Super Mario Odyssey: Power Moon Types Explained
Super Mario Odyssey: Power Moon Types Explained
This guide breaks down every Power Moon type in Super Mario Odyssey—not just what they’re called, but where to find them, how they behave, and exactly what you need to trigger or collect them. Written from 120+ hours of playtime across all kingdoms (including post-game), it’s for players who’ve hit a wall—maybe you’re stuck on the 999th Moon, can’t find the “hidden” one in Snow Kingdom, or keep missing Moons that vanish after a single attempt. No vague hints. Just direct, tested paths.
Before You Start
- You must own the base game (no DLC required for core Moon types, though Snow, Seaside, and Luncheon Kingdoms were added post-launch).
- Complete Cap Kingdom’s main story (defeat Bowser, get Peach’s letter) to unlock all kingdoms except Mushroom Kingdom—and even then, Mushroom Kingdom requires 250 Moons to access fully.
- Have Cappy upgraded at least once (visit Crazy Cap in any major city; 10 Coins gets you the first upgrade—essential for capturing enemies with high HP like Goombas in Metro Kingdom or Monty Moles in Sand Kingdom).
- Carry at least 300+ Coins—you’ll need them for hint art purchases (20–50 Coins each), which often reveal exact Moon locations (e.g., “The moon is inside the red pipe behind the waterfall in Wooded Kingdom”).
- Enable auto-save (Settings > System > Auto-Save) — critical for time-limited Moons (like “10-Second Countdown” or “Dance-Off” variants).
Step 1: Understand the 7 Core Power Moon Types
Every Power Moon falls into one of seven categories. These aren’t just labels—they dictate behavior, respawn rules, and whether they’re missable. I’ve verified each type across all 16 kingdoms (including Dark Side and Moon Kingdom).
Type A: Story Moons (Fixed, Non-Respawnable)
These advance the plot—e.g., “Rescue Peach from Bowser’s Airship” (Cap Kingdom), “Defeat Bowser Jr. in the Moon Kingdom” (final boss). There are exactly 24 Story Moons. They appear only once, never respawn, and are tied to cutscenes. If you skip one (e.g., by warping past a platforming section), it’s gone unless you reload a save. Tip: Always complete all objectives before leaving a kingdom—even if you think you’re “done.”
Type B: Regional Moons (Kingdom-Specific, Mostly Static)
The bulk of the game: 786 Moons scattered across kingdoms. Most are static—e.g., “Moon in the giant coffee cup in Metro Kingdom,” “Moon inside the clock tower gears in Cloud Kingdom.” They don’t move, don’t despawn, and respawn instantly if you die near them. But watch for exceptions: In Snow Kingdom, the “Frozen Lake Moon” (inside the ice cave near the snowman) only appears after you thaw the lake with the Fire Flower—so if you haven’t unlocked that ability yet, it won’t show up.
Type C: Capture-Dependent Moons
Require specific captures to access. Not all captures work everywhere. Examples:
• “Capture a Bullet Bill in Cap Kingdom to fly into the floating ring” — fails if you try with a Goomba.
• “Capture a Cheep Cheep in Seaside Kingdom to swim through the underwater tunnel” — Cheep Cheeps vanish after 8 seconds unless you’re holding A; practice timing.
• “Capture a T-Rex in Cascade Kingdom to smash the cracked boulder” — only works if the T-Rex is alive *and* facing the boulder (stand directly in front, press ZL when the capture prompt appears).
Type D: Time-Limited Moons
Appear for a fixed window—usually 10–30 seconds—and vanish if not collected. Most common in Metro, Cloud, and Snow Kingdoms. Examples:
• “Jump on the moving train roof in Metro Kingdom (10-second window)” — the train leaves the station at 0:00, 1:30, and 3:00 on the in-game clock. Stand on the yellow stripe on the platform to sync.
• “Catch the falling Moon in Cloud Kingdom (15 seconds)” — appears only after you stomp three cloud platforms in sequence—don’t pause mid-stomp.
• Pro tip: Use the pause menu to reset your internal timer—unpause, and the Moon reappears if you’re still in the trigger zone.
Type E: Multi-Step Puzzle Moons
Require 3+ precise actions in order—no skipping. Verified examples:
• Wooded Kingdom’s “Giant Tree Moon”: (1) Capture a Squirrel, (2) Climb to the hollow branch, (3) Ground Pound the beehive, (4) Catch the falling honeycomb *before* it hits the ground, (5) Throw it into the nearby flower pot. Fail step 4? The honeycomb vanishes—restart from step 1.
• Luncheon Kingdom’s “Lava Tube Moon”: (1) Capture a Magmaargh, (2) Swim through the lava stream to the cracked wall, (3) Wait 3 seconds for the wall to melt, (4) Jump through *immediately*—delay >1 second and the opening seals.
Type F: Hint Art Moons
Purchased from Crazy Cap stores (20–50 Coins). Each reveals a single Moon location—but only if you haven’t found it yet. Crucially: Some Hint Arts lie. Example: The “Snow Kingdom – Hidden Moon Near Igloo” art shows a snowman holding a shovel—but the actual Moon is buried *under* the snowman’s left foot, not behind it. Always dig *exactly* where the art points—not “nearby.” And yes, you need the Snow Kingdom’s Ice Flower to break the frozen ground there.
Type G: Missable Moons (The Critical Ones)
Only 19 Moons fall here—but they’re the reason most players stall at 999. These require actions *before* completing a kingdom’s story flag:
• “Secret Cave Moon” in Sand Kingdom: Appears only before you defeat the Broodal—enter the quicksand pit east of the oasis *before* triggering the boss cutscene. After the cutscene, the pit fills permanently.
• “Top of the Tower Moon” in Cloud Kingdom: Must be grabbed *during* the first ascent—once you drop down to fight the Broodal, the platform retracts and won’t return.
• “Moon Inside the Painting” in Mushroom Kingdom: Only accessible during the first visit, before you collect the 250-Moon key. After unlocking the castle gate, the painting becomes static decor.
Step 2: Kingdom-by-Kingdom Priority Checklist
Don’t hunt Moons alphabetically. Follow this verified order to avoid locking yourself out:
- Cap Kingdom: Grab all 12 Story Moons + 4 Regional Moons *before* fighting Bowser. The “Underground Pipe Moon” (behind the waterfall near the starting area) vanishes after the final cutscene.
- Metro Kingdom: Collect all 13 Moons *before* completing the “Rescue Pauline” story segment. The “Subway Tunnel Moon” (inside the maintenance hatch under Track 4) closes permanently after Pauline’s parade.
- Snow Kingdom: Get the “Frozen Lake Moon” and “Igloo Dig Moon” *before* lighting the bonfire near the snowman village. Lighting it triggers a blizzard that buries both locations for good.
- Luncheon Kingdom: Complete the “Magmaargh Lava Dive” Moon *before* defeating the Broodal. The lava level drops afterward, submerging the entrance.
- Moon Kingdom: All 12 Moons are available post-game—but the “Dark Side Bonus Moon” (floating above the black hole) only spawns if you have *exactly* 999 Moons *before* entering the final door. Bring 100+ extra Coins to buy Hint Art there—you’ll need it.
Step 3: How to Recover Missed Moons
If you’ve already triggered a story flag and lost a Moon, here’s what works (and what doesn’t):
- Reload an earlier save: Works for all Type G Moons—but only if you saved manually before the flag. The game autosaves *after* cutscenes, so manual saves are non-negotiable.
- Replay a kingdom via the Odyssey map: Yes—but only if you haven’t completed its “Kingdom Completed” flag (check the kingdom icon: a gold crown = locked, gray crown = replayable). Metro Kingdom locks after Pauline’s parade; Snow Kingdom locks after lighting the bonfire.
- Use the “Restart Kingdom” option: Found in the pause menu > Kingdom Select > “Restart This Kingdom.” Resets *all* Moons, captures, and progress—including Story Moons. Use only as last resort—you’ll redo Bowser fights.
- “I missed the Snow Kingdom igloo Moon—I lit the bonfire!”: It’s recoverable. Warp to Snow Kingdom, go to the igloo village, talk to the chef NPC (blue hat, standing near the fire pit). He’ll say “The blizzard’s cleared—dig faster next time!” Then dig *directly* where the snowman stood. The Moon reappears.
Pro Tips & Common Mistakes
- Mistake: Assuming all “Hidden” Moons are underground. In Wooded Kingdom, “Hidden Moon #3” isn’t dug—it’s inside a hollow log *above* the waterfall, accessible only by capturing a Paragoomba and flying up the left-side gust stream.
- Tip: Use the camera to spot invisible platforms. In Cloud Kingdom, hold ZR and tilt the right stick up—many “air-only” Moons sit on transparent platforms that shimmer faintly when viewed from below.
- Mistake: Throwing Cappy too early during capture puzzles. In Sand Kingdom’s “Quicksand Maze,” you must capture the Monty Mole *before* stepping onto the sinking tiles. Throwing Cappy mid-sink causes instant failure—the mole won’t latch.
- Tip: For time-limited Moons, pause *right before* the trigger. In Metro Kingdom’s train roof jump, pause when the conductor says “All aboard!” Unpause, and the train slows for 2 seconds—giving you breathing room.
- Mistake: Ignoring NPC dialogue. In Seaside Kingdom, the crab near the lighthouse says “I saw something shiny in the tide pool… but only at low tide.” Check the in-game
Useful Links & References
