Medals

Medals are anomalous collectibles found in some personalized copies of Super Mario 64. They can be collected by completing several challenges throughout the game. This can range from beating the game to collecting all the coins in a level. It is believed these are created as a way for the player to continue playing after the ending, or as a challenge for players good at the game. The bronze, silver or gold medal typically appear directly on the file select screen, while the others only appear when the file is selected.

Medals usually spawn in as a physical collectible, which play the same animations as grabbing a Star when collected and appear as simplistic circles with some form of basic design on them. They may also appear on the HUD when collected, disappearing shortly after.

List of Reported Medals
Below is a list of the Medals that have been reported on numerous occasions. Note that not all of these may appear in the same copy or have the same unlock method.

Game Completion Medals
These are the most common medals. They are the bronze, silver and gold medals. They are unlocked by beating the game with:


 * Bronze Medal: 70-99 Stars
 * Silver Medal: 100-119 Stars
 * Gold Medal: 120+ Stars

Collecting these medals usually does not give a reward, however some copies may have other rewards for obtaining every Power Star and by extension the Gold Medal.

Ghoul Medal
The Ghoul Medal is commonly collected by finding a way to exit the cage around Big Boo's Haunt. The reward is varied, but reports include unlocking a permanent toggle-able Vanish Cap, unlocking the Phantasm Cap, unlocking new missions in BBH, or unlocking new levels. Some people consider this a different anomaly from the other medals, as it can commonly appear on its own.

Shiver Medal
The Shiver Medal can be collected by beating either version of the Penguin race in a certain time limit. It is more common in the Penguin race after collecting 120 stars. It commonly unlocks a new move, similarly to the new triple jump awarded by Yoshi, usually related to mobility and racing. Notably, after beating the first Penguin race normally, they mentioned not being able to give you a gold medal. However, the name of the Shiver Medal is a pun on silver medal.

Broil Medal
The Broil Medal is reported to appear in fire-based levels and usually involves clearing the course under a certain stipulation, such as decreased health. It may also be unlocked in a Bowser fight by defeating him with his own fire; a common phenomenon related to Bowser is that his own fire can be used to damage him, usually by throwing him into it. This may result in altered dialogue.

Cap Medal
The Cap Medal can be unlocked by unlocking every Cap Switch in a given file. However, some reports also involve a special challenge in each Cap Switch course that must be completed; either for a part of the Cap Medal, a Power Star, or both. In most reports, a stage relating to the Yellow Cap Switch is unlocked, however other Switch Colours have also been reported.

Cheater Medal
The Cheater Medal can be obtained by completing the game with an impossible number of Power Stars (above the intended maximum, or below the minimum requirement). This usually results in unique dialogue from Bowser or Princess Peach commenting on the number of Stars collected. In some copies, the player's progress in their file may also be reset, with the Cheater Medal becoming permanently affixed to the slot.

Speedster Medal
The Speedster Medal can be obtained by beating a level, mission, floor or the entire game in an exceptional amount of time. Notably, people who have used glitches to sequence break also report getting this medal. This medal commonly alters the dialogue of Bowser after being defeated in the final fight, but does little else, though others report it increases the player's speed or unlocks a new move.

Rich Medal
The Rich Medal can be obtained through methods related to coins, usually by all the coins in a level without dying, collecting all the coins in the game, or through achieving certain amounts of coin scores. This medal is notable for having some of the most interesting rewards, as some say it unlocks Wario to some extent, either as playable or simply making him appear, likely due to his greedy nature, or that it unlocks a new ending where with all the money Princess Peach expands the castle, creating new floors and by extension new levels. Moneybags also supposedly become more common.

Medal of Shame
This Medal is unlocked by spending over 24 hours in the Cube of Shame. This also requires the player to be active for the entire duration and solve CAPTCHAs at random intervals. Reportedly, this Medal allows the player to leave the Cube of Shame and return to regular play, however the Medal is permanently affixed to the HUD.

The Wario Admiration
This Medal is unlocked by defeating the Wario Apparition with every other obtainable Medal already owned. This is an alternate condition to unlock Wario as a character, usually prompting extra dialogue from the Apparition before being defeated, and occasionally opening Swap Forest.

The Redal Goomba
No information known. Data mining has shown that this is related to Star Discoloring in a currently unknown way.

Trickster Medal
The Trickster Medal is reportedly unlocked through completing one of many playground rumors relating to unlocking Luigi or the 121st Star. This medal changes all the textures in the game to be bright and candy themed, speeds and pitches up the music notably, and edit's Mario's model to include bright colours with a Lollipop stuck to his head.

You're winner
This is unlocked by obtaining every Star in Free Stars For You! like the pathetic joke of a player you are.

Trivia

 * Medals are supposedly mentioned in an older version of the strategy guide of Super Mario 64. This is unconfirmed.
 * Some people suggest that this anomaly is created by the Personalization A.I. taking a scrapped Ghoul Medal collectible and making similar collectibles based off of it, explaining why the Ghoul Medal commonly appears by itself.