Mario returns from his battle against the extraterrestrial Tatanga only to discover that his castle has been seized by Wario, a jealous impostor who has enslaved the inhabitants of Mario Land through dark magic. To reclaim what was stolen, Mario must track down six golden coins that Wario has hidden throughout the kingdom—each guarded by those under the villain's spell. Only by recovering all six coins can Mario breach his own fortress, confront Wario directly, and free the land from his tyrannical grip.