Big Boo's Haunt

Big Boo's Haunt
Mario at Big Boo's Haunt.
Chronological information
First game	Super Mario 64
Game appearances	Super Mario 64
General information
Located	Beyond Castle Courtyard.
Inhabitants	Boos The Big Boo Big Boo

Big Boo's Haunt is the fifth course in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS, and is located in the Castle Courtyard. To gain access to the level, the player must defeat the larger one of the Boos in the castle courtyard, then walk up to the small mansion in a cage that appears.

Features

The course features a large building and grounds, with three floors, an accessible balcony that leads to the roof, and a basement. A separate building found in the basement contains a speedy merry-go-round in the sewers. The boss, who is fought a number of times, is Big Boo.

In the DS remake, there is also a secret area, where you fight Big Boo again, so that you can play as Luigi. It's acessible through the painting of Luigi in the third floor.

Stars

Star 1: Go on a Ghost Hunt

Mario fighting King Boo for a second time.

To complete this star Mario must enter the mansion and defeat the six Boos located on the ground floor of the mansion. Once this is done, the Big Boo appears in the mansion hall. Once Mario defeats the Big Boo, the stairs to the upper floor of the mansion are revealed, along with the star for the level located at the top of the stairs.

Star 2: Ride Big Boo's Merry Go Round

To complete this star Mario must enter a separate building near the mansion. Mario must go down the elevator, and go through the door at the end of the corridor. Once this is done, Mario must head through the nearest door. Inside is a big Merry Go Round. Six boos come out of the paintings one by one. Once the boos are defeated, the Big Boo appears. Once he is defeated, the Merry Go Round stops, and the star is revealed.

Star 3: Secret of the Haunted Books

To complete this star Mario must enter the mansion and climb the stairs to the top floor and enter the second door on the left. After entering the door, Mario must head down the corridor and punch the books in the correct order. Once this is done, the bookcase opens, and a secret platform with the star is revealed.

Star 4: Seek the 8 Red Coins

To complete this star Mario must head into the mansion and find the 8 Red Coins scattered on the upper and lower floors of the mansion. After the 8 Red Coins are found, the star is revealed in the main hall of the mansion.

Star 5: Big Boo's Balcony

To complete this star, Mario must enter the mansion and head up to the upper floor and enter the second door to the right. Once inside Mario must wall-jump off one of walls and reach a door on the third floor (in Super Mario 64 DS, Mario can also use the power flower to get there). Mario must then enter the door on the third floor. On the other side of the door is a balcony with Big Boo on it. Once Mario defeats Big Boo the star is revealed on the roof of the mansion.

Star 6: Eye to Eye in the Secret Room

To complete this star Mario must enter the mansion and head to the upper floor, then enter the second door to the right. Once this is done Mario must go to the other side of the room and enter the door. On the other side of the door is the Vanish Cap. Mario must put on the Vanish Cap, head to the third floor and enter the painting of a boo before the Vanish Cap runs out. Inside is a Boo and an unusually large Mr. I. Once Mr.I is defeated the star is revealed.

In the DS remake, to complete this star, enter the stage as Luigi, enter the second door to the right in the upper floor and hit the ? block in that room to get the power flower (instead of the vanish cap).

Star 7: Switch Star in the Basement (NDS)

Enter the course as Wario and immediately run into the small cabin to the left (not the main house). Take the elevator down to the basement level and wade through the halls of water until you go through a doorway. You'll find a large black-brick block in the basement that Wario can ground pound to crush—hit the star switch underneath and very quickly run around to the other side of the basement to grab the star.

However, there's a problem: Wario is slow. Before you hit the switch, run to the other side of the basement to grab the Mario cap from under the water (you can see it on your map). Now that you've transformed to Mario, step on the switch again and quickly run to the star. Mario's much faster than Wario, making it pretty easy to get the golden power star.

100 Coins

Simply collect 100 coins from the stage.

Trivia

• This course marks the first appearance of Mr. I.
• Big Boo is the only boss you fight multiple times (other than Bowser and some others in the DS version).
• This course becomes available at 13 stars (13 being an unlucky number)(ghosts, which boos resemble are another unlucky symbol).
• This is the only course that requires the defeat of an enemy in order to gain access.
• Despite the spooky appearance, it is very hard to die on this course because of the following reasons:
  • Most, if not all enemies release blue coins which restore lots of health.
  • Most big drops have water at the bottom which cushions the fall.
  • Very few enemies actually pursue Mario. The only ones that do are the haunted books and piano.
  • It is fairly easy to acquire invisibility caps which prevent most damage.
  • This course is completely enclosed, similar to Bob-omb Battlefield.
  • There are no "instant death" obstacles.
• The entrance to this course, as well as the boundaries of the course seem to resemble a bird cage.
• The house is eerily similar in frontal apperance to Luigi's Mansion.

See also:

• Ghost House