The Seven Keys of Donut Plains is fast approaching, and development is finally over! There’s a lot to this Super Mario Maker 2 stage, as well as many quirks and fun details. The Seven Keys of Donut Plains is an open-world level, and there’s a ton to explore throughout Donut Plains. So, here’s everything you need to know about The Seven Keys of Donut Plains.

Part One: Recap

General Overview

The Seven Keys of Donut Plains is different from most levels in Super Mario Maker 2. The stage lets you explore the open world of Donut Plains. There’s many different things you’ll discover along the way, along with many different challenges to face. You’ll need to keep your eyes open for clues and secrets everywhere to find the seven hidden keys around the world, which is needed to finish the level.

Find the Seven Keys

The main challenge and the only one to beat the level is finding the seven keys scattered around the land of Donut Plains. Each of them are well-hidden, so you’ll need to look around for items and clues to help you find the keys. As you explore, you may notice keys in places that you can’t reach without an item. For example, the key in the picture below is behind ice. The only way to collect it is by melting the ice. Interesting…

Part Two: Exploration

The Wide World of Donut Plains

Donut Plains is a very large open-world in Super Mario Maker 2, taking up about ¾ of one full sub-area. It’s very large with interconnected pathways and landmarks. The structure of Donut Plains can get confusing as well, since you may find yourself lost in the world.

Directional Hubs

There are many details to help you explore Donut Plains. One of those is the Directional Hubs. There are 5 in total, each a square with at least 2 entrances from different directions. Inside you’ll see a red block in the center, hear a unique tune, and run around the semi-solid or mushroom platforms scattered about. The point of Directional Hubs is to show you your general location on the map. By one or more of the entrances to each hub, you’ll see two arrows. One is pointing either up or down, and the other is pointing either left or right. For example, the hub in the picture below has arrows pointing up and right. That means that this is the northeast Directional Hub. There is one in each corner, as well as one in the center marked with two arrows pointing each other.

Points of Interest

Another way that the map is connected is Points of Interest. These landmarks spread out across Donut Plains include an icy cave, two rings of firebars, a brick farm, and a piranha plant infestation. These places are important inclusions for multiple reasons. These Points of Interests can include clues, items, and more to help you find keys. Some might have keys altogether. In fact, all four of these Points of Interest have a key somewhere.

Shortcut Paths

Another way to help you find keys is with Shortcut Paths. Find a blue pipe somewhere around Donut Plains and will lead you through a pathway filled with 100 coins. The green exit pipe leads you somewhere that’s near one of the three keys outside of the Points of Interest. Plus, if you can’t find a blue pipe but you do see a green pipe, it could mean a key is nearby.

Part Three: And More!

Extra Challenges

While the only way to beat The Seven Keys of Donut Plains is by finding the seven keys, there are other challenges that you can try, implemented for anyone having trouble finding the keys or just looking for more to do.

• The shortcut paths each have 100 coins, which equals a 2-Up. However, 100 coins have also been hidden all around Donut Plains. If you find them all, it would in total equal a 3-Up, which is why this challenge is called the 3-Up Challenge. The coins are randomly scattered around Donut Plains, many of which are in well-hidden places. You’ll definitely need to keep an eye out with this challenge.
• The icy cave Point of Interest has a giant lake in the center called the Frozeless Lake. However, some of that freezing water has somehow gotten to other areas of Donut Plains – and froze! There are 7 icicles around Donut Plains, each very discreet and well-hidden. This challenge is called the Cross-Frost Challenge. Look around for all 7, but don’t touch them!

The Seven Keys of Donut Plains releases in Super Mario Maker 2 on May 14th, 2023. Stay tuned to @troll_king5 and @RyansFortress on Twitter for more information and updates.