Vanish Cap Under the Moat

Mario in Vanish Cap Under the Moat.

Map of The Secret Under the Moat in Super Mario 64 DS.

Vanish Cap Under the Moat is a secret course in Super Mario 64 that contains the Vanish Cap's ! Switch. In order to access the course, Mario must drain the water in the moat of Princess Peach's Castle by pounding two certain pillars in the basement. After doing so, there will be a hole in the drained moat that will warp him to the course.

When Mario first enters the course, he will be atop a large slide, with several ledges located scattered throughout. Upon entering, Mario will also be transparent, though it won't be of much use on the slide. At the bottom of the slide is a path consisting of various moving and teetering platforms that lead to the ! Switch. There are several Amps on the path, as well as fire traps, but they aren't a major threat. Once Mario pushes the ! Switch, all the blue ! Blocks in the game will become solid, making the Vanish Cap usable.

Levels

Star 1

There are eight Red Coins in the area. The first four must be gotten on the slide at the start, while the other four can be found along the path to the ! Switch. The Star Marker is inside a cage next to the ! Switch, so after collecting the final Red Coin and pushing the switch, Mario will have to don a Vanish Cap to pass through the cage and nab the Power Star.

Enemies Encountered

• Fire Spitter
• Amp