Hard to say... I didn't even realise there was a life counter till I'd already played through my file a couple of times... and yeah, I do have 121 stars.

Yeh, I think I Won, no one can top my 642 deaths

I haven't completed it yet... will inform you in like 50 stars time

can you see it anywhere?? probably +150

Right now, I just "beat" the game as Luigi, and so far I think i did it without dying, thought much of that was thanks to the "return to observatory" option. i'll post my final tally up here once i finally finish this off as luigi.

also, just a note, does anyone else find it extremely disturbing that in the one "chase the bunnies to get a star" level, if you don't catch the bunnies before the time runs out, you die? I mean, what the heck is that?

Bunnies: "come play with us mario"

*game of hide and seek commences*

Bunnies: "Oh, too bad, mario, you didn't catch us all in time... NOW WE'LL EAT YOUR SOOOOUUUULLLLL!!!!"

oh, how i envy your deaths.
I need to find me time to play sometime...