Super Mario Galaxy Strategy Guide Part 23: Garden Dome, Melty Molten Galaxy

The Sinking Lava Spire

Okay, here’s what is up. You will need to make your way toward the area with the lava fountains and jump across. The go over to the wire mesh platforms and jump across those to the other side. Keep going until you cross over a line of steaming things. Wall jump until you get to the grey circle, then ground pound that. The area will descend, but there will be a place to wall jump up to.

Take the Sling Star, and then the next one, all the way to the Launch Star. You can then fall into the volcano, then hit the Ground Pound to get a whole bunch of Star Bits. You will then need to use the pull stars to get to your next location. I found it was better to hold my position, wait for the flame balls to go by, then go for it. You then get to the Launch Star.

Take another Launch Star to a place where there is a rock with lots of holes in it, with lava. You will need to gather 5 Star Chips, but watch out for the bad guys. To get them out of your way, swing attack by them, then step on them. That is the only way to permanently get rid of them, otherwise they will fall into the lava and reform. After you get the Star Bits, use the Launch star.

Now it is a race to get there. You will need to watch out as those pillars tend to tip over, and you need to get off them as soon as possible. Now you will also need to make your way as the lava comes up. The biggest stumbling point I found is when you have to ground pound on this rocky circular thing, then wall jump up to the next level. Then all you need to do is keep running until you get to the Star up on top.

Through the Meteor Storm

In this place, you will start in the same manner, but not jump over to the other side because it doesn’t exist. What you will need to do is go over to one area where two torches are. There is a bad guy there who is on fire, and you need to lure him toward the torches so he can light them. Once he does, a Launch star you need to take will appear.

From there, you will have to get to a place where Whomps and Meteors fall. The first Whomp is easy, then just wait for the Meteor to fall before you make the jump. The two Whomps have to be ran under at the same time, but you can fall in and get a 1Up underneath the second. There will then come a point where Meteors strike in two places. What I did is wait for the second lower one to fall, then quickly move up to the next place. I also took the next double-strike area one at a time.

You will then go to a place where Meteors fall, and you have to get five Star Chips. This can be bad as the Meteors don’t really have an order of striking. There is a Red Mushroom that I highly recommend grabbing. Take the Star Launcher.

Here you will be in a squiggle where the Star Launcher is right below you, but under glass. You will have to journey to the other side of the squiggle and then lure the bullet bob to your side. This can be difficult, as the fire things are really on you. I prefer taking them out, as you can get the coins and they won’t get in your way. You will have to let the bullet bob get pretty close to you in order to maneuver through the stones to blow up the dome.

It will then be ball time, and I highly recommend getting on the moving lava platform to your right rather than trying for the 1Up on the block. You can easily get a 1Up by going from lava platform to another one, then move back to the big area of lava. Roll through the tube, avoiding any holes in the way. You will then need to jump on the rolling platform and get to the hole where you can climb the pole and claim your star.

Fiery Dino Piranha

This is a tricky one to go through, as you will be forced to jump along an area with very small places to land. You will keep going until you reach an area where you will need to go up. My advice is wait until the steam vents go, then jump up, and cross the area to your right. Then do a backwards somersault to the next level, then jump up above the next steamer. Jump into the pipe.

You will then go to a rock that you’ve been to before, but instead of Chasing after Star Bits, you’ll be taking out the fire creatures. Take them all out, and then take the Star Launcher.

Then next rock you are on is rolling while comet-like rocks go over it. Just be careful as you cross, and you should be okay. Think of it as a Frogger.

The next area involves a lot of jumping around moving platforms while trying to get five Star Chips. Just keep doing it.

From here, it’s a straight run to the next area. You’ll have to go on a lot of sinking areas and Sling Stars and Star Launchers until you get to the final stage.

The Dino Piranha is a lot like the old one except its tail is on fire. This is hard to take it out. I found that I had to wait the first time, then I got it to chase me. I circled round then I hit it. This seemed to work every time.

Lava Spire Daredevil Run

Just like the first time, only don’t die. Is this hard? Of course.

Burning Tide Secret Star

In this area, you will meet a hungry Luma, but you must be certain you have enough. Get as many Star Bits as possible. One way is to let yourself drop in the volcano, then ground pound, and gather them up before the lava hits.

The place where you will go just isn’t safe. You have to wait for the lava places to subside, then you can get the Silver Stars. The hardest part is with the blue flame guys, but you can dodge them. The other fiery guys are manageable. The worst part is the star actually surfaces on a path rather than a safe area.