Look, we've all been there. You're playing New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, cruising through the Frosted Glacier world, and then you hit "Freezing Rain Tower." It’s slippery. It’s vertical. There are those annoying Crowbers diving at your head every two seconds. Most players just want to survive the climb and hit the flagpole, but if you're a completionist, you know the real struggle is grabbing those three Freezing Rain Tower Star Coins.
Getting them isn't just about jumping. It’s about momentum. If you don't understand how the physics of the ice tiles work in this specific stage, you’re going to spend a lot of time sliding into pits or missing your window of opportunity. Honestly, this tower is one of the first real difficulty spikes in the game because it forces you to manage vertical movement while the floor is basically trying to betray you.
Most people miss the second coin. They just do. It's tucked away in a spot that requires a bit of a leap of faith, and when you’re worried about falling into the abyss, "leap of faith" isn't exactly the first thing on your mind. But if you want that 100% save file, you've gotta get comfortable with the slide.
Why Freezing Rain Tower Star Coins are a Completionist's Nightmare
The tower serves as the midpoint boss stage for World 4. Unlike the open-air levels, the "Freezing Rain" gimmick means the platforms are coated in slick ice, and the vertical scrolling adds a layer of "move or die" pressure.
The first Star Coin is actually pretty early, but it’s easy to overshoot. You’ll see it floating on the left side of the screen behind some breakable blocks. Here's the thing: most players try to just jump at it. Wrong move. You need to use the sliding momentum from the platform below to carry your jump distance. If you stop moving to line up the shot, you lose the friction you need to clear the gap.
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The Hidden Mechanics of the First Coin
Wait for the Crowbers to pass. Seriously. They spawn in patterns of three. If you jump while they’re diving, you’ll get knocked back, and in this tower, a knockback usually means falling five floors down. Once the air is clear, dash to the left. You’ll see a set of stone blocks. If you have the Penguin Suit—which, let's be real, is the GOAT for this world—you can just slide through them. If not, a well-timed spin jump will get you enough height to bounce off the wall and into the alcove.
That Second Coin is a Total Trap
Now, let’s talk about the one that ruins everyone’s run. About midway up the tower, there’s a section with moving platforms and pipes. You’ll see the second of the Freezing Rain Tower Star Coins nestled near a green pipe on the right.
It looks simple. It isn't.
The "rain" effect isn't just visual; it affects the visibility of certain platforms. To get this coin, you actually have to bait a Dry Bones or find a hidden vine. Most people try to wall-jump off the icy side, but the friction is so low that you’ll likely just slide down into the "dead zone" of the scrolling screen.
- Locate the green pipe on the right-hand side.
- Don't go in yet.
- Look for the shimmer in the air just to the left of it.
- There is a hidden block. Hit it, and a vine grows.
Without that vine, you’re basically guessing where your hitbox is. It’s a classic Nintendo move—hiding the solution in plain sight but making the environment so chaotic that you don't think to look for a secret block.
The Final Stretch: Reaching the Third Star Coin
By the time you reach the top, you're probably sweating. The boss door is right there. Boom. Big doors. Kamek is probably waiting to make your life miserable. But wait. Don't go in yet.
The third coin is hidden above the boss door. Yeah, it’s one of those.
To get it, you need to use the moving platforms just before the door. Instead of jumping toward the boss entrance, wait for the highest platform to reach its peak. You’ll see a small gap in the ceiling. You have to wall-jump—which is nerve-wracking on ice—up through that gap.
Mastering the Ice Wall Jump
The trick here is the "flick." You can't just hold the direction. You have to tap away from the wall the moment you touch it. If you hold the button too long, the ice physics will cause you to slide down the wall rather than kicking off it. Once you're up there, the third coin is sitting in a tiny room. Grab it, drop down, and then you can finally go deal with the boss.
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Pro Tips for Staying Alive in the Tower
Look, if you're struggling, stop trying to do it as "Small Mario." It’s a nightmare. The best way to secure all Freezing Rain Tower Star Coins is to bring a Propeller Mushroom or a Penguin Suit from a previous level.
- The Propeller Suit allows you to bypass the slide physics entirely by hovering.
- The Penguin Suit gives you perfect traction on the ice, making the jumps for the second and third coins trivial.
If you die, you lose the coins you collected in that run unless you've already hit a checkpoint. In this tower, the checkpoint is right after the second coin. If you grab the first two and die before the third, you only have to worry about the final one on your next attempt.
Actionable Steps for your 100% Run
First, go back to World 1-1 or a Toad House and grab a power-up that helps with mobility. Don't go into the tower naked. Second, watch the Crowbers. Their pathing is predictable; they always dive toward your current X-axis position. If you keep moving, they miss. Third, and this is huge, use the spin jump ($L/R$ or $ZR$). The spin jump gives you a tiny bit of extra air time and a more controlled descent, which is vital when you're trying to land on a single icy tile.
Once you’ve cleared the Freezing Rain Tower Star Coins, you’re officially done with the hardest part of the Frosted Glacier midpoint. You can move on to the boss fight with Boss Blitz or whichever Koopaling is guarding the tower with your head held high. Just remember: it’s not the ice that kills you; it’s the panic. Keep your momentum, watch the ceiling, and don't rush the jumps.
The most important thing is to keep your eyes on the screen's scroll rate. If you spend too much time trying to line up a perfect jump for a Star Coin, the bottom of the screen will catch up to you. In vertical levels, the camera is your real enemy. If a coin is off-screen at the bottom, it's gone. You’ve got to be decisive. Grab it and move.
Go get that 100% completion. You've got this.