Bonneton is weird. It’s monochrome, foggy, and honestly a bit haunting for the very first level of a Mario game. While most players just sprint through the tutorial to get to the colorful sands of Tostarena, completionists know the truth. The super mario odyssey cap kingdom moons are some of the trickiest to track down because the layout changes so much after you beat the main story. You can't just grab them all in one go. You’ve gotta come back.
Most people think the Cap Kingdom is just a tiny starter area. It’s not. Between the standard Power Moons, the post-game additions, and those brutal Moon Pipe challenges, there are 31 total moons tucked away in this foggy abyss. Some are sitting in plain sight on top of a hat-shaped house. Others require you to possess a literal paragoomba and fly into the Great Unknown.
Why You Can't Find All the Cap Kingdom Moons Early On
If you’re running around Bonneton right after the first Bowser fight and wondering why your list is mostly empty, don't panic. You literally cannot find most of them yet. The game gates content. It’s a classic Nintendo move.
First off, you need to beat the game. Once the credits roll, those giant Moon Shards (the "Moon Rocks") become active. In the Cap Kingdom, the Moon Rock is sitting right near the Odyssey. Once you ground-pound it, a whole new set of super mario odyssey cap kingdom moons scatters across the map. We’re talking about moons 18 through 31. Without that rock, you’re just wasting your time looking for things that haven't spawned yet.
Then there’s the Toadette factor. She lives in Peach’s Castle and hands out moons for global achievements. While those technically count toward your total, the ones physically in the Cap Kingdom require specific captures and a lot of platforming precision.
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The Frog Capture is Your Best Friend
You remember that first frog? The one near the bridge? Most people use it once and forget it. Big mistake. To get Moons like "Frog-Jumping from the Top Deck" or "Hopping into the Fog," you need to master the motion-control shake. If you shake the controller while playing as the frog, you jump significantly higher. It’s the only way to reach certain hidden alcoves in the Top-Hat Tower.
I’ve seen so many players try to wall-jump or Cappy-dive to reach the high rafters. Just use the frog. It’s simpler.
Hidden Gems and the "Taking Notes" Challenge
One of the most annoying super mario odyssey cap kingdom moons is the "Taking Notes" challenge. It’s located on a high platform where you have to touch a treble clef and then collect a string of notes before the timer runs out.
The physics in this kingdom feel a bit floaty because of the "low gravity" vibe of the atmosphere, even though the gravity is technically standard. The trick here is rolling. If you aren't rolling to maintain momentum, you’ll miss the last note by a millisecond every single time. It's frustrating. It's tedious. But it's necessary for that 100% save file.
Don't Ignore the Bird
There’s a glowing bird circling the kingdom. It’s fast. If you’ve played Super Mario 64, you might remember Mips the rabbit. This bird is basically the aerial version of that. You have to intercept it.
Most people try to chase it from the ground. Don't do that. Instead, warp to the Top-Hat Tower, wait for the bird to fly toward you, and time your Cappy throw. If you hit it, it drops a Power Moon. It’s a test of patience more than skill.
The Master Cups and Koopa Freerunning
Once you’ve cleared the main game, a Koopa shows up near the entrance of the village. He wants to race. The "Cap Kingdom Regular Cup" is fairly easy if you know how to long jump. But the "Master Cup"? That’s where things get sweaty.
The AI in the Master Cup takes a very specific shortcut. They jump off the side of the bridge and use a Cappy-dive to bypass the main path to the tower. To beat them, you have to be perfect with your movement.
- Long jump off the starting line.
- Triple jump near the ramp.
- Dive-jump (Y+ZL) to gain distance.
- Never stop moving.
If you stumble once, the gold Koopa will pass you. It’s one of the most competitive super mario odyssey cap kingdom moons because it requires a fundamental understanding of Mario's momentum.
The Secret Path to the Moon Shards
Inside the Top-Hat Tower, there’s a section where you have to collect five Moon Shards. It’s a standard objective, but the fifth one is always the one people miss. It’s tucked behind a pillar near the top of the climbing section.
Many players get distracted by the Paragoombas. Speaking of which, capturing a Paragoomba is mandatory for several moons here. There’s one moon hidden under the "brim" of the Top-Hat Tower that you can only see if you fly out over the fog and look back. It’s a leap of faith. Or a flight of faith, I guess.
Dealing with the Poison Tide
One of the late-game Moon Pipes leads to a challenge involving rising and falling poison. It’s stressful. You have to capture a Paragoomba and navigate a maze while the purple goop rises.
The mistake most people make is trying to get the "hidden" moon and the "main" moon in one run. Don't. Grab the hidden moon first—it’s usually tucked away in an alcove mid-way through the level—then die or restart to go for the main goal. Trying to do both in one cycle of the poison is a recipe for a Game Over screen.
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Vanishing Road: The Ultimate Test
If you want to talk about difficulty, we have to talk about the Vanishing Road. This is a sub-area found via a Moon Pipe after you hit the Moon Rock. There are no captures here. Just you, your hat, and a floor that disappears the moment you touch it.
To get both super mario odyssey cap kingdom moons in this area, you have to be a master of the "Triple Jump into a Dive." You can't hesitate. If you stop to look where you're going, you're already dead. The second moon in this area is located behind the main goal; you have to keep running past the first moon onto a disappearing path that looks like it leads to nowhere.
Capturing the Taxi and Other Oddities
Did you know there's a moon for looking through a pair of binoculars at a taxi flying through the sky? It sounds fake. It’s not. In the Cap Kingdom, if you use the binoculars and zoom in on the ships flying in the distance, you’ll eventually see a yellow taxi being carried by a hat-ship. Stare at it for a few seconds, and a moon will literally pop out of the sky.
It’s these weird, non-platforming moons that make the super mario odyssey cap kingdom moons list so unique. It’s not just about skill; it’s about curiosity.
The Art of the Hidden Frame
Near the Odyssey, there’s a piece of Hint Art on a wall. It shows a location in the Bowser Kingdom. You have to fly to that kingdom, find the exact spot depicted (usually by ground-pounding a specific tile), and you'll be rewarded with a Cap Kingdom moon.
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This is why you can't "finish" a kingdom in one visit. The game forces you to backtrack. It treats the entire world as one giant, interconnected puzzle.
Final Checklist for Completion
If you're stuck at 30/31 or 15/31, check these commonly missed spots:
- The Top of a Pole: There’s a nondescript pole near the entrance. Climb it. Stay at the top. Sometimes a moon is just hidden in the physics of an object.
- The Hat-House Shadows: Look behind the houses in the village. One moon is tucked in a corner that the camera usually hides.
- The Peach Moon: After the story, Princess Peach travels the world. She shows up in the Cap Kingdom near the central plaza. Talk to her. It’s the easiest moon in the game, but only if you know she's there.
- The Shop Moon: Buy it. Seriously. Every kingdom has one moon for sale for 100 gold coins.
The Cap Kingdom might be small, but it’s dense. It sets the tone for the rest of the game—reminding you that secrets are everywhere, usually hidden right under your nose (or your hat).
Actionable Next Steps
To efficiently clear the Cap Kingdom, start by finishing the main story and breaking the Moon Rock located near the Odyssey. Once the new moons are spawned, prioritize the Paragoomba captures to explore the underside of the floating islands and the outer rim of the Top-Hat Tower. If you're struggling with the Master Cup race, practice the Cappy-dive maneuver (Jump -> Throw Cappy -> Dive) to maintain airtime and bypass the Koopa's standard pathing. Finally, ensure you visit the Crazy Cap store to purchase the local moon and any kingdom-specific outfits, as some moons in other areas are gated behind wearing the "Cappy" themed gear.