Super Mario Odyssey Power Moon Cleanup Guide

Super Mario Odyssey is built around collecting Power Moons, but the cleanest route is not to chase every moon the moment you enter a kingdom. Some moons appear after objectives, some are post-game, and some are easier to track once you use the game’s hint systems.

This guide is a cleanup strategy for Power Moons and related Regional Coin shopping. It is not a complete location map.

Overview

Stat	Value
Main Collectible	Power Moons
Field Power Moons	880
Counter Goal	999 Power Moons
Main Story Requirement	124 Power Moons
Major Post-Game Milestones	250 and 500 Power Moons
Best First Goal	Finish each kingdom’s story, then sweep
Main Hint Tools	Talkatoo, Hint Toad, Uncle amiibo

Quick Checklist

• Clear the kingdom’s story objective before doing a serious sweep.
• Revisit Cap Kingdom after Cascade Kingdom instead of trying to complete it immediately.
• Buy the unique 100-coin Crazy Cap Power Moon when each shop is available.
• Check NPCs, Captain Toad, timer challenges, note routes, Moon Shards, and local captures.
• Use Talkatoo for names when you are out of obvious leads.
• Use Hint Toad or Uncle amiibo when a name is not enough.
• Save Moon Rock cleanup for after the credits.
• Push to 250 Power Moons for Dark Side, then 500 for Darker Side.
• Treat 880 field moons and the 999 counter as separate cleanup goals.

Route Plan

1. Finish the Kingdom Story First

Every new kingdom gives you enough direction to move forward, but it usually does not expose everything at once. Follow the main objective, collect obvious Power Moons on the way, and open the kingdom up before combing every corner.

This matters most in kingdoms that change after objectives. It also prevents early confusion in Cap Kingdom, where the meaningful Power Moon sweep happens after you leave Cascade Kingdom and return later.

2. Sweep by Moon Type, Not by Random Wandering

Once the kingdom is open, work through repeatable categories:

Category	What to Do
Story and Multi Moons	Finish any remaining objective markers or boss-related rewards.
Capture Moons	Revisit places where a local creature or object changes your movement.
Five-Shard Moons	Search compact sub-areas for five small moon pieces before leaving.
Notes and Timer Challenges	Look at the route first, then trigger the challenge.
NPC Moons	Talk to suspicious characters, Captain Toad, and kingdom residents.
Crazy Cap Moon	Buy the kingdom’s unique 100-coin Power Moon.
Secret Rooms	Check doors, pipes, edges, alcoves, and challenge rooms.
Hint Art	Record the clue and return when you can match the location.

3. Use Hints in the Right Order

Talkatoo is best when you want a moon name without immediately marking the map. Use that name to infer the activity: fishing, a timer challenge, a hidden room, a costume interaction, or a capture route.

If the name does not help, pay Hint Toad or scan an amiibo with Uncle amiibo to mark a location. Save those map marks for moons you have actually tried to find; using hints too early can clutter the map before you understand the kingdom.

4. Do the Post-Game Moon Rock Sweep

After finishing the game, return to each kingdom and break its Moon Rock. The Moon Rock set is a separate cleanup pass, and the game marks those locations with yellow X icons on the map.

Do not waste time looking for Moon Rock moons before they exist. If a list or hint source marks something as post-game, move it to your later sweep and keep collecting what is currently available.

5. Plan Around the Big Milestones

Use 124 Power Moons as the story target, then shift your route toward post-game thresholds:

Goal	Why It Matters
124 Power Moons	Clears the main story requirement.
250 Power Moons	Opens Dark Side.
500 Power Moons	Opens Darker Side.
880 Field Power Moons	Completes the field moon set and unlocks the golden Odyssey sail reward.
999 Power Moons	Finishes the counter goal and triggers the Peach’s Castle celebration.

6. Collect Regional Coins While You Sweep

Regional Coins are kingdom-specific, so gather them during your moon route instead of assuming regular coins will cover every shop item. Crazy Cap sells Power Moons, Life-Up Hearts, outfits, stickers, and souvenirs, and some purchases require those local coins.

Outfits do not give Mario combat or movement powers, but some can get him into special places. If a door or character reacts to clothing, note it and return after buying the matching outfit.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Trying to finish every kingdom before its story changes.
• Forgetting to return to Cap Kingdom after Cascade Kingdom.
• Ignoring the unique 100-coin Crazy Cap moon.
• Spending hints before checking obvious captures, NPCs, notes, shards, and timer challenges.
• Looking for Moon Rock moons before the post-game.
• Treating Regional Coins like regular gold coins.
• Chasing the 999 counter before separating field moons from purchasable copies.
• Leaving a kingdom without checking whether Hint Toad still has currently available hints.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I need every Power Moon to beat the story?
A: No. The researched milestone is 124 Power Moons for the main story.

Q: When should I start serious cleanup?
A: After clearing a kingdom’s main objective. More areas, characters, and moons can become available after objectives.

Q: What should I do when I am missing one moon?
A: Talk to Talkatoo for a name, then use Hint Toad or Uncle amiibo if the name does not narrow it down enough.

Q: Why are some moons marked post-game in guides?
A: Some moons only become available after the credits, including the Moon Rock sets.

Q: Do outfits make Mario stronger?
A: No. Outfits do not give special powers, but some can help Mario access special places.

Summary

For a clean Super Mario Odyssey cleanup route, finish each kingdom’s story first, sweep by moon type, buy the Crazy Cap moon, use hints only after local checks, and leave Moon Rock work for the post-game. Push from the story requirement to 250, 500, 880, and finally 999 as separate goals.