Super Mario RPG: Moleville & Mole Mines Walkthrough

Welcome to our complete story walkthrough of Super Mario RPG on Nintendo Switch and SNES.

With the Forest Maze clear, Bowyer defeated, and Geno joining your party, things are starting to look up for Mario and friends. Your quest will next bring you to Moleville, a brand-new town with lots of goodies to collect. But first, you'll need to head down into the Mole Mines to save the little moles from impending danger.

Here’s our guide on Moleville and the Mole Mines, all enemies, and what secrets you can find.

Moleville Walkthrough

You should have plenty of coins by now, so head over to the shop and purchase as many weapon and armor upgrades for your party as you can. The store also stocks stock Mid Mushrooms and Maple Syrup, which are upgraded versions of Mushrooms and Honey Syrup, respectively.

When you’ve finished shopping, head up the stairs to see Bowser arguing with his minions. Afterwards, follow Bowser into the Mole Mines.

Mole Mines Enemies

Magmite

They have high physical defense, but will go down very easily to Mallow’s Thunderbolt spell.

Bob-omb

As you might expect, these enemies explode on impact! They’ll attack you with a charge that removes them from the battle afterward.

Cluster

These enemies often self-destruct and take a party member down with it. Battles with more than one of them can be very dangerous, so keep an eye out!

Enigma

A big group of bats that generally goes down pretty easily. They can inflict Mute on a party member if left alone for too long.

Mole Mines Walkthrough

As you enter the mine, you'll find out that a few mole children are stuck further inside the mine. Jump onto the moles to ascend to the next level.

Make your way through this room and you’ll come to an area with a Toad inside. Drop down to the level below and then enter the door directly beneath the Toad.

There’s a trampoline in this area. Jump onto it… and Mario will hit his head on the ceiling, pass out, and then get robbed by Croco and a group of bandits. You’ll need to give chase to Croco and his minions to get your coins back. Do so by following him to the east. Stay on his trail and continue following him through several consecutive rooms.

Eventually, you’ll find one of Croco’s minions hiding behind a box. Defeat him to receive a Flower Tab. This bandit didn’t have your coins, so as he runs off, follow him into the next room.

Croco will dash by if you wait long enough, so follow him into this area to find the second bandit. Defeat it to receive a second Flower Tab, but still no coins. The third bandit is hiding behind the trampoline, so defeat him to earn one last Flower Tab.

Every so often, Croco will dash past you and stop to look around for a moment. You will need to corner him to engage him in battle.

Boss - Croco (Mole Mines)

Your rematch with Croco plays out a bit differently from the first fight back in Bandit's Way. You also have a new companion in Geno, so your strategy needs to be different.

Check out our comprehensive guide on How To Defeat Croco in the Mole Mines to find out the best way to take him out.

When you get past Croco and get your money back, you’ll receive a bomb that unlocks the next part of this area. Head northwest through as many rooms as necessary until you find a mole standing near a wall. Talk to him and he’ll detonate the bomb and allow you to pass through to the minecart tracks. Continue forward and you’ll eventually be run over by a Shy Guy in a minecart. Don’t forget to take the Frog Coin it drops!

Jump up the crates and go through the door on the top level. Avoid the Bob-omb and grab a Super Star from the treasure box, making sure to run through as many enemies as possible in the next area. Go through the door and hop up the crates. Get as many coins from the treasure chest as possible and then continue to the next area.

In this area, jump over the group of Bob-ombs and record your progress at the save block if you like. Next to it is a treasure box with a full heal inside. You can also jump on the nearby crate stack and then jump off it to open a box with a Flower in it. When you’re ready, enter the next area to take on a boss.

Boss - Punchinello

Punchinello is another member of Smithy's Gang, and you know what that means? A Star Piece! In order to start this battle, you’ll need to either jump on top of Punchinello or sneak up on him from behind. If he notices you, he’ll kick you out of the room and make you try again.

Have a look at our guide on How To Defeat Punchinello if you're struggling. Otherwise, you’ll find the next Star Piece caught in the ceiling. It falls to the floor, and you’ve now obtained your third piece!

Go into the next area straight ahead to find a minecart track – it’s time for another minigame!

Minecart minigame

When riding the minecart, you can brake, jump, and boost after you’ve collected a mushroom. Your goal here is to collect as many coins as possible, because a certain shop sells items that can only be purchased with minecart track coins. You can try this again later if you want, so don’t worry if you miss a few coins.

Most of the mushrooms are high in the air, so you’ll have to jump to obtain them. You’ll skid out if you’re going at normal speed over a tight turn, so make sure you use the brakes.

When you come to forks in the road, you can choose which path to take by holding the control stick in that direction. There are also side-scrolling sections with rows of coins. The first one is dark, while the second one is bright and easier to see.

At the end, Mario will crash through the moles’ house with his minecart, bringing you back to Moleville. When you leave the house, you’ll notice a couple of Snifits chasing a beetle. They’ll gather around you for a moment but leave when the beetle flies away, but not without mentioning someone named Booster. Hmmm...

Now that you’re back in Moleville, you can return to the mine and hop up on the ceiling to return to the trolley and play the minecart course anytime. If you missed some coins feel free to try it again.

Moleville revisited

In the northwestern house is a mole selling fireworks for 500 coins. If you want to challenge a hidden boss near the end of the game, buy them.

There’s now a Toad in the shop that sells a Lucky Jewel, a temporary item that ensures your party gets attack or health-restoring flowers in battle. This treasure-hunting Toad will eventually sell some lucrative items, so make sure to check back here every so often.

Buy the Lucky Jewel if you like and feel free to stock up on any other healing items or armor you might need from the shop. When you're done shopping, exit Moleville and head to the next area on the world map, Booster Pass.

For more help on getting through Super Mario RPG, check out our full Super Mario RPG guide for everything you need.