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This guide tells the locations of all the game’s secret stars, and how best to obtain them, too!

World 1: Rock Bottom

Picky Picky: At the top of the mountain where you see Link, there are three Ninjis hopping up and down. Pick up the leftmost one and carry it to the hill on the right. Stand on the right side of the rightmost Ninji’s head, facing left. Squat and release the Ninji you’re carrying. If done correctly, one should jump off the other for additional height. Use them to reach the mountain’s peak, where you can dig up the secret star (and 3-Up Moon).

Shell Game: At the end of the water section, swim up to the top and jump out. Continue right off the top of the screen to a secret area with many pipes and Piranha Plants. Grab the shell down below and use it to hit the ? block below the secret star’s cage. A vine will pop out and you can climb to collect the star.

Supra Mairo Bors 2 Dessert: At the start of the desert, head left. There’s a pool of quicksand with a tall mountain jutting out of it. Let the sand pull you down until you can go underneath the mountain. Move and jump left until you reach the other side where the secret star awaits.

World 2: The Crushing Depths

Ruins of Muda: Just after the checkpoint, fall into the water and swim left where the Bloopers are. Find the section of the floor that’s one layer thick and stand there. The bricks will give way, letting you reach a pipe. The secret star is in the underwater chamber beyond it.

Boss Blitz Bonanza: Just after the checkpoint, go down the long vase that extends underground. You’ll emerge in a room with two Mousers. Defeat them for the secret star.

World 3: Down in the Dumps

Blasted Boos: After the checkpoint, go through the door and hit the three ? blocks. Descend a short distance, leaving the Thwomp alive. Pick up the P-Switch you find in the next set of ? blocks. Carry it back up to the top, spin jumping off the Thwomp. Activate the switch and enter the door above. Wait for the timer to expire, then jump to reveal hidden blocks along the screen’s left side. Use them to reach the ? block up high for a Tanooki Suit. Use the suit’s power to reveal the invisible blocks ahead of you. Make your way carefully across the pit to the secret star.

World 4: Six Worlds Under

Mushroom Valley: After the checkpoint, cross the small pond and hit the ? blocks. You’ll find a P-Switch inside. Carry it to the right and activate it near the array of coins. Climb up the coin blocks to reach a pipe above some clouds. Navigate the cloud section carefully to the secret star.

Narbacular Drop: In the green underground section, enter the first pipe you see. Take the blue shoe and fly carefully to the right. Reach the end of the section for the secret star.

Vanilla Lake: After the green rail lift, hit the yellow block to make the nearby dashed line block solid. Hit that to activate the yellow platform beneath you. Follow it right and hop down onto it from the hole with a coin trail. Ride it to a yellow pipe and go inside. You’ll enter a room full of tangled pipes. Proceed up. Swim and hit the blue ? block. Next, swim/climb up to the top of the section (you can ignore Ludwig). Take the pipe in the top-right corner. You’ll emerge in the pipe room again. Go through the pipe on the right and talk to the Toad. Collect the leaf, get a running start, and take to the sky. Fly through the first coin ring and drop down onto the island with the hopping Toad. Continue running right full-tilt, and you can jump to begin flying again. Fly through the remaining coin rings. For the final set, fly through the bottom ring. A block will lower and allow you to reach the secret star.

Mairo vs. the Tree Base: Near the end of the first section, drop down one of the narrow pits in the wooden blocks. The secret star is at the bottom. Be careful not to fall past it and off the cliff!

World 5: The Middleground

Goomba Caves: This level’s secret star is connected to the eight red coins in various parts of the cave. The first and second section each have four of them.

Coin 1-1: In the pit to the right of the start. To collect it, ride the nearby Shy Guy as it walks off the cliff.

Coin 1-2: At the far left of the section, a red Paratroopa hovers up and down. Jump off the Paratroopa at the bottom of its flight to reach the coin.

Coin 1-3: Beneath coin 1-2, a door sits in the middle of an otherwise bottomless pit. Enter the door and climb to the top of the bonus section inside. Exiting the bonus section drops you right onto coin 1-3.

Coin 1-4: Carry the springboard to the checkpoint and use it to bounce up into the chasm. The red coin sits near the top of it. Scale the left wall, jump to the ? block, and jump to the coin from there.

Coin 2-1: Found floating over a bottomless pit. The wooden block underneath and to the left of it sticks out from the wall just enough to stand on. Carefully fall onto this block (drifting with a raccoon tail helps), and jump carefully to collect the coin.

Coin 2-2: Above the pink ? block. High-jump off the Bob-Omb (or do a short running jump) to reach it. Do NOT activate the pink block first.

Coin 2-3: Take the springboard to the upper-left alcove with the vertical shaft. Bounce high off it to collect the coin.

Coin 2-4: Follow the upper-left path after the springboard, moving carefully past the Shy Guy, Koopa, Buzzy Beetles, and Spinies. Don’t kick a shell here; you’ll regret it! The final coin lays in the cavern at the end.

Secret Star: A chime sounds when all the coins are found. The secret star appears in the room before the end with the regular star.

Spike Palace: After the room with encroaching spike walls, enter the pipe generating Grinders. Solve the switch block puzzle inside and exit to the right. Take the left path with the yellow rail lift to reach the secret star.

Luigi’s Mansion: Outside the Ghost House, jump around to reveal invisible blocks. On the left, you’ll find a gap in them. Use it to jump higher and create another row of invisible blocks. Continue up until you find the invisible note blocks. Bounce high off them to the rooftop. Enter the chimney pipe. In the attic, find the four square mirrors with Boos circling them. Jump to hit each one, revealing the ? blocks that unlock the secret star in the middle.

Smash, Bro.: When you reach the desert section, dig up the plants near the middle. Place the potion carefully and enter the door. Take the fire flower in the ice section and melt the ice on the coins in the lower left. Fall down the pit and you’ll land up top with the secret star. If you lose the fire flower, go to the bottom right corner of the room. The level wrap will put you on the left with a headless palm tree. Jump to activate an invisible note block that will make the frozen Piranha Plants disappear.

World 6: Moving on Up (aka Secret Star Nightmare Land)

Crimson Slipper: You need the red boot to get the star, so if you lose it at any time, you’ll have to start over. It’s advisable not to use the checkpoint when going for this secret star, as restarting there leaves you bootless. Take the boot through the first two sections, but instead of going through the purple pipe into the third, head down to the left instead. You’ll find a secret area with nothing but lava to move around on. Dodge the Blarggs and make your way down carefully. The blue coins show the safest route to the star.

Fortress Aflame: This level has TWO secret stars. :o

Star 1: Enter the pipe in the ceiling after the start of the level. Get a leaf out of the ? block on the other side. At the end of this section, there’s a P-Switch above a large brick wall. Kill the creeping fireball with your tail and use the floor as a runway. Fly up to the switch and pick it up (don’t press it!). Take it down near the pipe on the right, then set it off. Enter the pipe and go left. A pit filled with coins leads to another pipe. The pipe leads to the first star.

Star 2: At the end of the level, you encounter a fiery Bowser. A P-Switch appears when he’s killed. If you drop the bridge out from under him, chances are the switch will fall in the lava with him. Instead, it’s best to kill him with projectiles. After the checkpoint, the first pipe you go down has a ? block underneath it. You can get an ice flower here. Use the ice balls to freeze the fireball enemies spawning near Fire Bowser. Throw these at him to defeat him, and use the P-Switch to enter the secret pipe at the end.

Bob-Omb Cave: In the section after the skull raft, you can find a leaf in a ? block. Clear out the enemies in this section and start at the top of the slope (underneath the flippy block tower). Run to the left, jumping the lava pits and picking up speed. Take flight when you can, and fly to the top-left of the level. A pipe there will take you to the secret star.

Pipe Works: Near the end of the level is a pipe that spawns Fighter Flies. Enter this pipe to find a chamber with the secret star inside.

Major Linkage: This level has two secret stars Triforce pieces to find!

Triforce 1: The initial route you take for this Triforce doesn’t matter. When you reach the lake with the red eyeball ghosts, jump on top of one and turn to face away from it. It will fly you up the screen to a door in the top-left corner. Enter the door and collect the key on the other side. Then, enter the door above you ON THE LEFT. It is absolutely vital to your sanity that you do so. Unlock the door afterward, and proceed through the door above it to collect the first secret Triforce.

Triforce 2: From the start, follow the P bag down into the water section. On the left is a false wall that leads to a dungeon. Fall down the leftmost passages until you reach the bottom. Defeat the Darknut there for a key. The door takes you to the lake before the checkpoint. Use the key on the underwater door, and you'll find the Triforce in the flooded cavern beyond it.

Block Sea: In the bottom-right corner of the ocean, you’ll find a key. Carry it to the boat with a locked door, and you’ll find the secret star inside.

Mario in Heat: Just after the checkpoint, head to the top layer of bricks with the two flame-throwing enemies. Jump from there to the top of the level on the left (above the screen’s view). Run all the way to the left and hop down. Enter the pipe and navigate the section carefully to reach the secret star.

World 7: Ascent

Forest Castle: This level’s secret star requires you to find four blue coins in the fortress.

Coin 1: In the entrance hall with the vines hanging down, climb up and enter the door on the top left. Dig up the left-most plant to find the coin.

Coin 2: From the entrance hall, enter the pipe in the top right. Pass up the key and enter the lower pipe in the next chamber. Navigate the wooden spike maze carefully to reach the coin.

Coin 3: After passing the first locked door, dig up a key near the first set of ? blocks. Carry it to the right and unlock the pipe. Find your way through the gauntlet, and the coin awaits at the end.

Coin 4: After the checkpoint, descend to the bottom of the long shaft. Fall down the right side of the pit when you reach the exit pipe. You’ll find a secret pipe leading to a bonus room with the coin.

Secret Star: Appears in the square box before the boss room.

Chainsaw Massacre: This secret star requires careful procedures in all four corners of the level.

Switch 1: In the bottom left, kick your chainsaw up onto the bridge platforms, then jump up and grab it again. Be careful! If you're little Mario, the ground below you will be destroyed by the saw! Break through to the detonator and press it. The lava in the upper middle section will vanish. Collect the Tanooki Suit from the block inside and go to the top left corner. Petrify yourself to reveal the invisible blocks leading up to first switch block. Turn it off.

Switch 2: Take your chainsaw to the top right corner, and kick it up on top of the tall pillar on the right. Jump on top of a nearby rocket bug to reach the top of the pillar yourself. Break the detonator free with the saw and jump down to press it. The lower lava section disappears; collect the Hammer Suit from behind it. Take it to the bottom right and destroy the grey blocks with hammers (pro tip: you can hit the blocks off-screen from the room you get the suit in!). Turn off the switch behind the blocks.

Secret Star: Go to the top left section and find a narrow shaft blocked by a cracked stone. Spin jump to break it. Once inside, follow the passage left and go through the pipes (they will be sealed if the switches are on). Make sure you bring your chainsaw to deal with Mother Brain. The secret star is in the chamber behind her.

Poison Valley: After the checkpoint, follow the upper area until you reach the whirling firebrands. It’s safe to stand on the blocks spinning with them. Jump onto the second one as it moves toward you and jump again while it moves up to propel yourself to the clouds above it. Follow the trail carefully to the left, and you’ll eventually reach the star.

World 8: Rise to the Challenge

Coffee and Donuts 2: In the second section, collect the leaf in the top-left ? block. Use the donuts to the right as a runway and fly up through the gold bricks. Use your tail to smash through the brick wall beyond there. The star is on the other side.

Supra Mairo Bors 2 Whale Whale Whale: After riding the rocket up, follow the path right through droves of Beezos. When you see the flamethrower and an overhanging cliff, jump down the left side of it. Enter one of the vases at the bottom for the secret star.

Mushroom Factory: To get this secret star, you must simply avoid killing any blue Snifits before reaching the end. It’s easier said than done; be especially careful with POW blocks and projectiles. Keep in mind that a frozen Snifit is not a dead Snifit, so you can immobilize them without killing them. The star is in a side room at the end of the level.

Ghastly Ruins: Possibly the easiest secret star in the game. When you go through the end door and reach the main star, go through the door again to find the secret star.

World 9: Straight to the Top

Cavetastic Voyage: The secret star lies in the temple at the beginning of the level. To get inside, throw three POW blocks nearby the temple. The first is on the clouds above the start. The second is buried next to a mushroom under crumbling blocks. You’ll need a Bob-Omb from further to the right to break it open. The third POW block is on top of a ? block at the far right end of the section. Make sure the temple’s door is in view when you throw the POW blocks.

Funklen Forest: Near the end of the level, a tall Pokey sticks up out of seemingly nothing. It’s actually standing on an off-screen pipe. Go down the pipe to find the secret star.

Arctic Adventure: Inside the first cavern, go down the first light purple pipe you see. Next, take the grey pipe on the left to find the secret star.

Spinning Hazard: Just before the checkpoint, you’ll see a saw on a nearby track going down as you’re moving up. Spin jump onto this saw and ride it to the secret star.

Hammer Hideout: This level requires you to complete two difficult challenges for its two secret stars.

Luigi's Challenge: Enter the door to the left of the start and hit the block above Luigi. Talk to him and you’ll be teleported outside. Now, make your way through the stage as quickly as possible. If you reach the end fast enough, you can take the lower of the two pipes and receive the secret star. It’s best to practice and learn the layout of the castle before attempting this. Also, in the third section, there’s a pipe hidden in the wall that can save you a lot of time. It's at the top of a ramp above the two Hammer Bros. after the Bowser statues. You can only see a small part of the pipe far into the wall.

Peach's Challenge: Enter the door to the left of the start and hit the block above Peach. She tasks you with defeating all the Hammer Bros. in the level. Signposts appear that tell you how many are in each section. Remember, a frozen Hammer Bro is not a dead Hammer Bro! Be sure to smash any you hit with ice balls. If you successfully destroy them all, you’ll meet Peach at the end of the level with the secret star.

Lava Lair: When you encounter the only pipe in the level, enter it from the top instead of the side. Follow the secret path to the star.

Skyward Sword: Climb the tower and take the right door first. Defeat Mouser and collect a bunch of bombs. Make your way back out and go in the left door. Throw the bombs at Big Boo to kill him. The star appears when he dies.

Eli’s Fortress of Doom: NOT TELLING

I hope this helps any poor lost souls in RMN’s Pit of Challenges.

Posts

Pages: 1
Isrieri
"My father told me this would happen."
6155
You'd best explain The Unreachable Star as well. I take that back, it would ruin the joke.

Why not the Fortress of Doom though? This is the guide! I recommend spoiler tags.
halibabica
RMN's Official Reviewmonger
16873
from Isrieri
Why not the Fortress of Doom though?

Because it's too amazing, even for spoiler tags.
Nonetheless, I find it a nice gesture to show the secret stars for the regular levels. This should help players a lot if they're having trouble progressing throughout the game (and yes, Fortress of Doom's secret star is amazing).
Seiromem
I would have more makerscore If I did things.
6375
Well dang it. One of MY secret stars is the easiest in the game >=l I will not stand for this! (instead, I shall sit, like I am doing now.) My secrets shall now be near impossible to find in my game (witch I shall not discuss here o.O)
halibabica
RMN's Official Reviewmonger
16873
Easiest to get, not easiest to find, seiromem.
Would anyone help me, finding that second secret star/triforce in Major Linkage? After getting the glove making my way through that wall with yellow bricks, I land in that room with lots of doors and some jumping on the right leading to the room with the keys and eventually leading to end of the stage.

What am I supposed to do?
halibabica
RMN's Official Reviewmonger
16873
Wow, the guide to the 2nd Triforce is completely wrong. Fixing...

EDIT: Fixed.
I forget because it's been a while, but I'm pretty sure my level has 3 triforce pieces. Hence the picture at the end and the word TRI. When you get a triforce piece, it lights up a third of the ending triforce. Unless you removed 1 to meet some kind of star quota, there's a third.

Since it has been a while, I'm gonna go back and play through it again.
halibabica
RMN's Official Reviewmonger
16873
This is the guide to the secret stars, so the main triforce isn't mentioned. All three are still there.
author=halibabica
This is the guide to the secret stars, so the main triforce isn't mentioned. All three are still there.
Oh, right. Of course.

(Still wanna go back and play it :D)
Pages: 1