SUPER MARIO WORLD / ITEMS & ABILITIES

Items, power-ups and useful objects

Explore 45 illustrated entries with original SNES sprites, effects, locations and practical tips.

Edition covered

Original SNES game and its emulated releases. Controls use SNES button labels. Super Mario Advance 2 differences are outside this guide.

45 items · one picture per entry · open a picture for full size.

Power-ups

Cape Feather

Grants a cape attack, slow falling and flight after a running takeoff.

Where: Stomp flashing-cape Super Koopas in Donut Plains 1; use Top Secret Area or activated green ! Blocks for more.
Tip: Build running speed with Y, jump with B, then practise steering and slowing your descent.

Fire Flower

Grants Fire Mario: press Y or X to throw bouncing fireballs. Many defeated enemies become coins.

Where: Found in item blocks when already powered up. Top Secret Area offers a repeatable supply.
Tip: A spin jump sends fireballs to either side. Some enemies resist fire.

P-Balloon

Inflates Mario for a short floating section. Steer around obstacles and collect another balloon before the effect ends.

Where: Appears in Donut Secret 1, Donut Secret 2, Forest of Illusion 1 and Tubular.
Tip: This is the original floating behaviour, not the faster Mario Maker 2 version.

Super Mushroom

Turns Small Mario into Super Mario. A powered-up Mario can break turn blocks with a spin jump.

Where: Hit item blocks throughout Dinosaur Land, including Yoshi’s Island 1. Yellow ! Blocks also provide one after the Yellow Switch Palace is cleared.
Tip: Taking damage in the SNES game returns even Fire or Cape Mario to Small Mario.

Super Star

Briefly protects against most enemy contact. Defeat enemies in a chain to build up extra-life rewards.

Where: Look inside designated item blocks and roulette blocks.
Tip: Pits, lava, crushing and the timer remain dangerous.

Coins & extra lives

1-Up Mushroom

Adds one life immediately.

Where: Find hidden blocks, complete bonus challenges, or hit the Yoshi block in Top Secret Area while already riding Yoshi.

3-Up Moon

Adds three lives. These rare pickups are usually tucked away high above the main route.

Where: For an early example, return to Yoshi’s Island 1 with a cape and explore above the normal path.

Bonus Coin

Catch all ten coins dropped by a Yoshi Cloud to earn its 1-Up Mushroom reward.

Where: Have Yoshi eat two pink berries in the same course to produce a cloud.

Coin

Every 100 coins awards an extra life. Coins can also outline routes and hidden spaces.

Where: Collect loose coins, hit coin blocks or defeat suitable enemies with fireballs.

Dragon Coin

Collect five in one course for an extra life; additional ones in that run can also award lives.

Where: Large Yoshi-marked coins are scattered around many courses, including hidden and bonus areas.
Tip: The original SNES game has no permanent Dragon Coin completion checklist.

Gray Coin

A temporary reward created by a gray P-Switch. Collect a chain quickly to reach extra-life rewards.

Where: Press a gray P-Switch to transform eligible enemies, then collect them before the music ends.

Yoshi & berries

Green Berry

Adds 20 seconds to the course timer when Yoshi eats it.

Where: Found in the Special Zone course Funky.
Tip: Eat these while moving through the course to extend the short starting timer.

Pink Berry

Two eaten in one course produce a Yoshi Cloud with a coin-catching challenge.

Where: Look for pink berries on bushes in outdoor courses.

Red Berry

Have Yoshi eat ten in one course to produce a Super Mushroom. Each berry also adds a coin.

Where: Found on bushes in outdoor courses; Yoshi’s House has a convenient group.

Yoshi Cloud

Drops ten Bonus Coins; catching all ten earns a 1-Up Mushroom.

Where: Hatches from the egg Yoshi produces after eating two pink berries.

Yoshi Egg

Hatches a Yoshi. A regular Yoshi block awards a 1-Up instead if Yoshi is already with you.

Where: Hit the Yoshi block in Yoshi’s Island 2 or the middle block in Top Secret Area. Coloured baby Yoshis appear in Star World.

Yoshi’s Wings

While riding Yoshi, collect the wings to enter a sky bonus area. Yoshi becomes blue.

Where: Look for the wings in Cheese Bridge Area, Valley of Bowser 2 and Way Cool.
Tip: Blue Yoshi can fly while holding any shell in his mouth.

Carryable items

Blue P-Switch

Temporarily swaps coins and brown blocks and reveals certain hidden doors or blocks.

Where: Find one placed in a course or inside a block, then carry it to the puzzle before stepping on it.
Tip: Use the special music as your countdown. Plan the route before pressing it.

Blue Shell

Lets any Yoshi fly while it remains in his mouth. Mario can also carry or kick it.

Where: Stomp a Koopa Troopa of the matching colour to knock it out of its shell.
Tip: Yoshi eventually swallows a held shell, ending its temporary effects.

Buzzy Shell

A stomped Buzzy Beetle can be used as a kickable or carryable shell. Fireballs do not defeat it.

Where: Stomp a Buzzy Beetle in cave courses such as Donut Plains 2.
Tip: Kick it through enemies or carry it to a block you want to hit.

Grab Block

A blue block Mario can lift and throw to hit enemies or blocks. It disappears shortly after being picked up.

Where: Lift one from stacks of blue blocks, such as those in Donut Secret 1.
Tip: Do not carry it too long: it flashes before disappearing.

Gray P-Switch

Temporarily changes eligible enemies into gray coins.

Where: Find gray switches in designated courses; their silver colour distinguishes them from blue P-Switches.
Tip: Position yourself to collect the coin chain before activating it.

Green Shell

Can be kicked, carried or thrown. Green Yoshi spits it back out as a shell.

Where: Stomp a Koopa Troopa of the matching colour to knock it out of its shell.
Tip: Yoshi eventually swallows a held shell, ending its temporary effects.

Key

Carry the key to its matching keyhole to complete a secret exit.

Where: Found near hidden routes in courses such as Donut Plains 1 and Donut Secret 1.
Tip: Hold Y or X while touching it to pick it up; keep holding to carry it.

Red Shell

Can be carried or kicked; Yoshi spits it as three fireballs.

Where: Stomp a Koopa Troopa of the matching colour to knock it out of its shell.
Tip: Yoshi eventually swallows a held shell, ending its temporary effects.

Springboard

Launches Mario higher when the jump is timed as the spring rebounds. Can be carried to a better position.

Where: Found beside high ledges and secret routes; move one beneath the ledge you need to reach.
Tip: Carry with Y or X, release while holding Down to set it down.

Yellow Shell

Gives Yoshi a damaging ground impact when he lands while holding it in his mouth.

Where: Stomp a Koopa Troopa of the matching colour to knock it out of its shell.
Tip: Yoshi eventually swallows a held shell, ending its temporary effects.

Blocks & switches

Blue ! Block

Creates solid footing; contains no power-up. Solid blocks can fill gaps and protect routes.

Where: Complete the Blue Switch Palace to turn matching dotted outlines into solid blocks throughout the game.

Bonus Block

Gives a 1-Up if at least 30 coins were collected in the current course; otherwise gives one coin.

Where: Look for the block marked with a green star, often near the end of a course.
Tip: The requirement is course coins, not simply the current HUD coin total.

Flying Question Block

A winged item block that moves until struck; then it becomes stationary.

Where: Watch for moving blocks above the main route, including in early Yoshi’s Island courses.

Green ! Block

Contains a Cape Feather. Solid blocks can fill gaps and protect routes.

Where: Complete the Green Switch Palace to turn matching dotted outlines into solid blocks throughout the game.

Note Block

Bounces Mario upward. Press jump at the rebound for extra height; some contain items.

Where: Found along bouncy routes and bonus areas; land on top to use one.

ON/OFF Switch

Changes a local mechanism, such as a tracked platform’s direction or a moving ceiling.

Where: Hit the switch from below; examples appear in #4 Ludwig’s Castle and track-platform courses.
Tip: It controls the level’s mechanism rather than a global set of coloured blocks.

Palace Switch

Permanently activates ! Blocks of its colour across Dinosaur Land.

Where: Reach the giant switch inside each Switch Palace. The Yellow Switch Palace is accessible from Yoshi’s Island 1.
Tip: There are four palaces: yellow, green, red and blue.

Question Block

Releases its assigned coin, item, Yoshi or other reward when struck.

Where: Hit from below, use a thrown shell, or strike suitable blocks with the cape.
Tip: Some blocks are invisible until hit. Contents may depend on Mario’s current form.

Red ! Block

Creates solid footing; contains no power-up. Solid blocks can fill gaps and protect routes.

Where: Complete the Red Switch Palace to turn matching dotted outlines into solid blocks throughout the game.

Roulette Block

Cycles through several item types; the released item continues changing until collected.

Where: Find the cycling item block in Forest of Illusion 1.
Tip: Watch the moving reward and time contact for the power-up you want.

Turn Block

Spins briefly when hit so Mario can pass through. Powered-up Mario can break ordinary ones with a spin jump.

Where: Common in caves and secret passages; hit from below, use the cape or spin jump from above.

Yellow ! Block

Contains a Super Mushroom. Solid blocks can fill gaps and protect routes.

Where: Complete the Yellow Switch Palace to turn matching dotted outlines into solid blocks throughout the game.

Routes & goals

Beanstalk

Grows a climbable route to a higher area, often a bonus room or secret path.

Where: Hit a block containing a vine, then press Up against the stalk to climb.
Tip: Dismount Yoshi first.

Blue Door

A temporary door revealed by an active blue P-Switch.

Where: Press the local P-Switch in ghost-house puzzles and enter the revealed door before time expires.

Goal Tape

Finishes a normal course. Touching the moving tape earns Bonus Stars; 100 stars starts a bonus game.

Where: At the large goal posts near a course’s normal exit.
Tip: Aim higher on the tape for a larger Bonus Star award.

Keyhole

Completes a secret exit when Mario brings the course’s key into contact with it.

Where: Search off the main path, such as the upper-right route in Donut Plains 1.

Magic Ball

Ends the Sunken Ghost Ship course when touched.

Where: Descend to the final part of Sunken Ghost Ship and collect the green question-mark orb.

Midway Tape

Sets the course checkpoint and turns Small Mario into Super Mario.

Where: Pass through the smaller striped gate partway through a course.
Tip: The checkpoint helps after losing a life; it is not a permanent save point.

Quick notes

Find an item. Power-ups, extra lives, Yoshi treats, carryable items and useful objects from the original Super Nintendo game.
Your reserve item. The box at the top of the screen holds one spare power-up.
A reliable restock spot. Find the secret exit in Donut Ghost House using cape flight to unlock Top Secret Area.
Carrying and throwing. Hold Y or X beside a carryable object to pick it up.
Yoshi and shell colours. A shell’s colour can give any Yoshi a temporary ability: red produces fireballs, blue grants flight, and yellow creates a ground impact.

FIELD NOTE

Search by name, effect or location. Try “cape”, “extra life”, “Yoshi”, “secret exit” or “Donut”.

In the game: Mario’s and Luigi’s forms

Small, Super and Fire Mario and Luigi as the game draws them, from their own poses. The Cape and the P-Balloon change these poses further.

Mario

Super Mario

Fire Mario

Luigi

Super Luigi

Fire Luigi

Yoshi

Green Yoshi

Red Yoshi

Blue Yoshi

Yellow Yoshi

Yoshi Egg

Pictures drawn from the Super Mario World (SNES) game data: sprites are assembled from their tiles the way the game draws them, in the palette of a level they appear in; blocks, coins and berries are built from their 16×16 level-tile definitions with the animated tiles in place; maps show the overworld’s terrain layer (the level tiles and paths on its other layer are not in the asset export). Animation timing is approximate.

References

Super Mario World: game and edition overview