Battlerock Galaxy

Battlerock Barrage

Remake the pull star at the beginning here to get yourself to a launch star, then collect as many star bits as you can from the distance before launching yourself off to the large planet here.

When you reach the blue screw atop the platform, get ready for the toughest challenge so far: you need to move up and down on the platform as it moves, in order to avoid the laser beams, cannon shots, and rotating electrical devices. The safest place to be here is on the edge of the disc, but the rotating electrical balls will ensure that it's also not perfectly safe.

Fun like a hole in the head.

It'll take you a couple of tries, but you'll eventually get to the end of the platform's movement. Jump to the far platform here, get the attention of the Bullet Bills, and start smashing the gates. Don't forget the 1-Up that's locked away on the underside of the platform!

Breaking Into The Battlerock

You'll need to chuck the bombs here onto the other platforms to break the cages. Unlock the launch star to move on.

There's another Hungry Luma here. If you don't have 30 star bits, unlock the cage with the rainbow star in it, get invincible, and smash the chain chomps to get plenty of bits from them. When you unlock the new planet, warp over to it and start the hidden minigame.

Solving both our nuclear disposal and litter problems in one go. Brilliant!

Anyway, when you return to the globule that you were on before, head back to the bomb factory and unlock the Luma. He'll make a shortcut to a field of pullstars. Make your way through it to the next launch star and ride it out to a large structure. When you land, you'll see two pulsars rotating around a switch atop a dome. It is possible to get to the switch; you can somersault while facing away, then spin your way up to the switch. It's difficult, but not impossible. Groundpounding the switch will reveal around 25 star bits.

When you're ready to move on, drop through the pipe. The bombs here actually move, but you can still pick them up by spinning into them. Grab one, then wait until it's almost about to explode, then throw it at the cage to reveal a hole in the ground. Drop through to reveal a cannon, then shoot yourself through the Luma star in the middle of the level. Repeat the process to hit the launch star and ride on.

When you land on the small rocket, grab a bomb at one end and hop over the electrical lines to reveal the 1-Up and cannon on the other end. Hop into the cannon, then wait for the timing on the shields to be right and nab the Power Star.

Topmaniac and the Topman Tribe

Avoid the wrench-throwers here at the beginning and get to the pullstars. Make your way upward from there, past the bomb platforms, until you land on a platform where a Luma is being kept in a cage. Spin the Topman here into the electrical fields to free the Luma and open the next shortcut.

After landing, spin through the boxes to find a pipe and head into the Battlerock itself. You need to start making your way through the level here, going all the way to the right to flip the gravity and hit the ceiling. (There is a shortcut that you can take, by somersaulting off of the first ? block that you see above the rotating fire.)

'Nyah, nyah! Can't get me, can you, Topmaniac?

Keep making your way through the Battlerock. When you find the two Topmen near the electrical fence, spin them into it to drop the electricity and move on. Eventually you'll head out to a flying saucer where you'll find another Luma; you can buy either a 1-Up or a shield from it. The shield may be handy.

Topmaniac will appear when you reach the top edge of the saucer. He's one of the easiest bosses you'll face; just jump on him to retract his spikes, then spin him into the electrical fields. Repeat the process three times while avoiding the enemies he summons to help him, and you'll receive your Power Star.

Hurry-Scurry Galaxy

Shrinking Satellite

The paths here will fall away as you step on them. It may take some trickery, but if you manage to collect all of the notes on the small planet without dying, then you'll nab another Power Star.

Bowser's Star Reactor

The Fiery Stronghold

There is a fair amount of trickery in Bowser's castle here, but the path is at least fairly consistently clear. When you reach Bowser, he'll attempt to shoot the platforms out from under you; hurry towards him to start the boss confrontation.

Bowser's rear has been burned so many times it's amazing he still has a tail attached.

When you land on Bowser's battle planet, stand on one of the glowing blue panels and wait for him to jump towards you, then scurry out of the way. When he lands, he'll be burnt by lava and start to run around. Wait for him to come to you; when he spots you, he'll turn around, allowing you to spin into his tail to flip him over, then spin into him again to hurt him and end phase one.

The other two phases play out more or less identically, but Bowser will fire more breath flames, cause more electrical shockwaves to occur (jump over them), and eventually need to be spun into multiple times in order to go down. When he does, though, you'll nab the Grand Star for this observatory.