SUPER MARIO BROTHERS 3 SECRET GUIDE
for NES and SNES

Copyright William Walker. Do not sell for a profit. Special thanks to Nintendo for publishing a
tipbook on this game.
e-mail j-d-walker@worldnet.att.net

In my book, a secret is anything better than a 1-UP. That includes special suits, important
shortcuts, multiple 1-UPS, and more.

Levels with no major secrets will be skipped.

All item names were from the tipbook, but these tips are my own words.

Miscellaneous hints: Some toad's houses always give you the same item, while others give you a
random item out of three possible items. The 'main' items are leaves, flowers and mushrooms,
which will turn you into that form if used. Beware, you can only hold 28 items before losing
some.

In worlds 1, 3, 5 and 6 you can turn hammer brothers on the map into treasure ships by having a
number of coins at the end that is 11, and having the tens digit in your score the same as the
number in your coins, and ending the stage on an even time. In spade games, you must stop the
pictures at just the right time so they make one complete item. If you succeed, you'll get some 1-
UPS. At the end of each stage you'll get a card. Three cards is a 1-UP, but three of the same
cards are big 1-UPS. Some stages can be bypassed on the map.

At the end of a fortress stage you've got to beat a thug named Boom-boom by jumping on his
head three times. Some battles have him fly, while others have blocks in the room where you are
battling that cause problems. Hammer brothers on the map give an item for beating them (get
under them and bash the block they're on). Each world gives you a white mushroom house if you
get a certain number of coins in one of its levels. In odd worlds you'll get a power wing, in even
ones you'll get an anchor. Some worlds are longer than others. You'll also get a bonus item at the
end of each world you complete.

At the end of each world you must cross an airship stage, and then beat a koopaling at the end to
save one of the kings. To do this, hit him three times on the head. Some stages including all
airship stages have an automatic scroll that pushes you right. To fly, run for a few seconds. Use
the B button to run, throw fireballs, glide and tail whip. Use A to jump. On the map, press a to go
into something and B to activate your items. Select an item and press A to use it. Press down to
duck or enter a pipe (most can't be entered) and A + up to enter a ceiling pipe. Switch blocks,
marked with a P, turn blocks into coins and vice versa. Hold down jump when you hit an enemy
to bounce extra high. You can run into a koopa shell to pick it up. If you jump on a note block
and press A at the right time, you'll get a super bounce.

Special items: Stars make you start a stage invincible. Power wings let you fly over an entire
stage. Jugem's clouds let you skip a stage (not an airship). Music boxes put hammer brothers to
sleep. Anchors prevent airships from escaping if you die during one. Hammers let you break
boulders to reach items or find shortcuts. Warp whistles let you warp to a different world. By
using two warp whistles you can go right to world 8.

1-2: This one's tricky. If you get a raccoon suit and then get past the first ? block, you can jump
on the goombas and pressing your tail button quickly and repeatedly to glide to the ground. The
goombas come out of the pipe and each one you bounce on without touching the ground gives
extra points. The ninth one and all thereafter are worth 1-UPS. You can score a lot of 1-UPS
here.

1-3: in the first big block area kick a koopa shell so it smashes up the blocks. Then jump around in
there until you make an invisible orange note block appear. Jump and super bounce off it and
instead of bouncing extra high you'll go to a coin bonus stage. If you can, fly up in the middle of
this stage for a 1-UP.

1-3: After leaving the coin bonus go left to some blocks. One is white. Jump on the white one and
duck until you drop behind the scenery. Then run right as quickly as possible, and behind the goal
for a top secret toad's house. In it is the first warp whistle.

1-4: This is a hard stage, and probably should be skipped. However, if you can get 44 coins here
or more you'll get the white mushroom house. To do this you'll have to use the coin blocks. The
far left block on the set of blocks with the koopa is one coin block, and the top one of the two just
beyond the column of coins is the other. You can use the koopa for a 1-UP - do a running jump
after running into him and carrying him up to the high ledge, and kick him into the block (jump to
avoid being hit) to make the 1-UP appear.

Fortress: Before going into the door (press up) and escaping the spiked ceiling get a raccoon suit
via the ? block. Bounce on the dry bones, and fly up and off the screen above the lava pits and
then fly right, unseen.  Go right until you can't any more, and then press up to reach the second
warp whistle.

1-5: After the first pipe take the higher path, and you'll find a tunnel leading up to the surface. On
the left side of this tunnel, jump to reveal an invisible note block that lets you do the coin bonus.

2-2: Making use of the switch block (the right of the two blocks, duck to get it) you can get the
white mushroom house here by getting 30 coins.

Fortress: Using the same technique you use in 1-2 to get 1-UPS, you can to the same thing here
by repeatedly bouncing on the first three dry bones (they come back after bounced on). You must
be raccoon Mario.

Desert: This stage has no secrets, but is very hard. Grab the koopa after the third quicksand pit
and run right, jumping into the tornado to get by (jump at exactly the right time) then use the
koopa to kill the sun when it tries to hit you.

2-4: Become raccoon Mario. Go right, then run back left and fly up through a brick-filled path on
the far left. The top area lets you play the entire stage collecting a horde of coins.

Map: Go to the upper right corner and use a hammer (kill a hammer brother to get it) and you'll
reveal a secret path. It has a Toad's house with a frog suit, and a hammer brother. He'll shoot
fireballs at you, but if you beat him you'll get the third and last warp whistle.

3-3: The red fish, boss bass, kills instantly. After crossing the rotary (spinning) platform hit the
switch block and use the transformed coins as a bridge to the goal (run).

3-4: After the pool of water jump over the koopas and kill both para-goombas. When lakitu
appears in the sky, run back left and grab a koopa, and kick him so he bounces between the two 
blocks below the pipes. Stand on the middle blocks. Lakitu's eggs will be killed by the koopa, and
each one after the ninth is a 1-UP. You don't have to do anything. Unfortunately lakitu's eggs
sometimes get you even on the center blocks, and in that case just try again. 

3-5: Use a frog suit for this stage. Be very careful not to get hit, as you must keep your frog suit
until you reach the second pipe, with a current coming out. Frog Mario's suit enhances swimming
ability but is very clumsy on land. He's also the only one who can reach this pipe. Once inside it,
hold right to reach a giant ? block. Inside it are three 1-UPS.

3-7: In the place with two block sets after the first pipe, kill all the spike enemies and from the
lower one smash the blocks on the upper one until you reveal a vine. Run jump up to it from the
ledge on the left, climb the vine by pressing up, and at the top jump right to a cloud platform. in
the center jump to reveal an invisible note block. Go to a coin bonus, where you end the stage and
get a jugem's cloud.

3-8: This stage is very hard, but if you can get 44 coins, aided by the switch block at the end and
coin block near the beginning, you can get the white mushroom house.

3-9: Get the shell of the first koopa paratroopa and run right, jumping over the first cannon. Run
right, to the second cannon. Get on top of it, kick the koopa shell right, and quickly get on the
ledge above. The shell bounces between the two cannons and destroys their bullets. On the ninth
hit and all thereafter, you'll score 1-UPS. This is my favorite unlimited 1-UP place.

Map: Break the boulder right of 3-5 with a hammer and ride onto the canoe. Row to the different
islands for spade games and Toad's houses.
Airship: The airship itself is hard, but Wendy koopa is evil. Watch out for her candy rings!

4-1: If you're raccoon Mario after the stream of water fly up to an upper stream. Swim very fast
to beat the current, and in the pool at the top swim left and down the far left pipe. This room has
two 1-UPS.

4-2: Get 22 coins, mostly at the end, with the help of the switch block to get the white mushroom
house.

4-5: When you find two cannons next to each other, jump up from the higher one up to reveal a
hidden vine block. Reach it by super jumping off a cannonball and climb to a hidden room. By
hitting the switch block you can make some coins appear below, and inside the giant ? block is a
tanooki suit, which lets you become a statue by holding down and pressing B, as well as all the
powers of raccoon Mario. It really isn't that great.

Fortress 2: After getting past the lava by crossing the donut lifts you'll find a switch block which
you must super jump off a dry bones to reach. Then, press up in the center of the arch of coins
that appear to go through a hidden door. It's tough to reach the top - use the same techniques you
use in world seven, and make skillful use of the directional lifts - on some you can jump to change
direction, and they all disappear if you hit your head on them. If you can reach the top, you'll find
a giant ? block after a small coin room. In it are 3 1-UPS.

5-1: Use a power wing here (you'll get one for beating world 4). Then fly straight up from the
start and then a little bit right. You'll find a pipe in the sky. Go in and then go right, into another
pipe. You'll be in the center of the giant arch where there are four 1-UPS. Get them one at a time,
as one disappears if you there are two on the screen. After this fly straight up to the top of the
arch, and break away the blocks. One's a switch block that makes a bunch of coins appear.

5-2: Use another power wing here. Be very careful not to get hit (you'll lose the wing) as you go
up after falling down the corridor. Go up into the pipe, and once outside go right and go down
the fist pipe, break into the place with the giant ? block, and bag 3 1-UPS. You can do this
without a power wing but it's hard.

5-3: If you hit a kuribo goomba from below, you can steal his shoe, which lets you stomp
anything including spinys and piranha plants.

Fortress: Come into this stage as raccoon Mario. Jump the lava pit, run under the thwomp, and fly
up through the blocks. Keep flying up until you find a pipe. If you fail, try again. Go down the
pipe for a secret room. Run back and forth until you can fly, and fly up to three invisible 1-UP
blocks at the top.

5-4: Come into this one as super Mario or better. Get the first ? block to become a raccoon and
fly up to a series of cloud platforms at the top. On the last one, fly right to skip most of this very
hard stage.

5-5: Use a koopa shell or raccoon Mario's tail to get rid of the blocks on top of the second pipe,
then go down it for a Tanooki suit. Also, get 28 coins here for the white mushroom house. To do
this, simply go down the tanooki pipe, and come back, get the four ? blocks (three of them are
coins) and go back down the pipe and do it again and again until you have enough coins.

5-7: Some of the coin blocks here contain stars if you're invincible when you hit them. If you
know which ones and use a star before the stage, you can do the whole thing invincible!
Airship: before the pipe leading to Roy koopa, bounce on a horizontal cannonball to reach the top
of the big cannon area and avoid a hit. Roy himself is hard - he'll immobilize you if you're on the
ground when he jumps, so time your jumps well.

6-3: Near the beginning you can run over the tiny gaps to cross them. Use a koopa shell to get the
? block. When you find three blocks kick a koopa shell at the left one. If you hit it a vine appears,
leading to a pipe at the top with a tanooki suit.

6-4: On the first rail lift, jump over the big ice block and then get back on the lift, and jump on the
right side of the ice block. You'll reveal an invisible note block just right of it that lets you do a
coin bonus.

6-5: To exit, go up the first pipe and then grab the ? block. Then go out and come back, re-
gabbing it. Once you're raccoon Mario go left, knock out all the buster beetles, and grab the
koopa shell. Hold B to keep it and fly up through the corridor, and at the top use the shell to
knock out the plants blocking the exit. Your prize for exiting is reaching the Toad's house with a
hammer suit.

6-7: You can get 78 coins here to get the white mushroom house. Like most white mushroom
houses, especially 3-8 and 1-4 it isn't worth it, as you must make some perfect jumps. You also
must finish as fiery Mario to shoot the frozen coins to defrost and get them at the end. this si a
very hard stage, similar to 5-9 and 3-8.

6-9: Use a frog suit here. Be extremely careful not to get hit as you go right underwater. Only
frog Mario can get past the pipe with a current coming out, reach the third pipe which has a giant
? block with 3 1-UPS.

6-10: Be fiery Mario here. After the first two pipes you'll find a wall of blocks. Grab an ice block
and smash it against the right of the two blocks on the left. Climb the vine that appears, and hit
the switch block. You now have a choice: dive into the coin column for a horde of coins, or jump
right and go right before the switch block wears off. After nine frozen coins in a square, jump
over them and throw fireballs into the four frozen blocks above a pipe. These are piranha plants
but the switch block makes them become coins. Grab enough to be able to go down the pipe,
where you'll find a hammer suit. Hammer suits let you throw hammers, mighty weapons that are
the only way to kill some enemies. They're very valuable in fortresses but are rare. Hammer
Mario is immune to piranha plant fire when he ducks.

Airship: you can ignore the bolt lifts here and just jump across the pits. Watch out for rocket
engines. After the ? blocks you must make a perfect jump to the right, so you don't hit the ceiling
and die (make a low jump). Lemmy koopa's is no pushover either - watch out for the balls he
emits and beat him fast.

7-2: At one point you'll need to build a bridge of invisible note blocks to cross a gap. Do so by
hitting them from below. Getting 46 coins here is worth the white mushroom house - but you
must use a frog suit, go to the bottom right corner and hitting the switch block, and grabbing all
the blocks that turn into coins to the right. You need the frog's suit's speed, and even so it's hard. 

7-3: Just like 5-7, some coin blocks here make stars if hit while invincible, and there's a free star
at the start. Being invincible will help you get past lakitu at the end. You can run over the tiny pits
at the end.

Map: Instead of hammer brothers this world has mini-levels full of piranha plants. By beating the
first one you earn a power wing.

Fortress: Wow! Come into this stage super or better, and you'll be in a ocean of blocks. There's a
small platform, and then smash the fourth block away from this platform, on the top. It's a switch
block! Get a cache of coins, go through the door, and keep coming back and doing ti again and
again for unlimited lives. To exit, don't go for the coins, and instead go through a door on the
platform that appears when you hit the switch block. Then go down the first pipe for a tanooki
suit. In the chamber with the checkerboard floor fly up about 1/4 of the way across from he left.
On the ceiling is a pipe that leads to Boom-boom.

7-7: Another one with coin blocks that have stars if hit while invincible. Here there's a field of
piranha plants so get those stars fast! You'll have to crouch and slide to get one.

7-8: At the third ceiling pipe, jump on the right side. Just right of it is an invisible note block that
gives you the last coin block.
7-8: After the coin bonus go back left to three pipes next to each other. When the piranha plant
moves away, drop into the left one for a hammer suit.

7-9: Make a map of this level.
Airship: If you have an anchor, use it here, as you probably used jugem's clouds for 7-4 and that
evil fortress. This is a really tough one, as you'll have to watch out for rocket engines and make
some tricky jumps. At the end, you'll have to cross on the bolt lifts. You've only got to do this
here, and you must jump quickly or you'll fall through a bolt lift. At the end, watch out for
Ludwig's koopa - he combines Roy's immobilization power with quickness.

Battleships - after the first ship you can swim under the other two by jumping in the water and
letting the screen scroll push you under. Keep pressing A to avoid drowning.

Hand traps - Don't hesitate to enter them, as the first two are easy. You'll get a leaf item for
beating them.

Airships - This is the hardest level in the game, even harder than 3-8, 5-9, 6-7 and 7-4. Use a
power wing.

8-1: Use a power wing here. First, fly straight up to a switch block which causes a cache of coins
to appear. Then fly up and right, to the sky pipe. Drop in for 3 1-UPS. You can do both of these
with raccoon Mario, but it's harder. Also, with a power wing you can skip the rest of this very
hard stage.

8-2: Drop down the first quicksand pit to a secret place with two pipes. One gives you coins, the
other a power-up. They both let you skip most of the stage, including the part with the sun.
Fortress: This one's got two halves, connected by doors. Some doors appear when you hit a
switch block. I won't tell you how to get the 5 1-UPS here, but I will give you a hint - they're all
separate, three are in the top half and two in the bottom half, and two are reached by switch block
doors. The door to Boom-boom is also activated by a switch block (squat under the spikes).
Bowser's castle: Run like mad right to avoid the lasers, and ride a lift up. Then drop down on the
donut lift, jumping off at the right time. Climb up the steps avoiding roto-disks, and at the top
grab an invisible 1-UP in the upper right corner. Go down avoiding roto-disks, and enter the lava
area. Climb up to the top avoiding podoboos, and then jump right on the donut lifts, and on the
last one jump into a small passageway in the very upper right corner. Jump when the lift starts to
fall to avoid hitting the ceiling. This route is a shortcut to Bowser. Go past the statues (most don't
shoot lasers) and cross the lava watching out for Bowser's breath. Once you enter the final battle,
avoid Bowser and his fire and make him smash up the floor by trying to jump on you. Once he
smashes the same spot three times he's toast. GREAT JOB! YOU'VE COMPLETED SMB3!

Once again, special thanks to Nintendo for that tipbook. Good luck, and bye! 

William Walker
e-mail j-d-walker@worldnet.att.net