You’re running around Shiveria, teeth chattering—metaphorically, of course—and you realize you’re stuck at 47 out of 50. It’s always those last three. Snow Kingdom purple coins are notoriously annoying because the environment is designed to hide them in plain sight, usually behind a sheet of ice or tucked into a corner of the freezing water that you’d normally avoid.
Super Mario Odyssey doesn’t play fair in this kingdom. While other worlds like Tostarena give you wide-open vistas where you can spot regional currency from a mile away, Shiveria is vertical, cramped, and filled with blinding white snow. If you're trying to buy that adorable Snowy Mountain outfit or the localized stickers for the Odyssey, you need every single one of those snowflake-shaped tokens.
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Most players miss the ones tucked away in the races or the high-up rafters of the town. Honestly, it’s easy to get distracted by the Bound Bowl Grand Prix and totally ignore the fact that the developers hid coins right above the starting line.
Why Shiveria’s Layout Makes Purple Coins So Easy to Miss
Snow Kingdom is basically two worlds. You have the surface, which is a blizzard-wracked wasteland where visibility is trash, and then you have Shiveria Town, the cozy underground hub. The Snow Kingdom purple coins are split between these two areas, but the game doesn't tell you how many are in each.
That’s the first hurdle.
You might spend an hour combing the surface with a Lakitu, fishing for secrets, when the coins you're actually missing are tucked behind a pillar in the town square. The verticality is the real killer. Because Mario moves differently on ice—drifting, sliding, losing traction—precise platforming to reach high-up coins becomes a chore.
I’ve found that most people struggle with the coins near the "Icicle Cavern." There’s a specific set that requires you to knock down stalactites to create platforms. If you aren't looking up, you'll never see them. It's a classic Nintendo move. They hide things in the Y-axis because they know we’re mostly focused on the X and Z.
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The Tricky Spots You’ve Probably Walked Past
Let's get specific.
First, let's talk about the water. It’s freezing. If you stay in too long, you take damage. Because of that, most players rush through the underwater sections. Big mistake. There are several Snow Kingdom purple coins submerged in the well and the surrounding tunnels. You have to grab them fast or use a Cheep Cheep to navigate without the health drain.
Then there’s the Ty-foo. You know, those big rectangular guys that blow wind? Capturing one is mandatory for a few coins located on high ledges that Mario simply can't reach with a triple jump or a Cappy dive.
- Check behind the Odyssey. It sounds stupidly simple, but there are coins tucked right behind the ship near the kingdom's entrance.
- Look under the ice floes.
- The Bound Bowl track has a few that are only accessible if you deliberately "fail" the race by jumping off the main path onto side platforms.
One of the sneakiest placements involves the wooden crates in Shiveria Town. We’re conditioned to smash crates for hearts or gold coins, but sometimes these regional tokens are hidden inside or directly behind them in a dark corner.
The Sub-Area Squeeze
Every kingdom has those "mini-levels" entered through pipes or doors. Snow Kingdom has several, like the "Ice Wall Barrier" or the "Gusty Bridges."
A lot of players assume these areas only hold Power Moons. Wrong. Almost every sub-area in the Snow Kingdom contains exactly three or four purple coins. If you leave a sub-area after getting the Moon but before finding the currency, you're going to be backtracking for hours later on.
In the Gusty Bridges area, there’s a set of coins that requires you to time a Ty-foo's breath perfectly to slide across the map. If you’re playing on a handheld Switch, the small screen makes these tiny purple specks even harder to see against the white and blue backdrop.
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Expert Tips for the 50/50 Grind
If you’re genuinely stuck, stop wandering aimlessly.
- Use the Bowser Amiibo. If you have it, scan it. It shows you exactly where regional coins are on the map. It's not "cheating" if it saves your sanity.
- Listen for the chime. Regional coins make a very specific, high-pitched "tink" when you're near them. Turn your music down and SFX up.
- Capture everything. If it moves, capture it. A Shiverian racer, a Ty-foo, a Cheep Cheep—they all have different viewpoints and movement capabilities that reveal hidden paths.
Don't forget the ceiling of the main town. There are beams and rafters that look like background decoration but are actually solid platforms. Use the poles to climb up there. You'll find a handful of coins just sitting there, mocking you from above.
Spending Your Hard-Earned Loot
Once you finally collect all the Snow Kingdom purple coins, head to the Crazy Cap shop. The reward is worth it. The Snow Hood and Snow Suit are some of the most iconic outfits in the game, and they're required for at least one Power Moon where a Shiverian won't let you into a room unless you're "dressed for the weather."
Beyond the clothes, the souvenir is a miniature Snowline Circuit, which looks great on the Odyssey’s shelf.
The reality of Shiveria is that it's a small map, which makes the hunt feel more intense. In the Sand Kingdom, you expect to spend time searching. In the Snow Kingdom, you feel like you should have found everything in ten minutes. When you haven't, it’s frustrating.
Just remember: look up, check behind the crates, and don't be afraid of the freezing water. The coins are there. They're just waiting for you to stop rushing.
Your Next Steps
Stop running in circles on the surface blizzard. Go back into Shiveria Town and start by climbing the poles to the ceiling rafters. If you still find yourself missing a few, enter the Icicle Cavern and look specifically at the ledges created after the giant icicles fall. Most players miss the coins tucked into the alcoves behind where the icicles originally hung. Once you've cleared those two spots, check the underwater tunnel leading to the boss arena; there's a hidden nook on the right-hand side that’s easy to bypass when you're focused on the goal.