Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
I suppose to line up with the theatrical release of The Mario Galaxy Movie, we have a Tetris Maximus Cup in Tetris 99 based on a Wii game (whose library was previously revisited with Kirby’s Return to Dream Land, both of which had re-releases on the Switch), which I find is still great because the Super Mario Galaxy games had some of the grandest soundtracks in the entire Mario series, played by the Super Mario Orchestra. It was popular enough that they would later use the orchestra not just for other Mario games (like Paper Mario: Color Splash and Mario Kart 8), but for other series too (like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Donkey Kong Bananza). So even if you know nothing else about these games, you can enjoy the cinematic-sounding orchestral pieces—both Super Mario and Tetris have come a long way.
Specifically, when a match begins, you can hear the music for Gusty Garden Galaxy from Super Mario Galaxy 1. When 50 players remain, the music changes to the first theme for Sky Station Galaxy from Super Mario Galaxy 2. Finally, when 10 players remain, the music changes once more to the Purple Comet theme. If you place 1st, the jingle plays when Mario obtains a Star, followed by the second Comet Observatory theme. Otherwise, it’ll play the jingle when you achieve a milestone (I think), followed by the Toy Time Galaxy theme.
Badges are denoted by Grand Stars, as are KOs you personally made. The target reticule is a regular star (no eyes), as are players KOed but not by you. The reticule resembles the one you use to aim Star Bits. All Tetriminos have a Star Bit icon, with garbage blocks taking the form of metal panels. All blocks look the same except for color, likely denoting the different colors of Star Bits. Incomplete badges are grayed-out Grand Stars. On the left in the background are Mario, Yoshi, Lubba, and a couple of Lumas at a tree-filled version of the Gateway Galaxy (Rosalina’s home world), used for box and promotional art. On the right are Rosalina (holding the storybook) and the Baby Luma by the Good Egg Galaxy. And the playfield background has Lumas of various colors. Star Bits sprinkle the entire background.
The sound you hear when 50 players remain is the slingshot sound effect when Mario takes off from a Launch Star; at 10 players, it is the klaxon heard when a Prankster Comet turns up in the list of missions for a galaxy. The Star Bit sounds play from single to triple line clears, plus T-Spins; a Launch Star harp strum plays without its accompanying slingshot sound for a Tetris clear. A Tetrimino landing plays the sound when a Star Bit shatters having been idle for too long.
And, of course, the whole thing is presented in a combination of the Mario logo font and the playfield template itself in the style of the peaceful blue beautiful space motif associated with Rosalina.
I understand that Rosalina is really popular and has turned up in all sorts of Nintendo stuff from the Super Smash Bros. games to the Mario Galaxy Movie, but Lubba has to forever stand tiny in Rosalina’s shadow.
Also, this game gets tie distinction of being Special Theme 42. “Life, the Universe, and Everything” does seem fitting for a game whose setting is on a scale like the Super Mario Galaxy games.
00:08 Match #1
Skin: Special Theme 42 (Super Mario Galaxy)
Mode: Normal
As usual, I’ll do combo plays because combos are what I’m used to doing. I am no expert at Tetris, so I find this to be the second-easiest way to approach Tetris, after the iconic Tetris clears approach. And while I didn’t win this one, I did place in the top 10, got enough points to get the theme, and racked up 15 KOs.
07:31 - Match #2
Skin: Special Theme 42 (Super Mario Galaxy)
Mode: Normal
I spun the T-Block too many times and got it stuck on the far left, an error I had to fix once the rest of my playfield reached there. I spite of it though, I managed to place even higher than last time. I ought to back out of these regular matches though, and allow other people to accumulate the 100 points to unlock the skin. It’s pretty minor, and no one else in the room would even notice it, but it’s still more efficient overall for me to move to Invictus…
16:54 - Match #3
Skin: Special Theme 42 (Super Mario Galaxy)
Mode: Invictus
…And that is where I went after that match. I was pretty surprised it was just me and one other person left, and neither of us had the full four Badges. This resulted in a victory, notable in that I STILL didn’t get all four Badges by the end, and because the victory occurred right as I had made a misplay, swapping out the O-Block I meant to put there with an Z-Block that would’ve in no way fit anywhere there.
I suppose to line up with the theatrical release of The Mario Galaxy Movie, we have a Tetris Maximus Cup in Tetris 99 based on a Wii game (whose library was previously revisited with Kirby’s Return to Dream Land, both of which had re-releases on the Switch), which I find is still great because the Super Mario Galaxy games had some of the grandest soundtracks in the entire Mario series, played by the Super Mario Orchestra. It was popular enough that they would later use the orchestra not just for other Mario games (like Paper Mario: Color Splash and Mario Kart 8), but for other series too (like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Donkey Kong Bananza). So even if you know nothing else about these games, you can enjoy the cinematic-sounding orchestral pieces—both Super Mario and Tetris have come a long way.
Specifically, when a match begins, you can hear the music for Gusty Garden Galaxy from Super Mario Galaxy 1. When 50 players remain, the music changes to the first theme for Sky Station Galaxy from Super Mario Galaxy 2. Finally, when 10 players remain, the music changes once more to the Purple Comet theme. If you place 1st, the jingle plays when Mario obtains a Star, followed by the second Comet Observatory theme. Otherwise, it’ll play the jingle when you achieve a milestone (I think), followed by the Toy Time Galaxy theme.
Badges are denoted by Grand Stars, as are KOs you personally made. The target reticule is a regular star (no eyes), as are players KOed but not by you. The reticule resembles the one you use to aim Star Bits. All Tetriminos have a Star Bit icon, with garbage blocks taking the form of metal panels. All blocks look the same except for color, likely denoting the different colors of Star Bits. Incomplete badges are grayed-out Grand Stars. On the left in the background are Mario, Yoshi, Lubba, and a couple of Lumas at a tree-filled version of the Gateway Galaxy (Rosalina’s home world), used for box and promotional art. On the right are Rosalina (holding the storybook) and the Baby Luma by the Good Egg Galaxy. And the playfield background has Lumas of various colors. Star Bits sprinkle the entire background.
The sound you hear when 50 players remain is the slingshot sound effect when Mario takes off from a Launch Star; at 10 players, it is the klaxon heard when a Prankster Comet turns up in the list of missions for a galaxy. The Star Bit sounds play from single to triple line clears, plus T-Spins; a Launch Star harp strum plays without its accompanying slingshot sound for a Tetris clear. A Tetrimino landing plays the sound when a Star Bit shatters having been idle for too long.
And, of course, the whole thing is presented in a combination of the Mario logo font and the playfield template itself in the style of the peaceful blue beautiful space motif associated with Rosalina.
I understand that Rosalina is really popular and has turned up in all sorts of Nintendo stuff from the Super Smash Bros. games to the Mario Galaxy Movie, but Lubba has to forever stand tiny in Rosalina’s shadow.
Also, this game gets tie distinction of being Special Theme 42. “Life, the Universe, and Everything” does seem fitting for a game whose setting is on a scale like the Super Mario Galaxy games.
00:08 Match #1
Skin: Special Theme 42 (Super Mario Galaxy)
Mode: Normal
As usual, I’ll do combo plays because combos are what I’m used to doing. I am no expert at Tetris, so I find this to be the second-easiest way to approach Tetris, after the iconic Tetris clears approach. And while I didn’t win this one, I did place in the top 10, got enough points to get the theme, and racked up 15 KOs.
07:31 - Match #2
Skin: Special Theme 42 (Super Mario Galaxy)
Mode: Normal
I spun the T-Block too many times and got it stuck on the far left, an error I had to fix once the rest of my playfield reached there. I spite of it though, I managed to place even higher than last time. I ought to back out of these regular matches though, and allow other people to accumulate the 100 points to unlock the skin. It’s pretty minor, and no one else in the room would even notice it, but it’s still more efficient overall for me to move to Invictus…
16:54 - Match #3
Skin: Special Theme 42 (Super Mario Galaxy)
Mode: Invictus
…And that is where I went after that match. I was pretty surprised it was just me and one other person left, and neither of us had the full four Badges. This resulted in a victory, notable in that I STILL didn’t get all four Badges by the end, and because the victory occurred right as I had made a misplay, swapping out the O-Block I meant to put there with an Z-Block that would’ve in no way fit anywhere there.
