Editing Mission

[[File:SM64DS mission select.png|thumb|right|200px|The mission-selection screen for [[Snowman's Land]] in ''[[Super Mario 64 DS]]'']]

'''Missions''', also known as '''episodes''' in ''[[Super Mario Sunshine]]'' and '''objectives''' in ''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]'', appear as scenarios or instances that take place in various [[level]]s in many of the 3D games in the ''[[Super Mario (series)|Super Mario]]'' series. Missions often change the placement of objects in the level they apply to, and lead the player toward a certain [[Power Star]], [[Shine Sprite]], or [[Power Moon]] in the level. In most of their appearances, missions are selected from a dedicated menu that appears upon the player entering a level.

[[File:Bob-omb Battlefield mission select.png|thumb|right|200px|The mission-selection screen for the Bob-omb Battlefield in ''Super Mario 64'']]

Missions first appear in ''[[Super Mario 64]]''. There are six missions in each of the game's 15 main courses, which can be selected from when [[Mario]] enters one of the courses. Incomplete missions are represented by translucent blue Power Stars, while completed ones are represented by regular Power Stars. Mario can select only the first mission in each course when he enters it for the first time. Individual missions only rarely contain differences in level design in this game, mostly limited to the appearance of mission-relevant characters or bosses, such as the [[King Bob-omb|Big Bob-omb]] appearing only when [[Big Bob-omb on the Summit]] is selected on the [[Bob-omb Battlefield]], though there are occasionally more subtle differences as well, such as there being three [[Metal ball|iron ball]]s rolling around in a ditch on the Bob-omb Battlefield during [[Footrace with Koopa the Quick]] as opposed to two in every other mission. Since the level design changes little between missions, Power Stars belonging to missions other than the one selected can be obtained the majority of the time. Collecting a Power Star from a later mission causes only that mission to become unlocked prematurely.

Each of the main courses also contains an additional Power Star that appears regardless of the selected mission once Mario collects 100 [[coin]]s in a single visit to that level. These Power Stars are not themselves part of any mission, and they are listed separately in mission selection menus.

In ''Super Mario 64''{{'}}s remake, ''[[Super Mario 64 DS]]'', missions function largely the same, though there are now seven missions in each main course instead of six. While Power Stars from other missions can still be obtained the majority of the time, there are a slightly greater number of level design changes between missions than in the [[Nintendo 64]] version. For example, the newly introduced [[Silver Star]]s appear only when the missions they are relevant to are selected.

The ''Super Mario Sunshine'' Player's Guide also refers to the two hidden Shine Sprites in each level as being collected as part of ninth and tenth episodes of their respective levels.<ref>{{cite|author=Averill, Alan, and Jennifer Villarreal|title=''Super Mario Sunshine'' Player's Guide|page=41|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en-us|date=2002|isbn=1-930206-23-2}}</ref> However, these episodes are not selectable from the episode selection menu even after being completed, instead being displayed in the margin of the menu next to text reading "???" These hidden Shine Sprites are obtainable by selecting certain episodes and then somehow exploring off of the main path. Some of these hidden Shine Sprites are obtainable in multiple episodes, while others are limited to a single one. For example, [[Pianta Village]]'s [[Soak the Sun]] Shine Sprite can be obtained by selecting Episode 8, [[Fluff Festival Coin Hunt]], then spraying a hidden Shine Sprite painting at Pianta Village's highest point instead of collecting the eight [[Red Coin|red coin]]s.