Super Mario Galaxy 63 Entry 9 – Bowser in the Dark World

Apparently Peach’s painting was a trap. Looking back, that probably should have been obvious.

The Double Door

I still have a few options on this floor. There’s a painting I’ve noticed that feels like it probably has something hidden behind it, but I decide to investigate the double door beside the entrance to Bob-Omb Battlefield Galaxy first.

As soon as I see Peach’s painting, I immediately know what is supposed to happen.

Only nothing happens.

I jump.

The painting changes to Bowser.

The floor opens beneath me.

So apparently we’re doing Bowser in the Dark World now.

Or at least this hack’s version of it.

Bowser in the Dark World

And honestly, I really like this course.

For me, it captures that feeling of entering Bowser in the Dark World in Super Mario 64 for the first time and somehow makes it feel even more dangerous.

It genuinely feels like something that could have existed in an official Super Mario Galaxy game.

The only thing that probably could have made it better would have been the original Bowser music, but even then, the music they do use fits this place really well.

It just feels right.

Comet Coins and Checkpoints

I have two Comet Coins to grab here and I sort of immediately know where both of them are going to be once I get close enough.

One floats above two rotating platforms.

The other is sitting on top of a Thwomp.

I also unintentionally activate the checkpoint before Bowser.

I jumped because I thought there was either a hidden path above me or maybe even a shortcut.

There wasn’t.

Still, once that checkpoint activated, I immediately felt a lot more relaxed about the rest of the course.

If I fell now, at least I knew I wasn’t starting from the beginning again.

The First Grand Shine

With the course complete, it’s time to face Bowser.

Of course he delivers the usual villain speech first.

The fight itself is basically the first Bowser fight from Super Mario Galaxy 2, which honestly helped because at least I already knew what I was dealing with.

There’s also a strange symbol on the planet during the fight.

I still have absolutely no idea what it means.

Three hits later and the first Grand Shine is mine.

Only instead of returning to the castle, I get sent somewhere else entirely.

Bowser’s Evil Dome.

Apparently the Grand Shine I just grabbed is cursed.

So I guess I’ve still got a bit more work to do before I can return to the castle grounds.

The Run

This is how it actually went.

Continue the Journey

← Entry 8: Beneath the Snow Blocks

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Entry 10 →

19th Jun 2026 0

Super Mario Galaxy 63 Entry 8 – Beneath the Snow Blocks

Apparently every frozen floor in this galaxy has collectively decided it wants Mario dead.

One Last Shine Sprite

With one more shine sprite and two more Comet Coins left to collect, it’s time to head back into Snowman’s Land Galaxy for Beneath the Snow Blocks.

I instantly know where this shine sprite is going to be.

As soon as I land, there’s a suspicious set of snow blocks sitting off to the right.

That usually means one thing.

I grab the Fire Flower because I have a feeling spinning into the blocks probably isn’t going to work this time.

Sure enough, burning the blocks reveals a pipe.

Honestly, I was half expecting the shine sprite itself to just be sitting there.

But apparently that would have been too simple.

More Frozen Lava

Inside the pipe is another platforming course built over frozen floors that still somehow count as lava.

At this point I’m just accepting that ice is no longer safe in this galaxy.

The first Comet Coin involves moving platforms and disappearing blocks, which is already enough to make me nervous.

The second coin is even worse.

I have to create a path towards it, but every jump destroys one of the blocks leading up to the coin.

Thankfully I manage to grab it before running out of floor completely.

Probably closer than it needed to be.

The Final Stretch

The final part of the course involves rotating platforms and logs that immediately start sinking into the frozen lava the second I touch them.

Which definitely helps with the stress levels.

Thankfully though, the shine sprite is mine.

Snowman’s Land Galaxy complete.

Three Galaxies Down

Three galaxies down now, and honestly I’ve been having a lot of fun with this hack so far.

I’m pretty sure I’m nowhere near finishing it either.

Honestly, I’m completely fine with that.

The Run

This is how it actually went.

Continue the Journey

← Entry 7: Inside the Igloo

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Entry 9 →

12th Jun 2026 1

Super Mario 64 Randomizer – Epilogue: Thirty Years Later

Game: Super Mario 64 Randomizer
Platform: Steam Deck
Format: No Commentary

Why This One Needed an Epilogue

It has been a while since I last wrote an epilogue, but this run felt like it deserved one.

Nearly thirty years ago we were given the game that set the standard for 3D platformers, and in many ways for games in general. Very few titles can be called truly influential, but Super Mario 64 is one of them. Even decades later people are still playing it, still finding new tricks, and still discovering ways to push the game further than anyone expected.

I have watched world records being broken, seen people complete the game blindfolded, and watched runs that make it look effortless. That was never what this was about for me. I wanted something familiar, but different enough that I couldn’t rely on memory alone.

That is why I chose the randomizer.

Familiar, But Never Safe

I could have played through the original game again without any problems, but the randomizer forces you to slow down and think. Stars are not where you expect them to be, levels don’t behave the way your memory says they should, and suddenly a course you know inside out becomes something you have to learn all over again.

It didn’t take long for the run to remind me of that. Getting Rainbow Ride and Tick Tock Clock early in the run felt like the game was testing me right from the start. Those are not the levels you expect to deal with when you are still trying to figure out where everything is.

And then there was the hunt for the Wing Cap Switch Palace. For a while I genuinely thought it might end up being in the very last place I could possibly check. That search alone made the randomizer worth doing.

The Stars That Fought Back

If there was one type of star that caused the most trouble, it was the red coins. A lot of them turned into puzzles I wasn’t expecting to solve.

Bowser in the Fire Sea was one of the worst. The coins were placed in spots where grabbing them felt like a risk every time. It wasn’t enough to know the level, I had to work out how to reach them without burning Mario in the process.

Rainbow Ride was another one that stuck with me. Collecting the red coins there only to see the star appear at the opposite end of the course felt like the game reminding me that nothing in a randomizer run is ever simple.

Even near the end the run kept finding ways to surprise me. Wet-Dry World being the final course felt a little anticlimactic, but that is the nature of a randomizer. You don’t choose the order. The seed does.

Thirty Years Later, Still Worth Playing

What surprised me the most about this run is how well the game still holds up. Even after all this time, Super Mario 64 is still fun to play, still satisfying to finish, and still able to throw challenges at you when you least expect them.

That is probably why people are still playing it after all these years. Not because of nostalgia alone, but because the game itself is strong enough to keep people coming back.

The Journey Ends

I don’t know if I will do another randomizer run in the future, but I’m glad I did this one. It turned a game I already knew into something unpredictable again, and it made the final credits feel earned in a way they normally wouldn’t.

This journey took longer than I expected, gave me more trouble than I planned for, and reminded me why this game became a classic in the first place.

For now, I’m happy to say the run is finished.

And I had a blast doing it.

Not Quite the End

As much as this feels like the end of the run, it doesn’t feel like the end of the experience.

Super Mario 64 might be finished, but I’m not done with it yet.

So instead of stopping here, I’m taking it further. The same ideas, the same structure, but rebuilt on a much larger scale.

Next, I’m stepping into a version of this game that doesn’t stay contained in a castle.

A galaxy-sized version of it.

Continue the Journey

← Log 25

🧢 Mario 64 Randomizer Hub

7th Jun 2026 0

Super Mario Galaxy 63 Entry 7 – Inside the Igloo

Apparently inside the igloo is where the ice itself becomes the problem.

Back Into Snowman’s Land Galaxy

No prizes for guessing where I’m heading for this entry.

Back into Snowman’s Land Galaxy I go, this time for Inside the Igloo.

Hopefully this version is a little different from the one back in Super Mario 64.

I remembered passing the igloo while climbing towards the giant snowman, so I had a feeling there would be a shine sprite hidden in there somewhere.

Would have been disappointed if there wasn’t.

Ice Mario Returns

Before heading inside, I grab the mushroom that gives Mario an extra three hits.

My theory was that the extra health would carry over into the igloo.

It doesn’t.

So already off to a strong start.

Inside the igloo introduces the next power-up for this hack: the Ice Flower.

Which means Ice Mario returns.

Inside the igloo, the frozen floor is basically lava unless I’m using the power-up, so staying Ice Mario becomes fairly important.

Snowballs and Comet Coins

Before long I’m rolling snowballs around to make them larger.

The idea is to push them into the frozen floor so they create paths I can safely cross.

The first Comet Coin takes a few attempts.

That one needs a triple jump into a spin, followed by a wall jump to actually reach it.

The second one isn’t quite as awkward, although I do mess up my timing with the Ice Flower power-up slightly.

Nothing to do with Mario suddenly deciding to show off his acrobatic skills of course.

That mistake does leave me sitting on one health though.

One Health Left

Thankfully, I manage to take that single remaining hit point all the way to the shine sprite.

I do briefly consider immediately going for the final shine sprite in this galaxy while I’m already here.

Then I remember how lucky this run felt at several points.

I decide not to push it.

The shine sprite is mine, and honestly, I’m happy enough taking the win.

The Run

This is how it actually went.

Continue the Journey

← Entry 6: Red Coins on The Summit

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Entry 8 →

5th Jun 2026 1

Super Mario 64 Randomizer – Log 25: Thank You For Playing

Game: Super Mario 64 Randomizer
Platform: Steam Deck
Format: No Commentary

Video: Final red coins in Bowser in the Sky, 120 stars collected, and the last battle with Bowser (no commentary)

The Final Star

It was time. No sense putting it off any longer. I had 119 stars, and the final one was waiting for me in Bowser in the Sky. One last red coin hunt before the end.

When I jumped into the course I expected the randomizer to throw me somewhere near the end, but instead I spawned close to the beginning. That turned out to be perfect, because it meant I could search the entire level properly from start to finish instead of rushing through it.

I took my time, stopping every so often to move the camera around and make sure nothing was hiding just out of view. Hazy Maze Cave had already taught me that stars and coins could be sitting right in front of me without me noticing if I wasn’t careful.

I also had to fight the instinct to take the shortcuts I would normally use in this level. In the original game I know this course well enough to rush through it, but this wasn’t the original anymore, and I had a feeling if I skipped ahead too quickly I’d leave a coin behind.

120 Stars

The final three coins were waiting near the location where the red coin star appears, right beside the pipe that leads to the final battle. Once I collected them, the star appeared exactly where I hoped it would.

One jump later, and that was it.

All 120 stars of this randomizer seed collected.

Only one thing remained.

The Final Battle

The fight with Bowser didn’t go perfectly at first. I managed to throw him into one bomb, but nerves or bad luck got the better of me after that. I got caught by his fire, stunned, and even managed to fall off the platform. Round one went to him.

The second attempt felt different. I was calmer, more focused. The first throw landed, then the second, and suddenly I was holding him for the final spin.

As I turned Mario around with Bowser in his hands, I couldn’t help but think that this really was the final throw of the run.

It was.

Three clean throws later, Bowser was defeated and the randomizer seed was finished.

The Credits Roll

The familiar cutscene played out, and when the camera showed the castle roof, Yoshi was there waiting, proving that all 120 stars had been collected.

I let the credits roll without skipping. Watching the game show each of the locations again, one after another, reminded me just how much ground this run had covered. Every level, every detour, every moment where I thought I might have made the seed impossible.

And that music… the same credits music I’ve heard so many times over the years still feels exactly the same as it did the first time I heard it.

All that was left was the final line.

Thank you so much for-a playing my game.

And thank you for all the memories you have given me, Mario.

Continue the Journey

← Log 24
Epilogue →

🧢 Mario 64 Randomizer Hub

31st May 2026 1

Super Mario Galaxy 63 Entry 6 – Red Coins On The Summit

Apparently even when I know where I’m going, I still somehow end up finding the wrong objective first.

Back Into Snowman’s Land Galaxy

Back into Snowman’s Land Galaxy I go for Red Coins On The Summit.

Full disclosure, I actually found this shine sprite completely by accident while recording The Big Snowman.

I took the wrong path and somehow ended up right beside the red coin challenge.

This was after doing a practice run specifically to make sure I knew where I was going for the previous shine sprite.

So apparently that worked out well.

Red Coins Return

It’s been a while since I last had to collect red coins.

The last proper red coin challenge I remember doing was back during the Super Mario 64 Randomizer.

Thankfully, I already have a rough idea where most of the coins are here.

There’s also a map nearby if I need it, but I already have a route planned out in my head.

The plan is basically to work my way up the mountain.

Or summit.

The shine sprite name says summit, so I’m counting it as a mountain.

The Hidden Comet Coin

There’s also a Comet Coin hidden here.

And by hidden, I mean properly hidden unless you move the camera around.

It’s floating up in the sky and the only realistic way to reach it is with the help of Cloud Mario.

Thankfully I’ve already had enough practice with the cloud power-up by now that getting to it isn’t too bad.

The Summit

Eight red coins later and the shine sprite appears almost exactly where I landed earlier.

Convenient for once.

I’m not too concerned about fall damage, so I long jump back down towards it and grab the shine sprite.

Honestly, this was a pretty fun shine sprite overall.

It reminded me a lot of the red coin missions back in Super Mario 64.

Maybe that’s just nostalgia talking.

Either way, I had fun with this one and I’m looking forward to seeing what the next shine sprite throws at me.

The Run

This is how it actually went.

Continue the Journey

← Entry 5: The Big Snowman

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Entry 7 →

29th May 2026 1

Neo Mario Galaxy – Daredevil Edition Entry 5: The Chimp’s Challenge

Apparently hidden stars now require advanced movement tech and panic skating.

The Secret Star

So, there is a secret star hidden somewhere within Sweet Treat Galaxy.

I had a feeling I knew where it was.

The problem was getting there.

Every time I entered this galaxy, I noticed those flying ice bird enemies above the starting area, which made me think it had to be possible to reach that platform somehow.

The question was how.

I thought I had an idea.

The Trick

During my research into Mario Galaxy ROM hacks, I’d seen people using a movement trick involving either a triple jump or backflip into a wall.

Before landing on the wall, they spin, jump off it, then spin again for extra height.

I still need a better name for it than “spin, wall jump, spin thing.”

The question was which version I needed here.

I settle on the triple jump.

My theory is that there’s a wall slightly higher than the starting platform. If I can hit the perfect spot with the triple jump, I should get enough height to pull the trick off properly.

That was the theory anyway.

Eventually Getting It Right

It takes quite a few attempts before I finally manage it.

A few times I’m more concerned about the ice bird enemies than the jump itself, mainly because they occasionally decide to swing directly at me.

Not ideal when Daredevil Mode only gives me one health.

Eventually though, I make it up there.

I follow the path and spot a pipe trapped inside a crystal.

Which usually means something unpleasant is waiting for me.

I go in.

The Chimp is there.

Great.

The Skating Challenge

The Chimp gives me a simple challenge: beat his score and I get the star.

Sounds reasonable enough until he tells me I need 500 points in 40 seconds while avoiding spikey enemies.

So naturally this turns into panic skating.

The only realistic way to move fast enough is by skating across the ice.

Regular enemies are worth 10 points each, while the gold enemies are worth 50, which immediately makes them the priority targets.

About halfway through, I’m sitting around 170 points and starting to think this attempt is doomed.

Then more gold enemies start appearing.

I do hit a spikey enemy at one point, which thankfully only stuns Mario instead of ending the run immediately.

With one second left on the clock, I hit one final gold enemy.

530 points.

The Chimp’s Skating Challenge star is mine.

Sweet Treat Galaxy complete.

A New Problem

I don’t really get time to celebrate though.

A prankster comet has appeared back at Galactic Garden Galaxy.

I have absolutely no idea what challenge it’s about to throw at me.

Looks like I’m heading back there next.

The Run

This is how it actually went.

Continue the Journey

← Entry 4: The Chocolate is Lava

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Entry 6 →

26th May 2026 0

Super Mario 64 Randomizer – Log 24: One Star From the End

Game: Super Mario 64 Randomizer
Platform: Steam Deck
Format: No Commentary

Video: Finishing Big Boo’s Haunt before clearing Wet-Dry World and reaching 119 stars (no commentary)

Hunting the Final Red Coin

I was determined to finally locate the missing red coin in Big Boo’s Haunt. My first stop was the roof of the mansion, and sure enough that’s exactly where it had been hiding the entire time. Once I knew where it was, the rest of the red coin hunt turned into a fairly quick sweep through the mansion grounds and rooms.

I did have a brief moment where I forgot where the last coin was, but the mistake corrected itself quickly when I walked into the wrong room and immediately realised where I actually needed to be. A quick correction later and the final star of Big Boo’s Haunt was mine.

The Final Course

With the haunted mansion finally cleared, only one course remained before the final challenge: Wet-Dry World.

If I’m honest, I expected it to give me more of a fight. Instead, the course practically collapsed in front of me. The first two stars came almost immediately as I opened a couple of random boxes and found them sitting inside. I’ll happily take that kind of luck at this stage of the run.

Cleaning Up the World

After the early luck, the rest of the stars became a matter of cleaning up the level methodically. The Secrets in the Shallows and Sky star didn’t take long, and while collecting those secrets I spotted the location of another star, which made the next objective very straightforward.

I also took the opportunity to speak to the pink Bob-Omb to open the cannon, just in case it became useful later on. By the time I finished exploring the upper areas, only three stars remained, and all of them required heading into the town section of the level.

The Final Stars

My first visit to the town went surprisingly smoothly. One of the stars was sitting there waiting for me, so that immediately reduced the list to just two: the 100-coin star and the red coin star.

By the time I began collecting the red coins, my coin total had already reached ninety-nine. That meant the very first red coin I collected pushed the total to one hundred and awarded the 100-coin star instantly.

After that it was simply a matter of collecting the remaining red coins. A brief swim later and the final star of Wet-Dry World was secured.

119 Stars

With Wet-Dry World complete, all fifteen courses have now been cleared. The total stands at 119 stars.

Only one star remains.

The Final Challenge

The next entry may very well be the last.

One final red coin challenge remains before the path opens to Bowser in the Sky. Once that star is collected, there will be nothing left but the final battle.

Continue the Journey

← Log 23
Log 25 →

🧢 Mario 64 Randomizer Hub

24th May 2026 1

Super Mario Galaxy 63 Entry 5 – The Big Snowman

Apparently going left this time means snow, icy water, and more Comet Coin theories.

A New Galaxy

So Shifting Sand Land Galaxy is complete, which means it’s time to move on.

Seeing as I went right last time, I decide to go left and see what is waiting there.

The painting in the room suggests a snow world, so naturally I assume I’m about to enter Cool, Cool, Mountain Galaxy.

Nope.

Instead, the painting leads to Snowman’s Land Galaxy, and the first shine sprite is The Big Snowman.

I kind of like the nod to the first star from Snowman’s Land back in Super Mario 64.

And honestly, this galaxy would probably look a bit strange without a giant snowman standing in the middle of it.

Comet Coins

The first Comet Coin is basically within jumping and spinning distance from the starting area.

There are crystals nearby that can be destroyed with a spin attack, and inside one of them is the coin, along with a mushroom that gives Mario an extra three hits.

I could have used that last entry.

The second Comet Coin is also nearby.

There’s a Fire Flower and two unlit torches, so I’m sure you can guess what the game expects me to do.

Mario had other ideas though.

Mainly falling into the icy water multiple times while I tried to light them.

The Climb

The path up towards the giant snowman is mostly uneventful.

I do meet a penguin who seems very impressed by a snow Goomba statue someone built nearby.

Naturally, I immediately try to destroy it.

No luck.

During practice runs, I convinced myself there was probably a Comet Coin hidden inside it somewhere, and honestly I’m still not fully convinced there isn’t.

I eventually reach the giant snowman and immediately prepare myself to get blown off the mountain.

Apparently this one is a lot friendlier than the original version.

Instead of trying to launch Mario into the distance, it’s perfectly happy letting me climb all the way to the top.

At this point I start wondering if this snowman is somehow related to Freezeezy Peak from Banjo-Kazooie.

Another brilliant game, by the way.

I grab the third Comet Coin on the way up and eventually reach the top of the snowman itself, which turns out to be the hat.

I do briefly consider jumping off the edge of the hat in case there’s a hidden Comet Coin sitting on the rim somewhere.

I decide against it.

My logic is simple enough: there are still three shine sprites and five Comet Coins left in this galaxy, so they must be spread across the other stars somewhere.

Probably.

I grab the shine sprite and celebrate a job well done.

The Run

This is how it actually went.

Continue the Journey

← Entry 4: The Gravity Scramble

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Entry 6 →

22nd May 2026 1

Neo Mario Galaxy – Daredevil Edition Entry 4: The Chocolate is Lava

Neo Mario Galaxy – Daredevil Edition Entry 4: Chocolate Lava

One hit resets everything. Some surfaces don’t even need to hit you.

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

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Dolphin Setup Guide

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Entry 5 →

19th May 2026 1