SMG stars

How many stars are there exactly in this game? Do you have to collect 100 coins in each galaxy like super mario 64, cause that would suck.SMG stars
There are 242 stars.You do have to, but it's in a different way. Someone else can explain the purple coins.SMG stars
242??!!!! jesus, i feel like i have almost beat the game and gotten more stars then nessicary and only have 73, how are there 242???
Once you get the first 120 (or 121, cant remember) there's an option to play the game again as Luigi.
Yep 120 stars for Mario, then you can play as Luigi... which is exactly the same game only with bad play control for the next 120 stars and then you have to get the last star again... I take that back, as Luigi the cosmic races are a lot quicker and you have to do long jumps just to keep up, and other comet effects make things a little harder, but for the most part Luigi is just getting the same 120 stars over again with poor play control.
It's 120 first with Mario; then Luigi is unlocked. Then once you get 120 with Luigi, the final galaxy becomes unlocked and you can get the 121st stars for both characters.Most levels have purple comets which initiate the purple coin challenge, which is (as you may guess) collecting 100 purple coins for a star. Some of the challenges are just coins spread throughout the galaxy, and you collect them at your leisure. While there are some that are timed.
Some of the purple coin challeneges don't have 100 purple coins there are more but these are the timed levels like Luigis Purple Coins and there are more in the Haunted Mansion level. Some are fun but some are quiet boring actually.