Gateway Galaxy

The Gateway Galaxy is the first galaxy in Super Mario Galaxy. In this galaxy, Mario gains the Star Spin power, which becomes his go-to weapon throughout the game. When Mario collects the Grand Stars from Bowser Jr.'s reactors (Robot, Airship, and Lava) and Bowser's Star Reactor and Dark Matter Plant, the Gateway Galaxy becomes accessible again. The Red Luma in the Comet Observatory who tells Mario he has a secret will tell him to collect all 100 Purple Coins. Once Mario collects all of the Purple Coins, a Red Power Star will appear and the Luma will activate Red Stars around the observatory.
As it is not accessed from a dome, the Gateway Galaxy is one of the few galaxies to not have an icon.
== Planets and areas ==
=== Starting Planet ===
This planet is where Mario starts his journey through the Galaxy. There are two houses and a few stones arranged in a ring. Flower beds also appear and some balloon-like objects can be whacked with Mario's Star Spin; when this happens, they stretch out, then snap back, and if Mario gets hit, he will drop some Star Bits. There is also a castle-like structure that sits on top of the planet.
=== Black Hole Core Planet ===
In the first mission, after Mario frees the Launch Star from a crystal, he will land on a hollow shell that has some grass and stones. Massive holes appear in the shell. There is a Black Hole at the centre, so if Mario falls into a hole, he will get devoured by the Black Hole at the centre. Here, there are five golden Star Chips. When Mario collects them all, he can find a Launch Star that he can use to blast off to the next planet.
=== Metal Planet 1 ===
This planet has some Goombas that have a key that Mario must get to free up a Luma trapped in a cage. (In order to get the key, he must beat the Goomba who has it.) The Luma will create a Sling Star that Mario can use to get to the next planet once she is freed.
=== Metal Planet 2 ===
==== Surface ====
This planet is bigger than the previous planet and has platforms that encircle the equator and whose ends have electricity running over them, rendering them dangerous. More Goombas appear, with a massive Goomba that cannot be stomped on being entrusted with the key (and therefore serving as a minor boss). Mario can defeat him by flipping him upside-down with his Star Spin (as with the smaller Goombas) and then kicking him. Once Mario gets his hands on the key, the interior can be accessed.
==== Interior ====
Inside, the gravity is inverted. The planet's core is a massive machine that is surrounded by a pink energy vortex and acts as a boss. In order to defeat the machine, Mario has to walk on the Flipswitch Panels that dot the interior, causing the machine to collapse and rescuing the Grand Star. Platforms similar to the ones on the surface can be seen crawling around on the interior; they are destroyed along with the machine when Mario activates the Flipswitch Panels.
== Missions ==
=== Grand Star Rescue ===
When Mario awakens on this planet, a Star Bunny will challenge him to a game of hide-and-seek. The player will have to follow the bunny until he reaches his two friends, who will run and hide. One is found near a crate, another in a crater, and the last in a Warp Pipe. The player will have to catch them all, and a new structure on the planet will appear. Mario will meet with Rosalina and Luma and gain his Star Spin ability, which he can use to free up a Launch Star that is trapped in a crystal (The Launch Star will become active when Mario frees it.). Mario needs to Star Spin the nearby Launch Star to reach the next planet, which has five Star Chips scattered about. To go to the next planet, Mario will have to grab the Star Chips to make a Launch Star and blast Mario to the next planet. Here, a Luma in a cage tells Mario that one of the Goombas on the planet has the key. The player will have to defeat the Goombas on the planet until one gives up a key. Mario will have to collect the key to free the Luma. The Luma then transforms into a Sling Star, which slings Mario to the next planet. On this planet, Mario must defeat the Grand Goomba near the top of the planet to free the other Luma and enter the Warp Pipe. The inside of the planet is filled with yellow switches and moving electrical walls. A big machine stands in the middle of the room; a Grand Star is inside it. Mario needs to step on all the yellow Flip Switches to turn them blue, which will shut the machine down and reveal the Grand Star.
=== Gateway's Purple Coins ===
This Power Star is only accessible after the Garden has been unlocked. When Mario enters the galaxy, Rosalina will meet him and a Red Luma will challenge him to gain one hundred Purple Coins. There are seventy coins on the planet and thirty in the air. Mario must use the new Red Star to transform into Flying Mario to gain the thirty in the air. This is the game's sole Red Power Star, and grabbing it allows the use of the Red Star power-up in the Observatory Grounds.
==Trivia==
*This is the only galaxy in the game where you have to flip the Flip Switches off, instead of on, as well as the only one that locks itself upon completion; however, after Mario conquers Bowser Jr.'s Lava Reactor, he can go back here.
de:Sternentor-Galaxie
es:Galaxia Puerta Celestial
it:Galassia Varco Celestiale
Category:Locations
Category:Planets
Category:Plains-themed
Category:Galaxies in Super Mario Galaxy
Category:Space-themed