New Super Mario Bros. 2: Flower-Castle

This level features conveyor belts and gray springy mushrooms. There are pipes sending out infinite Goombas, who will bounce up to your level due to the mushrooms. Overhead are two red pipes sending out Bob-ombs. Use one to blow up the stones over the first Star Coin and throw another to get it. Keep going right, avoiding the onslaught of Goombas and Bob-ombs. Under the green pipe are two brick blocks. The left one has a P-Switch that makes Silver Coins to the left on the conveyor belt. To the right is the midpoint. There are more gray mushrooms. Over one is the second Star Coin. Time your drop to avoid the Goombas from the overhead pipes. There is a Gold Block on the left side of the right set of brick blocks over the bouncy balls. Go past the infinite vertically-moving platforms and you'll see blue conveyor belts. Hit the yellow switch above to change the direction. Duck under the spikes and go right to get the third Star Coin. Avoid being bounced out by the bouncy balls until you're ready. Next is the boss door. We have to deal with the last Koopaling here, Lemmy. He stands on a bouncy ball and his wand makes more. We're also on a conveyor belt, but we can change the direction using the switch on the ceiling. Hit him three times to defeat him. He will make another bouncy ball to stand on after each shell cycle, so hit him quickly. He won't fall off the conveyor belt. We can now go to World 5.

Coin Total: 63,675
We get a couple of messages: "A new world is available in the Flower Pack in Coin Rush!" Another one, accompanied by fanfare, tells us, "You've collected every Star Coin in the game!" That brings our total Star Coins to 194 after using some to access levels. But if there aren't any Star Coins left to collect, what's going on in Star World? There are now two sparkling stars on our file.

New Super Mario Bros. 2: Bowser's Castle

It's finally time to deal with Bowser. Be aware of the jet engines and Podoboos that are below the platforms you stand on. Use your Raccoon Tail to fly up over the lone jet engine in its own alcove for the first Star Coin. Go past the giant Dry Bones and avoid the jet engines moving vertically as you platform up. Drop down with the Donut Lift and avoid the jet engines until you reach a door. This will take you to a room with a snake platform and more jet engines. Once the snake platform starts moving, the lava starts rising. Stay towards the front of the platform and jump off to get the second Star Coin. Jump back on quickly. This will take you to a door and the midpoint. You'll see the Koopalings in the background on the clown copter. The copter's eyes will change shape and start flashing. This is your cue to get behind a wall (where you can't see them) immediately. The flash will turn Mario into stone. If this happens, jump quickly several times to get out of it. If Mario is caught on a conveyor belt, grate, or donut lift, he's a goner. Some of the walls are near conveyor belts, so run to stay on the other side of them. Drop down from a donut lift to the third Star Coin and retreat to the wall for safety. The P-Switch makes a line of Silver Coins to follow to the boss door. The Koopalings will go away once you reach the wall of the boss door. There is another midpoint here. The first two item blocks have Fire Flowers and the last one has a Super Leaf. I recommend having two Super Leaves for the upcoming fight. Go up the stairs and you'll see fireballs approaching from the right. Drop down into the alcove until they pass, like in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. There are three alcoves and one lone fireball afterward.

Next is the room with Bowser and Peach. She calls to Mario from a cage. Bowser roars and the battle starts. Bowser will breathe fire, throw hammers, and jump. When he jumps, run under him and hit the switch. Fireballs will also work. Hitting the switch will make the floor fall. A fanfare will play. Peach's cage is then taken away. Platforms appear from below and Mario hops up them. They start to fall when he lands on them. Peach is taken away and the Koopalings appear, using their magic to make a giant Bowser appear and knock them away, just like Kamek did. Bowser roars, similar platforms appear, and the lava rises. It will continue to rise. Bowser will track your movements, and when his eyes turn orange, he will swipe away the platforms in your vecinity, be it left, right, or center. Keep moving. The Raccoon Tail will help control your decent. I tend to stay in one area until Bowser is poised to strike. Once you see arches on the right and left sides, jump up as high as you can. The is a wall-to-wall platform here, with some coins. Bowser will catch up to you and breathe fire on the floor from one side to the other. Jump over the flames. He'll roar again and you'll start platforming again. The Bowser heads on the walls will periodically breathe fire, so be aware. The second set of arches signals another platform overhead. This time, Bowser will breathe fire in both directions. Once he roars, you're on the path to the top. The Bowser heads breathe purple fire, which can move at angles. Stay near the walls. You'll see a small arch on either side. This marks the small platforms on the left and right sides. Jump up to reach the large ! Switch. Peach, above the switch, will call out to Mario. Bowser looks around and falls. A victory fanfare plays. Peach floats down from the cage. Mario spins, then jumps for joy. Roll credits!

During the credits, Mario carries Peach as they run back to the castle. Periodically, coins will appear from above and below, and in shapes. Collect them to add to your total. I got 279. As the credits roll, you'll see the Koopalings dragging Bowser from the clown copter and crashing. Once the credits finish, you'll get a couple of messages. There is a new world available in the Star Pack for Coin Rush. Gold Flowers can now be stored in Coin Rush. Star World has appeared. We can now save anywhere. There is now one Star on our file.

Coin Total: 47,750
Not bad for a first run. But there's more to explore. Let's see where those cannons lead.

New Super Mario Bros. 2: 5-6

This is a rocky level. Jump down following the coins, and kick the shell for a Gold Block. Slowly make your way down the mountain, as it is crawling with Piranha Plants and Fire Piranhas. You'll find ferris wheels all the way down, as well as some Red Coins. You'll find some ferris wheels near the bottom over some spikes. Go left and hit the ! Switch over some brick blocks.  You'll drop down on the first Star Coin and onto the temporary red blocks below. Run to safety on the right. You'll soon reach the midpoint. There are several pipes ahead. Most have Piranhas in them. There will be a large drop between some pipes. At the bottom of the drop is a green pipe without a Piranha. Take it down and put the spring on the moving platform. Time your jump from the spring to reach the second Star Coin above between two giant Piranhas. Go through the yellow pipe. You'll see the third Star Coin surrounded by pipes and stone. Either backtrack or continue to reach the flag. Either way, with a Fire Flower, about partway down the mountain, take out a Giant Piranha to the right to reach a fire pipe. Send lots of fireballs its way to make a Mega Mushroom appear. Let it drop off the mountain and follow it to the midpoint. Get and run to the right, destroying pipes in your path. Run into the pipes and stone to get the third Star Coin.

Coin Total: 45,143
I got the third Star Coin after beating the final boss.

New Super Mario Bros. 2: 3-3

We leave the beach for the jungle with purple water. Falling into it is like falling into lava. There are spider webs in this level that Mario can cling to briefly. They will slowly disappear, but reappear a few moments later. Where there are spider webs, there are spiders, so be careful. Use the webs to hit a ! Switch to make blocks appear below so you can go through the yellow pipe to the left. Hit the middle brick block for another ! Switch and climb up the stairs to the left. Let the spider lower itself down, then bounce off it to get the first Star Coin and wall jump to safety, if you need to. Go through the other yellow pipe and pass three spiders to reach the midpoint. Wall jump up for Red Coins. Go right and bounce off a spider to reach a yellow pipe above. Hit the ! Switch to make red blocks appear and go up. Bounce off the spider when it's higher up to reach the second Star Coin to the left. Soon after, you'll find the third Star Coin under a platform. Use the webs below to reach it. Climb back up and keep climbing on the webs for so you can land higher on the flagpole.

Coin Total: 15,246

New Super Mario Bros.: 5-C

It's another underground level. This time, the place has both Buzzy Beetles and Bruisers. Let the Bruisers break through the blocks for you. They can help you reach the first Star Coin encased in brick blocks. Past the first Star Coin are infinite platforms moving towards the ceiling or the void. Once past those, use a Buzzy Beetle shell to get the second Star Coin, floating over the void under the higher route. You'll soon find a Bruiser on some stairs. Clear away the top middle blocks near the ceiling. Hit the far right block in the row below to make a vine appear. It will take you to an area with a P-Switch and a Bruiser. Hit the switch, then lure the Bruiser to the left so it will destroy the blocks protecting the third Star Coin. From here, you can drop down to the goal. There's a ? Switch after the vine which makes red blocks appear over the void. Bruisers will periodically drop down and destroy the red blocks. Take it to the end, climbing quickly, as vertical walls will get in your way. At the end is a pipe to the flagpole.

New Super Mario Bros.: 5-B

This is an ice level. We'll find a new enemy, the Snailicorn, which looks like a snail shell with a pointy nose. We can't defeat them, but can stomp on them and they will slide to the left or the right. Push them off ledges to get rid of them. We're going to slide down the ice a couple of times, then get the first Star Coin under a ledge using a Paratroopa shell or just jumping for it. The item block to the left contains a brick block. The P-Switch will convert brick blocks to coins so we can jump and slide over the ice to get the second Star Coin, which is protected by brick blocks. The third Star Coin can be reached by taking the lower path and getting past the Snailicorn. Keep going to reach the flagpole.

New Super Mario Bros.: 5-A

This level is has more unusual mushroom platforms. These blue mushrooms will  expand and cntract periodically, allowing us to reach certain areas. Before we reach the midpoint, there is a Red Coin Ring. The first Star Coin is under a ledge that we can reach when a blue mushroom expands under it. There is a ! Switch to allow us to get back up. Nearby is a brick block containing a vine that leads to Coin Heaven. Hit the P-Switch, then use the spring to reach the second Star Coin. We then drop back down to the main level. The third Star Coin is over a blue mushroom. We reach the flagpole and a path to the fort opens up.

New Super Mario Bros.: 4-6

It's another purple water level. To help us cross the water, Dorrie returns. She will duck under platforms, so you may have to climb on them to avoid being pushed off into the water. There's a Red Coin ring near the platform with the first Star Coin. The Red Coins go under the platform as well as over, so you'll have to double back to get them all. You'll have to go over the platform with the Piranha Plants. The second Star Coin is past the P-Switch, which you must use to reach it. It will turn coins into brick blocks, giving you platforms. The ! Switch will allow you to go up a green pipe, where you'll find the third Star Coin in a coin formation after you slide down. There is a 1-up near the pipe. You'll end up near the pipe to the flagpole. The path to the castle will open up.

New Super Mario Bros.: 4-Ghost House

This Ghost House can be a little complicated. Near where you start is a door on a lower platform. You'll find an orange ? Switch which will make four item blocks drop down from the ceiling on springs. The second from the left will give you a power up. While they're still in the room, hop on one of the item blocks and it will pull you into another part of the Ghost House when the timer stops. To the right, you will find the first Star Coin. Throughout the Ghost House are yellow platforms with red stripes. If you stand on one, it will take you around the wall into the next room, but will not take you back. Here, you'll find a special type of ghost, called a Balloon Boo. They won't attack you if you face them and will follow you when your back is turned, like a normal Boo, but when you look at them, they start inhaling air and increasing in size, but deflate while chasing you. A ! Switch will make a door to a new room appear. Another ! Switch will make red platforms appear. Wall jump up them for the second Star Coin. From there, you can take the pipe up and over into a new room. Take the high door to the flagpole. To get the third Star Coin and access to the cannon, on the pipe you need red blocks to reach, stand on the pipe as Mini Mario. Wall jump up and to the right to a narrow area. Wall jump up that to see a door. Before entering the door, wall jump up higher to reach the third Star Coin. The door will take you to the red flag goal.

New Super Mario Bros.: 4-A

To unlock this level, you need 5 Star Coins. There is purple water in this level. To help us get around, there are vines to swing on and platforms that function like a paddle wheel. We've seen them before in World 3, but we have to be careful not to touch the purple water. There are two of them before the midpoint. Making life difficult are Paratroopas. The first Star Coin is between a red and a green Paratroopa. Nearby is a vine. Bounce off the first green Paratroopa after the first Star Coin to the vine above to reach a pipe. There, you will find Koopas trapped in brick blocks with the second Star Coin. There is a P-Switch that will turn the brick blocks into coins so you can reach it and get coins. The pipe at the end will return you to the main level. This part has Piranha Plants in it. There is a set of three pipes: green, yellow, green. Enter the first green pipe to reach the third Star Coin. To reach the flagpole, take the vine at the end to the pipe, then another vine to the platform in front of the flagpole. This will open a path to the Ghost House.

New Super Mario Bros.: 3-Fort

We start at the bottom of the fort, where there are three pipes. They are all cannons, but only the middle one will get you anywhere. It will shoot you to the grates above. Go up the grates on the left, wall jump up, and punch the window in the grate to flip it around, and dodge the Amps to reach the first Star Coin. If you do not flip back over, you will still be on that side the next time you climb up a grate. To get back out, go between the top and bottom Amps to the left side and flip back over. Once you get away from the set of four Amps, the second Star Coin is to the left. After you climb a little more, you'll find two doors. The upper left door will take you to the boss door. It's Bowser Jr. Either stomp on him or use fireballs to defeat him. He will take Peach to the castle. Victory gives us access to 3-3. If you go through the upper right door, you'll find a ! Switch that creates red blocks. Quickly climb up them to a door and the third Star Coin. The door will take you to the boss door, as well.

New Super Mario Bros.: 3-1

World 3 is a beach level, so we'll have to deal with a lot of water. This is an underwater level. There are a lot of Cheep-Cheep in this level, including large ones and blue ones that home in on you. There is also a Red Coin Ring. Past the midpoint is a set of three pipes: red, green, and green. The outer two have currents and the middle one leads to the outside with the first Star Coin. Back in the main level, coins will start appearing in bubbles. The second Star Coin is between the yellow and green pipes with currents. Towards the end, there will be a P-Switch that will turn bricks into coins. Go left and through the new coins to get the third Star Coin. There's another set of Red Coins before the pipe to the flagpole.

New Super Mario Bros.: 2-Castle

This is one of two special castles. First, we have to deal with spike balls, which can destroy all types of blocks. We can dodge them in alcoves above and below their path. There is a path that goes up to the first Star Coin. Wait until the spike ball passes, then wall jump up, then duck into the alcove to get it. There's a door to the outside at the end, but there's a spike ball before you reach it. Outside, you'll find lots of Bullet Bills. Bounce off of one to reach the second Star Coin past the blocks. We hit a switch to progress and dodge a spike ball. We go over the large spike ball with a rope and land on a ledge with a Mini Shroom which allows us to progress. We need to be Mini Mario to reach the third Star Coin. We can get a Super Shroom or stay small. A switch reveals the boss door. Go through it quickly to avoid the spike ball. We fall into a pit with the mummy Pokey. To defeat it, we can stomp on it as regular Mario or ground pound as Mini Mario. Three hits will kill it. After we get the key, the wall lifts up to reveal Bowser Jr. and Peach, who run off. This is where the path splits. If we're not small, we'll go to World 3. If we're Mini Mario, we'll fall through a tiny gap and the sign will flip and say World 4. We'll go to World 3 first.

New Super Mario Bros.: 2-5

It's back to the desert with this level. In this level, we find new enemies cleverly camouflaged into the surroundings. You'll find brick blocks stacked on item blocks, but if the "?" on the item block does not spin and it jumps with the music, it is an enemy. These block enemies jump around when approached. We can stand on them to reach new heights. When standing on them, they will walk in the direction Mario is facing. To get rid of them, ground pound them. We can use them to reach the first Star Coin, by jumping from them when they jump. We then avoid fire snakes and hit a P-Switch to turn coins into brick blocks. Run to the left on the new blocks to reach the second Star Coin. Towards the end of the level, we can take the yellow pipe to the goal or go under the quicksand and up through the gray block to reach an area under the goal. Use the block enemy when it jumps to reach the third Star Coin, then hop up the gray blocks to reach the goal.

New Super Mario Bros.: 2-4

In this level, there are switches that will raise or lower sections of the ground so you can access new areas. The first switch will raise the ground so you can reach the item blocks. As you head right, you'll find the first Star Coin over a horizontal pipe with a Piranha Plant. Wait for the Piranha Plant to retract, then wall jump up to get it. Further to the right is water. In the water, which runs under the ground, to the left is a mini pipe and to the right are more pipes. Go past the red pipe to find the exit. Nearby, to the left is the second Star Coin. Use the switch to reach the platform to get out. To the right is a switch that raises the ground so you can go over the Piranha Plant. You'll find the third Star Coin guarded by two Hammer Bros. Next is the flagpole.

New Super Mario Bros.: 2-3

Time to underground! We take a pipe underground into a pipe maze. We walk to the right and wall-jump up for the first Star Coin. To progress, we have to ground pound the brown platforms with Star designs on them. There are bats in the area, so be careful. In the next part of the maze are one-way walls that fold down when you approach them, then close behind you. This can make navigating a little tricky, but just check the arrrows to see how they open. We go left, then down to a maze with a Piranha Plant, where the 2nd Star Coin is. To the right is a new area. We go down for an orange switch, which raises the water level then up for some coins. To the right is a new area with a giant Piranha Plant. If you have a Fire Flower, a few fireballs should take it out. We continue through the maze, going up, left, take the right path up, and then run down across the gap to the third Star Coin. There is a Piranha Plant in the lower left corner here. To the upper right is a red switch that makes blocks to go over the Piranha Plant. This path takes us to the main exit to 2-4. If we go back through this level and raise the water level and swim up, we find another orange switch that briefly raises the water level, allowing us to reach a higher part of the maze. This will lead us to teh Red Goal to 2-A.

New Super Mario Bros.: 1-4

We're back outside and heading for the castle. There are a few pipes that produce an infinite amount of Goombas, so be aware of them. We slide down the hill to take out the Goombas. As we continue, we see a small green pipe. We can't go in it until we get the Mini Mushroom, which is in a nearby item block to the right. As Mini Mario, we can run on water and bounce higher, but can only damage enemies with a ground pound. The pipe takes us to a room with water. We run across the surface to the right and wall jump up and to the left for the first Star Coin. We exit that area and reach a vertical maze of blocks. There is a Koopa nearby that we stomp into its shell and pick up, sending the shell into the maze. The shell destroys the brick blocks and gives us access to the pipe below. The pipe takes us underground, where the second Star Coin is. We can't quite reach it, so we hit the last brick block before the pipe to the exit to make a P-Switch appear. This switch temporarily turns coins into brick blocks and vice versa. We run up the newly formed blocks to reach the 2nd Star Coin. The third Star Coin is past the maze. We have to run under a ledge while small or with a well-timed duck. Afterwards, go back left, then on top of the ledge to the right and continue onto the goal.

Super Mario 3D Land: 8- Bowser's Castle Part 2

We need 100 Star Coins to unlock this level. We have 146. This is it! (I hope.) A drawbridge drops down and the eyes on the Bowser head glow. We land on a skull coaster and it goes into a Bowser statue's opening mouth. It goes down and we dodge a large fireball. More fireballs appear that we have to dodge as the coaster snakes around the track. I died from a fireball.
Take 2- We get the first Star Coin, which is in the fireball area, by jumping. We take a hit from a fire bar, then the coaster stops. Nearby is a wooden square with a coin. We hop on and it lifts us to a fragile stone bridge. We cross it and find more wooden squares in the lava. We died from a Dry Bones.
Take 3- I got the first Star Coin and fell in the lava trying to jump to the wooden square from the coaster.
Take 4- See Take 2.
Take 5- See Take 2.
Take 6- The gold block appears in the Bowser statue's mouth. I fell in the lava.
Take 7- We get the first two Star Coins. The second is over the second wooden square with the Dry Bones on it. We hop on another coaster. Next is a barrage of fireballs that we must dodge. Towards the end is the third Star Coin. The coaster takes us to stairs to a cannon. The Toads are there and give us a 1-up. We hop in the cannon and aim for the Red Coin Ring. We land on a tower, where it's raining. The Red Coins are there, so we collect them for a Tanooki Leaf. We take the cannon there and aim for the yellow ring for five coins. We land on a spiral ramp. It is quiet, except for the wind and rain. The door at the top opens and we go through it. We see Peach tied to a flagpole. Mario says, "Ah" and runs forward. Peach calls his name, but a large shadow appears over Mario. Bowser pounds the floor and roars. The floor breaks and they fall. The timer resets and they land on some stairs. It's time for the final battle! We chase Bowser up the stairs, which have cracks in them and will break apart. We dodge fireballs and spike balls. We pass an item block with a Tanooki Leaf and dodge fireballs and take out Paragoombas with our Tanooki Tail. Next, Bowser throws large barrels at us over a cracked bridge. Next is a blue solid bridge, where Bowser will try to hit us with his tail. We dodge and wait for him to jump, then run under him to another blue bridge. Behind that bridge is a wall that Bowser destroys with his tail. Beyond it is the switch. We hit it. Bowser falls into the lava below and we can go further. We run up the stairs and Bowser appears. You didn't think you were done, did you? Bowser now breathes a purple flame and hops around. He won't get in your way, but some Tanooki Goombas might, and the path is mostly cracked. The Tanooki Suit is a good idea here. I tried to jump to a piece that was too high and fell.
Take 8- I fell.
Take 9- I made it much higher, to another blue bridge where we must run from Bowser, hopping over blocks. I recommend hopping over single blocks. He ran into me and I died.
Take 10- I made it across the bridge to the second switch. Bowser falls off, with pieces of debris hitting him on the way down into the lava. He's finally defeated. That was intense! The wall drops down and the timer goes away. We find ourselves near the tower where Peach is being held. She calls his name and new music plays. We climb up the stairs and get a 1-up at the flagpole, freeing Peach. Peach's music plays and Mario gives her a spin. The course has been cleared! Finally!

The credits roll as Mario and the Toads each use a Tanooki Leaf to get down from the castle, while Mario carries Peach. (You didn't think Peach was going to wear a Tanooki Suit, did you?) We can control Mario across the screen. Bowser appears on a stack of Goombas, but falls off. Mario takes Peach back to her castle, where they sit on the Tanooki Tree admiring a Tanooki Leaf in a picture. Shaking makes the leaves and branch shake. A picture floats down to the ground, showing Luigi behind bars, guarded by a Boo and a Koopa. Luigi says, "Help me!". Shaking makes the Boo and Koopa jump and Luigi's head nod. What's that about?

Our file has two Stars on it. We get a message: "You can now use pipes to travel to Special Worlds." There's more? Let's continue!

After completing the special levels, we return. We have two Statue Leaves. The layout is the same. We get a 1-up from the Toads before we launch from the cannon. Once again, we find Peach tied to the flagpole, but the flag is gold, saying we've completed the level. Bowser appears and we go the area of crumbling rocks. We hit the first switch and the second. We get a 1-up at the flagpole and free Peach. The credits roll. This time, we get another picture, that of Peach and the Toads. Peach is wearing a Tanooki Suit, which has the Toads freaking out and Peach startled. We now have four stars on our file.

Dusty Dune Galaxy - Purple Coins in the Desert

Welcome to the Galaxy!
Mario
We land on the planet where we flip to the blue and yellow areas. Most of the Purple Coins are on the platforms, but some are high in the air, reachable by tornado. A few are over a Thwomp. We go through the area like before, and find some coins on the tower with the switch. We pound the switch so we can reach the coins on the other side using the tower. Take note that a few of the coins are at the base of the tower. One Purple Coin is near the hole where we can flip, but it is in the air, so backflip and spin to get it.
Star Get #114, Galaxy Complete!, 2952 Star Bits, 9 Lives

Luigi
This took me three attempts because I kept falling in the quicksand. Green Toad lets us know that there are no coins in the sand.
Star Get #114, Galaxy Complete!, 2348 Star Bits, 23 Lives

Dusty Dune Galaxy - Sandblasts Speed Run

Welcome to the Galaxy!
Mario
We have 4 minutes and 30 seconds to go through this mission. Unfortunately, I died five times. We have to kill the Pokeys, collect the Star Chips, and we take the orange path, which is faster because it takes us directly to the planet with the Star. We reached the switch with 1:15 left. We get the Star within both time limits.
Star Get #63, 2 Coins, 3167 Star Bits, 16 Lives

Luigi
We still have 4:30 to get the Star. We stomp the switch at 1:19 and get the Star at just under a minute. I got this on my first attempt.
Star Get #63, 6 Coins, 3598 Star Bits, 41 Lives