Challenge Courses

This page will not cover the Challenge Courses in Star Road, as they already have their own page.

Challenge Courses, also called Challenge Levels, are special types of anomalous levels that are considered harder than regular levels. They are typically much more linear with only 1 or 2 Power Stars, and usually appear on anomalous floors or similar areas unlocked after beating the regular game. The most well-known type of Challenge Courses are found on Star Road, though several others have been reported. Challenge Courses are known for appearing to more skilled players, due to the Personalization A.I. making the game harder to appeal to them.

The Super Secret Aquarium
Not to be confused with the Aquarium Limbo.

The Super Secret Aquarium is an anomalous version of the regular Secret Aquarium level. This version of the level is known to be bigger than the average Secret Aquarium, in a more complex shape, such as a diamond, or a maze-like labyrinth area with very little coins or air pockets. This level's Power Star typically requires 8 red coins like the regular Secret Aquarium, though other requirements have been reported, such as collecting 5 secrets or simply finding it in a certain area. This level also has been reported to have enemies, such as Bubs or a Unagi. The Super Secret Aquarium is usually found replacing the Secret Aquarium or in the hole in the wall opposite of the regular Secret Aquarium, typically only appearing after some requirement is met such as collecting 120 Power Stars.

The Inner Tower
The Inner Tower is a Challenge Course taking place inside the towers found inside the Tower of the Wing Cap level, typically located by flying into a window of one of the 4 towers surrounding the level, or even the tower in the middle. This level typically requires the player to fly around using the Wing Cap, either to navigate from one platform to another, or as the only means of navigating the level, as many reports claim there are no platforms and only a bottomless pit the player falls into when they run into a wall or lose the Wing Cap. This level commonly requires the player to collect 8 red coins in the air.

The Super Secret Slide
Similarly to the Super Secret Aquarium, this level is an anomalous version of one of the slide areas in Super Mario 64, most commonly the slide found in Tall, Tall Mountain. This level is most commonly found by using a cannon to break through part of the wall to be teleported into the Super Secret Slide. The slide typically has very sharp turns, multiple jumps, and obstacles such as flamethrowers and even Chuckyas. Notably, alongside the star for beating the level, there have also been reports of a star requiring you to collect red coins, which is believed to be a remnant of an unused Tall, Tall Mountain mission.

The Inner Airship
The Inner Airship is an anomalous area in Rainbow Ride. As the name suggests, it takes place inside the airship found in the level, usually found by ground pounding a specific part of the floor that turns out to be a trap door to gain access to the Inner Airship. This area is filled with Goombas, Bob-ombs, and even the anomalous Hammer Bros., who typically drop this area's Power Star when defeated. This area also has other obstacles such as holes in the floor you can fall through, and cannons pointed inwards that will periodically shoot.

Chomp Caverns
Also known as Bob-omb Cavern, Chomp Caverns is a Challenge Course found in Bob-omb Battlefield, typically inside of the gate blocked by the Chain Chomp. This area is a large cave that resembles Cavern of the Metal Cap and Hazy Maze Cave filled with small Chain Chomps, Scuttlebugs, other enemies seen in cave or "spooky" levels, and bottomless pits. This level usually either has an 8 red coins star or simply a star at the end of the level.

Nuclear No-Man's Land
Nuclear No-Man's Land is an anomalous version of Lethal Lava Land to have green lava, which, judging by the name, is meant to resemble nuclear waste, and no volcano. The level's platforms are much farther apart, with many more enemies from the original level, and even geysers spewing up toxic waste that the player has to avoid. The missions are usually the same as Lethal Lava Land, though a special mission involving draining the level has also been reported.

Blast to the Past
Blast to the Past, a name only decided by fans, is a large plane that takes on the appearance of the Mario sprite in the first Mario Bros. game. There is consistently only one star, requiring the player to run around and collect 8 red coins across the level, avoiding obstacles such as flamethrowers, Chuckyas, and other obstacles. The level itself has also been reported to gradually fall apart similarly to Bowser in the Sky's boss arena, requiring the player to clear it quickly.

The Battle Tower
The Battle Tower (also reportedly known as "Koopa's Tower" in some copies) is one of the most well known Challenge Courses. It is a tall black tower that is essentially a boss rush level, with each floor having a different boss, with Bowser on the final floor for a true final boss. This Challenge Course is often known to end with a unique ending to the game, or a special collectible, such as a key to unlock an anomalous floor. The Battle Tower can also have anomalous bosses, such as Boss Blarggs, Motos, and the Trashbot, and anomalous upgrades of mini-bosses like a Big Bully or Big Mr. I, such as a Big Bully that has to be knocked into lava multiple times or a Big Mr. I with the ability to roll around the arena. Notably, the Battle Tower has also been reported as a unique arena in some sort of minigame for Multiplayer Mode.

Eternal Fort?
The Eternal Fort, despite being very enigmatic, is known to appear to the most skilled players who know everything there is to know about Super Mario 64. Challenge Courses are also known to appear to skilled players who have played a majority of the game. With this logic, the Eternal Fort might be the "ultimate"' Challenge Course. Considering how the Eternal Fort was known about long before other Challenge Courses, it may not have been grouped with these other anomalous levels until now, though we don't know enough about the Eternal Fort to group it with confidence.