Super Paper Mario/Chapter 8: Castle Bleck

Heart Pillar 8
Things don't get much easier than this. After speaking with Merlon, head to Flopside and flip to 3D outside Nolrem's house and proceed through the gate, down the path, and into Flopside Outskirts. Once there, jump over the pillars to the right (or run around them in 3D) to find the Heart Pillar. It will spawn a door at Flopside's tower - go to it for Chapter 8.

Chapter 8-1: The Impending Darkness
You've finally made it to Count Bleck's castle, or the castle grounds at least, so head inside! Make sure to flip to 3D at the end to find the door.

Once inside, watch out for the foes and work your way through the castle halls. Ignore the first door up the staircase, it contains nothing but enemies, use the one past it instead.

You will soon reach a room with three Mr. Is, and two doors, one of which is locked. Use Luigi's super-jump to reach the unlocked one on a high ledge in the center of the room.

Once through the door, use Luigi's super-jump to reach the left ledge first, to find a pair of treasure chests which contains a Stopwatch and a Long-Last Shake. Afterward, leap up to the right ledge, then use Peach to float over the chasm to a warp pipe.

Open the chest at the end of the cavern for a Castle Bleck Key, then use it to open the locked door you passed earlier.

Run through a few more hallways, but watch out for the Fire Brothers. They can be tricky to pass in 2D, due to their limitless supply of fireballs, so skip past them in 3D instead. However, make note of the torches you see, just past the first batch of Fire Bros. You're going to have to duplicate the pattern in which they're lit in a later room.

After saving at the block, you'll come across a series of unlit torches. Ignite them with Bowser in the same pattern as the ones in the previous room (the pattern is: unlit, lit, lit, unlit, lit) to make a staircase leading up to a door appear. Make sure to flip to 3D to find the door though.

O'Chunks

 * HP:80
 * Atk:4
 * Max Atk:6
 * Difficulty:****
 * Reward:8000 points


 * Attacks
 * Jump
 * Ground Pound
 * Twister Throw
 * Meteor Strike

It seems Bowser has a personal vengeance against O'Chunks, so he's going to battle him one-on-one. But O'Chunks has a trick up his sleeve - he's now Super Sized. Play this one out like before. Use Thoreau to toss O'Chunks, which stuns him, then either leap atop his head, or use Bowser's flame breath. Step aside afterward to avoid his jump attacks, then repeat the process until he's defeated.

After the battle, O'Chunks and Bowser will support the failing building, allowing the bros and Peach to escape. Now hit the Save Block to complete the level.

Note: You cannot use Bowser anymore until the last level.

Chapter 8-2: The Crash
Work your way through the first hall and enter the door at the end. Merlon waits for you on the other side;but something seems off. Regardless, he requests that you smash the exclamation block, and since there's not much else to do, you might as well give it a whack.

It's a trap! After falling into the dungeon, use Boomer to blow open a hole in the cracked wall, then dash through it in 3D. Hmm, things look a bit different from this side. There are two doors, one on each side of the room, plus a pipe in the center. If you take the pipe now, it'll only lead to a room with four more pipes, all of which lead back to here (however, you can find a Thunder Rage behind the right-most one in 3D).

Here's the thing: Inside both of the rooms is a single red exclamation block - each time you smack it, the pipe moves one space toward the room you're inside. So for instance, if you hit the block in the right room once, then take the pipe, instead of popping up in the pipe second from the left, you'll emerge from the one third from the left, and so on and so forth. Now here's the thing, although it looks like all the positions lead into the same room, there's actually a fifth, hidden pipe to the left.

Go up the pipe to discover three treasure chests, the middle one of which contains a Castle Bleck Key (the other two have a Courage Shell and Life Shroom). Now flip to 3D and drop through the hole to end up back in the room with the Blue Exclamation block. Use the key on the locked door to the right to continue on.

Continue up the staircase to the second door, at the top. The door at the back of this room is locked - you can find the key by intentionally falling into the third booby-trap by grabbing the mushroom. Once in the pit, flip to 3D to find a few enemies you can defeat. Once they're defeated, grab the key that appears, then head up the pipe to unlock the door. Make sure to save your game before continuing.

You'll be confronted by a Merlee imposter, who'll ask you three questions. Whichever answers you choose dictates what will appear in the subsequent three rooms, so it's best to select the third choice for each question, which is always an item. Once finished, collect your booty from the subsequent three rooms. And one on the last question will be a boss battle.

Boss

 * Francis
 * HP:??
 * Atk:3
 * Reward:6000
 * Difficulty:**
 * Attacks
 * Warp
 * Minion Summon
 * Camera Flash

Since you don't have Bowser, Luigi and Carrie are the key to this battle. After you finish off Francis, He will warp back to Fort Francis. Then you can go through the next door.

At the end of your treasure collection, Mimi will once again appear, and this time, she'll challenge Peach to a duel.

Boss

 * Mimi
 * HP:??
 * Atk:4
 * Reward:8000
 * Difficulty:***
 * Attacks:
 * Rubee Shot
 * Rubee Throw
 * Rubee Wave
 * Rubee Chainsaw

This battle is strictly between Peach and Mimi, so switching characters is not allowed.

Mimi attacks very much like before, except she has a new chainsaw attack to mix things up. Like before, use Peach's umbrella as a shield during each of Mimi's attacks to avoid damage. Once there's an opening, use Thoreau to grab one of the Rubees, then chuck it at Mimi's head - or even better, simply leap into Mimi's head while holding it; this at least ensures you won't miss.

After a couple of hits, Mimi will become stunned - quickly jump on her head to knock off a leg. Once all of her legs are removed, the battle will be over. Hit the Star Block and you're done.

Chapter 8-3: Countdown to Destruction
Proceed through the castle's corridors until the third hallway. Here, you'll discover that the door at the end warps you back to the door you entered from, resulting in an infinite loop. To get around this dilemma, use Luigi's super-jump near the room's entrance to land on a walkway above. Flip to 3D to dash around the force-field emitting creatures, then drop off the platform to the door below.

At the end of this hall is a locked door. To get the key, leap to the 5th platform, and flip to 3D at the vertical window that doesn't shimmer like the rest. Inside, run toward the camera (or left, if in 2D) to find a chest containing a Castle Bleck Key. Head back through the window to the locked door at the end of the room.

At the top of the staircase is a locked door. Since that route is a no-go, flip to 3D at the base of the stairs, then run down the hallway that appears to a door at the end.

Throughout the next three rooms, you'll come across three floating blocks. One of them is always a trigger to make a door appear, but you'll have to use Luigi's super-jump to bash it. While you can use Tippi's pointing power to figure out which one is the switch, as outlined below.

* 1st Room: Right block * 2nd Room: Middle Block * 3rd Room: Right Block Hitting the block will push the existing door out of the way, revealing the true way. * 4th Room: This room's a bit different. The three blocks have to be hit in a particular order to hit the door; flipping to 3D reveals a number on each showing the sequence, which is: Middle, Right, Left.

Now backtrack to the staircase and unlock the door at the top.

Like earlier in the castle, the door at the end will warp you back to the door you entered through if you do not take the proper path. Flipping to 3D will reveal an arrow which shows the proper route.

Use Luigi's super-jump first thing to climb over the first block, then run below the second, but leap onto it once on the other side. From there, leap and run over the top-right block, and drop off to the right to the door.

Like with the previous Window Room, look for a non-shimmering window you can leap through in 3D, about halfway through (on the 8th platform). Inside, you'll find hundreds of Dimentio clones roaming about. While they won't harm you directly, they can make it very difficult to navigate to the chest on the far end of the room. To make things easier, flip to 2D, then leap across them to the chest on the right. Use Cudge to clear the ones surrounding the chest out of the way, then open it to find a Castle Bleck key.

Now exit the area through the window you entered from, and open the locked door to the right (don't forget to use the Save Block just past the door).

After meeting with Dimentio, you'll have to chase him down by following him through each of the eight chapters. Inside each level, you'll find a tear in the background -- use Fleep's power on the tear to reveal a switch. Smack it be warped to the next chapter. Get started using the tear in this room to be teleported to chapter 1-1.

Chapter 1-1: The Adventure Unfolds
Run to the end of the level and use Fleep once more on another tear.

Chapter 2-3: Breaking the Bank
Use Fleep's flipping power on the tear directly in front of the vault door. To get there, flip to 3D in the top-left corner (past the generator room) and run toward the camera. Hit the block and climb the ladder that emerges. Then use Slim to get past the lasers.

Chapter 3-2
Swim left, to the beginning of the level to find another tear.

Chapter 4-2
Run to the right, flipping to 3D to cross the chasm, and look for the tear at the end of the path.

Chapter 5-1
Remember the Tablet located down below that you to burn with Bowser's fiery breath? That's where the tear is, sort of. Flip to 3D at the first rock, head down the exposed path, then look for it on the left.

Chapter 6-1
Run to the right for about a minute and look for the Tear.

Chapter 7-2
The Tear can be found in front of the door at the very top.

Chapter 8-3
After finding the final Tear, you'll arrive back in the castle, where Dimentio will give you the chance to join him and take down the count. Deny his request several times to cause Luigi to challenge to a duel.

Boss

 * Dimentio
 * HP:80
 * Atk:4
 * Reward:8000 points
 * Difficulty:****
 * Attacks:
 * Magic Diamond
 * Boom Box
 * Duo Illusion
 * Trio Illusion

As with most bosses, leaping on Dimentio's head is the key to victory. But make sure to attack from below with Luigi's spring jump, then try to hit him again on your way back down.

You don't have to use your super jump, as long as he is close enough to the ground when you attack.

Chapter 8-4: Tippi and Count Bleck
Head through the door at the end of the first hallway. Inside, you'll hit a dead end. Use Tippi's pointing powers to discover a door you can continue through.

Cross this room via the moving platforms with carefully timed jumps. However, along the way, you'll come across a wall twice that blocks further progress - flip to 3D here to and leap to the bordering platforms to get around. Also, you'll occasionally have to wait a few moments for a platform to lower enough for Mario to reach it, so be patient. Enter the door on the far side. Jump across the first four sets of platforms and land on the stationary platform. Flip to 3D to find a pipe on the left.

After taking the pipe, flip to 3D, then use Dottie to shrink in size and enter a small tunnel (visible through the break in the white lines) along the wall. Flip to 2D to traverse through the tunnel to a chest containing the Castle Bleck Key. Exit back through the pipe and cross the remainder of the room to unlock the door.

There are a ton of Mega Muths in this corridor, each with 200hp. While you'll gain a lot of experience points for tackling them, it's advised your flip to 3D to easily get past them all, then enter the door at the end. If you do wish to battle them, we suggest using Cudge continually to prevent the opponent from attacking.

To pass this section, you'll have to frequently flip between both dimensions to locate all of the hidden doorways and entrances.

Section 1: Flip to 3D as soon as you enter to and enter the second door on the right that leads into a parallel hall. Continue going right (while in 3D) through three more halls. Once you reach the one with all the Cursya (the second from the last hall), proceed down it in 2D and enter the door at the end.

Section 2: Now things really get confusing. Head to the end of the first hall, then flip to 3D and enter the path on the left. Subsequently, walk toward the camera a few feet then continue through another doorway on the left. Like before, walk toward the camera a few more feet to enter another doorway on the left. Finally, flip to 2D and enter the door on the right.

Section 3: Flip to 3D and enter the second open doorway on the right (near the back of the room). Now run toward the camera and enter the next doorway on the right. Run toward the camera and go through the second opening on the right. Run through this short room into the next hall, then look for the door at the far end.

Use the Save Block enter the final door to face Count Bleck.

Boss

 * Count Bleck
 * HP:150
 * Atk:3
 * Max Atk:8
 * Reward:8000 points
 * Difficulty:****
 * Attacks:
 * Void Orb
 * Fly Tackle
 * Slowdown
 * Vortex Blast

Bleck is currently protected by a force-field, so don't be put-off by your attack's ineffectiveness. Just make sure to evade his by keeping your distance. His most disruptive attack, the Vortex Blast, will suck you in if nearby, and if caught, it will hurt.

Soon enough, Luigi, Bowser, and the Princess will rejoin your squad, and the Pure Hearts they bring with them will destroy Count Bleck's shield. With him now vulnerable, climb the platforms and leap onto his head. Keep Slim by your side and turn thin to avoid Count Bleck's attacks.

Bowser's great for inflicting a lot of damage at once, but his agility (or lack thereof) leaves something to be desired. As such, Peach is generally the safest character to use as you can glide around with her umbrella, making it easier to target the Count's head. After enough attacks, the Count will go down.

Final Boss

 * Super Dimentio
 * HP:200
 * Atk:3
 * Max Atk:6
 * Def:1
 * Reward:9990 points
 * Difficulty:*****
 * Attacks:
 * The People's Elbow
 * Gyro Ball
 * Super Spring Jump
 * Dash
 * Rapid Fire

After the Count's defeat, Dimentio will use a brain-washed Luigi to do his evil bidding. Again, the head is the weak-point, but climbing up to it can be a challenge. Like before, climb the floating blocks to the head, then jump on his noggin -- however, it's invincible at first, but the Count will chime in shortly to give you a hand.

Peach is the safer bet, thanks to her umbrella, but Bowser's a brute, and can bring victory much faster. Bowser can also unleash his flame attack on Mr. L's face, from a nearby block, which saves you the trouble of jumping.

Keep Slim equipped at all times to turn paper-thin, thereby avoiding Dimentio's attacks. When you see the crosshair appear around you, get moving, as a whole bunch of Gyro Balls are on their way. Or even worse, if the crosshair has a large "!" in it, that means he's about to leap at you, so get out of the way!

TIP:If you find yourself cornered, flip to 3D to step around Dimentio to the other side.

Note: After Tippi leaves the group at the end of the game, you can buy Tiptron (an almost exact copy of Tippi) for 999 coins from Francis, the boss of chapter 3.And then you can go to the two epic "pits of 100 trials" in flipside or flopside.