Super Mario Bros. 3 FAQ by Joshua Harring (harring@student.umass.edu)
I was really surprised to find that no one's written a FAQ for this game yet,
considering that it's been out for many years, has tons of secrets, and is one
of the greatest NES games ever. So I decided to write one. For this FAQ, I
consulted the Super Mario Bros. 3 section of Nintendo Power's NES Game Atlas.
Much of the information you will find is from that guide.
Since actually getting through the levels is pretty straightforward (jump on
that Goomba, hit that block, etc...), I will mainly focus on the secrets of
eac hlevel. If a particular obstacle in a level warrants special attention, I
will mention it.
*WORLD 1*
Level 1
To hit the question block on the ground, kick a Koopa shell at it. It contains
a Super Leaf.
Just past that question block is a long flat stretch. Build up speed and start
flying. Follow the diagonal trail of coins to reach cloud platforms. There's a
1-up in the block there.
On those cloud platforms is just enough room to get a running start so you can
fly. Fly to the right and flap your tail when you start falling. You should be
able to reach the pipe. Go down it to enter a secret coin room.
Level 2
Stand on top of the T-shaped Goomba pipe. If you're Raccoon Mario, you can get
1-ups by stomping nine or more Goombas without touching the ground.
Hit the P-switch underneath the hovering pipe to make the coins blocks. Jump
up and top of the pipe. From there, jump up and to the right off-screen to find
a hidden 1-up.
Level 3
In the mess of blocks at the beginning, use the Koopa shell to clear most of
them away. In the space left over, jump around to find a pink Note Block. Jump
on it to go up to Coin Heaven. In all Coin Heavens, there's a 1-up in the sky
at about the middle of it. You have to fly to reach it.
At the end, jump on top of the White Block. Press and hold Down for five
seconds and you'll drop behind the background. Run to the end of the level to
find a secret Toad's House which has the first Magic Whistle.
Level 4
Try to get all the coins you see, and also the two 10-coin blocks. If you can
get 44 or more coins, a white Mushroom House will appear on the World Map.
Inside it is a P-wing.
There are two 1-ups hidden in blocks in this level. If you get both, you can
then die, get them again, and repeat in order to build up your lives.
Mini-Fortress
Stomp the Dry Bones on the far right side. There's just enough room here to be
able to fly if you're Raccoon Mario. Fly up and off the screen and to the
right. When you can't go to the right anymore, press Up to enter a room with
the second Magic Whistle.
Level 5
When you have a choice of going up or down, go up. There's a hidden pink Note
Block in the tunnel that leads to Coin Heaven.
Level 6
There's a 1-up in the blocks above the flat green platform.
On the platforms above the second Rail platform, there's barely enough room to
fly if you start at the very edge of the left side and make a tiny jump over
the step. There are some coins in the sky.
Airship
Nothing here except for the boss. Stomp his head three times.
*WORLD 2*
Level 1
There's a 1-up in the blocks inside the first pipe structure.
Use the top of that pipe structure as running room. Above the left side is a
pipe surrounded by blocks. It leads to a secret coin room.
At the two pipes at the end, go down the right one, hit the P-switch, and come
up the left one. You can grab the coins and go down the pipes over and over
again to keep grabbing the coins.
Level 2
On the moving platform, uncover the P-switch but don't hit it. Grab all the
visible coins, then jump off the platform and swim all the way back to the
left. Ride the platform again, hit the P-switch, and now grab all the new
coins. You may have to jump to get the last few. If you can grab 30 or
more, a white Mushroom House will appear on the Map with an Anchor.
Mini-Fortress
No secrets here.
Level 3
Above the second pyramid made out of blocks are some invisible Note Blocks that
you can find. Jump up them and hit the P-switch in the sky. Drop back down to
get tons of coins and a 1-up in the block that doesn't change.
Kick the Koopa shell at the end to clear away the blocks above the pipe.
Desert
No secrets here, but if you grab a Koopa shell and take it with you, you can
use it to get rid of the Sun that comes after you.
Level 4
In the upper left corner of the very first screen, you can fly up and break the
blocks to get to the whole upper section of this stage which has tons of coins.
Level 5
If you sit there and stare at the Chain Chomp at the beginning, after 160
seconds or so he will break the chain and try to come after you!
Kick a Koopa Shell into the small passage with the block at the bottom to make
a vine grow. Climb up it and go to the left to find a pipe which leads to a
secret room.
Pyramid
You can get the power-up in the first block here, then go in and out of the
entrance door to reset it.
At the upside-down pipe, there's an invisible block just to the right of it.
Use that to jump up and over the wall so you can go up the pipe to a secret
room.
Airship
Again, there aren't any secrets here so just beat the boss like before.
On the World Map, you can get a hammer from the Hammer Bros. wandering around.
Use it to break the rock in the upper-right corner of the map. Enter the secret
section to find Hammer Bros. who have the third Magic Whistle.
*WORLD 3*
Level 1
You can jump out of the water and run across land to find a power-up.
Near the end, there's a place where you can go down. In this little section is
a 1-up block surrounded by coins.
Level 2
There is a way to get continuous Starmen in this level by hitting certain
blocks while you are invincible.
Hitting the P-switch will make the coins turn into a platform, allowing you to
get a hidden 1-up.
After you go through the exit pipe, fly up to find coins and a 1-up around a
Rail platform.
Level 3
The tide goes up and down in this level. Be very careful when it's down
because the giant fish can eat you in one gulp.
At the first horizontal stretch of blocks, there's a P-switch you can find with
the help of a Koopa shell. If you hit it, you can get the power-up in the Note
Block easily.
The second P-switch you find will make the rows of coins into platforms. Run
to the end of the level, FAST!
Beyond the exit pipe is a 1-up block you can try for if you're feeling lucky
(or suicidal...).
Mini-Fortress
The fifth door leads to a ledge with a 1-up block on it.
The sixth door leads to Boom-Boom.
The last door leads to a secret coin room.
Level 4
To make it over the giant jump, slide down the hill and jump at the last
second. If you fall in the water, there's an invisible block to help you get
over.
At the part with the upside-down pipe, kick a Koopa shell so that it goes back
and forth underneath it. Lakitu will toss Spinys continuously and they will be
hit by the shell, giving you points and eventually 1-ups.
Level 5
If you're Frog Mario, you can enter the second right-side-up pipe. Hold Right
as you fall to reach a giant block with three 1-ups inside.
At the second upside-down pipe, there's a hidden 1-up in the current that you
can get if you're Frog Mario.
Level 6
At the part with a block on a lower platform, kick a Koopa shell down there so
it hits the block and collects the 10 coins inside it.
Use an Ice block to make the P-switch appear on the last lower platform. Then
hit the 1-up block above you so that it goes right (hit its left side). Then
quickly hit the P-switch so that the 1-up falls through the coins and you can
get it.
Level 7
In the first set of blocks, there's a 1-up inside one of them.
At the second set of blocks, you can make a vine grow from one of the top ones.
Climb it and go left to find a P-switch. If you weren't able to get the 1-up
before because you were small, you can now get it. Also, climb the vine and
jump off to the right to find a cloud platform with a pink Note Block. This one
takes you to a special Coin Heaven where you can get a Jugem's Cloud item.
Mini-Fortress #2
No secrets here.
Level 8
This is another rising and falling tide stage. There are some blocks that
create vines which you can use to stay out of reach.
Grab all the coins you see. At the end of the stage is a P-switch which will
allow you to get some more coins. If you can get 44 or more, the white
Mushroom House will appear on the map, and you can get a P-wing.
Level 9
There's another White Block here. Hold Down for five seconds to drop into the
background. If you can make it down the next pipe while still in the
background, you'll become invisible! :)
Between the White Block and that pipe are two Bullet Bills. Kick a Koopa shell
so it goes between them and bounces back and forth. Find a safe spot and watch
as it hits them and gives you points and 1-ups.
In the underwater section, you can swim all the way to the left to find a pipe.
Go down it and hold Right to find a Frog Suit.
Airship
No secrets here.
On the World Map, get a Hammer from one of the Hammer Bros. Use it to break the
rock so you can access the Canoe. You can use the Canoe to reach islands that
have bonus games and Toad's Houses on them.
*WORLD 4*
Level 1
There's some running room just left of the waterfall pipes. You can fly above
them to find a pond in the sky. There are two hidden 1-ups here.
Level 2
Grab an Ice Block and toss it at the giant Question Mark block to get the item
inside.
Get the Starman inside a block, then hit the P-switch nearby and grab coins.
If you can get 22 or more in this stage, the white Mushroom House appears on
the World Map with an Anchor inside of it.
Level 3
There's some running room just after the first power-up. Fly up to the ceiling
to get some coins.
Make the 1-up go right and run after it until it falls down and you can get it.
Mini-Fortress
Go down the center pipe in the set of gray ones to find an easier path through
this stage. There are two invisible blocks to find at the end of the path.
Level 4
Start on the ledge with the first power-up and work your way down and left.
You can make it to the left pipe and find a secret room with a Frog Suit.
Level 5
There's a block in the middle of the stage which makes a vine. Hop up onto the
vine by bouncing off a Bullet Bill. Climb up to the pipe which leads to a
secret room with a Tanooki Suit. Hit the P-switch and hover downwards getting
the trail of coins outside.
Level 6
There are doors in this stage which change the stage from giant to normal and
back again. There are different things to get when the stage is each size.
When the stage is giant, you'll find a 1-up located in the bricks of the first
block structure.
When the stage is normal, there's a 1-up in the sky above the first pipe.
When the stage is normal, there's another 1-up hidden between two pipes.
Mini-Fortress #2
When you hit the P-switch, there is a hidden door framed in silver coins. It
leads to a few hidden stages in this mini-fortress.
In the first hidden stage, the Directional lifts change their direction when
you jump, but if you hit your head on a platform while standing on a lift, it
disappears.
In the second hidden stage, there are some hidden blocks which lead upwards to
a 1-up block.
In the third hidden stage, fly to the upper left corner to find some hidden
coins.
Airship
Guess what! No secrets on this one either.
*WORLD 5*
Level 1
At the top of the structure, there's a Starman to be had. Once you get it,
backtrack to the left so you can get more Starmen from the blocks on the way
down. You can then defeat the Chain Chomps at the beginning of the stage.
Once you've done that, clear out the blocks and then fly upwards to find a pipe
in the sky. In that pipe, take the upper path to find a Music Box or the lower
path to get four 1-ups on the island underneath the structure.
After you get the four 1-ups, fly up to find a P-switch. Hit it and you can
collect lots of silver coins.
Level 2
When you fall, don't move, and you'll land on the first Note Block. You can
then work your way up and out.
If you did make it to the upper route, you can get a 1-up. If you fell and
were forced to take the lower route, no such luck.
Level 3
You can get Kuribo's Shoe in this stage. To get it, hit the Goomba wearing it
from underneath when he lands on the blocks above you. Then hop in! It allows
you to walk on Munchers.
While wearing the Shoe, you can hit the blocks above the first set of Munchers
to find a 1-up.
Mini-Fortress
Near the beginning, there are some blocks barring the way to the upper path.
Clear them out, then head back to where the first Roto-Disc is. Dash under
Thwomp and fly upwards to find a pipe.
In that pipe, you'll see an arrow of coins pointing up. Fly up there to find
three hidden 1-ups.
Tower
If you're using a P-wing, you can get three 1-ups by flying up and over the
mass of bricks on the first outside portion of the Tower.
Level 4
The very first cloud you start on is enough running room. Fly up to the cloud
platforms in the sky to get coins and have an easier time through the stage.
Level 5
Break away the blocks over the second pipe and then go down it to find a
Tanooki Suit.
To collect a coin underneath a Donut Lift, let it fall just long enough to grab
the coin, then jump.
Level 6
Jump on the back of the Para-Beetles to get a lift.
The P-switch will make platforms so you can get to the exit pipe easier.
Level 7
Use a Starman from your inventory on the World Map before you start this stage.
Doing so will allow you to find continuous Starmen in many blocks in this
stage.
If you go down the first pipe, you'll find a lower section of this stage.
There's a P-switch in the sky near the beginning. There's also a White Block.
Press Down on it for five seconds, and if you can make it to the upper part of
the stage while still behind the background, you'll be invincible.
Mini-Fortress #2
Get the Starman in the block and then run to the right really fast to get past
a difficult section.
Level 8
No secrets here, just an annoying Lakitu.
Level 9
You have to bounce off the first Fire Chomp to make it to the next platform in
sequence.
Airship
Surprise! Nothing here.
If you decided you wanted to go back to the earth part of the World Map after
reaching the sky, you can go back down the Tower again.
*WORLD 6*
Level 1
Right past the first pipe is some running room. Fly straight up to find a
door. In the secret room, slide under the gaps in the upper passage to
activate the P-switch, then retrace your steps to go back to the lower
passage to collect the treasure.
Level 2
The 1-up is difficult to get. You need to jump down to the lower platform to
catch it as it falls.
Level 3
Throw a Koopa shell at the lone block in mid-air to cause it to grow a vine.
Climb up to find a pipe with a Tanooki Suit. You can build up to speed to fly
inside the room, then quickly exit and fly to the end of the stage.
Mini-Fortress
If you grab the power-up, but are too slow to catch the moving platform again,
you can jump from the block back to the left to land at the start. The
platform will be there again.
There is some running room at the beginning of the second section. Fly up to
find a 1-up.
Level 4
At the first Rail platform, jump on it to make it move, but then jump off onto
the big block of ice. When it comes out from underneath the ice, fall onto it
and quickly jump next to the ice to make a pink Note Block appear that takes
you to Coin Heaven.
When you hit the P-switch, you give yourself enough running room to fly. Fly
upwards to find a 1-up block in the sky.
Level 5
You can fly up through the second hole in the ceiling to get some coins up top.
You can fly up through the third hole in the ceiling to find a 1-up in a block.
Where's the exit? It's up through the fifth hole in the ceiling, but you need
to take a Koopa shell with you when you fly up there to clear away the blocks
and Munchers. There's a power-up in the room on the far right side that you can
keep getting to become Raccoon Mario.
Level 6
In the water, swim up the first dead end to find a hidden 1-up.
Level 7
Use the strategy of before to get the coins below the Donut Lifts.
There's a hidden 1-up above the second Donut Lift in the set of two next to a
short wall of ice.
To reach the pipe, ride the Dount Lift down a short distance and jump off.
If you're Fiery Mario, you can melt the ice encasing the coins. If you can get
78 or more coins in this stage, a white Mushroom House appears on the World Map
which has a P-wing.
Mini-Fortress #2
No secrets here.
Level 8
Kick a Koopa shell and then run after it to take out all of the walking Pirahna
Plants.
There's a hidden 1-up above the ice blocks that form an H.
Above the P-switch is a mass of blocks that will turn into coins. Build enough
speed to fly, hit the P-switch, then fly up and get the coins.
Level 9
If you use a P-wing, you can bypass this whole level by flying over the mass of
ice, getting a 1-up along the way.
If you take the conventional route, and are Frog Mario, you can enter the third
pipe underwater to get three 1-ups and 35 coins.
The P-switch will turn Munchers into coins.
Level 10
There's a vine in one of the blocks next to a giant wall of blocks. Climb up
the vine, hit the P-switch and then dive into the wall of coins.
If you're Fire Mario, you can melt the ice surrounding the Munchers blocking
the pipe. They will turn into coins. Go down the pipe to find a Hammer Bros.
suit.
Mini-Fortress #3
You can fly at the beginning of this stage to find a 1-up block over a platform
way up towards the ceiling.
You can then fly up over the first Thwomp to find two 10-coin blocks.
Airship
You guessed it! No secrets here.
*WORLD 7*
Level 1
There's a hidden 1-up above the second set of Question Mark blocks. It's
difficult to get.
There's another hidden 1-up just to the right of two normal blocks above a
pipe. Follow it down to catch it.
Kick the Koopa so he falls down the narrow gap between the skinny pipes. You
can then use the running room to fly up and left to a coin room.
Jump straight up off the back of the Koopa Paratroopa near the end to find a
1-up near the ceiling.
Level 2
Several of the pipes lead here to lower sections. There are two main lower
sections, one underwater and one normal.
In the underwater section, if you're Frog Mario, you can hit the P-switch and
collect the coins quickly. If you get 46 or more in this stage, a white
Mushroom House will appear on the World Map with a P-wing.
There's a section where a long string of hidden Note Blocks appear. Hit them
all, exit to the lower section, and then come around to the upper section again
to cross. There's a hidden 1-up above one of the Note Blocks.
Level 3
After you get the first Starman, you can get continuous Starmen by running to
the right and hitting the blocks that contain them. If you're fast enough, it
is possible to stay invincible throughout this whole stage.
The P-switch is just there to try and prevent you from staying invincible.
Ignore it.
Level 4
You can fly over the wall at the beginning to get two 1-ups. You still have to
complete the stage, though.
Level 5
This is a confusing stage where you must go up and down between sections of the
level. There are some invisible blocks to hit which make platforms.
There's a couple of hidden 1-ups in this stage, one near the middle and one
almost at the end, both on the upper section.
Pirahna #1
Just do what you can to try not to get hit by all the plants here. If you
finish the stage, you get a P-wing.
Pirahna #2
Finishing this stage nets you a Mushroom.
Mini-Fortress #1
There's a P-switch in the first room. Hit it and look at all those pretty
coins!!! There's also a door which appears which leads to a secret room.
Inside that room, go down the pipe to find a Tanooki Suit. By the way, you can
go back to the first room again and again to collect the coins over and over!
This is another one of those where-the-heck-is-the-exit stages. In the room
with the checkered floor, fly up towards the left side to find a pipe in the
ceiling.
Level 6
No secrets here, just lots of Directional lifts and stuff.
Level 7
Get the first Starman and then RUN to the right as fast as you can, and make
sure to get the Starmen in the blocks too. The difficult one is the one in the
overhang, try to do it fast.
Level 8
You can fly up and to the right at the beginning of the stage to make it
over a difficult section and find some Question Mark blocks.
When you reach the White Block, hold Down for five seconds to drop through it.
Next to the pipe is a hidden pink Note Block which leads to Coin Heaven.
Just after the White Block, go down the left of a set of three pipes to find a
Hammer Bros. suit.
Level 9
This is one confusing structure. Lots of backtracking is required.
When you see a long row of coins with a space in the middle of them, there's a
hidden 1-up in that space.
Mini-Fortress #2
There's a helpful Starman in the very first block.
Airship
If you haven't guessed by now, none of the airships have any secrets.
*WORLD 8*
Big Tanks
There aren't any secrets, just an auto-scrolling stage where you have to jump
from tank to tank while avoiding bullets and stuff.
Battleships
You can dive in the water between the first and second ship, then swim
underneath the next two to avoid everything being thrown at you. :)
Hand Traps
While crossing the black squares in the World Map, there's a random chance a
Hand will grab you and take you to a little stage. None of them have any
secrets, but you get a Super Leaf for completing them.
Airships
If you have a P-wing, use it to get past this difficult timing stage.
Level 1
Fly straight up at the beginning to find a P-switch. Hit it to reveal a bunch
of silver coins.
Fly up and to the right from the beginning to reach the top of the really tall
pipe. Go down it to find three 1-ups.
To make the hard jump near the end, get a running start, make a small jump onto
the Note Block, then soar into the air while holding Right.
Level 2
Sink into the quicksand pit. No, you won't die. You'll fall into a secret
room. Take the left pipe if you want a power-up or the right pipe if you want
coins. This is also a shortcut that leads to near the end.
If you didn't take the shortcut, the P-switch will turn the single coins into
stepping stones over the wide pit.
Run down the hill at the end to get enough momentum to fly over the final large
gap.
Mini-Fortress
Now THIS is a good definition of confusing. There are so many doors you
probably can't count them all. I will tell you how to get through this stage.
Listen carefully!
1. Go all the way to the door on the far right. Above it is a P-switch. Hit
it and go through the door.
2. Quickly jump to the door on the right and go through it to find a 1-up
block. Go back through the door again.
3. Go right until you find a small gap with a door on the right side. Fall
through the gap, then jump up in the right side of the gap. A hidden 1-up will
appear. Get it and go through the door.
4. Go in the next door on your right.
5. Duck underneath the spikes, letting the conveyor move you. Go to the right
until you find a P-switch. Hit it and then run all the way to the farthest
right door. It only appears when the P-switch is active. Go through it to
find the boss.
Super Tank
No secrets here.
Bowser's Castle
Here we have another confusing stage. I will tell you how to get through this
one too.
1. Run to the right without stopping to avoid the statues' laser beams.
2. Bound up the stairs but don't enter the door. A lift will take you up this
passage. Jump off to the right. Ride the donut lift down and jump off.
3. Jump up these stairs being careful of the Roto-Discs. At the very top is a
hidden 1-up next to the right wall. Go down the stairs and then head to the
right to reach the giant lava pit.
4. You will have to jump over lots of Donut Lifts here. You have a chance of
four routes to take.
Topmost route: Leads to a door which takes you to the last section before
Bowser's room.
Second route: Jump over the little gap to find a power-up. Then fall down
to intersect with the Third route.
Third route: Ride the Donut Lift down and jump off. Jump over the gaps to
find a room which takes you to the last section before Bowser's room. (This
section is different from the one you get if you take the top route.)
Bottom route: Takes you to a door which forces you back to the beginning!
(ugh)
If you take the third route, the section you arrive in has a power-up. The top
route section does not have one. Either way, they both lead to Bowser's room.
Defeating Bowser: When he jumps, his weight shatters some of the bricks in the
floor. If you are big, you can simply duck when he falls on top of you, and he
won't hurt you. You have to be careful of his flames, though. Eventually,
Bowser will fall through the floor and you've won!
Some more secrets
1) In case you didn't know, hitting the left side of a power-up block makes the
Mushroom go right and vice versa. This is very useful to know.
2) The Magic Whistles allow you to warp between levels. If you use the Whistle
in World 1, you get warped to the top path of the Warp Zone, and can warp to
Worlds 2-4. If you use it in Worlds 2-6, you get warped to the middle path, and
can warp to Worlds 5-7. Using it in Worlds 7-9 takes you to the bottom path,
and you warp to World 8. Hey wait, what's World 9?? Well, the Warp Zone is
considered World 9. Therefore the fastest way to get to World 8 is to use a
second Whistle while in the Warp Zone.
3) If you want to get rid of a Koopa for good, release its shell right next
to a wall. You can use a Koopa shell as a shield as well as you run through
an area .
It protects against one attack. And finally, if you release a shell while
standing one block away from another block, it won't hit you as it bounces
back.
4) Piranha Plants still come out of their pipes in the Giant World even if you
stand right next to them.
5) You can sometimes build up enough speed to fly by running back and forth in
a smaller area.
6) You can turn a wandering Hammer Brother into a Great Treasure Ship in Worlds
1, 3, 5, and 6. To do this difficult trick, collect coins until you have a
multiple of 11. Then score points, until the tens digit of your score matches
the multiple of 11. Then at the end of the stage, stop the timer on an even
number. For example: 44 coins (4x11), 10,140 points, and 152 seconds left.
The Treasure Ship has over 150 coins, plus a hidden 1-up near the exit pipe.
7) The Matching Game appears every time you score 80,000 points. It has eight
different patterns. Here they are:
The pattern does not change within the same game, so if you lose, remember what
you've seen.
8) It is said that being Hammer Mario and using Hammers on Bowser is
interesting...
9) Complete an Airship as Frog, Tanooki, or Hammer Mario and the king will say
something different to you.
10) This FAQ can also be used for Super Mario 3 in the game Super Mario All-
Stars for Super Nintendo, since they are the same game.
This FAQ was created by me, Joshua Harring. If you have any questions or
comments, feel free to email me at harring@student.umass.edu. This FAQ may not
be posted on any website unless written in its entirety, including this
disclaimer. Thanks to Jeff Veasey of www.gamefaqs.com for posting this, and to
Nintendo for creating an excellent guide to this very large game.
Copyright 1998 Joshua Harring
Super Mario Bros. 3 is copyright Nintendo.
