Haunted Factory is the 5th stage in Super Mario 74. It is a factory haunted by many Boos. The level entrance is in the 2nd overworld in a Warp Pipe next to the pillars that lead to the Vanish Cap Switch (in the corner behind all the rocks) with a pair of Boos guarding it.
The level itself is a small factory that attempts to be sarcastically "scary" (or to at least capture the personality of the local boos). It accomplishes this by having various signs that inform the player that Mario is trapped or is being watched at all times...or one that wants to know why Mario is bothering reading it. The factory is all pretty much a single texture, making it difficult to determine which passage is the one needed for each objective. Additionally, the factory is an enclosed structure, requiring the Mario cam to have a decent camera. Besides the repetitive stone passages, also has a couple streams of purple colored lava (signifying toxic waste).
There are three main floors of the factory. The first is where Mario starts, the second has multiple passages which leads to stars or red coins as well as the toxic waste tunnel, and the top levels consist of wooden scaffolding which a couple more stone passages. In Super Mario 74 Extreme Edition, this level is replaced with Drowned Factory, which is flooded and contains countless hidden passages to reach very tedious stars.
Levels[]
Star 1: Explore the Factory[]
The way to reach the top floor, after wall kicking up the tall pillars.
Mario begins the level of the lowest of the factory, with a Scuttlebug and one of the aforementioned signs. In the first room there are a couple of different foreseeable paths Mario could take, some of which only leads to red coins. Every star begins the same way; by ascending the ramp and then locate the entrance to the lava room, which has a sign in front of it. For this star, directly when you enter the "main" room with the stream of lava, enter the passage to the right of the doorway, and enter the first room. This room acts as a way to get higher in the factory.
This room has a couple of high platforms with Boos on them. They initially look unreachable due to there height, but Mario can Triple Jump Wall-Kick of the pillars, and can grab the ledges. This leads to the top floor. Mario must then long jump across some wooden platforms, which lead to a stone-textured room with pits. At one of the ends is a pair of walls which Mario can wall kick on to gain height, leading to the next room after long jumping across some more wooden platforms. Mario will now reach a giant cross of wood, which signifies the very top of the factory. At the end of one of the planks is the star. Remember how to get up here as Star 6 is also located in this area. Alternatively, Mario can skip the room with the pillars that require Triple Jump Wall-Kicks. He can do this by instead going to the room on the far left. He must traverse this room like he normally would until he reaches the alcove across from the cage. Here Mario, with well time Wall-Kicks, can make his way up to the room above, skipping the need for climbing the other room.
Star 2: Toxic Ride[]
Shell surfing into the toxic tunnel.
In this star, Mario must locate the shell and use it to go into the pipe emitting toxic waste (purple lava). When Mario enter the main room, walk to the other side and turn left. On a small wooden platform near the entrance to this room is the Yellow "!" containing the shell. Grab the shell and ride into the pipe. There is only one turn to reach the star, though it is also useful to get the two red coins in the lava without taking damage.
Star 3: Watch Your Step[]
Mario must carefully walk across a very narrow path. When you enter the central room with the toxic lava, follow the main path to the other side of the factory and enter the right room, which leads to a maze-like room with a Mr.I in front of it. At the end of the path is a "!" block containing the star. Carefully walk across through the cave, or even crawl if needed. It is also easy to long jump at certain points to skip a majority, if not all of the maze.
Star 4: Blocks of Doom[]
Requires Vanish Cap! If Mario followed the path to the shell, he may have seen the Purple "!" switch the room to the left of the toxic river. Pressing it will spawn a bunch of blocks on the wall to the right of the switch as well as a lot higher up, so time is fairly limited. However most of the blocks are friendly placed, and are not terribly difficult to treverse. At the top of the first set of blocks there are two platforms: one to the left with a red coin and one leading to another platform with blocks on the very edge of it. Long jump from these to the next block then long jump towards the wall, where there is a platform with a Vanish Cap. From here, quickly grab the cap and jump to the next two floating platforms, and the long jump into the wall where the star is contained.
Star 5: 8 Spooky Red Coins[]
In the Mr. I room.
In this level, Mario must collect 8 red coins scattered across the factory. The locations are as follows:
- In a small tunnel to the side of where Mario starts
- In the middle of the lava river (use shell, long jump, or just take a hit)
- In the middle of the lava river again
- On a dead end in the Maze Room
- On a platform on top of the first set of boxes in the Purple "!" Switch Room
- In a Mr. I room across from the room at leads to the higher levels of the factory (long jump over two platforms)
- On small platform at the top of the jumps which lead to 2nd level (after the Triple Jump w/ Wall Kick shenanigans)
- Instead of entering the room with one texture w/ pits, take a right and long jump to the next couple of platforms.
When Mario collects all 8 of them, the star appears on the top level of the factory RIGHT after the 8th coin
Star 6: The Hidden Room[]
Looking at both the Vanish Cap and the darkened wall.
Requires Vanish Cap! Mario must ascend to the very top of the factory where the first star was located. At the end of one of the ends is another Vanish Cap box. Mario must grab the cap and run to the end of the other plank that is not the entrance to the room or where star one is, signified by a darkened wall. Run into the wall at the end, and you will be in a secret room containing some coins, another blue box, and the star.
Enemies[]
- Scuttlebug
- Boo
- Mr. I