Super Mario Bros. 3/Walkthrough

World Maps

The map of World 1.

Each of the eight worlds in Super Mario Bros. 3 consists of a set of tiles which are connected via paths. The primary feature of each world are the regular stages, which are marked with a level number. While you are not required to complete each and every level in the game, you may not pass any tiles unless you have conquered that space on the map. For example, after you complete stage 2 in the first world, you may skip stages 3 and 4 entirely, but if you wish to visit the Mushroom House beyond them, you must complete at least one of those stages. Locks will exist on the map when you first arrive, but you can remove them by clearing one of the fortresses one the map. Although completed stages will need to be cleared again if you continue your game, the locks will remain open, providing you with a shortcut to the end of that world.

Along your journey, you will obtain power-up items which can be stored and utilized at a time of your choosing. These items can be retrieved by pressing the B button (Y or X in Super Mario All-Stars and the 2 button on the Wii Remote) while you are on the map screen. You will be presented with the first row of your inventory. Each row holds seven items, and you can fill up to four rows, for a total of 28 items. Any item that you collect beyond 28 will simply replace the 28th item, so be careful. After highlighting an item that you wish to use, press the B button (A button is also an option in Super Mario All-Stars, and for the Wii Remote, the 1 button must be pressed) to activate the item before you enter a stage.

The following is a list of the most common map tiles that you are likely to encounter throughout the game, though you will find countless others as you explore each world.

Tile	Description
File:SMB3 map tile stage.png	This is one example of a typical stage tile. The number on the tile indicates which stage you are about to enter, and the number can be as high as 10 in some worlds. While you're often not required to complete every stage in a world, it's not a bad idea to at least explore each of them and get an idea of what they contain. You cannot pass a stage tile until it has been completed.
File:SMB3 map tile mario.png	A completed tile on the map is signified by a large letter, representing the player who completed it. If player 1 completed a tile, it is replaced by a large red "M" for Mario. On the other hand, if player 2 completes the tile, it is replaced by a large green "L" for Luigi.
File:SMB3 map tile fortress.png	Fortresses are a special kind of stage. In addition to exploring an indoor space, you may typically encounter enemies which are unique to fortresses. These stages always end in a confrontation with the mini-boss known as Boom-Boom. Each fortress is associated with a lock somewhere on the map.
File:SMB3 map tile lock.png	Locks prevent you from accessing sections of the map that can typically be used to bypass certain stages. Once a fortress has been conquered, the lock associated with that fortress will be removed. If you are ever lose all of your lives and are required to continue your game, any completed stages will be restored, but locks do not return, so you won't be forced to repeat every level.
File:SMB3 map tile hammer bro.png	File:SMB3 hammer bro screen.png Unlike stages and fortress, Hammer Brothers are not confined to a single tile on the map. Rather, they roam about the map between levels. If Mario or Luigi bump into them on the map, you are forced to do battle with them; you won't have the option of skipping this encounter unless you use the Music Box item to put them to sleep. An encounter with a Hammer Brother takes place in a single-screen location, and only concludes when one side has been defeated; you or the brothers. If you win, you will receive an item as a prize and the brother will be removed from the map. If you lose, you will return to the last stage you completed, and the brother will continue to roam around the map. Not all worlds have hammer brothers; some have fireball brothers, or boomerang brothers. You might even transform one of the brothers into a treasure ship if you know the secret.
File:SMB3 map tile pipe.png	Pipes on the map become increasingly common as you reach new worlds. By entering one, you will be transported into a tunnel that takes you to another location on the map. However, you can't always take advantage of these shortcuts until you have defeated a fortress, or possibly destroyed a rock with a hammer.
File:SMB3 map tile rock.png	On very rare occasions, you may spot a rock right in the middle of a path. There's very little that you can do about it unless you happen to have a Hammer in your inventory. Then you can use the Hammer and smash the rock out of your way. Be selective, however, as Hammers are rare items. You may even be able to smash rocks that don't appear to be in the way of anything at all, only to reveal secrets that you weren't even aware of.
File:SMB3 map tile mushroom house.png	File:SMB3 mushroom house screen.png In the Mushroom Houses, you will encounter a Toad who offers you the chance to select one of three treasure chests. You will get to keep the contents of the chest, although the other two chests will disappear. Each house has a specific set of items to offer, but their distribution in the chests is entirely random.
File:SMB3 map tile white house.png	The White Mushroom House is a special house that you must reveal by performing particularly well on one stage. Each world, except for the 8th, has one stage where you must collect as many coins as possible. If you gather or exceed the required number of coins on that stage, the white house will appear. Inside you can obtain one particular item; P-Wings in odd worlds, and Anchors in even worlds.
File:SMB3 map tile spade.png	File:SMB3 spade bonus game.png The Spade tile represents the location of a bonus life mini-game. Upon entering, Toad will explain the rules of the game. Symbols are divided into three sections, and fly across the screen. You must press the B button (A button is also an option in Super Mario All-Stars, and for the Wii Remote, the 1 button must be pressed) at the right time to stop the top, then middle, and then bottom layers of the image. If you successfully reconstruct one of the power-ups, you will receive a number of extra lives; 2 for the Mushroom, 3 for the Fire Flower, and 5 for the Star.
File:SMB3 map tile n-spade.png	File:SMB3 n-spade bonus game.png An N-Spade tile is a special mini-game which only appears under a certain condition. Every time your score exceeds a multiple of 80,000 points, an N-Spade tile will appear in the last location that you completed in the world (or the Start tile). This mini-game is a game of concentration, with nine pairs of item cards placed face down. You can select two cards at a time. If they match, the cards are permanently flipped over, and you receive the item represented by the cards. If they don't match, the cards are returned face-down, and you lose one turn. If you fail to make a match twice, the game is over. Note that when you next make the N-Spade appear, the cards will retain the same order they were in previously unless you succeed in completely clearing the table. The arrangement of the cards is not entirely random; check the Secrets page for more information.