Hazy Maze Cave

Hazy Maze Cave is the sixth course in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS that consists of a cave network and an underground lake. It also holds the entrance to a level with a cap switch and secret stars. In both games, this course is located in the basement of Princess Peach's Castle. The course has many hidden ledges, nooks, crannies, secrets, and alcoves, countless bottomless pits, and even an underground lake with a large but friendly sea monster named Dorrie (who appears to be heavily based on the fabled Loch Ness Monster). A map can be found in many areas of the course. The minimap in the DS remake, kind of eliminates the need for these maps however.
The Hazy Maze, the level's namesake, is located deep within the cave. This maze was referred to as the Toxic Maze, the Clouded Maze, and the Hazy Maze throughout the game. The Hazy Maze is a labyrinth whose passageways are clouded with a highly toxic yellow gas (purple in the remake). Mario's health is slowly depleted the longer he stays in the maze, and he will eventually suffocate if he is unable to get fresh air. To make matters worse, the Hazy Maze is full of Snufits, Monty Moles and Swoopers that can hinder Mario's progress. Fortunately for Mario, there are small areas of higher ground scattered throughout the maze, Green Metal Boxes (Red ? Blocks in the remake) (Metal Mario/Metal Wario and Invisible Luigi are unaffected by the poisonous fumes), a Spinning Heart (in the remake only), and several escape routes that are clearly marked on the map just outside the entrance. Obtaining certain Stars requires the use of certain escape routes. In the remake, Wario's Cap can be found in all the course's missions, Wario's powers are required to get most of the course's Stars in the remake.
There is a special hidden area in this course called the Cavern of the Metal Cap that can be accessed through a door near the underground lake. The Metal Cap's ! Switch is located here, along with eight more Red Coins that can be collected to receive one of the castle's Secret Stars. In the remake version, the Metal Cavern doesn't have the metal cap switch and instead has several Power Flowers that can be used for Wario & Mario to be used with an extra Star at the top of the course only accessed by Mario's balloon ability.
==Features==
This course has elevators, boulders, poisonous gas mazes, and a giant lake. Also, this course has secret castle stars. There is a portal near the lake where there is the green cap switch (N64 only). This course is the biggest course in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS.
==Stars==
===Star 1: Swimming Beast in the Cavern===
The level branches out right at the very start. For now, take the left branch and long-jump over the gap to head through the first door. Once through the door, follow the narrow walkway left, past a sign, and up a ramp with rolling boulders.
The elevator that takes you down to the underground lake is in the next room. Hop on it and ride down to a dirt path that leads to the water's edge. Swim out to the giant swimming beast and jump onto its back (there's no danger). Ground pound the beast's back, forcing its head to drop and letting you jump up to steal the Wario cap that the beast is wearing (DS only).
Once you've turned into Wario (DS only), jump off the beast's back and go to the island in the center of the lake. Simply punch the large boulder that's there to shatter it, revealing the golden star.
The strategy for getting the Star is different in both the N64 and the DS versions, for the N64 version, the Island is rather high requiring the use of Dorrie to reach the Island's land and obtain the Star, in the DS version, the Star's level is much lower no longer requiring the use of Dorrie however, the Star is no longer in plain sight. Instead it is inside a boulder which can only be broken with the use of Wario's Cap.
===Star 2: Elevate for 8 Red Coins===
Take the path to the right towards the work elevator and skip past the Goombas and other enemies you run into before heading through the doorway. Once you're in the next room, drop down the pole to your left and turn right. In the corner of the room is a set of steps that'll let you reach the work elevator platform above.
Ride the elevation platform around the lower area of the room, directing it by stepping on the arrow pads that point in the direction you want to move. There are three red coins to get on this lower level, including two of them that are hidden within the red-brick blocks floating in the air (ground pound them to reveal the red coins). When you've got those three, run back to where the work platform starts and hop on it again to ride it straight forward to the ledge with a pole. 
Climb up the pole and jump onto the platform to the left. From there you can walk onto a green-and-white checkered platform that'll carry you around the room. First, ground pound the brick block the checkered platform runs into to reveal another red coin. If you fall back to the ground just repeat the steps you took to get back to the checkered platform and ride it again. It'll carry you through the fifth red coin and pass right under the sixth (just jump to get it). Finally, the platform will give you access to a ledge with the last two remaining red coins. The Golden Star will appear on the ground floor, right in the center of the room. 
In the DS remake, the strategy to get this Star is the same along with most of the Red Coin locations however the third Red Coin inside the floating brick blocks has been moved to the top with the green-and-white checked platform. It is inside the first brick block the platform runs into. The rest of the Red Coins are all in the same locations.
===Star 3: Metal Head Mario Can Move! (N64)/Metal Head Wario Can Move! (DS)===
Take Mario (Wario in DS) to the underground lake by heading left at the first branch, continuing across the mesh catwalks, and running up the hill with the rolling boulders. Just through the next door is an elevator that'll take you to the underground cave.
Just to your left at the bottom of the elevator is a red (green in the N64 version) box with a Power Flower. Grab the Power Flower to turn Mario (or Wario) into metal, and very quickly run down the hill ahead of you. You can use a couple of long jumps to get you downhill faster, though once you reach the water you should stay planted to the ground. Underwater you'll see a narrow path that leads along the left wall and up to an underwater switch. Step on the switch (while Mario or Wario is still metal) and a door to the left will open up. In the N64 version, it is possible to ground pound through the water and hit the switch without need of the Metal Cap. This glitch has been patched in the DS version making it impossible to reach the Star Metal-Capless without exploiting glitches.
Head through the door and hug either the left or right walls to avoid the Scuttle Bugs that pop up from the gaps in the floor. Use long jumps to clear the gaps and reach the power star at the other end of the hall. 
===Star 4: Navigate the Toxic Maze===
Enter the level as any character and take a right at the first branch. Once through the first door, slide down the red pole and enter the second pathway on your left. There's a hole in the back of the room—drop through it and enter the Hazy Maze, a maze filled with highly Toxic Gas.
Standing in the haze of the maze will cause you to take damage, so you'll have to be quick to get to the bit of land just ahead. Ignore the enemies on the land platform and jump to hit the red box, revealing a Power Flower to inflate Mario, turn Luigi invisible, or turn Wario into Metal (Invisible Luigi and Metal Wario are both immune to the Toxic Gas). Use your character's abilities to cross the haze as you continue down the path towards the power star (it's on your map). When the path branches, you'll see a blue floor switch to the right and more haze to the left. Take the path to the right—just around the corner is another power flower that you'll need to continue the Power Flower's effects and continue the rest of the way, and up to the ledge that leads to a door. Enter this door and defeat the Swoopers (or just avoid them) that try to attack you. Use the elevator up ahead and then get the Star.
The Star is located behind a mesh cage near the elevator to the Underground Lake. In the DS version, it is possible to get this star much easier as Luigi. Take the elevator down to the Underground Lake, get the Power Flower, go back up, then phase through the cage to get the Star.
In the N64 version, instead of the Power Flower, you have the Metal Cap. However, you are invincible, so it is a little easier in its own way.
===Star 5: A-Maze-Ing Emergency Exit===
Return back to the Hazy Maze, the overall strategy is the same as the previous Star however, this time, enter the door left of the door you entered to get the previous Star, make your way through the winding corridor and access the elevator. Here you will see some wire, climb across the wire to reach the Star on the ledge ahead but don't let go or else you will fall into the pit below.
===Star 6: Watch for Rolling Rocks===
There are 2 different versions of this star. In the N64 version of this game, you have to go to the section at the front left from where you start in, where you have to do a long jump, and then go towards the giant boulders, which you obviously shouldn't touch. Instead, go near the door that leads to the platform that goes further underground, but instead, wall kick from the walls, then do some jumping towards right of the door to get the Power Star.
In the DS version, it is a different story, in which you go to the same room, but instead of wall jumping, you have to be Wario and break the black block to get a Super Mushroom, and then you have to run into 5 boulders before the power-up wears out, releasing a Power Star. There is now a 1-Up Mushroom in this Star's original location.
===Star 7 (DS Version): Underground Switch Star===
Exclusive to the DS version, this Star requires Wario. Enter the room with the Red Coins, in the room's northwest corner, there is a Black Box. Use Wario to break it and this will reveal a Star Switch. After this, switch to Mario (or Luigi) as Wario's speed and jumps are to minimal to reach the Star in time. After stepping on the Star Switch, dash to the Star and triple jump to the ledge it's on. The Star appears on the ledge near the poles.
==Enemies encountered==
*Scuttle Bug
*Goomba
*Swooper
*Mr. I
*Boulder
*Snufit
*Monty Mole
*Flamethrower
*Fire Spitter (Super Mario 64 only)
==Trivia==
*This is one of the few levels not accessed via a painting; instead, Mario must enter the door to the right of the entrance to Lethal Lava Land and jump into a pool of liquid metal inside.
*Even though this course is named "Hazy Maze Cave", none of the areas in the cave but the aforementioned maze contain fog.
*In the Nintendo DS version, Dorrie can be seen wearing a Wario Cap which can turn the player into Wario.
*This world has two Power Stars that can be obtained by gaining eight Red Coins. One in a secret area and the other being in the main area.
*This is the only main course in the game that has a Cap Switch.
*This is the only underground cave-like main course in the game.
*This is the only main course to include Dorrie.
*The music of this course is the only theme in the game that has been remixed significantly in the remake. Every other soundtrack remains identical to how it originally was.
*In Super Mario 64, the low collision detection made it so that the Power Star of Metal-Head Mario Can Move! can be collected without using the Metal Cap.
de:Grüne Giftgrotte
it:Grotta Labirinto
Category:Locations in Super Mario 64
Category:Levels
Category:Underground-themed