Hazy Maze Cave



Hazy Maze Cave is an underground cave level and course six in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS. In both games this course is located in the basement of Princess Peach's Castle. The course has many hidden ledges, nooks, crannies, and alcoves, countless bottomless pits, and even an underground lake with a large but friendly sea monster named Dorrie. A map can be found in many areas of the course.

The Hazy Maze, the level's namesake, is located deep within the cave. The Hazy Maze is a labyrinth whose passageways are clouded with a highly toxic yellow gas (purple in the remake). Mario's health is slowly depleted the longer he stays in the maze, and he will eventually suffocate if he is unable to get fresh air. To make matters worse, the Hazy Maze is full of Snufits, Monty Moles, Scuttle Bugs and Swoopers that can hinder Mario's progress. Fortunately for Mario, there are small areas of higher ground scattered throughout the maze, a Metal Box (Metal Mario is unaffected by the poisonous fumes), and several escape routes that are clearly marked on the map just outside the entrance. Obtaining certain Stars requires the use of certain escape routes.

Some people mistakenly believe that the entire course is the Hazy Maze, however the Hazy Maze title only applies to the aforementioned maze.

There is a special hidden area in this course called the Cavern of the Metal Cap that can be accessed through a door near the underground lake. The Metal Cap's ! Switch is located here, along with eight more Red Coins that can be collected to receive one of the castle's Secret Stars. In the remake version, the Metal Cavern doesn't have the metal cap switch and instead has several Power Flowers that can be used for Wario & Mario to be used with an extra star at the top of the course only accessed by Mario's balloon ability.

This is one of the few levels not accessed via a painting; instead, Mario must enter the door to the right of the entrance to Lethal Lava Land and jump into a pool of liquid metal inside.

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

Star 1: Swimming Beast In The Cavern
As the name implies, Mario has to go to deep into the cave to the area where Dorrie lives. At the beginning of the mission, the plumber has to go immediately to the left and perform a long-jump to pass over a gap. Going up the way where the rolling rocks are coming at the black hole zone, Mario will find a door where an elevator leads directly to the subterranean lake found in the bottom of the cave. Upon Mario has sighted the plesiosaur, he can get on Dorrie's back to lead him to the small isle in the center of the lake. Making a Ground Pound on Dorrie's back, will cause the plesiosaur to lower his head, allowing the hero to stand over his head and arrive on the isle to obtain the Power Star.

In the DS version of the game, Dorrie will be wearing a Wario's Cap. Taking the yellow cap, the character will become Wario, who is needed to punch and break a boulder on the lake's isle and reveal the Power Star.

Star 2: Elevate For 8 Red Coins
By going down the right corridor upon first entering the level, Mario can access the other side of the course. After leaping over fire pits, and avoiding pesky Scuttle Bugs, Mario finds a door at the end of the corridor. Entering it and sliding down a long pole, Mario arrives in the underground "plaza" area of the course. In one corner of this area is a staircase formation that leads to an unusual floating platform. This platform has four arrow switches on it, and will move in the direction of the arrow switch that is pressed. Mario must collect the eight Red Coins by navigating a midair obstacle course. Once all eight Coins have been collected, a Star appears over the Star Marker on the floor. In Super Mario 64 DS, as Wario, at this place, the player can get the switch star, used from the poles, used to reach 3 red coins.

Star 3: Metal Head Mario Can Move!
After activating the Metal Cap switch, Mario must go again to the subterranean lake, evading the rolling boulders in the hall and reaching the elevator. The plumber can see a metal cap Block in the entrance of the lake. Hitting the block will release the cap that turns Mario into metal. With the added weight being metal, Mario sinks to the lake's floor, following the path from the entrance. A large ! Switch appears which the plumber must press when he is metal. Stepping on the switch will open up the crate doors, allowing access to the door behind them. The Power Star will be found at the end of a chamber that Mario reaches using the long-jump to pass the bottomless pits on the floor.

In Super Mario 64, it is possible to do a Ground Pound from the edge into the water over the switch to press it without the use of the metal cap, a straining way to achieve though.

In Super Mario 64 DS, The mission's title was slightly changed to Metal Head Wario Can Move! because Wario is the only character that becomes metal upon getting a Power Flower.

Star 4: Navigating The Toxic Maze
The fourth mission, the player must go the toxic maze area. Going to the right corridor of the entrance the character will enter to the plaza area. To the left side of the area, there will be a door and behind it a hole. Falling through the hole, the player arrives in the toxic maze. The ominous toxic gas over the floor will cause the characters to lose health as they breathe. Turning into Metal Mario (Metal Wario or Luigi's invisibility for the DS version) prevents the player from losing health while navigating through the gases. Small holes in some stretches of the labyrinth can be an obstacle to jump and reach the right door to go out from the maze. Once passed the maze, an elevator will lead to the Star hidden inside an ! Block. In Super Mario 64 DS, the player can skip the toxic maze and go behind the fence as Luigi by grabbing a power flower at the beginning of the level or in the underground cavern used in Star 1 quickly getting to the fence, and sneaking behind.

Star 5: A-Maze-Ing Emergency Exit
For this star, the player will have to return to the toxic maze, and head towards the first door from the left, which will lead to an elevator. The elevator will go to a door that opens into the area above the rolling rocks. The player should grab the metal bars above the ground, and head towards the star. Without using the fence, the player can Long Jump to the platform. In Super Mario 64 DS, as Luigi the player can triple jump to the platform from a black block (that only Wario can break) and hold onto the platform and grab the star.

Star 6: Watch For Rolling Rocks
To find this star, the player must take the left corridor and navigate his/her way past the falling rocks. Before they reach the door, the player should wall jump between the two walls, and jump into one of the alcoves. The alcove on the right contains the sixth Power Star of the level.

In the DS version, the Star is obtained differently, and Wario will be needed to retrieve it. Wario must break the nearby black Brick Block containing a Super Mushroom to grow big. He must then punch the falling rocks until he shatters the one containing the Power Star in order to make it appear.

Star 7 (DS): Underground Switch Star
In this level exclusive for Super Mario 64 DS the player has to go to the plaza area of the floating platforms. The player need to be Wario, and go near the black Brick Block and smash it, revealing a Star Switch hidden. The player will then have to step on it and get the Star inside the Star Sphere located near the floating platform.

Trivia

 * Total coins in this course (N64) — 139.