Not to be confused withDark Star.

Ztar
First appearance	Mario Party (1998)
Latest appearance	Super Mario Party Jamboree (2024)
Effect	Subtracts one Star from the player's Star count

“I'll give you a Ztar star because you're so lucky!”

—Bowser,Mario Party 5

Ztars (pronounced "Za-tars"),^[1] also namedShadow Stars,^[2]Dark Stars,^[3] andZ-Stars in the PAL versions ofMario Party 7,^{[citation needed]} are black counterparts toStars found exclusively within theMario Party series. They serve various functions from game to game but usually take away one Star from the player's possession. The Ztars' name comes from a corruption of "Star" and is spelled with a "z" instead of an "s." "Z" can be interpreted as a backwards "s," referencing how Ztars are meant to be the opposite of Stars.

Mini Ztars appear in place of Ztars inMario Party 9,Mario Party 10, orMario Party: Island Tour, deducting from the current number ofMini Stars a player has.

History[edit]

Mario Party[edit]

Bowser giving a Ztar toMario

The first appearance of Ztars was inMario Party, where they are thebogus item forMario's Rainbow Castle. They appear as black stars with white eyes.Bowser forces the player to buy a Ztar for 40Coins, but it does not have an effect on the player's Star count. Upon the player purchasing it, the usual Star acquisition fanfare plays but becomes darker-toned at the end. This is Bowser's most expensive bogus item in the game.

Mario Party 2[edit]

Ztars, known asShining Stars in-game, next appear inMario Party 2 during the "Bowser's Multiplying Toads" event. If a player lands on aBowser Space and triggers this event, Bowser makes twoToads appear on the board: One is real, and the other is really aBaby Bowser in disguise. Each Toad offers to sell the player a Star for 20 Coins. While the real Toad sells the player a genuine Star, the fake Toad actually sells the player a Ztar, then reveals himself as Baby Bowser. Like in the first game, Ztars do not affect the player's Star total, and they serve only to waste their Coins. To find the real Toad, the player needs to either be lucky or use one of two items: The first is aMagic Lamp, which always brings them to the real Toad, while the second is aBowser Bomb, which, when used at the end of the turn, causes the fake Toad to reveal himself.

Mario Party 3[edit]

Ztars make a cameo appearance inMario Party 3 in the minigameCosmic Coaster. The star on the goal looks like a Ztar until a team reaches it, at which point it changes to look like a Star and starts rocking from side to side. If a team is close to the goal but loses theminigame, it remains a Ztar and can be seen falling slightly askew.

Mario Party 4[edit]

A Ztar inMario Party 4

InMario Party 4, Ztars make a few cameos in the Extra Room. A Ztar can be seen flying under the boards inMega Board Mayhem andMini Board Mad-Dash from Thwomp's Backroom Ball. Also, after every minigame has been unlocked, a Ztar appears in the Extra Room. Selecting it startsBeach Volley Folly, which the Ztar hosts.

From this game forward in the series, the Ztar's eyes look angry.

Mario Party 5[edit]

If a player lands on aBowser Space inMario Party 5 and has at least one Star, Bowser occasionally gives the player a Ztar, which subtracts one Star from the player's current total unless they have none. InCard Party, players can uncover a Ztar Star Card that has the same effect but can make their Star count go below zero. Ztar Star Cards are hidden within Star Cards, so it is based purely on chance whether the player receives a Ztar or a Star. Additionally, some Star Cards transform into Ztar Star Cards after being revealed and vice versa.

InSuper Duel Mode, a Ztar can be seen as the power source for the Ztar Engine engine part.

Mario Party 6[edit]

The Shadow Stars' appearance in Tricky Tires

Ztars were renamed Shadow Stars inMario Party 6. InClockwork Castle, whenBowser encounters a player, he gives them a Shadow Star if they have one or more Stars. Shadow Stars serve the same purpose as inMario Party 5. If the player has no Stars, Bowser gives them a Special Shadow Star, which takes away 20coins instead. Bowser also gives the player a Shadow Star if they land onBowser's Battle Yacht inCastaway Bay.

Shadow Stars also make minor cameos in the comparison quiz section ofSpeak Up and on the floor inTricky Tires.

Mario Party 7[edit]

Dark Stars still have the same effect inMario Party 7. At one of theGreen Spaces inGrand Canal, the player must choose achest from a group after the chests have been shuffled by aBlooper. One of the chests holds a Dark Star. If the player chooses this chest, they must take it. InNeon Heights duringBowser Time, Bowser sometimes puts a Dark Star in one of the chests. If the player paysKoopa Kid for this chest, they are forced to take the Dark Star inside. Unlike inMario Party 6, if the player has no Stars, they do not lose 20 coins.

Mario Party DS[edit]

InMario Party DS, Ztars occasionally appear inHidden Blocks. If a player is unfortunate enough to get a Ztar, they lose one Star. A player cannot get a Ztar from a Hidden Block if they do not have any Stars. Also, a figure called Ztar appears at the same time the Star figure appears.

Super Mario Party Jamboree[edit]

Waluigi obtaining a Ztar

InSuper Mario Party Jamboree, Ztars appear again as items sold forcibly inMario's Rainbow Castle returning fromMario Party. This time, they are sold byImpostor Bowser for 20 coins.^[4] OnRainbow Galleria in theParty-Planner Trek, where it is given to the player by aShy Guy on the first floor if given his shopping bag, the Shy Guy describes it as "a total impulse buy". The player can then bring it to aSnifit Janitor on the second floor to dispose of it and get oneMini Star. In this game, they are made of painted cardboard, as described by the Snifit.

Profiles and statistics[edit]

Mario Party DS[edit]

Character Figure

#	Name	Image	Description	How to unlock
29	Ztar		This dark, gloomy icon oozes with sadness and regret. Unfortunately, where there is light, there is dark. Where there's a Star, there's a Ztar!	Win 40,000 MP Points

Gallery[edit]

• 

  Mario Party 7

• 

  Mario Party DS

Names in other languages[edit]

Notes[edit]

Unused Ztar model fromMario Party 8

• InMario Party 8, there is an unused music clip that is a more menacing variation of the "You Got a Star!" jingle.^[22] Additionally, there is an unused model of a Ztar in the game's files, suggesting they were cut from the final game.^[23]

References[edit]

• Hosts
• Stars
• Mario Party items
• Mario Party 2 items
• Mario Party 4 species
• Mario Party 5 items
• Mario Party 6 items
• Mario Party 7 items
• Mario Party DS items
• Super Mario Party Jamboree items

• Articles with unsourced statements
• Articles with unsourced foreign names