Lethal Lava Land
Lethal Lava Land is the seventh course in Super Mario 64, and later Super Mario 64 DS. As the name suggests, it is a course filled with Lava. There are many traps in the course compared to most previous levels. The primary enemies in the stage are the Bullies. The boss, in fact, is a Big Bully that Mario must push into lava. They exist in this stage as an annoyance to push Mario into the lava of the course. Unlike most other Mario games, the lava does not immediately defeat Mario; instead, it depletes Mario's health by three and sends him flying around. Fortunately, there are no bottomless pits to take away a life instantly.
Highlights of this stage include a sliding puzzle that forms a picture of Bowser, many tilting platforms which easily dip Mario into lava, and a rolling log along which Mario must run. Most notable is a volcano in the center of the stage. In the DS version, Power Flowers can save Wario from taking damage in the lava in this stage. Instead, Metal Wario gradually sinks into the lava as he walks along it, and must continuously jump to keep on the surface, similar to parts of Shifting Sand Land.
The entrance to Lethal Lava Land is a painting of what appears to be a fireball with an eerie face, and is located in the basement of Princess Peach's Castle. It resembles an enemy known as a Bomb.
Levels
The level titles and numbers correspond to Super Mario 64 unless otherwise noted.
Star 1: Boil The Big Bully
This level is the same in both Super Mario 64 and its remake, Super Mario 64 DS. After Mario enters the stage, he needs to go up to the northern end of the stage across bridges, firebars, and the Bowser puzzle. Mario should then see a large bully on a square platform across the area. Using a variety of punches, kicks, and other attacks, Mario will be able to push the Big Bully off the arena and into the lava. The Star will appear atop another platform and a set of steps (which will break apart) will also appear leading the plumber to it.
Star 2: Bully The Bullies
This level is the same in both Super Mario 64 and its remake. Mario should head to the right of the site of his battle with Big Bully. He'll see a larger platform with three regular Bullies. With his punches, kicks, and attacks, the plumber can easily defeat the smaller bullies. After defeating the trio, a Big Bully will drop down and fight Mario. After pushing it into the lava below, the Power Star will appear in the center of the platform.
Star 3: 8-Coin Puzzle With 15 Pieces
This level is the same in both Super Mario 64 and its remake. Here, Mario should head strait until coming up to a bridge that he will then cross. Then Mario needs to go left again and cross another bridge that opens and closes repeatedly, giving Mario a chance to fall off. Heading right afterwords, the red capped plumber should see platforms with a picture of Bowser on it. The pieces will shift around and Mario will have to collect the eight red coins above them while avoiding falling into the lava. The power star will appear above the star marker on the stone platform in the corner of the puzzle.
Star 4: Red-Hot Log Rolling
This level is the same in both Super Mario 64 and its remake. Mario will need to travel to the right of the volcano in the center of the stage. There will be a platform with two bullies. Mario will then have to go across the platform on the side, avoiding flames shooting out of the fire. He will then be near a large log that he should stand on, causing it to spin. Mario will need to keep his balance and cross the log and then go left across a narrow pathway to reach the Power Star. In the DS remake the player can simply skip the log by doing a backward jump, by using Luigi, and head to the star.
Star 5: Hot-Foot-It Into The Volcano
This level is the same in both Super Mario 64 and its remake. To get this star, Mario must jump in the volcano located in the center of the stage. Inside there are many black islands. Mario must go across them until he gets to the walkway that follows the perimeter of the volcano's interior. On the way up, there are some Bullies to push Mario off, leading him to a possible death. Also, one part of the wall can fall and crush Mario if he isn't paying attention. Later on, there is a section with floating platforms. Mario needs to jump one-by-one to the other side where he will find poles leading to the star. Carefully, Mario must jump pole-to-pole without missing. If he makes it, the star will be waiting at the end of the walkway.
Star 6: Elevator Tour Into the Volcano
To get this star, Mario must jump in the volcano at the center of the stage. He must then continue left from inside, and then jump onto the elevator. He will be sent up but will then have to jump on another elevator and ride on that one. The elevator will, at some point, fall down and Mario will have to jump on the platform to his left before falling. Rotating Firebars are found on the platforms and Mario must quickly climb up a pole onto another platform with rotating Firebars, followed by three very small platforms to jump across. After the three platforms are passed, Mario can grab the star on the last platform.
In Super Mario 64 DS, the mission is the same as in original version of the game, however it is renamed "Inside the Volcano".
Star 7: Flaming Silver Stars (DS only)
Super Mario 64 DS added a seventh mission to Lethal Lava land. In it, five Silver Stars are marked on the player's map and must be collected to produce a Power Star. Mario or one of his accomplices must run across the first platform and past the archway, where a yellow "!" block twill give them a green turtle shell to ride on. While riding on the shell, the character's impervious to the lava below them, giving them free-range over the level, and easy access to all five silver stars are within easy reach while riding the shell. Finally, the golden Power Star will appear on the rock formation behind the level's start.
The Volcano
A Volcano is located in Lethal Lava Land in the game Super Mario 64 and its remake. It appears to be the source of much of the lava in the course. It is possible to jump inside the top of the volcano to access a hidden area of the level. The volcano's interior houses the two final Stars needed to complete the level.
Outside
In the center of the Lethal Lava Land stage is an active volcano that sits right in the center of a ring-shaped platform that spins around it. The volcano erupts every few seconds, showering the rotating platform with fireballs. Whenever the volcano erupts, the spinning platform surrounding it will stop, and after the eruption it will continue to spin. This may make it hard to enter the volcano.
Inside
The volcano's diminutive outer appearance betrays its massive interior. The entire "floor" is a pool of lava, fed by an enormous "lavafall" at the back of the volcano, but there are several black stone islands that Mario can stand on. There is also a ledge that runs along the wall to the top of the volcano. Bullies patrol the ledge, and the walls shoot fire. One section of the wall even falls open, crushing Mario beneath it. Suspended high in the air in the middle of the volcano is a floating platform that can only be reached by an elevator. A rotating fire propeller sweeps flames across the platform.
Trivia
- Total coins in this course: 133.
- Coincedentally, in Super Mario 64 DS, the picture of Bowser on the puzzle is extremely similar to Bowser's Super Mario Galaxy artwork, even though the said game was not released for 3 more years.
