Wintry Wasteland is the 8th stage in Super Mario Shining Stars and acts as the ice stage for the hack. The warp pipe leading to the level is located Shine City 2 behind where you entered the 2nd overworld in one of the corners. You can tell since the land around the green pipe is the color of ice.
Icebergs and frozen lava cover almost the entirety of the stage, with only slivers of land connecting various landmasses. The stage contains platforms which are much bigger than Mario as well as giant objects. These includes a couple of Warp Pipes which scale the height of the tall level, as well of as a bunch of floating bricks way up in the sky and submerged in the water. The main portion of the stage are made of small bridges of ice connecting a couple of big mountains which can be climbed for stars.
Once Mario progresses later in the game and reaches the third overworld, each of the final stage, including secret stages contain a hint to a hidden grotto. A couple of these hints state that the only way to get to this secret area is via a warp is in an icy stage. Could it be located here?
Missions[]
Star 1: Climb the Glacier[]
Mario must reach the top of one of the many ice mountains in the wasteland. Once Mario lands follows the snowy path in front of him and make the first right (in front of a Skeeter). Pass the Spindrift and take another right at the end of the path. This will lead to a tall pillar with another path winding around it. Get to the top and cross the floating path to reach the star.
Star 2: Frozen Mountain[]
To get to the first of the frozen mountains (the next star references another "frozen mountain"), follow the path like the star before, and continue straight past the Skeeter instead of turning. At the end of the long, straight path is the mountain. It looks sloped at most points but Mario can easily run up it and climb the path to the top.
Star 3: The Other Frozen Mountain[]
The other of the mountains is across from the first star. Head down the path and take the right at the Skeeter like Star 1. At the end of this path, instead of turning right towards the Glacier, follow the left path. Jump across the floating platforms to get to the mountain. Just like the last star the mountain look steep but can easily be walked up to get the star at the top at pretty much any part.
Star 4: Breakable Boxes, Burning Ice[]
Mario must scale a path of boxes, which are not breakable. Head down the path in front of the start and look for a pipe surrounded by a ring of land to the left of the Skeeter. On the other side of the pipe is the Blue Coin Switch, and behind that is the path of blocks leading to the star. Avoid the Kuromame and reach the star at the top.
As for the star's name, the boxes resemble the bricks in Super Mario Bros, 3.
Star 5: Red Coins of the Tundra[]
Mario must collect the 8 red coins scattered throughout the Wasteland. All the coins can be gotten without the use of the Wing Cap or the warp and all can be found on the paths to the 4 stars before this. There locations are as follows:
- Atop the pillar at the start. To get up here Mario can wall kick off the side and grab the side above.
- On the spiral path leading to Star 1
- On the floating Ice path before Star 1
- Before the Frozen Mountain containing Star 2
- At the start of the path up the Frozen Mountain with Star 2
- Off to the side at the bottom of the second Frozen Mountain with Star 3
- Slightly up the other Frozen Mountain
- Behind the giant Warp Pipe leading to Star 4.
When Mario collect all 8, the star appears at the start of the level.
Star 6: Blocks in the Sky[]
Requires Wing Cap if you can not Slope Kick. This star is located way up on a peak in the middle of the chilly lava lake. One can see from the start if they look behind them once they enter. The intended way is to find a secret warp which leads to the giant floating boxes that hover above the level. It is actually on the pillar with the Red coin directly at the start. The warp is at the opposite end of the coin, so reach the top by wall kicking off the side of the pillar to grab the side of the top. At the top are the giant blocks with a Wing Cap. Once you grab the cap, look for where you started the level and fly to the ledge with the star on it.
Warp to the Star Temple[]
Contains spoilers to a hidden secret level.
Requires Wing Cap. Once Mario gets to the final couple of levels in the game, he may sign signposts with hints to a secret level which claims to be the hardest in the game. All the hints lead to this level and the warp is located in the corner. In order to reach here Mario must have the Wing Cap and utilize the warp onto of the structure in front of the start (with the red coin on it). Once Mario gets to the floating blocks on top grab the cap and fly past the path of giant "breakable" blocks until Mario reaches a tower of these blocks in the corner of the level, which is submerged in the icy lava. On the side facing the boundry of the level, in the lava is a metal block. Just jump on this block to reach the secret challenge level.
Enemies[]
- Skeeter
- Spindrift
- Kuromame
- Rotating Amp
In other hacks[]
This level also appears in Super Mario 64: The Nostalgia Trip. The most notable changes here are the addition of a pyramid filled with "freezing lava" and a "secret" pipe that leads to the hack's Metal Cap level, Golden World.