Here are all the guides, tips, and strategies to enjoy playing Super Mario Bros. (NES) with cheats and unlockables.
Unlockables
Hard Mode
Beat the game once to unlock Hard Mode. In this mode, all Goombas are replaced with Buzzy Beetles and the levels are generally more difficult.
Tips & Tricks
Continue After Running Out Of Lives
If you run out of lives and want to continue then at the game over screen press and hold A then press start at 1 player (or 2 player) and you will start at the beginning of the world at which you died!
Blooper Dodge
If you just walk along the sea floor, Bloopers will never be able to kill you because they are forced back up just before they hit the floor (or you).
Level Warp
To warp to Worlds 2, 3, or 4 during World 1-2, go to the end where the 2 platforms are rising, get on the first platform, and use it to jump onto the highest structure in the middle, then jump on the next rising platform, but this time, when it reaches the top, jump onto the TOP of the level. Walk forward and drop down the small jump, and you can now warp to Worlds 2, 3, or 4 by going down the desired tube and pressing down.
To warp to Worlds 6,7 or 8 during World 4-2, go to the place where three blocks are can be seen (where a pipe can also be seen). Jump below the third block where you can reveal a secret block but be careful on jumping below the 1st block because you can’t break it thus going to the secret warp world unless you are a small Mario. Then step onto it and break the 2nd and the 3rd block. After you have done this, go down, then jump again below the second block now (it should have been broken now). The position of the two revealed blocks must be a stair from right to left. Step onto the 2nd block then break the 1st block and there you can see the vine going up. Climb until you reach the daylight again. Get some coins if you wish and you can now see three pipes like in the secret warp Worlds 2,3 and 4. Go down your desired pipe.
Hidden 1-Ups
There are 10 extra 1-Ups throughout the game, most of which are in invisible blocks. However, they don’t activate under normal conditions. To get one, you have to collect all the coins in the third level of the previous world. For example, you’d have to get all the coins in 1-3 to make the 1-Up appear in 2-1. Also, the hidden 1-Ups will activate if you use a warp to reach that world. These are the locations:
1-1: After the fourth pipe, jump slightly to the left and above the green hill in the background.
1-2: Jump on top of the block formation that has six coins in a single row, stand on the far right edge, and jump straight up to hit the ceiling.
2-1: Near the beginning of the stage, above the pit with the two Koopa Troopas in it. Normally, there are only three blocks visible. There is an invisible fourth one on the left end of the row. To reach it, there is another invisible block directly beneath it.
3-1: Jump straight up when you’re about 3/4 of the way across the first bridge. For a precise position, look at the dark brown dots that make up the bridge. It’s above the fifth and sixth dots from the right.
4-1: Look for a single row of four question blocks. It’s above the second block from the right.
5-1: Keep going until you reach a wall that’s four blocks high, with two breakable blocks off to the side with a gap between them. The block is hidden in that gap. For reference, you’ll see a pipe on a platform and a Bullet Bill to the right.
6-1: Go over the large wall of blocks, go left to touch the side of the wall, and jump straight up. For reference, you’ll see the first pipe in the level on the far right.
7-1: Stand on the far left edge of the pipe directly after the Hammer Bros. and jump straight up.
8-1: Stand between the second and third pipes, about one body length away from the third pipe, and jump straight up.
8-2: Jump high and straight up from the springboard to hit the block directly overhead.
Spawn a Beanstalk on Stage Start
This only works in 2P mode. The 2nd player (Luigi) must make it to World 5-2, not kill the 2nd hammer brother (guarding the vine/beanstalk), activate the vine, and then begin to climb while awaiting to die by a thrown hammer. Luigi must die while on/climbing the vine.
When player 1 (Mario) starts again, a short vine will begin to sprout where he’s standing. There is only one practical application for this: during the 2nd quest, where Goombas are turned into Beetles if a vine/beanstalk sprouts in 1-2, Mario can farm lives by knocking the beetle against the left wall, climb on the vine, and endlessly kick the beetle between the wall and the vine without ever touching the ground.
Timer Underflow Glitch
This glitch only works in the castle levels where you fight Bowser at the end – for example, World 1-4, 2-4, 3-4, and so on. It is best to defeat Bowser with Fire Mario or Fire Luigi beforehand, as you must wait out most of the timer to execute this glitch. At the end of the castle levels, there is an axe that you must touch to end the level. If you time your jump correctly (a full jump as the timer goes from 002 to 001 often works) and land on the axe while the timer reads “000”, you’ll continue as normal to the usual sequence at the end of the castle. However, your timer bonus (50 points per second remaining) will be calculated as if you had 999 seconds, not zero, left on the clock. This allows for an easy 49,950-point boost! Note that this glitch, if executed on levels using a flagpole, will prevent you from earning the bonus in that level.
Unlimited 1-Ups
Get to World 3-1, and become Super Mario. At the end of the level, by the staircase before the end flag, you will see two turtles coming down the stairs. Jumping over the first one and then jumping on the second one should cause it to hit the star and bounce back. From here, jump on it and keep yourself off the ground for unlimited 1-ups.
Walk Backwards
This allows Mario (or Luigi), to move forward while looking backwards. While playing in any level, press and hold left. (While not letting go of left) press and hold down right. Just keep hold these two buttons and Mario will walk backwards very slowly. To speed him up, jump. If you keep holding the two buttons and press jump he will jump backwards and walk backwards faster. Also if you have gotten a fire flower, you can throw them while he walks backwards. If you throw some they will be a lot faster than normal and they will bounce much further. (You could also challenge yourself by trying to beat the game while going backwards!) ; ) (only one problem. Mario can’t go backwards into pipes, so you have to go forwards there.)
World Select
After beating the game, if you do not turn off the console, you will return to the title screen. There, you can press the B Button to start as desired in World 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8.
Cheats
The game is fun by itself, but cheating makes it better. Always be sure to input codes with a Game Genie. All the below codes are compatible with most emulators.
Note: before entering cheats, be aware that altering the game can cause random freezing and several other glitches.
| Effect | Code |
|---|---|
| Always Look Like Fiery Mario | IIAAZT |
| Always Stay Super/Fiery Mario | OZTLLX + AATLGZ + SZLIVO |
| Beepy Music | ZZAYGN |
| Bowser’s Fireballs in 1-1 | IPEPNY |
| Bullet Bills in 1-1 | NPEPNY |
| Cheep Cheeps in 1-1 | KPEPNY |
| Circus Music | TVVOAE |
| Clouds Replace Blocks | PKPOKK |
| Cool Colors | PINAOO |
| Crazy Space Jazz | STLNYL |
| Different Enemies | XVXOKK |
| Double Mario; All Enemies Are Half of Bowser | ZGGAEP |
| Enemies Are Power-Ups When Touched | SUEISA |
| Enemies Melt When Smashed | ISKVGY |
| Enemies Die When You Touch Them | SSASSA |
| Every Button Pauses The Game | OKZAPO |
| Faster Game | PAOEPO |
| Flashout Game | GKIAEP |
| Flooded Castle Infested By Koopas | LEAPYE |
| Goombas Throw Hammers | STAGEO |
| Illusion Land | ZEKAEP |
| Infinite Lives (Both Players) | SXIOPO |
| Invincibility from Everything Including Lava Lakitu (on ground) in 1-1 | GOZSXX |
| Levels Are Stretched Out | AAPOTS |
| Mario Runs Fast; Unpredictable Enemies | KILLEN |
| Mario or Luigi Starts Out Small | SZLIVO |
| Mega-Jump from Running Only | GAZUAG |
| Mega-Jump from Standing Start Only | APZLGG |
| Mega-Jump from Walking Only | APZLTG |
| Moon Gravity from a Standing Start | YAZULG |
| Moon Gravity from a Walking Start | YAZUIG |
| Moon Gravity from Running Only | YAZUYG |
| Mushroom and Stars Tug Around | LUGLUG |
| Night Time Coin Swim | PEAPYE |
| Only Mario Moves | AAATIO |
| Permanent Starman | PKAOZP |
| Randomly Play Levels | KEAPYE |
| Starman Power Food (instead of Mushrooms) | LUILUI |
| Start Player 1 with 8 Lives and Player 2 with 3 Lives | VATOLE |
| Start Players 1 and 2 with 1 Life | AATOZA |
| Start Players 1 and 2 with 6 Lives | IATOZA |
| Start Players 1 and 2 with 9 Lives | AATOZE |
| Super Crazy Level and You Can Jump High | SIKAEP |
| Super Jump From A Standing Start | APZLGK |
| Super Jump From Running Only | GPZUAG |
| Super Jump From Walking Only | TPZLTG |
| Swim Instead of Jump | PIGOAP |
| Walk Through Enemies | GTTTTL |
| Walk Through Pipes/Blocks/Walls | GIIIVY |
| Warp to Next Level After Getting Big | |
| Warp to World 2-1 | YSAOPE + YEAOZA + PEAPYA |
| Warp to World 3-1 | YSAOPE + YEAOZA + ZEAPYA |
| Warp to World 4-1 | YSAOPE + YEAOZA + LEAPYA |
| Warp to World 5-1 | YSAOPE + YEAOZA + GEAPYA |
| Warp to World 6-1 | YSAOPE + YEAOZA + IEAPYA |
| Warp to World 7-1 | YSAOPE + YEAOZA + TEAPYA |
| Warp to World 8-1 | YSAOPE + YEAOZA + YEAPYA |
| Warp to World H-1 | YSAOPE + YEAOZA + AOAPYA |
| Warp to World I-1 | YSAOPE + YEAOZA + POAPYA |
| Warp to World J-1 | YSAOPE + YEAOZA + ZOAPYA |
| Warp to World K-1 | YSAOPE + YEAOZA + LOAPYA |
| Warp to World L-1 | YSAOPE + YEAOZA + GOAPYA |
| Warp to World M-1 | YSAOPE + YEAOZA + IOAPYA |
| Warp to World N-1 | YSAOPE + YEAOZA + TOAPYA |
| Warp to World O-1 | YSAOPE + YEAOZA + YOAPYA |
| Warp to World X-1 | YSAOPE + YEAOZA + AXAPYA |
| Warp to World -1 (Minus World) | YSAOPE + YEAOZA + LXAPYA |
| Warp to Water Version of World 4-4 (World 0-1) | YSAOPE + YEAOZA + GTTTTL |
| Weird Colors | GYAEVO |
| Weird Levels (1) | SIIPKK |
| Weird Levels (2) | SPEPNG |
| Weird Levels (3) | SPPPNK |
| Weird Levels (4) | PIPOIS |
| Weird Levels (5) | PGAPGG |
Super Mario Bros. is a platform game developed by Nintendo and initially released in 1985 for the Famicom/NES.