New Super Mario Bros. 2: Star-Castle

It's time for the final level! We've defeated Bowser and the Koopalings, so who could be in this castle? It's not Bowser Jr. We start the level and the Koopalings appear in the Clown Copter. We know what to do here: hide when the eyes start flashing to avoid being turned into stone. We have to climb tightropes and avoid the saws. Climb on the grates quickly from cover to cover. The first Moon Coin is on a low grate over the lava. The second Moon Coin is over donut lifts over the lava. Your cover is above the Moon Coin, on the tightrope over the spikes. Drop down carefully when the coast is clear, then quickly move to cover. Eventually, you'll reach the door to the midpoint. Dodge the saws appearing from below. The door at the end leads to a snake platform. The Koopalings reappear, so now you have to seek cover while the floor's moving. Sometimes, you'll have to jump for cover. The third Moon Coin is over a saw and grate and appears while you're moving past it. Move quickly to reach the tightrope to get it and return to the snake platform. The snake will dive into the lava, so stay towards the middle so you see it coming. It will reappear a short distance away. The snake platform will eventually loop under the boss door, so get off. The door will lead to the midpoint, which looks similar to the one in Bowser's Castle. Get the items you need; I recommend two Super Leaves. Go up the stairs and dodge blue flames this time. Once you reach the end, you come face to face with the boss: Dry Bowser. Peach isn't here. The battle is almost the same as Bowser's, but with differently-colored flames and he throws bones instead of hammers. Run when he jumps so you can hit the switch and make him disappear. The platforms from Bowser's battle reappear. The Koopalings revive Dry Bowser and get knocked away. From this point forward, almost everything is the same as in the Bowser battle: his eyes will glow and he'll knock away the platforms in the area you're in. Once you reach the top, hit the ? Switch and he'll fall. A victory fanfare plays. We're done!

Coin Total: 68,771
We get a couple of messages: "There is a new world available in the Star Pack in Coin Rush" and "You've collected every Moon Coin in the game!" We now have three sparkling stars on our file. It's over, right? There's just one thing I never found in my first run through.

New Super Mario Bros. 2: Star-7

This level takes place outside a volcano. There's lava, fire snakes, and Podoboos. Standing on certain rocks will make coins appear. The first Moon Coin is under a rock arch, over a donut lift above the lava. It's in the path of a Podoboo, so time your jump carefully. Go over some rock arches to reach the midpoint. Fireballs will start appearing. There are two item blocks with a space between them. Jump in that space to hit an invisible block with a vine. Avoid firebars and fireballs while jumping on donut lifts to reach the second Moon Coin. Drop back down. The brick block between two item blocks can become a Gold Block. Next to it is a Red Coin Ring. It will make a Moneybag appear. The last coin is under a rock, so it's hard to get. The third Moon Coin is over a donut lift in a gap between rocks. Wall jump back up if you need to. You'll pass a large double firebar and a stack of fire-breathing Bowser heads. There is a fire snake on the stairs.

Coin Total: 68,008

New Super Mario Bros. 2: Star-6

This level is a castle-like area, down to the music. Go down the gap with coins and drop into the water. Keep going down, avoiding the Fishbones until you reach a blue pipe. The level will start automatically scrolling. Avoid the Fishbones, or lure them into walls or each other. The first Moon Coin is in an alcove in the ceiling. Coins in bubbles will appear. Take the magenta pipe in the ceiling to a room with the second Moon Coin and two Fishbones. You'll reach the midpoint once you return to the main level. Get the Fire Flower from the right brick block and the level will scroll up at the arrow. There is a fire pipe along the way. At the top is a random item block and the level will scroll to the right again. If you get a Gold Flower, you can destroy the brick blocks for coins. There are Red Coins between the blue pipes, each with a vortex. The third Moon Coin is in a ring of Fishbones. The blue pipe to the flagpole is nearby. Triple jump, following the coins for a 1-up at the flagpole.

Coin Total: 67,383

New Super Mario Bros. 2: Star-5

This level is filled with balances. What is on them at any given time can mess with your jumps, so be careful. Over a large set of balances, Lakitu appears. Steal his cloud and go directly up for a Gold Ring. Take the cloud over and to the right of the blue mushrooms for the first Moon Coin. Follow the coins and you'll end up at the midpoint. There will be Koopas on the next three balances. The second Moon Coin is below the third one. Until the green Koopa moves to the left side of the balance or a Spiny lands on it, you can't reach it. Move quickly over this area. You'll see a balance that's a little higher than the others. Jump on it to keep it in place, then steal Lakitu's cloud, then go directly up to a green pipe overhead. There is a giant balance, the third Moon Coin, and Lakitu will appear. Use his cloud to reach a random coin block overhead, as well as more coins. You'll drop down on some blue mushrooms. Hop from the balance to the flagpole.

Coin Total: 67,169

New Super Mario Bros. 2: Star-4

This is a tricky water level. There's a Porcu-Puffer swimming around, and once you go through the blue pipe, the level automatically sidescrolls up and right, with the water level rising with it. The first item block here has a Mini Mushroom. You'll want to hang on to it for a while. Platform on the logs and platforms to stay out of the Porcu-Puffer's way. The first Moon Coin is over a log over a horizontally-moving platform. You can't reach it from the platform, so let the level scroll to the right and use a vertically-moving platform to reach it. I would avoid triggering the midpoint unless you have a Mini Mushroom in reserve or are okay with starting the level over at some point. There is a Red Coin Ring over one of the platforms. Next is a random item block. The level will stop scrolling soon after. Go through the large pipe if you are not Mini Mario. If you are, go through the mini pipe under the large one. The second Moon Coin is in the middle of the level. Run and jump to get it or swim to get it, depending on the water level. The level will start scrolling again. You'll see several platforms jumping out of the water. Carefully stand on one of the middle ones for the third Moon Coin. It's not long before you reach the flagpole.

Coin Total: 66,886

New Super Mario Bros. 2: Star-3

This level features ghosts, Whomps, Fishbones, and a strong current in the water to the left. Trigger the Whomps to fall to reveal coins. You'll want to stay out of the water, except to go down the first gap, where you'll find the first Moon Coin between currents and ghosts. The pipe will lead you to the midpoint. There is a random item block behind the giant Whomp to the right. The second Moon Coin is at the top of the tall tower. Go to the right, near the circling ghosts, to make a coin trail and brick blocks appear so you can reach the top platform. Next is a Red Coin Ring behind the giant Whomp, making Red Coins circle the smaller Whomps to its sides. You'll see a giant Whomp on a high platform. Jump off it to reach the higher platform next to it, then go left to two lower towers. The left one has an invisible block with a vine that leads to the third Moon Coin.There is an invisble block over the item blocks with a 1-up. The Moon Coin is behind the giant Whomp. Keep going right and avoid ghosts for the flagpole.

Coin Total: 66,208

New Super Mario Bros. 2: Star-2

This level is much brighter and features platforms on loopy paths. Get the Super Leaf; you'll want it. Over one of the higher paths near the start, past the POW blocks, is the first Moon Coin. There are triple item blocks with a couple of Red Koopas. The brick block in the middle has a 1-up. Next is a Red Coin Ring. The Red Coins come in via parachute. There are two brick blocks on donut lifts below. The right one can become a Gold Block. You'll soon reach the midpoint and the second Moon Coin in a gap. Use a shell to get it. The P-Switch will make Silver Coins appear around the donut lifts it sits on. The third Moon Coin is over the gap below three donut lifts. Stand on one to drop down to get it, then jump up to safety. The brick block above it can become a Gold Block. Keep going right to reach the flagpole.

Coin Total: 65,146

New Super Mario Bros. 2: Star-1

It takes 90 Star Coins to access Star World. There are no secret goals, just a linear path to the castle. Let's finish this!

This level is a dark world, made mainly of brick blocks. I don't recommend using a Gold Flower excessively here, as you may be destroying the floor. We still have special coins to collect, so what could they be? Go to the right and grab the shell and use it to hit the brick block over the first narrow gap. This will make a P-Switch appear, turning all brick blocks into coins. Hit the ? Switch to drop the bridge. The next switch is on the left side of the right brick block pair. Go over the brick block ferris wheel and you'll come across the first special coin. The shape on the coin is that of a 3-up Moon from Super Mario World. Moon Coins in Star World? Oh well. The brick block to the right has a P-Switch. Hit it to turn the brick blocks into coins and make Silver Coins and drop down. It's okay; there's a floor below. Pound the brick blocks over the green pipe to make the bridges move out of the way and use the pipe as a cannon to the first Moon Coin. There is a brick block jutting out of the right wall past the second ferris wheel. Pound the blocks to the right of it and hit it from below to make a vine appear. It leads to Coin Heaven. Hit the P-Switch to make some ground to stand on, then hit the item block outside of the ring for a Gold Flower. You'll drop back down to the midpoint. Past the next ferris wheel is the second Moon Coin over the gap. Go over the gap and use a shell to get it. Next is a Red Coin Ring. Activating it will make a Moneybag hop around, releasing the Red Coins. Next, keep going to the right without hitting the ? Switch. Go under the ledge for the third Moon Coin, then hit the switch. It will raise the bridge to the flagpole, blocking off the Moon Coin.

Coin Total: 64,866