Scan the indicated amiibo while playing the game (not through Uncle amiibo) by holding D-pad Right and placing the amiibo on the Switch to unlock the corresponding bonus. This can be done at any time, usually with no time limits or restrictions.
Highlight purple coins on-screen (not on your map): Any Bowser amiibo.
Life-up heart: Any Peach amiibo.
Random coins or bonus hearts: Any amiibo or amiibo card.
Temporary invincibility (30 seconds): Any Mario amiibo.
Cat Mario and Cat Peach
While you are playing the main story, you might come across a pixel version of Cat Mario/Peach hidden on a wall. They can be quite hard to spot though. As a bonus, you can throw Cappy at Cat Mario for a few coins and at Cat Peach for an extra heart.
Collecting power moons
Finding 250 and 500 power moons to unlock the bonus kingdoms is pretty difficult. You have to search all worlds, complete all puzzles, and do a lot of exploring to get that many moons. Return to a kingdom after defeating its boss, as a lot of new optional tasks will be unlocked. Additionally, make sure to smash the moon blocks. They are marked on your map in each kingdom —- they give approximately 20 moons per kingdom. You can also purchase packs of 10 moons for 1,000 coins from shops.
Dark Side
Beat final boss and acquire 250 moons.
Darker Side
Beat final boss and acquire 500 moons.
Easy gold coins
This farming method allows you to earn 72 gold coins per run. Travel to the Central Plaza in the Cap Kingdom, then go through the Cappy door past the green viewfinder. Capture a frog, swim right from the entrance, and look for a tiny indentation in the wall. Jump in it to find 72 coins. Then, simply exit and re-enter as many times as desired to get an unlimited number of gold coins.
This farming method allows you to earn up to 108 gold coins per run. Travel to the Top Of The Big Stump in the Cascade Kingdom, and proceed through the Cappy door. It is to the left of the stump, after jumping down to a platform on a hill. Go through the door and capture the T-Rex, then start stomping the hedgehogs that appear. If you smash them all, you will get 108 gold coins and a power moon (if you have not already completed the challenge). The power moon will not respawn, but the coins will. Simply leave the chamber and re-enter to reset it. Repeat this as many times as desired.
This farming method allows you to earn 62 gold coins per run. This method requires you to make a circuit around the indicated area. Warp to the "Rocky Mountain Summit" flag in the Lost Kingdom, and follow these steps:
1. Collect 6 coins around the flag.
2. Run through the plants around the palm tree for 8 coins.
3. Collect the power moon (or missing power moon) on top of the palm tree for 5 coins.
4. Drop down to the left of the Crazy Cap store, then drop down again to find another power moon. Collect it (or the empty vessel) for 5 more coins.
5. Smash the nearby wall Mario for 10 coins.
6. Go towards the button platform, and collect the 3 coins on the way there.
7. Ground pound the large button, then collect 25 coins before the timer runs out.
You can collect 62 total coins if you follow that route. Exit the map and re-enter to reset the coins. Repeat this as many times as desired.
Finding power moons
Open the map, then press Y to display the "Lists" menu. You can view all the power moons you have found so far, where you found them, and a list showing all the available moons in the kingdom. Missing moon entries are numbered -- so you will know how many you have not collected, and which big blank areas you probably should explore.
Gold balloons for Luigi
Reach the highest rank (rank 50) in Luigi's Balloon World, and Luigi's balloons will all turn gold.
Mushroom Kingdom
Beat final boss.
Outfits
Note that you can also unlock these outfits during gameplay, but scanning the corresponding Amiibo will allow you to unlock their outfits right away.
Outfit
How to unlock
Bowser Groom Outfit
Use the Bowser (Wedding Outfit) amiibo
Classic Mario Outfit
Use the 8-Bit Mario, Smash Bros Mario or the Mario series Mario amiibo.
Diddy Kong Outfit
Use the Smash Bros Diddy Kong or Mario series Diddy Kong amiibo.
Dr. Mario Outfit
Use the Smash Bros Dr. Mario amiibo.
Gold Mario Outfit
Use the Gold Mario or Silver Mario amiibo.
Luigi Outfit
Use the Smash Bros Luigi or Mario series Luigi amiibo.
Mario Groom Outfit
Use the Mario (Wedding Outfit) amiibo
Peach Bridal Outfit
Use the Peach (Wedding Outfit) amiibo
Waluigi Outfit
Use the Waluigi amiibo.
Wario Outfit
Use the Smash Bros Wario or Mario series Wario amiibo.
Outfits Without Amiibos
Meet the required number of Moons to collect to have the amiibo costumes available to purchase at the Crazy Cap stores after completing the game. Note that some of the costumes listed can't be received with the help of amiibo at all.
Outfit
How to unlock
Bowser's Top Hat
Collect 420 Moons.
Bowser's Tuxedo
Collect 440 Moons.
Bridal Gown
Collect 480 Moons.
Bridal Veil
Collect 460 Moons.
Classic Cap
Reach Mushroom Kingdom.
Classic Suit
Reach Mushroom Kingdom.
Diddy Kong Hat
Collect 300 Moons.
Diddy Kong Suit
Collect 320 Moons.
Doctor Headwear
Collect 220 Moons.
Doctor Outfit
Collect 240 Moons.
Gold Mario Cap
Collect 500 Moons.
Gold Mario Suit
Collect 520 Moons.
Hakama
Collect 380 Moons. (Cannot be acquired with amiibo)
Invisibility Cap
Beat Darker Side. (Cannot be acquired with amiibo)
King's Crown
Defeat the Broodals on the Dark Side. (Cannot be acquired with amiibo)
King's Outfit
Defeat the Broodals on the Dark Side. (Cannot be acquired with amiibo)
Luigi Cap
Collect 160 Moons.
Luigi Suit
Collect 180 Moons.
Mario's Top Hat
Reach Moon Kingdom.
Mario's Tuxedo
Reach Moon Kingdom.
Metal Mario Cap
Collect 540 Moons.
Metal Mario Suit
Collect 560 Moons.
Skeleton Suit
Reach Mushroom Kingdom. (Cannot be acquired with amiibo)
Waluigi Cap
Collect 260 Moons.
Waluigi Suit
Collect 280 Moons.
Wario Cap
Collect 340 Moons.
Wario Suit
Collect 360 Moons.
Reaching secret areas and moons
Wear the special costumes you can purchase from Crazy Cap stores in a specific kingdom to allow Mario to collect power moons and access certain locations you cannot normally reach in that kingdom.
Secret hearts
In addition to being able to purchase hearts in the Crazy Cap stores, you can also find them in secret spots around the environment. Use Mario and Cappy's spin move on red flowers with green stalks to get an extra heart. These flowers usually are in a circle, or a circular arrangement that makes them possible to hit with a spin attack. When you see a pink cat Mario on graffiti, throw Cappy at it to get hearts.
Secret warp locations
Search the following locations in the listed kingdom to find the corresponding hidden painting warp zone. To reach special locations in certain kingdoms, Mario must use secret painting warp holes. There are 10 total painting portals, and each one leads to a bonus power moon.
Cascade Kingdom: Dive into the water at the base of the waterfall near your ship and swim to find a hidden cave. Travel up and above the coins to find the painting warp zone. It warps you to Bowser's Kingdom.
Sand Kingdom: Fast travel to the "Tostarena Ruins Sand Pillar" flag, then drop down onto the desert past the spinning coin sand hill. At the base of the stone tower nearby (near a Jaxi Stop) is the painting warp zone, on a ruined wall sticking out of the sand. It warps you to the Metro Kingdom.
Lake Kingdom: Take the stairs up to the left of the Odyssey ship starting point. There is a flag (Courtyard warp) with a small pool nearby. Dive in to find a painting warp zone at the bottom. It warps you to the Sand Kingdom.
Wooded Kingdom: Fast travel to the "Iron Mountain Path Station 8" flag, then drop down and look left. There is a fence with a gap (and a pole). Throw Cappy at the wooden statue at the end of the platforms. Complete the challenge, then travel behind the metal girder to reach a larger platform with a rock. Look behind it to find the painting warp zone. It warps you to the Luncheon Kingdom.
Metro Kingdom: From the Odyssey ship, simply drop down onto a platform directly behind it to find the painting warp zone.
Snow Kingdom: Return to the Snow Kingdom after completing the area, then capture the closest cloud with Cappy. With the cloud (available down the main path), travel left until you reach a large stone block on a cliff. Blow the block, cross the ice until it reaches a high platform on the other side, then use the block to reach a snowy platform with the painting warp zone. It warps you to the Cascade Kingdom. You also will need that block after exiting the cloud and returning to Mario's normal form.
Seaside Kingdom: Defeat the kingdom boss, then return and jump into the water jets that launch Mario into the main fountain. Dive into the water in the fountain (outside the center) to find the painting warp zone at the bottom. It warps you to the Lake Kingdom.
Luncheon Kingdom: Fast travel to the "Path To The Meat Plateau" flag, and grab one of the floating bubbles with Cappy. Get across the platforms ahead, then turn right and reach the upper-right corner of the map to find a huge mushroom-shaped island. Get behind the platforms where the peppers are rolling down to find the painting warp zone. It warps you to the Mushroom Kingdom.
Bowser's Kingdom: Defeat all four mini-bosses, then travel to the "Main Courtyard Entrance" flag. Go left from there, and then circle around the building below to find the painting warp zone. It warps you to the Moon Kingdom.
Mushroom Kingdom: Leave the Odyssey ship, then turn around. To your right is a hill surrounded by trees. The painting warp zone is on the ground, facing up.
Wind-up Box Songs
If you jump on the globe at the Odyssey, it will cancel the level music and begin to play either Jump Up Superstar or the theme from Cascade Kingdom using a wind-up box. If you are in any kingdom from Cap Kingdom up until Lost Kingdom, the globe will play the Cascade Kingdom theme. If you are in Metro Kingdom or further, the globe will play Jump Up Superstar.
