Wet-Dry World

Wet-Dry World
Super Mario 64 screenshot
Chronological information
First game	Super Mario 64 (1996)
Latest game	Super Mario 64 DS (2004)
Game appearances	Super Mario 64 Super Mario 64 DS
General information
Located	Princess Peach's Castle
Inhabitants	Skeeters Heave-Hos Chuckya

Wet-Dry World is the eleventh course in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS.

Overview

Wet Dry Land when the water level is down

and when it is full

The level is divided into two sections; the bit where the player enters the level, and the underwater component of it. The line for this is determined by the height at which the player jumps into the level; the higher the height at which the player enters, the higher the water level, even hinted by a Toad. It's also editable by several objects scattered around the level. The level also has an underground part.

The course takes place in a metropolis filled with water. The water levels can be controlled by the Crystal Taps found throughout the level which are able to raise the water level up to 5 different levels of height. The water can also be controlled by how high a character jumps into the painting. The is a secret tunnel located in Wet-Dry World which leads to the Downtown section of Wet-Dry World. This area contains a lost town similar to Atlantis, and two Power Stars can be found there. Common enemies in Wet-Dry World include Skeeters, Heave-Hos, Goombas, a Chuck-Ya, and several Fire Spitters (Fire Chomps in the DS remake).

The skybox for Wet-Dry World is composited from altered photographs of Shibam, a city in Yemen, but the red building near the top is the Mosque of Mohammed Ali in Cairo, Egypt.

Power Stars

Star 1: Shocking Arrow Lifts

The player must find the switches to raise the water level. Then the player should go to a platform near some small platforms with arrows. Step on the small platforms carefully, as they move. Get the star.

If the water is at the lowest point possible, go near the L-shaped pillar with one of the lowest switches, then go to the outer center of the L to teleport to the area near the cannon, then simply drop down to the block with the star.

In the DS remake, Luigi's backflip can be used to reach this Star heaps easier.

Star 2: Top O' The Town

To get this Star, triple jump in the painting to increase the water level to the top. Then, swim to the ledge with the Chuck-Ya. After this, climb to a board that is over to the left, and climb across and reach the Star. Alternatively, you can use Heave-Hos on the platforms to reach the top. In the DS remake, Mario and Luigi's triple jumps can also be used to jump from each platform.

Star 3: Secrets In The Shallows & Sky (N64)/5 Secrets In The Shallows & Sky (DS)

This Star can be located by finding 5 Secrets throughout the course. These Secrets are listed below.

1. Northwest of the course is a metal block, push it to the left and underneath a ! Block hovering ahead to reveal your first secret.
2. Hit the aforementioned ! Block to get Secret Number 2.
3. On the first ledge, there is a large metal block within the wall. Push it all the way into the wall to reveal your third secret.
4. Atop the metropolis is a circular platform with an Amp circling it, on this platform is an ! Block, hit it to get Secret Number 4.
5. Hit a nearby ! Switch to reveal a staircase of bricks. Climb the stairs and hit the ! Block atop the mesh cage. to reveal the final secret.

After all 5 Secrets have been found, the Star will appear on the wooden bridge at the course's start, go back there to obtain your prize!

Star 4: Express Elevator--Hurry Up!

In this mission, Mario must jump on an elevator that goes down then enter the cage on the other side and get on the elevator on the other side of the cage as it is about to elevate to get the Star.

In the DS version, this can all be skipped if you use Luigi's Power Flower ability to become invisible and just hop in the cage to get the Star. You can easily make it to the cage by using Luigi's backflip from the ? Block.

Star 5: Go To Town For Red Coins

For this mission, you will need to go to the Downtown section. The tunnel can be reached by either using the Cannon, using Luigi's tornado backflip, or swim to it while the water level is at it's highest point. Swim through the tunnel and just like that, you've entered the lost Town, before going on your search for the Red Coins quickly drain the water before you completely run out of air, the Crystal Tap is just below the tunnel you entered the town through. The 8 Red Coins are located in this location. Here are their locations.

1. Atop the small house behind the fountain.
2. Inside a brick atop the brown building on the right side of the town.
3. Inside a brick atop the gray building next to the previously mentioned brown building.
4. Inside a brick atop the large (yet not too tall) gray house on the south.
5. Inside a brick atop the Steeple west of the room near the mesh cage.
6. On the brown gate to the central part of the town are two bricks. The Red Coin is inside the left one.
7. This Red Coins is located inside a brick right next to previous one on the brown gate.
8. The final red Coin is located inside a brick in front of the house.

The tall buildings can only be reached via very precise wall jumps in the N64 version. In the DS version Mario and Luigi's triple jumps are now high enough to reach them. Aditionally, Yoshi's flutter jump and Luigi's backflip can also be used to jump from building to building to reach the Red Coins. The Star appears inside the small house near where you found the first and last Red Coins.

Star 6: Quick Race Through Town!

Same as before, enter the Downtown section. Once again, the tunnel to the Town can be reached by either using the Cannon, using Luigi's tornado backflip, or swim to it while the water level is at it's highest point.

Once down there, collect a Vanish Cap and speed through the brown gates (despite technically being walls, you can still phase through them with invisibility) and enter the mesh cage. Climb the stairs to reach the Star. In the DS remake, the strategy is the same however Luigi is required to reach the Star as he's the one who has access to the Invisibility effects of the Power Flower.

Star 7: Soaked Silver Stars (Super Mario 64 DS)

This mission has 5 Silver Stars scattered around the course, here are all the locations of the Silver Stars. A quick tip, start this course at the shallow level of water and elevate it as you collect the Silver Stars.

1. Inside the row of two bricks right at the bottom next to the course's start. Punch them open to reveal the Silver Star.
2. Underneath the gray curved bridge near the Mesh Cage (where you got Star 4), either swim to it with the Water at a higher level or use Luigi's backflip to reach the Silver Star.
3. On the large rock platform near the second highest Crystal Tap. Use the ! Switch to reveal the bridge to get to the platform or swim to it with the water at a higher level.
4. On one of the platforms near the Arrow Lifts and the Amps.
5. Above one of the highest platforms near Star 2, there are several strategies to get this Star. You can either use the Cannon, use Mario's Balloon Power from the Power Flower, or jump on top of the nearby chute (with the two 1-Up Mushrooms) as Luigi and backflip spin to the Silver Star.

Once all 5 Silver Stars have been collected, the Power Star appears on one of the highest platforms near Star 1, make sure you have the water level to the top to grab it easier.

100 Coins

Like in the other stages, getting 100 coins makes a star appear. The Blue Coin switch in this course cause Blue Coins to appear which will really help in getting 100 Coins.

Enemies encountered

• Skeeter
• Heave-Ho
• Chuck-Ya
• Fire Spitter (Super Mario 64 only)
• Goomba
• Amp
• Fire Chomp (Super Mario 64 DS only)

In other media

Wet-Dry World was also used in a Got Milk? commercial in the late 1990s. Mario, who is unable to jump onto a platform in the first area, breaks through the screen, through a series of events winds up in a refrigerator, drinks some milk, becomes super-sized, and starts walking on the top of the level. However, the level shown in the commercial differs from the one in-game in that the sky is bright blue instead of dark.

Trivia

• One type of texture from this area (used for the unopenable doors in downtown) was reused in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
• The Crystal Taps used to change the water level have a similar color scheme to the N64 logo.
• All the stars require a certain water level to complete, most require many different levels.
• Here are the secret locations:
  • On the first stone platform from the bottom there is a pushable box, push it in
  • There is a yellow ! block just below and to the left of the cannon, break it
  • There is an octagonal pillar near the top above it is a yellow ! block, break it
  • On top of the mesh cage (the one with the elevator) there is a yellow ! block, break it
  • The pushable box near #2, push it into place.
• The water skimmers from this course look similar to the spiders from Big Boo's Haunt and Hazy Maze Cave except the skimmers are teal and have more elongated legs.
• The Nintendo DS Pocket Prima Guide incorrectly refers to Wet-Dry World as Wet Dry Land.
• Wet-Dry World is the first opposite themed level in Mario history because it can either be (as its name implies) wet or dry. The second opposite level ever is Tiny-Huge Island because Tiny-Huge Island is course no. 13 but Wet-Dry World is no. 11.

Gallery

The Wet-Dry World painting in Super Mario 64

The Wet-Dry World painting in Super Mario 64 DS

Mario in Wet-Dry World in Super Mario 64 DS

Mario standing next to a Crystal Tap

Super Mario 64 background graphic

Super Mario 64 DS background graphic