Super Mario Odyssey Guide: Grinding Gold Coins at Beginning, Middle, and End Game

Super Mario Odyssey tosses the classic “collect 100 coins in each world” motif in favor of a design that lets you build up a massive store of gold coins to splurge on all sorts of character customization options or even extra Power Moons if you’re so inclined. Thing is, some outfits are so expensive that they’ll literally leave you penniless — and don’t think Moons are cheap either.

In order to acquire the funds necessary to afford what you’re after, you might find yourself inclined to grind for the gold coins. Luckily, there are a few good spots where you can grind for coins rather rapidly depending on how far you are in the main story.

Grinding Gold Coins in Super Mario Odyssey‘s Cascade Kingdom

After finishing the Cascade Kingdom for the first time and taking off in the Odyssey, the level changes a bit–allowing you to access new places. Return to the Cascade Kingdom and walk up the path, crossing the bridge and continuing until you come face to face with a Chain Chomp. Toss Cappy at it to capture it and then fling it at the rock column on the wall.

The rock breaks to reveal a warp pipe that leads to the top of the cliff where you unlock the Top of the Big Stump checkpoint. From there, check the opposite cliff side and drop down to enter the Cappy Door. Inside you’ll find a T-Rex and a bunch of little hedgehogs.

The goal here is to capture the T-Rex and stomp the life out of every last hedgehog unlucky enough to be trapped in the same room as you. Every hedgehog stomped gets you 1 gold coin, and with over 100 littering the room, you’re bound to earn a hefty chunk of change by grinding here. Once all of them are smashed, you’ll even get a Power Moon, which equates to an extra 5 coins for all subsequent runs.

Grinding Gold Coins in Super Mario Odyssey‘s Snow Kingdom

After clearing the blizzard by progressing the story in the Snow Kingdom, you’ll notice a planter pot on the platform just across from the Odyssey. Its acorn is found on the big glacier in the middle, just to the left of the entrance to the village. Swing your hat at the ice encasing it to set the acorn free.

With the acorn in hand, return to the foot of the cliff where the planter pot is and use a ground pound or Cappy on the stump to create a gust of wind to carry you and the acorn up to the top. From here, simply toss the acorn in the pot and climb the beanstalk to the top to enter a secret level.

This level revolves around hopping off of flowers and hovering through coin rings on your way to the finish. If you manage to collect every coin ring on your way through the level, you’ll come out 200 gold coins richer. You have to replace the acorn if you accidentally fall, and It takes longer than the spot at Cascade Falls, but it’s a fair bit more entertaining than mindlessly smashing hedgehogs.

Grinding Gold Coins in Super Mario Odyssey‘s Bowser’s Kingdom

The best coin grinding spot is, of course, hiding in the depths of Bowser’s Kingdom. Head to the Beneath the Keep checkpoint and turn around. Take a right on the roof before hitting the ledge and follow it to the dropoff with coin rings. After dropping down, kill the ogre and hop down again to the roof below.

You’ll find an acorn on the other side of a spiked obstacle course from its planter pot. Take the acorn to the planter pot and ride the beanstalk to the top in order to access the secret level.

The important thing to remember while grinding this level is to not move at all from the moment you enter the level. Just toss out your cap, grab the speed flower, and jump when the yellow lines prompt you to. All of the coins are lined up in a row, so there’s no way you can miss any of them if you just never touch the left thumbstick.

A successful run of the level nets you 170 coins. If you ground pound at just the right moment at the end of the level, you’ll catch the coin rings and come out with an easy 180. Toss on some Netflix and you’ll have the coins you need before you know it.

Using these grinding spots, you’ll soon be drowning in so many gold coins that you’ll never want for another outfit or purchasable Power Moon again. For more tips on Mario’s latest globe-trotting adventure, be sure to check out our Super Mario Odyssey guides.