Super Mario 64 Green Switch Location And How To Activate It

Super Mario 64 features several iconic power-up blocks that grant Mario temporary abilities throughout his adventure in Princess Peach's castle. Among these, the green exclamation blocks spawn the elusive Metal Cap, turning Mario into a heavy, invulnerable force capable of walking underwater. To unlock these solid green blocks across all stages, players must locate and press the hidden Green Switch tucked away in a secret subterranean cavern.

Prerequisites for Accessing the Basement

Before searching for the Green Switch, you must first unlock access to the basement area of Princess Peach's castle. This requires collecting enough Power Stars to defeat Bowser in the first main boss stage and obtaining the basement key. Once inside the basement hallway, locate the painting depicting a massive flame to find the portal to Hazy Maze Cave.

Entering Hazy Maze Cave serves as the gateway to finding the secret course housing the Green Switch. Ensure you have familiarized yourself with the level's basic navigation before venturing into its lower chambers.

Navigating to the Underground Lake and Secret Portal

Inside Hazy Maze Cave, take the left path from the starting point and navigate past the rolling boulders to find an elevator. Ride the elevator down to reach the dark underground lake where Dorrie the sea creature swims. Ground pound Dorrie's back to lower her head, allowing you to climb onto her neck and steer her toward the elevated double doors.

Passing through these doors leads to a quiet chamber featuring a liquid metal pool. Step directly into the pool to transition into the Cavern of the Metal Cap secret level.

Pressing the Green Switch and Unlocking the Metal Cap

Upon entering the secret course, Mario automatically turns into Metal Mario for a limited time. Follow the path through the cavern while watching out for hazardous running water that can sweep non-metal players toward the exit waterfall. At the end of the corridor, jump across the platforms to reach the massive green button on the floor.

Perform a ground pound directly on top of the button to permanently press the Green Switch. Activating this switch solidifies every translucent green exclamation block in the game, allowing Mario to claim the Metal Cap whenever he encounters them.

Additional Rewards inside the Cavern of the Metal Cap

While visiting the secret cavern, players can also earn a Castle Secret Star by gathering eight Red Coins scattered around the room. Two coins sit near the entrance platforms, while the remaining six reside underwater surrounding the switch area.

Utilize the newly unlocked green block nearby to comfortably walk on the lake floor and retrieve all the coins. Once completed, grab your secret Power Star before exiting back into the castle courtyard via the waterfall stream.