Super Mario Bros. has all sorts of challenges to overcome and plenty of secrets to find. We’ve picked the toughest and most secret-heavy stages to cover in this section. If you’ve wondered how to beat one of King Koopa’s many castles, or where to find the ultra-secret Warp Zones, wonder no more! We’ve got you covered.
World 1-1
You’ll meet your first Goomba here. Stomp him! Just make sure there aren’t any Blocks overhead when you do!
Stand on the sixth Block from the edge of the last pipe and jump! A 1-Up appears!
This is where you meet your first Koopa Troopa. Use the same tactics you used on the Goombas and jump on its head! Just watch out! If you hit it while it’s in its shell, it can bounce back at you.
World 1-2
Hop onto the Block to the left of the pit, then jump to Blocks to the right of the pit. Head to the far-right side of the Block and jump up. You reveal a hidden 1-Up! Now immediately try to punch out the Block to the right of the 1-Up to get it to drop. If you don’t, you must race the 1-Up to a pit near the end of the level.
When you reach the platforms moving vertically, you can jump on the one to the right and use it to jump onto the Blocks above the exit pipe. Keep heading right to find your first Warp Zone! Use this location to immediately warp to Worlds 2, 3, or 4.
World 1-4
This Fire Bar rotates! Beginners should jump over it and ignore the “?” Block next to it. Experts can go for the Power-Up inside the “?” Block, if they are feeling daring. Note that the Power-Up will come out of the Block to the right, so make sure to plan accordingly.
These Fire Bars may look difficult, but they’re actually a breeze to get past. Watch your timing, and run when the bars are horizontal.
There are two ways to defeat the horrible King Koopa: either pummel him with fireballs as Fiery Mario, or get past him and grab the axe behind him. If you want to reach the axe, run and jump on the platform above him or run underneath him when he jumps. Jumping over him is usually the better strategy.