Bowser's Aquatic Castle is Bowser's second hideout in Super Mario 74. Once Mario has gathered at least 50 Power Stars he can unlock the door in the middle of Second Overworld, Tower of the East. The star door is against the grey mountain face near the central tower. In his new aquatic base Mario can collect the Big Key; allowing him access to the final Overworld, as well as 5 other stars.
The base is more like a rock in the middle of a lake than an actual castle. The center of the stage is a giant basin full of water, with the aforementioned "castle" in the center of it. Surrounding it are various brown shores with different things on them. One the of them contains a small house and a couple of high cliffs. Another one is a small cove with a throne-like structure in the center. The last contains a path leading to a brick tunnel. In here is a flooded area with platforms high above.
Path to Bowser:[]
The path to Bowser is short and simple. Locate the giant rock in the center of the stage and jump in the water surrounding it. Dive to the bottom and swim around the base until you see a Whirlpool with a hole behind it (it is directly behind the base, as there is a second whirlpool on the side). Swim in the hole and you will be inside the rock, which contains a small room with the Warp Pipe.
As with the last fight, the Bowser battle is slightly different, but not too much. The mines are the same disance as they are normally, but there are fire jets in front of them. So either throw him from a distance or throw him from the side.
Missions:[]
Star 1: Top of the Castle[]
The first star is hidden on top of Bowser's base. On top of the right wall at the side of where Mario starts, (behind the stalagmites) is a "!" Switch. Mario can either wall kick against the exterior of the tunnel and grab the top of the wall, or swim around to the sandy beach where a House is and jump up the tan ledges. Jump across the blocks that spawn to lead to other side of the chasm. Either jump to the wooden platform with the red coin on it in the water or use a Fly Guy to reach the roof of Bowser's Castle. Now Triple Jump to grab the star way up on a central ledge.
Star 2: Timed Switch[]
The timed switch spawns blocks in multiple locations. Get to the Switch and look around to see a star on the cliff face far out. Blocks will spawn on the other side of this shore that allow Mario to reach this star. The time the Switch allows is not much, so rush past the house, up the tan cliff, and across the blocks to reach the star.
Star 3: Hidden Ledge[]
Get to the beach with the house and use the wall to get to the roof of it. There is a tunnel going through the wall above it that leads platforms above a flooded tunnel. Jump across the first platform; you will notice the room widens. Look behind you and you will see a star on a platform against the wall.
Star 4: Mountain Side[]
This star is on the side of a high wall. Jump into the water and swim to the left to a coast with an odd chair-like rock in the middle of three cliff walls. To get to the "!" box with the star, wall kick off the back of the central structure to the hole in the wall behind it. Then long jump to the hole in the adjacent wall to grab the star.
Star 5: Red Coins[]
Mario must collect the 8 red coins scattered around the aquatic base. Their locations are as follows:
- In the depts of the water in the tunnel behind where Mario starts.
- In the hole in the wall of the tunnel before he exits it
- On the wooden platform above the lake. Across the cross "!" Switch.
- Follow the path that starts from the hole on top of the house. Across all the platforms above the water is a coin
- Behind the Throne-like rock on the shore next to the start.
- Behind Bowser's Castle rock
- In a hole underwater behind Bowser's Castle Rock
- Next to the Warp Pipe leading to Bowser, on some lava.
When Mario collects all 8, the star spawns in front of the house.
Enemies[]
- Goomba
- Fly Guy
- Kuromame
- Chuckya