Tap-Tap's Sunken Cave is the seventh level of World 3 in Yoshi's Island DS, a Red Yoshi takes control in this level. Most of this level takes pace in an aquatic cave on the mountains of the island widely populated by Tap-Taps, the cave is also divided into other sectors one of which contains a gauntlet of moving stone blocks and the other containing a muddy lava cave where a Super Big Tap-Tap lives.
Walkthrough[]
Starting off the level, advance to the right and collect the Coins along the path but avoid the Tap-Taps coming your way, hit the Egg Block here to fill up your egg supply. As you move, watch out above as there are Baron Von Zeppelins that drop Grenades and Needlenoses. From here, advance to the right there are three Baron Von Zeppelins carrying a Box. Hit the three by running into them to drop the Box and pound it for some Stars and then stand on the switch to the right to open the metal gate leading to the pit below (ordinarily, you're supposed to push the Box here but since it contains important Stars, the strategy given is the recommended one). From here, drop down the opening and collect the three Red Coins in the drop as well.
Upon entering the cave, collect the Coins in the area and beat the Fangs that attempt to swoop you, from here, hit the Winged Cloud above to get some Stars, hit the Egg Block here to fill up your egg supply then hit the Winged Cloud, this will reveal a ! Switch, hit the switch to cause five other Winged Clouds to appear in the area, first hit the one nearest to you, this will create a bridge allowing you to get a better positioning when firing at the other four Winged Clouds as well as the two Red Coins here (in the four [[Coin lot), the lower Winged Cloud below the two at the top provides Coins, the left Winged Cloud of the top two gives you Stars, the right Winged Cloud of the top two contains a Smiley Flower (launch another egg at the Smiley Flower to obtain it), the last Winged Cloud located in the right corner is necessary to move on, hitting it will drain the water beneath the bridge to about half allowing access to the Pipe below. Ground Pound the cracked stone block and drop down the opening to the waters below, grab the two Red Coins and swim to the right and enter the Pipe.
Upon entering the stone caves below, advance to the right and launch an egg (there are Yellow Egg and Red Egg blocks here if you're out) a the Smiley Flower (egg bounces are required to get this one so if you're unable to get this Smiley Flower, switch to Baby Mario or Baby Wario at the nearby Stork Stop as their egg throws bounce), there are also Coins below which can be obtained with egg tosses but none of these are red. At the Stork Stop, switch to any baby of your choosing but Baby Wario is most recommended as his magnet abilities make grabbing the Coins and Red Coins in the next gauntlet easier. Drop down and tag the Middle Ring to the right (the Stork Stop is being held up by soft stones so if you want to switch out your baby, you still can after you drop down by breaking the soft stones with an egg). From here, advance to the right and launch an egg up at the Winged Cloud above for some Coins and the advance right into the gauntlet. The first moving stone is safe as it doesn't move high enough to hit the ceiling allowing you to safely move as it move, the next one however is different as it comes from above and lands on solid ground, duck for cover in the opening as you will be crushed if you are on the sides. From here, hop onto the next bobbing stone and steer clear of where the stone ends up. Once it reaches the top, drop down in the opening to the right and avoid being crushed in the corner by the sliding stone blocks below by landing on to of them, from here, move to the right, you will come across a split route, both routes have key collectibles, the bottom contains Red Coins and the upper contains a Smiley Flower so first go down the bottom route and collect the rows of 2 Coins here, the first row of Red Coins is above the second opening where the second moving stone lands, when the stone rises, quickly hop up to get the Red Coins then drop back into the opening to avoid being crushed. The second row of Red Coins is above an unsafe sector where a stone block lands down on. Hop up to obtain the Red Coins then quickly drop below into a safe opening before you get crushed (if you're in doubt, use an egg or Baby Wario's magnet to obtain the Red Coins easier. Once the four Red Coins have been collected, advance back to the left and hop up to the upper path, this path is far more dangerous as the safe spots to duck under are much smaller and the stone blocks slam up to the roof so you have to be quick about tucking away. Once you reach the end of the sector, grab the Smiley Flower and use the Flippers to drop down to the next set of stone blocks, stop underneath the safe spot (if need be) then dash through the area and through the Flippers, avoid the Tap-Taps in this grassy sector and exit through the Pipe.
Upon exiting the Pipe, you will end up in a cave with tidal water. Move to the left and grab the Coins in the opening to the left as one of them is a Red Coin. Wait for the water tide to increase and hop to the upper ledge, fill up your egg supply with the egg block, use the Stork Stop here to switch to Baby Mario or Baby Wario as their egg-throws are required to get certain collectibles in this cave (although Baby Wario is more ideal as his magnet makes grabbing the Coins and Red Coins heaps easier). Drop down, in between the stone divider, there are openings blocked by gray dirt with rows of Coins, only the right opening contains a Red Coin, you can get this Red Coin heaps easier without having to smash the dirt by using Baby Wario's magnet. Launch an egg up at the niche with Coins above as there is a hidden Winged Cloud here containing Stars. From here, jump across the stone divider (or walk underneath it depending on where you are and wait for the water levels to rise and jump to the upper ledge, beat the Piranha Plants in the areas and watch out for or beat the Gusties here too. Hit the Winged Cloud here for some more Stars and launch an egg at the opening above to get the Coins and a Red Coin, there is a line of Coins above and two of the Coins in this line are Red Coins (they can be obtained by launching an egg at the previous line and having it bounce off). Once you've obtained these items, drop down to the right and through the alcove to the left, pound the dirt blockages in the opening to reach some Coins and a Red Coin. Wait for the water levels to rise again and advance to the right, next wait for them to recede and obtain the Coins and Red Coin on the left of the divider, as the water rises watch out for the Ball 'n' Chain and once it reaches the top, jump over the divider to reach the other side. Quickly swim to the other side to the ledge (if you're too slow and the water levels recede, you'll have to wait for the water levels to rise again (while avoiding the Ball 'n' Chain) to reach the ledge). Once you reach the ledge, pound the dirt blockage and land on one of the dividers (if the water levels are up) and then hop from divider to divider (if you end up on the bottom, just run across the path to the end and wait for the water levels to rise again, grab the Coins above and then drop into the lower flooring, pound the dirt to obtain the Smiley Flower and from here, hop up to the dividers when the water levels rise again and grab the Coins here with Baby Wario's magnet, the two rightmost dividers have Red Coins in between so grab these and exit the divider confinement through the Flippers to the left, once done, climb back up to the upper path (once the water levels rise again) and advance to the right and exit the area through the right, you should have all 20 Red Coins by this point (also, notice the Tap-Taps in the inaccessible paths above? Suspicious eh?).
The next area consists of a muddy lava cavern. Switch to Baby Mario at the Stork Stop (if you haven't already) and tag the Middle Ring, from here, hop through the Flippers and start running as a Super Big Tap-Tap emerges from above, as you flee, the Super Big Tap-Tap will start relentlessly destroying the rock pathways so keep running (don't worry, all the Coins here are regular Coins so you don't need to worry about missing any at the risk of them being Red Coins), there are several stone blocks along the path that appear gapped or come in the forms of staircases so remain prepared and don't lose any speed adjusting to the placements ahead (if you fall, you will end up in the scorching lava below so keep moving), near the end, the Super Big Tap-Tap will run out of close-together ground and will fall into the lava below allowing you to freely hop across the remaining rock platforms and grab the Smiley Flower and the Baby Coin at the end, once done, drop down and pound the Box here for some Stars and advance to the right and jump through the GOAL! Ring to finish the level.
Baby Coin Location[]
As Baby Mario, once you've outran the Super Big Tap-Tap at the end, hop across the remaining rock platforms carefully, the Baby Mario Coin is at the end of the final rock platform.
Enemies Encountered[]
- Tap-Taps
- Baron Von Zeppelins
- Grenades
- Fangs
- Needlenoses
- Piranha Plants
- Gusties
- Ball 'n' Chains
- Super Big Tap-Tap
Trivia[]
- This is the second level to have the Super Big Tap-Tap on the level's avatar, the first being Mario's Fleet Feet.
- Oddly enough, the level's avatar shows a brown Super Big Tap-Tap with pink teeth and spikes despite it looking like a typical Super Big Tap-Tap in-game.
- Save for the final section of the level, the deep-underground water background is used for all cave sectors of the level, even the section with the stones.
- This is one of the only levels in World 3 to not completely take place on a beach, instead the beginning sector takes place on the beach cliffs.