Tiny-Huge Island
Tiny-Huge Island is an island surrounded by cliffs and an ocean in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS. It is the thirteenth course in the game, and located on the second floor of the castle. This level has many coins with 191 total, many of which come from Ground Pounding on the big Goombas for one blue coin each.
Strategically placed around the island are pipes that can alter the size on the entire level, which are reminiscent of Super Mario Bros. 3's Level 6 of Big Island (World 4) where there are doors that change the enemies' sizes. The main creatures in the level are Piranha Plants that shoot fire, Koopas, Lakitus, , Koopa the Quick, Bubbas, and Goombas. All can change in size, and be replaced. When in the big version of the island, two Bubbas are in the water, Goombas and Piranha Plants are huge, Koopa the Quick will be in the level, and a cannon will be available. The boss of this level is a Wiggler.
A unique feature of this level is the option to choose how the level first appears. Entering the small painting causes the island to begin "tiny" (thus Mario beginning significantly larger than everything else in the level). Entering the large painting causes the island to begin in "huge" (and makes Mario extremely small compared to other objects and enemies throughout the level). The entrance room employs forced perspective, that gives the illusion that all three paintings are the same size. Mario is unable to enter the medium sized (middle) painting.
The level itself is on the second floor of the castle, and is in its own separate room. The room has three paintings, all exactly the same. The paintings are each down separate hallways throughout the room. The middle painting is thought to be the size that the other paintings would look like if they were normal sized, but the player cannot go through this painting. The paintings to either side appear to be the same size from the starting platform, but when someone walks up to the one on the left, both the painting and the hallway shrinks; this painting leads to "tiny" island. When the player approaches the painting on the right, everything steadily grows; this leads to "huge" island.
Levels
The level titles and numbers correspond to Super Mario 64 unless otherwise noted.
Star 1: Pluck the Piranha Plant
To get this Star, Mario must enter the small painting, arriving in the "tiny" island. There are two islands in line with the island where Mario sets out his adventure in the level. Mario must use Long jump to the first island, then jump again to the next island. Mario must then jump through the pipe, to make the island huge. In the spot, there will be lots of large, fire-breathing Pirahna Plants on the island now. Mario must dispose of them all, most easily by punching them, to get the Power Star.
Star 2: The Tip Top of the Huge Island
For the next star, Mario must again enter the small painting. Then he should get up to the third island, but this time, Mario must go to a small platform just next to the small island and press the switch that is on it, revealing a bridge which Mario must walk over to where the bridge turns, then get off onto a platform. He must jump up to the next platform, avoiding the rolling black balls and then jump through the pipe, making him small. Mario should then make it up to the top of the Island from there, where he will find a ! block which contains the star.
Star 3: Rematch with Koopa the Quick
For this star, Mario must enter either painting and get to the third island. Next he should pass through the Windswept Valley bridge. Up on the next platform, Mario will find Koopa the Quick, unless he is on the tiny version of the island where there would be a smaller Koopa that cannot be raced. Mario must then race him to Windswept Valley where a flag is seen. If Mario wins, he will be awarded the star.
Star 4: Five Itty Bitty Secrets
For this Star, Mario must again go through the small painting. He must find five small openings around the course while he is big. The Openings are in the following places:
- At the top of the island,
- On the other side of the opening at the starting island,
- At the cannon,
- At a small alcove next to the slope where Mario finds Koopa the Quick,
- At the entrance to Wiggler's Cave.
The Star will then appear on a small floating island near the start. To access it, the player must follow the bridge next to the third island all the way round.
Star 4 (DS): Klepto the Condor
In this star, Mario will have to enter the huge painting and make his surroundings bigger. Mario will need to climb to the top of a mountain and turn left. Then he must jump onto the first platform that is past the water and climb up to the very top of a tree where he will be doing a handstand on top. Afterwords, Mario will need to jump on the platform above. He will be on the platform with Klepto where he can jump up and grab the star that the giant bird is holding. If Mario hits Klepto, he'll knock the star out of his talons and it will land on a platform nearby that Mario can get.
Star 5: Wiggler's 8 Red Coins
This time, Mario must go through the large painting. He must go through the opening at the start and swim across the lake, going through the pipe to become big. Mario must then fire up at a small platform to the right. There is a narrow bridge here that Mario must follow. At the end of the bridge there is an opening into a cave. Enter this. When Mario is inside, he must jump on the various platforms and collect the eight red coins. The star will then appear on the star marker at the entrance to the cave.
Star 6: Make Wiggler Squirm
For this star, Mario must go through the small painting. He must get to the top of the island, where he will find a pool. Mario must ground pound the pool, making the water flood through a small opening. Mario must then make his way back the way he came until he gets to a pipe. Jump through the pipe, into Huge Island, then get back to the top of the island again and jump through the opening. Mario will find himself in Wiggler's Cave, where Wiggler will say he is really angry because Mario flooded his house. Mario must then Ground Pound him three times to make him give up the star.
In the DS version of the game, Wiggler does turn red after taking damage twice (as shown on the screenshot). Interestingly enough, that Wiggler can only hurt the player while in its angry state in the remake.
Star 7 (DS): Switch Star on the Island
In Wiggler's cave the Player must hit the Star Switch and find a way over to the Star before it disappears. Mario or Luigi are best suited for getting this Star.
Trivia
- In Tiny-Huge Island, Mario must go into pipes to make the world bigger or smaller. The same idea was used in Giant Land, a world from Super Mario Bros. 3. In fact, Tiny-Huge Island seems to be a 3-D version of that world.
- Total coins in this course (N64) — 191.
