Super Mario 3D All-Stars: How to find all 120 Stars in Super Mario 64

Castle Secret Stars

There are Secret Stars hidden all throughout Princess Peach's castle. Some of them can only be accessed once you've gotten to a certain point in the game. Here are all the Castle Secret Stars in Super Mario 64 along with how to get them.

Star 1: The Princess's Secret Slide

From the castle's main entrance, head up the stairs and to the right and head through the door that has a 1 on it. There are stained-glass windows depicting Peach. Jump into the one on the right to enter this secret course. There are actually two Stars that can be earned here. Here's how to get the first one:

You'll be dropped down into a place with a slide. Safely take the twists and turns and make it to the very end. Hit the Yellow ! Block past the finish line to earn the Star.

Star 2: The Princess's Secret Slide 2

From the castle's main entrance, head up the stairs and to the right to the door that has a 1 on it. There are stained-glass windows depicting Peach. Jump into the one on the right to enter this secret course. There are actually two Stars that can be earned her. Here's how to get the second Star:

To get this other secret Star, you'll need to complete the course in 21 seconds or less. To do that, we suggest long jumping on to the slide at the top and then taking as tight of turns as you can without falling off.

Star 3: The Secret Aquarium

From the castle's main entryway, head through the door on the bottom right with a 3 on it. Instead of jumping into the Jolly Roger Bay painting, notice where the Toad is standing along the wall. There's an alcove high up along this wall. Jump inside to enter the secret course.

Swim around and collect all of the Red Coins. If you start to run out of air, grabbing a Coin will fill Mario's health back up.

• There's one Red Coin at each of the bottom corners of the room.
• The remaining four Red Coins are floating in the center of circles of Coins. You'll find them placed about halfway up the room.

Star 4: Bowser in the Dark World 8 Red Coins

From the main entryway in Peach's castle, head up the stairs and to the left through the door with a Star on it. You'll see a painting of Princess Peach which turns into Bowser as you draw closer. A trap door will open and you'll fall into the secret course. Now you'll need to collect eight Red Coins to get the Star.

1. Press the Purple ! Button under the flame thrower to make a brown block appear so you can get a Red Coin.
2. After pressing the Purple ! Button, head back to where you entered the level. Some brown blocks will lead out to a Red Coin.
3. A Red Coin is hiding behind a crystal that an electric Amp enemy is circling.
4. There's a spot where a yellow platform is passing through a grey one. The Red Coin is hiding on the farther side.
5. You'll find this next Red Coin just past the one above. Reach it by riding one of the two grey platforms.
6. Continue and you'll find a narrow curved beam going off to the left of the screen. Follow it and you'll find an Amp circling a spike. The Red Coin is hiding just behind the spike.
7. Head back along the beam and continue to the right of the screen. There's a blue platform that teeters when you stand on it. A Red Coin is hiding out of view on the narrow platform beneath it.
8. Tip the teeter-totter up so it's angling up towards the direction you came from. Now jump on the ledge above and jump over to the left once more to get the last Red Coin.

Upon getting all of these Red Coins, the Star will appear next to the pipe at the end of the level. Step on the Purple ! Button to make the stairs appear and then head up to collect your Star.

Star 5: Tower of the Wing Cap 8 Red Coins

When you first walk into Peach's Castle and are standing on the rug, look upwards into the light to enter this secret course. You'll start the level flying with a Wing Cap on your head. Fly around and collect all of the Red Coins that circle the area.

The Star will appear on the castle tower in the center. Make sure to jump on the Red Button as this will make it so Red Blocks are usable in the various levels throughout the castle.

Star 6: Cavern of the Metal Cap 8 Red Coins

You'll need to be inside the Hazy Maze Cave to reach this secret course. Upon entering the Hazy Maze Cave, head to the left and enter the door. Now make your way around the room and up the hill with the rolling stones. Enter the door on the right.

Now go down the elevator and walk down the dirt path into the water. Get on Nessie's back and ground-pound to make her lower her head. Jump on her head and then direct her to the door that has a red platform next to it.

Enter this door and jump into the inky pool to make your way to the secret course.

Once inside the secret course, you'll turn into Metal Mario. Run through the cavern defeating enemies until you reach the large Green Button. Jumping on the Green button makes it so you can access Green ! Blocks in all levels.

You'll need to collect all eight Red Coins to get this Star. Here's where they are:

1. Behind the left column next to the narrow bridge.
2. Behind the right column next to the narrow bridge.
3. On the left side of the Green Button.
4. On the right side of the Green Button.
5. In the water on the right side of the Green Button.
6. In the water on the left side of the Green Button.
7. In the water in front of the Green Button.

The Star will appear in the water behind the Green Button.

Star 7: Vanish Cap Under the Moat 8 Red Coins

Before you can reach this area, you must have gone through the double doors with a giant Star on it located at the castle's main entryway and defeated Bowser. Beating him gives you the key necessary to get into the basement.

To get to this secret course from the castle's main entryway, head through the door on the left that's closest to the stairs. Now head down the stairs on your right and unlock the double doors. Immediately to your right, there's a large blue piece of glass with a ramp and a door behind it. Duck under the glass and then jump and dive to reach the ledge above. Enter the door.

You'll find a pool of water. Swim down inside it and come up on the other side. You'll see two platforms coming out of the water. Ground-pound both of them to drain the water. Now exit the newly uncovered door. There's a hole in the moat. Jump inside and you'll find yourself in the secret level.

Slide down the ramp and platform your way around the course to collect the eight Red Coins. A Star will show up in a cage once you've collected them all.

To get it, jump on the Blue Button and then hit the Blue ! Block to become intangible. This also makes it so Vanish Caps are accessible in other levels. Now walk through the cage and get your Star.

Star 8: Toad's First Power Star

From the castle's main entryway, head through the door on the left that's closest to the stairs. Now head down the stairs on your right and into the basement. Instead of jumping into the Lethal Lava painting, head to the right and go through the door with a Star on it.

Jump over the fence and you'll see a small Toad in the corner. Talk to Toad to get the Star.

Star 9: Bowser in the Fire Sea 8 Red Coins

You can only access this secret course after getting the first Star from Dire, Dire Docks. Once that happens, the blue portal shifts allowing you to jump into the brick hole in the ground.

Jump onto the gated platform and it will start to move. Be wary about where you step as the lava can hurt you.

1. When you get to the area with the Heart and the Goombas, head up the metal ramp. The Red Coin will be floating above a hole over the lava. The best way to get it is to go behind it and then jump towards the camera so that Mario lands on the ramp.
2. Head to the right and climb the pole. Now jump to the platform on the left to get another Red Coin.
3. Continue to the left and head up the pole. On the left, you'll see an elevator. Quickly step on it and then drop off. A Red Coin will appear where it was. Drop down to get it.
4. Head back to the elevator and take a ride up to get this Red Coin.
5. A Bully is walking around on a raised platform. Jump on the nearby ramp and head up to the Bully. You'll find a Red Coin here.
6. Continue on up the various ramps. You'll notice an area on one of the ramps has a Coin shadow. Stand beneath it and double jump to reach the Red Coin.
7. Keep going up the various ramps and platforms until you reach the area with a flamethrower. Wait for the fire to go away and then grab the Red Coin in front of it.
8. Now make your way through the next area by grabbing the poles on platforms and jumping to ledges. The farthest poled platform will allow you to reach the last Red Coin.

Once you've gotten all eight Red Coins, the Star will appear. To grab it, go back to the first poled platform in this area and jump up to your left.

Star 10: Toad's Second Power Star

In the same room where you access Wet-Dry World, run behind the staircase and you'll spot Toad. Talk to him to get a Star.

Star 11: MIPS First Power Star

From the castle's main entryway, take the first door on the left of the stairs then head down into the basement. You'll come into a room with a Fireball painting. MIPS is a small rabbit that runs around this area. Catch the bunny to get the Star.

Star 12: Toad's Third Power Star

In the room where you enter Tick Tock Clock, a Toad can be spotted along the wall to the right. Talk to him to get the Star.

Star 13: Wing Mario Over the Rainbows

While facing the Tick Tock Clock, head left and triple jump to reach the high ledge. You'll see a window on the left with light coming through it. Jump up into this area and then fall down the hole to enter the secret course.

You'll need to collect the level's eight Red Coins to get this Star.

1. The first Red Coin is on the cloud where you first enter the level.
2. Hit the Red ! Block to get the Wing Cap. Turn around and triple jump to start flying. There's a Red Coin on the cloud island below.
3. You'll see another Red Coin on a cloud in the distance. Triple jump and then fly down to it.
4. There's a pink floating island with a pink Bob-omb on it. You'll find the next Red Coin next to the cannon.
5. Talk to the Bob-omb to make the cannon next to it accessible. Shoot yourself to the other pink island in the sky. There's also a cannon on this island. Jump inside. While aiming, you'll see a cloud with green poles coming off of it. Use the cannon to shoot yourself onto the left green pole hanging from the cloud. Slide to the bottom of the pole to get a Red Coin.
6. Climb up the pole and jump to the smallest pole to get another Red Coin. You can drop down from here safely onto another cloud.
7. Make your way back to the second cannon and this time shoot yourself on top of the cloud with the green poles coming off of it. You'll find a Red Coin up here.
8. The last Red Coin in hiding in a transparent cloud. Fly through the cloud to collect it.

The Star will appear on the cloud that you first arrived on when you entered the level.

Star 14: Mip's Second Power Star

When you've collected 50 Stars, head back to the basement to the room with the Lethal Lava Land painting. MIPS the bunny will be running around again. Catch him to get another Star.

Star 15: Bowser in the Sky 8 Red Coins

You'll need to collect eight Red Coins in this area to get the Secret Star.

1. Move the grey and red block to the left and jump on top of it to get the Red Coin.
2. In the corner of the stone platform next to the Piranha Plant you'll find another Red Coin.
3. When you get to the brown teeter-totter, jump down to the area below. A Red Coin is hiding on a small platform jutting out in the back.
4. Make your way past the Whomp and the Chuckya. Step on the Purple ! Button and head up the stairs. You'll find a Red Coin hovering in the air above five regular Coins at the top of a steep incline.
5. Continue on until you get to the moving platform with a red arrow on it. When you touch it, it will start moving. Jump up on the wooden blocks to get the Red Coin and then fall on the floating platform below.
6. You'll soon encounter a spinning island with a flame at the center. The Red Coin is hiding behind the raised spike.
7. Head up the pole on the left and continue onward. A Red Coin is just above a pole along this path.
8. The last Red Coin is just under the ramp leading to the pipe at the end.

The Star will appear behind the end pipe when you've collected all of the Red Coins.

All Stars in Super Mario 64

Now you know where to find all 120 Stars in Super Mario 64. Hopefully, you can acquire them with ease and have fun doing so. If you want help with Super Mario Sunshine or Super Mario Galaxy, we also have guides for those games as well.