FAQ and Walkthrough

SUPER MARIO BROS. (NES, 1985) — FAQ/WALKTHROUGH
Permission granted for publication on RobsGaming.com
Version: 2025-08-31

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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0.  About This Guide
1.  Game Data, Controls, Scoring
2.  Power-Ups, Items, Enemies
3.  Global Systems (flagpole fireworks, hidden 1-Ups, minus world)
4.  Warp Zones & Coin Heavens (how and where)
5.  World-by-World Walkthrough (1-1 through 8-4, step-by-step)
6.  Boss Notes (Bowser variants)
7.  100% Completion Roadmap
8.  Quick Reference Cheat Sheet

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0) ABOUT THIS GUIDE
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• Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
• Developer: Nintendo R&D4. Directors: Shigeru Miyamoto, Takashi Tezuka.
• Release: JP 1985-09-13 / NA 1985-10-18 / EU 1987.
• Structure: 8 worlds × 4 stages each (32 stages total).
• Goal: Rescue Princess Toadstool by clearing World 8-4.

This guide is line-wrapped to ~74 chars per line for easy pasting.

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1) GAME DATA, CONTROLS, SCORING
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D-Pad  : Move; hold ↓ to crouch (Super/Fire Mario only).
A      : Jump. Hold longer to jump higher. While swimming: stroke.
B      : Hold to run/dash. As Fire Mario, B shoots fireballs.
START  : Pause (1P).
SELECT : Choose 1P/2P on title screen.

Scoring & lives
• 100 coins = 1 extra life.
• Stomp chains, fireball hits, brick breaks, time bonus = points.
• High flagpole grabs award more points; fireworks add 500 each.

Timer/fail states
• Timer reaches 000 → lose a life.
• Falling in pits/lava or touching enemies when small → lose a life.

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2) POWER-UPS, ITEMS, ENEMIES
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Core power-ups
• Super Mushroom  : Small → Super; can break bricks.
• Fire Flower     : Super → Fire Mario; shoot fireballs (most enemies).
• Starman         : Temporary invincibility (roughly ~12 sec).
• 1-Up Mushroom   : Extra life (visible or hidden).
• Coins           : 100 = 1-Up.

Blocks
• ?-Blocks        : Coins or power-ups (context: small → mushroom, super
                    → flower).
• Brick Blocks    : Breakable when Super/Fire; some hold power-ups/10-coins.
• Invisible Blocks: Appear when hit; may contain coins or 1-Ups.
• Note: “10-coin blocks” dispense a coin per hit on a timered cycle.

Common enemies (quick behavior notes)
• Goomba          : Basic; stomp or fireball.
• Koopa Troopa    : Green walks off edges; red turns at ledges.
• Koopa Paratroopa: Winged; red hovers, green hops.
• Piranha Plant   : Emerges from pipes when you’re not near the lip.
• Lakitu/Spinies  : Lakitu throws Spinies from above; remove Lakitu ASAP.
• Cheep-Cheep     : Swimming fish; some jump in bridge levels.
• Bloober         : Underwater squid that homes slowly; stay below it.
• Bullet Bill     : Fired from cannons; some stages have auto-cannons.
• Hammer Bro      : Jumps and throws arcing hammers; approach from below.
• Podoboo         : Lava bubble; timed leaps in castles.
• Fire Bar        : Rotating fire segments fixed to blocks.

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3) GLOBAL SYSTEMS (FIREWORKS, HIDDEN 1-UPS, MINUS WORLD)
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Flagpole fireworks
• End a non-castle stage with the timer’s last digit = 1, 3, or 6 to
  get that many fireworks; each is worth 500 points.

Hidden 1-Ups: how they spawn
• Visible 1-Ups exist in 1-2 and 8-2 (always present).
• Each first level of a world (2-1 through 8-1) also has an invisible
  1-Up block that may or may not be present.
• The game sets a “1-Up opportunity” for N-1 if, in the prior world’s
  level M-3, you collected the required coins (generally all of them)
  and finished M-3 in the same life. Warping into a world also sets the
  N-1 1-Up opportunity. (World 1-1 always has its invisible 1-Up.)
• If you reach (or almost reach) the invisible-block area in N-1 and
  then die before hitting it, that opportunity is lost for that world.

Minus World (glitch)
• In 1-2’s warp area, specific brick/pipe clipping produces “World -1,”
  an endless underwater loop. Reset or game over to exit. Not required.

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4) WARP ZONES & COIN HEAVENS
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Warp Zone A — 1-2 ceiling route
• Ride the final elevators up, run along the ceiling past the exit pipe,
  reach a room with pipes to Worlds 2, 3, and 4.

Warp Zone B — 4-2 vine/ceiling routes (two different zones)
• Early vine: Hit a hidden brick to spawn a vine; climb to a surface
  area (“tree tops”), run right to the Warp Zone with pipes to Worlds
  6, 7, and 8.
• Late ceiling: Near the end, ride lifts to the ceiling (like 1-2).
  This alternate zone leads forward only to World 5.

Coin Heavens (sky bonus areas via vine)
• 2-1: Hidden vine in a top row block spawns a Coin Heaven; you ride a
  cloud platform, collect rows of coins, drop near stage end.
• 4-2: The early vine (same one used to reach the 6-7-8 Warp Zone) first
  sends you through a Coin Heaven segment.
• 5-2: Another vine-to-Coin-Heaven opportunity midstage.

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5) WORLD-BY-WORLD WALKTHROUGH
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Formatting per stage:
• Flow/layout overview, key enemies, reliable power-ups/coins, notable
  secrets (warps, coin rooms, hidden blocks), and safe strategies.

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WORLD 1 (INTRO) — 1-1 • 1-2 • 1-3 • 1-4
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1-1 — “First Steps”
• Learn mushroom from first ?-blocks; practice running leaps over early
  pipes. Use the fourth pipe to visit a coin room and skip ahead.
• Hidden 1-Up exists near the first pit area; hit the correct invisible
  block just left of the gap. Keep the pipe on screen if you want both
  the 1-Up and the coin room (carefully manage scroll).
• Flag goal: time final jump if you want fireworks (1/3/6 rule).

1-2 — “Underground Warp”
• Early 10-coin block above a Goomba. Several coin lines and pipes to
  bonus rooms. Near the end, ride the lifts to the top and run on the
  ceiling past the exit pipe to reach Warp Zone A (to 2/3/4).
• Visible 1-Up present in a block early in the level (always there).

1-3 — “Mushroom Platforms”
• Windy gaps, moving lifts, Paratroopas. One mid-level power-up.
• Keep momentum and landings clean; no warp here.

1-4 — “Castle 1”
• Firebars and Podoboos. If Fire Mario, you can defeat the boss; else
  bait the jump and run under to the axe. Rescue a Toad retainer.

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WORLD 2 (GRASS/BRIDGES/WATER) — 2-1 • 2-2 • 2-3 • 2-4
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2-1 — “Hidden Vine to Coin Heaven”
• Rows of ?-blocks and bricks; in the upper row slightly left of center
  is a vine to Coin Heaven; ride the cloud for many coins and a drop
  near the flag. Invisible 1-Up logic applies to 2-1 (see Section 3).
• Koopa setups allow shell chains for extra points.

2-2 — “Water 1”
• First full swim. Stay low under Bloopers; Cheep-Cheeps wander. Tap A
  rhythmically; Fire Mario trivializes it.

2-3 — “Flying Cheeps”
• Bridge stage where Cheep-Cheeps leap constantly. Keep forward speed to
  desync spawns; short hops over low arcs; Fireballs help.

2-4 — “Castle 2”
• More firebars; Bowser adds extra flames. Same finish: fireballs or run
  under jump to the axe.

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WORLD 3 (BULLET BILLS/PLATFORMS) — 3-1 • 3-2 • 3-3 • 3-4
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3-1 — “Bills and Ladders”
• Early cannon fire; hidden coin room accessible via pipe. Invisible
  1-Up logic applies (spawn if prior 2-3 coins collected and you finished
  that stage in the same life, or if you warped here).
• Use hills to line up stomp chains for points/lives.

3-2 — “Koopa Highway”
• Long flats with many Koopas and Paratroopas; excellent for shell
  juggling if you’re confident. Keep a flower for safety.

3-3 — “Lift Timing”
• Moving mushroom platforms over voids. Learn lift momentum and stop-and
  go rhythm. One mid-level power-up.

3-4 — “Castle 3”
• Introduces simple maze logic (choose correct upper/lower routes). If
  route is wrong the level sound changes subtly; adjust pathing.

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WORLD 4 (LAKITU/ADVANCED WARPS) — 4-1 • 4-2 • 4-3 • 4-4
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4-1 — “Lakitu Debut”
• Lakitu spawns overhead; remove him quickly or outrun him so Spinies
  don’t carpet the path. Hidden 1-Up logic applies to 4-1.

4-2 — “Dual Warp World”
• Early section: spawn a vine from a hidden brick to reach a Coin Heaven
  and then the Warp Zone to Worlds 6/7/8. This is the fast-forward skip.
• Late section: like 1-2, you can ride lifts to the ceiling near the end
  to reach a separate Warp Zone that advances only to World 5.
• Multiple coin rooms in pipes; keep an eye on timer.

4-3 — “Tall Mushrooms”
• Widely spaced platforms; controlled sprint jumps at full speed. Grab
  the mid-level power-up before the long chain.

4-4 — “Castle 4 (Maze)”
• Multi-tier maze. Correct sequences are required to proceed. Listen for
  the “correct path” sound cue when you’re on the right route.

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WORLD 5 (MID-GAME VARIETY) — 5-1 • 5-2 • 5-3 • 5-4
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5-1 — “Pace Setter”
• Teaches running momentum into long gaps; hidden 1-Up logic applies.
• Retain Fire for upcoming Hammer Bros in 5-2/5-3/5-4.

5-2 — “Vine & Lifts”
• Upward lifts by a jutting brick conceal a vine. Climb to Coin Heaven;
  falling exit places you further along. Multiple pipe rooms nearby.
• Good flower placements before Hammer Bros sections.

5-3 — “Remixed Platforms”
• A remix of 1-3 with tougher enemies; careful lift timing. Keep Fire
  for the end if possible.

5-4 — “Castle 5 (Heavier Firebars)”
• Firebar density and Podoboos increase. Bowser likely throws hammers;
  keep low, bait jump, run under, or finish with fireballs.

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WORLD 6 (HARDER MOVEMENT) — 6-1 • 6-2 • 6-3 • 6-4
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6-1 — “Long Gaps & Bullet Fire”
• Manage long full-speed leaps; watch cannon timings. Invisible 1-Up
  logic applies to 6-1.

6-2 — “Pipes, Coins, and Splits”
• Several coin rooms via pipes. Notable 10-coin blocks in upper rows; a
  later pipe leads to a short underwater interlude. Watch your time.

6-3 — “Lift Gauntlet”
• Many enemies placed on mushroom platforms; clear them before leaping.
  Fireballs make red Paratroopas trivial.

6-4 — “Castle 6 (Maze)”
• Route logic again. Firebars plus narrow ledges. Practice bait-and-run
  vs. Bowser with limited space.

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WORLD 7 (HAMMER BROS PRESSURE) — 7-1 • 7-2 • 7-3 • 7-4
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7-1 — “Bros and Cannons”
• Multiple Hammer Bro encounters. Best tactic: approach from below, jump
  to tag the underside of their platform, then finish as they hop. Keep
  Fire for safety.

7-2 — “Water 2 (Blooper Focus)”
• Blooper patterns are tighter; stay low and slip under. Fire removes
  Cheep-Cheeps quickly if you still have it from 7-1.

7-3 — “Aggressive Cheeps”
• The most dangerous Cheep-Cheep bridge. Keep moving and take small,
  deliberate hops to keep their arcs predictable.

7-4 — “Castle 7 (Hard Maze)”
• Maze + heavy hazards; Bowser throws hammers and breathes fire. Clear
  approach by timing under-runs carefully.

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WORLD 8 (FINAL) — 8-1 • 8-2 • 8-3 • 8-4
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8-1 — “Endurance Run”
• Very long course with sparse power-ups. Preserve time. Several setups
  allow extra 1-Ups via shell/jump chains if skilled.

8-2 — “Lakitu & Tower”
• Lakitu returns; remove or outrun him. Visible 1-Up exists in this
  level (always present). Hammer Bro near end; approach low and slip
  beneath his jump cycle.

8-3 — “Hammer Bros Streets”
• Many Hammer Bros with cannon support. With Fire, snipe them as they
  land. Without Fire, lure jumps and run under; don’t hesitate.

8-4 — “Final Castle (Pipe Maze) — exact route”
• The castle loops if you take wrong pipes. Correct progression:
  1) Area 1: Skip the first two pipes; take the THIRD pipe (just after
     a lava gap and lift).
  2) Area 2: Advance to the floating pipe. A hidden block to the left
     helps you reach it; enter that floating pipe.
  3) Area 3: After you emerge, take the FIRST pipe immediately after the
     lava gap to go to the underwater area.
  4) Underwater: Swim past Fire Bars and Bloopers to the exit pipe.
  5) Final hall: One Hammer Bro, then Bowser. Either fireball him down
     or bait a jump and dash under to the axe to end the game.

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6) BOSS NOTES (BOWSER VARIANTS)
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• World 1 Bowser: Fire only. Bait jump → run under → axe.
• Mid-game Bowsers: Fire + more firebars in rooms; may toss hammers.
• Final Bowser (8-4): Uses fire + hammers. Safest plan is a low run and
  under-jump bait. With Fire Mario, five fireballs defeat him quickly.

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7) 100% COMPLETION ROADMAP
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[ ] Clear all 32 stages (1-1 … 8-4).
[ ] See all Warp Zones (1-2 to 2/3/4; 4-2 vine to 6/7/8; 4-2 ceiling to 5).
[ ] Trigger Coin Heavens (2-1, 4-2, 5-2 vines).
[ ] Collect visible 1-Ups (1-2, 8-2) and try invisible 1-Ups in 2-1 … 8-1.
[ ] Learn fireworks timing (1/3/6).
[ ] Optional: visit Minus World (glitch curiosity) in 1-2 warp room.
[ ] Defeat Bowser in 8-4 to rescue Princess Toadstool.

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8) QUICK REFERENCE CHEAT SHEET
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Fireworks rule              : End timer digit 1, 3, or 6 = that many fireworks.
Hidden 1-Ups rule           : N-1 1-Up spawns if you cleared M-3 with the
                              required coins in the same life, or if you warped
                              to world N; 1-1 always spawns; 1-2 and 8-2 are
                              visible 1-Ups and always present.
Warp Zones                  : 1-2 ceiling → Worlds 2/3/4.
                              4-2 vine → Coin Heaven → Warp Zone to 6/7/8.
                              4-2 late ceiling → Warp Zone to World 5 only.
Coin Heavens (SMB1)         : 2-1, 4-2, 5-2 via hidden vine blocks.
8-4 pipe order (correct)    : Third pipe (after first lava) → floating pipe
                              (use hidden block) → first pipe after lava →
                              underwater section → final hall → Bowser.
Tips vs. Hammer Bros        : Approach from below, force a hop, run under; or
                              fireball when they land.
Swimming vs. Bloober        : Stay low; pass beneath its drift; don’t panic.
Lakitu management           : Eliminate immediately or sprint to despawn.

END OF GUIDE