The Mario universe has had quite a few horror-themed levels that left a lasting impression on fans, both young and old. From the nasty piano that has long made its way onto top ten lists for best horror characters to the boos that stalk Mario like prey.

Both Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine are iconic 3D Mario games that feature a spooky-themed level fulls of ghosts. While Big Boo’s Haunt takes a more aggressive approach, Sirena Beach is a more subtle haunt. Understandably this brings many fans to argue over which level is better at horror and which one falls flat when trying to scare players.

10 Big Boo’s Haunt: The Atmosphere

Big Boo’s Haunt appears in Super Mario 64 as one of the first 3D Mario levels. The level is essentially a mansion encased in a birdcage. The way Mario enters is by shrinking down and landing in front of the mansion, which just happens to be bathed permanently in night.

The level has a music track that is made to sound entirely different from other levels in the game and gives the mansion an unpleasant feel.

9 Sirena Beach: The Rooms

When someone checks into a hotel, they expect to have a nice room and a few amenities to tie them over during their stay. Hotel Delfino happens to have several luxury guest rooms, a buffet, a casino, and even an indoor pool for guests to enjoy if they want to stay out of the sun.

The only catch is that the whole hotel has become infested with boos who also seem to be looking for a nice place to relax.

8 Big Boo’s Haunt: The Carousel

The carousel in Big Boo’s Haunt was an interesting part of the mansion that could be found in the basement. The carousel plays music fits for a carnival as it rotates around in circles. Pictures of boos line the walls of the carousel, and several smaller boos will pop out of the wall along with flames.

When Mario succeeds in getting rid of the smaller boos, a big boo will pop out to try and defeat him.

7 Sirena Beach: The Boss

The manta ray that Mario has to fight at Sirena Beach can be a pesky enemy to take down. Unlike Big Boo, the manta ray takes more than three hits to kill. He leaves a trail of electric goop that will deal damage to Mario when touched and splits into smaller rays when hit with water.

To defeat this boss, a player will need to hit a total of 96 rays with water.

6 Big Boo’s Haunt: The Piano

The Piano has been the bane of gamers young and old since it debuted in 1996. Located in a room inside the mansion, the piano stays perfectly still until Mario gets close to it. After the player is within arms reach, it springs to life and chases them around the room while making horrible noises.

The piano has never been used in another game, and many players are happy it has stayed trapped in a cage.

5 Sirena Beach: Pink Boos

One of the neatest parts of Sirena Beach was the introduction of pink boos. When hit with water, pink boos turn into blocks that Mario can use to ascend and descend the hotel. Many players were excited by the fact that the game added in a new type of boo other than the standard white enemies.

Pinks boos don’t seem to be that much of a threat but can be used to help block a path if water isn’t present.

4 Big Boo’s Haunt: Hidden Rooms

One of the most exciting things young players could find in a game are secret rooms and paths, both of which Big Boo’s Haunt had. There are bookcases that move aside to reveal secret rooms, portraits that Mario can move through to get to other parts of the mansion, and rooms that are hidden behind portraits. All of this thrilled fans of classic haunted mansions.

If that wasn’t enough, there were even hidden ghosts that threw books and chairs at Mario when he walked by.

3 Sirena Beach: King Boo

King Boo in Sirena Beach has a more interesting stadium than he does in Big Boos Haunt. Instead of just hanging out on a balcony, King Boo has taken over part of the casino where he forces Mario to battle him. Instead of just relying on water, though, Mario will need luck and tons of fruit to win.

King Boo is able to send out a set roster of enemies to try and take down Mario, depending on how the slot machine syncs up.

2 Big Boos Haunt: Red Coins

Getting the red coins in Big Boo’s Haunt takes players through the whole mansion, where they get to witness tons of ghosty goodness. Some coins are hiding over coffins, while the piano guards one in his room. Other coins will force Mario to deal with sentient eyeballs and dodge books.

Getting the red coins is easy to do, but it also helps to give players a full tour of the level.

1 Sirena Beach: Secret Levels

Sirena Beach has two secret stars that fans of platforming levels will love. The first one can be found in the mouth of the Big Boo statue, while the other can be found in the casino level, where players will need to find red coins to unlock the shine sprites, both of which can be daunting levels.

This lets players spend some extra time at the hotel and is nice for those who like the level design.

NEXT: 10 Things That Make No Sense About Super Mario Sunshine