As beloved as the Super Mario franchise is, there are a fair amount of elements in each game that make players frustrated beyond compare. Whether it is a seemingly impossible jump, or a star floating just out of reach, players of all ages have suffered aggravation while gaming. Super Mario 3D World is no exception. While a majority of the game is straightforward and among one of the easier Mario adventures, those completionists who want to explore every inch of the levels and collect everything they can get their hands on, have a decent challenge on their hands. Each level has three green stars to collect, and one stamp each.
While not every single collectible is required to beat the game, there are bonus levels unlocked for gaining a certain number of stars. The stamps were originally used for Miiverse, although when the service shut down, they were deemed pointless. The Nintendo Switch port still has the stamps, and they excel in driving gamers crazy.
Plessie's Plunging Falls
This level consists of Mario riding Plessie to the finish. The stamp is in the open and seems easy to obtain. As fun as Plessie is to ride, she isn't the easiest to control around tight curves, which is exactly where the stamp is located. Plessie uses momentum to move around corners, take the corner too fast and she will go flying over the edge. Take the corner too slow, and she will miss the stamp entirely. This is a tricky one that will take several times to finally get right. The trick is to try to aim for the stamp, and quickly turn to avoid the edge. Many fans will agree this is easier said than done.
Shifty Boo Mansion
The Mario series is no stranger to ghosts and spooky levels. These levels are typically filled with secrets and tricks to keep the player on their toes. Shifty Boo Mansion's stamp is hidden well out of sight.
Throughout the level are several couches that typically do nothing at all. One particular couch, however, moves the player up like an elevator where the stamp is waiting. While not hard to obtain, this stamp is hidden well enough to make gamers think they are going insane as they pace back and forth trying to find it. Driving players insane is what ghost houses are all about, and this is no different.
Pipeline Lagoon
Water levels are hit and miss with fans. Either hated or beloved, these levels have been a staple of the series since the first game. The controls in these levels are slightly different, making the character move slower and more floaty. The stamp in this level is so far off the main path, fans will swear it doesn't even exist. At a certain point in the level, players will see a sign directing them to swim down. Instead, players will have their character move up toward the top of the screen. Instead of stopping, the character will eventually come across a hidden area with coins and the pesky stamp
Piranha Piper Creek
This level can already be aggravating enough with the infestation of Pirahna Plants everywhere, but players will be even more agitated when they can't locate the stamp. This stamp is obtained by jumping off of the head of a Piranha Plant, and into a secret hole in the wall. The character will run along a path filled with coins and find the stamp at the end. The Mario series is known for these hidden areas, but that doesn't make it any less irritating when they still can't be found after four or more playthroughs of a level.
Lava Rock Lair
Sometimes the most obvious path isn't there the most goodies will be found. The catsuit allows players to climb walls for a short time. This ability is how this stamp is obtained, and the path is far from obvious. There is a larger area with two walls at the entrance. Gamer's instincts will tell them to simply run into the area, but this will cost this the stamp. Using the catsuit, the character will run up the wall on the left. This will lead them to a ledge with some coins. Run up the wall once more from here, and the stamp will be at the very top.
Sprawling Savannah
When a gamer sees a group of enemies, most of the time their instinct says to avoid them and especially don't follow a large group of them. If the stamp in this level is to be obtained, the exact opposite must be applied. A group of enemies is marching in a line into a hole in the ground.
Instead of avoiding them, the character is to jump into the hole with them. This will lead to a small hidden area with some coins and the stamp. While not extremely hard to deduce, this is a stamp that is risky to gain with a large number of enemies that need to be avoided while receiving it.
King Ka-Thunk's Castle
Once again, this level puts the trusty catsuit to good use. While trying to avoid spiked squares, players may not think to climb up a random wall. This is exactly where the stamp is hiding, however. Climb up a wall in between two spiked squares. The suit lets the character climb just enough to manage to reach a ledge at the top with a jump. This is a perfect example of a stamp hidden in plain sight. Gamers will more than likely play this level, including the final boss, multiple times just to get a little stamp. This is a stamp that will make gamers bang their heads with frustration when realizing how simple it is to get, and they wasted so much time looking for it.
Clear Pipe Cruise
From the very first game, fans knew that if they wanted to travel via a pipe, they needed to enter it. Not once did they think to walk on the outside of them. Most Mario games have secrets, but few have ones that require fans to second guess mechanics that have become second nature. There is a large clear pipe that sends the character to another part of the level. Going against instinct, players must instead choose to walk on the top of the pipe. This is tricky due to how narrow the pipe is, and how easy it would be to fall off. Even when the stamp is reached, the jump is very tricky and makes falling a huge risk.
Bowser's Bomb-omb Brigade
Anyone who has ever played a game with bombs as an item knows that a wall with a crack in it can probably be blown up to reveal a secret. Right next to the final pipe, there is such a wall that hides a stamp. What makes this stamp so hard to obtain, is the level is auto-scrolling. This makes stopping to sexplore more difficult than it normally would. When the character picks up a Bomb-omb to throw, they have a limited time before it goes off in their hands, injuring them. This mixed with the auto-scrolling makes carrying the Bomb-omb to the broken wall a very frustrating experience.
Grumblump Inferno
This is one of the more challenging levels in the game. The player must maneuver the character on constantly flipping platforms over lava. Staying the upper part of the platform to stay above the lava is key, and often times easier said than done. It is difficult enough to stay on these platforms, but jumping from this platform to a post with a narrow area to land on is even more difficult. This is exactly how the stamp is earned, landing on the platform isn't the last of the troubles, as there is a Hammer Bro standing directly in front of the stamp to make things harder.