Super Mario 3D Land Star Coins Locations Guide (3DS)

Our Super Mario 3D Land Star Coins locations guide gives the location of all 3 Star Coins hidden in each level of the game, from World 1 to World 8!

Star Coins, referred to as Star Medals in the game, are large collectible Coins with the emblem of a Star embedded on them. They are hidden in secret locations in each and every level. In order to complete the game 100%, you will need to find all three secret Star Coins found in each stage. No small feat. Thankfully, many of them are found in plain sight and are easy to find. For the rest, that’s where our exhaustive and extensive guide, written solely by yours truly, comes into play!

With our help, you’ll be able to locate each and every single Star Coin in the game (144 total Star Coins in the first playthrough), and build a major case towards beating the game 100%. Star Coins are needed in order to unlock certain stages in the game. In order to unlock these levels, you’ll need to purchase the stage by paying a fee of a certain amount of Star Coins. Just like in New Super Mario Bros. DS. And like that game, we are calling theses collectables Star Coins instead of Star Medals, because that is what the large majority of modern Mario gamers who played the previous NSMB DS and Wii games know them by. And they are essentially the same exact thing.

It’s also worth noting that an even greater challenge opens up once you complete all 8 Worlds… which is why you need to find all Star Coins!

Gameplay Tip

You can perform an advanced move by running and then pressing the following buttons: L, Y and B. Pressing L while running makes you crouch, as you are sliding you press Y to perform a roll and then press B to leap; turn the roll into an attack! Using this technique you can break breakable blocks! This means that you can enter the lone breakable bricks at the bottom of walls in some sections of the game WITHOUT being required to have Tanooki Mario! Normally you use his tail to break the blocks and enter a secret. You can also use the roll to navigate across large portions of land much quicker, or to escape danger quickly. Keep this in mind! I didn’t discover this move until halfway through playing, and never realized you could use it to break those lone bricks to get into secrets! So big thanks for the tip to … someone, he posted as “Guest” in the comments.

Without further ado, I present the Video Games Blogger Super Mario 3D Land Star Coins Guide! If you need help anywhere, don’t hesitate to leave a comment!

Table of Contents

Index of Super Mario 3D Land Guides:

World 1 Star Coins

Level 1-1

Star Coin #1 – This Star Coin cannot be missed. You’ll locate it within clear view as you are crossing the second river as you head right from the start of the stage. Run along the bottom and you’ll see a rope that crosses the river, with the Star Coin reachable by onto the rope then leaping up to grab it. You also may want to come back to this level many times throughout your playthrough, as you can find a Power-Up (typically a Fire Flower), located in the Question Mark block at the center of the two regular blocks at the start of the level. And you’ll easily earn a Tanooki Suit or two in this level as well as many easy 1Ups! Thanks to Momizi for the tip!

Star Coin #2 – As soon as you climb up the orange and yellow moving platforms to higher ground, you’ll notice a lone tree to the upper left of you. Climb up the tree and the camera will pan out to reveal a Music Note Block. Climb to the top of the tree to perform a handstand, and jump while Mario’s feet are pointing toward the Music Note Block. You can press left or right to manuever Mario so he’s pointing in a different direction. From there leap up the other Music Note Blocks until you reach the top platform, where you’ll find a Green Pipe. Enter the pipe by pressing L, and you’ll be Warped to a new area where you’ll see the Star Coin floating atop a block. Climb up to reach it and longjump to the block and this Star Coin is yours!

Star Coin #3 – Once you reach the point where you are heading forward in the level, towards the end, climb up a Music Note Block on the left and onto a blue platform that leads to a red platform then another blue platform. From the blue platform is a rope which features Star Coin #3. Jump up and nab it!

Level 1-2

Star Coin #1 – This stage is best played with Tanooki Mario (which means you might want to avoid the Fire Flower Power-Ups). The first Star Coin can’t be missed. You’ll see it in the back of the spinning metal platform with the Inky Piranha Plant. If you have Fire Mario simply shoot the enemy from afar. If you’re Tanooki Mario, quickly run up and whack him with your tail, or jump and float down onto his head to destroy him. Either way, kill the foe and then wait until the platform spins, carrying you into this first Star Coin.

Star Coin #2 – After hitting the Checkpoint Flag, keep heading right through the tunnel. On your left you can hit three Invicible Blocks, the one furthest in holds a Star. Run to the right and you’ll see the second Star Coin in plain view. It is hovering above to large, yellow, moving platforms. Make sure you don’t fall and carefully leap into the coin or ride a platform until you’re under the Star Coin, then jump to get it; making sure to land back onto the platform. The easiest way is to have Tanooki Mario, and simply leap and float to get the Star Coin while clearing the entire hole or landing on a yellow platform at the end.

Star Coin #3 – Directly after getting the second Star Coin, you’ll spot Star Coin #3 in the background. In front of you are two swinging spiked balls, which you want to avoid being hit by, and in the background are two Inky Piranha Plants that will shoot black go at your screen, obstructing your view. As should be obvious, the easiest way to grab this Star Coin is to simply float over to the platform in the background with Tanooki Mario, grabbing the Star Coin and swatting the enemies with your tail. Alternatively, carefully make it through the swinging spiked balls, running as they are swinging away from you into the background, wait in the middle for the ink to go away, and then run passed the second one. From there you can get an easy shot at the enemies and Star Coin #3.

Level 1-3

Star Coin 1 – Right off the bat, stand on the Binocular Platform and press R to Zoom In (L Zooms out). You want to find Toad, who you can hear. Locate him on the upper right, atop the curved wall. You’ll see him drop the Star Coin. Run down to the Music Note Box and jump on it to reach this Star Coin.

Star Coin #2 – Beyond the part with the wooden stakes that you can Butt Stomp into the ground, you’ll see the path branch. If you go forward you’ll get a Fire Flower. Instead, head to the right where you’ll find a Magic Block that takes you to a bonus area. Try to be Tanooki Mario to make it easier. Once you’re in the clouds, collect the Starman Power-Up from the Question Mark block and use it to run through all of the enemies, killing them in one hit. At the end you’ll see this second Star Coin.

Star Coin #3 – Continuing from the above, you’ll fall from the sky, where you can see a Star Coin floating on the clouds below you, but on a different path. Now head back and take the forward route with the Fire Flower. As you cross from where you fell, there will be two moving cloud platforms with a Red Coin ring. To be safe, avoid trying to get the Red Coins (collect them all for a 1Up Mushroom). It’s easy to die here trying to collect them and even if you make the 1UP Mushroom appear, it’s likely it will simply move and fall off the clouds. Make it back to the branching path and head forward. If you are Tanooki Mario avoid the Fire Flower, it’s better to be Tanooki Mario than Fire Mario for the leaping to the clouds below. At the first part, allow the cloud to come to you before leaping, although make sure you leap just as it arrives so it doesn’t move when you’re falling. If you are Tanooki Mario, be very careful and leap at the right time, fall a bit, then use your floating ability, before freefalling again. This lets you maneuver yourself before you fall. Keep falling down the cloud platforms until you see the Star Coin, and be sure to fall straight ontop of it so you collect it. Yahoo!

Level 1-4

Star Coin #1 – For Star Coin #1, you’ll want to manuever the Arrow Platform (Stand on the forward arrow to make it go forward, stand on the back arrow to make the platform start moving backward) above the first Water Spray that shoots up. This will lift the platform onto a higher short track, where you can move the platform forward and collect the first Star Coin.

Star Coin #2 – As soon as the track for the first Arrow Platform ends, you’ll see a section of ground with the Checkpoint Flag, and then another Arrow Platform. As you stand on the Arrow Platform, you can see the second Star Coin on a track below you. Move the Arrow Platform forward until the track ends and you fall to the lower track. As soon as you land stand on the back arrow so the platform moves backwards. Keep it moving backward until you run into the Star Coin that you saw from above.

Star Coin #3 – Shortly after the above, you’ll find Star Coin #3. You’ll find it after exiting or passing the Magic Box that takes you to a bonus stage. Following that, you’ll notice the Star Coin above you. Keep riding the Arrow Platform forward until you reach the first of two Water Sprays. Wait until the spray stops, then manuever the Arrow Platform atop it, until it sprays and send you upward. Now press the back arrow to move the Arrow Platform backwards and into Star Coin #3!

Level 1 Castle

Star Coin #1 – The first Star Coin can’t be missed, although it is somewhat harder to grab if you don’t have Tanooki Mario, so if you can, enter this stage as Tanooki Mario or with a Super Leaf in reserve. You’ll find Star Coin one hovering above the middle of the first large spinning gear. You’ll see the Star Coin in the middle, above a small pool of lava. A Fireball will shoot up vertically right where the Star Coin is, so wait until it falls back into the puddle of lava before leaping for the Star Coin. If you’re Tanooki Mario, this is easy, as you can hold B to float back down safely to the other side.

Star Coin #2 – The second Star Coin also can’t be missed. You’ll find it following the Checkpoint Flag and your first encounter with a Hammr Bros. After taking them out and hitting the Checkpoint, you’ll see the Star Coin hovering above. Make sure not to get hit by the spinning Fire Bar as it rotates. Jump up and grab the second Star Coin!

Star Coin #3 – The third Star Coin is very easy to get, although it can be missed. You’ll find it after the first Thwomp. Where you see the second Thwomp (stone enemies that try to smash you if you move close to them), wait for him to slam down, and then go behind him as he’s rising. Wall Jump by leaping towards the wall, holding the control stick until Mario slides, then pressing jump again (repeat). Eventually you’ll reach the top and nab the third Star Coin while you’re at it. At the top you can use the Binocular Pad to see the goal and grab a 1Up Mushroom. Remember to take the same path where the Thwomp is to get back down.