Home Social Media Hype 1

The 12 Most Elusive Super Mario 64 Secret Stars And Unused Mysteries (Beyond 120)

• minute read
Contents

For decades, Super Mario 64 has captivated players with its revolutionary 3D platforming and the iconic challenge of collecting 120 Power Stars. But for a dedicated community of speedrunners, hackers, and data miners, the true game begins where the official one ends: in the realm of the secret stars that exist outside the main count, in the game's code, and as the product of incredible glitches. This deep dive, updated for late 2025, goes beyond the well-known 15 Castle Secret Stars to explore the true, enduring mysteries of Peach's Castle.

The quest for 100% completion is a rite of passage for any Nintendo fan, but the modern era of game hacking and source code leaks has revealed that the developers left behind fascinating breadcrumbs of an even deeper challenge. From the legendary 121st Star rumor to the actual unused objects found in the code, the secrets of Super Mario 64 are more complex and persistent than ever before.

The 15 Essential Castle Secret Stars (The Foundation of Mastery)

Before diving into the deepest, most technical secrets, any expert must first master the 15 Castle Secret Stars. These stars are crucial for reaching the 120-star goal but are not tied to a specific course number, appearing simply as 'Secret Star' on the selection screen. They are the gateway to true castle exploration and unlock key areas like the Wing Cap, the Metal Cap, and the final Bowser fight. These foundational secrets are often categorized by their location or method of acquisition.

  • Toad Stars (3): Three different Toads scattered throughout the castle (in the Hazy Maze Cave room, the second floor, and the third floor) will simply give Mario a star.
  • Red Coin Stars (5): Five stars are earned by collecting all eight Red Coins in a secret area. These include the Secret Aquarium, the Tower of the Wing Cap, the Cavern of the Metal Cap, the Vanish Cap Under the Moat, and the Rainbow Ride Secret.
  • Secret Slide Stars (2): The Princess's Secret Slide offers two stars: one for completing the slide and a second for completing it in under 21 seconds.
  • MIPS the Rabbit Star (1): The golden rabbit, MIPS, found in the basement, must be caught to earn a star.
  • 100-Coin Stars (4): Each of the three Cap Stages (Wing, Metal, Vanish) and the Secret Aquarium has a 100-Coin Star, which is counted among the 15 Castle Secret Stars.

Mastering these 15 stars, combined with the 7 stars from each of the 15 main courses, brings the total to the official 120 Power Stars. But the community's curiosity has always pushed for more.

The Unused Star Legends and Beta Mysteries

The most compelling and fresh secrets in Super Mario 64 come from the game's beta files and source code, which were leaked to the public, offering an unprecedented look into cut content. This is where the legend of the 121st Star truly took hold, fueling the imaginations of fans for years.

The Myth of the 121st Star

The idea of a 121st Star has been a popular rumor since the game's release, often tied to the secret message from Yoshi on the castle roof. However, the 2020 source code leak provided the first concrete evidence of a star beyond the official count.

Data miners found references to an Unused 121st Star object within the game's files, specifically in a beta level known as "Level99." This level was a copy of the first course, Bob-omb Battlefield, but contained various unused objects, including a placeholder for this 121st Star.

While the object exists in the code, it was not intended to be collected in the final game, and the star counter is hard-coded to stop at 120. Some prominent community members have since clarified that the appearance of a 121st star in some editor tools was a misleading artifact, but its presence in the source code remains a fascinating piece of gaming history.

Unused Beta Stars and Objects

The source code leak also revealed other cut content related to Power Stars, providing a glimpse into a different version of the game's design:

  • Early Star Models: The game files contain models for "early stars" and other unused objects like "Boo Keys" and trampolines, suggesting different mechanics or level layouts were considered during development.
  • Cut Level Data: Data for scrapped levels and alterations to existing levels were found, which would have naturally contained their own sets of stars that were ultimately cut from the final release.
  • The "Secret Star" Name: The very concept of "Secret Stars" (those not tied to a course number) may have been an early design choice to fill out the 120-star count after some course-specific stars were removed or consolidated.

Glitch Stars and the Quest for 121+ (The Community Secrets)

The final, and arguably most dynamic, category of Super Mario 64 secret stars are those created by the modern community. These are not objects in the game world but rather glitch-based accomplishments that redefine what it means to "collect" a star. The speedrunning and ROM hacking communities, including prominent figures like Kaze Emanuar, continue to push the boundaries of the game, finding new ways to manipulate the star count.

The 0-Star and 16-Star Glitch Runs

While the game requires stars to unlock new areas, players have found ways to bypass these requirements entirely using advanced techniques like the Backwards Long Jump (BLJ).

  • 0-Star Completion: This is a run where players finish the game without collecting any Power Stars at all. The BLJ glitch is used to clip through walls and ascend the endless stairs to the final Bowser fight, completely ignoring the 70-star requirement.
  • 16-Star Completion: This is the most popular speedrunning category, where players only collect the minimum 16 stars required to reach the first Bowser fight and then use glitches to bypass the rest of the castle's star requirements.

These glitch-based runs turn the entire star collection mechanic on its head, treating the stars not as collectibles but as optional obstacles, and are considered the ultimate "secret" knowledge of the game's coding. The ongoing discoveries by hackers like Kaze Emanuar, who find new ways to break the game's logic, ensure that the *Super Mario 64* community remains vibrant and that new "secrets" are uncovered even in late 2025.

The Enduring Legacy of Secrets

The enduring appeal of Super Mario 64 is the depth of its secrets. The game is a masterclass in hidden content, starting with the 15 essential Castle Secret Stars and expanding into the fascinating world of unused code and game-breaking glitches. Whether you are a casual player hunting down MIPS or a dedicated speedrunner executing a frame-perfect BLJ, the secrets of Peach's Castle continue to be explored, proving that even a 30-year-old game can still hold new, profound mysteries.

The 12 Most Elusive Super Mario 64 Secret Stars and Unused Mysteries (Beyond 120)
mario 64 secret stars
mario 64 secret stars

Detail Author:

  • Name : Nicole Fritsch PhD
  • Username : mlarson
  • Email : becker.hilbert@denesik.biz
  • Birthdate : 1997-11-09
  • Address : 976 Luella Extension Apt. 086 Lake Kaseyhaven, AK 59126-1005
  • Phone : 425.867.7010
  • Company : Willms and Sons
  • Job : Farm and Home Management Advisor
  • Bio : Tempora illum illum pariatur. Accusantium qui rem fugit quos. Laboriosam omnis possimus eius dolores minus.

Socials

twitter:

  • url : https://twitter.com/angelitastreich
  • username : angelitastreich
  • bio : Illum nam sapiente facere consequatur. Exercitationem consectetur ullam animi aut aut voluptates. Necessitatibus iste quas sit velit porro voluptatem.
  • followers : 5122
  • following : 425

facebook:

  • url : https://facebook.com/astreich
  • username : astreich
  • bio : Quia in harum ut perferendis eum. Voluptas qui odio non est explicabo omnis ut.
  • followers : 5568
  • following : 2851

linkedin:

Random Posts