Back to Sweet Treat Galaxy

With one more star needed before I can reach the Luma and whatever comes after it, I head back to Sweet Treat Galaxy for Prince Pikante’s Peppery Mood.

And for probably the first time ever, the chocolate is lava.

Touch it, and it’s straight back to the start.

The ice enemies from before are gone, replaced with fire versions, which feels like a fair trade. Not a good one, just a fair one.

Ice Mario

The first job is collecting five star bits.

Two are just along the path. The other three are floating right over the chocolate lava.

Which means it’s time for the Ice Flower.

Ice Mario lets me skate across the lava by creating a path as I move. Without it, those bits aren’t happening.

It works well enough, as long as I don’t panic and overcorrect. That feels like the main risk here.

Five bits collected, launch star unlocked, onto the next section.

Narrow Margins

The next part keeps the Ice Mario, but makes things a bit tighter.

Narrow paths, moving platforms, gaps that are just big enough to matter.

It’s not too bad, but it’s the kind of section where one small mistake would undo everything.

I do think about jumping early for the launch star at one point.

I don’t.

That felt like the right decision at the time.

Prince Pikante

Then it’s time for the boss: Prince Pikante.

He’s riding something, not entirely sure what, but it doesn’t matter too much.

Like Dino Piranha, it’s a three-hit fight.

The difference is the space. There’s a lot more room to move, which helps, because standing still here doesn’t feel like an option.

I spend most of the fight sliding around just to avoid getting cornered.

Turns out the only way to hit him is sending his own watermelons back at him.

Not the flaming ones.

The green ones.

Three hits later, it’s done.

The star is mine.

The Run

This is how it actually went.

What’s Next

This opens the path forward.

The Luma wants 500 star bits, which probably means some farming at some point.

There’s also Gloomy Galleon sitting there with a single star available.

But before that, I noticed something in Sweet Treat Galaxy.

Every time I’ve been through it, there’s been a spot that feels like it leads somewhere.

And there’s still another star listed here.

I think I know where I’m going next.

Continue the Journey

← Entry 3: A Birthday Problem

Neo Mario Galaxy – Daredevil Edition Archive

— All attempts in this challenge.

Super Mario ROM Hacks Archive

— All Mario ROM hack content.

Dolphin Setup Guide

— How this is even running on Steam Deck.

Entry 5 →