Blast to the Stone Pillar

Learn how to blast to the Stone Pillar star in Super Mario 64! This guide explains how to open the cannon and aim for the spire.

Alright, so for the "Blast to the Stone Pillar" star in Super Mario 64, the name pretty much tells you what you need to do: use a cannon! But first, you gotta open it up. If you've been grabbing stars, you probably know where the Bob-Omb Buddy hangs out. From where you start the level, the cannon is straight ahead, tucked inside a rock. If you haven't chatted with the Buddy yet, it'll still be shut tight.

You'll need to find a platform with a spire nearby, not too far from the start. Head over there and hop up. You should find the Bob-Omb Buddy chilling on the platform. Go ahead and talk to him – that's what opens up the cannon for you!

Once the cannon's open, head back to it and get ready for a launch. You might be wondering where you're supposed to aim. Look off to the left from where you start the stage; you'll see three larger spires. There's a small ledge next to these spires, and that's where our star is hiding. Your goal is to launch yourself towards the closest spire, but you'll need to aim high enough to grab onto the skinnier part of it. Once you land on the spire, get yourself lined up and then jump down to that ledge to snag the star. Easy peasy!

There are other ways to get this star, but honestly, they're way trickier and need a ton of practice. We're sticking to the straightforward method here!