1996 was a long time ago y’all. Super Mario 64 may have just hit the Nintendo Switch as part of the Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection, but for some people it’s the very first time they’ve embarked on Mario’s seminal 3D adventure. And looking back on it now, it doesn’t go out of its way to explain stuff. To help those new players we’ve got some guides for simple walkthroughs of basic elements of the game. Let’s start with the mechanics of exploring the game’s main hub level. Here’s how to get more star power and open doors in Peach’s Castle in Super Mario 64, as part of Super Mario 3D All-Stars.
How to Get More Star Power
The beginning of Super Mario 64 tosses you into Peach’s Castle, or outside the castle at the very beginning, and sort of expects you to figure out how it all works. In short, you’re going to be hunting Stars, as is usually the case for this storied franchise. Within the castle are tons of areas, usually blocked by locked doors. The initial starting area features a few with numbers on them, but these are blocked from access until you have enough “Star Power”. What does this mean?
It means you’re at the wrong door. To begin Super Mario 64 just walk into Peach’s Castle and turn left then head through the door with a blank Star on it. This requires no Star Power to enter, but each time you get a Star in the stage inside you can open more doors.
How to Open Doors in Peach’s Castle
Once you complete a stage and earn a Star you can head back out and try to find new doors to open, or stay where you are and try to get even more Stars. Once you have a few you should be able to walk up to new doors in Peach’s Castle and open them right away, as long as you have enough Stars to do it. The number on the door tells you how many are needed, with most not requiring more than you can get in unlocked levels nearby.
So that’s how to get more star power and open doors in Peach’s Castle in Super Mario 64, as part of Super Mario 3D All-Stars.
