Hotfoot Crater

"The world's on fire!"

- Olivia

Hotfoot Crater is a location in Paper Mario: The Origami King, a volcano found below Peach's Castle. When Bowser's Airship is struck down by a huge paper plane, it sends a few minions flying overboard and crashes just below Peach's Castle, into the volcano. There are absolutely no Toads to be rescued, Not-Bottomless Holes to be filled, collectible treasures to be found, or ? Blocks to be struck here. Additionally, Hotfoot Crater cannot be revisited after it is cleared.

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After regaining consciousness, Mario, Olivia, Kamek, and Bowser Jr. realize they are trapped in a volcano. Kamek explains they must have barely missed Peach's Castle and went into the volcano instead. Bowser calls from the top of the volcano, telling them not to worry about the destroyed airship and to hurry up to him. Due to Kamek's magic broomstick and Bowser Jr.'s Junior Clown Car getting lost in the event, Mario has no choice but to walk. When Mario approaches the lava surrounding the airship, Olivia warns him about falling into it. Not knowing whether or not Mario could survive after falling in lava once, Olivia decides not to chance it and to avoid it altogether. If Mario falls into the lava, or if he gets caught on the horde of Paper Macho Goombas it will result in a Game Over.

There is a small platform floating in the lava south of the airship. There are two coins and a sack of gold worth 1,000 coins. There is another crate Mario can break on the ship to get another sack of gold worth another 1,000 coins. To get off the ship, Mario must hammer the crack in the left side of the center column to knock it into the lava. He may then head right to a Save Block. Once they are off the ship, a number of Paper Macho Goombas drop through a hole in the ceiling, along with a few Paper Macho Bob-ombs. The Goombas all land on the ship and try to chase after them. Fortunately, the column is too narrow for them, giving Mario and the others a brief head start.

After making it a bit up the path to the top of the volcano, the column snaps open, allowing the Goombas to start chasing them; getting overrun by those Goombas will also result in a Game Over. The Goombas are able to easily catch up, requiring Mario to avoid several Lava Bubbles just to barely stay ahead. Eventually, Kamek creates clones of himself to block off the Goombas, asking them to go on without him. At this point, the airship completely sinks into the lava, to Bowser Jr.'s dismay. Up ahead is a large rock Mario must lure a Bob-omb toward to destroy. After rounding halfway up the volcano, Kamek and his clones become overpowered, allowing the Goombas to catch up almost immediately. The path following has several platforms which lower a bit once they are stepped on.

Mario must navigate a bit farther until Bowser Jr. decides to stop and take on the Goombas himself. Now on their own, Mario and Olivia must walk a bit farther to make it to Bowser. At this point, Bowser Jr. becomes overpowered. With the Goombas right on his tail, Mario must run up to Bowser, who uses a fireball to knock a stalactite off the ceiling, blocking off the Goombas again. He shows Mario and Olivia the still-functioning cannon in the mouth of the airship, which may allow them to launch themselves out of the volcano and in front of Peach's Castle. This works, allowing them to escape the volcano for good.