Super Mario 63/Shifting Sand Land
Shifting Sand Land is the first mini-course from Super Mario 63. It contains three Shine Sprites and Star Coins. To unlock the level, simply collect 2 Shine Sprites. When you have enough, unlock the door to the far right.
Inside the Pyramid
[edit | edit source]"The Ancient Pyramid of Shifting Sand Land is the burial site of the Koopa Pharaoh, Yuuzgonadai."
Keep on heading right once you start, and jump over the pit. Then, jump on the rotating platforms and then onto the sand hill. Jump off at the right. Then you'll see a small pool of water (oasis?) with an Rocket F.L.U.D.D box. Continue right, then jump over Star Coin #3. Soon, you'll see the entrance to the pyramid. Press the Up arrow key to go in it, similarly to a door.
You should fall down a slide. Avoid the Goomba, and carefully hop across the moving platforms. If you touch the quicksand, you will lose a life, so be careful. The next part is to get across two rotating wooden platforms with platforms around them. Hop on the first wooden platform, and then hop on the other one, and then on the wobbly platform.
After all of that, jump to the right to safety. Hop on the elevator up and jump across these platforms. Then you'll see a bunch of bobbing platforms trying to crush you against a grate. With some tricky jumping you can get above the grate, but if you can't, just try to get across. Then, jump on the next platform lift to a new area starting with a Hover F.L.U.D.D.. Grab it. You then jump atop of another lift to some more moving cubes. If you fall off a cube, then hover back up. Travel up to the next lift. It'll take you to the last area. Collect the coins, and then break the crates blocking your way up. jump on the lift up to the block maze.
Star Coin #1
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Break the two crates in your way, then jump on the platform with the Rocket F.L.U.D.D. Spin jump on this platform, and you'll eventually break the crates above. Lastly, jump up to the first Star Coin.
Then, jump up to the Shine Sprite.
Trekking for 8 Red Coins
[edit | edit source]"Some of the Red Coins are cursed, so that you'll need some Ancient Magic to reach some of them..."
...and that Ancient Magic is Invisibility - the first Star Power you encounter. Start off the level by breaking the first crate in the level, as it contains the first Red Coin, and to it's right is the second Red Coin. Next, use Hover F.L.U.D.D to get on top of the structure. There will be an Invisibility Star and a sign explaining it.
Grab it and head into the Sling Star. It should sling you into the clouds. Go right and grab the third Red Coin inside the cage. Then, hop on the platforms until you can grab the fourth Red Coin on top of the pillar. Then, jump down and head into the sand hill that has the fifth Red Coin, and then get on top of the hill for the sixth Red Coin.
Afterwards, go back up to the clouds and this time go left. Jump past the platform "snake" and grab the seventh Red Coin. Lastly, go right, past the cage the moving and the blue platforms, onto the lift, taking you to the last Red Coin on top of a pillar.
Star Coin #2
[edit | edit source]For the second Star Coin, jump before the lift that takes you to the last Red Coin to get this one. If you mess up, try hovering back up.
Star Coin #3
[edit | edit source]To get this Star Coin, go to the left of the pyramid's entrance (It's right below Star Coin #2). You'll find a pit, with the Star Coin hover over it. Jump down, and then hover back out and you should get it.
Once you get all eight Red Coins, go back to the starting area. Jump back onto the structure, where a Shine Sprite is awaiting.
Shining Atop the Ancient Pyramid
[edit | edit source]"The Shine Sprite glows brightly from on top of the Pyramid, but how do you get there?"
By Slingstar of course! Go back to the area where eighth Red Coin was. Now take the Sling Star next to it. You'll be taken near the top of the pyramid.
There will be another Hover F.L.U.D.D up here, so take it if your water is low. Jump to the next platform, and you'll come across some Parakoopas. Bounce on their heads to the next platform. From this platform, jump on top of the next, oddly shaped platform. Jump across the next two over to the small, triangular platform. Jump on it to reach the last Shine Sprite of this course. For a way easier way, just hover to the top when you land on the platform after you took the slingstar!