Update [Tue 4th Mar 2025 10:30 GMT]: Starshi has released the latest update (version 1.1.0) to their incredible new fangame Super Mario & The Rainbow Stars and it's a good one, introducing a ton of new features to the World 1 demo that was originally released back in August of last year.
The number one change that has been introduced this time around is undoubtedly the implementation of a multiplayer mode, which allows a second player to take control of the character, Cosmic Mario, and experience the action alongside their friend. The second biggest difference, meanwhile, is the introduction of badges and a badge shop that allows Mario to purchase new moves, abilities, and colour palettes to customize how you play.
According to its developer, there have also been various changes and tweaks to the level design across the board, as well as further alterations to the game's mechanics. This includes the introduction of a Yoshi's Island-style option that lets you aim and throw Mario's new sidekick Starry.
You can download the latest version of the demo from Starshi's website, which is also where you'll find the full changelog for the update.
Original Article [Fri 16th Aug, 2024 12:00 BST]: There have been a lot of remarkable Mario fan games over the years, but that never stops us from being amazed at some of the beautiful and creative work that is being done in the community.
Super Mario and the Rainbow Stars is the perfect example of this. Developed by the Mario fan creator Starshi, it is an adventure platformer inspired by Mario & Luigi and Paper Mario and sees Mario exploring a beautiful 3D overworld, before entering a set of gorgeous 2D levels that feature various new gimmicks, bosses, and cutscenes.
The fan game has been in development for several years now, with the pixel artist sharing near-constant updates on its progress via videos and images across social media. From what we've been able to gather, it originally started life as a project made using the SMBX 38A engine but eventually switched over to the SMBX 2 engine at some point in 2023.
A demo of the old version of the game has been available since the beginning of last year, with a new demo of the latest version expected to drop at some point today. According to Starshi, this demo will include the prologue and the entire first chapter and is roughly 2-3 hours long in total.
You can follow Starshi's Twitter account for more updates on the project as they emerge.