The Super Mario RPG Remake brings back many beloved features from the original game, including the elusive secret boss, Culex. Like the original Super Mario RPG, Culex is not a required boss to beat; instead, it can be tracked down and unlocked optionally. However, tread carefully as Culex puts up a tougher fight than one might anticipate.

Culex will need to be unlocked before Mario and friends can fight him. To reach Culex, the large ominous locked door in Monstro Town must be opened. Once opened, ensure everyone is prepared for a long and difficult encounter. It’s recommended to wait until reaching level 20 before attempting this fight.

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How To Unlock The Door In Monstro Town

Upon reaching Monstro Town, Mario discovers a large black door that’s sealed shut. The hidden Super Mario RPG Remake boss, Culex, lies behind it, but opening it will require Mario to retrieve a specific item that’s easy to miss. First, Mario will need to go and purchase Fireworks in Moleville. In the northern part of town, a house with a mole inside sells Fireworks for 500 coins each. For this task, Mario only needs to purchase one set. After that, head outside, where five wooden crates will be off to the right of the house. Here, Mario will need to make a trade with the small Mole standing by the crates.

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She might be hard to spot as she is on the opposite side of the crates, but she’s standing where the missing crate would be. Speak with her; she will be willing to trade a Shiny Stone in exchange for the Fireworks you just purchased. With the Shiny Stone, head back to Monstro Town in Super Mario RPG Remake. Approach the sealed door with the Shiny Stone, and the seal on it will be broken. Note that the fight will not begin immediately upon entering. Culex will offer a challenge, and you can decide the challenge if you aren’t ready and return later.

As stated previously, this challenge is no simple task. Culex is a very difficult enemy and not one to be taken lightly. It is recommended to hold off on this fight until reaching at least level 20 with a good team and items. Even then, this will still be a tough fight, so the higher the level, the better.

The Best Party And Items For Culex Boss

Before heading into the fight with Culex, there are a few items Mario will need to pick up. The most highly recommended are the Lazy Shell Weapon and Lazy Shell Armor. To get these items, Mario will need to bring seeds and fertilizer to a gardener in Rose Town. The seed can be acquired by fighting Megasmilax in Bean Valley, while the fertilizer can be obtained from a Beezo that appears to be floating on the eastern side of Nimbus Land, but only after defeating Valentina. Return both items to the Gardener, who will hand over both Lazy Shell items.

The Lazy Shell Weapon is only available for Mario, so he will need to be the one to equip it. The Lazy Shell Weapon provides Mario with the opportunity for significantly increased attacks, some of the best in the game, so it’s the item to have on hand when facing Culex. As for The Lazy Shell Armor, since it can be applied to any character in Super Mario RPG Remake, it’s best to hand it off to one of the others as it provides immunity to status effects and most elemental attacks. As for the party itself, it’s recommended that Mario be accompanied by Peach and Geno for this boss fight.

Ensure you have a substantial supply of Syrups (Maple or Royal) to restore Flower Points so that Peach can consistently heal the party when necessary throughout the fight. If the battle continues to be difficult, try swapping out the Lazy Shell from Geno to Princess Peach so that she takes less damage and can continue healing.

How To Defeat Culex

When ready, head back to the door in Monstro Town. Upon accepting the challenge, the fight with this 8-bit enemy will begin. Though it might be tempting to focus on Culex himself, the priority should be getting rid of a couple of crystals first.

Try to destroy two crystals first. It’s recommended that the Wind and Earth crystals be prioritized since they can cause status effects. Note that Culex has the Shredder move, which removes positive effects from the party, so don’t use Geno to provide any sort of boost, as it will immediately be wiped away and the turn wasted. This also applies to accessories providing a status boost.

If you have Rock Candy on hand, use them early to take out one of the crystals quickly.

Healing will be non-optional during this fight, so don’t be afraid to utilize Group Hug as often as possible. Focusing on Culex without destroying the crystals will likely end in defeat, so ensure that at least two are destroyed before moving on. Once two crystals are out of the way, shift your focus to Culex, who should be easier to defeat now. Once he is defeated, Mario wins, and the party is not required to take on any remaining crystals.

Culex Reward And Post-Game Rematch

Once Culex is defeated, you will get the Quartz Charm. This powerful accessory prevents instant defeat while doubling the damage to enemies and halving the damage taken from them. So, while this boss fight may be frustrating, the reward is worth the trouble. For those looking for an even bigger challenge, Mario can return after obtaining the Extra-Shiny Stone and reopen the door once more to find a stronger 3D version of Culex he can challenge. This is a new addition, unlike the original 2D Culex fight, exclusive to the Super Mario RPG Remake.

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  Super Mario RPG

  Franchise:

  Super Mario Bros.

  Platform(s):

  Nintendo Switch

  Released:

  2023-11-17

  Developer(s):

  Nintendo, Square Enix

  Publisher(s):

  Nintendo

  Genre(s):

  Action, Adventure, RPG

  ESRB:

  E