New Super Mario Bros. 2 star coins walkthrough
Here a coin, there a coin, everywhere a coin…
Star World
The Star World will become visible once you have defeated Bowser in his castle. When you exit the castle after the credits roll, this world will appear on the map underneath World 6. You can enter it right away, although you won’t be able to actually play any of the levels on it until you have the 90 star coins needed to access the stages. Unlike the rest of the stages previously, you won’t be looking for Star Coins in these levels. Here your targets are Moon Coins, but really, they are just the same thing.
Stage Star-1
1: At the fifth notch on the map, you will see the moon coin underneath the platform. To get it, hit the brick there to reveal the P Switch and all the bricks below will turn to coins. Drop down and fall to the bottom to reach a green pipe. Enter it and it will shoot you up to get the coin.
2: Just after the checkpoint flag, you will cross two sets of spinning brick platforms. Once on the other side, the coin will be below. To get it, use large Mario to butt-slam through the row of bricks to the right of the coin and then either crouch to get the coin or grab the koopa’s shell and toss it at it.
3: When you reach the fifth notch on the map past the checkpoint flag, you will see the final moon coin beside a stack of bricks and a ? Switch. Grab the coin and then hit the switch to raise the bridge. If you hit the switch first, you won’t be able to reach it.
Stage Star-2
1: At the third map notch, the coin will be located just above the upper platform. Simply jump up to the ledge as it moves and hop up to grab the coin.
2: Immediately to the right of the checkpoint, you will see the second moon coin at the bottom of the screen between two columns. Go to the right a bit more and grab the red Koopa shell. Go back to the coin and toss the shell down to hit the coin to collect it.
3: At the third notch past the checkpoint flag, the final moon coin will be below some collapsible ledges. Hop across to them and stand on the middle one till it falls. Grab the coin when it does and then hop back up.
Stage Star-3
1: When you reach the fourth notch on the map, you will be at a platform with two Whomps and another platform between it and the platform to the right with ghosts surrounding it. Walk off the platform in the middle and go down the hole in the bottom of the screen to enter a room filled with ghosts. Swim through the middle of them and you will grab the coin on the way to the pipe at the far side.
2: At the second notch past the checkpoint, there will be a high platform with a Whomp on either side of it. Jump on the surrounding platforms and two sets of bricks will appear allowing you to jump up to the very top platform where the moon coin is.
3: When you reach the fifth notch past the check point, you will come to a large Whomp, the second in a row. Jump on him, and jump to the left to the platform there. Run and jump to the left again and you will land on two platforms above the other Large Whomp. Stand on the left platform and jump to find a hidden block that has a vine. Climb up and in the center the will be a large Whomp. Get him to fall over and the moon coin will appear behind where he was standing.
Stage Star-4
1: At the beginning of this stage, make sure to grab the mini-mushroom from the first block after exiting the first pipe you enter. Now continue to the fifth map notch, and you will come to the first moon coin atop a log platform just to the left of the checkpoint flag.
2: While still being a mini-mario, keep going through the stage until you reach the end and there is a blue pipe. Under the blue pipe is a tiny green pipe that you need to go into. Drop inside it and swim to the right to find the coin in the center of the area.
3: Once you exit the room with the previous moon coin, simply go to the right a few steps and you will see the final coin along the bottom of the screen. Hop along the moving logs to grab it.
Stage Star-5
1: When you start to make your way to the right across the platforms, a Lakitu will show up in the sky. Bop him and take his cloud and go up and to the right following the trail of coins. At around the sixth notch on the map, you will nab the moon coin in the sky.
2: At the third notch on the map after the checkpoint, you will come to the second coin below a platform. Stand on the platform and wait as the Koopa comes over to you. When he walks onto your platform, it will fall. Jump on the Koopa to kill it and then fall, get the coin, and quickly jump jump off.
3: At the fifth notch on the map past the checkpoint, you will come to a series of platforms above and below each other along with another Lakitu flying about. Bop him again and then follow the line of coins going upwards to find a green pipe in the sky. Enter it and you can grab the final moon coin in this room.
Stage Star-6
1: At the sixth notch on the map, you will be swimming to the right while avoiding skeleton fish. The first coin will be located there in an alcove along the ceiling. Simply swim up to grab it.
2: Alost immediately past the previous coin, you will come out of the corridor to a larger area. Along the ceiling will be a purple pipe that you can enter. Do so and the second coin will be in the center of the room between two skeleton fish.
3: When you reach the fifth notch on the map past the checkpoint flag, you will see the final moon coin in the center of the passage, in the middle of a swarm of skeleton fish. Carefully swim in between them to grab it and continue on.
Stage Star-7
1: At the fourth map notch, you will see the first moon coin under a stone bridge. To get it simply walk along the lower ledges to the left of the bridge and then jump across the lava pool to grab it.
2: When you reach the first notch past the checkpoint flag, you will see two blocks in the air apart from each other. Jump to reveal a hidden block in between them and a vine will rise up to the sky. Climb up it and then hop across the platforms to the far right to land on a collapsible platform above the coin. Wait for it to fall and ride it down while nabbing the coin along the way.
3: When you reach the fifth notch past the checkpoint flag, the second moon coin will be between two stone columns on a collapsible platform. Drop down on to the platform while avoiding the fireballs and then quickly jump back out once you get the coin.
Stage Star - Bowser’s Castle
1: To grab the first moon coin, continue to the right until the third notch on the map and it will be near the bottom of the screen on a fence. To get it, wait for the Koopa Kids to flash their stare and then drop down, grab the coin, and climb back up to the right as quickly as you can.
2: For the second coin, when you reach the fourth notch on the map, you will need to grab the coin along the collapsible walkway along the bottom of the screen. Take cover from the Koopa Kids while hanging on the rope behind the wall. Drop down to the platform once they flash their stare and quickly run to get the coin and jump up to the fence on the right and then jump to the cover right beside it.
3: Once you go through the wooden door, keep going to the right until you jump on the green moving blocks. Stay to the front of them as much as you can and when you see the first fence square below the rope across the ceiling, jump up to it. The coin will then appear and you’ll need to move quick to get it. When you have it, drop back down on the green blocks again and continue.
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Jeff McAllister is a freelance journalist who has contributed to GamesRadar+ over the years. You'll typically find his byline associated with deep-dive guides that are designed to help you scoop up collectibles and find hidden treasures in some of the biggest action and RPG games out there. Be sure to give Jeff a thanks in the comments while you're completing all of those tricky Achievements and Trophies.