New Donk City is a fever dream. You’ve got a short Italian plumber jumping on the heads of realistic-looking humans in business suits, all while a jazz band plays on a skyscraper. It’s weird. It’s also home to some of the most frustratingly clever collectibles in the game. If you're hunting down every last Super Mario Odyssey Metro Kingdom moon, you already know the struggle. Some are just sitting there on a ledge, waving at you. Others require the kind of precision platforming that makes you want to chuck your Joy-Cons across the room.
Honestly, the Metro Kingdom is the heart of the game. It’s where the mechanics really peak. But with 81 Power Moons crammed into this urban playground (counting the post-game ones), it’s easy to miss the ones hidden in plain sight.
The Absolute Basics of the New Donk City Grind
Look, most people get the obvious ones. You beat the Mechawiggler, you get a Multi Moon. You help Pauline find her band members, you get another. That's the easy stuff. The real challenge starts when you realize the developers at Nintendo are trolls who love hiding things behind thin mesh wires and invisible walls.
Take "Who Piled on the Garbage?" for example. It’s Moon 18. You have to find a specific trash can on a high rooftop. It sounds simple, but in a city with roughly a billion assets, finding the right trash can feels like a chore. You’ve basically got to develop a "Mario eye" for things that look slightly out of place.
I remember spending twenty minutes just staring at the Power Plant area. There’s a moon called "Inside the Rotating Maze" where you have to use the Cappy capture on a yellow manhole cover. If you aren't paying attention to the rumble in your controller or the slight visual shimmer, you'll walk right past it. That’s the Metro Kingdom for you. It rewards the obsessed.
Why Some Super Mario Odyssey Metro Kingdom Moons Feel Impossible
We need to talk about the Jump Rope Challenge. It is the bane of every completionist's existence. Moon 30 is the "Jump Rope Hero," which requires 30 jumps. Easy. Moon 31 is the "Jump Rope Genius." You need 100 jumps.
The speed caps at 50 jumps. After that, it’s a test of pure rhythm and soul-crushing endurance. Most players try to watch the rope, but that’s a trap. You have to watch Mario’s feet or listen to the "Hey!" from the NPCs. Or, if you’re desperate, use the Talkatoo glitch or the Letter capture glitch to hover in the air while the counter ticks up. I’m not saying you should cheese it, but I am saying that 100 jumps is a lot for a moon that looks the same as the one you found in a crate.
Then there’s the Volleyball. Oh, wait, that’s Seaside Kingdom. But Metro has its own version of hell: the RC Car.
Moon 35, "RC Car Champion," requires you to navigate a tiny car through a track. It feels like a different game entirely. The controls are tank-like. You have to stay calm. If you oversteer, you’re done. It’s these weird "sub-games" within the kingdom that provide the most Power Moons but also the most grey hairs.
The Verticality Problem
New Donk City isn't wide; it’s tall.
Most players forget to look down. There are moons tucked into the girders underneath the city streets. "Iron Mountain Path" and "Target: In the Electric Wire" require you to think about the city as a 3D grid rather than a map.
I’ve seen people complain that they can’t find Moon 26, "Bench Friends." You literally just sit on a bench. That’s it. You sit next to a guy in a suit, and he gives you a moon because you’re both lonely, I guess? It’s a hilarious contrast to "Tip-Top of the City Hall Tower," which requires you to climb the literal highest point in the kingdom and perform a precarious jump.
The Secret Rooms and Warp Pipes
Don't ignore the gray doors. Seriously.
- The "Maze" room: Use the Sherm (the tank) to blast every glowing spot.
- The "Sewer" room: It’s all about the Nut capture and timing your jumps so you don't fall into the poison.
- The "Crowd" room: You have to run through a swarm of New Donkers without losing your momentum. It’s chaotic and feels like Black Friday at a mall.
Each of these contains two moons. One for finishing the "obvious" task and a secret one hidden somewhere along the path. If you leave a secret room with only one moon, you’ve failed. Go back in.
Post-Game: The Moon Rock and Beyond
Once you break that Moon Rock, the kingdom resets in a way. 21 new moons appear. This is where the Super Mario Odyssey Metro Kingdom moons get truly technical.
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Suddenly, there are birds carrying moons (Moon 68). There are hats on posters that you have to hit with Cappy (Moon 70). There’s even a moon you get just for looking through a telescope at a flying taxi. Yes, a flying taxi. It’s located near the Odyssey. Zoom in on the high-flying vehicles until you see one that looks like a sailship. That’s your moon.
The "Sphynx" also moves. He’s usually floating over the city in the post-game. You have to find him with the binoculars to trigger Moon 67. It’s these little details that make the Metro Kingdom the best designed level in the game, even if it’s the most exhausting to 100%.
Expert Tactics for the Final Hunt
If you’re stuck at 98% and that last moon is nowhere to be found, stop running around aimlessly.
First, talk to Hint Toad. He charges 50 coins, but he puts a mark on your map. It's worth the price. Second, find Uncle amiibo. If you have any amiibo figures, tap them. He’ll send them out to find moon locations for you while you’re busy doing other things.
The hardest moons to find without help are usually the "Buried in the... [Location]" ones. Like Moon 49, "Freezing in the Secret Room." You have to go into a specific warehouse, find a pile of crates, and Ground Pound a spot that looks exactly like every other spot on the floor. It’s maddening.
Also, check the rooftops for "Captain Toad." He’s hanging out on a narrow girder behind the City Hall. You have to drop down from above to reach him. Most people miss him because they’re too busy looking at the view from the top.
Breaking Down the "Note Collecting" Moons
There are several "Taking Notes" challenges.
- The one on the high-rise.
- The one in the private garden.
- The one involving the RC car track.
The trick here is the roll. If you try to run, you won't be fast enough. You need to Master the Long Jump into a Roll. It’s the fastest way for Mario to move, and it’s basically required for the timed note challenges.
The Nuance of the Metro Kingdom Vibe
Why do we care so much about these Super Mario Odyssey Metro Kingdom moons?
Because New Donk City represents the "weirdness" of Mario. It’s a callback to Donkey Kong (the original 1981 arcade game), hence the street names like "Pinky Street" and "Drummer Street." Collecting these moons isn't just about the number on the screen; it’s about exploring a museum of Nintendo history.
When you collect "Celebrating in the Street!" (Moon 2), you’re playing through a 2D 8-bit segment that pays homage to the NES era. It’s arguably the best moment in the entire game. The music shifts to "Jump Up, Super Star!" and for a few minutes, everything feels perfect.
Your Actionable Checklist for Completion
To actually finish this kingdom, you need a system. Don't just wander.
- Clear the Story First: You can't get most moons until the rain stops and the festival is over.
- The Shop is Mandatory: Buy the "Town Clothes" and the "Builder Outfit." There are two moons (23 and 24) locked behind these specific outfits. You have to talk to NPCs who won't let you in unless you look the part.
- Master the "Cappy Jump": Throw Cappy, hold Y, jump into him, and then dive. This "Cap Jump" is the only way to reach certain girders without using the electrical wires.
- Look for Glows: At night or in dark corners, look for a faint yellow glow in the ground. Ground Pound it. Always.
- Check the Posters: There are several "Poster" moons where you just have to throw your hat at a poster of Bowser or a missing person flier.
Once you’ve cleared the 81 moons here, you’re well on your way to the Dark Side and Darker Side of the Moon. But honestly, nothing in those final challenge levels is as annoying as that Jump Rope.
Stop overthinking the puzzles. Most of the time, the solution is exactly what you think it is, just executed with better timing. If a moon looks out of reach, it probably is—unless you find the specific NPC or object you're supposed to "Capture."
Go get that 100% and move on to the Wooded Kingdom. You’ve earned it.