Play as Luigi:
To play as Luigi, at the “Select A File” screen, highlight a file, then while holding L R, press A to play as Luigi in Single-Player mode.
Secret Challenge mode:
To unlock the Secret Challenge mode, beat the game and load the cleared saved game file. Go to the world map and pause the game, then press L, R, L, R, X(2), Y(2). Secret Challenge mode will not let you backtrack in certain levels. A new right arrow icon will be lit up in the top right corner of the screen to indicate if a level has a Secret Challenge version.
Unlockable Worlds:
Unlock the following Worlds by performing the corresponding tasks:
WORLD – HOW TO UNLOCK
World 4 – Defeat the Boss in the last castle of World 2 with Mini Mario
World 7 – Defeat the Boss in the last castle of World 5 with Mini Mario
World 8 – Defeat the Boss in the last castle of World 6 with Mega Mario
Secret exit in World 7-4:
To reach the secret exit in World 7-4, you will need a mini-Mushroom. Go past the mid-level point and upwards to the left side of the screen. You will eventually see a flying “?” block. Use the mini-Mushroom to make Mario smaller and jump onto the block to stop it. Then, use the block to jump into the little opening in the brick wall. Make a “C” jump (backwards C) and jump up and to the left to land at the top of the wall. Go over and you will see a small pipe that only mini-Mario can fit in. Enter the pipe to reach the red flag secret exit.
Secret exit in World 7-5:
Just before you reach the giant Bullet Bill, you will see a pipe covered in blocks. Use the Bob-ombs to blow up the blocks and then enter the pipe to reach the red flag secret exit.
Secret exit in World 7-6:
After you reach the mid-level point, you will come to an area with two rows of bricks. You must be big, but not mega-sized to perform this trick. Knock out the middle brick on the top row, then knock out the third brick in the bottom row to make a vine to grow. Climb the vine and continue to the end of the level above to reach the red flag secret exit.
Warp from World 1 to World 5:
To warp from World 1 to World 5, go to the tower in World 1 with the Blue Shell power-up. Go to the first pipe that shoots you up into the air. On your way back down, go in the gold door. There will be a lot of randomly moving platforms. On the right, there is a gap that always stays the same size. Go through it and you will see three blocks. Use the Blue Shell ability to break them all, then break the last three. Go to the right and finish the level to reveal the World 1 Warp Cannon, which will warp you to World 5.
Warp from World 2 to World 5:
To warp from World 2 to World 5, in Secret Stage 2-A, there is a secret exit to the stage that will give you access to the Warp Cannon in World 2. Near the end of the stage, there is one last spin jump platform you need to use to reach the final Star Coin. Instead of stopping once you get the last Star Coin, continue falling to the right and press Jump at the same time you land on the red turtle on the final platform to get enough jump height to reach the platform with the pipe above you in the little alcove. Go through the pipe and exit the stage using the red flag.
Warp from World 3 to World 6
To warp from World 3 to World 6, enter the Ghost House as Mini Mario. Go to where you see a huge ghost next to a pipe in which you have to press a switch to turn them into red blocks. Go to the right without getting hit. Keep wall jumping until you get on a secret ledge with a door. Go in the door and jump on the red flag, then use the Warp Cannon to warp to World 6.
Warp from World 5 to World 8:
To warp from World 5 to World 8, enter the World 5 Ghost House and get a Mushroom from the blocks. Then, go upstairs untill you reach an area with three brick blocks on the left side of the screen. Stand on top of them and jump to reveal three invisible blocks. Next, wall jump on the left side to get on top of them. Stand on the middle raised block and duck, then jump to reveal a block with a vine in it. Climb up the vine and a Boxing Ghost will appear. Jump off the vine to avoid taking damage from it. Kill it and climb back up, and enter the door. Kill the two Walking Pumpkins and stand in the middle. The platform will wobble and as long as you stay in the center you should be fine. When it reaches the top, exit and jump on the flag pole. A path will open to the Warp Cannon on the World Map. Enter and use the Cannon to warp to World 8.
Special background patterns:
Beat the game, then load the cleared saved game file to find a new blue Toad House at the beginning of World 1. Inside are four background patterns you can choose for the touch screen. You can purchase these with Star Coins. The fifth and final pattern can be purchased for 20 Star Coins when you have collected all Star Coins, completed all stages, and found all hidden exits.
Infinite Toad House items:
To get infinite Toad House items, beat all stages, including the lettered bonus stages, then load the cleared saved game file and Toad Houses will no longer disappear after you take the items.
Toad House bonuses:
Have a time ending in the following last two digits to unlock the corresponding toad houses with bonuses at the start of the next world:
Have a time ending in 11, 22, or 33 – Red Toad House that awards items.
Have a time ending in 44, 55, or 66 – Green Toad House with a mini-game for an extra life.
Have a time ending in 77, 88, or 99 – Orange Toad House with a Mega Mushroom.
Save anywhere:
Beat the game to unlock the ability to save at any point in the game. The “Save” option will become available under your menu in the map screen.
Star icons:
Beat the game to add a star icon next to your save file.
Beat all World maps by finishing all stages and locating all secret exits to add another star icon next to your save file.
Spend all Star Coins to add an additional star icon next to your save file.
Infinite lives:
To get infinite lives, i World 2-4, just past the two Piranha Plants you will encounter a staircase with a turtle coming down it. Jump on the turtle just as it is about to go off the third stair from the bottom. Mario will continue to jump on the turtle and earn up to 99 lives.
To get infinite lives, go to World 7-4 as Mini Mario. Go through the stage while staying on the left side. You will encounter a “?” box and a ledge. Jump on the box then to the ledge. Jump off the ledge, and stay against the wall. You will reach a platform with a pipe leading to a red flagpole. You will unlock a 1-Up Mushroom House to the north of World 7-4, which never disappears. You can continue to get 1-Ups until you reach your maximum of 99 lives.
To get infinite lives in World 7-5, throw a Koopa shell in-between the two Bullet Bill cannons to get an extra life every four seconds.
Easy points:
To easily gain points, w hen you complete a stage where the last two digits on the clock are the same, fireworks will go off corresponding to the number. Each firework will give you 5,000 points. Go to World 1-1 and wait until the timer hits -99, then jump on the flag. This will set off nine fireworks, giving you 45,000 points. Repeat as desired. If you get over 1,000,000,000 points, the chance of getting a Starman from a halfway powerbox increases.
Easy Blue Shell:
To easily get a Blue Shell, enter a Red Mushroom House. When Toadsworth makes the roulette block appear, immediately dash to the end of the roulette block. Without stopping, jump at the end of it to get a Blue Shell.
Easy Mushrooms:
To easily get Mushrooms, while playing as Mega Mario, Ground Pound on top of a multi-Coin block. After all the Coins drop out, a mushroom will appear.
Extra life:
You will gain an extra life by collecting 100 coins. Additionally, at the end of a stage, jump up and land on top of the flagpole to earn an extra life.
Avoiding Blockhopper:
If a “?” box does not have a spinning “?”, it is an enemy called a Blockhopper and should be avoided.
Secret Mushroom House in World 4-1:
Go to the part of the stage where you ride the blue dinosaur. Get on the dinosaur and when you reach the third set of blocks, jump on them. There will be two Coins. Jump between them and you should hit an invisible block that has a climbing plant on it. Climb up it and it will take you to a platform with a pipe. Go through it and it will take you to a secret exit.
Shortcut in World 3:
To access a shortcut in World 3, j ump into the water at the beginning of the level. Continue underwater for most of the level to avoid enemies. When you reach a big spiky pole object, you must resurface or it will kill you.
Control credits screen:
At the credits screen, move the letters with the touch screen to hear sound effects from the game.
Mega Mushroom hint:
To get Mega Mushrooms in two player mode more often, allow other player to get more stars (more than five at least).
Big orange mushroom hint:
Get a mushroom in Versus mode, then get a mushroom on the touchscreen. Collect eight more coins to have a big orange mushroom appear over your head. Note: You can only do this once per match and doesn?t work on all levels.
Falling items:
Ground pound while giant sized to? make various items fall from the sky.
Picking up turtle shells hint:
To pick up turtle shells, jump on top of turtles to make them turn into a shell. Then, go beside them while holding Run and walk toward the shell slowly to pick up the turtle shell. To throw the turtle, release Run. Note: If you hold it too long, the turtle will come back out of its shell and hurt you.
Ride the ropes in World 1 Castle:
You can ride on the ropes if you have a shell. You will stop on the ends, but it will look like you are moving.
Easy lives in World 1-1:
-Get the? Mega Mario Mushroom and run as fast as possible to the end of the level while smashing everything in sight. If you crash all the way through to the flagpole, you can earn up to five 1-Up Mushrooms and earn a bunch of lives fast. Return to the World 1-1 and get the Giant Mario when you?re short on lives.
Starman in World 1-1:
Go where there is one block and then two blocks together, just like at the beginning of the level. Get on the last of those blocks and jump to see a vine. Get the block with a extra life and a few coins there, then go to the part where there are three pairs of three blocks each. Jump in between the bottom pairs and three invisible blocks will form. Jump on them and hit the third block in the topmost pair to make a vine will appear, which takes you to a red ring for a power-up. Continue until you reach the midway point. When you reach a Goomba and three blocks, go on the second block and jump. You will receive a Starman.
Hidden star in World 1-2:
When you see the Venus Flytraps, there should be two blocks. Go to the first block and jump to see a star.
Easy lives in World 1-4:
Go to the end, just before the flag. Near the flag is a pipe facing to the west with Goombas walking out through it. Get a Koopa shell return to that pipe, then let go of the Koopa shell and make sure you throw it eastward. The Koopa shell will come back and forth hitting every Goomba that comes out that pipe, which will add points to every hit. Jump over the? Koopa shell while it is going back and forth without touching it.
Bonus level in World 2-3:
Press the “?” push block to make the water rise, then quickly go to the upper chamber and press a second push block, which only appears while the water rises. Go up to find a secret exit for a bonus level. After completing the bonus level you will unlock a pipe which takes you to World 2 Castle.
Easy lives World 2-4:
At the end of the level there is a Koopa Troopa coming down the stairs. Stand on the block in front of a Troopa and jump up so that you jump on him. Don?t move while Mario continues to jump on him. After gaining 1,000 points you will start to earn extra lives. Wait until you get 99 lives.
Electric balls in Bowser’s Castle World 3 hint:
To get past the electric balls as Mini Mario in Bowser’s Castle, first use the middle green pipe to be shot up. Then, hold UP to climb and jump up until you reach the four electric balls. Go under the bottom one to eventually be standing on top of a vertical wall. Hold X while running right, then perform Wall Kicks (face a direction and press A) all the way up the two walls until you can climb on the mesh again.
Easy power-ups in World 3:
Go to the warp cannon, then go to the far right while ignoring the cannon to find a roulette block containing a Starman, Fire Flower, Mushroom, and Blue Koopa Shell. Grab one of the power-ups, then fire Mario to World 6. Don’t exit or else you lose the power-up.
Warp to World 6 from World 3:
In the Ghost House as Mini Mario, to where there is a big ghost next to a pipe and you have to press a switch to turn them into red blocks. Head right without getting hit and keep wall jumping until you get on a secret ledge with a door. Go to the red flag, then to the cannon to World 6.
Secret mushroom house in World 4-1:
Ride the blue dinosaur until you reach the third set of blocks, then jump on them. Jump between the two coins and you should hit an invisible block that has a climbing plant on it. Climb it to reach a platform with a pipe that leads to a secret exit.
Warp to World 7 from World 4:
First, have a Fire Flower equipped and a Mini Mushroom stored. In World 4 Haunted House, go to the pipe with two red blocks beside it and press the red button while avoiding the Balloon Boo. Get on top of the pipe, turn mini, then wall jump on the pipe to reach a ledge. Wall jump up the tiny passage above the ledge without taking the door yet. Keep wall jumping to get the third coin, then take the door. Quickly run to the flag very because a Boo might be there. Save the game once you’re in World 7.
Easy lives in World 4-5:
Near the beginning, where there is a rock staircase that requires Bob-ombs to get through, place a Bob-omb on top of the second step and another in the exact middle of the layer that is left to create a sort of “bowl”. Get a Koopa and bounce it an unlimited number of times between the walls, killing all the Bob-ombs until the time runs out and getting 99 lives easily. Note: You might need to be normal Mario to fit through the gap and reach the Koopa.
Fast completion of World 5-3:
Get the blue turtle shell, then run and hold Y to turn into a shell and start rolling like the Trapuna things when you jump on them. Be sure to jump over holes and obstacles.
Easy lives in World 6-6:
At the end of the level, when you find five pipes, go in the third pipe to get shot out to the top of the flagpole.
Easy lives in World 7-4:
In? World 7-4 as Mini Mario, proceed through the level while staying on the left side unti you see a “?” box and a ledge. Jump on the box to the ledge, then jump out of the ledge while making sure to stay against the wall. You will reach a platform with a pipe leading to a red flagpole. You?ll unlock a 1-Up mushroom house to the north of World 7-4, which never disappears and thus can reach the maximum of 99 lives.
Easy lives in World 7-5:
Towards the end of the level, just before the Banzai Bill cannon, you?ll see two rotating Bullet Bill cannons with a Star Coin in the middle. Grab a Bomb-omb drop it on the middle blocks to blow them up. From there, jump on the Bullet Bills until you start getting 1-Ups.
World 8 shortcut from World 5:
In World 5 at the haunted house level. Proceed through level while avoiding monsters until you reach the platform above the lone door. When you see three blocks, jump above them so three new blocks appear. Jump off the near wall until a monster appears. Kill it, then. from the new blocks, jump again. Climb the vine that appears to reach a door. Continue through the level and exit the door, then finish the level. The cannon level will now be unlocked at the world map. Enter it to find a cannon that reads “World 8”, which leads to World 8.
Baby Bowser and Bowser strategy:
First, before entering the castle, enter an orange mushroom house and keep the Mega Mushroom you receive. Enter the castle and reach the boss battle. As soon as you can move, tap the orange mushroom and grab it. As Giant Mario, simply run into Baby and King Bowser to easily defeat them.
Unlocking World 4 or 7 hint:
During the bosses of the World 2 and 5 final castles, have a normal sized (red mushroom) Mario or Luigi, along with a blue mushroom. After hitting the Bosses twice, change into the tiniest Mario or Luigi and Ground Pound the Boss.
Avoiding Blockhopper hint:
On levels such as World 2-5, if a “?” box doesn’t have a spinning “?”, it is a Blockhopper.
Giant Luigi hint:
Go to Toad Town dojo west and get a mushroom, then throw it at Luigi and he will become very big.
Luigi Whack-A-Mole sounds:
Poke Luigi instead of the Monty Moles while playing the Whack-A-Mole mini-game. The sound he makes changes every ten times you hit him. Poke him thirty times to make him scream.
Dancing enemies:
If you pay close attention to the monsters in any level, you?ll notice that they will do some sort of dance or jump when the chorus in the background music sings. Note: This doesn?t include flying enemies, Bullet and Banzai Bills, and Bosses.
Super Mario Bros. easter egg:
At the end of any level, except Bosses, touch the flag when the last two digits of the clock are the same. (for example, 311, 222, 099, 111) to have the old chime from Super Mario Bros. play as you walk into the castle. Once inside and the flag raises, fireworks will go off according to the number repeated on the clock. For example, if the time is 044, then four explosions will be set off.
Backwards slide in World 3-A:
Go to the second “room? and go into the first pipe. (You must be either Mini or Mega Mario to get the coin). To backwards slide, dash down one of the slopes, then turn back while still holding Dash. It will look like you are turning, but you will slide backwards. Note:? Hit the water before turning.
Empty Boss room glitch in World 6:
First, have a Mega Mushroom in your touch circle. When you get to the final Boss (the Monty Mole in the tank), use the mushroom to turn into Mega Mario or Luigi. When the Monty Mole pops out of the tank, jump on it to make the tank explode. However, the key will not come out, time will stop, and you won?t be able to pause game play. The boss room will be empty. Note: You must restart the game.
Bowser’s Castle hints:
You must be fast (easier to do with a shell) for this trick. Ignore Bowser Jr. and dash under Bowser’s feet when he jumps to reach the skull switch. When you push the switch, both Bowser and Bowser Jr. fall, but the ending is the same.
-If you hit Bowser with a shell or fireball, he will disappear and it will be just you and Bowser Jr.