Flying Mario and Flying Luigi are forms taken by Mario and Luigi in Super Mario Galaxy and reappear in its Nintendo Switch port. Activated by collecting a Red Star, the forms temporarily give the characters the ability to fly in any direction, hover above the ground, and attract nearby collectibles by spinning.
History
Super Mario Galaxy
Flying Mario, collecting Purple Coins at the Gateway Galaxy
The form is first used when Mario returns to the Gateway Galaxy to collect 100 Purple Coins.
Mario can obtain this form only when he grabs a Red Star. In this form, his cap and overalls become black, while his overall buttons and shoes turn red (similarly to his in-game sprites in Super Mario Bros. 3), but his shirt remains the same (Luigi undergoes the same changes except with green instead of red). While Mario is in this form, spinning while jumping allows him to fly. This is similar to the Wing Cap ability from Super Mario 64, except the player has much more control and Mario can fly the whole time, rather than having to gain momentum first. This form also allows Mario to attract nearby coins and Star Bits by spinning. After a limited amount of time, Flying Mario reverts to normal Mario.
This form has many different controls. While Mario flies, the player can hold the 
button to hover in midair. The player can then change his direction by tilting around, and the light streaks he leaves behind go in front of him as a guide to where he will go. Pressing 
once while flying causes Mario to stop flying, do a somersault in the air, and fall to the ground slowly. The player can then press again to make Mario do a Ground Pound.
This power-up's uses are quite minimal since it can be used only at the Comet Observatory and the Gateway Galaxy. Within the Comet Observatory, if Mario talks to the Pink Lumas beside the domes and causes the Launch Star to appear, Flying Mario can reach the warp to the galaxy without using the Launch Star. However, this works only with the Pink Lumas next to the Terrace and the Engine Room. Attempting to fly to the planet containing the Trial Galaxies results in Flying Mario hitting an invisible wall and falling back down to the Comet Observatory. This was most likely done to prevent the player from using Flying Mario to get to the Trial Galaxies before getting the three Green Stars.
On the Comet Observatory, the power-up can be used to get hidden 1-Up Mushrooms scattered around the area. One is at the very top of the spire, another one is under the Gate, and one is under the Library.
Flying Mario, Boo Mario, and Spring Mario are the only power-ups in Super Mario Galaxy that can be worn off and deactivated by a Launch Star. Flying Mario, however, can be deactivated only by the Comet Observatory’s green one to the Trial Galaxies’ planet, due to the pink ones not doing so and there being no Launch Stars in Gateway's Purple Coins.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
Flying Mario in
The Super Mario Galaxy MovieIn the climax of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Mario uses this form to fly and defeat the Ruined Dragon to save Bowser Jr., who had created it with his magic brush and was swallowed by it.
Unused appearances
Super Mario Galaxy 2
While the power-up does not return in Super Mario Galaxy 2, it is still present in the game's data.[1] Flying Mario is one of two power-ups in Super Mario Galaxy that does not return in its sequel, the other being Ice Mario.
Music
Flying Mario's theme incorporates arrangements of "Enter the Galaxy" and "Overture". Like several "Invincibility BGM" arrangements from Super Mario Bros., "Switch On!" from New Super Mario Bros. and "Rainbow Mario", "Ice Mario" and "Fire Mario", the theme speeds up when the power-up limit runs out.
This theme also plays when talking to Rosalina if the player gets 60 Power Stars or more and, along with "Overture", has been arranged as part of "The Galaxy Reactor", which plays in Bowser's Galaxy Reactor.
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Profiles
- Japanese Super Mario Galaxy website description:
トピックス7：もう１つの変身アクション、自由に宙を舞うフライングマリオ。
マリオの変身アクションがもう１つ。
チコたちの力の詰まったレッドスターを取ると、フライングマリオに変身。ジャンプした時にスピンをすると、そのまま空を飛ぶことができます。冒険の終盤でしか楽しむことができないのでご注意を。[2]
Gallery
Screenshot of Flying Luigi
Screenshot of Flying Luigi
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|
| Japanese | フライングマリオ
Furaingu Mario | Flying Mario | | [2] |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 飞翔马力欧
Fēixiáng Mǎlì'ōu | Flying Mario | | [?] |
| French | Mario Volant | Flying Mario | | [?] |
| German | Flug-Mario | Flying Mario | | [?] |
| Italian | Mario Plano | Plane Mario | | [?] |
| Korean | 플라잉마리오
Peullaing Mario | Flying Mario | | [?] |
| Portuguese | Mario voador | Flying Mario | | [3] |
| Spanish | Mario Volador | Flying Mario | | [?] |
Notes
- The artwork that Mario uses for Flying Mario is posed like his artwork on the game box for Super Mario Galaxy.
References
Flying Mario 
