Special World 8
Special World 8-1
Star Coin #1 – As you are making your way left through the stage (which is a reverse-order from the version of this level in the first quest), you’ll spot the Star Coin hovering above a swinging Spike Bar Grinder. Be careful of the Coin Boxes just before the Star Coin, only hit the middle as the other two contain Poison Mushrooms!
Star Coin #2 – The second Star Coin is located in the same spot as during the first quest. You’ll see it hovering above the crumbling Donut Blocks at the very back. Take a huge leap or a Long Jump towards it. Ignore the Pipe at the bottom, it doesn’t lead you anywhere except back at the start of the crumbling blocks, taking precious time off your clock.
Star Coin #3 – You’ll find the final Star Coin at the end of the stage, right before you must enter the Pipe. You’ll notice its shadow, pointing it out. Simply Wall Jump off the wall to reach it.
Special World 8-2
Star Coin #1 – I highly, HIGHLY recommend you travel back to Level 3-2S to power up with Statue Tanooki for this tough stage. After the part with the Rocky Coin Wrench (who throws a Coin at you instead of a wrench), you’ll hit a series of odd-shaped green turning platforms. This is a tough section that is virtually impossible without Tanooki floating power. Make sure you land AND jump as soon as the odd-shaped platform is facing up. You’ll find the Star Coin floating above the third such platform’s top part.
Star Coin #2 – At the section with the quickly spinning green platforms, you’ll find a Warp Pipe all the way to your left. Quickly hop from small platform to small platform, and make your way to the Pipe. You probably want to just avoid fighting the Rocky Wrenches unless there is no clear and present danger and you have an easy opportunity to take one out with a Jump or Tail Swat. Enter the pipe and you’ll be taken to a new area. At this platform, break the block in the middle to reveal a Wheel. Spin it with your Tail to raise the platform up, where you can grab Star Coin #2.
Star Coin #3 – After making your way across some very tall spinning platforms, you should see the third Star Coin on a small platform below you and to the right. Instead of jumping from the turning platform, make your way to the top with the Cardboard Goombas. From here it’s an easy float down and onto the platform containing the final Star Coin!
Special World 8-3 Bowser’s Castle
Star Coin #1 – This Bowser Castle is timed with a Doppelganger Cosmic Mario hot on your trail! You’ll easily find the first Star Coin, keep an eye to your right and you’ll spot it in the part with the slowly drifting gray platforms.
Star Coin #2 – Unlike during the first quest, you won’t find a Star Coin where you see the slowly downward vertically floating metal grate platforms, instead you’ll spot the second Star Coin adjacent to the first Thwomp you encounter.
Star Coin #3 – The third Star Coin is found within one of the stone towers, which you can get the Cosmic Mario to smash by walking beside them yourself, after which he will mimic you, but will destroy them instead (If you jump ontop of them, he will harmlessly leap on top of them as well). You’ll find the Star Coin in the section where a downward ramp leads to three stone towers, with spaces in between and three Podoboo fireball enemies that shoot out of the lava in the gap. Be sure to circle around quickly and then circle again and finally a third time, which should give you the time and space needed to grab the Star Coin without being hit. The Star Coin is found in the stone tower on the left side. Once again there is no boss in this stage.
Special World 8-4
Star Coin #1 – Now for a timed lava land! This is the same stage with the moving/sinking metallic geometry as before. Only this time it is a Timed level, so be sure to focus on collecting Time Coins. And be sure to enter this level powered with Statue Tanooki. By floating you can skip many sections. Instead of rolling the large grating, Long Jump as soon as you get the Time Coin. Likewise, you’ll find the first Star Coin located to the right of the giant Screw. Instead of slowly turning the screw, simply leap towards the Star Coin and run along the actual bar itself!
Star Coin #2 – Star Coin #2 is found close to where it was in the original version of this stage. You’ll find it directly to the right of the sinking tower. To get it, stand on the section just below the top, then do a small jump towards the Star Coin, floating back to safety.
Star Coin #3 – The final Star Coin is found floating to the right of the final metallic piece at the very top of the rotating cylinder. You can get it by simply floating to it and then floating back to safety.
Special World 8-5 Airship
Star Coin #1 – The first Star Coin is a cinch to find, you’ll see it off to the left side of the platform with all of the breakable bricks. Simply leap over to it.
Star Coin #2 – The second Star Coin is even easier to find, if you can believe it. You’ll see it along the top as you are running through the main path, it is surrounded by boxes, so as soon as you go out to it, leap and float back towards safety.
Star Coin #3 – Once you hit the ship, which looks like the end of the level, you’ll want to make your way to the top section, where you’ll see that the level continues on to a second ship. Make your way across the spinning red cylinders and to your left, where you’ll find the Star Coin floating across the lone metallic gray-colored cylinder among the reds. Simply go over and collect it!
Special World 8 Bowser’s Keep
Star Coin #1 – This level costs a WHOPPING 290 Star Coins to unlock! You will pretty much have to have finished every level on the first quest, including Bowser’s Keep with Luigi, and every Myster Box stage to have enough Star Coins to unlock this final level. You’ll most likely have some house cleaning to finish, so go clear off those stages and come back. Done? Awesome. Before you attempt this stage head to Level 3-2S for Statue Tanooki power, both a Suit and Stone Leaf in reserve. The game will then save, so if you die you can reset (press the 3DS Power Button, then tap Home. Now select Super Mario 3D Land to reset it) and start over again with your Tanooki power intact. This is a Timed Stage so concentrate on destroying the enemies to earn Time Coins! The first Star Coin is found in the section with the Magmaarghs that pop out of the lava. You’ll easily spot the Star Coin floating above a Tri-Coin Block. Nab it!
Star Coin #2 – The second Star Coin is also easily found, you’ll spot it as you are going up the stone steps on the left side. It is close to where the Star Coin was during the first quest, except in an easier to grab location…
Star Coin #3 – The third Star Coin is located at the section where the gray crumbling Donut Blocks end, and the wooden bridge begins on your right. As Dry Bowser leaps to your right, that is your chance to run to the final 298th Star Coin in the upper left hand corner! CONGRATULATIONS! Every Star Coin in the entire game is now YOURS! Mwa ha ha ha ha ha hah!
Note: The highest number of star coins I’ve heard anyone get was 333 by getting all gold flags and unlocking all the gold flag bonus levels with both Mario and Luigi.
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