
Once Mario grabs the pole, slide down to get the star. Shot wrong, you’ll probably fly to your doom and lose a life. Shot right, Mario will grab the pole as you fly past. Use the cannon to shoot at the platform underneath a pole. Down here is a friendly pink Bob-omb that can activate a cannon. Where there’s a moving platform halfway up the fortress, if you fall you’ll land in water, a small side area. Easy! Whomp’s Fortress Star 3: Shoot into the Wild Blue Go back to where you fought Whomp, then use careful platforming to climb the tower. With Whomp gone, the fortress now has a new tower at the top. Whomp’s Fortress Star 2: To the Top of the Fortress If you fall off, the hit counter on the boss will reset. Three will defeat him, and then you get the star as a reward. Then jump on his back while he’s down and butt-stomp. He’ll jump to try to flatten you, but if you run towards him you can squeeze under him. At the top of the fortress is a huge Whomp, the Whomp King.

This first star is very similar to the first back on Bob-omb Battlefield, in that it involves a vertical climb up a relatively linear level until you reach a boss. Whomp’s Fortress Star 1: Chip Off Whomp’s Block This level was later remade in subsequent Mario games, and it’s considered a classic. Whomp’s Fortress is arguably an even more simple stage than Bob-omb Battlefield, but it does have some obtuse, well-hidden stars and coins.

The next level in Super Mario 64 is very similar to the first – a fortress that’s home to a classic Mario enemy.
