Here is my very own Super Mario Advance 2 walkthrough. This guide will (hopefully) help you with the game. Anyway, let's start off with the controls.

Controls:

A: Jump or enter level on the map screen.

B: Spin cape or cancel selection.

Control Pad: Move, crouch, enter doors, etc.

Start: Pause the game.

Select: Drop item from item box and on the map screen it takes you to a high score screen.

L: Scroll screen in a level or on map screen.

R: Spin jump.

Items:

Coin: 100 gives you an extra life. 'Nuff said.

1-Up Mushroom: Gives you an extra life.

Dragon Coin: There are at least five in almost every level. Find them all will earn you an extra life.

Mushroom: Makes you big.

Fire Flower: Makes you shoot fireballs.

Cape Feather: Allows you to fly.

Yoshi: Not really an item but if you ride Yoshi you can take an extra hit. If Yoshi eats shells he'll gain powers. A red shell lets him shoot three fireballs, a blue shelll lets him fly, and a yellow shell lets him make sand clouds while stomping the ground. He'll eventually swallow the shell.

P Switch: If you hit this, it'll turn coins into blocks and vice versa.

Gray P Switch: Turns enemies into gray coins.

P Balloon: Allows you to float for a period of time.

Key: Put  this into a keyhole for a secret exit!

Of course, there are more items than what's on here but this is the important stuff. Now for the walkthrough! I'll also put a difficulty for each level on a scale of 0 to 4 stars.

Yoshi's Island

Yoshi's House
Difficulty: N/A

Just exit by going to the left or right. If you come back to this level with a Yoshi, you can eat all the berries for a power-up. Green gives you a Mushroom, red gives you a Fire Flower, yellow a Starman, and blue a cape Feather.

Yoshi Island 1
Difficulty: no stars

It's now time for your first level! At the start you find a Koopa sliding down a hill. Jump on the hill for the first Dragon Coin. Continue for a Banzai Bill. Duck to avoid it. Next are Rexes, a Question Block, and a diagonal pipe. After that are hills with a Dragon Coin on one. After that continue until you find a pipe with blocks over it. You need a Mushroom to spin jump the blocks. The pipe takes you to a cave with Dragon Coin 3 and a Mushroom. After that, continue until you find a hill. At the top is the next Dragon Coin. Now avoid the next Banzai Bill by ducking in the gap. Grab the shell, and throw it up (Up + B) towards the block for a 1-Up. If you have a Cape Feather from Donut Plains, you can fly to the left from the cloud platform for something. I'm not telling you what it is! Continue to the right for the last Dragon Coin and the goal.

Yellow Switch Palace
Difficulty: no stars

Simple. Hit the P Switch, collect lots of coins,and when it's finished go in the pipe and hit the Yellow Switch! Yay. You've hit the Yellow Switch!

Yoshi's Island 2
Difficulty: no stars

Grab the shell, and hit all the Koopa Troopas on the hill for a 1-Up. Continue and you'll find Yoshi for the first time! There are Koopa Troopas right after this and you can eat them with Yoshi if you want to. On the hill is a Chargin' Chuck. Ignore him and jump off the hill for the next Dragon Coin. There were two Dragon Coins before this one, but in plain sight. Continue for yellow pipes, a Midway Gate, and three ? Blocks with a Yoshi in one of them (or a 1-Up). On the hills are Monty Moles. Hit the second block for a vine to the fourth Dragon Coin. The last Dragon Coin is on the hill. After that you can enter a pipe to an undergruond area with winged ? Blocks. One contains a 1-Up and the others contain a coin. After that eat the berries and hit the P Switch for a bridge to the goal over a Chargin' Chuck.

Yoshi's Island 3
Difficulty: 1/2

This level is easier if you have the Yellow Switch. Climb the hills at the start. Next are moving platforms and Dragon Coin 1. Continue for a Yoshi, and a yellow pipe. Go in it and hit the P Switch for a bridge and a Dragon Coin. After that is the Midway Gate and another Dragon Coin. After that are more moving platforms and yellow ! blocks. Jump on the next platform and the spinning platform for a Star Block. If you got 30 coins or more, you get a 1-Up. If not, you just get a coin. The goal is soon after this.

Yoshi's Island 4
Difficulty: 1/2

At the start are three fish in the water. They jump sometimes. The first Dragon Coin is on the first island and the second is on the second. Enter the blue pipe. The next area has Pokeys. Nothing special here, but there is a ? Block here. If you are Mario, you get coins one at a time and if you're Luigi, you get them all at once. Next is the pipe. When you come out, go to the left for a Dragon Coin. If you have Yoshi, you can eat the blue shell and fly. don't forget the last Dragon Coins! The pipe at the end takes you to the goal.

Iggy's Castle
Difficulty: *

It's your first castle! This level introduces you to fences that you can climb on. There are Koopas on the fences. When you get to the five ? Blocks and the P Switch, you'll find the first Dragon Coin. Go across the lava, avoiding the Podoboo. Go in the square and press B to go on the other side of the fence for the next Dragon Coin. Jump on the next fence for a Dragon Coin behind it again. The Midway Gate and door are near. The next room auto-scrolls and has stumps (or whatever) on the ceiling. Don't get crushed by them. The Dragon Coins are at the second and fourth ones. Enter the red door for Iggy's lair. Iggy is easy. Just jump on him and hope he goes into the lava. Once you defeat him, the castle explodes and you save a red Yoshi!

Donut Plains

Donut Plains 1
Difficulty: *1/2

Donut Plains introduces you to the cape Feather, a power-up that allows you to fly. It also has more enemies. Anyway, Dount Plains 1 has a Super Koopa with a flashing cape. Stomp it for your first cape Feather! At the top is the first Dragon Coin. If you pass the bush, you get a Mushroom. A baseball throwing Chargin' Chuck is next. After that is a Volcano Lotus. The cape or Yoshi can defeat it. Next is Dragon Coin 2 and a blue pipe. Enter it for a bonus game. When you come out, enter the left blue pipe for a flying area with A LOT of coins. You can't have Yoshi here. Hit the coin symbol for a coin meter and start collecting coins! When you feel finished, enter the pipe at the end. Avoid the Volcano Lotus and Super Koopa and get a Yoshi. Hit the fourth block  for a Dragon Coin in the clouds. Continue grabbing the last two Dragon Coins and head for the goal! If you went to the Green Switch Palace, you can run up the wall of green ! blocks using the triangle block to a Key and Keyhole. Put the Key in and you'll go to Donut Secret 1.

Donut Plains 2
Difficulty: *1/2

Probably your first real undergoround level. This is an auto-scroll cave. At the start are three ? Blocks (one is a multi-coin block that is like the one in Yoshi's Island 4) and a yellow ! block. Next are some Buzzy Beetles and Swoopers. Avoid them. You'll next see some sand that rises from the floor and has a Buzzy Beetle and a Dragon Coin. Continue for a block that has a Cape Feather. You'll see some sand that comes from the ceiling. Stay on the right of the screen and get past it to find another multi-coin block. Next is more sand rising from the floor and another Dragon Coin. If you enter the second green pipe, you can get the secret exit and a normal goal. Spin jump the blocks and get the shell. Throw it up towards the highest block for a vine to the secret exit to the Green Switch Palace. You can also use the Blue Yoshi if you've got him at this point.

Anyway, onto the other part. After the sand on the floor are more Swoopers and Buzzy Beetles. There's a Dragon Coin here. When you get to the sand rising from the pit, don't jump on it. Wait for it to go all the way up and jump on it when it comes down and get the Dragon Coin. Then jump on the sand and run to the right and jump off, grab the Dragon Coin, and, if you have a cape use A to steer yourself to safe land. The goal is not much past this.

Green Switch Palace

Like the Yellow Switch Palace, simple. Grab the shell, hit the P Switch, and hit the Koopa Troopas with it for a 1-Up. Now hit the Green Switch.

Donut Ghost House
Difficulty: *1/2

If you have a cape, fly up at the start to the "roof", where there are four 1-Ups and an exit to the Top Secret Area. If not, grab the Dragon Coin and avoid the Boos. In the next room, just enter the door. Now grab the Dragon Coin and hit the block for a P Switch. Hit that and collect the arrow coins and go in the blue door. The next room features a ? Block. Hit it and control the coins using the Control Pad and steer the coins so they don't hit a wall. Grab all the coins and hit the Star Block for a 1-Up. A Dragon Coin is above the block. Enter the door and you're in the second room again. Enter the next door again and hit the block again for a P Switch. Hit it and collect the coins, but this time go in the yellow door. Grab the fourth Dragon Coin and hit that block one last time for a vine to the exit and Dragon Coin 5.

Top Secret Area
Difficulty: N/A

The Top Secret Area is basically a level where you can power up. The two left blocks have Fire Flowers, the middle block has a Yoshi, and the two right blocks have cape Feathers. Also, if you're small Mario, you get a random Yoshi, Super gets a Yellow, Fire a Red, and Cape a Blue. You have to unlock the colored Yoshis, of course.

Donut Plains 3
Difficulty: *

At the start are some three-armed platforms. A Dragon Coin is one of them. When you get to the Koopa Troopas, jump on the low platform and to the right and hit the rightmost block for a vine. Avoid the high-bouncing Paratroopa. A Dragon Coin is in the clouds. Fall back down and go to the right and you'll eventually find an ON/OFF switch. Hit it and hit the next one. Avoid the Fuzzies and get the next Dragon Coin. A Midway Gate is next. Next is a platform and a Fuzzy. Jump on the top platforms for a Dragon Coin and go in the yellow pipe for a bonus room. When you come out of the pipe, backtrack left for a Dragon Coin. Go to the right and jump on the platform and hit the Star Block for a 1-Up. The goal is in sight.

Donut Plains 4
Difficulty: *

At the start is a nice trap: a Shelless Koopa walking into a yellow shell. When he walks into it, the shell becomes an invincible flashing shell. A Dragon Coin is on the hill. Next are some pipes. Don't enter the blue pipe; it takes you to a pipe obstacle course. After the pipes, you'll find an Amazing Flying Hammer Brother. Avoid the hammers and run up the hill. Continue for a Dragon Coin and a blue pipe. Enter the pipe and collect Dragon Coin 3. If you have a Blue Yoshi right now and feel cheap, eat a Paratroopa to fly and stomp the other eight while flying for a 1-Up. When you come out, you are shot towards some ditches with Para-Goombas. A Dragon Coin is here. After that is a Roulette Block. When it has a Feather, hit it and it will have a Starman. Get it and start to kill kill kill! There's a 3-Up Moon in the clouds along the way. Remember to get the Dragon Coin (which is in plain sight)! The goal is close.

Donut Secret 1
Difficulty: 1/2

You'll want a Fire Flower for this level. Fireball every Rip Van Fish you come to. Get a Dragon Coin on the way. Enter the first pipe for a vertical cave. Hit the block for a P Balloon and fly to the left and up, avoiding Red Paratroopas. Two Dragon Coins are at the top. The right block has a 1-Up. Enter the right pipe on the ground to go back underwater. A Dragon Coin is in a ditch. Fireball the fish and continue left for a Rip Van Fish that guards a Dragon Coin. After that is a P Switch. Grab that and continue.  When you see a floor of blocks, hit the P Switch, grab the coins and hit the ? Block for the key. If you continue right you'll find a sixth Dragon Coin and the goal.

Donut Secret 2
Difficulty: *

Donut Secret 2 is actually located in the Valley of Bowser. At the start is a Control Pad Coin block. Hit it with the Koopa shell (or a cape). When you're finished, continue right (and grab the Dragon Coin). Jump on the springboard and hit the block for a vine. Climb the vine for a Starman and a Dragon Coin. With the Starman, run right, killing Spike Tops and getting a Dragon Coin on the way. You'll soon find pipes with Munchers in between them. After that get the Dragon Coin and jump on the high hill. You can get a Feather here. Enter the green pipe. You're now in the overworld. Hit the ? Block for a P Balloon and collect all the coins. When you are back in the cave, backtrack left for the last Dragon Coin and go right for more Spike Tops. After that is an upside-down pipe with red Paratroopas flying to the left of it. Jump on all of them for a 1-Up. The goal is close.

Donut Secret House
Difficulty: *

Maybe your first ghost house. At the start walk up the stairs and jump and fall to the right. When there's a gap in the Boo Circle walk left and wait for the gap again. Jump through the hole for the first Dragon Coin. When you get past the Boos, jump over the Eerie and hit the P Switch. A springboard will fall behind you. Use this to jump over the Big Boo. Continue up the stairs for a door. In the next room is a Fire Flower if you need it. A multi-coin block is in the Boo Circle. You see a platform with coins in the shape of a door. Get them. Continue right until you get to a door and a P Switch. Don't enter the door, instead climb the two-block platforms until you get to the top, which has a Dragon Coin. Fall back down and grab the P Switch and go to the floating door. Hit the switch to make some ? Blocks appear under the door so you can enter it. If you want all the Dragon Coins, enter the yellow door. You'll be in a room with a coin block (controlled by the Control Pad). Go to the left for a Dragon Coin and enter the door. You'll be under the staircase in the first room. Get the Dragon Coin and the 1-Up in the block. Enter the door and go get the P Switch and carry it to the floating door again in the second room. Hit it, and if you want the normal exit, enter the door on the platform, or if you want the secret exit and all the Dragon Coins, hit the block over the door for a vine. Climb it and run to the left past the door and duck when you get to the coin. You should perform the "duck slide". Get the last Dragon Coin and enter the blue door. You're now at the boss of the Donut Secret House, the Big Boo. To beat him, you have to chuck three Grab Blocks at him when he's facing you. Avoid the Boo Buddies in this narrow room. Don't grab a Grab Block on the bottom floor, or you will die. When you defeat him, he falls offscreen and you get the secret exit to the Star Road! Yay! (Why do I say that a lot?)

Morton's Castle
Difficulty: *1/2

Your second castle is fairly easy. You'll see two Thwimps at the start. After you get past the second one you can fly up into a bonus room. To do that wait for the second one to jump to the left, wait a second, and then run under the second and over the first to the room. It's a shortcut to the third room, but you miss the first two Dragon Coins. If you don't take the bonus room, go up the escalator avoiding Ball 'n' Chains and get the first Dragon Coin. In the next room, climb up the "Thwomp staircase" and when you get past the third Thwomp, wait for it come down again, grab the Dragon Coin, and enter the door. In the third room, climb up the blocks. A Feather is in one of the three ? Blocks. Keep on climbing up, grabbing the Dragon Coin, and get to the Dry Bones and springboard. Using the cape, kill the Dry Bones and use the springboard to jump through the opening. Climb the next blocks and hit the second-to-right block for a vine. Climb up that and kill the Dry Bones and get the Dragon Coin and 1-Up. Climp up the blocks, avoiding the crushing walls. Get up to the the part with the moving spikes in between each stone block. A Green ! Block might appear here to cover a spike. Wait for the platform at the left wall to come. Get the Dragon Coin and jump to the top for another Green ! Block and the door to Morton's lair. Morton is easy. Jump on him three times or hit him with three fireballs. He runs up the wall. When he falls on you, spin jump. After the third hit, Mario jumps on Morton's castle and you save a Blue Yoshi!

Vanilla Dome

Vanilla Dome 1
Difficulty: **

The Vanilla Dome is the largest area of the game. It has mostly underground levels. There are two ways you can beat it: the Vanilla Fortress or Lemmy's Castle.

Anyway, onto Vanilla Dome 1. At the start (I like to say that a lot, don't I?) is a staircase with a Spike Top. After that is a Buzzy Beetle. Then, next are Swoopers. You'll come to an area with lots of blocks. Get the Dragon Coin here. There's a Feather in the second-to-right block at the top of the part with the Dragon Coin. A     1-Up Mushroom is in the first block in the part with the second Buzzy Beetle. After the blocks, you'll find a block high up between two upside-down pipes. If you've beem to the Red Switch Palace, you can get up there easily but if not, jump off Yoshi in mid-air to hit the block and then do it again to climb the vine for the key and keyhole. The secret exit takes you to Vanilla Secret 1.

If you didn't go to the secret exit, continue right and enter the pipe. Get the Starman and run across the sand platform, killing every enemy with the Star. Get the Dragon Coin at the end. Enter the pipe. The next area has a Midway Gate. You'll soon see a tiny path that only small Mario can enter. When you see this, spin jump ONE of the two blocks. Then hit the Buzzy Beetles until you're small. Then go back and enter the path. Use the Grab Block to kill the Buzzy Beetle and get the Dragon Coin. Get the Mushroom in the ? Block and continue. Jump from pipe to pipe, and get the Dragon Coin. Then take the low path, and throw the Koopa shell and Grab Block. Then perform the "duck slide" (from the Donut Secret House) to get the last Dragon Coin (assuming you got the Mushroom). Then do it again to get out and hit the blocks to go through. The goal is close.

Vanilla Dome 2
Difficulty: *1/2

Vanilla Dome 2 is a fun underground area that is half water and half land. At the start, you end up falling into a lake. Go up the slope and fall into the water. One of the ? Blocks has a Fire Flower. Continue on and hit the block for a vine. Climb up it. Now get past the Buzzy Beetles, fall into the hole, and get a Dragon Coin. You're back in the water again. Fireball the Blurps on your way. When you get to the three ? Blocks, jump next to the left wall for an invisible block with a 1-Up. One of the ? Blocks has a Feather. Continue on until you find another ? Block with a Fire Flower. Jump on that, then jump to the right so you don't get hit by a Buzzy Beetle. Use Up L to see up and jump left. Get the Dragon Coin in your jump. Carry the P Switch left to the dead end. In case you were wondering, the ? Block has ANOTHER Fire Flower. Hit the P Switch, and run through the coin wall and into the coin hole. If you have the Red Switch Palace, fall next to the right wall. In this secret place, you'll find the secret exit and a Dragon Coin. Go on land for the key, and take it underwater for the keyhole. You'll notice you can swim faster while holding items underwater. To get out, you can fly out, or if you pressed the Red Switch go underwater and place the Trampoline on the Red ! Block and spring out. Go back to where Dragon Coin 2 was. This time, take the right path and let the Chargin' Chuck bash through the blocks. After that is a Midway Gate. Let the next Chargin' Chuck go through the blocks. Next is a Roulette Block. When it shows a Feather hit it and when it turns into a Starman, get it. Slide down the hill for a Dragon Coin. Hit the next P Switch and go through the coin wall. Hit lots of enemies with your Starman for a few 1-Ups in the process. A Dragon Coin is on a hill. The green pipe leads to an icy area that has nothing of interest in it. You should get to the goal without any problems.

Red Switch Palace
Difficulty: 1/2

In this Switch Palace, carry the P Switch to the green Koopa Troopa. Jump on him, grab the shell, and hit the P Switch. Throw the shell at all the Koopas (beware of the flashing shell) for a 1-Up. Go in and hit the Red Switch. Three Switch Palaces down, one more to go.

Vanilla Ghost House
Difficulty: **

The Vanilla Ghost House is a little tricky. You'll start out finding two Eeries. Jump through them. You next see a Boo Circle. Walk through the bottom part to get a Dragon Coin. The top part has a power-up. After that you'll be jumping from platform to platform avoiding Boos. There's a Dragon Coin on your way.

When you get to the part with a Big Boo and blocks, fall in the bottom part and hit the third block after the hole for a vine. Climb up the vine to get a Dragon Coin. Then just continue right, avoiding Eeries. Fall back down at the end and backtrack left to get a Dragon Coin. Then enter the door.

In the next room, you'll find some green bubbles. Avoid, avoid, avoid! Just keep on going until you find three blocks. The middle one has a P Switch. Carry that and continue. Don't enter the yellow door. Get the Dragon Coin and collect the door coins. then hit the P-Switch and enter the blue door. You're out of this ghost house!

Vanilla Dome 3
Difficulty: **

In this lava level, you have to ride Skull Rafts. At the beginning (thought I was going to say start, didn't you?), just ride the skull raft avoiding Blarggs and not caring about the winged ? Blocks. Next are some pipes and a Buzzy Beetle. After that, go down the hill (don't slide) and get the Dragon Coin. Ride the next Skull Raft on the ridiculously high lava. Remember that the lava on the wall doesn't hurt. After that is a high orange pipe.
Stand next to it and jump for an invisible block. You can get the Feather in between the pipes. Now use the space before the pipes to fly up and to the right for a Bonus Game. If you don't do that, you can get a Dragon Coin.

When you come out of the pipe from the Bonus Game, go left and enter the yellow pipe for an icy area, sort of weird since you're in a lava level. Get a Dragon Coin here. When you come out, you can get the Midway Gate and a Yoshi between the pipes, though it is dangerous. Continue left by riding the next Skull Raft. Jump on the platform when the Skull Raft falls down, and use it to get a Dragon Coin and land back on the Skull Raft. Easy enough, right? Next are some Spike Tops. Use the cape or Yoshi to eat them. You'll find some platforms and more Buzzy Beetles after that. A Dragon Coin is on a low platform. If you took the Bonus Game and want the last Dragon Coin, kill the Buzzy Beetle on the platform before the last Skull Raft. Then fly up and to the right. You'll find a path with Munchers on the same level as you. Another Dragon Coin is up here. Hit the P Switch and go down the ? Block staircase to the goal!

Vanilla Dome 4
Difficulty: **1/2

In Vanilla Dome 4, you have an endless amount of Bullet Bills buzzing around your head. At the start is a Dragon Coin. A Mushroom is in down in between two... vegetable platforms?! You'll soon come to some vegetable platorms with springboards attached to them. A Dragon Coin is here. After that, you'll find a very high Midway Gate. Next, you'll find pipes with Piranha Plants in them. When you get here, four Bullet Bills will fly at you at once, each going in different directions. Can you handle that? Okay. Enter the blue pipe. It takes you to a lava obstacle course. Jump over or duck under the blocks in your way. A Dragon Coin is at the end. When you exit, go left to the ? Blocks. Jump onto the low springboard to get there. Hit the block for a 1-Up, then hit the ? Block that it is over, making it go left. Then get it. The rest of the level is easy. The fourth Dragon Coin is nestled down between two vegetable platforms, and the final one is over the last platforms. Now to Lemmy's Castle!

Vanilla Secret 1
Difficulty: 1/2

An easy, secret, and vertical cave level. A Blue Yoshi is helpful here because there are many Koopa Troopas. Go up (while getting the first two Dragon Coins) to the hills with the springboard (past the vines and the Red Paratroopa). From there fall in the hole on the left for Dragon Coin 3. For the secret exit, you can use the Blue Yoshi or if you've been to the Blue Switch Palace, you can carry the springboard to the Blue ! Blocks and get to the pipe from there. The pipe takes you to the secret goal and Star World 2. For the normal exit, use the springboard to spring through the hole, avoiding the Koopa Troopas. Then get the last two Dragon Coins (using the springboard), and climb the next springs to a pipe to the goal.

Vanilla Secret 2
Difficulty: **

Vanilla Secret 2 offers a chance at TONS of 1-Ups. It's located outside the Vanilla Dome. Use a blue Yoshi here to fly up at the start. Get the Dragon Coin in the clouds. Just continue flying until you land. Go to the part with a ditch full of Spinies. Hit the second block on the left for a Gray P Switch. Now carry it and go left, collecting the Dragon Coin in between the blocks. Keep on going left, avoiding the parachuting
Bob-ombs. Go left until you get to the two pipes with Piranha Plants. Get a Dragon Coin here. Now hit the Gray P Switch and collect every gray coin in sight! There are tons. Keep on collecting gray coins and you'll get 1-Ups, then 2-Ups, and then 3-Ups. You can get 30+ 1-Ups doing this strategy. My high score is 51 1-Ups. After you get all the gray coins you can, get the Dragon Coin and go back all the way right until you find a green pipe with a Lakitu in it. Go in his pipe and hit the P Switch. Run across the bridge, collecting coins as you go. A Dragon Coin is at the end. You get shot out of the pipe. Land on the hill after the three Chargin' Chucks. Now for some more 1-Ups! You see four red Paratroopas flying back and forth. Hop on all of them, then keep jumping on them without touching the ground. Hold A while jumping on them to jump higher. You can keep on doing this again and again until you want to beat the level.

Vanilla Secret 3
Difficulty: no stars

Bring Yoshi to this level! This level is super easy with him. In this level, you have to jump from Dolphin to Dolphin over water. From the starting point, jump from the Dolphins to the next platforms. A Dragon Coin and Feather are here. Now get to the next platform for another Dragon Coin. This is where the Porco-Puffer comes out to play. This is what Yoshi is for: eat him. Then continue on. The next platform has a Star Block. After that just keep going until you find two verical jumping Dolphins. Jump off one of them and get the Dragon Coin. Now jump on a Dolphin and collect the arrow coins. A Dragon Coin is in one of them. You'll get to end soon. A Dragon Coin is also at the end. When you come out of the pipe, jump and get the rare sixth Dragon Coin for another 1-Up.

Vanilla Fortress
Difficulty: ***1/2

The Vanilla Fortress is probably your first real challenge for a level. It's the first fortress in the game and it's quite tough! It's an underwater fortress. At the beginning just swim right, avoiding Ball 'n' Chains and Fishbones. Remember that the Fishbones can be killed by the cape. If you're small, you can walk under the spikes near the beginning. You'll eventually come to a part where you have to swim across an area with falling spikes. There are Dry Bones on the floor that like throwing bones at you. Use the cape you can get earlier to kill some Fishbones and get the Dragon Coin. Be careful!  Also, watch out for the falling spikes. You can tell which ones they are because they're a little darker than normal spikes. When you get to the end, enter the pipe.

When you come out of the pipe, go right for a Dragon Coin. Then go left and get the Dragon Coin near the Thwomp. After that, continue left and you'll end up in a narrow passage. Duck to avoid the bones thrown by the Dry Bones. Also, watch out for the Ball 'n' Chain!  After that, you can get a power-up. There's some Bony Beetles that you can stomp over and over again for 1-Ups, as long you don't touch the ground. Since this is underwater, it is quite easy. After some Bony Beetle stomping, continue left and avoid the Thwomp. If you walked under the spikes in the first room, you'd be here. Get the Dragon Coin. Now go back left past the Thwomp and go in the hole in the ceiling. There's a Midway Gate up here. By now, your time limit is around 100, so you need to rush. Get the Dragon Coin on the way. After that, fall down the hole and continue. A sixth Dragon Coin is down here. Like earlier in the level, you can stomp the Bony Beetles again and again for 1-Ups. Reznor's door is near. There's a Mushroom outside Reznor's Door if you need it.

Since this is your first fortress, I'll explain how to defeat Reznor. Reznor's room is a bridge over lava with a ferris wheel (I guess) with four Reznors. Defeating them is easier said than done: hit them from below! After you hit two, jump on the wheel because the bridge will soon break up into nothing. While on the wheel, hit the last two Reznors. Then you're done! Also, remember that every Reznor fight is EXACTLY the same.

Lemmy's Castle
Difficulty: **

Lemmy's Castle is definitely easier than the Vanilla Fortress, and if it's Lemmy's Castle, why isn't there anything from Lemmy's Land in it? No one knows. Anyway, in this castle, you start out on some high blocks. You can spin jump out, or let the Magikoopa make a hole for you. You can get some power-ups and a 1-Up in the top blocks, though you might not want to get them. Go right and you can get a power-up along the way. You can get across the water and lava and get to a door at the end. Or, you can use blocks to jump high up and get a P-Switch. Hit it and continue left and enter the door. In this room, go through the Midway Gate and get a 1-Up. Then enter the door. You'll come to the room you would get to if you didn't get the hidden door.

In this room, go right and when the blocks rise up, get the Dragon Coin and jump on the top block to prevent from falling in the lava. When it goes up again, jump onto the lower parts and get to the next platform. Then, after the high block goes up cross the next platform. Watch out for the Podoboo!  Jump on the next platform when it's fully up. Stand on the right edge of the left platform so you can get the Dragon Coin. Once you get the Dragon Coin, jump onto the small overhang above to avoid falling into the lava, again. When it goes up again, continue on, avoiding the next Podoboo. For the next platforms, wait for them to be at their peak, then jump, get the Dragon Coin, and land on the non-moving platforms. Wait for the ceiling to go down, and when it rises, jump onto the next platforms. Watch out for the Podoboo. There's a stationary cape Feather for you just in case you got hit by the Podoboo. Wait for the ceiling to go down then up, and continue on and jump onto the steps. When the steps go up, jump on the lower steps and get the Dragon Coin, then jump on the next platform. I've said the word "platform" too much, haven't I? Next, kill the Dry Bones with the cape and jump on the "elevator". When the elevator goes up, jump on the next platform and kill the next two Dry Bones. Board the next elevator and continue on. On the last platform, wait for it to go up, then fall down and get the Dragon Coin. Immediately jump into the small hole in the wall, then jump out and to the left, back onto the platform. Then go downstairs to the door to Lemmy's room. There's a cape Feather outside his door.

Lemmy will pop in and out of pipes. You just have to jump on him three times, but he has two clones that come in and out with him. When they come out, jump to make sure you don't get hit. Also watch out for the Podoboo in the room. After you hit Lemmy on the head three times, Mario hits the castle a lot with a wooden hammer and you save a yellow Yoshi!

Twin Bridges

Cheese Bridge Area
Diffuclty: *1/2

Well, you've made it to the Twin Bridges! This is the smallest area of the game. Also, have you noticed by now that many worlds area named after foods? No one knows why, but MAYBE it involved a Yoshi that didn't eat for a day...

Oh yeah, Cheese Bridge Area. You can get a Feather in the ? Block at the start. Activate all three platforms, then go to the bottom one. You'll eventually find a Dragon Coin. Then go to the top one for another one. Avoid the Chainsaws! Go back to the bottom one for yet another Dragon Coin. Then go to the top or middle one and wait 'til you get to the end. A Midway Gate is at the end. If you have Yoshi with you, hit the ? Block for Yoshi's Wings. In the Yoshi's Wings area, avoid the Fuzzies. The first two Dragon Coins are near the start. Continue on with the scrolling screen. After you drop down between the Fuzzies, go up for another Dragon Coin, but make sure you don't get hit by the Fuzzy. Then get the last two and you're at the end. If you fall in this area, you win the level.

If you didn't take the Yoshi's Wings, go right for a Power-Up and a Dragon Coin. Entering the pipe takes you to an area with diagonal Bullet Bills. Four come out at a time. You'll eventually come to a rope and the last gang of Chainsaws. Ride the rope and go up and down to avoid them. Also get the Dragon Coin. With Yoshi, you can fly from the bridge left of the yellow pipe, or jump from Chainsaw to Chainsaw. At the end is the goal. For the secret exit, you need a Yoshi and a Cape Feather. On the platform before the goal, jump and with the Cape Feather, steer (with A) yourself under the goal and when you are past it, jump off Yoshi with R and land on the platform behind the goal. Easiest with Luigi. Now just go right for a 3-Up Moon and the secret goal to Soda Lake.

Cookie Mountain
Difficulty: *1/2

At the start, avoid the Shelless Troopa and jump on the hill. Watch out for the Monty Mole. Next is a Sumo Brother. He stomps the ground, making flames on the platform below it. If you have a cape, you can swing it at him. If you don't, hit him from below. The top ? Block has a Feather. Next are sloped hills and Shelless Troopas. A Dragon Coin is over a hill. If you have a blue Yoshi, you can eat the Koopa shell and fly up to the clouds. A 1-Up is up here. Or, you can go down the hills with the Monty Moles. After the hills, there is enough space to fly up into the clouds. You'll soon enough come to two Sumo Brothers on high note blocks. Do a high jump to get the Dragon Coin and land safely on the ground. After the Midway Gate, get past the large hill, avoiding Monty Moles. There are sure a lot of Monty Moles in this level, right? Hit the second block from the right for a vine to Dragon Coin 3. While on the vine, jump to the top of the hill for a 1-Up. The pipe takes you to a lake of two Porcu-Puffers. Entering the pipe here takes you to the clouds that had a 1-Up. After the pipe you can get a Yoshi if you went to the Red Switch Palace. A Dragon Coin is on one of the hills. After the Monty Mole Madness, you can get two Pink Berries if you have Yoshi. Collecting two makes a cloud appear. The cloud drops coins, one-by-one. Collecting them all gives you a 1-Up Mushroom. After the fireball-spitting Piranha Plant is a Dragon Coin. Next are two Sumo Brothers and a lot of ? Blocks.You know how to deal with them. After them is a bouncing Chargin' Chuck. Avoid him and get to the goal!

Butter Bridge 1
Difficulty: **

Butter Bridge 1 is a treacherous auto-scroll level. Luigi is good at this. At the start are a few platfoms in pairs. If you're standing on one, the platform goes down while the other one rises. Get the Dragon Coin on the falling platform. You'll soon see a red Paratroopa. Bounce off him to the bridge and get the Dragon Coin. Then jump on the next pair of platforms and get the Dragon Coin here. You can bounce off all the Paratroopas without touching the ground for a 1-Up. Then keep on jumping. When you get to the platform with three coins between it, let the first one sink a little bit and jump on the next to get to the high platforms when the screen starts to scroll fast. Stand on a platform and let it sink. Get a Dragon Coin on the way down. Soon enough, you'll find some blocks; the second block on the left of the top batch of blocks has a 1-Up. After that, keep up with the fast scrolling screen again.  Jump on the falling platform and get the last Dragon Coin. Try to get 1-Ups from jumping off the Paratroopas. Also, there is a Star Block after the pipe that leads to the goal.

Butter Bridge 2
Difficulty: ***

This level is so complex I can scream. It's basic jumping from bridge to bridge while avoiding the millions of Super Koopas flying at you. If you just want to beat the level, try flying through it with a Cape Feather, like in many other levels. Fly up at the start for a Dragon Coin, then drop down for another one.  On the next bridge, avoid the shells kicked at you from high up by Shelless Troopas. A Dragon Coin is right after the last two. It's difficult to get if you don't have a Yoshi. A Midway Gate is after the Dragon Coin. Then go down the second blue pipe for a bonus coin area. Guess what? A Dragon Coin's here! When you exit the area, go right, avoiding the swarms of Super Koopas attacking you. You'll find a Dragon Coin on your way. With a Yoshi, jump at it, then jump off your Yoshi back onto the bridge. With a Feather, you can jump at it and float back to the bridge.  If you don't have either of them, bouncing off a Super Koopa is all the advice I can give. The goal is close.

Soda Lake
Difficulty: ****

In Soda Lake, you'll find Torpedo Teds, underwater versions of Bullet Bills. They are invincible, which is why this is a difficult level! But remember: Yoshi can bounce off of these guys. At the start, swim right. The ? Block has a Fire Flower. Dodge the Cheep Cheeps and swim right. A Dragon Coin is between two Torpedo Ted cannons. After them are three more Torpedo Ted cannons. A Dragon Coin is beside the second one. Then stay low, dodging the Torpedo Teds, and when you're past the third one, immediately swim up to avoid the Cheep Cheeps conveniently placed there. Then go down for another Dragon Coin.  After that is another low Dragon Coin. Keep on dodging enemies until you find four Torpedo Ted cannons. And there's a Dragon Coin here. Hard enough? Also, Torpedo Teds seem to come out like... every three seconds so sneak by them fast! After the last three Torpedo Ted cannons is the pipe to the goal. When you beat this level, be glad that you're never going to see Torpedo Teds again!

Ludwig's Castle
Difficulty: **1/2

Despite the difficulty, Ludwig's Castle isn't really THAT tricky. In the first room, you have to make it past an enclosed area. Get past the Bony Beetle or whack him with your cape if you have it. Jump onto the Ball 'n' Chain's block and then onto the next stone block and get to the high part. Then drop down onto the Bony Beetle, watching out if he puts those spikes out. Then continue on past some multiple Ball 'n' Chains. Duck slide past the last two so you don't get hit by them. You'll find a door and a Mushroom. Instead of going in the door, jump into one of the blocks and you'll notice you can pass right through them. Jump out and onto the roof of the castle. Go up the stairs for a bonus game.

After taking either routes, you'll end up in the second room. Here you'll have to race across a spiky ceiling that falls down. Quickly run down the escalator and jump across the lava pits CAREFULLY as there are Podoboos coming out. Also get the Dragon Coin. You'll come to an ON/OFF Switch. When you get here, wait for the ceiling to sink low enough that you can still hit the ON/OFF Switch. Then hit it. When it goes high up, jump and get the Dragon Coin. Then wait for it to go low enough again, then hit the ON/OFF Switch and continue on. Avoid the Bony Beetles, then jump from platform to platform avoiding Podoboos. Then when you get to the long platform, RUN! Since Mario is faster than Luigi (I think), you might want to use him for this castle. When you get to the end, enter the door.

The next room is a vertical area where you have to climb those fences from Iggy's Castle to the top. When you first enter the room, you can go through a path to the right for a Midway Gate. Start climbing fences. The second path has a Feather. Since this is a fence area, you should try to get some 1-Ups by landing on Koopa Troopas' heads (not punching), and after you kill eight you start getting 1-Ups. Remember to use Up L to see the higher fences. You'll soon come to a Dragon Coin behind a fence. Enter the square, then press B to go inside, then get the coin. Now, if you're going for the 1-Ups, go up for more Koopas, and if you're not but want the Dragon Coins, go right. If you go right, you'll find eight tiny fences with one Koopa on each of them. On the right side, fall down into the non-spiky space and get the Dragon Coin, then climb back up to the large fence. You can get a Fire Flower in the ? Block. Go left onto the next fence. If you were going for 1-Ups, you'd be here. Kill the Koopa Troopas and jump across the spiky platform and get the Dragon Coin. Get past the last Koopas, and get to the top. Ludwig's room is next.

Since you probably have about 100 seconds left, defeat Ludwig quickly. His attack pattern is different from any other Koopaling's. He has a wide bridge over lava. At the start, he starts to shoot fire at you. Jump on his head and he'll start to spin around in his shell, just like in Mario 3. Run away or jump over him while he's doing the attack. Soon enough, he'll come out and somersault into the air and then land. Then his attack pattern is repeated. Three hits to the head and he's done. Mario tosses his castle high up and onto the hill in the background, and saves a... a GREEN Yoshi?! Like someone saw that coming!

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