Slide (Super Mario 64)

Mario sliding, which occurs when he plays these sliding courses

Slides are secret places found in certain levels in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS. When Mario, Yoshi, Luigi, or Wario approaches one, he slides down on his front or back, and he can speed up or slow down when sliding. Most of the time, the player should avoid going too close to the edge since all the edges lead to a void. The player also has coins to collect, and completing the slide results in a Power Star.

In WarioWare: Move It!, a microgame features all three slides, with minor differences.

The Princess's Secret Slide

The Princess's Secret Slide minimap in Super Mario 64 DS

The Princess's Secret Slide is the shortest of the three in the game. It contains 80 coins, a Blue Coin Block, and a 1-UP Mushroom hidden at the end. It is the only slide course that is not located in an actual level. It can be accessed by passing through the stained glass picture of Princess Peach on the right in the room on the mezzanine. It contains two Power Stars. One of them can be found in a yellow block at the end of the course. The other one appears after the player completes the slide in less than 21 seconds. It is also available as a playable course in the downloadable multiplayer game for Super Mario 64 DS. Falling off this stage does not cost the player any lives.

Cabin's Snow Slide

Mario racing on the Cabin's Snow Slide

Cabin's Snow Slide minimap in Super Mario 64 DS

The Cabin's Snow Slide (or simply the Snow Slide) of Cool, Cool Mountain is accessed by entering the chimney of the cottage at the start of the level. It is made of snow and ice, and it has no side-supports to keep the player character from falling off. Unlike in The Princess's Secret Slide, it will cost the player a life if they fall off. At the very end of the slide, there is a thin bridge made of sheer ice. This is the only slide that has an intentional shortcut, which is indicated by a trail of five Yellow Coins leading into a fake wall. The shortcut is a tunnel with no obstacles or pitfalls that leads directly to the end of the slide. Taking the shortcut during the mission Big Penguin Race makes the Big Penguin accuse the player character of cheating; he does not give him a Power Star unless he completes the slide normally. The slide contains 82 Yellow Coins, one Blue Coin that appears only at the beginning of the course, two 1-UP Mushrooms (both in the shortcut), and a yellow block that contains another 1-UP Mushroom.

Mysterious Mountain Slide

The trick path

Mysterious Mountain Slide minimap in Super Mario 64 DS

The Mysterious Mountain Slide of Tall, Tall Mountain features sharper turns, detours, and even a trick path. The track has three 1-UP Mushrooms and a Star at the end. In Super Mario 64 DS, there are 45 Yellow Coins in the slide area. This track is also required for the 100-Coin Star of Tall, Tall Mountain for Super Mario 64, as it contains more than 35 coins. However, it is not required for the 100-Coin Star in Super Mario 64 DS, as there are more coins available outside the slide area. If the Star appears on the slide, it must be obtained right away, or it will disappear due to the loading point separating the slide and the mountain itself. To get to this slide course, the player has to go near the top of the mountain (just past the Fwoosh) and find a place that looks like an ordinary wall but is accessible like a painting. It is just behind the row of five coins. In Super Mario 64 DS, the coins are positioned differently so that the entrance to the slide is more obvious to the player.

If the player character loses a life from falling off the slide and enters the course again, he will be immediately transported to the slide, instead of the player having to climb the mountain again, provided the life lost does not result in a Game Over.