Deciphering the Sunken Ship Puzzle in Super Mario RPG: A Comprehensive Guide

The Sunken Ship puzzle in Super Mario RPG, known for its notoriety, involves completing six tasks to gather clues. These clues will enable you to determine the correct password that unlocks a door. Our comprehensive guide will assist you in solving all the puzzles within the Sunken Ship.

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How to solve all Sunken Ship puzzles in Super Mario RPG

Upper Hallway

Sunken Ship Puzzle #1: Block Pillar

Sunken Ship Puzzle #2: Springs

Sunken Ship Puzzle #3: The 3D Maze

Lower HallwaySunken Ship Puzzle #4: Coins

Sunken Ship Puzzle #5: Cannons

Sunken Ship Puzzle #6: Barrel and Floor Panel

How to solve the password puzzle in the Sunken Ship

How to solve all Sunken Ship puzzles in Super Mario RPG

The Sunken Ship puzzles in Super Mario RPG are located in the lower decks of the dungeon. As you progress, you will come across a corridor with several rooms, each guarded by enemy mobs that you will need to defeat. These enemies range from specters and skeletons to floating jellyfish. It is highly recommended to have Mallow in your party for this area, as his Thunderbolt ability can deal significant damage to the hostiles.

The puzzle rooms are protected by enemy mobs.

Upper Hallway

Sunken Ship Puzzle #1: Block Pillar

In the first puzzle room along this corridor, you'll come across a Koopa Paratroopa gracefully soaring around a pillar composed of blocks. Additionally, an intriguing green switch can be spotted suspended in mid-air. Your objective is to maneuver beneath the Koopa Paratroopa in order for it to inadvertently topple the ball, resulting in its descent onto the switch.

Hint #1: The noted memorandum by the daring explorer, Indigo, states: "The word contains the letter 'S'."

The second room of the Sunken Ship Puzzle introduces three springs that move horizontally. There are blocks positioned near the springs which can be struck to stop their movement. It is recommended to begin with the leftmost block. Once it reaches the halfway point, jump and hit it. Proceed to hit the remaining two blocks, ensuring there is sufficient space between them. If executed correctly, a metal ball will bounce across all three springs, ultimately landing on the switch located at the end.

Clue #2: The adventurer Indigo Jr.'s memo: "It is found on the bed of the ocean."

Sunken Ship Puzzle #3: The 3D Maze

In order to navigate the confusing 3D Maze in the Super Mario RPG Sunken Ship puzzle, pay attention to the layout of the room which consists of multiple blocks. Your character will not be visible, so it's important to follow these steps:

1. Begin by entering the 3D Maze through the narrow passageway.

2. Proceed towards the back right section of the maze.

3. When you encounter an obstacle in the lower area, make sure to jump over it.

This will take you to the central area, although Mario remains invisible. Proceed by leaping towards the left, leading you to exit the structure.

Next, head towards the lower-right section and step onto the ledge. Keep circling around to the rear and leap while remaining within the structure.

Once you've reached the top, step on the plate to receive the next clue.

Clue #3: The second expedition team's memo: "It has two vowels."

Lower Hallway

Sunken Ship Puzzle #4: Coins

To complete this puzzle, head to the lower hallway and enter the first door on your left. Inside, you'll encounter a coin that generates more coins as it moves around the room. Your objective is to track the coin's path and collect all the appearing coins. However, be mindful of the time limit as the new coins will also disappear if you take too long. Make sure not to mistakenly grab the initial coin either. Once the initial coin reaches its final destination, you can pick it up to successfully solve this task.

Clue #4: The search party Onyx's memo: "It is very valuable."

Sunken Ship Puzzle #5: Cannons

In the adjacent room, you will discover four blocks. Your goal is to leap and strike the block on the far left, triggering the firing of the cannon. Afterward, proceed to position yourself beneath the three remaining blocks, jumping precisely as the cannonball approaches each one. It is advisable to time your jumps in a way that allows you to stand beneath the shadow of the block. If executed correctly, the cannonball will collide with each block, revealing yet another clue.

Clue #5: The memorandum from the fourth investigative team states that "it" is actually multiple individuals.

Sunken Ship Puzzle #6: Barrel and Floor Panel

In the final room of the corridor, you'll discover a save point and two floor plates. Begin by hopping onto the stack of barrels on the right, which will result in one of them toppling over. Then, leap onto the barrel situated on the ground in order to shift it towards the left. Once the barrel has settled onto one of the plates, step onto the other plate to successfully open the door.

How to solve the password puzzle in the Sunken Ship

Now, it's time to discover the password for the Sunken Ship puzzle in Super Mario RPG. Within this particular room, there are six blocks featuring various letters, with each block numbered from one to six. Follow the instructions below to proceed:

The password for the Sunken Ship is "PEARLS."

That means you should step under the block with Key Letter 1. Then, jump and hit it until the letter "P" is selected.

Move to the block with Key Letter 2, and jump until the letter "E" is selected.

Do the same for the remaining blocks until you reveal the letters to form the word "PEARLS."

Strike the blocks until the illuminated letters match. Once finished, vocalize through the device for Mario to announce the password. The door to the King Calamari boss battle will then be unlocked, so ensure you are thoroughly equipped.

To progress to the next chamber, you must spell out the password: PEARLS. It's worth mentioning that based on the clues and letters, both "Pearls" and "Corals" seem like viable answers. These valuable objects can be found at the bottom of the ocean. However, only "Pearls" will unlock the door. Attempting to spell "Corals" won't grant you access.

That covers everything you need to know about completing all the Sunken Ship puzzles in Super Mario RPG. Keep in mind that there are plenty of secrets to uncover as you explore, like the rewards awaiting you at Melody Bay Tadpole Music.

Editor's P/S

The Sunken Ship puzzle in Super Mario RPG is a challenging and enigmatic level that requires players to solve six puzzles in order to obtain the correct password. The puzzles are located in the lower decks of the dungeon and are guarded by enemy mobs. The first puzzle involves maneuvering beneath a Koopa Paratroopa to topple a ball onto a switch. The second puzzle requires players to hit three blocks in the correct order to bounce a metal ball onto a switch. The third puzzle is a 3D maze that requires players to navigate through a series of blocks while invisible. The fourth puzzle involves collecting all the coins that are generated by a moving coin.

In my opinion, the Sunken Ship puzzle is a well-designed and challenging level that tests players' problem-solving skills. The puzzles are varied and require players to use different strategies in order to solve them. The level is also visually appealing and the music is atmospheric, which helps to create a sense of immersion. Overall, I enjoyed playing the Sunken Ship puzzle and found it to be a rewarding experience.