Starman (InstanceClass, 8)

From Compile Worlds

This page is about a common Mario game powerup. For information on the Earthbound enemy, see Starman (Earthbound). For information on the stars that appear in Yoshi's Island and its sequel, see Starman (Yoshi's Island).

Starmen, also called commonly called Stars and mistaken for Power Stars, are little Stars with happy faces that bounce around and give it's holder temporary invincibility. Always pack one in your lunch box to make sure your day at work/school goes great. Starmen also cause people to flash rainbow colors and may cause seizures in some individuals.

Starmen typically appear in question mark boxes or hidden blocks, but sometimes they also show up from turn blocks, item boxes/question mark panels, and even note blocks. Sometimes, there are starmen that hide in seemingly normal brick blocks or question mark boxes and only come out when another starmen is still in effect. This phenomenon allows one to plow through an entire world nearly unharmed. They share their appearance with Power Stars, thus making the two interchangeable to idiots.

Starmen only appear in one Mario RPG; Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Here they grant Mario a special power: he can run into enemies in the overworld and kill them instantly without fighting them and still earn EXP. As such, it is a ridiculously fun and easy way to grind in the areas it can be found in.

Starmen also show up in the Mario Kart series where they make the driver invincible and able to plow into other vehicles and cause them to instantly wipe-out or crash. Additionally, they gain a burst of speed, and are immune to almost all items effects, even those of the Spiny Shell and Lightning Bolt, but for some reason, not those of the Blooper. Starmen also appear in the Smash Bros. Series, where they also grant fighters temporary invincibility, even to the lava on Brinstar.

Starmen also have a catchy theme that plays when one is in effect. It usually plays for 30 seconds, the exact amount of time a starmen is in effect unless you collect another one. It is in almost every Mario game in existence.

Interestingly, this usually common Mario item is very rare in New Super Mario Bros. and gives a much shorter period of invincibility. It may not even appear in it's sequel at all, New Super Mario Bros. Wii.