Vanilla Dome
There are two different routes to take
to Ludwig's Castle, and whether you take the secret exit or not in this
level will decide which route you take. Taking the secret exit will bring
you to harder but fewer levels. Taking the normal exit will bring you to
more but easier levels. Take your pick! However, it IS very difficult
to take the secret exit unless you've
visited the Red Switch Palace, and to do that you'll have to take the normal
exit and then take the secret exit in the next level...
Go to the right (of course!) but spin-jump down the steps because of the Spike Top waiting for you. There are a lot of Swoopers in this area, who will fly down at you when you get close. Ducking will SOMETIMES protect you, but not always.
Continue right and jump onto the platform, then quickly hit the flying ? Block, which will yield a Fire Flower. Now continue to the right, taking either the upper or lower path. The upper one makes it easier to go over the Swoopers, but taking the lower one will allow you to go underneath them easier. There really isn't that much of a difference.
Now, as you're hopefully Super Mario, you can go to the top of the yellow block structure. Go as far to the right as you can, then spin-jump to reach the Dragon Coin. Now go back up and to the left (by the way, the ? Block contains a Fire Flower). Grab one of the Koopa Shells, then take the lower path below the yellow blocks and release the shell and RUN to the right after it. The shell will conveniently wipe out the Buzzy Beetles (if you have Yoshi you can just slurp them up). When you are underneath the rightmost "chamber" of the yellow blocks, jump up into it, and you'll hopefully get into it BEFORE the shell rebounds on you. By the way, a Mushroom will appear out of nowhere in the chamber, in case you want it.
Jump and hit one of the higher yellow blocks and jump through it. Now continue right, undnerneath the the yellow pipe.
If you have Yoshi AND Luigi, you can do something really cool. If you look up you'll see a Yellow Block (but get rid of the Buzzy Beetle first). Get underneath the Yellow Block, then jump with Yoshi, then jump off him. This allows you to jump higher and hit the Yellow Block to produce a vine. Now go back on Yoshi, and do the same thing but this time jump ON the yellow block and climb up.
Oh, and, of course, if you've visited the Red Switch Palace, you can just use the blocks to "climb up". If you want to go to the normal exit, ignore the Yellow Block and go to the right, but you can get the ? Block by throwing the Buzzy Beetle shell at it to get a Fire Flower. After that, go to the right again and continue that and enter the pipe.
After emerging from the pipe, walk up to the right and hit the ? Block. It is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL you grab the Star. Now, QUICKLY run across the sinking land. Hopefully you'll be able to make that final jump for the Dragon Coin. It's easier if you have Luigi.
After you've gotten past (with or without the Dragon Coin), you can enter the pipe. If you didn't get it, don't worry; you can come back later.
You'll come out of another pipe. Jump to the right and go through the Midway Gate, then jump down and walk right. A Buzzy Beetle is walking toward you. Jump on him and pick his shell up, but don't throw it. When the second Buzzy Beetle comes, it'll hit the shell and both will be defeated. Hit one of the Yellow Blocks, jump through it onto the other, then jump up and to the right.
Most unfortunately, to get the next Dragon Coin, you must be small Mario/Luigi. If you left a Buzzy Beetle around earlier, it'll be only too happy to help you shrink. However, if you have Luigi you can just run into the Spike Tops, then go back and jump back up. Warning: You'll need a running start to do so. I'm not sure if Mario can, but Luigi is able to.
Go through the small passage and pick up the block, and continue to the right. You'll grab the Dragon Coin AND the block will beat the Buzzy Beetle for you.
Continue right and fall, then hit the ? Block to yield a Mushroom. Jump on top of the Yellow Blocks and jump to the right, and keep going right (avoiding the enemies, of course) until you reach a pipe. Jump onto it, then when the Piranha Plant is safely inside its pipe jump onto that pipe.
Jump on the red Koopa and grab the Dragon Coin, then fall onto the left pipe (though the pit between the pipes is fine as long as you've hit the green switch). Once you're on the green pipe, jump to the right, grabbing the coins. When you land, make sure the Buzzy Beetle doesn't hit you. Continue right, jumping up the slanted platform. When the Buzzy Beetles comes close to you, jump over it then continue right.
Now jump down and to the right, underneath the blocks. Take the shell and throw it to the left, then grab the block and get it out of your way. Here's where it gets tricky. While it's a breeze if you're small, if you're big, you'll have to get a running start, then DUCK underneath the blocks. If you did it right, you should slide underneath them to the Dragon Coin. Grab it, then go back the same way you came in (in other words, use the duck-sliding approach).
Hit the Yellow Block and then jump through it onto the other Yellow Block. Grab the Koopa Shell, go over to the right, jump over the gap, and let loose the Koopa Shell and "bowl over" the Chargin' Chuck. If you want you can grab the Buzzy Beetle shell and carry it across the goal line to get a power-up.
As you may have guessed from its position on the map, this is a water-filled level! It also has a secret exit that'll lead you to the Red Switch Palace.
Okay, go to the right, and don't worry about the Cheep Cheep (as long as they're on land, they're no threat). When you're on the ? Block ledge, drop into the water and hit the blocks to gain three coins and one power-up. You should hopefully have a Fire Flower. It'll come in handy against the many fishes. Hit the block and climb up the vine. Progress to the right, and avoid the Buzzy Beetles.
Fall down the shaft with the coins arranged in an arrow, getting the Dragon Coin. Swim right (and by the way, when you come to the place with the three ? Blocks, underneath the left-most coin is a hidden block containing a 1-Up).
Continue right, and when you see the solitary ? Block hop onto it, then onto the left ledge, then onto the right ledge, picking up the Dragon Coin. Pick up the P-Switch. DO NOT JUMP ON IT! Go through the coin wall, THEN jump on it. Now you can go through the blocks. Run through them and jump over the gap. Remember the place previously inaccessible because of the blocks in your way? Now they're coins and you can go through them!
Jump down and go to the left. You'll find a Dragon Coin and a key. Pick up the key, go left, and swim downwards, then right. Now, if you want, you can enter the secret exit. I would highly recommend doing so if you haven't already as it leads to the Red Switch Palace. If you have...
Throw away the key and take the Trampoline. Go to the right and swim up. Jump onto the Red ! Block (this won't work if you haven't gone to the Red Switch Palace yet) and let go of the trampoline. Jump up on it (if blocks are in your way, try jumping around them). Now go back to the right, jumping over the gap. Keep going right and you'll eventually find a Chargin' Chuck. Let him destroy the blocks for you, then go to the right and you'll find the Midway Gate. Wait for the next Chargin' Chuck to clear a path for you, then go through it. Get whatever you want from the Roulette Block, and continue right. Get the Dragon Coin and hop on the P-Switch. Continue right. Be careful of the next Chargin' Chuck.
Go onto the platform with the Dragon Coin and get it (don't enter the pipe unless you want a power-up, otherwise there's nothing interesting there but a bunch of enemies and a few coins). Go to the right, be careful of the Swoopers and later on the Chargin' Chucks and Spike Top. Beat them or avoid them, then (you guessed it) continue to the right, and enter the Gate!
Okay, here's how you do this one:
Hit the P Switch, QUICKLY jump over the homing shell, and jump onto the block platform. Run to the right, jumping over gaps. The shell will eventually take out enough Koopas to give you a 1-Up. Enter the pipe (if you need to get rid of the shell, just spin-jump it). After entering the pipe, go the right and hit the switch. Now there are Red ! Blocks. Sorry, unlike the Yellow and Green, these won't provide you with anything!
This is harder than the previous ghost house, to be sure! However, as long as you know how to get past the greenish bubbles you'll be ok. Start out going right. Be sure to avoid the Eeries that pop up. Next there'll be a circle of Boos. When there's a gap, run underneath the platform to get the Dragon Coin. Wait for a gap to the right side, go through it, then jump on top of the right side of the platform, but out of the range of the ghosts. Again, wait for a gap between the Boos, then get the ? Block, which contains a Fire Flower. However, if you're already powered up you can ignore it, if you wish.
Continue going right. There are a lot of platforms here, so be a bit careful. Also, Boos show up a lot here, along with Eeries, so be a bit careful. Remember that Boos never move when you're facing them. Get the Dragon Coin. You'll soon afterward come to a lot of yellow blocks and a Big Boo. Hit the third block from the left (in the second, shorter series of blocks on the bottom). A vine will come up. Climb it. Walk to the right, collecting some coins (including a Dragon Coin), but watch out for the Eeries! When you come to the end of the SECOND of those platforms, jump down.
Don't enter the door yet! Go back to the left. Once again you'll find some circling Boos. The ? Block is one of those multiple coin blocks, so you can ignore it if you want. Go to the left and pass through the Midway Gate, then continue going left. Avoid the Big Boo and hit the ? Block for a Feather. On your way back, try jumping from the ? Block that previously contained a Feather to the upper platform to escape the Big Boo. Go right to the door. If you have Luigi and the Cape, you don't have to wait for a gap in the Boos, just jump and use the Cape to get underneath them. Now enter the yellow door.
Although you can run and jump if you have the Cape to fly to the end and avoid the green blobs, it's tricky to get enough momentum without hitting one of the blobs. If you spin-jump, by the way, you can bounce off them, which is the key to getting past them. While I provide a walkthrough for this area, be sure to continue avoiding the blobs. Walk to the right and jump onto the upper platform. Keep going right, jumping from platform to platform and collecting the coins. When you come to the three yellow blocks, hit the middle one to get a P-Switch, but DON'T PRESS IT!!! Carry it to the right. You'll see a yellow door. Ignore it. Keep going right and grab the Dragon Coin. When you can see the coins, grab them, THEN press the P-Switch and enter the blue door. If you messed up, enter the Yellow Door, but you'll have to do almost the whole level over again.
After entering the blue door, jump into the gate and you've beaten this level!
You probably won't want Yoshi for this level, and Luigi might be good because of the necessary jumps. Get onto the Skull Platform and ride it. When you see some eyes looking back and forth, get ready to jump. When they dive underneath, jump to avoid being hit when the Blargg emerges. The uppermost flying block contains a 1-Up; the others contain coins. It's hard to get the 1-Up, so you might want to ignore it. Dodge the next Blargg, then hit the ? Block to gain either a Mushroom or a Fire Flower. By the way, you can't enter any of the three pipes. Climb down the slope (don't slide or you might end up in the lava) and get a Dragon Coin. Jump onto the platform, then get the flying ? blocks. Watch out for Blarggs!
Leap off the platform at the end, then jump next to the pipe to expose a secret block. Use it to jump above the pipe. Hopefully you're at least Super Mario, so you'll get a Feather. Go back to the left of the pipe, then run left. Jump and fly right (No, I don't mean correctly, I mean the opposite of left!). If you do this right, you'll get to a secret place at the top of the cavern. Go to the right and enter the pipe, and enter another of those 1-Up bonus stages!
You'll emerge from a green pipe. Wait a moment; I need to go back if someone didn't go there. And who knows? Perhaps there is another secret hidden up there, but in a different direction...
If you chose not to enter the bonus, that's ok ...you'll get a Dragon Coin! Instead of jumping and flying, after you get the Feather, walk to the right and then onto the platform. Avoid the Blargg, then jump onto the blocks to get a Dragon Coins, but don't hit the Buzzy Beetle. Go past the Piranha Plants and onto another platform. This time go above it and follow it. Hit the blocks and get as many coins as you can, then get back on the platform ASAP, and watch out for the Piranha Plant.
Enter the Yellow Pipe. Get past the Buzzy Beetles and try not to fall into the water, picking up coins as you go along. On the way you'll get a Dragon Coin. You'll also get a Feather from the ? Block. Just watch out for the Buzzy Beetle next to it. When you exit via the pipe, you'll come out of the same green pipe that you would've come out of if you went into the bonus room. The next part's kind of difficult. Jump on the Shelless Koopa Troopa, then pick up the egg and throw it up at the block. You can get Yoshi in this way. Oh, and in case you didn't already, pass the Midway Gate.
Okay, keep going right. Jump onto the
next Skull Platform. As always, avoid the Blarggs. On the drop, jump onto
the platform. Time this next jump carefully. Jump and get the Dragon Coin,
but be sure to land on the
platform, okay?
If you have Yoshi, you can eat the Spike Tops. If you also have Luigi, you can spit then back out to defeat the others. Otherwise, avoid them carefully.
Jump across the pits and watch out for the Buzzy Beetles. You'll get a Dragon Coin on the way. Get onto the Skull Platform, avoid the Blarggs, then jump to the Goal and finish this level.
Finally, a Vanilla Dome level not set in a cavernous environment! There are Bullet Bills flying around the entire place, and they're somewhat unpredictable. So, while following this walkthrough, be sure to avoid them. They don't make it too much harder, though.
If you run to the right (not paying
attention to the fact you fall), you'll grab the first Dragon Coin and
will land
safely on the platform below the springy
platform (or whatever they're called, I'll call them green platforms from
now on). However, if you're using Luigi, you'll miss the Dragon Coin but
land on tthe platform. In case you can't figure it out, you'll have to
jump back a bit and grab the Dragon Coin.
When you're underneath the green platform, jump up onto it. Now, remember this: the farther you are to the edge of the platform the higher you'll be able to jump. Use the platform to jump up onto the top of the platform, then jump to the right onto the ledge with the blue Koopa Troopa. Continue to the right, jumping onto the white upper platform. Defeat the red Koopa and jump down if you want to get a Mushroom. If you got the Mushroom, just go back up with the help of the green platforms. Now continue right. If you fall down, use the two white platforms to get up to the ledge. Now go to the right and jump down onto the lower ledge for a few coins, then jump up and to the right onto the higher ledge. Continue right, using the green platforms, and avoid the Koopa. Grab the Dragon Coin along the way. When you reach the end of the platforms, use that last one to jump up to the white platform.
Jump to the right onto the block and
jump to hit the ? Block. You can get a Feather this way. Before continuing
right, jump in a counterclockwise motion AROUND the low block to gain a
1-Up! NOW continue right, jumping up onto the green platform and using
it to propel yourself upward, then get to the ledge (you can jump to the
lower ledge for a few coins). Jump to the next ledge to the right, then
use the green platforms to make your way up, but be sure to do it when
the Koopas aren't in your way. Continue right, but
when you jump off the ledge, be sure
you hit the tape on the Midway Gate.
To the right you'll find two pipes,
each with a Piranha Plant in them and a green platform around them (two
around the second one). If you continue
to the right you'll find some coins and a power-up (and a 1-Up), but you'll
also miss a Dragon Coin. The best strategy is to go to the right, grabbing
what you need, then go back to the blue pipe and enter it. Sorry, I won't
help you on that part. Just use your common sense, for crying out loud!
Once you've entered the pipe you'll find one of those "rafts". You probably won't want Yoshi on this part. Jump onto the raft, grabbing the coins, and jump over or duck under the blocks blocking your way. Grab a Dragon Coin at the end, then enter the pipe.
Now the "fun" begins. Four Bullet Bills
will appear on the screen at once, each going in a different direction!
You'll just have to avoid them yourself, though they will disappear as
you continue. Anyway, this may sound
repetitive, but go to the right, jump
down, and get the Dragon Coin. Using the green platform, go back
up, then continue right, using the green platforms as necessary. Grab the
Dragon Coin on your way, then finish the level.
Yay. Another level where you have to search all over for the Dragon Coins. I'm just going to give you the basic walkthrough for how to get the Dragon Coins, and of course the location of the Secret Exit (which leads to a warp to Star Road).
You'll start out at the bottom of a...
well, I don't know what it is! Basically, go right and jump up to the
platform. Then go right more and jump
up to the next platform. I shouldn't need to tell you to deal with the
Koopas. Anyway, next up, go to the
left a bit and then jump up, then jump to the left onto the floating platform.
You can go over to the right to get a Mushroom/Feather from the ? Block
on the right if you want. Whether you do or not, jump onto the green springy
things and jump from them to the next, then onto the upper platform. The
? Block contains a bunch of coins, which you can get if you want. Go right
and jump down to get the Dragon Coin. Next, jump onto the pipe with the
Koopa on it. Hit the middle block to cause a vine to go upward. Climb it
to the top and jump to the right to get the Dragon Coin. Then go to the
left ledge, hit the block there, and climb the vine that comes from it.
Alright, now walk (and jump when necessary, of course) to the left and
fall down the pit where the Blue ! Blocks (or blue outlines, depending
on how far you've progressed) are. A Dragon Coin is waiting for you there.
Now use the green springy things to get upward. Jump to the right and go
upward and you'll notice a bunch of flying red Koopas above you and a Trampoline.
You can jump on the Trampoline to progress (but make sure it's when there's
a gap!) OR you can take the Trampoline and put it on the Blue ! Block (if
you've visited the Blue Switch Palace, of course) and use it to reach the
left pipe, which leads to the Secret Exit. Of course, you can also reach
the Secret Exit using a Blue Yoshi with a Koopa, or a Cape (though reaching
it using a Cape is difficult, so I wouldn't recommend it). If you go through
the pipe to the Secret Exit, the only thing standing in your way is one
Chargin' Chuck. Just jump over him and get to the Exit!
Anyway, if you go upwards towards the normal exit, go right to get the Trampoline, go left and move up the various platforms, then jump to the floating platform to the right. Use the Trampoline to get the Dragon Coin above, then grab the Trampoline and jump to the right to the platform. Use the Trampoline AGAIN to get the Dragon Coin. Jump down from that platform to the left, go up the platforms again, but this time jump onto the left pipe and use those green sproingy things again to reach the top. Go right, then come out the pipe, avoid the Chargin' Chuck on the top of the hill, and go through the Exit!
Capes are important for this level. You'll be barraged by flying Koopas, so be careful.
You'll see two Koopas charging at you
at the beginning. Slip underneath the two and continue to the right, jumping
up to the next platform. Hit the ? Block to get a Yoshi. Hopefully you'll
get a blue Yoshi, but if not...
The Dragon Coin is high up in the sky.
If you have a blue Yoshi, eat one of the Koopas and fly up there. If you
don't, use the cape to fly up there (you may have to defeat some of the
Koopas first). It's on one of those cloud platforms, by the way. Try to
go up near the beginning, then go across the platforms. You'll then find
the Dragon Coin.
Continue right, hitting the Green ! Block with a shell if you want (if you couldn't get the Dragon Coin because you didn't have a Feather, you can try now). Be sure to avoid the Koopas (probably by ducking underneath them) and grab the Dragon Coin. Continue right, and you can get the Mushroom/Fire Flower from the ? Block. Jump right while the Piranha Plant is falling downward, and grab the Dragon Coin, then jump underneath the next Piranha Plant when it's out of its pipe, then go right. Break the tape on the Midway Gate, then jump up to the platform with the help of the sloping platform.
Avoid the Spiny and jump on the Lakitu. The third Music Block to the right contains a Feather, so get that, but beware of the falling Bob-ombs!
Go up the green pipe and jump over the Spinies. Jump between the two blocks to get the Dragon Coin. You can try to jump onto the lower block so you can hit the ? Block, but it only contains multiple coins, so it's not really worth it.
When you're next to the Spiny pit, carefully walk extremely slowly to the right (but don't fall into the pit) and jump directly upwards. If you hit the second block to the left, a gray P-Switch will appear. Jump up and press it to turn the Spinies into coins!
Grab all the coins you can get, because you'll get some extra lives from them. Run right, jump over the gap (by the way, if you see any other of those "Spiny-coins", grab them), run up the pipe, and then conk the Lakitu on the head and enter his pipe. Once you're in, hit the P-Switch, then quickly run over the block platform to the left.
You'll find a Dragon Coin at the end. Jump up and into the pipe, and you'll be shot out towards the Goal. This level isn't as easy as it sounds.
Here are the dolphins, or whatever they're supposed to be. You'll need them if you want to get across the level. Well, okay, you CAN fly across. Just run at the beginning, then jump. However, you'll miss a lot. Now for the level itself.
You'll start off by meeting the dolphins. You don't have to use them to cross the water, but you'll get some coins along the way and familiarize yourself with them if you do. Also, unless you have Luigi, you won't be able to jump up to the higher platform to get the Feather. And don't miss the Dragon Coin!
Once again you can cross the water with no risk even if you don't use the dolphins. You'll find another Dragon Coin and four coins.
WARNING! A Porcu-Puffer is ahead, so watch out for it! I won't mention it for the rest of this walkthrough, but watch out for it! Of course, I probably don't need to tell you that. By the way, cape spins CAN kill the Porcu-Puffer.
Use the dolphins to cross the water. Once again, it's possible without the dolphins, but risky, and you won't be able to get the Feather, which, as I said before, is quite useful.
You'll find one of those Bonus Blocks. You won't be able to get the number of coins so far, so you'll have to go forward, get a lot of coins, then come back to get the 1-Up. It's up to you to decide if it's worth it.
Use the dolphins to reach the platforms and get the next Dragon Coin. Next, just jump on one of the dolphins and ride it all the way to the end, grabbing the fourth Dragon Coin. Although it's nearly impossible to miss, get the final Dragon Coin just before the pipe. Enter the pipe, then finish the level.
Vanilla Fortress
This level is pretty much entirely underwater
(except for the boss), and there are lots of Dry Bones, Ball 'n'
Chains, Fishbones, and Boney Bettles
about. You also have to go through it in just the right way to get the
Dragon Coins, so be careful. And make sure you're equipped with power-ups,
otherwise one false step could be deadly. Also, I will not be mentioning
each individual enemy... you can figure it out by yourself, you know!
Swim right. Go up, avoiding the Ball
'n' Chains, then when you come to the split take the high road, and you'll
encounter another Ball 'n' Chain (just go by when it's near the top). The
next part's tricky. Wait for the Fishbone to pass you, then swim over the
spikes. Continue right, get the power-up if you want, then continue right
(but you knew that anyway, right?). The next part's annoying. Try to stay
above the Dry Bones/Boney Beetles while avoiding the spikes (be sure to
wait for the loose ones to fall). And, although I
shouldn't need to say this, get the
Dragon Coin, then enter the pipe to the right.
Be careful here! It'sdangerous, and you need to go through it the right way. Once you emerge, progress to the left slowly. There's a Thwomp. Wait for it to fall, then when it's coming back quickly go past it and get the Dragon Coin on your way (or you can try doing that when the Thwomp is down, your choice). Continue to the left, being careful of the Ball 'n' Chain. Oh, and did I mention the Dry Bones? Left again, down the steps, watch out for the Thwomp. Use the ? Block if necessary, continue left. You'll come to a pipe (this is where you would've come in had you chosen the lower road earlier on). Get the Dragon Coin next to it and go back to the right. Swim upwards until you get to the Midway Gate (you can break the tape on it, but if you do so, remember you'll come back to there and therefore will not be able to finish it with all five Dragon Coins). Continue past it, be careful of all the baddies around, and get the Dragon Coin. Next, STILL keep going to the right, drop down, and avoid the Ball 'n' Chains while getting the Dragon Coin. One more ? Block and you're on the boss.
BOSS: Reznor (is it plural or singular?)
appears a bunch of times and is no different any time. Here's how you beat
them: They're all on platforms. Jump from underneath their platforms to
knock them off. The catch? After you knock two off, the bridge you're on
will start collapsing. Quickly jump onto one of the now-vacant spots. Once
you're just below one of Reznor's heads, jump up and knock it off. Then,
just get onto the platform underneath the final one, jump, and hit it off.
Reznor is defeated! It may seem hard at first, but
soon it'll be like riding a bicycle.
Maybe.
Okay, this part's weird. If you have Luigi and are at least Super Luigi, you can easily spin-jump (try on the far right) and then continue onward right. You'll be able to jump onto the platform. It's possible to do it with Mario... but harder.
Here's an alternate solution. Wait for Magikoopa to show up below, then quickly run. He'll shoot at you with his wand, hit one of the blocks, and turn it into an enemy. You can use the newly-created hole to get out. Oh, some of the upper blocks contain powerups, but you might want to pass. If you've waited for Magikoopa, you can use the ? Block to get a power-up. Watch out: Magikoopa will still show up. You can jump on him to make him go away temporarily, but it's best to avoid him.
Go to the right and jump onto the platform. Go right and use the blocks to get the P Switch. Pick it up and bring it to the right. Collect some of the coins to clear a way to the door (DON'T get the one just under the door), then hit the switch and enter the door. By the way, if you mess up, just go to the right and avoid the Magikoopas and Podoboos, then enter the yellow door.
If you've entered the door with the help of the P Switch, go through the Midway Gate, then collect the 1-Up from the block, then enter the door, and you'll find yourself where you would be if you entered the yellow door without the P Switch.
Wait for the platform to rise back up, then jump onto where the Dragon Coin is, then jump to the next level of the pyramid. When it drops enough, quickly jump onto the highest layer. You'll be fine when it dips into the lava. You can jump from here to the next platform, but it would be best to wait for the pyramid to rise back up, then jump from one of the lower levels. Avoid the Dry Bones (if you have the cape, you can defeat it). Wait until the falling block rises back up, then jump to the lower one. Run to the right, avoid the Podoboo and the Dry Bones. Again, wait untit the next ledge is completely up, then jump to it. Before it sinks, jump to the little alcove at the top and you'll be safe when it sinks. When it rises up completely, jump down to the Dragon Coin (there'll be a platform that rises), then jump up to the right and avoid the Podoboo. Go to the ledge with the Dry Bones and either stomp it or cape spin it. If it starts to come back after a stomping, simply stomp it again. Wait until the platforms have fully risen, then jump from the left raised platform to the right, getting the Dragon Coin as you go.
Climb up the ledges, but don't jump quite yet! The walls are coming down ahead, so wait until they go back up, then jump over to that side and scuttle into the small right chamber underneath it to gain a Feather. Wait for it to rise back up again, then jump up, and go right until you're next to the currently raised block of stone. When it lowers, jump on it! When it starts to rise again, so do the blocks next to it. When the next highest one appears, jump on it, because you don't want to get squashed. Jump onto the smallest one to gain a Dragon Coin. Before it falls back into the lava, jump off it to the right.
Go to the right, avoiding the Podoboo and Dry Bones. If you don't take out the Dry Bones, at least temporarily, he might actually follow you. Walk onto the "elevator" to be raised to the top, where you'll see another two other Dry Bones. Like before, these can walk where you're going, so at least take them out for a moment.
After you go downwards, you'll find two more Dry Bones. If you have the cape, spin into them, because there's a block stopping your jumps. Go underneath the block and onto the next rising platform. When it's fully raised, QUICKLY jump down to get the Dragon Coin. Then jump into the small hole on the right, then (this part's tricky) to the top so you're not toast in the lava. When the platform's fully risen, jump to the right, get the Feather from the green block, and prepare to battle Lemmy.
Lemmy may know how to run a website right, but he isn't so knowledgeable when it comes to fighting. He and two decoy Lemmys will emerge from the pipes. Stand between two pipes so you won't get hurt when they emerge. Fortunately, the uneven terrain will help you avoid the floating Podoboo. Hit Lemmy on the head when he pops up. If you hit a decoy, you won't gain anything but won't get hurt. Hit him three times and he'll lose his grip, and then fall into the lava! No wonder this update was a little late.
The Twin Bridges lie ahead, though you won't know why it's called TWIN Bridges unless you've completed the Vanilla Fortress.
Twin Bridges
This level has a secret exit, but the
secret exit in question is tricky to find. Make sure you start this level
with Yoshi (preferably a blue one),
a cape, and a back-up Feather. Yes, there are Feathers and Yoshis in this
level, but it's best to start the level with them.
This beginning part isn't too tough,
but grabbing the three Dragon Coins is. Although you should have two capes,
you can get one from the ? Block if you want. This part is REALLY tricky,
especially if you want all
three coins. Jump onto the bottom one,
then onto the middle one, then onto the top one. This will start them all
moving. Now drop down to the bottom one (this IS tricky, let me tell you).
While I shouldn't need to tell you this, avoid all of the axes along the
way. Anyway, grab the Dragon Coin as you come to it, then jump back onto
the top one (probably jumping onto the middle one along the way), and after
you've picked up the second Dragon Coin, drop to the bottom one again and
wait until you've found the final Coin. Just before the platform drops,
jump onto the log platform, then break the Midway Gate's tape if you want.
(Warning: If you lose a life, you'll come BACK to the Midway Gate and will
have to beat the level and then come back, so it's advisable to NOT do
it unless you're not worried about getting all the Dragon Coins. Still,
you could try finishing the level and then the second time around get the
Dragon Coins. But whatever you decide...)
The next ? Block contains Yoshi Wings. If you have Yoshi and touch them, you'll be transported into a bonus area that will lead to an alternate end of the level, however, this "secret" exit will NOT get you to Soda Lake. Keep Yoshi with you if you're trying to get to the secret exit. Instead of using the rope, jump onto the next log platform. Continue to the right, jumping when needed, and get the Feather from the ? Block if you want. Jump to the right, getting the Dragon Coin. You can enter the pipe if you want, but it won't really help you at all. You have two choices. You can either go for the secret or go for the final Dragon Coin. If you're trying to go for the secret...
Make sure you're on the platform just before the yellow pipe. Make sure you're near the left end of it, then run to the right, and at the last minute, jump. HOLD DOWN BOTH A AND B, and don't worry! If you did this right, you should emerge safely on a platform. Now, jump towards the exit with Yoshi, but make sure you're UNDERNEATH it (in other words, jumping to the right from the lower platform). Hold down A to slow your descent. Once you're to the right of it (though you'll be under it, of course), jump off Yoshi with R. You'll be on the platform BEHIND the goal. Now just go right and reach the secret Goal, and a 3-Up to boot!
Now, if you wanted to get the final Dragon Coin instead, hop off of Yoshi (assuming you still have him) and then go onto the moving rope platform. Make sure you're not hit by any of the axes and get the Dragon Coin on the way. Jump onto the normal exit and you're done! If you found the normal exit, onto Cookie Mountain, otherwise you can enter Soda Lake!
I suppose you're noticing a pattern here in the worlds; most are named after food! Whoever made the levels must have been feeling pretty hungry.
Don't run forward immediately for the Shelless Koopa Troopa will get you. Wait for it to stop, then stomp on it. Jump onto the little mountain, and watch out for the Monty Moles which jump up at you. Jump over to the other side of the small pit and hit the Sumo Brother from underneath. Again, proceed carefully to avoid the Monty Mole. Jump to where the Sumo Brother was and hit the yellow ? Block on the top to get the Feather.
Go over to the right, avoiding the Shelless Koopa Troopas that come at you. Jump to where they were to grab a Dragon Coin, then go to the lower-right corner to grab a Koopa shell. Next, go to the upward ledge and jump to the right, but then come back to the left over the Monty Moles. Release the shell and watch the Moles get massacred. Keep walking right, then jump over the pit (hopefully you'll have visited the Red Switch Palace). Keep going right until you get to the part with the two Sumo Brothers. Jump underneath them to beat them and get a Dragon Coin, but be careful! Also, you'll have to jump from the slightly higher ledges, not the ones directly underneath it. Luigi is best for this. Get to the right and avoid the barrage of Monty Moles. Hit one of the blocks to produce a vine. Climb it, grab the Dragon Coin, then when you're at the top, jump to the right to get a 1-Up on the ledge, then go back down. You can enter the pipe to enter an area with a couple of Porcu-Puffers. If you avoid them and go to the left, you'll come out of a pipe high in the sky and can get a 1-Up. If you do, go to the right and fall downward. We'll pick this up right where the blue pipe is, in case you decided not to go for the 1-Up.
Go to the right, and proceed cautiously to avoid the pesky Monty Moles. Hit the ? Block to get Yoshi. Jump up onto the next ledge, then the higher one to grab your Dragon Coin. Oh, and try to be quick about it, or else the Monty Moles will pop up again. There's a Roulette Block next.
You can eat the Piranha Plant if you have Luigi and Yoshi, then spit it out at the block if you want. Continue to the right and nab the Dragon Coin. Go to the lower part underneath the ? Blocks to take care of the first Sumo Brother, than do the same for the higher one by hitting the blocks they're underneath.
To the right is a Chargin' Chuck. Avoid him or defeat him. Jump onto the block, onto the pipe, then through the goal. Now onto Ludwig!
This is a tough forced-scrolling level involving lots of jumping. You'll want Luigi almost for sure. Go over to the right, jumping from the first part of the bridge to the next. Warning: The platforms you're on will fall, and cause the other to go up. To counteract this, jump (if you have the Cape, you can float down), and they'll go back to normal gradually.
When you've cleared those, you'll see one of those grey falling plattforms. Wait until the screen has scrolled enough to the right, then jump on it, then off to the next Mushroom-like platform. Get the Dragon Coin in your jump.
Here's another grey platform. Remember that you need to wait for the screen to scroll so that you'll be able to jump to the next platform. Jump on the flying Koopa Troopa to get to the next part of the bridge, snagging the Dragon Coin along the way. Jump onto the next Mushroom platform, and wait for it to fall a little. Jump from it to the next to get the Dragon Coin. You can try jumping on all the Koopa Troopas to get a few extra lives, but that's easiest if you have Mario. If you're playing with Luigi, just avoid them, then jump onto the next Mushroom-shaped platform, then to the next, and the next. STAY on the next one for a while, then jump to get the Dragon Coin, then onto the lower ones when the screen scrolls down. Continue hopping from platform to platform while the screen scrolls to the right again.
When the screen starts scrolling up, hit the blocks and jump above them until you're at the top. Keep going from platform to platform to the right, avoiding the Koopa Troopas. This part's tough. Get onto the platform, then jump to the Dragon Coin while the platform falls. Get back on the platform, then jump to the right onto the bridge. Watch out for those Koopa Troopas! Finally, you're at the end. Hit the Bonus Block to perhaps get an extra life, then enter the pipe. Now you're at the goal! Finish the level by cutting the tape!
The second level of Butter Bridge is no longer forced-scrolling, but there are plenty of Super Koopas about. (And no, I DON'T mean the kind in Lemmy's Land!) Except at certain points, I'm not going to remind you about all of the Super Koopas flying around. It's up to you to avoid or defeat them. As with most of these kinds of levels, Luigi is best.
You'll get your first taste of the Super Koopas immediately. After you've gotten past the first, you'll find one with a flashing cape. Hit it to get the Feather. If you want, you can come back and get the Feather again (as long as you only stomped on it once it'll "regenerate" its shell, but if you stomped it twice then it'll be gone for good).
Go to the right and jump to the next "log". Stomp the Shelless Koopa on it (there are a lot of those). Next, continue right, beating the Super Koopas. DON'T pick up the shell until they're gone. Once you've beaten them, take the shell and toss it up (press up then release the shell) and gain a Feather from the ? Block. Now, with your Cape, get a running start then jump and fly up to the upper clouds where you'll get a Dragon Coin. Now float back down (to make sure you don't land in any pits).
Again, go right, jumping from log to
log while avoiding the Super Koopas. (Okay, unless it's really important,
I'm not going to mention the Super Koopas again. Use your common sense.)
While you can use the Super
Koopas to hit the Dragon Coin, it might
be easier to just get a running start then jump and grab it.
Continue right, jumping over the gap. The next part is swarming with Koopas on ledges kicking shells at you. Avoid them as best you can. When you reach the end, jump up to grab the Dragon Coin.
Continue right, past the Midway Gate. Jump onto the next ledge and get past the Koopa. Continue right and hit the Green ! Block to gain a Feather. Now continue right. Ignore the pipes for now and continue right, then cape spin the ? Block to release Yoshi. Hop on him, then go back to the left and enter the right-most pipe to enter a bonus stage.
You can either jump onto the moving platform or hold onto the rope. In any case, get the coins if you want, but when you come to the "log", jump up (or fall down) to gain the Dragon Coin.
After you've exited the pipe, continue
to the right and jump onto the next ledge. The Super Koopas will show no
mercy here, so get past them as fast as you can. When you reach the next
ledge, just continue on
to the right, jumping from platform
to platform while avoiding the Koopas. Eventually you'll find the Dragon
Coin. There are two ways to get it. The easier way is to fall down WITH
YOSHI, grab it, then jump off
Yoshi with the R button. However, if
you don't have Yoshi, it's harder. I find it easier if you use Mario, strangely.
Anyway, there's a Super Koopa swooping down near the Dragon Coin. You'll
have to jump onto him while grabbing the Dragon Coin, then jump back up
after bopping him.
Now continue rightwards, make a few more jumps, and you're at the goalpost! You can use the Super Koopas to cut the tape when it's higher, but I shouldn't need to tell you THAT.
This level is home for Torpedo Teds, Bullet Bill-like enemies that come at you underwater. Bring Yoshi along because you won't be hurt by the Torpedo Teds as long as his feet touch them.
Start off by swimming to the right, but try to stay in the upper half of the screen. You'll soon see a Torpedo Ted of your own. And by the way, even if you're next to them, they'll still come out! Oh, and did I mention they go through walls?
Avoid the fish (I'm not going to mention
this for the rest of this level, but you should be able to avoid them yourself)
and get the Fire Flower from the ? Block. Now continue to the right, but
try to stay to the bottom
of the screen. When you see the Dragon
Coin, try swimming to it quickly and then get out of the way because of
the Torpedo Ted about to hit you.
When the coast is clear, quickly go through because the Torpedo Teds come out often. Grab the Dragon Coin AFTER the Torpedo Ted next to it leaves (hopefully he'll actually be going in the opposite direction). Swim underneath the final Torpedo Ted, but make sure you don't fall off the screen.
Next, swim upwards over the barrier, then go down to grab the Dragon Coin before the Torpedo Ted nabs you. The next part is REALLY tough. Your best bet is to try to swim underneath the lowest Bullet Bill, but you'll run a great danger of falling off the screen.
Once you're past that, swim until you see the Dragon Coin (you may have to be close to the bottom to see it). Grab it, then get away before the Torpedo Ted nabs you. Swim underneath the next Torpedo Ted, then grab the Dragon Coin, then swim very high up and wait for the fish to pass.
You can probably slip underneath the Torpedo Ted before another one comes out. Stay underneath the others, go right, enter the pipe, and then go through the Gate. Now you have access to another Star! These provide a very quick route around Dinosaur Land.
The Twin Bridges rejoin at this level. This level isn't too hard, if you do it right. Mario is suggested for this level, and it is also suggested (but to a lesser extent) that you do not bring a cape. Why? You'll find out...
Go to the right. You'll fall into a "pit" with a Boney Beetle. Wait until its spikes retract, then jump over it. If you have the cape, of course, you can just spin it.
Wait until the Ball 'n' Chain is facing away from you, then quickly jump onto the block in the middle of it, jump to the upper-left onto the other block, then to the upper-right. Go right and you'll fall again. You'll see a Boney Beetle. Defeat it in the same way as you did earlier.
The next part is tricky. Be careful as you pass the next three Ball 'n' Chains. The next part may seem impossible to get across without being hurt, but don't panic! When the upper Ball 'n' Chain isn't in your away, duck and go on top of the other one. It'll pass harmlessly over your head. Then QUICKLY run to the right. You can get the Mushroom if you want.
Here's the part where you don't want Luigi or the Feather. Run to the left quickly, avoiding the Podaboos and lava pits. Above all, don't jump too high or you'll hit the spikes (Get it? ABOVE all?). This is why Mario is better... speed is everything, and jumping too high can hurt. Also, since you'll be running and jumping, you might accidently start flying and hit the spikes if you have the cape. Grab the Dragon Coin on your way.
When you get to the On/Off Switch, hit it. The spikes will start moving upward. When the Dragon Coin is in the clear, quickly jump up and get it, then run to the left. Avoid the Boney Beetle and jump over the blocks. Keep running to the left, avoiding the obstacles. While you can still beat it with the cape, it's slightly more difficult. If you've gone fast enough, you should make it to the door just in time. Enter it.
Go to the right and hit the Midway Gate, then go back to the left. While you can simply go upward to get to Ludwig von Koopa, you'll miss the Dragon Coins and a power-up. I shouldn't need to say this, but throughout the entire thing, watch out for the Koopa Troopas.
Okay, let's take off from right where you appear after entering the yellow door (after, of course, hitting the Midway Gate).
Climb upwards and go to the right. Hit the ? Block to release a Feather, then go back to the left.
Climb upwards a bit (and jump when you need to, of course) until you see the Dragon Coin on the other side of the net. Punch the square to get onto the other side, then grab it. Now go to the right and pick up the Dragon Coin, but watch out for the spikes and Koopa Troopas. You can get to the coins, but it's tricky. Now go upwards to find another ? Block, which contains a power-up.
Go to the left and you'll find the last Dragon Coin. Be sure to avoid the spikes. Now climb upward and to the boss door.
Ludwig will shoot (well, breath) fireballs at you, but unlike with Iggy, you can't fight fire with fire. Instead, run immediately to the right (if you do it quickly enough he won't shoot out any fireballs) and jump on him. Try to stay in the middle of the battle area when Ludwig goes into his shell and spins at you, and be sure to jump over him. After a while he'll make a large jump to the left or right and start shooting fireballs again. You had to stay in the middle because of this: if you stay too far to the edges, there's a chance he'll actually jump off-screen. If he lands off-screen, you'll have to avoid his fireballs by ducking or jumping and wait for him to spin at you again. After he jumps again, hopefully he'll still be on screen. Anyway, when he lands, jump on him again. Repeat the process. When he jumps and lands for the second time, stomp him for the third time to rid the Twin Bridges of his menace (and more importantly, music).
Now, onward to the Forest of Illusion, where seeing is believing... most of the time.
Forest of Illusion
Here's the Forest of Illusion! Most
of the levels in this world have two exits, so be to sure to find them
all. By the way, this first level has a great trick for getting extra lives.
And in this game, unlike Super Mario World, it
saves those lives, so getting them
all won't be for no reason. Read on to find out about it.
Now, when you start off, you'll find a Wiggler. They seem harmless, but if you jump on them their flower will fall off and they'll turn red and start following you. After jumping over the gap to the right, you'll find a Koopa Troopa and a ? Block. You can either jump onto the lower block to reach the ? Block, or hurl a shell at it. Either way, you'll get a power-up.
Go to the right, jumping over the gaps between the three platforms. Finally, jump to the upper platform where a ? Block holds Yoshi. Yoshi is helpful, because he'll be able to eat almost all the enemies in this level, including the Wigglers. You can get the Goombas on your way to the right, also. Use Yoshi's tongue to hold the Trampoline, you'll need it soon. The trampoline is useful almost immediately, as it'll help you get the Dragon Coin. However, you don't really need it, as you could just jump on the Wiggler to get the necessary height. Also, the yellow block next to the music blocks will release a 1-Up. Hit one of the music boxes from below to release it. You'll have to run to the right and jump pretty quickly to catch it on its way down.
The Wigglers on the next part may be a bit hard to spot because of the trees blocking your view. Just be careful, and be sure to get the Dragon Coin between two of the trees. Keep going to the right, where you'll find the Midway Gate, then a Roulette Block with a Koopa Troopa near it. Get rid of the Koopa Troopa. You'll almost certainly want the Starman. Grab it, then run quickly (and jump when necessary) to the right. Be sure to get the Dragon Coin hidden behind the first of the big trees you see after the Midway Gate! Try to hit ALL of the enemies. You'll get plenty of 1-Ups this way. There's also another Dragon Coin (but unlike the previous one, it's not hidden).
There's a ? Block that contains a P-Balloon. If you want to go to the secret exit, grab the P-Balloon, then float to the left until you find the Koopa Troopa next to another ? Block. Wait for the P-Balloon to wear off, grab the Key from the ? Block, then use it in the Keyhole to gain access to the Forest Ghoust House.
If you're opting for the regular exit, ignore the ? Block and continue to the right. When your invincibility wears off, Mario will give you a cute congratulations for getting all those lives. Hopefully you'll make it to the Wiggler and Hammer Brother with invincibility or Yoshi so the Wiggler won't bother you. If you don't, you'll have to avoid the Wiggler and the Hammer Brother while trying to knock the Hammer Brother off its ledge by jumping and hitting its platform. Then you can jump on the platform to get to the exit. Alternatively, you could try jumping on the Wiggler to scale the wall. But don't forget to grab the Dragon Coin next to the wall! In any case, you've beaten Forest of Illusion 1! Well, PART of it, at least...
Take Yoshi with you in this level. Not only are his feet invulnerable to the annoying Urchins you'll find, but he'll give you an extra measure of protection. Luigi isn't a bad idea, either... Yoshi can suck up fishes and spit them at the Urchins with Luigi, which will finish the Urchins. Oh yeah, and the secret exit will get you to the fourth and final Switch Palace!
Anyway, you'll exit a pipe at the beginning. You'll find a Green ! Block (you DID visit the Green Switch Palace, right?) which you can get a Feather from if you want.
Go right (as usual) and you'll see your first Urchin in this level. These guys are a bit tricky to get past. If you have Yoshi, you can actually jump on them and not get hurt (but I said that already, didn't I?). Anyway, progress past the Urchin and continue on the path. It's not too hard to figure out how to get past the Urchins, so I won't bother explaining that. If they cause you trouble, suck up a fish with Yoshi while using Luigi and spit it at them to beat them. Anyway, you'll encounter a Dragon Coin soon--grab it. Then continue right. On the part where you go downward, be careful. There are two Urchins going around the blocks, the first in a clockwise direction, the other in a counterclockwise direction. Be careful of the fishes moving towards you in the V-shape. Go right, then up, and get the Fire Flower if you want it.
Here comes the tricky part (it's not tricky to do, it'stricky to explain). Stay near the "roof" and go to the right to grab a Dragon Coin. Be careful of the sleeping fish, which will follow you. Then drop down and go to the left and fall down, then go right. You'll soon encounter a little 'cave' above you. If you try to enter it, you'll just find hidden ? Blocks. Hit the third from the right block to get a 1-Up. Make sure you don't hit all of the other three or you won't get it. After that, go to the right and get the Dragon Coin, then use whatever's at your disposal to finish the sleeping fish so it doesn't follow you around (Cape, Fireball, Yoshi, whatever). Now go BACK to the left, then up, then to the right and take the middle passage. Go right and pass the Midway Gate. Keep going right, and be careful--there are a lot of Urchins and fish around here. You'll find a Dragon Coin in a "pit". Wait until the Urchin goes upward, then QUICKLY get it, then get out. To pass the second Urchin, wait until it's down and then swim above it.
Go to the right, then down. You should see a Yellow ! Block. To find the SECRET EXIT, go left through the wall and grab the key and put it into the keyhole. And do it quickly, that annoying sleeping fish will follow you.
If you don't want to enter the secret
exit, just continue right. You'll find a LOT of descending sleeping fish.
Nearthe upper part is a Dragon Coin. This can be difficult to get without
dealing with the fishes, so clear them out (if you're low on time, you
can decide to just grab it and
possibly take a hit).
Continue to the right and you'll find a few Chargin' Chucks. Ignore them and go to the Goal and finish the level! NOTE: If you get some enemies to follow you and have them on screen when you finish the level, they'll turn into coins and possibly 1-Ups!
The last of the switch palaces is probably the hardest, though that's not saying much.
Grab some of the coins, then hit the
Gray P-Switch to make the Spinies turn into coins. Now hit the blue P-Switch
to make the "Spinies" fall. Grab all of the coins and hopefully gain some
lives. When you're done,
enter the pipe and jump on the blue
switch. You've now (hopefully) gotten ALL of the switches now!
This level is actually quite easy, but
guess what? It contains a secret exit! The Secret Exit will let you get
to
Roy's Castle, and the Normal Exit will
bring you (back?) to Forest Ghost House. You can bring your choice of Luigi
or Mario to this level--it really doesn't matter. I'd also suggest bringing
Yoshi and some power-ups (then again, don't you want the power-ups in *every*
level?). A lot of the enemies here take spin-jumps to finish off, so Yoshi
can take care of them quicker. WARNING: To get the Secret Exit you cannot
be small Mario/Luigi!
Okay! Go to the right and you'll see a Bob-omb in a bubble. That's where a lot of enemies will be. Basically, they float around in the bubbles until they touch something, whether it's you, the ground, a pipe, or something else. Then they pop. Obviously, it's best to try to avoid the bubbles, but it often proves very difficult. But you don't have to worry about this one. Just run under it.
Next you'll find two pipes and a Dragon
Coin. A Goomba will "hatch" from the bubble and take its place between
the pipes. Either gobble him with Yoshi or spin-jump him to take care of
him, then collect the Dragon Coin (assuming you haven't already). Jump
over the pit to the right. Use the trampoline to get to the top of the
pipe. To the right of it is a ? Block, and unfortunately a Bob-omb. You
can either beat the Bob-omb now or wait for it to explode. Hit the ? Block
for a Yoshi Egg or a 1-Up (hey, either way you win), then enter the shorter
of the two pipes to get into one of those cool 1-Up bonus games! Once you're
done with that, you'll emerge from a pipe... not very far from the original
pipe. Okay, continue right. Jump up the block
stairs, and get the Mushroom from the
bubble if you want. Go right again. Jump up to hit the block the Koopa
shell is on to knock the Trampoline down. Move the trampoline next to the
pipe (or, just eat the Shell if you're Yoshi--it'll give you flight!),
then go up the pipe using the Trampoline, or just fly there with Yoshi
if you ate the shell.
The next part is a BIT tricky. Wait
until the bubbles pop and the enemies walk off the ledge, and jump to get
the Dragon Coin. Jump over the pit to the right. Now you'll be in a kind
of weird place with blocks and Goombas in bubbles. Progress past it and
next you'll find the Midway Gate. You'll also find a few Goombas in bubbles
and another Mushroom in a bubble, which you can get if you want. Now go
right and you'll find two pipes. Jump onto the first pipe and jump to the
next one, getting the Dragon Coin. This jump is actually not very hard,
even though it might look like it is. Now continue going right, jump up
to the next platform, and continue going right. Eventually you'll find
3 ? Blocks an 1 ? Block above it. The bottom 3 ? Blocks only contain one
coin each, but the top one contains multiple coins. I suggest just using
the top one. Continue
right, and you'll find a whole mess
of ? Blocks. I recmomend not bothering with them, because they only
contain coins. Instead, jump on top
of them to both avoid enemies and get a Dragon Coin. Jump over the pit
and continue right (as usual). You'll find some Goombas in bubbles and
three Chargin' Chucks. You can either jump on a Chargin' Chuck while next
to the pipe to get over it, or use the yellow blocks to do so. If you want
to get to the Secret Exit, go down the pipe and spin-jump to get the Key
and Keyhole. If you're small, you can't do it, so just go back up the pipe.
Whether you went down the pipe and went back up, or didn't go down it in
the first place, a Dragon Coin is just right of the tall green pipe. There
are a few enemies here, so be careful. The 3 ? Blocks only contain coins.
Now, finally jump from the yellow pipe to the right, and you'll have reached
the Goal!
This level, like most Forest of Illusion levels, has two exits. However, one exit will actually bring you back to Forest of Illusion 1. It won't help you progress, but it'll bring you one step closer to getting all 96 exits.
Go to the right. You should fall down a very small hole. Duck to avoid the incoming Eerie, but be sure to be facing to the left to stop the Boos from attacking you. When the Eerie passes, go to the right again. Fall down and face away from the Big Boo. When he gets close enough, jump over him (you can spin-jump him and not get hurt) and keep going to the right. You'll come into another place like the one with the Big Boo. Use the same strategy to get past the smaller Boos blocking your way. Keep going to the right, dodging the Eeries and Boos on your way. You'll eventually come to two ? Blocks and a Dragon Coin. Hit both to get a coin and a Feather/Mushroom, and grab the Dragon Coin. Jump to the right, hit the Midway Gate, and enter the door.
Throughout this entire part, there are lots of ghosts around (just like in Donut Ghost House). Be sure to avoid them as you go on your way. You can get the flying ? Block to get a Fire Flower, but BE QUICK oor the ghosts will get you. Continue to the right to find another ? Block, this one containing a Feather.
There is a Dragon Coin soon after it. Continue going to the right. There are two more Dragon Coins. The yellow block contains a 1-Up, for the record. Anyway, grab the P-Switch and go to the right. Grab some of the coins above the RIGHT chamber (the one without the door), then hit the P-Switch! The coins will turn into blocks and a blue door will appear. Since you cleared a way to it before, you can enter it. You should have four Dragon Coins at this point. After entering the door, travel to the left. Avoid the ghosts and Eeries. The FIRST yellow door you see will lead you to one of the two exits. However, if you want the fifth Dragon Coin, keep going to the left. The second Big Boo you see (this is after you've gotten the fifth Dragon Coin) is in the way of you entering the door. Turn your back on him to lure him away, then jump over him and enter the door to find the other exit. It'll lead you... back to Forest of Illusion 1? Oh well, like I said, you've gotten another exit!
I suggest using Luigi in this level. It's easier to get to the secret level with him.
At the beginning there will be a Lakitu holding a fishing rod with a 1-Up. You can get it, but be warned that if you do, the Lakitu will start throwing Spinies out. You'll have to decide if you want to get it or not. I'll write a guide for this level, but YOU'll have to remember to keep track of the Lakitu. If you're trying to avoid the 1-Up, be careful when you're on some of the higher platforms.
Okay, start going right. As usual. You'll see the Lakitu almost immediately. Avoid the Koopa. There's nothing in the yellow blocks. Jump over the gap and avoid the next Koopa. If you want it, you can get the Mushroom above the yellow blocks (like before, there's nothing in those blocks). Be sure to get the Dragon Coin near the top of the blocks.
Next up you'll find a Lakitu in a pipe.
Quickly take care of it before it can throw out any annoying Spinies.
Continue right and you'll find a Roulette
Block. As usual with these, I'd suggest an Invincibility Star. Hurry up
and run to the right before the Star wears off.
Between the two pipes, nothing but the second-to-right ? Block contains any power-ups. But be sure to get the Dragon Coin beneath them! After going right a bit more and taking care of the Lakitus in your path, jump onto the green pipe. It'll rise. Jump from it to the right to get the Dragon Coin. A bit farther on is the Midway Gate. About at this time the Lakitu will leave, so if you didn't get the 1-Up from it it'll be too late. The Lakitu will return later on in the level as a normal Spiny-throwing Lakitu. Stomp the Lakitu on the pipe to the right of the gate, then jump from there to get to the Midway Gate if you want to. Continue right. The pipe in the middle of the air with the Lakitu leads to the secret exit. It's a bit difficult to get there with Mario, but if you get enough of a running start from one of the upper ledges you can reach it. It's really just easiest to use Luigi. Oh, and the P-Switch will just make some coins appear. Nothing major or anything.
Continue right but be careful of the flying Koopa bouncing down the steps. Here the flying Lakitu returns! I suggest just jumping on it to get rid of it before it can annoy you too much with the Spinies. However, you might want to wait because the Lakitu can be of help in getting the Dragon Coin up ahead.
Next you'll find a bunch of blocks. All of them contain coins except for the upper-left one, which contains a Fire Flower/Mushroom. There's a Dragon Coin up in the sky above them. There are several ways to get it. You can use a Cape and fly up there, or jump off of Yoshi to reach it, or probably the easiest, pick up the Koopa shell and throw it at the Lakitu, defeating it BUT not getting rid of the cloud (jumping on a Lakitu gets rid of the cloud). Jump onto the cloud and use it to get to the Dragon Coin. Whatever you use to get it, be sure to (as usual) continue right afterward. The next part is extremely self-explanatory. Avoid the enemies, get the Dragon Coin, and go through the Goal!
This is an extremely complicated level. Well, okay, maybe not complicated, but it's really, really, hard to write a proper walkthrough of it. As such, I will do something else. I will merely explain how to get all five Dragon Coins. Anyway, this level is pretty self-explanatory: Stay on the flying platforms and avoid the Koopas, and also get the Dragon Coins. Oh, and yes, for the record, you can use a Blue Yoshi or a Feather to finish. Luigi is highly reccomended for this level.
There are two Flying Platforms. Go to the first one, that is, the one that is the closest. Stay on it (well, jumping to get some coins, and especially the Dragon Coin, or to avoid enemies is acceptable, as long as you land back on it). The two platforms will "intersect" again, but stay on the one you're using. When they "intersect" again, continue to stay on your current one. Continue to stay on your platform until you get the third Dragon Coin (okay, I didn't say when to get each one, but use common sense!). Then, when they intersect again, CHANGE platforms. Along the way you'll get the fourth Dragon Coin. This time they don't quite intersect. Keep a look back and wait until you see the other platform. Jump onto it, grab the Dragon Coin on your way out, and finish the level.
Of course, there ARE things like Fire Flowers and 1-Ups around the level. And be sure to watch out for the Koopas, but I probably shouldn't need to tell you that.
Uh... well... well, I don't know what
to put in this little introductory bit. Just make sure you have a lot of
power-ups... you can get hurt a lot
by the falling logs in the first part. But hey, you want power-ups in any
case, right? Oh yeah, and Feathers aren't bad either, because they let
you access a cool secret place. Oh, yeah, and Luigi is useful also. Hey!
What do you know? I did the introductory part!
This part is forced-scrolling. Jump
at the VERY beginning to get the Dragon Coin before it comes off the screen.
Don't run forward too much right here, because a giant log will descend.
Wait for it to emerge, then run forward to the right. Now QUICKLY get as
far right as possible. This way you'll avoid the second log. Oh, yeah,
and be sure to avoid the Grinders throughout this whole thing. Remember
that if you spin-jump and land on them, you won't get hurt. Next you'll
see a place with a Dragon Coin and a Grinder. Grab the Dragon Coin. Now
again another log will descend. Get to the very far right to avoid it hitting
you. Soon is yet another log. Get to the right so it won't hit you (with
some of these you can try to stay to the left, but I find going to the
right works better). Once again, keep going forward quickly, because ANOTHER
log will fall. The Dragon
Coin is a bit tricky to get... you
could try to spin-jump off the Grinder, though. Once again, get to the
right
quickly because another log is coming
down. (I sound like a broken record, don't I?) Enter the door, because
one last log will be coming down soon.
A Grinder will fall onto the floor at
this point, so be sure to avoid it. Go right and jump over the Podoboo
lava pit after they fall down into the lava. Now you'll find a Grinder
pit. This part is rather difficult to get past. The
idea is to run up the little smiley-face
block, but the Grinders there make that difficult, because there are two.
But there IS a way around that! When you see the Grinders, move back to
the left a bit so you no longer see them. Then come back. Sometimes there
will only be one Grinder. Don't ask me why that is, or why it only works
sometimes. If it doesn't work, try again. Anyway, after getting up the
smiley-face block, there's the Dragon Coin. Jumping to get it, however,
means another forray into the Grinder pit. However, if there's only one
Grinder, you can time your jump so you can get up without hitting the Grinder.
But you might want to hit the ? Block to get a power-up first!
Continue right and jump over the Podoboos when they're falling back into the lava. The next bit is a bit tricky. Jump from floating gray block to floating gray block when the Podoboo between the blocks is back in the lava. Falling off the blocks risks you landing on the Grinders, so try to stay on them. After getting past THAT part, jump over the Podoboos. If you're using Luigi, you'll hover in the air just long enough for the Grinder on the upper platform to fall down. With Mario you might have more trouble. Anyway, here, just wait a little while for the Grinders to fall off. From the middle platform, jump up onto the gray blocks and hit the ? Block. If it's a Mushroom, you'll have to go up and get it, but if it's a Feather, just stay where you are and it'll float down. Now drop back down, and if the Grinder is on the next platform, let it fall off, then jump onto the next blue platform. Take the high road here onto the gray blocks. Go to the right (while over the gray blocks) until you get to the lava pit. Here you'll find the last Dragon Coin. Now, if you have the Cape, you can actually go over the lava! If you pass it, you'll get NINE 1-Ups. But if you don't have the Feather or want to play it safe, after getting the Dragon Coin, go back to the large red doorway you saw earlier. Enter it, and it's time for a boss fight! (Note: If you did get to the place with the 9 1-Ups, you'll fight Reznor anyway.)
BOSS: Reznor, as always, is exactly the same. Jump underneath the blocks he's on to knock his forms off. After hitting two off, the platform you're on will start to collapse (though you can sometimes take out one more Reznor before the platform finishes collapsing). Get onto one of the now-vacant Reznor platforms and take out the rest of the Reznors from their own platform. Just be sure to exercise caution if you're jumping from one Reznor platform to another. Congratulations, now you have access to the Star Road!
This is actually a fairly short level.
Unfortunately, the level itself is one of those looks-easy-but-is-actually-
hard levels. The question is: Should
you use Mario or Luigi? Mario has an easier time at the beginning, as you
can sometimes overshoot with Luigi'slong jumps. However, later on in the
level Luigi is pretty good. I'd suggest using Mario, and switch to Luigi
if you have trouble after the midway gate. Be sure you have your power-ups
(preferably Feathers) with you in case you get hit.
You've finally found your way out of
the Forest of Illusion! Anyway, start off and go right (as always). Jump
onto the block platform. Be careful,
though: it'll start moving and you'll have to keep up with it. Unfortunately,
it is fairly small, so there is little margin for error. Go right with
the platform and get the Dragon Coin, then follow the platform as it goes
up, then keep going right with it (I shouldn't need to say this, but try
not to get hit by the Podoboos). The platform will soon move down, then
to the right, then down, then to the left, then down and to the right again.
Be sure not to get screwed up and fall off.
The platform will go up again and then
stay steady for a while. You'll soon clear the lava and be safe--for the
moment. Next you'll have to tackle
a room with spikes all around it. On one hand, if you hit the spikes you
won't necessarily lose a life, you'll just get hit. On the other hand,
there are spikes on the ceiling as well. Oh, and be careful: some of the
spikes will fall. You can tell them apart from the others because they're
brownish. There are three Dragon Coins in this area. Unfortunately, the
falling spikes will cause trouble for you if you're trying to get them.
The best way is to either nab the coin quick before the spike falls, or
to wait until after the spike falls, then get it. You'll clear the spike
room, and reach the Midway Gate. Jump up and to the right and proceed slowly--another
falling spike awaits you. You'll also find a P-Switch. If you use it, you
can get an extra life, but a Bowser statue will fall and will shoot fire
at you. Just be sure if you do press it that you do it more to the right,
as that's where the extra life is. Anyway...
Go past the non-fire breathing statue, and step onto the yellow platform. This is very difficult. Stay in the middle of the platform so you won't fall off. You can hit the Green ! Block to get a Feather if you want. Carefully continue right and avoid the Podoboos and fire (not to mention getting the final Dragon Coin). Jump over the statue and get ready for Roy!
BOSS: Roy is identical to Morton in
attack, with one difference: the walls will close in on you. Whenever Roy
falls or you stomp him, the walls will
inch closer together. You run out of room, you lose, so act quickly. Same
strategy as with Morton, but act quickly. If you're lucky you can stomp
Roy the three required times before he even climbs the wall. At least try
to get one stomp in. Run to the right when he climbs the wall, and when
he's about halfway across run left. He'll drop, and you'll hopefully have
a chance to get at least one stomp in. Three stomps and Roy's out of the
game!
Chocolate Island
Welcome to Chocolate Island, although you won't find any chocolate here. This world is home to Dino-Torches and Dino-Rhinos, and this first level is full of them! Almost immediately you'll encounter a Dino-Rhino. Spin-jump it or stomp it twice to defeat it (stomping it once will turn it into a Dino-Torch, which may actually be more dangerous). Soon afterwards, there's a Dino-Torch. Just keep going to the right, and avoid the Dino-Torches and Dino-Rhinos on your way. Along the way, there'll be a Mushroom that'll pop out of a bush.
When you get to the flying ? Block,
hit it to get a Fire Flower. You can give Dino-Torches a taste of their
own medicine with fireballs, though they have no effect on Dino-Rhinos.
I'm not going to say this again, but be sure to watch out for all the Dino-Torches
and Dino-Rhinos. I'm not going to
list each time you face them, so while
following this, be sure to avoid them or defeat them.
You'll eventually come to a Dragon Coin.
Grab it, then enter the yellow pipe to be propelled over the gap. Yes,
you can jump over it, but it's tricky. Oh, and the Midway Gate is only
there if you use the pipe. Use the Trampoline to hit the Midway Gate, then
continue to the right. Hit the P-Switch to make a bridge over the Munchers,
and you can beat the Chargin' Chuck if you want to. Go to the right, jumping
up the ledges, and grab the Dragon Coin. Continue down the valley and hit
the flying ?
Block to get a Fire Flower while avoiding
or defeating the Dino-Rhinos and Dino-Torches. Keep going right, jumping
over the gap and getting another Dragon Coin. The ? Block contains Yoshi.
Once again, continue to the right, avoiding or eating the Piranha Plants. Get the Dragon Coin above the Yellow ! Block, and jump over the gap between the two purple pipes. If you enter the purple pipe just before the Red ! Blocks, you'll come to a place with a 1-Up and some coins, but watch out for the Porcu-Puffers while riding the Dolphins.
When you exit, you'll be propelled out of the green pipe and get the Dragon Coin. If you don't want to go that way, just enter the smaller, white pipe, and you'll be propelled out anyway. You'll get the final Dragon Coin. You can use the Trampoline to get more stars from the Goal, or you can carry it with you while finishing the level to get a power-up (or a 1-Up).
It's difficult to decide whether to use Mario or Luigi here. On one hand, Mario's not-so-long jumps can be better. However, Luigi can jump higher. I personally would go with Mario, but that's a point of personal preference. Anyway, the floor sometimes does this annoying sliding thing. Be sure to be careful around there.
Go right. Eeries will swoop around so be sure to jump over them (or duck under them). Soon an annoying Lakitu will appear with a blue spark that hurts you if you hit it. Fortunately, it never goes low enough to hit you unless you're jumping. So be careful jumping while it's there. Keep going right, avoiding the Eeries as necessary.
Eventually you'll come to a ? Block, which you'll probably want (you might have gotten hurt already). Grab the Mushroom/Feather in it if necessary. Stay down so the Eeries and Lakitu don't hit you.
You'll see a Dragon Coin underneath a ledge. It's possible to jump down from the ledge to get the Dragon Coin, but it's probably safer to jump to the next ledge, then jump back to underneath the first ledge. Be sure to not jump too high, though, or you'll just end up on the upper ledge again. And, of course, you want to get a power-up if you want. Just keep going right and avoiding the various obstacles. You'll find the Midway Gate on the way. When you see the Dragon Coin, jump to get it, then enter the door when the floor is underneath it. Go right and get the ? Block, but be careful of the blocks underneath the ? Block--they're ghosts. They turn into ghosts and come after you when your back is turned. Head right into the large room and turn your back to the ghosts. They'll float upwards. Face them and jump on them when they're blocks to get the Dragon Coin.
You'll see the first of these annoying
"multi-Boos" that will basically move in a direction until they hit a
wall... then they'll bounce in a 90-degree
angle.
So continue going right, past the "multi-Boos" (note: Hitting ANY part of them will hurt you), to the right.
You'll find more multi-Boos, so be careful. Jump onto the middle ledge then jump up to get the Dragon Coin, then continue right. Get up to the highest ledge in the next room to get the last Dragon Coin, go all the way to the right and get the 1-Up. Then go back to to the left until you get to the first ? Block. Walk slowly to the right while the "stone-Boos" follow you. You'll pass by a door (it's above you). There's a hole in the ceiling, so wait until the Boos are there, face them, jump on them, and enter the doorway. Then exit the level! (Note: If the Boos aren't getting high enough, jump while facing away from them to make them move higher).
This level's a weird one. There are lots of different ways to progress through it. Because of the strange way this level is set up, I'll explain how you access each of the different areas, and a general overview of each. First, however, I will show you the sequence you must take to get to the secret exit and also to get the 5 Dragon Coins.
To get to the Secret Exit, go QUICKLY through Area 2 after QUICKLY going through Area 1. If you finish 2 with at least 250 left on the Timer, you'll access the secret exit.
To get all 5 Dragon Coins, you need to get the two in Area 1, AND get at least 9 coins there. Then you'll have to get the Dragon Coin in Area 3B or 3C (depending on which one you get). Finally, you'll emerge in Area 4B, where you'll find the final Dragon Coin.
Now for a description of each part of the level. The way you progress in it depends on how you want to finish the level, so I'll just do, as I said, a quick overview of all of the Areas. Oh, yeah, Luigi's good here because of all the tricky jumps.
Area 1: This is the first one. If you're trying to get to the secret ending, quickly go through it. You can pick up Yoshi if you want to.
Oh, just in case you couldn't tell, there are Dino-Rhinos and Dino-Torches all around this level. Avoid them. Last thing. You know the multiple coin block? If you're aiming towards getting coins and getting to Area 2C, there's a good way to get more coins. The faster you hit them, the more you get, so...
Instead of using the Trampoline, go to the left edge of the ledge to the right of it and jump. You should find a hidden ? Block. Jump on that and stay at the left side and keep jumping. You'll get hordes of coins!
Area 2A
Requirement: Finish Area 1 with 0 to
8 coins
The easiest way to progress here is to have a BLUE Yoshi. However, to have one, you will need to have visited Star World. If you haven't, you'll have a harder go of it. If you have Blue Yoshi, eat one of the Koopas and fly to the end. It'll take you longer, but it's safer. You'll probably have enough power to make it to the end. However, you'll have to go quickly if you do this, because it takes longer than if you do it normally.
If not, hopefully you have Luigi. You're going to have to make very accurate and quick jumps if you have Mario, and Luigi makes it a little easier. Still, any kind of Yoshi is helpful here. Just be sure to spin-jump off its back if you start to fall. Hopefully you have at least one power-up, because you'll probably take a hit.
If you're trying to get to Area 3A, we'll get to that in a minute.
Area 2B
Requirement: Collect 9 to 20 coins
in Area 1.
Remember, that coin block is the key to getting the coins necessary! Now, I said that it's unlikely you'll be able to get to Area 3A from here. That's becaues it took you time to get those coins! It depletes the amount of time you have to finish Area 2B. However, it IS possible. I myself did it. Of course, I took a hit while doing it... chances are you HAVE to get hurt if you want to go fast enough to finish it that quickly.
Okay, now I'd better explain the level itself to you. There are Rexes all over the place. Just avoid them or stomp on them twice. By the way, there's a part where you need to jump from a ledge to a trampoline, then jump from the trampoline to continue. If you have Luigi, you don't need the trampoline, you can jump over the pit itself.
Above two Piranha Plants is a Dragon Coin. If you took the upper route with the Rexes, you'll be able to get it. The part with the ? Blocks and the Rexes is pretty tough if you're trying to make it in time to get to Area 3A. My advice is to plow straight on through them and take a hit. Of course, if you have a Cape or Fire Flower, you might be able to defeat them...
Area 2C
Requirement: Collect 21 coins or more
in Area 1.
Although you don't need a Fire Flower to roast the Dino-Rhinos into coins, it helps. Just milk the multiple coin block for all its worth in Area 1, and get the two Dragon Coins and two coins near the end. Anyway, grab the Feather and run up the wall (yes, that's right!). You should gain enough momentum to be able to jump and fly. Luigi's easier to control, so you'll want him (do you get the feeling that Luigi's good for this level?). Mario, however, is faster.
When it comes time to get the Dragon Coin, you'll have to dip down a bit. Be sure not to land on the platform. Of course, if you have Luigi, and you jump as far right as you can and float down, you'll probably make it.
By the way, believe it or not, it IS possible to get to Area 3A from here... perhaps even easier than from Area 2B. Just hurry through this level and you'll have made it. Really! It's possible if you only get the multiple coin block and the Dragon Coins. Ignore the Dino-Rhinos and Dino-Torches in Area 1... you'll still get those coins!
Area 3A
Requirement: Finish Area 2 with 250
or more on the Timer.
Okay, here's the secret level itself! Chargin' Chucks are here quite a few times, so proceed cautiously. Once, after trying a bunch of times, I got here, only to be nailed by a baseball! Argh! If you've been to all the Switch Palaces, you can use the blocks as a way above the Chargin' Chucks. If you want, you could get some Mushrooms or Feathers while you're there. Watch out for the pit, and voila! There's the Key and Keyhole.
Area 3B
Requirement: Complete Area 2 with 235
to 249 on the timer.
There are all sorts of Dino-Rhinos and Dino-Torches here. Although you might want to jump on the Dino-Rhinos, you'll just come up with Dino-Torches. Either spin-jump them, jump on them with Yoshi, avoid them, or jump on them and run past quickly. Grab the Dragon Coin!
Area 3C
Requirement: Complete Area 2 with 234
or less on the Timer.
This is the easiest area! No enemies, and Mushrooms in bubbles everywhere! Okay, okay, so that may be a small problem if you have an item in reserve, but it's not that bad. I haven't completed it without getting at least one Mushroom, but you can try. There's only one way to die, and that's by drowning. Are you going to do that? I thought not! Although it's nearly impossible to miss, grab the Dragon Coin.
Area 4A
Requirement: Finish Area 3 with 3 or
less Dragon Coins.
This part isn't too tricky, except for the springboard. Be careful to jump on that, then go to the next platform. I think that Luigi, however, could clear the gap.
In case you can't see enemies, watch out for the Rexes on the pyramid. Stay as high as you can, that's my suggestion... that way, you can jump and not hit the Rexes above you!
Area 4B
Requirement: Finish Area 3 with all
4 Dragon Coins.
Here it is! The final Dragon Coin! Although I said Area 3C was the easiest level, THIS is the easiest if you've visited all the Switch Palaces. I don't even need to explain it to you... it's too easy! Fine, here it is: Run to the end.
Ok, this is one tough level. It's best to have Luigi AND Yoshi with you. Feathers are also useful.
Okay, you'll start falling. DO NOT MOVE WHILE FALLING. Just let yourself fall straight down. Trying to move right while falling might make you fall into the lava, which is, of course, bad.
Jump to the right onto the Trampoline and then jump to the next ledge. Hurry or Blargg will hit you. Use Yoshi to gobble up the Buzzy Beetle and spit it at the other one.
This next part is tough. Try leaving Yoshi and picking up the Buzzy Beetle shells (after jumping on the Buzzy Beetles first, of course), then throwing them upwards at the first Chargin' Chuck. Now use Yoshi to swallow a football from the other and then spit it back at the Chargin' Chuck.
Go right, use the ? Block to get a Mushroom/Feather if you want to, then jump upward to the right and then stomp on the Chargin' Chuck to daze it, then QUICKLY go up the pipe. Now for a tricky part. Jump quickly from platform to platform while avoiding the hammers (you might lose Yoshi here--don't worry, though, just keep going if you do, the platforms will fall after you land on them. Of course, get the Dragon Coin on the way--that's the reason you're here! Then go down the pipe, run quickly right to avoid the Chargin' Chucks, and jump to get the Dragon Coin. You can hit the Midway Gate if you want also. Now enter the pipe.
This next part is way too easy. Jump to the right onto the sloping-down ridge and press down. That's it. Just hold down the down button throughout this entire thing. You'll probably get some extra lives from the Buzzy Beetles you'll be stomping. Don't worry about the Muncher pit, you'll slide over it. Once you reach the end, enter the pipe.
Aw, what happened to it being easy?
Progress carefully through this next part-- you don't want to hit the Spike
Tops. If you have Yoshi, though, you can swallow them to simplify your
task, and the Cape will also finish them quickly. You'll get a Dragon Coin
on the way. You'll see some yellow platforms above the water. If you get
a running start using Luigi, you can actually jump onto the THIRD platform,
which is good, because they don't start to sink until you land on one.
Also, with Luigi you can often jump over platforms to skip them (which
you'll have to do, because if you go one platform at a time with Luigi,
you'll end up in the lava-- Luigi stays in the air too long). The ending
is tricky. Luigi can jump far (you ARE using him, right?) so jump to get
the Dragon Coin and then onto the other bank. I personally would suggest
trying to avoid the Chargin' Chucks in this area. Get the item from the
? Block if you want, then keep going right. You'll find another set
of yellow platforms. Do the same strategy
as before, landing on the second or third (probably second) platform, then
quickly jumping to the right. Get the Dragon Coin on your way, enter the
pipe, and you're done.
Here's a new one: finding the normal exit on this level will simply take you back to this level. In other words, it'll open a path that leads back to this level. To progress, you'll have to find the secret exit. Luigi is probably best for this level, and Yoshi isn't too bad. But first...
Run to the right and jump onto the gray platform, then jump from it to the green platform. Next, jump onto the moving gray platform, but be careful not to be hit by the blue Koopa Troopa. I suppose if you have Yoshi you could swallow him to make the level easier, but if you don't...
Jump from the gray platform to the upper green platform to grab the Dragon Coin, then jump down (to the right) onto the lower green platform, then onto the revolving gray platform. Jump from that to the next, and then to the next. (Why are all those Koopa Troopas there? To make the level easier if you have Yoshi, I guess.)
When you're on the last one, jump DOWNWARD to the right so you can access the ? Block. It's easiest when the platform is downward. Oh, and be sure to knock out the Koopa Troopa!
Now to the next green platform, then to the gray revolving platform. Like before, jump from that one to the next when they're lined up well, however, STAY ON THE PLATFORM. You'll nab a Dragon Coin. Once you have that, you can jump to the next gray platform. When it's lined up with the pipe, jump and press up to go into the pipe!
When you emerge, jump onto the white platform, then onto the gray one. You can ride it around and grab the coins. There are over 100, meaning you'll get at least one extra life. Oh, but be sure when you do get off, you grab the Dragon Coin that's too the right. Now go down through the green pipe.
You can go back to the left and cross the Midway Gate, but it might be easier to just continue right. The next part's familiar, except that there are Crazies orbiting the gray blocks in the middle. Be careful and jump from platform to platform until you get to the one with a ? Block above it. Jump up to get it and release a Feather (though you don't have to... a green ! Block is just down the road), then jump to the next platform and grab a Dragon Coin.
As always, continue right, jumping from platform to platform. Having trouble with the Crazies? Well, Yoshi CAN eat them, and you can spin-jump them without getting hurt. When you get to the platform beneath the green ! Block, hit it to gain a Feather. Unlike before, there's no Crazy to ruin your fun! Once you've got that, continue to the right and grab the final Dragon Coin before jumping to the green platform. Oh, and be sure not to get hit by red Koopas along the way!
Anyway, when you're on the platform, hit the block to hopefully get a 1-Up, or at least coin. The next one contains a vine, and you can climb it to get to the normal exit. However, if you want to get to the secret exit, there are two ways. If you're lucky enough to still have Yoshi, slurp up the Koopa Troopa and fly UNDERNEATH the goal to the end. If you don't have Yoshi but have the Feather, you can still make it across, but it's tougher.
When you reach the other side, hit the blocks for 1-Ups, then enter the secret exit.
Chocolate Fortress is an EXTREMELY straightforward level in which essentially nothing is hidden. However, this level will be MUCH harder if you have not visited all of the Switch Palaces yet. PLEASE do so before attempting this level. I'd probably go with Luigi here, because you'll have to do some jumping-forward-then-jumping-back, and Luigi can do that kind of "hover-jump" to make that easier.
Start going right. You'll see some logs moving up and down. (Warning: Touching the sharpened parts of them hurts you.) Pretty easy part, really--just jump through them when they're open. Stomp the Dry Bones, then jump through the next log "barrier". I personally would suggest waiting for it to be downward, then doing a small jump over it. Next up you'll find a ledge with a log above it. Jump up and go through when the log is in its "up" stage. The next part is pretty tricky. You have to make the jump when the log is high up.
Get the power-up from the ? Block if you want. Now you'll encounter a bunch of... well, I don't know what they're called, but they're fire and move to the right. You'll have to be really careful to avoid them. Now, continue right when the log isn't blocking your way. Move right and jump over the log and get the Dragon Coin. Now jump to the next ledge when the log is not blocking your way. HOWEVER, this jump can be very tricky because the fire will often appear just when the log has moved up. You may have to wait a while if you want to make the jump without getting hurt. After making the jump, keep going right and navigate past the logs. You'll get a Dragon Coin on the way. Next up is the Midway Gate and a door. Enter the door.
Here's an area where the spin-jump becomes very useful. There are two ways to get past the Thwomp. Get near it, wait for it to fall down and move back up, then run (don't jump!) right and you'll avoid the spikes, OR wait until the Thwomp falls down, then spin-jump off of it to continue. Next up you'll find another Thwomp. I would really suggest spin-jumping on the Thwomp to just over it. Next up is a Thwomp, but also with a Thwimp. When the Thwimp is on the right side (just when it's gotten there) and the Thwomp is down, spin-jump over the Thwomp. If you accidentally land on them, the spin-jump will protect you.
The next part isn't too hard. Wait for the Thwomps to fall (or fall and rise, as the case may be), then get past them. Get the Dragon Coin, and if you want, you can use the ? Blocks to get two coins and a Feather/Mushroom. Go right again. The Thwimp and Thwomp aren't hard to avoid. Next up is a Thwomp, and what WOULD be an annoying Thwimp IF you hadn't already visited the Red Switch Palace.
Now for the tough part. What you have to do is jump towards (but not under!) the Thwomp, get back to the left ledge BEFORE falling all the way, then jump over the Thwomp to the next ledge.
The Thwimps next up can be annoying,
but are not particularily difficult to pass. Get the Dragon Coin. Now
you'll have to do the same jumping-towards-then-jumping-back-then-jumping-over
trick with the next Thwomp, and the next (be sure to get the Dragon Coin
near the second! Try spin-jumping on top of itto get the coin). If you've
visited the respective Switch Palaces, this area shouldn't be too hard.
Now just go right
and get the Feather from the Green
! Block, enter the door, and prepare for a boss battle!
BOSS: Reznor is really simple, as always. Knock his "heads" off of the platforms. After doing that twice, the platform you're on will start to collapse. Jump onto one of the now-vacant platforms and get under the platforms the Reznors are on. Jump up to knock them off. Once you've gotten rid of them all, you're done.
Another underground level. By the way, doing this whole walkthrough will take quite a while, and you may run out of time, so you may skip some if you wish. Also, the walkthrough for this level may be somewhat difficult to follow. I'm sorry, but that's the way the level is set up.
Go down and to the right at the start, then upward. Jump onto the shifting platform, and watch out for the muck below! Wait for the platform to move upwards, then jump off it to the right. Navigate past the other platforms to the upper right, and be sure to get the Dragon Coin. Go right, and jump from platform to platform to get across the yucky muck. You can try getting to the top, but you'll only get a Mushroom. Get to the right instead. Jump onto and then off of the falling platform, then walk upwards. When you're at the top, jump to the left and grab another Dragon Coin.
Walk right, then fall down to the Midway Gate. If you've gotten past the Blue Switch Palace, you'll be fine. Get the three 1-Ups, and also a Mushroom from the yellow ! Block if you want. Use the platforms to get back up to the right.
Jump up and hit one of the blocks to get a P Switch. Press it, then grab the coins that used to be blocks blocking your way to the pipe and the Dragon Coin, then go back and get the Dragon Coin that was next to the P Switch. Finally, go into that pipe.
Hopefully you have the cape. If you don't, you'll have to do something else. Hit the P Switch, then fall down to the bottom, taking those coins as you go. DO NOT SLOW YOUR DESCENT. Okay, now run and jump with the cape so you can get to the upper levels. Do this to get some coins, a Dragon Coin, and 1-Ups, and the rest of the goodies. If you start to run out of time, it might be a good idea just to enter one of the pipes quickly and go on. They all lead to the same place.
Jump to the right after the Harry Hedgehog falls. You can get a Fire Flower from the ? Block. Now fall down, run right, and avoid the muck (or whatever it is). Get past the Chargin' Chuck and victory is yours!
You'll start off this level by seeing
plenty of Spinies encased in "boxes" by blocks. Go to the right where you'll
find a P-Switch. Before hitting it, however, look at the yellow blocks
surrounding the ? Block. Hit the bottom-right block in that cluster, which
will uncover a power-up. If it's a Fire Flower, spin-jump the block above
it to get it; if it's a Mushroom, you'll have to hit the middle yellow
block to get it. In any case, hit the ? Block after hitting the middle
yellow block to get Yoshi. NOW hit the P-Switch, but be very careful. Be
sure to pick it up (or slurp it up) and place it down off of the blocks.
Now grab some of the coins blocking your way to the yellow pipe. You can
enter it, but you'll miss some Dragon Coins. Entering it brings you to
a bonus stage. You can always come back to the level
to do it later.
Before the P-Switch effect fades, run to the right and grab the Dragon Coin. By the way, you can reach the power-up in the Roulette Block with Yoshi's tongue. Continue right and enter the yellow block just before the stairs. Go to the right in the area you are. The Cheep Cheeps are no danger as long as you are not in the water. You'll collect two Dragon Coins along the way. Enter the pipe at the end.
Head back to the left across the water. You'll see a shell. Continue to the left and grab the Dragon Coin, then quickly go back to the right before the Para-Goombas and Para-Bombs start attacking. Go through the Midway Gate.
The pipes will move up and down. Wait until the pipe you're on moves to the top before jumping to the next one. There's a Dragon Coin above the second pipe. Continue to the right, jumping form pipe to pipe, until you reach the orange pipe.
You'll see some shifting yellow blocks. Time your jumps carefully between them. Remember that as long as you're on the middle block you won't fall off. Jump onto the green pipe. Like before, wait until the green pipe is as high as it can go before jumping to the yellow one. Jump off of the Chargin' Chuck and get the SIXTH Dragon Coin (there if you missed any of the others). Jump off the Chargin' Chuck's helmet to the right. You can cape-spin the Chargin' Chucks or use their heads to get a high jump through the exit. Off to Wendy's Castle!
Warning: This castle is hard, probably the hardest of all of them so far, and Wendy herself isn't too easy either. Actually, she's pathetically weak, it's the Podoboos that will cause you problems.
Run right, jump over the Dry Bones, then jump over the gap before the spiked log comes thundering down. Once to the other side, take a breather and wait for the log above the trampolines to fall. Once it's back up, jump on the trampolines to get up, but be sure that you don't hit the spiked log (it doesn't completely retract into the wall).
Now continue right, then FALL to the right (fall off the ledge, but keep holding down right). If you see a Grinder coming, spin-jump over it (that way, even if it does hit you, you won't take damage).
When you see the Dragon Coin, you have two choices. One, you can try jumping normally and grab it, which is somewhat risky because you might fall onto a Grinder, OR you can wait for a Grinder to come buy, spin-jump onto it, and use the extra leverage to grab the Dragon Coin. Whatever it is you do, continue right, and spin-jump over the Grinders.
When the Podoboo is back in the lava, quickly jump over it and onto the ledge (hopefully you'll have gone to the Red Switch Palace). Next, jump over to the right when the Podoboo is back in the lava, but don't wait too long or it'll come right back at you.
The next part's REALLY hard. Make sure you know where the logs will fall, and try to be between them when they land, since you'll probably be on the track of a Grinder when they come down. Spin-jump over them, like before. Just so you know, you CAN'T make it in one go, you'll have to wait at least once for the logs to come down before getting past them.
Continue right, jump onto the gray block, then the blue block, then go the next gray block, then finally to the two remaining gray blocks, making sure to jump over the Grinders the whole time (and duck when necessary). Go right again, and grab a Mushroom from the ! Block. Run past a log when it isn't blocking your way. After getting past the final log, wait to its right. When it's up, run underneath it to grab the Dragon Coin, but don't run back. Wait until it comes down, then run past it when it comes back. Hit the Midway Gate, then enter the door.
Now for the REALLY hard part. Go to
the right and jump over the pit at a point where you won't be hit by the
Lil' Sparky. Get the Mushroom from the ! Block if you want it, then jump
over into the crack in the moving wall to the right (you will of course
get a Dragon Coin). Wait until the platform you're on is high enough, then
jump onto the platform with the Hothead.
Stay on the platform until the falling ceiling to the right is completely
fallen (while you're waiting, just spin-jump on the Hothead and you won't
be hurt by it). Once it has risen up enough for you to get in, quickly
go and run through it.
Jump onto the platform with the Lil'
Sparky (like before, spin-jump over the Lil' Sparky when it approaches
you while you're on the platform). When the barrier to the right is up,
jump onto the next block with the Hothead, while grabbing the Dragon Coin,
then onto the rising and falling block. When it's high enough, jump from
that to the gray block, then, when it's close enough, onto the platform
with the Lil' Sparky (you know what to do while on it). When the time is
right, drop down onto the lower gray moving block (make sure the wall moving
up and down won't squash you), then onto the platform with the Hothead.
Make sure you
don't get whacked by the Dry Bones,
and wait until the ledge with the Dragon Coin is low enough for you to
grab the coin. Then jump to the right onto the platform with the Dry Bones.
Wait until the platform is as high as it can get, then run to the right and jump over the highest block. If you do it right, you should jump clear over all of the enemies and onto the safety of the lowest platform. Make sure you get the Feather from the Green ! Block, then enter the door for a boss battle!
BOSS: Wendy O. Koopa is just a harder
version of Lemmy, but she's not the one giving you trouble. It's the Podoboos.
The pipes are even, making it easier for the Podoboos (yes, there are two
this time!) to hit you.
You should know the drill. Be sure
you're standing BETWEEN two pipes so the fake Wendys and the real one won't
hit you, preferably to the right of the leftmost one. Duck down and most
of the times the Podaboos will pass you (but jump over them when necessary).
When Wendy rears her not-so-pretty face, jump on her if she's close enough.
Three times of this and she plummets into the lava! Now THAT's going to
ruin her makeup!
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