SMB adventure archiveSuper Mario Bros.GUIDES
Super Mario Bros. / Secrets

Warp Zones and the harder replay

Find legitimate shortcuts and understand what changes after a clear.

Edition covered

Original 1985 NES/Famicom game. Luigi shares Mario's movement in alternating two-player play. Super Mario All-Stars, Super Mario Bros. Deluxe and The Lost Levels change features or courses and are outside these guides.

Find the World 1-2 Warp Zone

World 1-2 Warp Zone
Warp Zone pipe labels identify the world you will enter.
Warp Zone pipe labels identify the world you will enter.
Warp Zone pipe labels identify the world you will enter.

Near the end of World 1-2, use the moving lifts to reach the ceiling and continue over the normal exit pipe. The three Warp Zone pipes lead to Worlds 2, 3 and 4, with destinations marked above them. Choose a destination only after reading the label. The shortcut skips courses, so it is useful for a repeat clear after you have practiced the worlds it omits.

Choose the World 4-2 branch

World 4-2
Original NES World 4-2 underground course; the route description explains its separate Warp Zone branches.

World 4-2 has a vine route opened by a hidden block that leads toward the Warp Zone for Worlds 6, 7 and 8. Its ordinary ceiling route beyond the normal exit instead provides a pipe to World 5. Learn which branch you are taking before committing to a short clear route. A shortcut can save time while leaving you with little practice for a late-game obstacle.

Prepare for the second quest

After rescuing the princess, pressing B on the title screen lets you select a world in the unlocked harder adventure. Several Goombas are replaced by Buzzy Beetles, enemies move faster and some platforms become less forgiving. The game remains the original set of worlds, with modified difficulty. Start in a world you know and observe the altered enemies before relying on your earlier fireball habits.

FIELD NOTE

World 1-2 sends you to 2, 3 or 4; the vine route in 4-2 sends you to 6, 7 or 8.

Picture details

Game artwork belongs to its respective rights holders.

References