Castle Secret Stars - Super Mario 64 DS Guide - IGN (2024)

Star One — Sunshine Isles

The Sunshine Isles is found in a painting in Princess Peach's room. Enter the one-star door on the upper-right area inside the castle and go past the doors for Mario, Luigi and Wario and hop into the painting to start the level.

The goal is to simply collect the five silver stars in the area, and their locations are marked on your map. One of them is just sitting out on one of the outer islands. Another is being carried around the outer islands by a flying buzzard—fire an egg at the buzzard to make him drop the silver star. The last one that's on the other islands can be found at the top of one of the palm trees. Just climb the tree and jump from the top to grab it.

There are two more silver stars on the main island. One can be found in a small alcove at the very base of the island, and the second is found at the top of the island. When you've got all five collected run to the gold star (it's on your map) and collect your reward.

Star Two & Star Three — The Princess's Secret Slide

Go to the room where you pick your character and you can jump through the painting of Princess Peach on the right. You'll enter a room with her secret slide, and the opportunity to earn two power stars.

If you simply make it down the slide successfully you can break the yellow "!" box to reveal the first star. However, that's not all this slide has to offer. Make it down the slide in under twenty-one seconds and you'll be rewarded with another star.

Star Four — The Secret Aquarium

From the main castle foyer, turn right and enter the doorway that leads to the Jolly Roger Bay course. To the right you can just barely see a small alcove. Backflip up into the alcove to enter this secret area.

There are eight red coins scattered throughout this underwater level, but there's nowhere to go up for air. You'll have to collect the eight coins quickly before you run out of breath, though every time you collecting a coin you'll gain some of your breath back. Four of the red coins can be found on the floor of the aquarium, in each of the four corners. The other four are in the center of four rings of coins that are spread around the rest of the water. Just swim around to collect them all and then grab the power star that appears in the center of the aquarium, at floor level.

Star Five — Castle Courtyard

This star is exceptionally easy to get. To get to the Castle Courtyard go through either of the doors that lead to the basem*nt in the main castle foyer. Follow the big boo through the door in the back to enter the courtyard, which is swarming with boos.

There are eight red coins that the boos are carrying. Run around the courtyard, ground pounding them to knock the red coins out of them. Once you've got all eight coins the star will appear in the courtyard.

Star Six & Star Seven — Goomboss Battle

Enter area as Mario and slide down the ramp at the beginning and follow the narrow path to your right. Once the narrow path opens up to a slightly wider platform, turn right and run up the narrow ramp on the right. Run past the sleeping piranha at the top of the ramp and hop across the teetering platforms to reach a walkway with a couple of goombas and a star switch on the floor.

Step on the switch and quickly run to the end of the walkway. You can wall jump up the cliff's edge by using the cage walls, but it's important that you use the rock wall also. The gap between the cage wall and the rock wall is smaller than the gap between the other two cage walls, letting you reach the top quicker to grab the power star before it disappears.

You can earn a second star in the area by collecting all eight red coins. After sliding down the first ramp (as Mario), continue forward onto the rising logs and ride the small moving platforms just past them, heading left. You'll ride out to a small island with a black-brick block. If you're not already Wario, grab the Wario cap from the goomba and break open the block to get the first red coin. Return to the main land and jump right to land on the top of a mesh platform. Walk to the end of the platform (to the left), drop down, and then jump up to cling onto the bottom of the mesh, allowing you to swing over and grab the second red coin. Return to solid ground (swing away from the sleeping piranha plant) and turn left. Climb up the vine you see to reach the donut platform up top. On a small ledge that sticks out from this platform is the third red coin.

Climb back down the vine and follow the narrow path to the left. At the end of the path (keep left) is a rising log platform you can jump to. Stand in the center of the log platform and jump to grab the fourth red coin right as the log reaches its maximum height. Ride the log back down and jump back onto the narrow path, following it down the other branch to your left. Jump across the series of rising blocks to your left and you'll find another red coin behind a sleeping piranha.

Run back across the series of rising logs and turn left at the bottom. Just ahead you'll see a narrow ring path with a teetering platform in the center. Jump onto the platform so you can reach the sixth red coin and then jump off to hop along the teetering platforms to the left. At the end of the platforms is a red power flower box—as Mario, grab the power flower and you can float up to the top of the huge log to your right. At the very tip top is the seventh red coin.

Drop down to the base of the log and grab the Luigi cap from the goomba nearby. Return to the ledge where you got the power flower for Mario and grab it for Luigi—quickly run back to the base of the log and backflip up to the ledge above. If you're still invisible you'll be able to pass through the gate and grab the eighth red coin. When you get it, the power star will appear at the beginning of the series of rising log platforms you used to reach the fifth red coin.

Star Eight & Star Nine — Big Boo Battle

Enter the level as Mario. The first red coin is in the very first room, just sitting in front of one of the doorways. Head through the eastern door to reach the second area and you'll see two more coins. The first one is easily got, but the second one is hanging over a fall-away walkway. You'll want to long jump over the fall-away walkway and then double back to run across it back to the main platform. You'll grab the third red coin on your way back before heading through the north door to the next room.

You'll see a fourth red coin just to the right on the next platform, and there's a fifth one overhead. To get the fifth, grab the power flower from the red box to inflate Mario and float over to it. Head through the eastern doorway to enter the next room with the next two coins. To get the first, step on the first checkered platform you see and ride it sideways. When the platforms reaches the end of its path, jump onto the next ledge and move onto the second checkered platform. It'll carry you over to the next coin, and a platform with a Wario cap. Put on the cap, and head through the norther door to reach the next room.

Just to the right is a black-brick block that Wario can smash. Bust it open to reveal the last red coin. Grab it, and the power star will appear right behind you.

There's another power star to find in the level. In the third room of the maze is a Luigi cap you can grab. Put it on and break open the red box to let loose the power flower. Once Luigi is invisible, quickly run to the next room (through the eastern doorwa) and then to the last room (through the northern doorway). Run across the fall-away bridge and hop through the painting of the ghost to collect another power star.

Star Ten — The Secret of Battle Fort

To get The Secret of Battle Fort, head into the basem*nt and chase after the big boo to get to the courtyard behind the castle. To the right, along the wall, is a set of three red-brick blocks. Bust 'em apart to reveal a hole that drops into the course.

Turn right and run up the ramp to the top platform. Cross over the mesh bridge (dodge the bob-omb that falls in front of you) and hop past the the large grappling enemy to grab the first silver star at the top of the pole. Slide down the pole to the bottom level and defeat the nearby goombas. One of them will cough up the second silver star.

Jump up to the ledges to the right (assuming you're facing the same direction you face when you start the course). In the corner of the course are a few blocks you can break to reveal a third silver star. Turn left and follow the walkway that goes around the perimeter of the course. On the other side of the map is another goomba (on this upper walkway) with a star. After nabbing the fourth star, continue down the walkway along the wall. You'll see some more red-brick blocks in a small ditch. Smash 'em up to unveil the last silver star. When you've got it, return to the start of the course to claim your power star reward.

Star Eleven & Star Twelve — Bowser in the Dark World

Get the power flower from the red box near the beginning and turn around to float and grab the first red coin. Run forward just a bit and you'll see the second red coin at the very tip of the first fire breath you see—you can collect it by running along the very edge of the platform, but be careful of the fire. Alternatively, you can step on the red floor switch to create a temporary brick platform to step out on.

Further up the path (past another fire breath and some goombas) you'll find the third red coin that's among the crystals being circled by amps. Jump up to the next platform and take a long jump to the island to the right (with the spinning amp). You'll find a fourth red coin before you have to long jump back to the main path. Wait for the yellow platform to move forward and drop onto it to collect the fifth red coin, and then ride the shifting platforms around to collect the sixth.

Continue across the shifting platforms and across the large blue teetering walkways. At the end, turn around and you can walk along the narrow lip near the right wall to get the seventh red coin. Go back to the larger area of the platform (with the goombas) and jump back onto the nearest teetering walkway. Stand at the end closest to the goombas to raise the other side and then run and jump up to the top of the stone structure you're int. Up there you'll find the eighth coin. The gold star appears just ahead on the main path, behind the pipe that leads to Bowser.

There's a second star in the course, as well. You'll need to make your way to the very end of the course to get this power star. Reach the pipe that brings you to Bowser, but don't jump down it. Instead, step on the star switch on the floor and get ready to run (carefully).

Turn around and jump down to the bottom of the stairs (if the stairs turned back into a steep ramp you'll have to clear the ramp and ground pound the flat platform to avoid sliding off). From there you can long jump onto the stone platform ahead. Drop down to the teetering walkway below and stand at the end of it to raise up the other end. Run up the platform and jump another part of the stone structure where you'll find the golden power star.

Star Thirteen - '?' Switch

Enter the '?' Switch area as Mario (by staring up into the ceiling at the center of the main castle foyer). Getting the level's eight red coins is simple enough, but that doesn't make it easy. All eight coins are simply floating in the air, separated in pairs on all four sides of the course. Fly around to collect them all and the power star will appear back on the center platform.

Star Fourteen & Star Fifteen — Bowser in the Fire Sea

Head forward across the various platforms until you reach the platforms with a bully and three goombas. Go up the narrow mesh path to the left and you'll find the first red coin at the top (jump over the gap to collect it). Go back down the mesh platform and continue forward past the enemies to find a pole that rises up from the lava. Climb the pole and wall jump up to the platforms above to find the second red coin sitting above the teetering stone walkway. Cross the teetering walkway and the pole at the end. Inside the cage that the pole leads to is the third coin.

At one end of the cage is a platform that elevates when you step on it. Activate it and quickly step back off of it—as the platform rises, drop through the hole to grab the fourth red coin and then return to the cage. Ride the elevator platform up, long jump over the first gap, and run up to the very tip of the triangular block. Turn right to walk along the very narrow path. At the top is a platform with a bully and another red coin.

Drop back down to the main path and follow it until you pass the part with the rising mesh ramps. At the top of the rising mesh ramps is the sixth red coin (wait for the ramps to reach their peak, letting you easily jump to get the red coin). Continue and jump onto the solid stone walkway, run up the path past the bob-omb and across the sinking platforms. At the tip of the last sinking platform, to the left, is the seventh red coin that'sin the middle of a fire breath. Wait for the fire to go out and grab it.

Just past the sinking platforms is an area with a mesh platform with a pole—ride the second platform to the bottom and cross over to the third sinking mesh platform. Just above it is the last red coin. Grab it and ride the previous mesh platform up to the top (climb the pole and jump off at the peak). Wall jump through the vertical crevice and you'll see the golden power star sitting atop a platform behind you.

There a second star to get via a star switch in the level. The star switch is found atop the same set of platforms where you find the power star after collecting all eight red coins. You'll find it on the stretch of platforms just before the end of the course (before you fight Bowser), at the top of the platforms with the rising poles under them. It'll take a couple of wall jumps from the top of the second sinking pole to reach the top of the stone platforms.

Step on the star switch and quickly run back the other direction. If you've got full health you can probably afford to long jump off the top latforms and into the lava below (with the sinking platforms). Just across the sinking platforms is the stone walkway with a bob-omb and the power star.

Star Sixteen & Star Seventeen — Chief Chilly Challenge

Ride down the initial slide and fall into the gusting wind. Ride the wind over to the arena with the two bullies and hop across the teetering stone platforms. Grab the Wario cap that's nearby and ride the moving mesh platform to the other side. Get the power flower from the red box and walk across the narrow pathway to the left. At the end is a black-brick block that Wario can smash, revealing the power star.

You can get another power star by collecing the eight red coins. Ride down the initial slide and fall into the gusting wind. Ride the wind over to the arena with the two bullies and hop across the teetering stone platforms. Just past them is a mesh platform that's moving across a gap. Ride the platform to get the first red coin, and then jump off at the other side. Turn right and jump off the cliff straight ahead—there's a wall of coins that you'll be blown into by a gust of wind, and one of them is the second red coin. If you don't get it on your first try you can still guide Luigi back onto the platform before to make another go at it.

Ride the gust of wind forward and drop to the watery platform below, where you'll immediately run into the third red coin. Jump over to the next platform for the fourth coin between all the bullies and quickly hop over to the shifting ice blocks ahead. Make your way across the ice blocks slowly and you'll be able to grab two more red coins on the way.

Once you drop back onto solid ground you'll see a set of bars to the left and another red coin behind them. Ride the shifting blocks up a couple of levels and you'll find a red box with a power flower. Grab the power flower and drop back down below to pass through the bars and grab the coin. Just around the corner on the lower levels is a Mario cap you need to grab. When you've got it, return to the same red box to grab the power flower, inflating Mario and letting you float up to the island platform to your left. At the top of the platform is the final red coin—grab it, re-inflate Mario, and float back down to the main mountain to grab the power star.

Star Eighteen & Star Nineteen — The Secret Under the Moat

To open up the area The Secret Under the Moat you'll first have to drain the water in the moat. Head into the basem*nt of the castle, turn right through the first door and take another right through the halls. You'll find a doorway with no markings that opens up to a small pool. Dive under water wand follow the underwater tunnel until it leads back up to another room. Ground pound the two large brick pillars (once each) and the water will drain out. Go to the outside of the castle as Wario and drop into the empty moat. There's a large black-brick block to the left that you can smash open, revealing a hole that leads to the secret area.

The first power star to find is earned by collecting all eight red coins in the course. The first four are located on the many platforms that cover the large downhill slope at the beginning of the stage. To get to the platforms without falling and skipping any, you'll have to slide down the slope—do not jump onto the slope, just slide—and jump just as you approach the platform. In mid-air, press the crouch button to ground pound and you should safely land on the targeted platform. The first platform to aim for is the top one on the left side of the slope (you can see the platforms on your map. The second red coin is on the second platform down, in the center of the slope. The third red coin is also in the center column of the slope, two platforms below the platform with the second coin. And the fourth and final coin is visible after grabbing the third, on the next platform down in the right column.

When you've got those four coins, round the next corner to the right and head past the spinning amps. Grab the Mario cap if you wish—it's not necessary, but controlling Mario is generally easier than Wario. You'll need to ride the series of rising platforms to the right, collecting three more coins on the way. Ride the first platform up and wait in the very center of it as it rises to let you jump onto the teetering walkway. Jump straight forward and you should collect the next coin as you fly onto the wood teetering platform, and quickly run up to the other side to touch and grab the sixth coin. Swing the camera around to let you see further ahead, and balance out the teetering walkway until the platforms ahead get close enough to jump onto.

Ride the first platform up and, as the platforms starts headinb back down, drop onto the platform below you. It'll carry you up to the seventh red coin, and let you reach solid ground soon enough. Put on the Luigi cap nearby and bust open the red box to reveal a power flower. Turn Luigi invisible and you can pass through the cage that surrounds the eighth and final red coin. Grab it and collect the power star that spawns in the cage with you.

There's a second star to be found in the area. Slide down the slope at the beginning and run around the corner to the right to grab the Mario cap. As Mario, return to the base of the slope and break open the red box to grab the power flower. Using Mario's ability float, get over to the platform over the gap and ground pound to land. Step on the star switch on the floor and quickly get another power flower from the nearby red box.

From where you got the power flower, float straight upwards, through a narrow vertical passageway. Eventually one of the vertical walls will level out into a platform you can land on—ground pound over the platform to land and break open the next box to get another power flower. Again, float straight up until the next wall levels out to a platform. The power star can be found there—just bump into it and you'll collect it.

Star Twenty & Star Twenty-One — Behind the Waterfall

Enter the Hazy Maze Cave as Mario and get to the underground lake. Jump onto the dinosaur's back and ride it over to the ledge with a door on the wall. You can steer the dinosaur while standing on its back by facing Mario in the direction you want to go. When you get to the ledge, jump off the dinosaur's back, go through the door, and drop into the pool at the end to enter the Behind the Waterfall area.

Run down the first hall, avoiding the enemies, and turn left when you reach the river (don't fall into the river, or you'll be ejected from the level). Just around the corner is a red box with a power flower—grab it to inflate Mario, and start floating down the length of the cavern. At the end of the cavern, high above, is a power star suspended in mid-air (the giant formation of coins points directly to it).

You can earn a second power star by collecting the eight red coins hidden within the cavern. Again, turn left at the river but don't bother with the power flower. Instead, long jump to the patch of dirt ahead (on the other side of the river) and then long jump to the next one (on the left side). Cross over the narrow walkway and you'll find an alcove with a bob-omb buddy and two red coins.

After grabbing the two coins from the alcove, jump out to the next platform at the base of the waterfall. Get the Wario cap from the nearby goomba and jump to the next platform to collect two more red coins. Open up the red box to get a power flower, turning Wario into metal and allowing him to resist the pull of the river's current. Drop into the water and run around the base of the island to find the last four red coins, and collect the power star that appears underwater at the end of the waterfall.

Star Twenty-Two — Behind the Mirror

Go to the castle's second floor and head through the door to the right to reach the room with the large mirror wall. As Luigi, grab a power flower from the pedestal in the room and jump through the mirror. In the center of the mirror you can see the reflecting of the main doorway—step through it and you'll enter a white room with this secret power star.

Star Twenty-Three & Star Twenty-Four — Over the Rainbows

There are eight red coins to collect, and they're scattered around the cloud islands. Start by grabbing the red coin that's on the cloud you begin on, and break open the red box to get a wing feather. Just ahead of you (if you're facing the red box) you can see a stone island in the distance. Triple jump to take off and fly out to the island—when you're just above it, press the crouch button to slam down and land. Talk to the bob-omb buddy to have him ready the cannon and hop on in. Aim left and you'll see a red coin on the bottom side of a cloud, amidst a bunch of green poles. Center the coin in your crosshairs and aim upwards so that the very top of the center pole is just barely off-screen. Fire away and you'll land on the pole, allowing you to grab the second coin. Drop straight down from the pole and you'll land on another cloud where you can get the third red coin.

Grab another feather and return to the cloud you started on. From there you can reach a few lower platforms with more coins. The lowest platform is a stone one with another cannon on it. When you get the coin from there you'll have to use the cannon to launch yourself higher. When you've got six red coins, return to the first platform you went to with a cannon. Hop in the cannon and aim for the same platform with the green poles hanging from the bottom. Instead of aiming for the poles, however, you'll want to aim so you land on top of the platform. Keep the cloud centered in your view and then aim upwards so that the entire cloud is off your screen. Fire away and you'll fly over the cloud, letting you ground pound to land there and collect the last two stars. Grab another feather and fly back to the cloud you started on to collect the golden star.

There's yet another power star to be found in this course. Grab the wings right away and fly off towards the lower platform with the Wario cap. Put on the cap and hop in the cannon nearby. It'll aim in the general direction you want to go, but you'll have to do some adjusting to land on the cloud platform ahead. Aim at the tree on the cloud, and keep the tip of the tree top at the bottom of the screen. Launch off and you should grapple onto the tree. Slide down the tree and pound the black-brick block as Wario to shake out a golden power star.

Star Twenty-Five & Star Twenty-Six — Bowser in the Sky

Walk up the first long set of tall stairs. At the end you'll see the first red coin—backflip and you'll be able to reach it. Continue across the teetering walkway, up the arrow-path, and onto the stone walkway suspended in air. At the corner where the piranha plant pops up is the second red coin. As you jump onto the teetering wood platform past the spinning amp enemy, drop off the side of the walkway and onto the stone area below. To your right you'll find the third red coin.

Get back up to the main path and jump onto the ferris wheel of platforms. Ride it to the top and perform a backflip to reach the stone walkway above you. Step on the floor switch to turn the steep slope into a set of stairs and run to the top. From there, run up the steep stone walkway to find the fourth red coin at the very peak. Continue along the path and and jump on the moving platform just past the checkered walkway. As the platform moves under a set of wood blocks you'll have to jump over the first block and then over another block that's even higher to reach the fifth red coin.

Just ahead on the first spinning disc platform is the sixth red coin, hugging the spire in the center of the disc. Climb up the pole on the second spinning disc and you'll see the seventh red coin sitting atop a pole between two platforms. Wait for the jutting pink platform to get near the coin and perform a long jump to the other side (you'll grab the coin in mid-air).

Keep moving forward to the pair of ferris wheels. At the top is a gusty platform with some goombas, and just past them is a set of steps. If you spin the camera around you'll be able to see the eighth red coin resting under the staircase. Drop down to get it and jump back up the steps to collect the power star which appears behind the green warp pipe nearby.

There's a second star in the level to get. The switch for the star is on the same platform as the third red coin (described above). To get there, head forward from the start, run up the vertical arrow-path, and run along the stone walkway with the goombas. Just past the spinning amp is a teetering wood platform. Drop off the platform to the side to land on a stone area. The star switch is at the end of this platform.

Once you step on the switch, quickly double back to run under the teetering wood platform. Jump up the stone platforms (one has a 1up mushroom on it) to get back to the stone walkway. Keep backtracking to the disc platform with the spinning amp, where you'll find the power star.

Star Twenty-Seven — 8 Glowing Rabbits

You may or may not have noticed, but after collecting 8 power stars the various rabbits around the castle will randomly be glowing. If you catch eight of these glowing rabbits you'll be rewarded with a key that unlocks the last door in the room with the Mario, Luigi, and Wario character doors. Open that door and you'll instantly earn a power star.

You can collect all eight bunnies with whichever character you choose, though we've expertly devised a formula that'll get you all the bunnies the fastest. Change your character to Yoshi and step outside of the castle through the front door. At the end of the bridge there will always be three bunnies. If you see one that's glowing, chase after it and catch it. When you're done, go back into the castle through the same door and then step right back out again. The three rabbits will all return to their place in front of the bridge. If none are glowing, just repeatedly enter and exit the castle. This is by far the fastest way to summon eight glowing rabbits.

Star Twenty-Eight, Star Twenty-Nine, & Star Thirty — Toad Stars

Throughout the castle you'll notice Toads scattered about. Talk to them and they'll often give you a useful tip, though a few of them will actually give you a power star just for talking to them! Here is a list of those Toads.

• Near the entrance to the Hazy Maze Cave course.
• On the castle's second floor, near the painting that leads to the Tall, Tall Mountain course.
• On the castle's third floor, just right of the big clock that leads to Tick Tock Clock.