Azure-Abyss is the third main level in Super Mario 74. The painting is located on the leftern most edge, past the warp pipe, on the side of the cliff wall, in a blue, water textured painting. This level is primarily a giant water basin with various underwater passages and routes.
All of the routes are signified by a single texture to that route, as in one has the wooden ship texture, one is a darker blue, ect. The stars in this stage are also very simple, and are not particularly dangerous, as most is just swim to a point with little to not enemies or obstacles in Mario's way. The textures are also particularly deceiving, as some passages blend in with the surrounding walls due to the single texture being used underwater. There is also a clam which contains a 1-Up Mushroom directly in front of the start that respawns every time Mario enters the level. The portions on land are very few and are used to house coins and two stars that require some platforming. In Super Mario 74 Extreme Edition, this stage is replaced with Deepred Depths, which is a mirror of this stage, but replacing the water with lava, making this level much harder than usual.
Levels[]
Star 1: The Deepest Dive[]
Going down the blue wood tunnel.
Mario starts the level on a small sand bar in front of the deep abyss. In front of him is a sign explaining how the camera behaves terribly in caves it is in front of, and in the water . As the star description says, the star is located in the depths of the abyss. Dive into the water and start swimming downwards. Locate the cave with the dark blue wooden texture (it is slightly to the right bellow where you enter). Go down this passage, passing the red coin, and head into the small cave on the bottom of the column. This leads into another cave that sort of resembles a sunken ship (there is a wooden floor texture and stone walls and ceiling). At the end of this path is the star.
Star 2: Cave Exploration[]
In the one-textured cave.
Just like the first star, Mario must dive into the abyss, but this time head towards the other cave (it is a slightly darker blue). When you first enter this cave, it seems to have nothing in it, but at the other end of the room to the right, there is a hidden passage that leads to the star, but it blends into wall as the textures are identical.
Star 3: Pillars of Precision[]
Do not go into the water as the last two stars required, but instead swim into the little cave to the left of the starting platform (on top of the water). This cave leads to a small rocky outcrop with a couple of pillars, a red coin, and the Blue Coin Switch. Mario must jump from each pillar to the next to reach the box that contains the star. A normal jump will suffice to get to each pillar, as you can grab each edge if you miss. Also since you land in the water, there is no danger of death.
Star 4: Red Treasure Hunt[]
This is one deep abyss.
In this star Mario must collect the 8 red coins scattered throughout the level. The coins are located as follows:
- On a slope in the cave to the right of the start
- Under the upper exit of the cave
- Next to the purple "!" Switch (Star 5)
- Near the Pillars of Precision
- On the bottom of the main basin
- Near a clam in the Dark Blue cave (Star 2)
- The bottom of the Dark Blue Wooden Column leading to Star 1
- In a clam in the wooden part of the path leading to Star 1
When Mario collects all 8, the star appears in the shallows where Mario first spawns
Star 5: Heavy Metal Required[]
Above the switch, looking at the blocks spawned.
Normally Requires Metal Cap! Head to the right of the start towards the purple "!" switch and other bank of land. There is a small platform in the wall that leads to the Green Metal Cap Box (the Switch is in a pipe in the small tunnel in Overworld 1). Grab the cap and press the switch then quickly jump towards the wall closest to you, and ascend the platforms that spawned. This leads to a small area with two yellow "!" boxes, one containing a mass amount of coins, and another that contains the star.
Star 6: Wall of Failure?[]
The face of the cliff.
This star is usually the first one players usually go for, as it is very close to the start of the stage. Head into the cave and climb to the top (use Mario Cam to see the interior of the cave so you can see where you are going). Then Mario must jump across platforms which are embedded in the wall. These jumps can be make using a jump kick with a running start. The star is at the end of these segments.
Enemies[]
- Fly Guy
- Skeeter
- Goomba
- Kuromame
Trivia[]
In the original Mario 64, Jolly Roger Bay has two forms of music, one in the cave area and one for everywhere else. For some reason the cave portions plays at a random part when swimming into the abyss.