Super Mario Brothers 2 (NES) Walkthrough Document written by PyroFalkon (pyrofalkon@hotmail.com) Latest update: 1 November 2003 Current Version: 1.0b +-----------------+ |+---------------+| ||VERSION HISTORY|| |+---------------+| +-----------------+ v1.0b (1 November 2003) It's been nearly a year, but unfortunately my site is down for the count. Luckily, IGN has decided to host my FAQs too, so it's all good. A new copyright notice is the only change. v1.0a (31 December 2002) No new information, but I've changed my legal info. I'm now carrying my guide on my own website; you can find the URL at the bottom of the document. v1.0 (07 October 2002) First release, and complete. +-------+ |+-----+| ||INTRO|| |+-----+| +-------+ This game is my least favorite of all the Mario games to date... well, except for Mario's Time Machine and Mario is Missing (neither of which were all that entertaining of course). So I suppose that it's my least favorite of all the action-based Mario games that I've played. However, just because it's my least favorite doesn't mean that I don't like it. I think "Chasing Amy" is the worst of the five Jay & Silent Bob movies, but I'd still watch it a second or third time. What was I talking about? Oh yeah, SMB2. Here's a bit of history on the game, if you didn't already know: it was originally released in Japan as "Doki Doki Panic." The game starred some dude named Doki, who looked like an Egyptian in a turban. It didn't sell well, so they changed all the character art to the Mario characters, then sent the game to the states. Because it simply had the name "Mario" on it, everyone bought it like mad. Then Nintendo brought the game back to Japan under the title "Super Mario USA," and sales took off. That just goes to prove to you that everyone the world over buys stuff for the name only. Because the game wasn't even a Mario game at all initially, it is radically different from all the other ones in the series. For example, you'll get to pick one of four popular characters before each stage. I'll talk about that in more depth in a moment. You also won't see and Goombas or Koopas, although there are a few empty shells lying around. There's no time limit, so the game won't have the GET TO THE END NOW OR DIE!!! feel of the others. Ah, relaxation... I'm going to assume you've read the manual, at least enough to know about power jumps and throwing turnips and all that, so I won't waste my time talking about that. Also, I'm going to talk about the fastest ways through each stage. I won't mention many Warp Zones. This needs to be a complete guide anyway, and you'll totally rock if you successfully take the scenic route. So, let's get the Mario Party started. (That's the best pun I can come up with. I need to take a vacation.) +-------------+ |+-----------+| ||BASIC STUFF|| |+-----------+| +-------------+ As I said in the intro, this game is radically different from the others in the series. Combat is entirely throwing-based, although you can throw things like other enemies. You can go left or right, unlike just going right in the first SMB game. There's no time limit, enabling you to explore the darkest corners without the danger of being rocked by the clock. There are no conventional powerups, because you've got a health bar, displayed in the top-left corner. Each time you're hit, you'll lose a point, though you can find hearts to recover yourself on your way. Perhaps the biggest change of all is your ability to select one of four characters at the beginning of each stage. MARIO: Mario is the plain vanilla character of the group. He has average speed, average picking speed, average jumping, et cetera. He's a nice choice for the first venture into a stage. LUIGI: The jumper. His charged jump gets more air than Jordan did in his prime. However, he has little girly muscles, so if he's holding something, he'll take a rather noticeable cut in his speed and jumping. He's designed for levels that emphasize high platforms and gaps, not monsters. TOAD: The carrier boy, but not of Fox-Die. He has supreme muscles, and he can pick up and chuck things at unbelievable rates. His speed and jumping are slightly lower than Mario's, but he's not affected at all by carrying things. He's the best in situations with a lot of enemies or levels where you need FAST digging power (and there are plenty of them). PRINCESS PEACH TOADSTOOL: Peach needs to get to a gym. Her stick arms make her worthless in fights where throwing speed is of the essence. However, she has one unique ability that none of the others have. If you hold the jump button, her dress does the hovercraft thing and allows her to float for a time. It's not a limitless float by any means, but it will usually help you long enough to rescue yourself in times of crisis. If you come to a level that requires precision jumps and long gaps with few enemies, she's your man. Before every stage, I'll make sure to recommend a character. In theory, you could play all 20 stages with one dude or dudette and not have a single problem, but choosing the right character for the right situation will save you lives, time, and frustration. +----------------+ |Storyline So Far| +----------------+ Mario is tired from his adventures of rescuing the princess from mean old Bowser, and he's frustrated in not getting any. Well, maybe that last part isn't true (or maybe it is), but the fact remains that he has decided to take a nap. In his dream, he climbs a long staircase and finds a door that takes him to a strange and mystical land. When he wakes up, he goes into a random cave and finds the exact same staircase and exact same door. Remember that, because it makes the ending even more stupid than it already is. +---------+ |+-------+| ||WORLD 1|| |+-------+| +---------+ These are training levels, basically. The enemies are tame, the boss is a pussy cat, and any character and rock any level. Get your feet wet here, because you're going to need your skills for later in the game. +---------+ |Stage 1-1| +---------+ RECOMMENDED PLAYER: PEACH The level opens by dumping you onto a hill far below a door. Keep dropping down, and stick to the sides of the map. The edges don't have borders, so if you fall or walk past the left side, you'll appear in the same place on the right side. There are a pair of enemies, both of which are simple blue Shy Guys, on the hill in the center. Avoid fighting them, as it's silly and pointless. Enter the red door at the bottom of the hill. Here's the real stage. Grab a veggie from the ground and chuck it at that red Shy Guy, then move on. Climb the vine, dispatch the blue Shy Guy, then pull the root that's closest to the vine. Throw the potion so it lands on the hill somewhere, then enter the door. Pull each root for a coin and grab the mushroom to extend your life by a point. This is nowhere near permanent, it only lasts until the stage is done. After a moment of time, or after you go through the door again, you'll appear back on the hill. Go right, ascend the hills, and cross right on the log. Floating logs will be your guides to get across the waterfall. Use your jumps softly to get across (or just try a running jump if you've got Luigi or Peach). Hop over the little gap to the next hill. Uproot the plant at the top near the POW Box for a 1up. Grab the cherries, and by now you should have enough to make a star float from the bottom. Grab it to gain invincibility, then run right. Cross the log and enter the door you see. Either take out the little hopping Ninji or use him as a stepping stone to get the land above him. Climb the vine, take a few paces right, then run left and jump through the waterfall. Peach can easily get through this by floating over it, but you should be able to make the jump with anyone. Hop up on the hill, then you may have to do a power jump to get to the top. Don't uproot anything just yet. Pick up the Shy Guy and throw him off the ledge to the right, where you just came from. Now uproot either of the things around there. They're both bombs, and the goal is to make them explode as they touch the breakable rocks down the ladder to the left. Uproot one, then stand next to the ladder. When the bomb starts flashing, count to 2, then drop it down the ladder. With any luck, one bomb will make a big enough hole for you to enter that red door. Climb the hill (you may have to use a few power jumps), then run left. As you run out of room, do a running jump left. You're going to encounter a very common enemy here named Birdo. He (yes, he, even though he wears a bow in his head; go figure) spits eggs at you. The goal is to hop on an egg, pull it out of the air, then throw it back at him. After three successful strikes, Birdo will go down in a blaze of humiliation and drop a crystal orb. Pick it up, and it will disappear, which then opens the falcon mouth to allow you to exit the stage. If you collected any coins, you can spend each one on one change to earning extra lives. +---------+ |Stage 1-2| +---------+ RECOMMENDED PLAYER: PEACH Hop to the second hill. You'll now encounter your first Pidget, a bird with 'tude and a real sporty magic red carpet. When he dives at you, jump on his head, then toss him away for a real case of grand theft auto. You'll then take control of the carpet, movable with any direction on the pad. It doesn't last for long though, so don't spend anytime screwing around. Go right to get to the next piece of solid ground, pronto! Both pipes... er, vases... that you get to lead to bonus rooms. In order to get the cherry above the right vase, you need to stand on an edge of the vase to charge your power jump. Dive into the left vase first to get a 1up, then pull up the root to left of the left vase. Drop the potion somewhere near the right vase and enter. Once you get your mushroom and coins, exit back into the real world, and jump in the right vase. Inside is a trio of Phantos and a key. Pick up the key, and one of the Phantos comes alive. Quickly get out and proceed right. Now, the mask only chases you if you're actually holding the key. What I normally do is pick up the key, then chuck it as a weapon to take out any enemies around (in this case, the Ninjis). Then I wait for the mask to do away, pick up the key, and run again. The mask will appear and follow you again, but if you throw it again, he'll go away again. I just pick it up and toss it in later levels so I don't have to deal with the damn mask following me everywhere. Go right, and when you reach the locked door, pick up the key and enter. In the next room, be on guard. A Snifit will be on the next platform, shooting things at you. Pick up the Shy Guy or a veggie and chuck it at him to move on. Once he's gone, uproot the plants near the brown rocks to uncover a few bombs. Blow a hole for yourself, then climb up the ladder. Pick up all the roots except for the one just to the right of the ladder. They're all bombs, so use them against the rock pile up there to the right. With the path clear, pluck the remaining plant to get a potion. Use it anywhere up there, then jump in. With the path in the real world bombed, you can access a mushroom in the alternate world. Once you come back to the real world, go right, dispatch the Ninjis, then enter the door at the end of the tunnel. Don't pluck any of those plants to your right. Instead, jump on the hill and run left. There's a Ninji and a Snifit waiting for you. Take them both out, then pick up the plant that's up there to get a potion. Go back right, then chuck the potion in the open area to the right of the plants. You can get a rather large treasure trove of coins here. Back in the real world, head right. Enter the door there. When you come out, you'll hear familiar music. Find Birdo, take him out, and finish the stage. +---------+ |Stage 1-3| +---------+ RECOMMENDED PLAYER: MARIO Hop across the hills, then power jump up to the top once you reach the third hill. You can bounce back left to gather those four cherries. The left plant of the next pair you come to has a potion. Toss it on the log, then enter to grab a mushroom. After that's over with, head right and run across the long log. Drop down to the hill, wait until the jumping fish is out of position, then run and jump to the log. Do this all the way across. Drop down to the bottom of the hill. Things get a bit tougher here. Quickly hop on the two floating logs to get across. Use the fish as stepping stones too if you need to. The left plant on the bottom row has a potion. Carry it all the way to the right, next to the vase. If you enter the vase through the alternate world, you'll enter a Warp Zone. Otherwise, enter the red door near the vase in the real world to proceed. Make a running jump to the hanging chain and climb up it. Get rid of the Shy Guy, then pick up the mushroom blocks to the right and throw them to the next platform. Make a little ladder for yourself here so you can get up to the platform with the Spark on it. Take either path you want to ascend, then enter the red door at the top. PJ up to the platform, grab the key, then exit. Now the race starts. Drop down the right shaft to quickly descend. When you come back to the mushroom blocks, toss the key on them for a moment, pick up the Shy Guy, and chuck him into the Spark. Pick up the key again and descend. As you go down the path below the door, you may want to use my method of throwing the key every few steps to shake the mask. Drop down again and stick to the right wall. You'll fall on a set of bricks that has a locked door. Use your key on it, then enter. Time your jump to land on the blue block platform when the Spark is out of position. Hop across the platforms, pick up the POW Box if you can, and carry it right. Toss it when you come to the area with four platforms, each with its own Spark. It's much easier to deal with enemies if they're dead. Rush right, be careful of the jumping Ninjis, grab the crystal, and enter the falcon mouth. Now you're going to be taking on your first boss. All the plants in the first section are bombs that can let you bomb open the rock wall to get through. Once you're in, Mouser will start throwing a continuous arsenal at bombs at you. Grab one and quickly throw it back on his little platform. Three bomb shots later, Mouso will be a faint memory. So will his sunglasses, unfortunately. +---------+ |+-------+| ||WORLD 2|| |+-------+| +---------+ This world is in the desert on a clear night. New enemies that have slightly different mindsets come into play here. +---------+ |Stage 2-1| +---------+ RECOMMENDED PLAYER: TOAD Open by walking right. A Cobrat is ready to ambush you if you just run. Anticipate his movement, and once he shows himself, pick him up. Carry him right and throw him at the next Cobrat, the one in the vase. Skip it, it doesn't have anything important. Keep moving right, skip the next vase too, and pick up the left-most root, which contains a potion. Throw it on the top of the yellow blocks there to get a mushroom. Head right again, past the quicksand. You'll have to deal with a plant that throws fireballs at you. Run under him if you can, then keep sprinting right. Another Cobrat lies in ambush in the next quicksand pit. Take him out, leap the cactus, and enter the door on the pyramid. Here's where having Toad really comes in handy. If you have Princess or Luigi at this point, you're in for a long, dangerous dig to go on. Toad can rip through the scand like a dog, so he's really great to have. Dig about three to five spaces on one side, then run to the other side and dig there. Keep alternating; that way, if an enemy drops in from above, you'll be out of harm's way. Dig until you find the ladder leading down to a red door. Climb the stairs to the right, run across the flat, then leap. You'll engage Birdo, but try to get to the right side of him for a little more room. If you stay on the left, he may jam you against the edge of the cliff. He's no harder than the first two times you fought him, so take him out and steal his crystal ball. Hop to the right across the platforms to exit the stage. +---------+ |Stage 2-2| +---------+ RECOMMENDED PLAYER: TOAD Ascend the stairs to get to a door leading outside. Once you're in the sunlight, head right. Just past the first set of bones is a Cobrat ready to ambush you. Take him out, then watch your head for flying guys with pitchforks. Move on, ignore the vase, and pull up the root closest to it. That's a potion. Throw it right to grab a mushroom in the netherworld. Keep pressing right, ignore all the vases, and jump up to the tall quicksand pit. Wait for the flying dude, and also watch out for a spitting Cobrat that is spewing things at you from off-screen right. That vase is worthless to. Continue on, and use the bones to get across the next sand trap. It pulls you in much quicker, and I'm sure you don't want to die needlessly here. Enter the door you see after that. Uproot the plant on the far right -- the one sitting by its lonesome -- to get a 1up. Pick up one of the other plants, then PJ back up and toss the resulting bomb into the wall. Go through when you can. Pick up the potion that's in the root in the center of the top row of the yellow blocks, and throw it on that top row of blocks. You can score a mushroom this way. Return to the main stage, nothing more to see here. Go right and take out the Cobrats in the vases. No vase has a thing of mention, so ignore them all and keep going right. A Pokey will jump you at some point, but if you throw a Cobrat at the lower portions of its body, the whole thing will perish. Keep going right and stay low so you can avoid contact with the flaming plants. Drop down the vine you see after that. Toad again needs to do some digging here. Remeber to alternate your holes. When you come to the fork, dig against the right wall. A Snifit will come jumping up there too, so be careful of him as you dig. You'll eventually reach a red door at the bottom of that path. Through the door lies a new breed of Birdo. This one shoots much faster and occasionally spits fire as well. The fire unfortunately cannot be grabbed or used in anyway, so just dodge it. Now, there are two ways to beat this one. Plan one is to climb up the right side of the hills to reach his platform, then engage him in his little area. Plan two is to pick up a mushroom block and carry it up to his platform and attack him from above. That latter way is much safer, but if you miss, you'll have to run in to get your mushroom block back, unless you want to try getting an egg. Plan two is also much slower, but your method is up to you. Once you take him out, another crystal jewel will be yours, and another stage will be in the books. +---------+ |Stage 2-3| +---------+ RECOMMENDED PLAYER: TOAD After you climb the ladder, pull up the root just to the right of it. Carry the potion to the left, and chuck it near the left wall. A mushroom will be in the netherworld on the top of the hill. Now go right, and just sprint. Try to avoid all the enemies unless you really want to fight. A door in a pyramid at the end will be your escape of this part. Descend down the left path. There's nothing of significance until you get to the sand pit. Start diggin'. It doesn't matter which fork you come to when you reach it, because both paths end up cross at a red door. Jump in to get a key, then exit. Quickly jump back up the pit to the locked door, then use your key there. Because Toad won't get a jumping penalty for carrying it, he should have no problem getting back up. Once you're through, proceed right. Ignore the sand pit, unless you really want those cherries. Stay low to avoid the plant with fireballs, then continue right. Ignore the vases, grab the crystal orb, and continue right to proceed. Here comes your second boss fight. Go into the main room to see him: a three-headed cobra called a Tricylde that spews fire. Goody! Use those mushroom blocks to give that thing a trio of headaches, and the exit to this world will appear. If for some reason you use all your mushroom blocks, use the enemies that are trickling down to finish the monster off. +---------+ |+-------+| ||WORLD 3|| |+-------+| +---------+ You're back to plains and hills here. Your jumping skill will be tested, and enemies have increased in numbers and difficulty. +---------+ |Stage 3-1| +---------+ RECOMMENDED PLAYER: PEACH Once you're through the door, drop down the waterfall (trust me). Stay in the center of the screen, or you'll regret it. Jump in the door there. Pick up the root that's 10th from left (6th from the right) to get a potion, and throw it anywhere there. If you take it right, you'll find a vase that is a Warp Zone in the netherworld. Once you've got your fill of coins, go all the way right to the red door. You'll be back at the bottom of the clouds. You can drop down a second time for more coins if you want, but it won't work a third time. Once you're ready, ascend the clouds. Once you're at the top, a Pidget will challenge you. If you've got Luigi, he'll be cake. Otherwise, you'll need to PJ on top of him. Steal his carpet and start going up. Ignore the enemies; as long as you're holding up and staying in the center of the screen, you'll be too fast for them. Eventually, you'll reach a vine. At the top of the vine, you can seriously truncate the stage with Peach, hench the player recommendation. To the right are four mushroom blocks, three in a group and one sitting by its lonesome. Grab a mushroom block, go left, and place it at the end of the cloud. Repeat, repeat, repeat, until you have a stack of four. PJ on top of your ladder, then run left on the little tile and jump. Float to the right and you'll find a door. Take the door and uproot one of the nearby plants to get a bomb. Throw is against those rocks to left, then go on. Do NOT shatter the next little column to the left. You need to jump on the rocks and PJ on the ceiling. Run left to engage a red Birdo. Take him out, then exit the stage. +---------+ |Stage 3-2| +---------+ RECOMMENDED PLAYER: PEACH Stay high and go all the way to the left. One of the plants on the hill gives a potion. Throw it on the hill to get a mushroom in the netherworld. With that done, go back a few steps to the left, next to the rocks. Pull up the root there to get a bomb, and blow a hole for yourself. Drop down, run left, and take the ladder. The next section is nothing but bombs and bombable walls. Break your way through the lower portion. If you mess up, you can go up the ladder that you took to get here, then drop back down to reset the puzzle. Watch out for the enemies, then jump up and take the ladder to the next area. Time your run left to get past the fireballs being launched on your head by the overhead fire plant. Take the next ladder down. Hop across the platforms, then wait on the platform with the ladder. Run left and float over the gap to the next area. Now you'll need a bit of timing. Pick up a root -- they're all bombs -- and hold it until it stars flashing. Count to 2, then throw it in the pit to the left. If your timing is good, you'll blow a hole large enough for a princess to get through. Again, if you mess up, you can use the ladder to reset the room. Once you're through, ignore the next ladder and keep going. Pluck the root on the left to get a bomb, and blow up the rocks on the right. Now pick up the root on the right to get a potion. Jump into the netherworld and drop to get a mushroom. Finally, go back right and take the ladder up, which will lead to a red door. Go in, head left, lay the smackdown on the red Birdo, pick up a mushroom block to drop down, and exit the stage. +---------+ |Stage 3-3| +---------+ RECOMMENDED PLAYER: LUIGI Head right, through the door. Once you've got some sun, go right and pick up the right-most root. Throw it left and enter to get a mushroom. Head right now, dodge the Bob-ombs, and enter the door to the tower. Call this Room A. Go left, skip the roots and first door, and take the ladder up. Eliminate the Ninjis, then go right. Hop across the platforms, avoid or take out the Sparks, then enter the elevated door. Start climbing, and when you reach the top, enter the door there, grab the key, and start dropping back down. Once you're back in Room A, drop down and rush left, then use your key on the locked door. Hop on the platforms and ascend the tower. Take the first door you see, then start hopping up. Make your way up until you get to the chains. Grab the left one and climb all the way up, then hold up and right. You'll climb and hop to each chain, out of the danger of the fire plants below you. Get to the far right chain, climb up, take out the snifit, and enter the door. Climb the platforms here; Luigi's jumping ability seriously helps out. Enter the red door at the top. Pluck the root to get a Koopa shell. Hop to the platform and throw it, then follow it. Several Ninjis will be killed in the process. Jump the gaps, grab the crystal, and enter the falcon mouth. You get to engage Mouser again, but this time he's got a friend in the room. Try to take out that Spark with a bomb before you do anything else, and Mouser will be easy to roast, although he'll take a total of five hits before being taken down. +---------+ |+-------+| ||WORLD 4|| |+-------+| +---------+ What's a platformer without an ice stage? +---------+ |Stage 4-1| +---------+ RECOMMENDED PLAYER: MARIO The first section is really easy. Just sprint and use your mad jumping skillz or something to get to the end. Drop under the ice blocks and pluck the root to get to the next area (how the hell did they fit a rocket underground, anyway?). There is no Birdo this time around, just a bunch of snowmen and M-cannons. Get past them all, get the orb, and get out of there. +---------+ |Stage 4-2| +---------+ RECOMMENDED PLAYER: MARIO You'll need the master plumber's quick jumps for this one. Sprint right along the ice blocks, jump the low enemies and duck the high ones. If you've got the skill, you can sprint through this whole thing to the door on the far right. Hop on the whale below, then leap to the left. Pick up the far left plant to get a potion and throw it on that whale to access a mushroom. Go right and watch out for blowholes, because the water will hurt you unless you're standing directly on it. Jump from platform to platform until you get to the roots. If you want a Warp Zone, pick up the singular plant at the top, then carry the potion to the vase. The vase is dormant otherwise, so if you want to go the long way, ignore the vase entirely. Continue right until you reach a metal platform with a single root, and pluck it to take a rocket to the next area. Proceed right slowly. Hop on the Shy Guy, get rid of him, and ride the M-cannon right across the spikes. The hedgehogs will walk off the ledge, so let them before proceeding to the wood door. Go through it, take out the red Birdo, grab the crystal, get out. +---------+ |Stage 4-3| +---------+ RECOMMENDED PLAYER: PEACH Enter the door, then immediately jump. A Birdo is greeting you already. Ignore him for now, and pluck the root to the left of the door. Walk left until you see the snow spikes before throwing the potion. A mushroom is on the top of the middle spike. Grab it, then go back right. Do not kill the Birdo, but get to the right of him. Let him spit an egg, then hop on it. Ride it right over the ocean, hop to the wood bridge to the right, and continue in that direction. Run along the wood bridge, jump and float over the gap with Peach, and move on. Enter the third red door you see. Go right, grab the orb, enter the mouth. You'll engage a Fryguy, a giant flame that wants to give you an extreme tan. Use the mushroom blocks against him. After three hits, he'll split into little bouncing flames. Each one of those need to be hit once to be dispatched. Take 'em out and enter the door to clear the world. +---------+ |+-------+| ||WORLD 5|| |+-------+| +---------+ This is another grass-and-hills stage, but now things have gotten more fierce. You'll need to start bringing your A-game here to master the jumps you're presented with. +---------+ |Stage 5-1| +---------+ RECOMMENDED PLAYER: PEACH Pick up the Shy Guy off his mount and carry him to the right. Chuck him into the fire plant to clear the way, drop down, and hop left to the door. The second root you see has a potion. Get your fill of coins and continue right, hopping along the platforms. After you get across the floating logs, you'll have to deal with jumping fish, which are much smaller footholds. Watch them jump a few times before attempting the first leap, so you can memorize their positions. When you get to the second group of jumping fish, use Peach and float right to get on a tiny platform with a 1up shroom and potion. Use the potion where you stand to access a mushroom. Upon your return from the netherworld, keep heading right. Drop down to the next bit of ground, ignore the plants, and take the door. You've got a new flavor of Birdo this time. This one is green, and he's quite angry. He won't spit any eggs, just fireballs. You need to use the lone mushroom block to hit him the required three times to take him down. He'll normally spit three fireballs (sometimes two), then rest for about two seconds. That rest time is your window for getting a hit in. Once he's done, claim his crystal and go right for the exit. +---------+ |Stage 5-2| +---------+ RECOMMENDED PLAYER: LUIGI You're going to need the neglected brother's high jumping abilities for this. Take the ladder and ignore the hill with plants. Proceed right and make your way over the first set of Hoopstars. Pick up the Shy Guy or his mount and throw it into the next set. Pass them and take the vase you see. Move the Shy Guy out of your way, then pluck the plant. It's a bomb, made to break the rocks below your feet. Get down there with Sonic's cousins, then pluck the plant on the right. Carry the potion up and out of the vase. Throw it across the gap to the ground below and right of you. Take the door to grab a shroom. Keep going right, leap the hedgehogs and mounted Shy Guy, and use the second Hoopstar as an elevator to the next platform. If you've got Luigi, you should be able to just leap over the Hoopstars and fire plant here. If not, you'll need to make careful jumps to each opening. Ignore the roots, then take the vine at the end. Climb all the way up, and don't switch vines unless you need to dodge an oncoming Hoopstar. Take the door up there to proceed. Things get complex here. Pick up the POW block to begin falling. The place is lined with spikes, and you'll need to steer your fall to avoid being hit (my kingdom for a yellow cape or raccoon tail). For the first part, stay just slightly to the left of the center of the screen. That will give you the best line for the second part, where you need to sway left and right. Once you come to the screen without any spikes, stay about 3/4 right of the center of the screen. If you go too far right, you'll get stabbed. If you're too far left, you'll drop into a pit of water and die. Don't be surprised if you expend a few lives on your first attempt. Take the wooden door down there to continue. You'll now engage a red Birdo. While he's nothing new, the strategy you need for him is. You normally have a wide area to do maneuver, but not so here. The bridge you fight on has a gap in the center, and Birdo is on the right side. A jumping fish constantly blocks the way between Birdo and the gap, giving very little room to move. Add that to the fact that Birdo covers the right side of the remaining room, and you'll see that you have a minor issue here. What you need to do is hop the gap and wait for Birdo to start spitting eggs at you. Once an egg is flying, hop back left, then jump on the egg and grab it. Hop back to the right, throw the egg, repeat twice. Claim that crystal, then move on. +---------+ |Stage 5-3| +---------+ RECOMMENDED PLAYER: LUIGI (if you want to take a Warp Zone) or PEACH (if you don't) If you want to take a shortcut to World 7, take Luigi into this stage, PJ up to the platform above the ladder, and grab the root on the right. Throw the potion up there, jump in the door, and drop down the vase in the netherworld, and you'll be on the way. Otherwise, just head right once you get some sunlight. Jump the blocks and watch for the overhead Albatosses and ground-based Bob-ombs. Ignore the stack of rocks at the end unless you really feel like tricking Bob-ombs to collapse the column for you, and go right. When you reach the end, drop down and head left, then take the ladder. Do not take the mushroom block off the vase, or you'll face a constant barrage of Bob-ombs. Hop over all the Bob-ombs running around until you get to a log. Wait until the Bob-omb commits bombercide, then pick up the root for a plant. Take out the distant fire plant. If you miss your attack, retreat back to the rocks and trick Bob-ombs into clearing it for you. There are some more veggies down there you can use. Once you finally get past the fire plant, take the door to continue. Watch out for the Spark (he won't enter the little area with your door), and drop down. Pick up the mushroom block, drop down, and place it on the vase to stop the flow of Shy Guys. Repeat, repeat, repeat, until you're at the bottom. Go right and start ascending back up. Use the steps and edge loops to avoid the walking blue fire plants when you reach them, and take the door at the top. Hop right across the logs, hijack the carpet, and carry the Pidget with you as you fly right. Chuck it at the next Pidget you see and jack that carpet too. Keep going right as far as you can without falling to your doom, then hop across the clouds to engage a red Birdo at the end. This time around, you have plenty of room to dodge and jump, so you shouldn't have a problem. Claim the crystal and go right to take the falcon mouth to the boss. If you've ever played the Pokemon series, you've probably seen a Krabby or Kingler before. Well, this is a King Kingler, called a Clawglip (according to the ending, though I think it's supposed to be ClawGRIP), a gigantic crustacean with an attitude problem. His arm would make him a good baseball pitcher if he didn't have the obsession with throwing bean balls, and unfortunately he's chucking rocks at you instead of something softer. Joy cookies! The first rock he throws at you will probably be low. Jump on it, jump over the little gap, and give him a concussion. He'll be ticked and run back and forth a moment, then resume the attacks. A high, hard throw will be next, and he'll start mixing in those high throws with his normal ones. It's not impossible to catch and throw a high pitch, but it's easier and safer to wait until he tosses a low one. As with everything else in the world, three strikes and he'll be out. +---------+ |+-------+| ||WORLD 6|| |+-------+| +---------+ It's time to get a bit parched again. The quicksand is shallow and pulls you in fast, and an endless supply of Cobrats will be spitting at you. Best of luck, you'll need quick feet and attacks to get through. +---------+ |Stage 6-1| +---------+ RECOMMEDED PLAYER: PEACH You'll need to do some digging in this stage, and Peach absolutely sucks at it, but the trip to get there is too hazardous for Toad. Head right and make those easy jumps. Jump in the vase for a potion, then pop back out. Jump to the bones just to the right. Toss the potion there, then make a quick jump right to catch the mushroom before it sinks. Once you're in the real world, head right and take out the Pokey before proceeding. Ignore the vases and continue. Hop over the cactuses, pick up the right root for a potion and carry it right. Leave the next pair of Pokeys alive, you'll need them as ladders. Jump on one and PJ, then float at the top of your top and fly right. You'll end up going OVER the blue fire plant and avoid taking damage. Throw the potion at the top of the yellow blocks to get a mushroom, then get the door. You'll enter a room a million vases. Take the fifth one from the right and you'll have to do some digging. You won't have to dig too much to find what you need: a gold key. Grab it and hop out of the vase, then go right to the locked door. You'll engage another green Birdo. Remember, he shoots fire in sets of three, so time your throws of the mushroom blocks to dispatch him. Three throws later, you'll have another crystal, and stage 6-1 will be ancient history. +---------+ |Stage 6-2| +---------+ RECOMMENDED PLAYER: PEACH You need to put your faith in the A-cup princess again, because you'll need timely jumps here, and you'll need her floating power to cover up mistakes. There's only a few enemies to speak of, and only one is ground-based. Hop an Albatoss and just ride it right. Hop from one to another until you get to the far right, and take the door. Engage the green Birdo as you have before, claim your orb, and move on. +---------+ |Stage 6-3| +---------+ RECOMMENDED PLAYER: MARIO This stage can be SERIOUSLY truncated. Climb the ladder, then jump into the quicksand pit on the left and hold left on the d-pad. The moment you slip under the rock, start tapping jump. That will keep you alive until you get all the way to the door on the left side. Go through it, hop across the clouds to the left, then go through the wood door in the pyramid. Head right, take out the red Birdo (it's easiest to just stand on the left platform and just pick up and chuck eggs from there), then enter the falcon mouth to engage the boss. This is a hyped-up version of the Triclyde you've dealt with before. Typically, it spits about five fireballs at you in two groups, then rests. Take that rest time to chuck a mushroom block at his heads. Its rate of fire will increase as it's hit, so don't be surprised if you get smacked once while you're dealing with it. Three hits will take it out and allow you egress to the last world. +---------+ |+-------+| ||WORLD 7|| |+-------+| +---------+ Only two stages are in this world, not the usual three. You're almost to the source of the baddies, King Wart. Take everything you've learned and practiced so far, you're gonna need it. +---------+ |Stage 7-1| +---------+ RECOMMENDED PLAYER: MARIO Though you'll need to make accurate jumps, Luigi's jumps are too high. You'll also need to make several throws, and Peach just won't cut it here. Toad jumps too low, so by processes of elimination, you have your player. The first section is odd in that you have to go right in order to go left. Hop across the rocks and platforms and colums until you reach the very end. Wait until you see and Albatoss, then jump on him and ride him left. Once you reach the end of the path, pluck the plant to get a rocket to the next area. Now you're dealing with a maze of clouds. Be very careful and prioritize taking out the Snifits first. Wind your way around so you end up right, at the ladder, and take it up. Now you'll need to make a series of jumps to ascend the clouds. Once you go up a few levels, you'll see a Spark in mushroom blocks. The idea is to make you build a ladder to the next ladders, but you're too smart to fall for that trick. Just PJ up there; Mario's legs are strong enough to make it. Continue up, enter the door, and wipe out the green Birdo. Take the falcon head and get out of there. +---------+ |Stage 7-2| +---------+ RECOMMENDED PLAYER: MARIO This is it, Wart's castle! It's time to wipe out the baddie behind... well, whatever he's behind. You need a wide variety of skills here, making the all-around Mario an excellent choice. Besides, he's the hero, so he needs to be the one to beat down the baddie, right? Hop across the platforms and take out the Snifits. Cross the drawbridge and enter the main part of the castle. Run right, get through the mess of Shy Guys, and stay high. See the chain below the one conveyer belt? That's where you want to go. Run right, then go back left once there's an opening in the fireballs. Climb down the chain to the next area. Here are rows of mushroom blocks with many Sparks. Pick up a mushroom block to drop down, then time the throw to take out the Spark. Repeat, repeat, repeat until you get to the door at the bottom. Head right in the next area by timing your runs between the Sparks. Take the first door you see. Go left, pluck the left root, and throw the potion left to access a much-needed shroom. Claim it, then go back through the door. Continue right through the Sparks again until you get to the next door. Do the Donkey Kong thing and climb the chain. You'll have to time your movements to match the Sparks'. Take the door at the top, go left with more timed runs, and climb the next chain. Pick up the red Shy Guy to take out the blue Snifit. Use quick hops to get up the conveyer belts. (Isn't it a cool optical illusion when you come to the pair of conveyer belts, and they look slanted?) Keep hopping and climb the chain. Take the belt left to engage a red Birdo. Unlike every other Birdo you've fought to this point, you don't get a darn thing for taking it out. Continue past it up the chain. Go right under and around the Sparks, pass the locked door, then enter the unlocked one. Immediately jump right, or another red Birdo will whack you. Stay to the right of him for more room and defeat him as you have before. Take him out to get a key. Return to the locked door you just passed and enter. Now, run right. Doesn't this look suspicious? We've got mushroom blocks, but no enemies. Ah well, pick up the orb... oh great, now we've got the falcon head chasing us. First time for everything, right? He has a simple pattern: full-out charge toward you. He stays high, so if you stay on the ground off the pillars and duck, you'll be safe. Simply wait for his charge, duck it, grab a mushroom block, and whack him. After you hit him three times, GET IN HIS MOUTH. Delay too long, and he'll attack you again. It's time to take on Wart. Wart is apparently a carnivore and detests veggies. The big machine in the middle of his room spits out, oddly enough, veggies. Simply stand under one of them, catch it, and carry it up to him. Here's the catch: he can't be HIT. You actually have to FEED him the veggies. The problem is that when he opens his mouth, he's shooting bubbles (do bubbles really hurt that much?), which will disintegrate your weapons, so you need to time your throws. Once you cram seven veggies down his throat, the Wart will be popped. So now you manage to rescue the Subcons, little fairy things, by pulling a cork out of a vase. The next screen shows the count of who beat how many stages. The contributor or contributors are the characters who finished the most stages. Your total will be 20 unless you needed a continue. So then the screen zooms out. Guess what? The whole game was just Mario's dream! He had a DREAM about DREAMING! JOY COOKIES!!! Mario wakes up long enough to open one eye before falling asleep again, perhaps having a fun dream about Princess A-cup. It then proceeds to list the names of all the enemies, followed by "The End" and your controller locking up. Told you the ending was stupid. Anyway, congrats on your victory! You're a true Doki Doki Panic -- I mean, Mario 2 -- master! +----------------+ |+--------------+| ||COPYRIGHT INFO|| |+--------------+| +----------------+ This document is copyright 2002-2003 for J. "PyroFalkon" Habib. If you plan to use any of it as part of another FAQ, you need my permission first. However, if you plan to post it on a website or e-mail it to someone or whatnot, you may do so without my permission AS LONG AS IT IS NOT ALTERED IN ANY WAY. I'd like you to drop me an e-mail so I know where you're going to take it, but I will not require you to do so. You may download it or print it at your leisure. The most updated version will always be found at these sites: http://www.gamefaqs.com/ http://faqs.ign.com/ Other sites may have up-to-date versions, but check GameFAQs or IGN first. +--------------+ |+------------+| ||CONTACT INFO|| |+------------+| +--------------+ If any information is incorrect, or you wish to sumbit something, please e-mail me. My address is found on the bottom of the FAQ. Credit will be given where it's due. If you submit something to me, I will credit you by the name you signed in the message body or by the name attached to your e-mail. I will also post your e-mail address unless you specifically tell me not to. If you wish to be e-mailed when this FAQ is updated, send your request to me. If you have a junk mail protector on your e-mail program, make sure you put my e-mail address on the safe list, or my messages may not get through. pyrofalkon@hotmail.com Good luck in Super Mario Brothers 2, and may you and Princess A-cup enjoy frolicking in Subcon!