Big Boo's Haunt

Big Boo's Haunt is a three-story mansion located in a small cage. It is the fifth course in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS. Unlike most other courses, Big Boo's Haunt is one of the rare courses that is not accessed via a painting. Instead, Mario must travel to the castle's courtyard (after he has collected twelve Power Stars, fifteen in the DS remake) and defeat a Big Boo. The Boo will drop a small cage containing the course. Mario gets teleported to Big Boo's Haunt upon entering this cage. The level is bounded by what appears to be the bars of a cage, like the one in the entrance to the course. The background is that of a moonlit night in a dark forest as well as blizzard-sounding wind.

Big Boo's Haunt is inhabited by Big Boo himself. There is a small shack on the side of the mansion that has a lift to the basement. In the center of the basement is a large merry-go-round. There is also the Mad Piano (a piano that comes to life and tries to bite Mario (Luigi and Wario in the DS version) if he gets too close). Big Boo's Haunt is also home to Big Mr. I. There are two entrances into the main building: the front door immediately visible upon entering the level, and a single back door that leads into a room containing two Boos. This course is one of a few that contain bridges made of bricks that fall away when walked upon. Big Boo's Haunt is the only course that does not share a theme with another course. The music for the Merry-Go-Round is also used in the minigames Lakitu Launch, Bingo Ball, and Slots Shot.

In Super Mario 64 DS, this is the only main course that Yoshi cannot access entirely; as he is not strong enough to defeat Boos in this game, and he cannot eat any. If Yoshi tries to eat a Boo, the player will receive a message saying ''You can't eat ghosts! (Laughs)''

Levels
The level titles and numbers correspond to Super Mario 64 unless otherwise noted.

Star 1: Go On A Ghost Hunt
This level is the same in both Super Mario 64 and its remake, Super Mario 64 DS. Mario must defeat every Boo on the first floor, and once every one of them has been defeated, Big Boo appears in the main room of the mansion. He can be defeated by being punched from behind, as he turns invisible whenever Mario faces him from the front. He is not very difficult to defeat as he really has no attacks besides bumping into Mario. He is also easier to hit because of his large size. Once Mario has defeated him, a Star appears on the second floor and a staircase appears from the ground to reach it. The locations of the Boos are:
 * Found either at the back entrance room, or in the second door to the left. (Two Boos)
 * Found in the left door in the back.
 * Found in the right door in the back.
 * Found either in the door across falling bridge or the door the right.

Whenever Mario defeats a ghost in the first star mission, "Go on a Ghost Hunt", of the level, Big Boo delivers the message "Ghosts...don't...die! Heh heh heh! Can you get out of here...ALIVE?". After the last Boo is defeated, it sends a different message.


 * Names in Other Languages

Star 2: Ride Big Boo's Merry-Go-Round
This level is the same in both Super Mario 64 and its remake. Once he enters the course, Mario should enter the shack near the mansion. He'll take the lift to the basement and hear "circus music" as he progress onward. There will be a door that leads into a room with a spinning floor and Boo paintings around the walls. One painting near a doorway will shoot out fire while Boos will appear out of one on the left side of the other doorway. After Mario defeats five normal Boos, Big Boo will appear again and give up another Power Star once Mario defeats him in the same way he did in the first mission. This battle with Big Boo is slightly harder because of the rotating platform and fire coming out of the paintings.


 * Names in Other Languages

Star 3: Secret of the Haunted Books
This level is the same in both Super Mario 64 and its remake. The third mission for the red-capped plumber is on the second floor. Once Mario reaches the second floor of the Foyer, he should take the right hand door on the left side of the room. This will lead him into a small library. As Mario heads around the library, small books shoot out from the shelves; these will injure him if not avoided, and are not to be confused with the books with teeth that attack Mario in other rooms. Once Mario has rounded the corner, he will come to a wall with three books jutting out of the wall. If Mario punches or kicks them in the right order, the wall will move away revealing a door. If he hits the books in an incorrect order, a small book will attack him and the books will reset. Once he enters through the door, he will be able to claim this mission's Power Star. The correct order would be top, bottom and middle.


 * Names in Other Languages

Star 4: Seek the 8 Red Coins
Mario has to collect the eight Red Coins scattered about the level. This mission is the same in both Super Mario 64 and its remake. The location of the red coins are:
 * Behind the Mad Piano in the first door on the left.
 * On top of the shelf on the right in the second door on the left.
 * On top of the shelf on the left in the second door on the left.
 * On a small ledge in in the door on the right.
 * Up the stairs in the last door on the right, behind the bookshelf.
 * Up the stairs in the first door on the right, under a coffin.
 * Up the stairs in the first door on the right, under another coffin (64 version only)
 * Floating somewhat in the middle of the main hall (DS version only)
 * Up the stairs in the first door on the left.


 * Names in Other Languages

Star 5: Big Boo's Balcony
Mario's next journey in both games for this star takes him to another encounter with Big Boo. He'll head up to the third floor and see a door that will lead to the outside balcony, where he will meet Big Boo once again. After his third defeat, Big Boo will give up yet another Power Star. The Star will jump up to the roof of the house, and Mario will have to get up to retrieve it.


 * Names in Other Languages

Star 6: Eye to Eye in the Secret Room
Back on the third floor, Mario will see a wall with a picture of a Boo. The Power Star he seeks is on the other side of the picture. What he must do is to have activated the blue ! Switch and to be able to use the Vanish Cap located on the second floor. He needs to quickly acquire the cap and rush through the wall on the third floor, where Big Mr. I resides. Once Mario defeats it, he will be rewarded with another Power Star.

Like with Star 5, this level is the same in Super Mario 64 DS as it is in the original, but must be completed using Luigi, as he is the only one who can turn invisible (using a Power Flower, not a Vanish Cap).


 * Names in Other Languages

Star 7 (DS): Switch Star in the Basement
As a mission exclusive to Super Mario 64 DS, this one requires Wario to complete the level. In the basement, there is a black box that only Wario can break. Underneath is a Star Switch that will activate the Star, which he can retrieve it.


 * Names in Other Languages

Differences in the DS Version

 * In Super Mario 64 DS, the player can find King Boo, and although he is a large boo with a crown, he was still named "Big Boo" (even though the game was released after Luigi's Mansion).
 * At the top floor of the mansion, there is a Luigi painting that leads to the Big Boo Battle. Mario can access this by turning into Balloon Mario by hitting the Red ! Block, or by doing a wall kick. Luigi and Wario can back flip off the top of the Flower Box.

Enemies

 * Boo
 * Big Boo
 * Mr. I
 * Big Mr. I
 * Mad Piano
 * Bookend
 * Scuttle Bug
 * Killer Chair
 * Chain Chomp

Statistics from Super Mario 64

 * Total Number of coins: 151
 * Caps Found: Vanish Cap (3)
 * Spinning Heart: (none)
 * Cannons: (none)
 * 1-Up Mushrooms (2):
 * Static Mushroom : #1 On the top of the shed.
 * Box Mushroom : #2 On the top of the mansion.
 * Warps : (none)

Trivia

 * A remix of the merry-go-round's theme is in Mario Strikers Charged as Boo's theme whenever he scores a goal.
 * It also is quite similar to Farewell to Gibdos from The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask.
 * The merry-go-round music is also used near the Aqua Cups area in Mario Kart 8's Water Park.
 * This is the only course in the entire game that doesn't have a still, static entrance. Because of this, it's also the only time a different sound can be heard when entering a course.
 * This course has snow-sounding wind in the background; this background sound was originally planed for the snow courses and it is possible Big Boo's Haunt was originally going to have snow.
 * In Super Mario 64 DS, the minigame Hide and Boo Seek is set in the main lobby of the mansion.
 * Since Yoshi cannot access this course in Super Mario 64 DS, this makes Big Boo's Haunt the only of the 15 main courses that not all characters can access.