New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe guide: Layer-Cake Desert Star Coins

Watch out for quicksand! New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe’s Layer-Cake Desert is filled with it, plus the enemies you’ve come to expect from Mario desert levels: Pokeys, Fire Snakes, Spikes, and more. On part of the map, you can fight Goombas and Fire Bros. plus pick up a free Super Acorn.

Layer-Cake Desert 1 — Stone-Eye Zone Star Coins

Grid View

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Star Coin 1: The first Star Coin is pretty straightforward — you’ll see it floating above a giant Stone-Eye platform. It will tip over when you jump on it, though, so be ready to jump up to collect the Star Coin, or use your Super Acorn glide jump.

Star Coin 2: You’ll need a Super Acorn for the next Star Coin. Just after the checkpoint, you’ll see an arrow pointing forward. You have to get on top of the palm tree next to this sign — to do this, get on the moving Stone-Eye to the left and use your glide jump when the Stone-Eye is at its highest point. When you’re on the palm tree, you can enter a pipe, which will take you to a room with plenty of coins (once you press the nearby P Switch) and the Star Coin.

Star Coin 3: The final Star Coin is easily visible on your path — it’s in the middle of a sand spout. To collect it, you can time the sand’s movement or just use your Super Acorn glide jump.

Layer-Cake Desert 2 — Perilous Pokey Cave Star Coins

Grid View

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Star Coin 1: Right after you see the first Pokey on the ceiling, you’ll come to an area with sand spouts and floating blocks. Get on top of the moving question block to reach the Star Coin.

Star Coin 2: Just after the first Star Coin, you’ll see two ceiling Pokeys with a sand spout between them. At the top of the sand spout, jump up to reveal a hidden coin block. After you jump on the coin block, you can jump through the gap in the ceiling and run through a line of coins, with the Star Coin at the end.

Star Coin 3: It’s a good idea to have Yoshi for this part — his egg is right before you enter the dark room with the bats. In the dark room, look for a green pipe on the ceiling and use Yoshi’s flutter jump to reach the pipe. You’ll enter a room with several Pokeys — use Yoshi to jump on their heads and reach the final Star Coin.

Layer-Cake Desert 3 — Fire Snake Cavern Star Coins

Grid View

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Star Coin 1: At the beginning of the cave will be a few tilting platforms. Head to the top platform and jump above the ceiling (use a Super Acorn glide jump to make it easier). You’ll find a passage leading to the first Star Coin.

Star Coin 2: Having Glowing Baby Yoshi will help for this one. Just after the checkpoint will be some long tilting platforms with bricks in the middle. Ground pound the brick on the lower platform to reach a pipe that leads to a secret room. Use Glowing Baby Yoshi to eat the fire snakes, then activate the P Switch to clear away the bricks blocking your path to the Star Coin.

Star Coin 3: Near the end of the level, you’ll find two Fire Bros. on tilting platforms. Above the first one is a pipe that you’ll take to reach the final Star Coin.

Layer-Cake Desert Tower — Stoneslide Tower Star Coins

Grid View

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Star Coin 1: You’ll see this Star Coin as soon as you turn the first crank to lower the block. Jump up to grab it before it slides out of view.

Star Coin 2: You’ll see a sign with an up arrow on the left side of the screen. On the right side is a crank you’ll turn to move two small square blocks and one rectangular block. You’ll need to get around that long block, so hurry and use your wall jump to get past it on the left side before it slams back into place. Once you’re above the block, reaching the Star Coin is easy.

Star Coin 3: In the room after the checkpoint, you’ll eventually see a shallow quicksand area on the left side of the screen. At the very left edge of this area, jump up to find a hidden pipe. You’ll be taken to a room where Grrrolls fall from the ceiling. It may take a few tries to get the timing right, but you can spin the crank to lead them to break the walls guarding the final Star Coin.

Layer-Cake Desert 4 — Spike’s Sprouting Sand Star Coins

Grid View

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Star Coin 1: The first Star Coin is easy to see, guarded by two Spikes. Defeat them and use the coin blocks they were standing on to jump up to your Star Coin.

Star Coin 2: The first time you encounter a Spike on top of a sand spout, take him out and then jump to reveal a hidden block with a vine on top of the spout. Jump to the vine (it’ll take some trying, but you can do it), and climb it to reach the second Star Coin.

Star Coin 3: After the checkpoint, look for a signpost with an arrow going diagonally up and to the right. Below this sign is a hidden pipe — enter it, claim the Mini Mushroom, and run up the wall to the mini pipe. Then, get ready to run. Sprint through the level before the sand spouts lift you up, and grab the Star Coin at the end.

Layer-Cake Desert 5 — Dry Desert Mushrooms Star Coins

Grid View

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Star Coin 1: The first Star Coin is right in your path — you just have to drop down to a low platform and avoid the boulders that the Spikes above throw.

Star Coin 2: Just after the checkpoint, you’ll see the second Star Coin between two Spikes on an expanding and contracting pink platform. Time your jumps carefully to collect it.

Star Coin 3: Look for a green pipe at the bottom of the screen — it leads to a secret room with a POW Block you can toss. Make sure you time your throw so the coins and Star Coin come down while the platforms are expanded.

Layer-Cake Desert 6 — Blooming Lakitus Star Coins

Grid View

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Star Coin 1: The first Star Coin is easy to see, above some bricks with a few Piranha Plants, a red Koopa Troopa, and of course the Lakitu.

Star Coin 2: After the first giant Piranha Plant of the level, you’ll see a high platform that you can use to jump on the Lakitu. After you take it out, you can use its cloud to move up to a pipe, which will take you to a room with the second Star Coin.

Star Coin 3: The third Star Coin is near the end of the level, when you cross a bunch of rolling hills with Piranha Plants. It’s hiding behind a giant Pirahna Plant. You may have to sacrifice your power-ups to get it, or you can throw a Koopa Troopa shell at it.

Layer-Cake Desert Castle — Morton’s Compactor Castle Star Coins

Grid View

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Star Coin 1: You’ll see the first Star Coin above some short gaps in the floor. Get up speed and run across without stopping, or else you’ll fall down a gap.

Star Coin 2: Just after the first Star Coin, you’ll come across some sliding rocks that form stairsteps. Climb up them to jump over the ceiling and access a hidden pipe. Wall jump to collect the Star Coin.

Star Coin 3: You’ll see the third Star Coin on your path, in the middle of a bunch of sliding rocks. Take your time and figure out the timing of the rocks so you can jump down and get it.

Layer-Cake Desert — Piranha Plants on Ice Star Coins

Grid View

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Star Coin 1: You’ll have to move fast to get the first Star Coin. You’ll see a pipe at the bottom of the screen with an ice block above it. Jump down and duck into the pipe before the block falls and crushes you. The Star Coin is right there.

Star Coin 2: The second Star Coin also requires timing. After the coin challenge are a few Piranha Plants on platforms. The last of these melts an ice block, sending it down onto a platform. Jump onto this block, then onto the block to the right (before the Piranha Plant melts it too), and you’ll see a pipe. It will take you to a room full of coins, Piranha Plants, and the Star Coin.

Star Coin 3: Just after the second Star Coin is an area where you can jump onto ice blocks that Piranha Plants are melting. Stay fast and jump onto all of them before they melt, and eventually you’ll find the Star Coin.