple, the second and third stars reward you with tons of memorable and varied planet designs. The apple planets with the worms that dig through them, the iconic question mark block, the optional hedge ring, the incredibly fun gravity block gauntlet in Star 3, and of course, the Puzzle Cube. Speaking of which, Gusty Garden also has some solid side missions. The Purple Coin mission in the aforementioned Puzzle Cube is probably the most fun and well-balanced timed comet in the game, and the Golden Chomp is a very clever and pure secret star that feels very satisfying to get. My only gripe here is the fact that I don't love the Major Burrows fight, he's a bit annoying to deal with and having to fight him again with one hitpoint isn't ideal, but it's not enough to prevent Gusty Garden from being one of my favorite levels in the game.

3. Toy Time Galaxy
Toy Time Galaxy is probably the second most iconic galaxy behind Gusty Garden and it's not hard to see why. Toy-themed levels are always an absolute joy, and Toy Time Galaxy is packed to the brim with sheer variety and fun. The first star has some cool gravity puzzles and the awesome Mecha Bowser fight, the second star has the iconic 8-bit Mario planet, and the third star finally iterates on Sweet Sweet Galaxy by being an incredibly fun and creative food-themed stage. Sure, you will have to deal with the unwieldly Spring Mushroom, but the stages are designed well around it and figuring out how to bypass the Spring is a fun self-imposed challenge. As for the side missions, the Flipswitch Chain star is solid but unremarkable, but Luigi's Purple Coins is absolutely the best purple coin star in the entire game. With such an inventive setting and so many standout stars, Toy Time definitely stands out as one of Galaxy 1's biggest highlights.

2. Freezeflame Galaxy
In any other game, Freezeflame Galaxy would easily be my favorite level, it does nearly everything right. The premise of a galaxy that combines the ice and fire trope is creative, especially at the time. The progression of having an ice star, then a fire star, and then a final star combining the two environments is brilliant. The Ice Flower and Fire Flower items are a ton of fun and are put to great use here. Both central planets are absolutely filled with secret areas and are a joy to explore. The atmosphere is lonely and haunting, and all of the secret stars are absolute bangers. An ice skating race against Cosmic Mario? A treacherous climb up a mountaintop? And most of all, easily the most fun exploration-based Purple Coin mission in the game? Outside of Baron Brr's fight being a bit weak, I can't say there's anything I don't like about Freezeflame. The entire mission roster is wall-to-wall bangers, and the incredible sense of exploration makes this the galaxy I have revisited the most to this day. And yet, there's still one galaxy I think is even better...

1. Melty Molten Galaxy
Melty Molten Galaxy is perfect. Like I actually can't think of a single thing wrong with it. Every star is incredible, filled with memorable, intense, and challenging but fair platforming setpieces, and elevated even further by Melty Molten's flashy visuals, heart-pounding score, and gargantuan sense of scale and scope. The Sinking Lava Spire is my favorite star in the entire game for its perfectly tuned level of difficulty and that iconic sinking tower sequence, and its daredevil variant is a brutal but entirely fair challenge that feels immensely satisfying to beat. Through The Meteor Storm has a variety of unique planets, an overwhelming amount of projectiles to dodge, and that wonderfully cruel final ball rolling section. Fiery Dino Piranha similarly has some top-notch platforming and easily the hardest boss in the game capping it off. The purple coin star is just the right size to be fun to complete, and the secret star may seem a bit dull at first but has some serious shortcut potential. As the final main galaxy, Melty Molten is a perfect last challenge that, along with Bowser's Galaxy Reactor, helps Galaxy 1 nail the landing damn near perfectly.