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An SMWCP Super Player's Guide! All 117 exits revealed!

ctrl+F anything in brackets to be brought to the respective content, it will help!

[INT]: Introduction

[WR1]: World 1
*1-1 And So It Begins...
*1-1x And So It Begins... Secret
*1-2 Gramen Terra
*1-2x Gramen Terra Secret
*1-3 Big Baddie Cave
*1-3x Big Baddie Cave Secret
*1-4 Sunny River
*1-5 Treacherous Tower
*1-6 Forgotten Forest


[WR2]: World 2
*2-1 Craggy Heights
*2-2 Hydro Hills
*2-2x Hydro Hills Secret
*2-3 Flooded Crater
*2-4 P-Switch Peak
*2-5 Football Canyon
*2-5x Football Canyon Secret
*2-6 Grinder Castle
*2-7 Weeaboo Manor
*2-7x Weeaboo Manor Secret
*2-8 Yellow Switch
*2-9 Swampland Passage


[WR3]: World 3
*3-1 Underground Falls
*3-1x Underground Falls Secret
*3-2 Unearthly Hollow
*3-2x Unearthly Hollow Secret
*3-3 Danger Mines
*3-3x Danger Mines Secret
*3-4 Buzzy Bridge
*3-5 Oh Man! It's Hell!
*3-6 Sinister Dungeon
*3-7 Cave of Lost Pride
*3-8 Mining Outpost
*3-8x Mining Outpost Secret
*3-9 Switch of Many Hues


[WR4]: World 4
*4-1 Permafrost Cavern
*4-2 Frigid Lake Cavern
*4-2x Frigid Lake Cavern Secret
*4-3 Foresty Snow
*4-3x Foresty Snow Secret
*4-4 Zephyr Manor
*4-4x Zephyr Manor Secret
*4-5 Nippy Expanse
*4-6 Frostbite Heights
*4-7 Boreal Bastille

[WR5]: World 5
*5-1 Cotton Course
*5-2 Atop the Clouds
*5-2x Atop the Clouds Secret
*5-3 Stratosphere Ride
*5-3x Stratosphere Ride Secret
*5-4 Pink 'n' Purple Path
*5-5 Chateau of Storms
*5-5x Chateau of Storms Secret
*5-6 Palace Acropolis
*5-7 Sanctuary Fortress
*5-8 To Land Much Below!
*5-9 Snowflake Cavern
*5-9x Snowflake Cavern Secret
*5-10 Aero Skyline
*5-11 Peaks to Puffs
*5-12 Wieza Niebo
*5-13 Nimbus Ascent
*5-14 Red Switch

[WR6]: World 6
*6-1 Dark Desert Night
*6-1x Dark Desert Night Secret
*6-2 Buried Graveyard
*6-3 Lakitu's Lag00n
*6-3x Lakitu's Lag00n Secret
*6-4 Mostly Dead Desert
*6-4x Mostly Dead Desert Secret
*6-5 The Counterfort
*6-5x The Counterfort Secret
*6-6 Cactus Cavern
*6-7 Arbiter's Grounds
*6-8 Sand Castle of Doom
*6-8x Sand Castle of Doom Secret
*6-9 Hidden Oasis

[WR7]: World 7
*7-1 Dark Depths
*7-1x Dark Depths Secret
*7-2 Tropical Stride
*7-2x Tropical Stride Secret
*7-3 Into the Water
*7-3x Into the Water Secret
*7-4 Lulu Boo's Mansion
*7-5 Wild Wet Castle
*7-6 Bully's Bramble
*7-7 Morel Mountain
*7-8 Dinosaur Reef
*7-8x Dinosaur Reef Secret
*7-9 Permafrost Glacier
*7-10 Shoreline Woods
*7-11 Waterlogged Woods
*7-12 Disco Switch
*7-13 Glacial Grave

[EXW1]: Extended world 1 (Only available after world 7)
*1-7 Garden Path
*1-8 Cave of Elements

[WR8]: World 8
*8-1 Confusion Chambers
*8-1x Confusion Chambers Secret
*8-2 Crystals on Fire
*8-3 Toxic Utilities
*8-3x Toxic Utilities Secret
*8-4 Gaijin Cave
*8-5 Adventum Terminus
*8-6 Amethyst Vein
*8-6x Amethyst Vein Secret
*8-7 Rupture in Reality
*8-8 Spectral Abyss
*8-8x Spectral Abyss Secret
*8-9 Forest's Furnace
*8-10 Creepy Dark Woods
*FINAL: Bowser's Castle

[WR9]: World 9
*9-1 Deep Dark Drains
*9-2 Catacomb Calamity
*9-3 Time Up Tunnels
*9-4 Tightpipes to Space

[WR10]: World 10
*10-1 oh god brambles
*10-2 Asteroid Frigate
*10-3 Orbital Fortress
*10-4 Asteroid Belt
*10-5 Arctic Fortress
*10-6 Sizzling Spires
*10-6x Sizzling Spires Secret
*10-7 Megadmin

[CRD]: Guide credits

---

[INT]

This guide is written by Vic Rattlehead (Hey, that's me!), for the purpose of completing An SMW Central Production, one of the most polished and engaging Super Mario World hacks created so far.

What is expected of the reader:

*Well-acquainted with the original SMW and its gameplay mechanics
*Experience dealing with some of the more common custom enemies found in other hacks
*Patience, this hack gets HARD on some stages.

What will be covered:

*Tips on trickier parts of level navigation, with personal recommendations for passing the more difficult obstacles
*Secret exit locations, including the unmarked overworld tiles
*Boss fighting tactics
*Puzzle solutions
*Shortcuts (If you're looking to explore a level, explore it, but this guide will mostly only include the easier critical path to the end of a level)

What will not be covered:

*Dragon Coin locations (Barring the few needed for secret exits)
*1-up locations, or any other minor collectibles.
*Plenty of other misc. areas that don't immediately seem worth the effort to detail

[WR1]

GETTING STARTED:

After opening the hack in your emulator of preference (Lots of stuff doesn't work on zsnes 1.42, don't try it kids!), take a moment to appreciate the title screen. Moving on, select your new game file, whichever one you like, they're all the same. You get greeted by a cutscene explaining the story, and the controls for cutscenes. The A button advances, the B button scrolls... faster? And start skips the scene. After this is over, you are brought to the overworld, Mario's House and Toad Town can be skipped over, there's no real reason to go to them right now. Toad Town has some sights to see, like the bar & grill, as well as a shop, but seeing as you have no starting coins, that ain't no good! You can also visit Peach's Castle, but what kind of jerk would show up without a cake? There's also a pipe, which will lead you to a strange sewer world. You should probably ignore it for now, it unlocks nothing at this point. With that, we start the first level...

---

1-1 And So It Begins...: Every great adventure starts somewhere.

The aptly named first level serves as a nice, easy warmup for your platforming muscles. The secret exit is not available until you have pressed the Green Switch, so don't worry about finding it if you're still on world 1. This level is really straightforward, just keep heading right, dodging or killing the enemies along the way. Not far in to the level, there is a green pipe sticking out of a wall. If you jump under the end of it, an invisible block is there. This is useful, because it's a good 1-up farming spot for the early game.

Once you reach the midway point, there is a springboard just to the right of it, grab it and carry it further to the right, where you'll find a wall too high to simply jump up. Not long after this wall, you're at the end of the level!

---

1-1x And So It Begins... Secret: And so it returns!

The green pipe right before the goalpost leads to the secret exit, but this is of no use if you haven't hit the green switch palace yet. This is likely to be one of the last secret exits you'll get.

---

1-2 Gramen Terra: Spinies hurt.

This level ups the ante a bit, with the Lakitu flying offscreen overhead. He'll get on your nerves, but the level isn't very long, so you should be ok. Keep heading right, and not far in to the level, you will notice a pit, with a pipe in the ground. You can reach it simply by walking in to the pit, and holding B so you fall slower. I strongly recommend entering it, as this will place you in a bonus room, which you can opt to do, or you can just enter the pipe again and be at the midway point in a snap, almost completely avoiding Lakitu. Jump out of the pit to the right, and when Lakitu spawns, just grab a nearby enemy and smash it into his face and make a dash to the right before he respawns. Once you come to a green pipe, you'll have reached the end of the level. Just enter the pipe, and you'll be right beside the end. A very quick level, probably the quickest in the game!

---

1-2x Gramen Terra Secret: Over the top!

The secret exit is found simply by making a jump over the pipe that leads to the regular goal. Sliding down the slope ensures your safety on the path to the secret exit, so do that.

This exit grants fast access to the castle of world 1, making it ideal for speed runs.


---

1-3 Big Baddie Cave: It ain't that bad.

You start outside, in a ditch. Jump at some blocks to make a vine appear, then you enter the pipe in the middle area. There are two main paths through the level, top or bottom. If you can, stay on the top path, it's easier. If you fall down, you have to either backtrack and get back on top, or maneuver some moving coins into a bridge across some munchers. As an alternative to this, you can just hold the R button to get the nearby megamole to spawn, and ride that over. Just keep heading right, and enter the pipe on the bottom path to be set at the midway point. The switches here swap the outlined blocks with filled in ones, as well as make the cave change colors. Pretty! There isn't much to the puzzle, just keep hitting the switch blocks as necessary until you reach the right side. Enter the pipe and make your way to the end.

---

1-3x Big Baddie Cave Secret: Déjà Vu!

The secret exit can be found from the room with the switch blocks at the midway. Just right of the initial starting area, there is another land formation to the right, with a springboard on top. Grab it, flip the switch so the red blocks are solid, go to the right, hit a switch again and turn the blue blocks solid, and head back left, place the springboard under a formation of coins, and jump up! Hitting your head on the blocks above will turn the blocks below you solid, so you can head left into the pipe. You'll be in an area that looks just like the first cave segment, but with different enemies. Go to the bottom path, get the key from the blocks at the end, and go to the top path for the key hole. You can either backtrack to the start, or make a full speed running jump to one of the lower platforms nearby, but this only works 3/5 times due to Mario's strange speed oscillation.

---

1-4 Sunny River: Only one exit.

There's really nothing to this level, since it only has one exit. Just keep heading right, jumping on or over enemies as you please, you own the place, you're Mario. Entering the pipe at the end of the river part brings you to the outside of a castle, as a transition into the next level...

---

1-5 Treacherous Tower: The first castle!

You'll start out near some French looking Thwomps. Bait the one near you in to smashing at nothing, and run into the pit. Don't bother heading to the other side of the pit, there are only a few coins and a block of unknown contents, but it's simply too dangerous with the general lack of use for coins in this hack. After you cross some lava, there's a crossroads. Going right brings you to a bit of a bonus room, and going up brings you to the critical path. Go up. And then head right, taking the middle path to the end of the room, and enter the door. To the right is the midway point, check it, because the boss ahead isn't a pushover. Climb up up up, all the way to the top. There's nothing too special to worry about on the way, but if you must, you can take the time to grab some coins and hit that p-switch. Once you reach the top, there's a big red door, and you know what that means. If you're going to save state, do so now.

GIANT SPINY: And you thought the little ones had an attitude!

When you first enter the room, the boss will just sit in the corner, waiting, in a manner not unlike Boom-Boom from SMB3! Once you reach the middle, you will be assaulted without mercy. Jump over and behind him, and once you hit the ground, repeat it, but in the other direction. If this is too hard for you, you can try to spin jump on him until he goes into firing mode, but sometimes you'll get hit doing this. Once he backs up to a wall, run directly to the other side of the room and get ready to jump or duck.

Make sure all of your jumps are spin jumps, because if you happen to land on a fireball, this way you can get away unscathed. These are pretty much the only things to worry about, but don't even try going behind him during firing, the shots are aimed and will be fired at point blank range. Smack him with the throwblocks that fall from the ceiling 3 times, and he's toast. Not too hard, but he's not much of one to cut you slack, either!

Once the giant spiny is dead, you've cleared world 1! You are a super player!

---

1-6 Forgotten Forest: The first extra level.

A bonus level that does nothing for you, unlocked from Big Baddie Cave's secret. If no unlock for beating it bothers you, it should be skipped over until you're looking to max out the exit count.

A fairly straightforward level, you pretty much just have to head right. There's an obscured pipe in the ground not far into the level, in a pit. If you enter it and exit really quickly, you're at the midway already! Head right some more, on to some timed floating pads. The message box refers to the end of the level, where jumping at the top of the two trees directly near each other will land you on a hidden timed floating pad, dragging you through all the collectibles up top. The exit is right after this, so just tag it and be done.

And that's all the early-game World 1! Congratulations!


[WR2]

2-1 Craggy Heights
: They're pushing you around!

You're greeted by a cutscene, if you don't feel like taking in the story, remember to press start to skip it. You'll see a strange blue headed creature once you enter the level. These cannot be jumped on without injuring yourself, don't try it. You can spin jump off them if you wish, though. Not far in to the level, you'll find some elephant looking things that will push you if they make contact. Dangerous, considering the cacti and pits around the area. I recommend pressing R to scroll the camera, and leaving it like that for the entire level, as you only need to head right. If you're quick to jump over the enemies like this, you can actually despawn them behind you, saving some trouble if you need to slow down ever.

---

2-2 Hydro Hills: It isn't actually all that wet.

Another simple level, just head up by spin jumping off the Torpedo Teds, avoiding the enemies along the way. When you reach the right side wall, you'll have found the midway point, and a pipe. I advise you tag the midway, and enter the pipe. The inside of the cave is a bit nastier than the outside, the enemies are more plentiful, so watch your step. Keep heading right until you reach a dead end, when you touch the side of the screen, you'll be placed at the exit! Strangely enough, even though you never entered a pipe, you exit from one at the goalpost.

---

2-2x Hydro Hills Secret: Dripping with simplicity!

Just take the same path you did before, but after passing the puddle with the Urchin in it, you'll find some blocks, with a + formation of coins. Above these coins is the key, encased in some brown blocks. Head a little further in to the level, and you'll find a blue p-switch. Take this switch back to the blocks, and hit it, and grab the key. Then, carry on with the route to the normal exit, the keyhole is just beyond the midway point, a short ways in to the cave.

---

2-3 Flooded Crater: You're going swimming.

One of the prettier levels, be sure to take in the scenery for a moment, and appreciate the parallax scrolling background. Once you're done with that, head down the vertical shaft, following closely behind the Urchin. Almost every downward facing pipe is a secret missile stockpile, so watch out for passing Torpedo Teds. (Author's note: I hate when pipes are used for torpedo launchers) There's a pipe with some smashable bricks under it, but I advise against entering it, as the end result puts you slightly further back in the level, as well as being fairly dangerous for a bonus room. Continue on the relatively direct path to the end, and you're done!

---

2-4 P-Switch Peak: These switches smell funny.

When you enter the level, head left. Observe the no-cape sign, if you have a cape. It means that flight is disabled, but you can still float. Once you're out in the wide open field, grab the silver p-switch hidden behind some shrubbery. This is a peculiar switch, since it has a very short timer, and jumping on it gives you a boost. It also can be grabbed immediately after kicking it, so feel free to have fun with it. Just carry the switch all the way to the left, don't press it before you enter a cave located all the way on the left side of the level. Once you locate the cave, head right, and take the lowest path until you find some Munchers blocking your path. Hit the switch now. Grab the blue p-switch, and continue right, jump up the clouds, and enter the pipe nearby.

Follow the coin trail down from your exit, and go back to the start of the level. Hit the blue switch at the brown blocks, and tag the midway. Go all the way right, and enter another cave. You enter from a reset pipe, so there's no going back now. Head left, go down, hit the block for a vine, and grab the silver switch. Carry it back up the vine with you, and trigger it at some munchers under some blocks. Collect the coins they turn in to, and then go down the pit to the right, grabbing a block. Hit the invisible blocks on the right side of the wall, and go back up. Toss the block at the blocks under the blue p-switch, and knock it down. Take this switch left, and hit it at the brown used blocks. You'll notice some munchers in the left wall, if you were to get another silver switch, you could get a free cape behind them, but there are easier places to get one later. Just head right to the pipe at the end, and you're finished with the level.

---

2-5 Football Canyon: It's more of a general sports canyon.

Start the level by heading out right, hit the invisible block under the football punter, and go up. There's a baseball pitcher in a small cage, try to take him out while he's still under you. Go down the side, and grab the springboard from the crevice under where the pitcher used to be (R.I.P.) and carry it right to the wall. The message box explains that you'll need the Chuck down in the pit for the secret exit, and you will. Ignore it for now, and head to the right side of the level. Nothing too tricky to worry about, just get to the pipe, and enter.

You'll be placed by the midway point. The message box warns you about the nasty little trick ahead, but that's only one of the tricks in this cruel segment of the level. Once you hit the midway, DON'T STAND AROUND. There is a hungry blue crocodile head waiting to feast on you. Just keep holding right as you fall and you should be fine. This applies to all pits with bones in them, anywhere in the level. Right after this, you meet the Mini-Press and the shooting critter, from Cave Story. The Press is simple enough to deal with, just treat it like a Thwomp. The critter is a little trickier, and waits until you get near to go up, rather than down. When it leaps, it will fire a couple of blue orbs at you, so just jump back around on to the higher level of the platform and bait it in to jumping again, where it will get trapped up top. They can also be jumped on, so if you get the opportunity, take them out. Continue to the right side of the level, and enter the door.

Go to your right, and navigate the tunnels until you find a pipe you can enter. Once here, go down the hole near the Press immediately. Jump over to the right, and grab the key up above, never stopping along the way so the croc doesn't get you. Take the key back down the hole, and on to the middle path. Drop it on top of the munchers, and walk over. You'll find a door, with some fat critters behind it. Use their heads to get a boost to the silver switch up above, and take it to the pipe at the top of the room. Go back down the pit near the Press, and hit the switch, taking the lowest path possible until you get the blue switch. Take this up, and trigger the croc at the highest pad. Jump on top of his now solid head, and hit the switch to get past the brown blocks. Run down to the door with the Boos guarding it, and enter.

Even though the platforms in this room have plenty of bones on them, no crocs seem to be present. Navigate your way through the Boos to the upper left corner. Hit the block for a Starman, and run like your hair is on fire to the right. Hit the block along the way to get a new Starman, and keep going. Once you make it to the end of this room, you're done! Don't get killed by the Chucks right before the end, though.

---

2-5x Football Canyon Secret: Enemies are your friends!

Take the normal path up to the first message box, from here your life can only get worse. Observe the Chuck in the pit, jumping rabidly towards you. If you're going to make a savestate, now is as good a time as any. Lure him to the right side, and into a small maze of blocks and platforms. Do not jump on him at any point before this, as there are two times where you are extremely likely to hit him, so if you mess up, just despawn him and try again before he dies. Once he hits the right side of this maze, you should jump on him once, and quickly get to the lower left side of him while he's still stunned. This will get him over to the upper left side of the maze, and so now all you have to do is jump to the top. Lure him through the falling platform, and up the hill. You're almost definitely going to hit him at this point, due to the low clearance, so make the best of it and run on top of the yellow blocks you want him to destroy.

Take the key to the midway point, and keep going. Take the lowest possible path, just jump on top of the Press, he'll move out of your way before you make contact. Get to the platform below the conveyor belt, all the way on the right side, and hold B. Now, run to your right, don't jump, just run. Keep going right, in to the black updraft, and tap the down button periodically so as to not get expelled out from the top side. Make it across, and then go up the next updraft to the keyhole, done.

---

2-6 Grinder Castle: Buzzsaw? Buzzsaw kill!

The first part of this level has little more to it than just dodging enemies to make it to the right side of the level. As an aside, you can't spin jump on the stationary saws, they act as spikes. When you make it to the other side, enter the pipe to be placed outside of the castle. Head right, and spin jump on to the Thwomp under a yellow block, it contains a vine plant. Take the springboard to the right, and double back to the area you entered from. Jump up to where the Dry Bones is, and press forward through the obstacles ahead. Continue to the right side of the level, where the midway point is, be cautious not to fall in the pit right before it. Entering the door right beside you will place you at a Koopa, who may just as well be a Lemming. Use the switches littered all over the place to guide him to the end, where you can get your hands around his neck and use his shell to clear the obstacles ahead. The last part is particularly tough, just keep pressing the switches until it's about to allow him to walk in to the lava to the right, but as he touches the wall to turn around, raise the platform. He should make it over, if not, there are reset pipes all around for you. Once you succeed, there is a big red door and some mushrooms waiting for you. Take the health, and get ready for...

GIANT MONTY MOLE: Holey Moley!

This boss is fairly easy, but has quite the hefty stamina, and will take many hits to go down. At first he only pops out of holes, you can use this time to get acquainted with the room, or just listen to the music, but don't dillydally too long, the timer is still running. When you're ready, jump on his head, and he will start to throw bouncing rocks when he pops out of his mole holes. You still have to jump on him, but he aims his shots in your direction, so be careful. If you get hit from underneath while going upward, it will hurt you, but if you're descending and you land on a rock, it will shatter. If you stand directly under where he pops out, the rocks thrown will ricochet directly up and down, making it nice and easy to either destroy them or let them disintegrate on their own. Keep dodging rocks and jumping on his nugget, and he'll go down.

Congratulations! World 2 is passed!

---

2-7 Weeaboo Manor: We are Boo Man, or?

This level is unlocked from Hydro Hills secret exit.

The start of the level is simple, but the Boos seem to have an attraction for attention. Looking at these ones draws them closer, while looking away keeps them in place. Just make your way to the right side wall of the level, then go around to the top area to the left, where there is a door. Enter it, and head right until you find a dip in the ground with a clock and a Boo, with a Ball 'n' Chain to the right. This is where things get complicated, so it will be broken down step by step.

1) Climb the rope above the clock, head right.
2) Grab one throw block, use it on the on/off switch.
3) Grab another block, jump through the now passable blocks, and throw the block at the switch, and drop down (Press L to scroll the camera, to ensure the hit registers).
4) Go left, hit the on/off switch, go left more, throw the silver p-switch on to the left side of the Ball 'n' Chain.
5) Take the springboard, and go to the right, down from where you entered the small room. Place it on the slightly higher platform, and jump up the vertical shaft.
6) Use another throw block to flip the on/off switch.
7) Go back left, drop down, and take the silver and blue switches.
8) Go back to the start of the interior of the level, and press the silver switch, carry the blue one with you.
9) Use the blue p-switch to hit the on/off switches as necessary, it's much safer than using the throw blocks you're standing on. (Author's note: it is sadistic design to make such a deadly segment right after a fairly complex puzzle with no midway point)
10) On the platform with 2 ! blocks and 4 throw blocks, attempt to discard the blue p-switch at the on/off switch, taking extra care not to stand on the ! blocks, as they will soon be turned transparent.
11) Continue left, until you get to a massive pile of throw blocks. Pass over these, and go in the door to the left, using the switch in the room.
12) Now that you're outside again, head left past the blocks that were once solid. Follow the coins down, and hit the goal tape to the right!

This exit grants fast access to the castle of world 2, ideal for speed running.

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2-7x Weeaboo Manor Secret: At least it's not Japanophile House.

Go to the door leading to the interior, but don't enter. Go back to the top of the stairs to the right, and jump through the upper left wall. Run left, grab a blue p-switch hidden behind a box, and go back right. Once you reach the reflecting Boo stream, let it pass by, and hit the switch. Follow the arrows made of coins, and go through the wall, to the secret door. Much, much easier than the regular exit!

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2-8 Yellow Switch: Well, it ain't green, but it will have to do!

This level is unlocked from Weeaboo Manor's secret exit.

The most basic of switches! This is probably one of the easiest levels, there's a Starman in the upper right corner of the level, to get through the Pokeys, and that is all you really need to know. Just grab that and plow through everything into the pipe below. Yellow switch blocks contain Mushrooms, they also make some levels a bit safer.

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2-9 Swampland Passage: So that's where the sewer leads.

This level is unlocked from Football Canyon's secret exit.

Nothing much to look out for in this level, just keep heading right, using the generously placed throw blocks to tear the nearby Wigglers apart. Keep going until you find a bridge of throw blocks, and tear out the middle to fall down into some water. Swim up and out, and you'll have reached the end before you know it. A nice breather after the level needed to unlock it! Now would be a pretty good time to clear the sewer level, since it will help with transportation.

And that's all there is for world 2! Congratulations!

[WR3]

3-1 Underground Falls
: Soothing.

As per world 2, you're greeted by a cutscene in this first level of the world. The normal exit for this stage is very straightforward, just as easy as point A to point B. The biggest troublemaker is right at the start, just wait for the football kicker to launch his ammo, then take him out and move on. Keep heading to the right, and you'll make it to the end with little trouble.

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3-1x Underground Falls Secret: Sand in ya shoes!

Take the normal path up until you locate a section with some blocks, one of which contains a vine leading up to a Dragon Coin and a blue p-switch (unnecessary, but it will help you find the exit). Hit the switch, and go right, there will be some coins indicating to go down the sand pit. Sink in to the quicksand to the right of the Chuck, and you'll end up at the key and keyhole.

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3-2 Unearthly Hollow: The house of 1,000 corpses!

This level can be quite a chore if you're not in to falling down holes (Or just don't have a cape). At the start, jump up the tree branches over to the right and notice the springboard on top of a block that's looming over the head of a scarecrow, just out of reach for both of you. You can opt to get creative with your running jumps, or just find the shell further in to the level to get it. Once you're near the top of the level, as indicated by the foliage overhead, you'll find a small piece of land with a pumpkin and a skull on it. Go down the narrow hole to the left, and hug the right side wall, and you'll fall down to an area where you can find a shell. Take the shell back to the start and get the springboard. Take the board through the level to the right, to another scarecrow. Use it to jump over the imposing wall, and you'll find yourself at the entrance to a ghost house.

Here, the background and foreground sort of blend in to eachother, so watch your step. Go to the top path, find a springboard, and carry it around to the lower half. Place it on the corner area where a Ball 'n' Chain and Dry Bones are hanging out, go right some more, find another springboard, carry that, and then jump up off the other board. You'll soon find yourself at the end of the house, with a reset pipe. Jump over the side of the house and go down the pipe you find a short distance to the right. Take the top path in the house, and keep heading right, you'll find the end of the level soon.

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3-2x Unearthly Hollow Secret: The grass is much greener on the other side.

Take the same path to the end of the first ghost house, instead now you go down the reset pipe while holding a springboard. Fortunately for you, someone forgot to place the ceiling generator at this pipe, so you can simply jump over the wall for the other springboard you need! Head left from the reset pipe, and go back up to where you grabbed the first board, near the Ball 'n' Chain, then jump back over the wall and you'll be well on your way. Set the board you're carrying down at the wall past the pipe leading to the second ghost house area, and you'll find yourself in a nice, healthy looking forest area. Much less bleak compared to the rest of the level! Grab the key and go down into the water for the keyhole.

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3-3 Danger Mines: Monochrome Mines would work too.

You start on a falling pad, so think fast. After this, it's a pretty easy trek until you reach a football kicker and some lava fountains. The lava will kill you instantly, and the football guy is going to try see to it that you burn alive. You can take him out by jumping over, being careful not to touch the lava, or you can toss fireballs at the cement block, which will provide accurate shots to said football man. Once he's dead, take a moment to prepare yourself for the jump ahead. I personally recommend letting go of the run button, doing a full height spin jump, and mashing left and right to keep centered. After this jump, just go right until you enter a pipe, then head left. Keep going left until you reach the end of the screen, and go down the orange pipe with the cement bricks under it, and do not let go of your run button from here on. Hold on to the switch, and get close to the right side of the screen, but not so close you can't see the enemies spawn. Keep your speed, and go for the top route. By the time you get to a large pool of lava with a Buzzy Beetle near it, the fast scroll should have kicked in to gear, and you'll be plastered to the left side of the screen. Follow the coins to the pipe, and enter it asap.

Phew, now that that is done, use the blue p-switch you carried out, and enter the pipe surrounded by the used blocks. Tag the midway point, and go to the right, under the pipe, and jump over the lava bridge. Be careful of all the surrounding lava, and head through the pipe maze. Soon after, you'll have found the goalpost.

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3-3x Danger Mines Secret: This time it's left.

You have to be a big form of Mario to get this exit.

Follow the normal route to the midway point, but this time go left. Drop down on to the 2 floating skulls, and press R to pan the camera forward. This will throw off the timing of the Blarg monster things as well as the piranha plants so you can just sit still the rest of the way. Jump off at the rope bridges, and then smash the block at the bottom to the key and keyhole.

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3-4 Buzzy Bridge: It'll leave you buzzed!

A nice, simple one exit level. Just head right, watching out for the upside down buzzy beetles on the ceiling. Head under the goal post to the right, grab the blue p-switch and bring it back under the goal, and activate it. Collect the coins, and you're done!

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3-5 Oh Man! It's Hell!: P-switch, springboard, p-switch, springboard, p-switch, springboard, SILVER p-switch, spring-over-board.

One of the most item grab-happy levels in the hack, fortunately it is really easy to find what you need, if you just pay attention to coin formations, and jump at impossibly high walls, you'll almost always find the invisible blocks needed to reach the items. Critters make an appearance here, so you'll want to have fireballs to fry them before they can fire at you. Keep paying attention to the surroundings, and you'll have reached the midway in no time. Repeat the process, and hit the note block at the end of the next cave segment, and a star will pop out. Head to the goal.

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3-6 Sinister Dungeon: It will turn you inside out!

Start by heading right, and keep going. Once you arrive at a pipe, don't bother going in it, there's nothing good down there, and you risk getting hurt before the harder areas. Shortly after the pipe, there is a somewhat tricky jump to make. Press R, get a view of the obstacles ahead, and time your jump just as the pencil stick retracts into the ceiling, and duck as you jump. Continue on, the rest of the area is pretty simple. Enter the door at the end.

In this door, take a moment to observe Mario. He'll start flickering rainbow colors, and your controls will be reversed. The timing is not random, you'll have to get in a bit of a rhythm to keep your direction going. The blocks to the right contain a cape, or a mushroom if you're small. If you get the cape though, you're in business, it makes things a lot easier! Cautiously make your way to the right, only advancing when controls are normal, and tapping the controls when reversed so the conveyor belts don't dump you in to lava. Or you could just jump and let go of the controls, because it doesn't reverse your speed, just which button sends you what direction. Idle on top of non-moving blocks as often as possible if you're not confident in your rhythm, you're given enough time to advance to the next safe spot every time.

You'll come across a door with some ! blocks in your way, enter the door. The controller flipping happens roughly 4 times as often in this room, but it's fairly safe. Just get in a good rhythm, and press the direction you'll need to when you think it's time, and you'll make it across to hit the switch in a snap. Back out of the room, the controller reversing thankfully only happens once every few seconds again. The next part is easily the hardest, with a conveyor belt and an on/off switch at the end. Drop down to the solid ! block below and wait until your controls are normal, then quickly activate the switch and get back to safety. Advance a little further to find there is a koopa kicking a shell at a switch, flicking it on and off against your will. Hang out at the end of the ledge with the pencil stick thing coming from the ceiling, and wait until both your controls are normal, and the shell is about to turn the switches back on, then make a beeline for it. With any luck, you'll have found the door to the end of this place, where behind it you'll find the midway point, as well as everyones favorite big red door. This is where you'll find...

THE JOLLY GREEN GIANT KOOPA: That you, Bowser?

This guy is a behemoth. Every time his shell slams in to the wall or floor, you'll get stunned if you're on the ground. Avoid this, as the time you're stunned is usually enough for him to pick up enough speed to mow over you, which will deplete your powerups very quickly. He doesn't seem to follow you as closely as the Giant Spiny, so you can expect him to hit the walls often. Jump on his head when he's standing upright to damage him, soon, he'll start to spin in one spot, then rise into the air, slamming down in to the middle of the arena. Four of his regular sized goober cousins will fall down on top of where you are. Try to stay over him for this, as when his shell is spinning, it will kill the goobers instantly. Continue jumping on his head when you get the chance, and soon, he'll use his last stand, the kamikaze shell. It looks a lot like the attack where he goes in to the air, but instead will slam at your direction at a high speed. Just jump over it, and he'll kill himself on the wall, and you're done.

Congratulations! You've beaten world 3! Pat yourself on the back, and you can move on to the ice world.

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3-7 Cave of Lost Pride: You might lose your sanity, too!

This level is unlocked from Underground Falls secret exit.

This is a pretty tough level, be prepared to hit the Toad Town shop a few times to get the edge. At first, just go down the shaft to the right, landing on the mushroom and cave flooring protruding from the walls. Watch out for the floating Dry Bones heads scattered throughout the level, they have a nasty habit of blending in with the surroundings. You can ignore all the enemies, you won't be coming back here soon enough to worry about clearing them. Continue on until you reach some floating skull pad platforms. After you've gotten up those, the path to the end can take some twists. If you're small, you have to take the upper path. If you're big, you can opt for the lower path. The lower one is easier, use it if you can.

Instructions for upper path:
1) Grab blue p-switch from small nook below.
2) Carry it to the right, where 3 stacked bullet bill launchers wait on the other side of some used blocks, and use it here.
3) Climb on top of the Mega Mole when it is freed from the used blocks and ride it across the munchers, over to the mushroom platforms at the end.

Instructions for lower path:

1) Spin jump the yellow blocks away, holding the jump button as you do so, and get back on to solid ground after there's a hole to get through, and grab the blue p-switch.
2) Jump down the hole, holding the jump button and hugging the right wall.
3) Head right and keep going until you hit some used blocks, and hit the blue p-switch here. Keep running right, and go through the wall at the end of the tunnel to end up just above some mushroom platforms.

From here, the paths merge. Continue going right, but be wary of the molehills, even though they don't animate, moles will pop out of them. Drop down the pit at the end, and hit the on/off switch to the left. Continue right, and take the upper path as far as you can. There's a reset pipe before a maze of vines here. Navigate the vine maze, jumping under from between the two munchers at the end should ensure your safe exit. Once you reach the end of the path, you'll find a trapped mega mole. Hit the switch under him, and trap him in the pit to the right of the switch. Hit the switch further back to drop him down, then hit the other one to drop him even further. Now is a good time to save state, should you choose to use them.

Hit the switch once more, and drop down in the single tile wide shaft to the left. Follow closely behind the mole, and press L to get a good look ahead. Hit the switches as necessary to ensure he doesn't fall off the map, or you have to redo everything from the reset pipe onward. Keep hitting switches to allow him to progress. Once you have him trapped above the Bullet Bill launchers, hit the switches again and go right. Take care not to accidentally hit the mole with the Koopa's shell just above, and use his head to enter the pipe. You'll be surrounded by two mega moles, but just let go of the run button and walk with them and you'll be fine.

You'll exit to an area with a blue p-switch. Grab it, or else you have to redo the whole level over again. Go back to the left, and you'll notice you're back at the start of the stage. Some coins are likely to be missing from your first time around, so take extra care not to fall into the pit below. Use the blue p-switch to knock down the silver p-switch, and carry that just a little further to the right. Where you see some munchers blocking a pipe, use it right there, and enter. Head right, and tag the midway point. Don't worry though, it's almost over! There's a pit to the right, with some chain-link fencing to climb on. Drop down, if you're big, there's a power-up box with the all-mighty feather in it. If not, you still get a mushroom! Continue heading right, the rest of the level is very simple, and then you're done.

This level lops off nearly all of world 3 on the path to the castle, making it extremely worthwhile to do, despite the difficulty and length.

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3-8 Mining Outpost: It crushes rocks and plumbers!

This level is unlocked from Unearthly Hollow secret.

A nice and straightforward exit, not much to get confused on here. Just head right. When you get to some winged platforms, jump down the pit below, it's much safer than trying to wrestle the Ball 'n' Chain on the same arc as the plaform. Continue on right to the midway point. The sign tells you not to enter, but when has that ever stopped Mario? Thanks. Enter the door, and get ready to dodge the angriest Thwomp you'll see this side of the Mushroom Kingdom. Keep dodging him, the closer you are to the ground, the safer. There are some transparent blocks around the place, you can't pass through them, but the crusher can. When in two tile wide shafts, hug the left wall, and run right so you can spin jump on top of him. Keep your speed, and try never to let him land when you're stuck, it's almost a guaranteed hit on you. After this is done, you've found the exit.

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3-8x Mining Outpost Secret: It's the Hellivator.

Take the normal route up until you have to spin jump on the 3 Grinders. Once you land, press L to observe the key across the pit. Spin jump on top of the highest Grinder and you should make it across with little trouble. Continue on for a little bit, until you see coins in an upward arc, with a yellow block below. Stand at the very edge of this higher platform and boot the key forward, into the pit. If you were close enough to the edge, you'll have smacked the block, revealing a vine. You're not getting that key back, so don't bother trying. Enter the elivator room at the top. There's not much to explain here, but there is a sort of rhythm to dodging the incoming Grinders. Once they intersect, jump at that area, since it will take a little while before they converge again. Just keep jumping to the side, to the middle, and to the side again until you've reached the Thwimps. These guys are probably the toughest part to deal with, as the walls close in a little. Soon, you'll reach the top though. Be sure to snatch the 1-up in the upper left corner of the key room, you earned it.

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3-9 Switch of Many Hues: Many switches of many hues, but the one you want is big and blue.

This level is unlocked from the Mining Outpost secret exit.

The only switch in the game that really makes you work for it. It's "just" a couple puzzles, but they're some of the tougher ones in the hack. Recipe for blue switches:

1) Head right from the start, and tag the yellow switch. There's a roto-disc just so perfectly placed that you'll jump into it almost every time, so watch it.
2) Head back left, and go up the now filled in yellow pads. Tag the blue switch.
3) Go back towards the start, and head back over to the right. Climb up to the springboard, and grab it.
4) Drop back down, tag the yellow switch, and place the springboard on the yellow blocks to the left.
5) Grab the blue p-switch from up top. Jump back down, and set the blue p-switch on top of some yellow blocks that are under some currently deactivated red blocks. Grab the springboard and do the same.
6) Go back to the start, and climb up the yellow pads. Tag the blue switch at the top.
7) Go back down, and over to where you dropped the items. Tag the red switch, you'll now be mostly trapped.
8) Set the springboard down by the munchers on the right side, and take the blue p-switch left, near the gray platform. Hit the switch, and collect some of the coins, dash over to the springboard, taking care not to trigger the blue switch, and jump off of the springboard and clear that path.
9) Collect the silver p-switch from the small room up at the top of the path, and bring it back to the springboard. Hit it, and collect the munchers quickly. Tag the blue switch, and jump over to the door on the right.

Now you're in a new room, with stars flipping switches in a spastic manner. You're welcomed to start jumping on the last remaining switch, just because it's awesome. After this is out of your system, reset the room with the door on the left, and crush the stars immediately. This room is not very easy, and you will probably need to reset a couple times.

1) Tag the blue switch, and catch your breath, and focus.
2) Trigger the pow block to create a path for the panda head thing to get across. Tag the yellow switch so he has something to latch on to.
3) Tag the blue switch to get him on to some used blocks. Tag the yellow switch so he can't go back.
4) Trigger the pow block when he passes by the coin, to get him on to the platform above.
5) Collect the coins against the wall, then flip the pow switch again and collect the brown blocks so they aren't connected to the blue blocks.
6) Tag the Blue switch, and hit the pow block, keep hitting it until he's about to make contact with the ? blocks that were spawned. Run to the right, tagging either the red or yellow switch on the way, jump over the ? blocks, and spin jump on the panda thing until you make it up to the door.

From here, enter the door, and hit that big switch! Blue switch blocks don't really do anything except make some levels a bit easier, and grant access to some secret exits.

That's all the exits in world 3! Bravo!


[WR4]

4-1 Permafrost Cavern
: You'll be positively iced!

Once again, you're greeted by a cutscene on this level, furthering the story along. This is one of the better levels for getting free capes. Just stay on the upper right path and hit the upper rightmost block in a small room with many blocks. Keep going right until you tag the midway point. From the midway, observe the blue p-switch on the right. Go over and grab it, and go back up and to the right. Drop it on top of some munchers, and go back left. A block over here contains Yoshi. Saddle up, and use his licking abilities to grab the silver p-switch from within the blocks. Don't drop Yoshi yet or you will get stuck until the time runs out. Hit both switches and drop through the now cleared path. Hit the block left for an easy 1-up. To get over the tall wall, you need to jump off of Yoshi's back mid-air. The pipe to the right takes you to a level where you get to fly Mario's version of the Vic Viper! This part is really easy since it auto scrolls, just have fun with it and hit the goal at the end.

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4-2 Frigid Lake Cavern: Deep freeze plumber.

Easy normal exit, but beware of the ice projectiles some enemies shoot, they freeze you in place. Getting frozen also removes your fire power, if you have it, but it will not actually damage you. Just head to the right of the stage, hit the on/off switch, and double back to the midway. Enter the pipe, and continue going right, you'll be in a swimming section now. Again, just head right, fire power or a cape will make this much easier. Enter the pipe at the end, and you'll be placed at the goal.

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4-2x Frigid Lake Cavern Secret: Double dipper.

You need a fire flower to get this exit.

It would be a good idea to have a cape, and a fire flower in your reserve item box. Take the normal path up until the midway point, but this time instead of going all the way right, you will notice some ice blocks near two ice spewing panzers about halfway through. Take them out with your cape or fireballs, and clear the ice to the upper left to find the key and keyhole.

This exit will rip through most of world 4. It's quick to get, and bypasses the long and hard Zephyr Manor, making it a good choice for speed running.

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4-3 Foresty Snow: It's a winter wonderland!

Start by heading right, but be careful of the Boos, they're colored similar to the background. Head right, and keep going. Within a few seconds, you'll have hit the midway point. Probably the quickest midway point in the game. Ignore all the switches and such, those are for the secret exit. It's not a very long run to the end, just keep going, and you'll finish in no time.

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4-3x Foresty Snow: Scavenger hunt!

Having the blue switch activated would help tremendously with this exit.

To get this exit, you need to collect all of the dragon coins. The first one is right above you to the left, either jump up the blue block, or fly up at it, or lure a Boo over and jump off of its head. The second dragon coin is below the path with the Boo ring, blocked off by some brown blocks. You can hit the switch above to get rid of them, but it doesn't last long, so you have to be quick. This is pretty hard to do without taking a hit, so if you're able to, just man up and take the damage to run through. Horribly disfiguring scars caused by vengeful ethereal creatures builds character!

The third coin is in a pipe just right of the midway point. If you're big, smash through the blocks denying your entry. Otherwise, aim a shot at the side of the blocks with some of the nearby throwblocks and dive in. You only need one side open, keep in mind. Once in, hit the yellow block on the ground with one of the throw blocks around the place, climb the vine, and claim the coin. For the fourth coin, just head right from where you were placed after #3, and take the high path on top of the cement blocks a little further down.

After this, there will be a silver pow-switch. If you have the blue blocks triggered, this is as simple as jumping up to it. Otherwise, you can lure a nearby Boo and spinjump off it. Immediately head right, and grab the blue p-switch from behind where the munchers used to be. The fifth dragon coin is not far ahead, just drop the blue p-switch down on to some ? blocks and hit it, and claim the coin. Drop down and snatch the key. If you don't have the blue switches activated, just use a nearby Boo's head as a lift with some spinjumping to reach the keyhole.

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4-4 Zephyr Manor: The bane of all that is good and holy!

This is one of the harder levels in this game, due to its length and being slippery, as well as introducing a strange new sprite. With some of the tricks here, you should be able to get by with just a couple cuts and bruises. It can be bypassed with the Frigid Lake Cavern secret exit, if you really have to.

Oh boy, here we go. The first part of the level is simple, just go to the door to the right side, which will place you at an area where there is an updraft. It will slow your descent down a lot, as well as make your jumps much higher. With a cape, you can use the floating ability to rise into the air. Soon in to this area, the updraft turns downward, making you fall much faster, and your jumps much lower. You can use this extra downward momentum to crush the cracked blocks.

Once you get back inside the building, you can take a number of paths. I personally recommend just going a little bit to the right, pressing R, and calling some Boos over. Standing on the box right near the entry pipe ensures the Boos will be up high enough to reach the area above. Spin jump on them to the springboard up above, and bounce upward into the pipe.

You'll be in a deep pit with another updraft. Having a cape here makes this much easier. Jump and follow the coins to the right, and jump up to the top area when you land. From here, the path is pretty straight, since the wind dictates where you can or cannot go. Once you reach the bottom, you'll find a message box with a little cloud platform next to it. Your life can only get worse from here. Run at the platform, if you're too slow, you might accidentally trigger it to go off on its own, don't bother jumping.

The cloud allows you to press the directional buttons to change the direction it is going. Once it starts going in a direction, it won't stop until you change its direction again. Navigate the spike maze ahead, being cautious of the Boos inhabiting it. There's no way to fight back against the Boos, you just have to plan ahead with your movements. If you've got some pretty good dexterity, you can go backwards at all the Boos by looking away, ducking, and then pressing the direction you need to go. This will more often than not, make the Boos pass right over you. Keep in mind pressing down will keep you in place on top of spikes, and the cloud platform will keep your feet safe. When you reach the end, you have to dismount the cloud and smash some blocks. Press down, jump to the side, and smash them. Loop back around from underneath to the left, and get back on the cloud. Navigate to the end, smash the blocks again, being careful NOT to mount the cloud again, or else it will smash you in to the ceiling when you try to go down, and either spin jump off some Boos into the pipe above, or make a running jump. Tag the midway, it's much safer just to duck-jump from the blocks below than it is to mess with the fishin' Boo above. Congrats, you're halfway there!

Exit the pipe to the upper right, being careful of the ghost fella. Catch your breath, and jump on to the brown blocks ahead, which will start moving. Once they start, they're not slowing down for anyone, so it's best just to find an area where it will be looping around. In this first part, hang out around the big or little fireball guys platforms. The small fireball thing has a Ball 'n' Chain above it, so it's more dangerous. Wait until the used blocks loop around a few times, and climb aboard.

In the second segment, just jump off right away and wait next to one of the Ball 'n' Chains. The block above contains a cape if you're big, which you will want. When the block snake comes back around, jump on it. Once you get to the third segment, immediately dismount to the right side block protruding from the wall, jump to claim the 1-up, and wait. Once you see it making its return, keep waiting. When it makes another loop around, going perfectly vertical, get on it. Stay on it the rest of the way, and when it comes to a big mess of spikes in the air, jump through them to the upper left side, absolutely do not stay on the right side platform unless you have a cape you can use to float through the maze.

Follow the path to the top, it's a thankfully forgiving area after the last part. You can kill Mario by making a full speed run in to a wall where the wind is pushing against, so take caution not to do that. Take the left side path, mount the cloud platform thing, and navigate to the end, watching out for the bouncing spike things. Remember to duck. After you reach the end of this maze, you're finally done! Hooray!

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4-4x Zephyr Manor: Glutton for punishment!

This exit is a lot easier than the normal path, fortunately. Go the normal route up until you're outside of the building, and the updraft turns into a downdraft. Climb the vine to the left of a couple of cracked bricks, and line Mario's butt up with the cloud in the background just to the left, and jump right, holding the jump button as you fall. If you did it perfectly, you'll end up on the platform below. If you only broke the right side cracked block, just jump back over, then run in to the pit where the cracked block used to be, it will land you on the pad below.

You'll be in a green bonus room, one of the few areas in the hack with original SMW music. Go right, and dodge all the obstacles, there's not much to worry about here aside from a few rocks falling from above. Take the blue p-switch at the end, and exit the pipe. Press the switch outside on top of the raised platform, and jump up the ? blocks at the high left side of the map, the updraft will help you make it up.

This last part is just annoying, with the wind. For some reason though, if you're in the air and let go of the direction you're holding, it stops pushing you. Use this to your advantage when jumping under or over Thwomps. Just keep climbing up, eventually you'll find a cloud thing, and ride it through the spike maze, you'll find the key and keyhole at the top.

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4-5 Nippy Expanse: I wouldn't look down if I were you.

Start by going left, you can jump off the second flying Koopa's head to get to the net above and climb all the way left. Once you reach the end, grab the blue p-switch and carry it back over on the same net you came off of. Go right past the start of the level, and use the switch to get past some brown blocks. Grab some coins, and wait for the switch to run out of time. Hit the switch below, and use the springboard to bounce up. Quickly get over the coins that are now blocks to the right, to find some winged pads, ride these to the midway point. Jump down the pit where the coins lead, and head right. The way to get past the otherwise impossible jump is to back up, and run at it, holding the jump button as you land on top of the Banzai Reggie. Continue right, the rest of the level is pretty straight up platforming action.

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4-6 Frostbite Heights: It doesn't seem all that high up.

Finally, a nice, straightforward level with no p-switches or springboards to worry about. It's just plain old platforming, from left to right, just littered with boomerang bros. A fire flower will help a lot here, buy one from Toad Town if you must.

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4-7 Boreal Bastille: I can see right through you!

This is possibly the most simple castle in the hack. There's almost nothing special to know about it, aside from the boss. Anyone who has played the original SMW should be able to find their way to the end of this one with no trouble, just keep heading right. Right before the boss door, though, there are some blocks to the upper left, one of which contains a cape. Useful. Behind this shimmering blue boss door lies...

UNDINE: She'll send chills down your spine!

This elemental of ice and water is out for blood. Mario's blood, that is, and will not hesitate to impale him for it. In the beginning, Undine will just fly around menacingly, but if you don't jump in to her you'll be fine. Soon, there will be a nasty little tidal wave following you around, this will push you around on land, and if it covers over you while you're in water, it will slam you down to a watery grave. It does no contact damage, but it can push you in to the ice spikes Undine sometimes summons. To hurt Undine, you need to grab the ice balls she shoots at you, but they hurt while in motion, so you have to land them on the tidal wave at the right angle so they don't break. This also eliminates the tidal wave for a short while, giving you a clean shot. You can't do anything about the ice spikes except for trying to dodge them. It's a good idea to alternate between the two inner gaps in the spikes, so as to not be in the water for the tidal wave to kill you. You can tell which attack she is using by looking at her, or at the bottom of the screen. Red rod means ice spikes, and the blue ball is ice ball. Keep throwing the ice balls back at her, and you'll be done in no time.

And that's it! You beat world 4! You pretty much already beat it when you completed Zephyr Manor, but congratulations anyway! This is also the only world where finding all the secret exits on the critical path won't land you extra exits to backtrack to, since Zephyr Manor's secret sends you to world 5.
[WR5]

5-1 Cotton Course
: Be glad it isn't Cotton Alley!

In a twist of events, the first level of world 5 has no cutscene to show you. Start the level by going right, jumping off the flying Koopa to make a long jump. Keep heading right, you'll eventually find a springboard, but you can ignore it. Continue on, and when you find the midway point you'll be near the second half of the level. The second half consists of using timed floaty cloud platforms to make it across. Most of this should be no trouble, but one 1-second cloud under a downward facing green pipe can prove troublesome if you're on the left side of the pad. Try to be as far right as you can for this one. The rest of the level is cake, just keep heading right.

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5-2 Atop the Clouds: 60% chance of rain with a 100% chance of bombs!

Take a second to appreciate the unusually upbeat music, then head right. You'll find a trail of coins leading upwards on a log bridge, but just keep going right. Grab the springboard on the last cloud over, go back, and set it under the trail of coins. From here, just keep going right. If the Albatoss bombers are giving you trouble, you can slide at the explosions to destroy them. Vidya game magic, kids! Don't try it on a real bomb!

Once you reach the end of the level, go down in the pipe to the left, and suddenly you'll be caught up in a thunderstorm. Aww, gloomy. Keep heading right, dodging the falling thunderbolts, and you'll be well on your way. Once you reach the end, go up the pipe. Hooray, happy level again! Dart over to the right, dodging all the enemies you can. The rest of the level is nice and simple.

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5-2x Atop the Clouds Secret: The eye of the storm!

Take the path to the normal exit up until the end of the stormy segment. Grab the blue koopa's shell from under the pipe leading back to the sunny area, and slam it at the block under the platform you're standing on. If you have a cape, you can just slap the block with that. Take the key, and continue with the level on the normal path until you find the amazing flyin' hammer brother. Eject him from his flying pad, and jump up to the left where the keyhole is.

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5-3 Stratosphere Ride: Guide lines.

The first part of the level is nothing special. To the left, there is a box containing a powerup if you have the yellow switches activated. Other than that, just go right until you reach the next map. Once there, you can board a platform which will start moving. You need to hit the on/off switches to guide the platform safely along the lines. Most switches only need to be hit once, but there are times where you'll notice the pad is on a path to fall off the map, or otherwise go backwards. It's these times when you hit the switches, all of the switch hitting instances have pretty fair warning. Once you've gotten past this area, the midway is just ahead. Don't cook the flying Koopa, because you need his head to cross. Be careful of standing on the second brown block from the bottom next to the pipe on the right, a spiny will fall in the way to the expanding block platform from above.

After the midway, continue going right. If some of the jumps are too hard for you, buy a feather from Toad Town and try again. Enter the pipe at the far end of the stage, to be brought to another line guided pad. Hit the on/off switches just as you did before, and you'll make it safely to the end. Enter the pipe to be brought next to the goal.

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5-3x Stratosphere Ride Secret: Let's cheat with the cape!

This exit requires the yellow switch activated.

Get a cape or two, and start the level like normal, but on the first line guided platform area, jump up past the first Volcano Lotus and on to the blue/yellow ! blocks. If you have neither of these activated, you're out of luck. You'll want to still have a cape once you get up here, to fly all the way to the left side of the screen. Once there, stop flying, and fall in to the pipe below. If you have no cape, you'll have to manipulate the line-guided platforms to the left side of the map, using the on/off switches. Enter the pipe to find the key. Enter the pipe you just came out of to be placed a little bit past the midway point of the level. Continue on the normal route until the end. When you get to the end of the level, hit the yellow block there. If you're confident in your running abilities, you can hit the switch right there, and then head up the yellow ! blocks to the pipe, where the keyhole is. The only thing preventing you from using the cape to get the secret exit without the aid of the yellow ! blocks is the fact that for some ungodly reason, this area disallows flight.

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5-4 Pink 'n' Purple Path: Now you're really looking at this game through rose-tinted glasses!

Awesome palette here. The level starts easy enough, just head right until you reach a wall too tall to jump up, and grab the springboard from the right. Jump up the vertical shaft, and go in the pipe to the left. Either grab the coins, or exit, and be placed further in the level. From this exit, keep going right, and you'll find a blue p-switch. You can use this in conjunction with the silver p-switch near the midway point for a bonus room a little later in the level, if you'd like. Keep going right and you'll be at the end soon!

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5-5 Chateau of Storms: It may be a house in the sky, but you won't need to worry about any bicycle witches!

A ghost house. If you expected anything other than p-switches and springboards, you need to stop being so optimistic, my friend! Grab the first blue p-switch you see, and carry it on to some brown used blocks. Press it there, collect the brown used blocks which are now coins, now wait for the timer to run out. Go right on the clouds, and up at the end, grabbing the coins. Take the springboard, and enter the pipe. You'll be back at the start. Repeat the part with the blue p-switch, but this time rush to the right, jumping up the shaft and running over the ? blocks. Be careful not to wait around, these will disappear when the p-switch runs out of time. Drop the springboard at the door at the end of the path, and jump up. Enter the door at the end of the room and... come out of a pipe on the outside! Go to the right, grab the springboard you see on the way, and use it to shoot up a vertical shaft. Alternatively, you can spinjump off the skull headed crow things all the way to the top. Enter the pipe to the right.

You'll be back inside now. Go to the right, down the pit and get the springboard to the left. Just enter one of the pipes nearby while carrying it to spawn another down below. This is unnecessary, but is faster than climbing back around. Use the duplicated springboard to jump up to the coins just overhead, and grab another springboard. Carry this springboard down and to the right. Plant the springboard in the pit to the right, and go back to the start of the room. Take the springboard you left there, and bring it to the right, jumping up from the bottom path. Use the springboard already down here to jump up to the right side. Set the springboard you're carrying down up here, if you land in a long horizontal shaft to the right of the keyhole, you're in the right spot. Proceed to the end, and kill the Big Boo Boss.

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5-5x Chateau of Storms Secret: Don't you go and tell her about the secret in her cellar.

Taking a cape for this exit would help a whole lot, so this guide will be written around having a cape for the first part. If you have the coins, go to Toad Town and buy a cape or two. If you've been ignoring coins, Permafrost Cavern and Catacomb Calamity are good/great levels for getting free capes. Start the level like you would for the normal exit, by hitting the p-switch. Collect the used blocks, and grab the springboard. Fly off the right side of the ledge, and over the top of the level to a blue pipe. You should easily make it over to the other side. If you have no cape for this part, just place the springboard towards the end of the ? block bridge formed by the blue p-switch to be placed up top near the pipe. You can jump over the wall to the right and fall down the pit, hugging the left wall for a 3-up moon if you feel like it's worth the trouble.

Once in the pipe, you'll be submerged in water. Dispose of the throw blocks in the pit below, and swim to the right to collect a blue p-switch. Beware of the reflecting Boo streams, they can be quite a pest. Take the p-switch back to where you entered from, and head right. Activate it to clear the brown blocks above, and continue heading right. Grab the next p-switch you see, and carry it in to the pipe. You'll be placed outside, use the blue p-switch to get in to the horizontal green pipe a short way in to the map. Once in, head right on the clouds. When you find a rope tile in the floor, if you still have a cape, you can fly up to the silver p-switch above and be done. If you no longer have a cape, drop down the pit left, hugging the right wall and holding the jump button to reduce your fall speed. Place the blue shell safely aside to the left, and discard the throw blocks it was once resting on. Take the shell to the right side of the confined room, over from the top. Walk through the ground tiles to the left and down, and kick the shell. It will hit the yellow block, revealing a vine plant. Climb this, and claim the silver p-switch. Enter the pipe below.

You'll be back outside. Take the silver p-switch to the right, and up to the top of the vertical shaft. Use it there, and grab the key which was once surrounded by munchers. Continue on the normal path to the level, but instead of using the secondary springboard to get up to the Big Boo Boss, use it to get up to the keyhole. Done, finally.

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5-6 Palace Acropolis: Sticks and stones will break your bones, but 30 Ft. tall Thwomps will turn you to dust!

When you start this level, just go right until you find a blue pipe, and enter it. You may notice the 10 tons of death floating just overhead. Watch out for the massive Thwomps, they offer a fairly long stun timer if you're caught on the ground when they make landfall. Keep going right, you can go a number of different ways based on which switches you've hit, or if you're riding the Yoshi found in one of the nearby blocks. Just keep heading right, and no matter the path, you'll eventually find an on/off switch. Hit it. When you reach the end of one of these areas, you'll be placed back at the blue pipe you entered from.

Go right past the Giga Thwomp, you can ignore the springboard below it. Once you see the midway behind some blocks, jump up to the left and enter the pipe in the wall. Hit the switch to be ambushed by some Koopas. Kill them, and hit the switch a few more times for a fire flower if you need it (if you've hit the red switch, you can't get the flower). Exit and go right to the midway point. Continue right, hit the on/off switch at the end, and double back through the now slightly harder path through the electric things from sm64. The rest of the level is straightforward, just be wary of the enemies around you.

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5-7 Sanctuary Fortress: We have the technology!

A cutscene harboring level. Once you start, take a moment to appreciate the beautiful graphics. After you've taken it all in, the path to the end is nice and easy to find, just head right and reach the other side to the door, enter it to be placed in a small room with a mushroom and another door, behind which you will be greeted by...

THE SPIDER GUARDIAN: Don't get caught in its web of lies.

This couldn't be simpler. The Spider Guardian on the magnetic paths will drop bombs periodically, but other than that, it has no attacks. Just grab the falling blocks on the left side, and slam it in to the on/off switch on the right side, when the Spider Guardian is just about on the right side of the magnetic path. This way, it will cross over the upper middle area while it is electrified, hurting the strange being. If you kick a block directly up, it won't shatter on the bottom of the switch, allowing multiple hits from one block. Blocks will be shattered by explosions, so try to time your jumps to get over them.

Once the Spider Guardian has been electrically baked to a flaky crisp, you'll be in a small room with the spider climb ability. Take the hand, and you can now climb up the blue magnetic paths around the level. Head left, back near the start of the stage, tagging the midway point along the way. Climb up all the magnetic areas you can find, there's usually some pretty good stuff up there. Once you're back at the door at the first part of the level, go up and to the left and you'll be in the next part of the stage. Climb vertically until you find some brown used blocks in the form of a T. Take the left path to get the blue p-switch and hit it to get through. After a little more climbing, you'll be in an area with a big swirly shape of magnetic paths. This area is the most efficient in terms of coins/time, valuing a 1-up at 1,000 coins. Station yourself on the magnetic path just above a Bullet Bill launcher, and let it fire at you, eventually giving 1-ups. This is worth roughly 333 coins per second, no bonus room can even hope to match it. Sitting here for 99 1-ups will carry you through most of the hack.

Just above, there will be a door, behind that, a mushroom and another door. Take a second to appreciate the pretty night sky, and go in to the door on the right to find another Spider Guardian. This one is even easier, because you can easily hang on the far right side with a throw block and kick it up without worry of getting hit. In a couple seconds, you should be done!

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5-8 To Land Much Below!: If only you could buy time!

Another cutscene level. After the cutscene, you'll find yourself falling to the ground. Head right to the door when you hit the ground. Once here, go left and hit the blue pow switch up top, to unblock the blue pow switch to the left, to unblock the path to the bottom. Continue down the path to the pipe at the bottom. You'll be in the interior of the building, head right. Beware of the Shyguys, they have a tendency to let you jump right through their heads, hurting you. You'll notice some clock shaped blocks, wth a 20 on them. These set your time to 20, so be prepared to run. Once you fall down, head left, grab the springboard, and head back right, press the blue pow block, and jump back up through the 20 second timers. Collect the coins and go right.

You'll find some more 20 second blocks. Go down through these, and to the right. Fall down the pit with the coins, hit the yellow star block to spawn a shell. Take the shell back up and hit the block to the right for a vine. Dart to the right, this is the last 20 second block you're getting in this room. Enter the door to the right, catch your breath, and when you're ready, jump out of the pit, you're not getting any 20 second timers for a little while. Go to the right, go up through the shaft at the end and hit the blue pow block. Grabbing the power-up will almost certainly lose you a life. Go back down where the brown blocks were, and do it fast. From there, head left, the rest of the path is pretty easy to figure out, just be fast. After this part, you're done worrying about time. Just proceed through the rest of the fairly normal remainder of the level.

Congratulations! World 5 has been conquered! Strange that it doesn't end at the castle.

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5-9 Snowflake Cavern: That's some unusual snow.

This level is unlocked from the Zephyr Manor secret exit, in world 4. Technically, it could be a world 4 level, but it's placed in the world 5 map.

To start, you're in a strange dark room with a pipe. Enter the pipe, and head right. The path to the end of the room is obvious, just keep heading right. When you get to the end, you'll find a door that takes you to a lava infested area. I guess this is where the level gets its name from. Just head right again, if you have the yellow and blue switch blocks activated, run up the wall for an easier path. Continue to the end to find another door, which will put you in an area with some water. Head left from here, it's pretty much just an easier copy of the lava segment. Enter the door at the end to be planted at the midway point. Make your way upward, and use the blue p-switch at the door at the top, quickly climbing up the coins to the top. Enter the door here to be placed in a green cave filled with acid. You're welcomed to feel confused. This is probably the toughest segment of the level, due to some tricky jumps. Head right and over, grabbing the springboard. Bring it back to the start, and use it to grab the blue p-switch up top. Take this back to the right side of the level and hit it. The steep slope isn't fun to deal with, it could cost you a few lives if you're big. After this, you'll be placed in a cave with some more lava, and lots of Chuckyas, who will throw Mario when they make contact. You're free to ignore them, and just find the door at the end. This is the final door, you'll be at the exit now.

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5-9x Snowflake Cavern Secret: Marathon Man!

The secret exit involves just the first real segment of the level. It's also one of the more skillful secret exits to acquire. Step by step:

1) Locate the springboard on a low platform after the first Bullet Bill launcher, use it to grab the blue p-switch above.
2) Move springboard left, under some brown blocks.
3) Take blue p-switch right, and use it on the blocks above the key.
4) Quickly rush left to the springboard, and clear out the coins before the p-switch runs out of time.
5) Take the blue p-switch from the area left, and bring it back to the key.
6) Hit the switch, grab the key, and rush to the right to the green pipe on the low part of the stage. If the p-switch runs out of time before the horizontal green pipe on the low end of the level, you're out of luck, you need to retry.

Some handy tips on making the final run:

*Be small, you're more likely to die, but also less likely to bash your head on obstacles, slowing you down.
*Hit the switch on some cement blocks, so you don't waste time picking up the pressed switch instead of the key.
*Be prepared to try again and again.

It will likely take more than one attempt, it is a tight squeeze to get to the goal.

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5-10 Aero Skyline: Up you go!

This level is unlocked from Snowflake Cavern's normal exit.

(Author's note: awesome background)

A really simple, fun level. Just head right, there's nothing to look out for that you shouldn't know how to deal with already.

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5-11 Peaks to Puffs: Free capes for everybody!

This level is unlocked from Snowflake Cavern's secret exit.

This is easily one of the best levels for grabbing free capes. It's just a short distance to the upper right. Aside from that, this is another really simple level. If the boomerang/hammer bros are giving you trouble, bring a fire flower along to deal with them easier.

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5-12 Wieza Niebo: I feel like someone is following me...

This level is unlocked from the Atop the Clouds secret exit.

Phanto phun. To start the level off, go left. There you will find a room with a key trapped in a small box. Go further right to find a springboard. Use it to grab the blue p-switch above, which you will use to grab the key from the box below. Take the key, and use the springboard to jump up to the top left where you can enter a pipe. Use the key on the door, and enter. The next part is straightforward, just grab the blue p-switch at the end, and use it to get in to the pipe afterwards. Level becomes simple again, keep going right until you find the midway.

Once you end up outside, you'll see a locked door you can't get up to. Go right, and you'll find yourself in a long blue room. Head right, and grab the springboard at the end, and make a break for the area you came in from, there are plenty of stalking Phantos around this room. Use the springboard to reach the key up above, then use the springboard to put the key in to the door you saw earlier. You'll be placed in a simple green room, just follow the path to the end. You'll locate a boss door... But it's just the Big Boo Boss. Feel free to laugh at this pathetic creature, as he has no feelings and can't even hurt you if he tries. Just smack him with the blocks around the room and you're done!

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5-13 Nimbus Ascent: Gas powered scimitars!

This level is unlocked from the Stratosphere Ride secret exit.

Straightforward auto scrolling level, but it's not as easy as some others. Try to stay towards the top to give yourself some more time to find the correct path. The second part of the level is also auto scrolling, but horizontally. Be careful of the motorized traps, and you'll make it to the end soon.

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5-14 Red Switch: Mario is jealous!

This level is unlocked from the Chateau of Storms secret exit.

Easy switch level, just spin jump up the big fireball thing to get past the first area, then do some wall running to get to the top from there.

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And with that, all of world 5 is finished! Congratulations, that's a lot of exits!

[WR6]

6-1 Dark Desert Night
: Travelling in the desert at night is safer, but that's when baseball pitchers come out to play!

This is a nighttime level. Since the Sanctuary Fortress also went from day to night, and To Land Much Below! was daytime, doesn't this mean Mario is already late to deliver Peach's cake? Anyway, the normal exit is really simple, it's a nice way to ease in to world 6 after the finale of world 5. Just go right, and you'll make it to the end soon.

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6-1x Dark Desert Night Secret: At least the key isn't buried in sand.

Start the level like normal, but when you come to a pit with some pads leading down, enter it. Go to the back of the nook to find a blue p-switch. Carry on with the level while holding it. When you come across another pit with a bush at the bottom, go down and see the key under the brown used blocks. Use the blue p-switch to clear these, and then go back towards the start of the stage. At the top of the area a little right of the start is the keyhole.

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6-2 Buried Graveyard: Burying the place where the dead are buried prevents zombies!

Never such a thing as a simple ghost house. This level is pretty dark, turn out your lights if you're having trouble seeing. Start the level by entering the pipe shortly to the right. Go to the right once in the interior of the level until you can see a door under some square blocks missing their center. Some of these are rounded off on the bottom and will fall down if you stand on them long enough, allowing you to get to the door. Once in the door, jump down on to the fragile blocks below. Press your back to the left wall, so you are looking towards the right, and fall all the way down, you will be safe if you are facing right. Find the falling blocks in the bridge you land on. Find the holes in all the coming bridges, and soon you'll be at the bottom. Take the blue p-switch out through the pipe, and go to the right with it.

Use the switch to disintegrate the brown used blocks over a bunch of falling donut blocks, and fall to the bottom. Head right from here, and grab the silver p-switch when you get to it. Take the silver p-switch over to the start of the level, and use the Boo Blocks to climb up top. There's a regular Boo mixed in with the blockheads, which can prove annoying. If you have to, try and despawn the regular boo with a little camera manipulation, there's no time limit on the stage. Head right at the top, and use the silver p-switch when you come across some munchers. Open the box in the small room to the right, and grab the shell. Be careful not to destroy it. Go left, and you can hitch a ride down on some falling donut blocks. Gently set the shell down on the right side of the small gap over some spikes, and walk in to the shell from the right side to kick it in. Climb up the vine that was called out, and go right. Tag the midway point (more like 7/8-of-the-way point) and continue right. Slide at the Koopas, but watch out for the skull headed crow things and you'll be at the end in no time.

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6-3 Lakitu's Lag00n: More like Lakitu's a goon!

This level isn't too hard, some tricky jumps, but nothing that should be too much by now. Go right, staying on the lower path, and you'll eventually see a springboard that just falls in to some water, where you can't claim it. Go where it fell, and jump to reveal a few hidden blocks. Go to the right, and hold R against the wall. When the camera has scrolled all the way, turn around, and there will be a springboard! Don't question who might be following you around to put this convenient item here, just grab it and use it to get the blue p-switch above. Take care not to grab the fish enemies in the next few parts, because you need them to get up. You can hold the run button before you get on them, but if you press it while on top, you will grab the fish, which will probably kill it.


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6-3x Lakitu's Lag00n Secret: Get your running shoes and your diving cap.

You have to be big to get this exit.

Follow the normal exit up to the mysteriously placed springboard, and use it to get the blue p-switch. Hit it where you're supposed to, but stop at nothing to get to the green pipe a little further in the level. Once there, swim right, and you'll soon come across some throw blocks. Toss them at the smashable blocks to the right to get to the key. If you have a cape, use that to smash the blocks. Take the key up the pipe to the upper right area, where you'll be placed back above water. Go to the left, and continue with the normal exit until you find 5 lined up yellow blocks. Spin jump through them and hit the middle one to reach the keyhole up top.

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6-4 Mostly Dead Desert: They don't die dead enough.

Near the start of the level you are presented with some yellow blocks stopping progress. Use the throw blocks above to clear a path, or a cape if you have one. The rest of the level is nice and straightforward, get to the end by heading right, where you'll be presented with a wall of brown blocks. Simply climb the vine and mash the blue p-switch above and run back down.

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6-4x Mostly Dead Desert Secret: Now these are really dry bones!

This has to be the quickest secret exit in the hack. Once you pass the wall of used blocks at the start, spin jump up the first skull Thwomp and hang to the right side of the shaft, revealing an invisible block. Jump on top of it, and the left side of the shaft will have another block to scale up with. Grab the key, drop it down the shaft, and spin jump down to safety. Head right with the key to the keyhole about one screen away.

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6-5 The Counterfort: It's a long way to the top!

A beautiful, fun level. For the normal path, go up. You'll need to do quite a bit of spin jumping to get all the way to the top, if something looks too high up, you probably just have to spin jump off something. Once you get to an area with bone chucking Dry Bones on either side, you can get up by revealing invisible blocks in the middle all the way to the top. When you get to the Ball 'n' Chain, spin jump up to the left side, and grab the springboard. Take it down and kick it up the right side, then spin jump off the Ball 'n' Chain up to it. Jumping up here will place you right of the midway point. Go over and tag it, and continue with the level. At the top of the first part, you'll be given a blue Yoshi!! Use the Koopas nearby to fly through the level. Be careful, getting hit will almost certainly kill you.

At the end of the stage, you fight Boom-Boom, just like in SMB3! Jump on his head 3 times and it's lights out for him.

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6-5x The Counterfort Secret: Two levels in one!

You have to be big to get to this exit.

One of the very rare levels in any hack to feature an entirely different path to the secret exit. From the start, head right and smash the bricks to go down. Stick to the left path of the level, for the most part it will be pretty easy. If something looks too hard, try the right side, and just keep navigating your way to the bottom. It's a nice and simple path downward, and when you get down all the way, there will be a door on the right side. Entering it will put you in a horizontal layer 2 level. For the first part, lure the pokey to the left and spin jump off his head to the ledge above. Keep going left and you'll find the secret exit in no time!

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6-6 Cactus Cavern: If the name doesn't stick, the cacti and Pokey will.

This is a nice, straightforward and pretty easy level. Just head right. When you find a blue pipe with a Chuck on it, you can bounce on him and lure him to destroy the blocks guarding the right side entry to the pipe. Entering it will send you to a bonus room which will cut off a little bit of the level. Strange, it looked like a really small pipe. Continue right, ocasionally you'll find impassable areas because of Pokeys, just look for a way to lure them out of your path and move on. There will be a segment where you are surrounded by lava in an auto scrolling area. Mind the lava, and you'll probably make it out fine.

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6-7 Arbiter's Grounds: And this bird you can not change!

Start the castle by going towards the right direction, scrolling your camera forward with R will help prevent getting hit by Bullies and other enemies before you can react. It's mostly basic platforming stuff along the way, but eventually you'll find a springboard above some nets. You have to form an invisible block bridge to get to it. Take the springboard to the right and plant it in a 1-tile wide hole in the floor and jump up. The next obstacle to overcome is a wall of throwable blocks with a roto-disc and Ball 'n' Chain rotating in opposite directions, making the timing for getting down there a little tougher. Just dashing against the wall and mashing the run button a few times will probably get you by safely. Shortly after, there will be some brown used blocks preventing access to the top area. Climb the net right and find a blue pow switch. You have to be very quick to make it back in time from the switch. Jumping is faster than just climbing, so try to be in the air as often as possible and you should make it after a couple tries. Go right from here to tag the midway point.

Once you enter the door, you'll find Diddy Kong's buddy, Squawks. Grab a hold of his bird legs and start flying around. Once you go up far enough, you'll be brought to an auto scroll area. Try to stay towards the lower end of the screen to give yourself time to react to the incoming obstacles. Once you reach the top, you'll be at the boss door. If you need some health, there is a box to the right. Enter the door to find...

TUTANKOOPA: Self-destructive Summoner extraordinaire!

This is actually one of the easiest bosses in the whole hack. His attacks consist of conjuring shells, Chomps and rocks to his aid. You can identify which attack is about to come up by looking to the middle of the screen, where a preview will be. You're pretty safe if you just stand on the lowered tile across from whichever side he's on, nothing can hit you except for his falling rock attack, which is also the way you'll be hurting him. Avoid all the attacks you can, and when you see the rock icon come up in his magical invocative roulette wheel, rush down to the floor and under him. He'll conk himself out, and you just have to do what you would to any other Koopa; jump on his head! You can jump on him multiple times while he's stunned, up to 4 times is not unreasonably hard to pull off. After you've stomped him 10 times, he'll be your problem no more!

With him downed, you'll have passed world 6! Good job! Dust off your diving gear for world 7.

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6-8 Sand Castle of Doom: I'd prefer the Sand Castle of Duke Nukem!

This level is unlocked from the Mostly Dead Desert secret exit.

The normal exit is really absolutely nothing special. Just run and jump to the right and you'll bump in to the end eventually!

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6-8x Sand Castle of Doom Secret: Arrrrrrgh, this exit.

Start the level by going a little bit to the right, but you'll want to get up to the top left corner of the level. Find your way up, and you'll be in an area with a strangely dark background. Go up the gray platform and observe that there is in fact, a key on a rope conveyor belt. Also observe that it has a long way to go before it reaches the end. Go ahead to the end and wait for the key to be delivered. After you have secured the exit opening package, proceed right, on to a line guided platform. Tag every switch you pass by, or you'll regret it. You can't really see the directions the lines go due to the fact that the background color is a solid black as are the lines.

Once outside, go right, and place the key by a pile of 4 munchers blocking a pipe. Go back left until you encounter 2 steep slopes with a muncher in the middle, and go up. There's a silver p-switch near the top border of the level, you can reach the platform by standing next to the Volcano Lotus and getting a little momentum before jumping. Take the switch back to the munchers you parked your key by and clear the path, taking the key with you in to the pipe. Go right, and when you find the second orange pipe up above, enter it. To the right there will be a few Pokeys blocking a small tunnel to the right. Wait for them to move out of the way, or just tank the hit, and get to the keyhole.

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6-9 Hidden Oasis: It's not a mirage!

This level is unlocked from The Counterfort's secret exit. This level unlocks nothing but a path backwards when beaten.

Just head right until you find a pipe with 2 coins over it. Enter the pipe, and continue right. Observe the 3-up moon in the wall teasing you. Moving on, you will be dispensed just past the midway point. Tag the midway to the left, then carry on going right. After another short segment, you'll find yourself underwater. Go all the way to the right of the level. You're both welcomed and encouraged to cry at Mario's sluggish swimming speed. Take the blue p-switch in one of the boxes near the reset door, and carry it back left, to get the silver p-switch. Take the silver p-switch to the lower part of the leve, and use it near some munchers. Swim right. After this part, just go right and get the end.

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That's all of world 6! Great, now get a cold drink!

[WR7]

7-1 Dark Depths
: You'll wish Mario could light a torch under water.

A very very dark level. If you're using an emulator, you can turn off layer 2 to get a better view if you need to. Keep heading right, and try to take the lowest path you can. Beward of downward facing pipes, they have torpedo launchers inside. Right after this is a normal, dry area of the level. Take the springboard on the right and grab the blue p-switch on the left. Use the switch to clear the blocks to the right side, and continue with the level. The midway point will be directly right, tag it. Stick to the right path of the level until you make it to the top, then enter the pipe. You'll be at the end now.

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7-1x Dark Depths Secret: The legend of the life preserver key!

Take the normal path up until the dry room. Notice the floor is odd looking in one part, and press down to enter. The key will be guarded by a few Urchins. Wait for them to move, and get the key and head back up. Don't kill the Koopa in the dry room, you'll need to borrow his head. Throw the key over to the brown used blocks to the right, use the springboard to grab the blue switch to the left, and then throw the springboard and switch up near the blocked path. Jump off the winged Koopa's head to get up. Take the springboard to the right first, and set it down. Go back for the key. You can't make the jump back up if you're big, so get hit if you are big. Use the springboard you left over here to hit the on/off switch above. Take the key in to the pipe to the right, and do NOT touch the midway point. If you die after touching it, you can no longer get back in the level to get the key.

Stick to the left side of the level as often as possible, and when you come across a downward facing yellow pipe behind a wall you can't reach, set the key down at the brown used blocks below it. Head on the normal path to the end of the level again, and when you come to a whistling Chuck, head to the upper left path. There's a blue p-switch in the block over there. Swim down with it, and use it on the brown used blocks next to the yellow pipe, swim down, claim the key, and enter the yellow pipe. In here, there will be a blue p-switch and a shell kicking Koopa. You have to time when you press the switch so that it will land in the leftmost block. If you miss this, you have to repeat the entire last area, assuming you have the time left. Before the switch runs out of time, remember to clear the left and right paths of coins. When you get the silver switch, use it on the right side of the stage and clear out the munchers to get to the keyhole!

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7-2 Tropical Stride: Interests include long walks on the beach!

Straightforward level. To get past the high wall at the start, use one of the nearby Koopa's shells to bust the block at the bottom open to sprout a vine. Gardening with turtle shells, what will they think of next? When you get to a gap too long to jump across, you have to make use of the Bullet Bill launcher to your side. Jumping on it about 1/4 of the distance over the pit should be far enough to boost you across. For the rest of the level, just head right, it's simple. It gets pretty tough though.

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7-2x Tropical Stride Secret: Secret stash!

Just go on the path to the normal exit, until you find a bunch of pipes with some fire spewing jumping piranha plants with a green diagonal pipe to the right. Go in the lowest blue pipe and hit all of the blocks in the small bonus room until you find the key. Use the blue p-switch to get up to it, then leave the area with the key, the keyhole is shortly before the goalpost.

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7-3 Into the Water: Mario's kind of already been there, done that and bought the soaked overalls!

Straightforward level, not sure why the time limit is so high. The sign above the top warns you about the unnaturally strong tides where the water looks disturbed. Try to stay centered in these areas as much as possible, the exit is always found in the middle. After you find the door, you'll be put in an area with Cave Story graphics. Thankfully, this is the only Cave Story aspect of the area; no critters to worry about! Just swim to the right side of the level and enter the door to be put in an auto scrolling area. After the autoscroller, you'll be back outside. Be very careful not to fall in the water, chances are you're not coming back. Keep going right, and you'll find a cave. In the cave, you'll find a path to the end, and be done.

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7-3x Into the Water Secret: Some people throw coins at the bottom of a well, others throw keys!

Head to the normal exit until you find the Cave Story looking area. A little to the right, at the bottom of the first ledge, you might notice the keyhole. You're looking for that, but this leaves the issue of locating the key! Trek to the right, and when you find the door, take a dive in the pool of water below. At the bottom is a glimmering key. Take this key back to the start of the area where you saw the keyhole. It's a lot more difficult on the way back, thanks to horrid water physics, but you can do it!

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7-4 Lulu Boo's Mansion: It may be a ghost house, but the party is alive as ever!

Start the level by going left, enter the door, and then enter the door behind the Donut Boo Boss, he can't hurt you, hopefully you'll try not to hurt him either! You'll notice Boss Bass down at the bottom. Ugh. You can either wait for the platforms in the level to help you cross safely, or you can go for a dip if you're confident that you can manage dealing with Boss Bass. Enter the door at the end, and you'll be submerged with plenty of ghosts around. Swim downwards and find the key, and take the key out the pipe at the bottom. Head right, and use the key on the door. Try not to make the key contact the top of the door, otherwise it might just eat your key and remain locked. Tag the midway point.

Take one of the throw blocks from below, and smack an on/off switch to get out of the room. Climb the chain upwards, then go left. You can go through the pipe. Be sure to smile back at the smiley face formation of coins at the end. Enter the door, and pass by the Donut Boo Boss again. Run right, and you'll be at a door where you get to meet Lulu Boo. She may be a southerner, but lacks in the hospitality department, and wants you out. Head right and grab the blue p-switch, carrying it in to the pipe. Use the switch at the clock shortly to the left of where you end up. Then, you fight Lulu Boo! She follows more loosely here, making it a good idea to attack from the left, then go right, and do the same. Just grab the throw blocks nearby and hit her face with them and you'll be done right quick.

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7-5 Wild Wet Castle: Get some coffee.

This is a very long level. To start, just go right. Watch out for the Shyguys, there are a lot of them, and they have a pretty good chance of just getting glitched right through, hurting you. Avoid them if possible, or use some sort of weaponry to kill them, be it fireballs, a cape, or other enemies. When you reach the end of the screen, you'll be at the sewers. Watch out for the falling slime from the ceiling, and soon you'll be at some appearing and disappearing blocks. This is something of a memory game, you have to make it to the top, but these block go away pretty fast. If this is too hard, a cape can bypass it. Continue with the level, and you'll find some golden Thwomps. These will stun you if you're on the ground when they hit it, much like the huge Thwomps in Palace Acropolis. Soon, you'll hit a midway point (yes, there is more than one!).

Go to the right, and enter the second vertical pipe you come across. Go up, under the Volcano Lotus, and jump right, and enter the lowest pipe all the way on the right side. Take a Koopa from here, and enter the pipe you came in from. Go left, and throw it at the on/off switch at the top of a thin vertical shaft. Jump back over to the Volcano Lotus to the right, then go left once you're on top of the bridge. Go all the way back to the start of the room and enter the pipe. The solid blocks will now be passable, so continue to the right. The next obstacle you'll find will be those pretty, colorful blocks from Yoshi's Island. The blue ? blocks dispense shells of assorted colors for you to toss at them. This will take a long time, try not to fall asleep. Make your way over to the end of the block maze, and you'll have hit the second midway point. Use the shells in this room to create a vertical hole. If you've got fire power, be extra careful not to destroy the shells, or you have to redo the whole room. To clear it a little faster, just stand under one single spot, and keep kicking upwards. Use the springboard to get up, and you'll find a pipe to the right leading to the...

GIANT PIRANHA PLANT: You're going to need more than Weed-B-Gone for this one.

One of the nastier bosses in the hack, most attacks aren't really hard to dodge, but it is a long fight, making it more of an endurance boss. For the first volley of fire, you can simply stand in the middle of the third pipe from the left and duck. Everything will go way over Mario's head, just like the joke in the subtitle for this boss! Once it's done shooting fire, it will start to move left, in a wave motion. Stay near, but not completely against the left wall, then back up to the wall and jump over when it makes its third depression. Repeat the process when it comes back around. After this is done, goodness gracious, it will launch great balls of fire in to the air, which will come hurdling back down from the left side, covering 1 pipe at a time, moving right. It will do this in reverse order as well. Standing on the lips of the third and fourth pipes from the left will provide sufficient time to avoid any formation of fireballs. After this, it will finally drop some enemies for you to use as ammo. Fling any Koopa shells you get right in to its face, and it will turn green and temporarily immune to damage. Occasionally it will fire a red bouncy goo ball, you can't do anything to these and they are not safe to jump on, just dodge them. If small piranha plants dip down from the ceiling, ducking between the third and fourth pipe should prove safe. The rest of the fight pans out in much the same way as it started, just keep dodging the fire and you'll have this weed whacked.

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7-6 Bully's Bramble: Yellow Block gives you wings!

Simple action level to make up for all the backtracking in the castle prior. Watch out for Bullies, they'll shove you around if you touch them. They are immensely annoying enemies when spikes are involved. Being a bramble level, you can be sure there are plenty of spikes around to be pushed in to. Go to the right side of the level where you'll find some ? blocks. The left one contains a Yoshi, the right one contains wings for Yoshi. Be sure to get Yoshi first, or you have to redo the area. Once you have the wings, just do the rest of the auto scrolling level and drop off the bottom of the screen at the end.

And now you're out of world 7! The depths of Bowser's Valley awaits...

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7-7 Morel Mountain: Beats the Moral High Horse any day!

This level is unlocked from the Sand Castle of Doom secret exit. This could be a world 6 stage, but the overworld music dictates it is a world 7 stage.

A nice, pretty, straightforward level to play on. Just go right. When you find some jumps that are too far, use the aid of the parabeetles, which also rise when you stand on them.

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7-8 Dinosaur Reef: Prehistoric creatures not included!

A simple underwater level? You bet. Lots of torpedo launchers though, stay aware. Don't try swimming under the level either, Mario will be sad. And kind of dead.

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7-8x Dinosaur Reef Secret: Gotta find 'em all!

The other scavenger hunt level. Find all 5 Dragon Coins and win! Coin locations:

1) Just after the blue p-switch, go down and to the left.
2) To the right of the midway point, which is close to the bottom of the level.
3) To the left of the pipe leading outside at the end of the map.
4) Head back to the midway point, and enter the pipe to the left. Go left from here, taking the top path, the coin is at the end.
5) Go to the right side, and find the Dragon Coin there.

From there, just head left, and you'll pass by the 5 DC blocks, and eventually find the key and keyhole.

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7-9 Permafrost Glacier: It's like a really big ice cube in a super massive drink.

This level is unlocked from the Dinosaur Reef normal exit.

This level starts out really dead simple. Just go right until the midway point, then enter the pipe! Watch out for the spinies below, and for the blue thing from SMB3 that throws bricks. Continue traveling the level until you find a jump almost out of Mario's reach. Use an invisible block or two under the ledge to the right to get up. Enter the first pit you see, and grab hold of a nearby Koopa to open the box to the right, for a blue p-switch. Take this to an area where you see a vertical stack of smashable bricks. Use the blue p-switch here and head to the pipe to the right. Enter it and you'll be right near the end of the level.

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7-10 Shoreline Woods: Moonwalking Goombas!

This level is unlocked from the Tropical Stride secret exit.

The Goombas really do moonwalk here if you make them move to the right. The level starts simple, just follow the path along the way, using the silver ! blocks to clear the munchers you encounter, until you get to a wall of blocks in the way of your path in an auto scrolling area. Enter the brown pipe near the wall, and put your thinking cap on. The orange pipe you came in from is a reset pipe if you need it. For this room:

1) Grab Koopa's shell.
2) Hit silver ! block
3) Hit the bottom block with the Koopa shell you stole.

Use the silver switch to clear out any remaining munchers. Be careful, you can get stuck on the top area of the level if you get hit and the vine didn't clear the yellow block to the left. Take the blue p-switch outside, where you will continue with the autoscrolling level, and tag the midway. Carry on with the level until you come to another block wall. Instructions:

1) Scroll camera right with the R button to get a better view of the playing field.
2) Use the blue ! block to navigate the shell to the bottom of the maze, by timing your hits so it advances past the coins.
3) Use the Koopa shell that has been bounced up to hit the yellow block with a muncher under it, to get a silver p-switch. Use the silver switch to get to the blue switch right.

Take the blue switch back outside and clear the path again. It won't be long until you reach the final, and hardest puzzle.

Having a cape here allows you to bypass this puzzle with ease. Just duck jump to the right side block and flip the shell up to the Koopa to kick in to the block to the left, and claim the blue p-switch, heading out the green pipe to the bottom left side. If you're so unfortunate as to not have a cape:

1) Scroll camera with R.
2) Hit one of the many blue ! blocks to get started.
3) When the time runs out, give it about 1/3 of a second to hit it again so the shell can cross over to the coins. You can be a little late or early on the timing for this part.
4) Hit the block a few more times to keep the timer going long enough to clear the multi-coin block and drop down.
5) This is the toughest part. When the timer runs out and the shell breaks loose, hit the blue ! block again just as it passes over the edge of the brown blocks. You can be a little late on the timing, but early will almost certainly send the shell down the pit, making you have to restart.
6) From this point, just keep hitting the ! blocks until the shell knocks a shell up for you to grab. Take the shell and kick it at the blocks near the top, timing it so the blue Koopa will be able to kick it left.

Claim the blue p-switch, go out the bottom left green pipe, and you're almost out of this mess! Use it to clear the blocks in the way, then go right until you find a lone smashable brick. Hit this for a star, which will last you to the end of the level if you're running at full speed.

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7-11 Waterlogged Woods: Logs in water are better than sticks in mud!

This level is unlocked from Shoreline Woods.

Yahoo! A fairly action based level to make up for all the puzzles in the previous one. No real tricks here, just enter the pipes at areas you're blocked off at on the dry parts of the level. The fish flinging generator is used about halfway through the level, but since you'll be pretty close to the bottom of the screen, they should be flying safely overhead.

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7-12 Disco Switch: Groovy! And the best switch color!

This level is unlocked from Waterlogged Woods.

The object of this level is to guide the disco shell from the start to the end. You'll know if you messed up if the shell isn't able to follow you, so just use one of the nearby reset doors. At the end there will be a block with a vine in it, leading to a bonus room and the green switch. The bonus room is not favorable, if you leave it, the vine will be gone, and it's not a very easy jump from the bonus to the switch, leaving you a good possibility of having to redo the whole level. If you're like me, though, you can opt to do a little camera manipulation to despawn the Koopa and just grab the shell and carry it to the end of the level yourself! Much faster and easier this way, if you can't do it the normal way.

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7-13 Glacial Grave: Gloomy!

This level is unlocked from the Into the Water secret exit. This level unlocks nothing.

One of the easier and shorter levels of world 7, probably due to what it unlocks. Just head right, and auto scroll will carry you to the end after that. Experience dodging Grinders will help you out here.

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That's the whole of world 7! Yes, no more water! Congratulations!

[EXW1]

1-7 Garden Path
: It's a walk in the park!

This level is unlocked from the And So It Begins... secret exit.

Far and away the most 'different' level in the entire hack. You navigate a pseudo 3D maze, your jump height is decreased, and Mario actually drowns at the bottom of water. This is a very easy level for the point of the game required to access it, just wander around towards the right, watching out for various pitfalls and other hazards, and you'll make it to the end soon. Fun level!

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1-8 Cave of Elements: Variety is the spice of life!

This level is unlocked from Garden Path.

Don't let Garden Path's easy difficulty fool you, Cave of Elements doesn't pull punches. At the start, you're given Yoshi, for the sole purpose of jumping off his back to get over the first obstacle. Yay. Don't toss him off the side, or you have to wait out the timer. From there, enter the pipe to your right. You'll be under a message box explaining what's going on in this room. Heed the information. Fortunately there isn't much to explore, just keep going down the given path and soon you'll find the next room. This one is a lava themed area. Go right, and find the blue p-switch to use to get the floating skulls down. They will take you where you need to go. When you get to a small room with a low ceiling and no pads to get across on, spin jump off the Blarg's head.

The next room is soon after. You'll be up in the sky for the third challenge, be prepared to face Lakitu. If you have a cape or fire flower, his cloud will prove useful for getting around the area, otherwise he will be a big nuisance. Get to the right side of the level and take the blue p-switch and use it to enter the horizontal green pipe to the left. There, you'll be in an area with a moving layer 2. The path is pretty obvious, just be patient if you have a lot of time left, and you can get by unscathed. Take the blue p-switch at the end and use it to clear the path to the goal!

This time you're really done with world 1!

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[WR8]

8-1 Confusion Chambers
: Mario hit himself in confusion!

This level is much easier with a cape. Bully's Bramble is a good, not far off level to get some free capes, so there's no excuse not to have one for the start. Near the start of the level you'll find an up arrow constructed of colored block outlines. Fly up here and grab the silver p-switch, and head right in to the pipe, where you'll be submerged with some torpedo launchers. Continue right, and ignore the blue p-switch at the end, as this is only used for acquiring the silver p-switch you already have. Once you exit, immediately activate the switch to dispose of the Fishin' Boo. Run to the right, through the munchers which should still be coins. A little further right will lead you to the midway point. Tag it, and go right to find the blue p-switch. Take it back to the midway and use it to go below.

Once there, you'll find some Koopas next to some blocks. Go left to get the shell, and kick it up to the Koopa near the blue p-switch so it will hit the block, which will dispense a blue p-switch you can grab. Use this at the brown blocks to get by, to find another segment, just like the last. This time you want the fire flower, so give the Koopa a shell to kick. Use the fire flower to melt the blocks just above, and proceed to the last area, a lot like the previous two. Take the shell, and use it on the right side block yourself. This will sprout a coin bridge which you will need to get across. Navigate it to form a line to the other end of the room, then hit the blue p-switch above and cross. Use the fire flower to melt the blocks in the way. Once there, enter the right side door, the left will take you back to the first area with Koopa shells, ouch! Kill the Big Boo Boss and you're done!

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8-1x Confusion Chambers Secret: Mario and the claustrophobic spike maze of doom!

Repeat the steps for the normal exit up until you exit the underwater area. Instead of going through the munchers, take a detour to the left, a fairly dangerous looking path. At the bottom will be the key. Take the key left of where you were dropped from and up to the highest platform to place it in the keyhole!

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8-2 Crystals on Fire: Fight or flight!

This is a pretty standard tough level up until you find some Bullet Bill launchers with jumping winged Koopas in between them. To the left of these is a block with a vine in it, and to the right there is another. If you have a cape, and you'll really really want one, just fly up and to the right. Use a Koopa shell to hit the right side block, or jump off a Bullet Bill to achieve the same effect. This is one of the toughest single jumps in the hack, and you only have a few options aside from the cape. You can use the Bullet Bill launcher to the right side of the lava pit to cross over, back to the left, which requires amazing timing, or you can use a shell to help yourself scale the wall on the right. Alternatively, you can try and run off the top of the left side platforms at the top of the left side vine to land on the farthest Bullet Bill launcher, and get a full speed jump off of that and make it up. Personal recommendation: just use the gosh darn cape.

After this, you'll be at the midway! Just head right in to the pipe, and the rest of the level will be nice and straightforward.

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8-3 Toxic Utilities: The nasty side effects of modern living!

Throughout the first half of the level, the lights will ocasionally go out, and a booming thud will be heard, stunning Mario in place shortly if he's on the ground at the time of this. The water is also dangerous, it doesn't actually hurt Mario, but it will drain time at an alarming rate. Stay out of it as often as possible. Aside from these, the level is pretty straightforward, just head left until the midway point. From there, enter the pipe and go right, and try to stay out of the water as much as you can, because it still sucks time away. You should have roughly 100 Mario seconds left by the time you reach the end.

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8-3x Toxic Utilities Secret: Keep out of reach of children!

Follow the normal path until you find an area with a Grinder and a yellow Paratroopa surrounded by 2 ? boxes. Take the Koopa's shell and lob it in to the left side box for the key. Take the key to the midway point, where the keyhole is. The level is a little tougher because of holding the key, but not by a whole lot. Simple exit!

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8-4 Gaijin Cave: They're Koopas, not Kappas, after all!

This level is much easier if you have the red switch activated. If you really must, you can cheat to the end of the level using the cape.

Head to the right side of the level, using the Parakoopas around the area as foot stools as necessary. Once there, enter the lower pipe on the right. Start heading left, tagging the midway point, and you'll find some brown blocks in your way. There's a blue pow block below, you can use that to clear the path. Soon after, you'll be back outside! From there, just keep going right. The spinies in the narrow passageways are not easy to dodge without a cape/fire flower to take care of them. If you get hit, you should be able to make it past both, though. Don't fall down from the bones, or you'll be back on the first half of the stage. Just a little more distance and you will be at the goal.

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8-5 Adventum Terminus: Adventurus finishus for the overweighticus plumberus.

The final castle level, and it will be punishing. Start by going right in the eerily empty area, and eventually you will find your way to a path which will put you at a boss fight of sorts. It's just a Thwomp and some Venus Fire Traps, and you're given the throw blocks needed to dispose of them. Kill them all and a door will spawn. Enter it, head right to the pipe at the end, and you'll be brought to another battle! This one is easier because there is no Thwomp. Kill all the plants, and enter the door, to be brought to the midway point. That wasn't so bad!

If you are having too much trouble getting by the area, you might consider getting a cape, it will make things incredibly easy. For the big men, though, just keep heading right, and when a jump seems like it's too far to make, you'll probably just have to make a full speed running jump. At the end of here, you'll be taken to an underwater area. There's a blue p-switch above, but you don't need it. Head right until you find another fight room. This is the toughest one because of the Hammer Bro, and being underwater doesn't really make things easier.

After this is done and over with, carry on right, to the end of the next water segment. Going up, you'll find yourself in a dark room. The light goes on and off periodically, Bowser probably just forgot to pay the electric bill. Scroll the camera with R, or you will regret it. Being small, or having the yellow switch activated, or both, will help tremendously on this next part. Make a running jump to the right, and then again off the platform you just landed on. Spin jump off the Thwomp's head and around to the top side, this is one of the toughest jumps to make if you are big. If you made it, good job! Now you better still have the camera scrolled ahead, because there are more running jumps to be had. The frequency at which the lights flicker also speeds up, becoming slightly disruptive. Once you make it to the end and tag the next midway point you get to fight...

TAP TAP THE RED NOSE: Has he lost his mind? Can he see or is he blind? Can he walk at all, or if he moves will he fall?

This can be one of the easiest boss fights, or it can be one of the hardest. During the fight, there will be spikes falling from the ceiling, as well as defying gravity, going upwards periodically. Sometimes, a special sound will be heard, and you can pretty much kiss your life goodbye, as a whole wall of spikes comes from above and below at once. As soon as you start the battle, if you're not big already, run to the right along the floor for a hidden mushroom. Use your spin jump to break through the blocks over the lava. If you got hit before you could break away all of the blocks, there's another mushroom in the upper right corner of the room, and another in the midst of a bunch of throw blocks in the yellow ! block if you have the switch activated. If you're out of powerups and still haven't uncovered the lava, the pipe in the upper right area will take you back outside to try again.

Once the lava is uncovered, you're going bull fighting. Try to stand close, but not too close. Enough to get him to try and jump. Have a throw block ready at all times, and try to get him to jump over the lava pit. Once you see him wind up for a jump, run to the other side of the lava pit, and get ready to toss your block at him, sending him to a Terminator-esque death. He won't give you a thumbs up though, sadly.

After this, you'll be done here, it's on to Bowser's Castle!
8-6 Amethyst Vein: Tubular Mk. II!

This level is unlocked from the Confusion Chambers secret exit.

Pretty purple around here. Start by going right until you reach a dead end. Hit one of the blocks for a blue p-switch. Hit it, and run left. Be quick, you have to go back around the top, too. After that, head a bit further right for the midway point. From there, you'll be going by air. Smash the ? block and grab the P balloon, and make your way right. Hit all the ? boxes on the way to renew the time you have left as a human floatation device. If you take a hit, you get popped and plummet to the ground. This can be deadly, or it can get you through faster, depending on what you happen to be over at the time of getting hit. The blue pipes around the area will allow you a second chance, use them if you must. The end of this area will take you to some more hot-air balloon fun. After this, it's not much farther until the end of the level!

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8-6x Amethyst Vein Secret: What don't you need for this one?

This exit requires the green and red switches activated, and a cape.

The steepest requirements for any non-special world stage exit. You don't really need the red switch if you're handy with a cape, but it's a lot better just to get the switch. Take the normal path until you find a blue p-switch resting on top of some green blocks. Use this to clear out the brown blocks ahead to activate the vine plant, and the blocks the football kicker is on top of. After this, fly up the vertical shaft just above where the football kicker used to rest. Hit the block on the right for a silver p-switch, and set it down beside the munchers below. Activate it, and be quick to clear out the nearby munchers, then rush to clean out the ones in front of the pipe at the top of the vine. Go back and get the key from the right side munchers, and take it up the vine in to the pipe and you're done.

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8-7 Rupture in Reality: Nothing makes sense anymore!

This level is unlocked from Amethyst Vein.

A stage that starts off pretty normal, you got your Bullet Bill launchers, some rock flinging Chucks, and other things. You'll find the goal in no time! But something is amiss... As you jump towards it, Mario will get teleported to a strange alternate reality of the level he was just in. Trippy! Navigate your way to the left, spin jumping off the enemies around the place to get over some pits. Follow the arrow of coins downward. From there, you'll be in an even more warped moving layer 2 level. Head right from there. Nothing really tricky here, but it is pretty tough. At the end, you'll be treated to the midway point.

Dropping down the next pit will put you in a vertical area, where you have to reach the top. To get out of the starting area, wait until some blocks pass by the pipes below and you can cross over to the right side. Keep making your way upward, the path is pretty clear, just be patient and watch out for the ghostly fish floating by. Once you get to the pipe at the very top of the level, DO NOT HEAD LEFT, or you will be teleported back to the first trippy area. Touch the goal sphere and you're done.

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8-8 Spectral Abyss: Very superstitious!

This level is unlocked from Rupture in Reality.

An unusually cold level for being in a submap full of lava! You start by going up with the assistance of the vine in the nearby block. Continue right, keeping an eye out for the Thwomps which have a habit of blending in to the background, and you'll come across a stack of Bullet Bill launchers aimed towards a really long gap. You have to borrow their heads to make it across, just start on the raised platform and it will be pretty easy. A trio of living Bowser statues wait near the end, with munchers just above. They can be a bit of a nuisance, but if you move quickly they won't give you too much trouble. Continue heading right and you'll find the midway point soon. You can take any of the paths right, they all lead to the end, but avoid water if you can, as it will drain your timer at an alarming rate.

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8-8x Spectral Abyss Secret: I ain't afraid of no ghosts!

Take the normal path up until just beyond the 3 golden Bowser statues, and enter the pipe. From there, ride the skulls right, and pick up the blue p-switch along the way. After you and the skulls go your separate ways, take the switch up and over to the end of the map, and loop back around on the bottom side. Disintegrate the brown blocks around the key and keyhole, and you've got it!

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8-9 Forest's Furnace: Only you can prevent forest fires!

This level is unlocked from the Toxic Utilities secret exit. This level unlocks nothing.

Ouch! One of the tougher levels of world 8, but it's fully optional. Jumping straight up from the start will get you a mushroom, and Lakitu swings by with a 1-up at the end of his fishing line, pretty generous! Plenty of fire-based baddies here, as well as the ever annoying Chain Chomp. A fire flower will make this level much easier, as you can kick Lakitu out of his cloud after claiming the 1-up, and use his cloud to cruise over most obstacles. Other than that, this one is just going to take a bit of dedication, the path is completely linear.

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8-10 Creepy Dark Woods: If only Mario had a pair of hedge clippers!

This level is unlocked from the Amethyst Vein secret exit. This level unlocks nothing.

Fun fact: three out of four of the dead end levels are forest or woods themed.

This level starts out pretty simple, just go right, dodge some Koopas, standard fare. A little while in, though, fireballs start to become hidden behind the trees. Take your time, and if you can kill off the fireballs, you'll actually find this level isn't too hard. After the midway point, there will be plenty of foliage blocking your view. Head right, and grab the springboard, and carry it back over to the left. Here, the treetops can become really troublesome, with the narrow passages and fireballs hopping all around. A cape will help tremendously with extinguishing the fires, definitely go and get a couple. After you've filled your quota as a firefighter, you'll be at the exit!

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FINAL: Bowser's Castle: No turning back now!

This is it! The grand finale you've been questing for! Bowser spared no expense on outfitting the place with traps, you're in for a wild ride. Don't hesitate to stock up on flowers and capes if you need them. As a general tip for dealing with Chain Chomps, the only reliable way to get by them safely seems to be running under as they lunge at you, and jumping over the block keeping them in place. You can also be creative with the Fire Chomps and use them to blow up various enemies.

Starting the level, you can go under the ? blocks to your right, and hit them as the fire chomp approaches to KO him easily. Shortly further in, you'll be at a Chain Chomp and some diving bats. This is pretty tough to get by without taking a hit, but if you land on the ground and run away soon enough, the bats should pass just over Mario's head. Keep going until you find a box with a silver p-switch in it. You can use this preemptively to have an easier trip back left to the boxes the munchers were blocking, to grab the springboard to get above where you found the silver p-switch. This step can be bypassed by jumping off a Fire Chomp's head up to the shaft above where the silver p-switch is, or by flying up with a cape.

The door will take you to a room where the lights are having trouble staying on; further proof Bowser is not paying bills. Head right, but tread very carefully, as about halfway in, pieces of the floor will drop down, taking Mario with them. Their rate of falling accelerates dramatically towards the end, don't step on them until they are in the process of raising back up, or you will most likely die. The next room is comparatively easy, and is actually very forgiving if you've been keeping up with switch palace hitting. Tag the midway point at the end to be brought to another dark room, and a LOT of Fire Chomps. Try to get one to blow up, by avoiding its fire shots, usually the explosion will take out all of the following ones. Make your way right through the barely visible maze, and enter the door.

Don't fall off, that would be a terrible shame! Spin jumping is safer than regular jumping for the platforms with the Li'l Sparkies. Hit the blocks for some vines, but only the second one from the left seems to matter. Take the cape, and put on your flying goggles. Run up the right side, and fly left through the muncher-lined path. If you get hit, just keep running left and you can make it. If you still have the cape after this, fly up higher for a 3-up moon. The next area is borderline sadistic, with claustrophobic pathways littered with munchers and Chain Chomps. It's usually safer to take a Fire Chomp to the side and let it run its fuse low, then lure it back over to the Chain Chomps to blow them up. Not many tricks to know here aside from that; it's just a hard piece of level. At the end you'll be presented with the bright red boss door. Yes! Behind it is...

BOWSER: It's like Sumo wrestling this time!

This is a simple fight, one of the easiest ones in the hack. Contrary to most Mario games though, is that you can jump directly on his fat head. He fires a lot of things upwards, so you should time your jumps just after he spews a wave of fireballs or hammers. Avoiding his magic shots will prove useful too. Jump on his head to push him backwards a little bit. Keep jumping on his head until you ring him out, and he sinks in to the lava!

You did it! Bowser is toast! Now to make Peach that ca-OH wait it's not done yet! A cutscene explains what's going on, and you'll be presented with... The Void. A tear in the fabric of space and time, this is the most excruciating area of the whole hack. A series of mini-levels representing all of the worlds of the hack, trials that must be overcome before the true final showdown. In between doing rooms, you can die to go out and get more powerups and stuff to get the edge on the next one. Use this to your advantage.

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Void #1

Start with the leftmost one, and work your way right. The first one you come across will be in a grass/forest setting, a lot like the first world. The message box explains a little bit about how The Void works. Things start off pretty simple, just jump on the lighter tree branches. The darker ones you will pass right through, so take your time, and remember this. Eventually you will come to a Koopa kicking a shell. Dodge this, and pay attention to the small platform with the brightly colored plant growing out of it. Try to jump on this, it moves oddly due to being more in the background, but it can be done. Alternatively, jumping up the shell the Koopa kicks can work too. Keep going and pay attention to the lava, some parts have floating pads in it. Eventually, you will reach the end, DO NOT FORGET TO GRAB THE ORB ABOVE THE DOOR. This applies to all of The Void and its sublevels.

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Void #2

The second from the left door will lead you to a mountainous setting. This is a much easier level than the first one, but it's not going to hold your hand! Shortly in to the stage, you will see a big block, and some big outlines of a block. The A above them represents the button on the controller you should press to switch the solid blocks out. Pressing A to flip them only works if you're on the ground at the time of pressing, that is, you can't tap A to spin jump and then again to swap the blocks, so plan ahead. This is mostly common sense here, just take a look at what block is next, and decide which jump button to press from there. At the end, don't press the flip button when you're inside of a block, or you will be crushed. Grab the orb above the door, and you'll be outta there!

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Void #3

The next room is in the cave setting. The munchers here look pretty warped, and blend in to the foreground slightly. There are also invisible spikes and platforms, whose presence you can detect by standing around for a little while to notice them shimmering in the light. This is likely to be the longest subsection of The Void. You have to grab 5 p-switches scattered throughout the map. To the left of the entry way you will find some ? blocks. These contain powerups, and are the only ones in the map, so use them carefully. There are 2 p-switches on the left end of the map, and 3 on the right. The lower right path is the most dangerous because of the Thwomps, so try to get that one done first. Carry all of the switches back to the springboard area, or kick one of them up where there is an outline of a switch pointing upwards. Once you've gotten all of the switches located, use them to get by the coins/brown blocks ahead, and grab the orb at the end.

As a possibly more tolerable alternative to this, if you're having a hard time getting all of the switches and staying alive, just grab 2 of them and have a cape ready. Kick one up the hole above the powerup blocks, and hold on to the other. Use the cape to fly up to the one you kicked, from the transparent blocks below, and hit the first one. Go left, and use the the one you're carrying to get to the end! Careful though, you can get trapped in between the blocks if you don't have sufficient p-switches to hit.

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Void #4

Void #4 is ice themed. It's incredibly easy if you know where to head. The answer to that is simple; just drop down in the pit right next to the start, and hug the left wall. Take the p-switch to the blocks a bit further in the level, use it, and make a dash across the blocks before the timer runs out. Claim the orb over the door, and there you go!

Half way done now!

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Void #5

Themed after the Sanctuary Fortress, the futuristic look is back, but a bit more sinister looking. To start, head right, until you find some Bullet Bill launchers. Walk down to the further right side one, and use the lower platform to reach the hole a little bit to the left. You still have the spider climb ability, so move along the magnetic track to the right, and grab the blue p-switch. Take it back to the Bullet Bill launchers, and activate it, spin jumping over the Thwomp to reach the door over the spikes to the right.

You'll be in another room. Go down and to the right, passing over a low platform with the Grinder on it. Spin jump up the Ball 'n' Chains and go right. Climb down the magnetic pathways and head right from there. Scroll your camera ahead to give some breathing room with the nearby Bullet Bills. Grab the p-switch at the end and take it back to the start of the room, and use it to get to the door. The orb was collected in the fall to the door, so just enter it.

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Void #6

Back to the desert. This room is infested with Thwomps, get your spin jump ready. For the most part, just stick close to the top of the level, riding the Thwomps up where needed. Beware, some of them will move horizontally; there's no way to tell which way one is going to head until you're in range, just be careful and keep your camera scrolled ahead. Some Grinders on line guides are around the area, use them as platforms with the assistance of the spin jump and you'll get where you need to be. Close to the end, there will be a lot of munchers littering the top and bottom rows of the path. Hit the box for a star, and make a run for it. Don't forget to take the orb at the end.

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Void #7

Island adventure! Take a fire flower, it will prove useful, and be VERY careful not to get hit. Start by going right until you find some throw blocks. Take one and lob it in to the block left, which will release a vine. Go right, and spin jump through the blocks under the mushroom. Go further right, using fireballs to destroy the gray blocks. Take the blue p-switch right, and leave it on a submerged platform with a Venus fire trap on it. A little further right is the springboard needed to get up, use a spinjump to destroy the blocks. If you're small, you'll have to redo the whole room. Jump up to the top and activate the p-switch to claim the orb.

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Void #8

Hey, that's themed after this world! Take your time, and observe the traps ahead. There are lots of Podoboos and Fire Bros here, you're going to get fried if you're not on your toes. A short ways right, you'll find a formation of coins that looks like a P. You should know what this is for by now. Grab the p-switch to the right, and smack it to run under the area you grabbed the switch from. From here, it's just more running and jumping to the right. Remember to take your time, and you'll make it to the end just fine.

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Void #9

The middle door is open at last! After entering it, you will see a simple little red Koopa to the right. Aww, hello there little guy, I'm gonna just jump on you no-oh my FuSoYa it flies! And spews fire! These Koopas are some of the toughest creatures to deal with. Avoid them! They can be killed with a few jumps on the head, but can't be hurt while airborne, leaving a very small time frame in which you can fight back.

Go right, grab the springboard, and jump up. Go left, grab another springboard, this time go right. Use it to get over the tall pipes. Following the coins will help you out a lot on figuring out where to land your jumps. Soon after a jumping piranha plant, you'll find some timed platforms to ride. If you never see any, this is likely due to the elite Koopas, so just back up and try again. Ride them further in to the level, and enter the pipe at the end.

You'll be in another area, more distorted and fallen apart from the power of The Void! You start out dropped on to a moving pad, so think fast! The coins here really are laid out in such a way that you just have to follow them for where to go next; so do that! A cape would make this easier, but it's unlikely you'll have one by the time you make it to this area. Just follow the coins to the end, really. Some tricky jumps, but it's also fairly conveniently set up for you to have somewhere to land. At the end, you'll find a couple springboards with a tower of coins going upwards... this is the big showdown now, but fortunately you are given an additional midway point. A cutscene occurs, and then you fight...

TOADSWORTH'S GHOST: Ethereal mushroom-headed friend gone bad!

This is a very different fight from all the other ones. You're always small, but you have a lifebar instead of the usual 'get hit with no powerup and die' gameplay mechanic. The lifebar can be broken up in to 10 pieces, therefore, you have 10 units of life. All attacks, except for the laser, will do just 1 unit of damage, while the laser does 3.

Blocks will occasionally fall out of the sky, and will stun you when they hit the ground, on top of removing a unit of health. If you're lucky, a Fuzzy will fall out of the sky, which you can grab and lob at Toadsworth's fat head. Sometimes Toadsworth will fly off screen to the right and prepare his laser attack. The arrow at the side indicates where it starts, and it will move down from there, and then back up. Most of the time you're completely safe from this attack on the lower platform. Finally, Toadsworth himself will throw Fuzzies every so often, which you must spin jump on 3 times to knock out, which you can then throw back at him. After enough Fuzzies have been crammed down his spectral throat, he's dead! Again! ... But not for long.

RIPPED TOADSWORTH'S GHOST: He's been pumping iron and chugging protein shakes permeating with steroids!

This time, Toadsworth got a lot stronger, but your health bar has been filled up by 5 units. The stage is a bit different too, this time there are 3 platforms, and a Fuzzy in the middle which you can't jump on, as well as the falling bricks from the last stage. Toadsworth will float down from the top of the arena, and err, dispense a Fuzzy while striking a pose. Same deal as the last thrown Fuzzies, spin jump 3x to knock it out, and toss it at him. Fuzzies do random damage, ranging from 1 to 4 units of life. After he drops out a Fuzzy, sometimes he will fly off the screen. He'll be coming back from the right side, much, much larger than before, and very quickly. You have to jump over him, or suffer massive damage. Standing on the leftmost platform will almost ensure you never get within reach of Toadsworth, but you have almost no chance at dodging the bricks. If you can't do this, you can just touch the Fuzzy in the middle and use your invincibility to let him pass by, taking less damage than you would if Toadsworth himself hit you. If you're very lucky, Toadsworth will go down with just 3 Fuzzies, but he's more likely to take 4 or 5. Good luck, he's not easy!

After beating Toadsworth for the second time, you get a cutscene. Now go give Peach her cake!!

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[WR9]

9-1 Deep Dark Drains
: I'll get to the bottom of this!

This level can be accessed at any time from the pipe near Peach's castle, as well as some others in the earlier worlds.

A nice and straightforward stage. Following the coins will lead you further down in to these filthy sewers. Watch out for bubbling... green stuff, it will kill you instantly. Take a little bit of time to make sure you're going to land safely, and you'll make it to the bottom in no time. The goal sphere awaits you.

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9-2 Catacomb Calamity: The best stuff is always in sewers!

This level can be accessed from the pipes in worlds 4 and 5.

Littered with coins; not a bad choice for gathering funds for the space suit or even some other items! It even has a feather in the box right near the start, making this an excellent level for getting free capes. Just keep heading right, and eventually there will be a ? box with a p-balloon. It's safer to duck down in to the water and make your way to the end than it is to dodge the hazards. After this, it's just a hop, skip and a jump to the end. The springboard on the way to the end serves no significant purpose.

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9-3 Time Up Tunnels: Time heals all wounds; but draining it so fast is lethal!

This level can be accessed from the warp pipes in worlds 6 and 8.

Start by reading the message box. Ok, now you know not to stand around on the red blocks. Go right and claim the shell conveniently placed on the red blocks, and smack it in to the area under the message box. Use the blue pow block at the top of the vine to climb to the upper right. Hit the on/off switch to drop down, then head right and hit the other on/off switch. Go left to hit the silver pow block, and clear out the munchers to the upper right. Carry on going right, and keep moving. Soon you'll come to a square shape of brown blocks. There's a blue pow switch to the left; use it! After that, it's a pretty straightforward run to the goal, which is on the upper end of the level. The door behind the brown blocks will allow you to repeat the level, but with only 1/4 of the initial time, like the daredevil you are.

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9-4 Tightpipes to Space: Space is accessed via the sewage system, tell NASA!

This level is unlocked from the Dinosaur Reef secret exit. This level requires the space suit bought from Toad Town's shop (3000 coins + all seven eggs needed).

Attempting this level without a space suit will result in being evicted immediately, nothing too special! Start by going down. All the way down. Once there, read the message, and enter the big pipe on the left side. Observe the obstacles ahead, and make sure you are listening to the noises. The whistling sound in the sequence indicates the blocks switched solidity. When on the switching blocks, do not stop listening for the cue, keep a rhythm going. A short distance in to this spacey area, you will find a reset door. Directly right of this is a Chuck that you want to break down the wall ahead for you. Provoke him by jumping on his head, then lure him to the block wall. Continue right, always listening for the cues, and you'll make it to the end soon enough.

And that's the sum of world 9! Off to the secret world...

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[WR10]

10-1 oh god brambles
: The only plant known to thrive in the outer expanses of the Cosmos is the humble muncher!

A fairly tough level to get the party started in the secret world. Start by jumping off the head of the Koopa to the right. Keep heading right and you'll find a motorized rope to cling on to. Cling on to it, and watch ahead for gas powered scimitars and other obstacles. At the end of the line, jump off and grab on to the vines above, and navigate the maze. The coins shaped as an R mean to press the R button. Do that to get a good look at the Bullet Bills ahead. At the end of the vine maze, a pipe will take you to an area where you are surrounded by large stalks of bramble and have to make your way down. On the moving line-guided pads, jump to the opposite side you landed on, and in between muncher rows to avoid the next. The midway is yours!

Simply hop on to the pad here, and when you reach your destination... you face the most sinister creature known to the Mushroom Kingdom. The Marathon Muncher! There's no good way of dealing with this fella aside from to keep moving. Take all the capes you can, but if you're already outrunning the muncher, don't go backwards, it will probably end up just as bad, or worse than if you kept going. Soon, you'll be at the end, grab the shining muncher trophy and victory is yours.

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10-2 Asteroid Frigate: Somewhere out there in the vast, nothingness of space...

A very fun level. The start is a simple side scrolling ride in Mario's little shooty ship thing. Take the door just past the midway point to be brought to an area with abnormally high gravity. There are Sledge Bros around the area waiting to toss hammers at you, but bum rushing them and jumping will take them out before they have a chance to do anything. Hitting the on/off switches around here will change the gravity from high to low, as well as swap the outlined blocks with solid ones. Just keep heading right, and try to keep the gravity set to low, it's a bit easier. Coming to a Koopa kicking a shell at an on/off switch, be prepared to adjust to new gravity every so often. Once you get up and over, try to stop it on low gravity again, moving away from the block so it's out of sight means it won't be switching when kicked! After that it's just a little bit of a walk to the end.

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10-3 Orbital Fortress: There's never a good reason to not press the big red button!

Not an easy stage, but what else would you expect? This is the secret world, baby! You'll have to make clever use of the surrounding enemies to get by most of the obstacles. Beware of the Thwomps, there are enough varieties of them to go in any direction. You can usually tell which way one is going to go based on their placement and if they change expressions at unusual times, but be careful anyway. Soon, you'll come to a Koopa with no shell on a platform. I don't think there's any safe way to get the shell to the Koopa to climb in to, so if you're not big, you're probably going to die! If you can take a hit though, run over the spikes and spin jump on the last Thwomp, which will move sideways at you. After that, you'll soon come to a pipe leading to a long vertical area. Start by going right, and make your way up, using the Thwomps in the room to your advantage. The very big Thwomp at the end should be baited in to falling, and you can run in the door safely while it is making its way back upwards. In here will be the midway point and a rather huge red switch... The sign tells you not to press it, but you will be pressing it!

After the switch is pressed, you only have 100 seconds to escape. Go right, through the hole downwards. There's a whole lot of debris falling down on you in this area, but there are also plenty of powerups in the boxes scattered around. You also won't get hurt if you just maintain full speed leftwards, but slowing down almost will certanly get you some damage! At the end of here just enter the bottom pipe. After this, just jump in to the pipe left and you'll be launched safely outside of the falling space station!

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10-4 Asteroid Belt: The only wish you can make on these shooting stars is a death wish.

Things start off simple; take the blue Koopa's shell and use it to destroy the much more dangerous elite Koopa. Try to keep a shell or Goomba handy for taking them out, it will prove of much use. Just go right, and loop back to the left when you've jumped up the rope platforms on the right side, to find the pipe. After that, just go right, find the midway point, and you'll soon be treated to an auto scrolling area. After you reach the end of this part, you'll be caught up in a star storm! And every time, somehow every time these stars will get right in your way. For a short while you are immune to their explosive force, though. Speed will pay off here! After you come to a wall of brown blocks, go up and left for the p-switch, bring it back, and carry on. From here it's just a bit of jumping until you reach the goal sphere.

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10-5 Arctic Fortress: Spiked poles are not your friend!

Start the level in an auto scrolling area, and try to keep to the lower path, where you will be more or less surrounded by Bullet Bill launchers, and enter the pipe at the end. Use the generously placed Ball 'n' Chains to get up the first shaft, and head down and to the left. Use the blue p-switch right there and go up quickly, and enter either of the green pipes, they both lead to the same path! Head left from the pipe you came in from, and go up the pipe with 4 coins under it for the midway. Proceed left, watching out for the Thwomps overhead, which will sink to a watery grave if they fall. Carry one of the blue shells placed around the magically discontiguous vine up to the top, and use it to hit the box for a blue p-switch. Use the switch to clear the brown blocks down below to reach the pipe on the left. After this, it's lights out! You'll be in an underwater area addled with darkness. Hit one of the nearby blocks to get some light going. Scrolling your camera forward might help you out, so do that! Be cautious of the spike covered poles, and make your way right. Time your movements around the schedule of the Grinders and poles, and be very careful, it's not hard to lose sight of what's ahead. There should be plenty of time, so just take it slowly, making quick and precise movements at the right times, all the way to the end.

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10-6 Sizzling Spires: This one will really burn you up. To a crisp.

One of the hardest stages in the whole hack. No shortage of Bullet Bill launchers or fire-based monsters here, at all. Make your way right, and having a few capes or fire flowers will prove of tremendous use. Move in rhythm with the fire spewing holes timing, be quick with your movements, sitting around anywhere too long is usually not safe! Soon you'll come to a block snake. Welcome to the pain train! It's not too hard to keep up with its movements, when it goes up, you can be almost certain that it is going to loop over your head, so jump preemptively. The fire traps will prove painful, but the ride isn't too long. The midway is just after this, but this level's just gettin' warmed up!

In the pipe to the right, you'll be boarding a small submarine designed for cutting through lava. Welcome to Silver Surfer, SMW edition! Despite being designed to be submerged in lava, the firebars, skeleton fish, and the flamethrower things will all destroy this contraption in one quick hit. You only get one opportunity to get past the flamethrowers, so make sure to time your movements around this fact. The firebars are a bit stingy with their hit detection, so try to keep yourself extra distanced from them where possible. Aside from that, good luck, you made it this far, you can do it!

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10-6x Sizzling Spires Secret: Rainbow Road, if it only had 4 colors!

This exit requires all 4 chromatic switches activated, and a cape would be most useful.

Do the level like normal, until the midway point. Hit the lone box on the floor for the key. Go in the pipe to the right, but instead of boarding the deathtrap, jump against the outer wall, revealing a hidden block. Keep doing this until you reach the top, where you will find a pipe to enter, which will sap you of all powerups. Go right, if you have all the switchest active, it's just a straight run until the keyhole...

Alternatively... you could just have the red switch activated, take 2 capes in to the level, and drop the other cape from reserve once you reach the part with the colorful blocks. Setting the key down towards the end of the track and grabbing it during flight will allow you to fly over the whole area with the key, to the keyhole.

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10-7 Megadmin: Who's up for a game of Banman?!

This level is unlocked from the Sizzling Spires secret exit.

The REAL final boss! You have to defeat the administration of SMWC! Simply jump on the white orbs twice to stun them, which you can then lob at the Megadmin. Avoid the SC II discs, and soon you'll be given a pop quiz! Read the question carefully, then close the message box and submit your answer. If you got it right, you get a powerup back to big Mario, if you get it wrong, you get hurt! Keep lobbing the orbs at the Megadmin until you get to phase 2.

In phase 2, the Megadmin will be flying around the top of the screen with great speed. You can spin jump off the Pac-men periodically spawning from either side of the screen. Soon, 4 Koopas of all sorts of colors will drop from the sky on both sides of the playing field. Take one of their shells, and launch it upwards in to the Megadmin to cause damage. If you're too slow, you get a nice BSoD telling you SMWC is down, which also will despawn all Koopas and Pac-men. Then, the floor will change to on/off blocks that change their status every second or so, which you can only safely stand on the ON blocks. Jumping in place right before they change out will give you enough time to land back on safely. Keep kicking shells up at the Megadmin to face the next phase!

S.N.N.! He'll lower from the sky slowly, with a grin on his face. This guy will sling beer mugs all over the place, as well as occasionally dropping an "EH" on you. He also spews musical notes so great, that it will instantly kill you if you touch them from the sides or below. In order to hurt him, you have to grab the music notes from the top, which will then turn in to throw blocks to launch at him. After a few hits, you will be congratulated for usurping the SMWC admin staff! You've beaten the game for real this time!

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[CRD]

Guide credits:

Mineyl - suggesting the color coding system
UMA - reminder about 3-1x
MrDeePay - correction in 5-6, info about the origins of the Spider Guardian boss
WhiteYoshiEgg - information about 5-4
Artsy3... - information about fighting the Spider Guardian boss
SomeGuy - big correction about Void #1
A lot of SMWC members - making something entertaining enough to write a guide about
Vic Rattlehead - writing this gosh darn thing!
Stickied. Absurdly detailed, abursdly useful, and as I said before, it'll fit great on the Wiki when it's done.
You're my new favorite user. Even though you haven't written up to the level I'm currently at, I applaud you.
Woop, thanks for the sticky! I'm chewing through world 3 at the time of writing this, I expect to have the guide completed, as far as exit detailing goes, in about a week.
In 3-1x, my level, its NOT neccecary to hit the switch, it just gives an indication that the exit is there ¨
Not sure if others know about this, but sometimes the giant koopa boss in world 3 gets half stuck in the floor (after doing its big jump attack). To prevent it from running off-screen (permanently) stomp it before it runs into a wall. This makes the boss jump out of the floor. (It also damages the boss like a stomp normally does) Xd
That's one of those next-to-impossible glitches, so does it really matter enough to be put into the guide?
Good fucking bye.
I seem to have run in to a bit of a situation... I can't edit world 5 in to the guide, as there seems to be a character limit. Ouch! I'll probably just use this post for further worlds.

@ UMA

I actually already knew that, but it seemed like it would be helpful to have the player hit the switch anyway, since it shows you where to go. I'll add in that it's optional though, thanks!

@ scepile

I never encountered that glitch myself, and the guide is being written off firsthand experience, not hearsay, so unless I can figure out how it might happen, it's not going to be put in.

ANYWAY...


EDIT:
On second thought, why not just use my first reply for further guide content?
Originally posted by Vic Rattlehead
I seem to have run in to a bit of a situation... I can't edit world 5 in to the guide, as there seems to be a character limit. Ouch! I'll probably just use this post for further worlds.

You could probably edit links to the posts with later worlds into the guide. That'd probably be the best way to do it, anyway, to keep people from having to read the whole thread.

Either that or create a separate document and link to that.

Extras



I should have something witty to put here (even if it's just to update dated info), shouldn't I?

Advertising Space

Originally posted by Vic Rattlehead
Hit the switch to be ambushed by some Koopas. Kill them, and hit the switch a few more times for a fire flower if you need it


That's assuming the Red Switch was never pressed, otherwise the Flower is blocked off.

@ Mineyl

That could work. I personally like when everything needed is on one page, though, for quick ctrl+F searching, but if it gets way too long, it might work that way.

@ MrDeePay

I figured this level would bite me. It has such variety depending on the switches pressed, that something would be overlooked. I'll edit that in, thanks.
All right, glad you liked the idea. Thanks. :3

Postcount +1 for making me delete my earlier post! :b
This guide is as helpful as it is awesome! It's very fun to read through if you ask me :D

The world 5 castle boss is called Spider Guardian, if I recall correctly though. The on/off switch monster sounds a bit lame. :P
aran - Graces of Heaven
Originally posted by Vic Rattlehead
5-4 Pink 'n' Purple Path: [...] From this exit, keep going right, and you'll find a blue p-switch. I don't know what this is for, just hit it and run.


Together with the silver P-switch found near the midway point, you can use it to gab the llama coin in the 2nd screenshot. The right pipe also leads to another bonus room. ;)




 
@ Mineyl

Well thank you too!

@ GN

I don't remember seeing a name assigned to the boss. It is a bizarre creature, I just gave it the most primitive and literal name I could think of.

@ WYE

Thanks, added that in!

The guide credits will be posted up all at once when it's finished, rather than during updates, for those curious. Seems like it'd be easier that way. Making surprisingly fast progress here, the hack sure feels a lot easier after having a general idea of the level layouts memorized, might even have a complete guide in the next few days!


You have just won a cookie from me! Very detailed guide, with catchy names that could even fit Nintendo subtitles!

Also, I don't think you went into specifics about the Spider Guardian. When you hit the switch, only the yellow parts that appear on the track will kill the boss.

Glad to see something like this!
(No current projects, lost them all.....)

DeviantArt Account: http://artsyambassadorart.deviantart.com/
Whatabout the Pseudo-3D Garden Level and the "Cave of Four Elements"?
@ Artsy3...

Thanks, glad you like it! And I'll be honest with you, I had no effin' idea that the track for that boss even had any highlights at all on it until you said that. I wondered why it took me like 30 hits of the switch the first time I fought it and only about 5 the second time. This is the second time I've seen it referred to as the Spider Guardian, too, but I can't seem to find any evidence that it even has a name. Either way, I'll update the guide on that part soon.

@ BlKry

If you couldn't tell, this guide is being written with an 'along the way' method. That is, with just having beaten world 7, I can finally access the extended world 1. This wasn't possible until just earlier, so yeah, that's why those levels were left out. I'll probably just go back and list them as world 7 levels, as that is the earliest point you can access them.