Part 120

Discover effective methods for farming 1-Ups in Super Mario 3D Land, including strategies for World 4-1, Special World 1-3, and boss battles with Pom Pom.

This guide details methods for maximizing your lives in Super Mario 3D Land. It's recommended to max out your lives before attempting to complete the game to avoid running out of time. Once you've collected all the desired 1-Ups, complete the course normally. Do not exit through the pause menu, as the lives will not be saved.

World 4-1

Similar to the World 2-1 method, you can continuously stomp on a Koopa Troopa to earn 1-Ups. At the beginning of the course, move left and north up the steps. Position yourself near the Koopa Troopa moving west-east by the water. Wait for it to move far left, next to the cliff face. Stomp it once, then move away before stomping it the second time when it's in its shell. Run north into the shell. If positioned correctly, the shell will bounce between the two edges of the pool in the thinner part. Drop onto the shell just as it hits the edge closest to you. This will stop it, and then you can stomp it again, kicking it north. If positioned correctly, you will repeatedly bounce on it for 1-Ups until time runs out. If you are not positioned correctly or time runs out, you can attempt it again. Once you have collected enough 1-Ups, complete the course.

Special World 1-3

After launching yourself onto the 8-bit Goomba platform near the start, you'll see two Baddie Boxes and a Roulette Block. The Baddie Boxes spawn Goombas, which can be used to gain many lives. It's recommended to use the Tanooki Suit or Statue form for maximum 1-Ups, but Mario, Luigi, or any power-up can be used.

To earn 1-Ups, allow the maximum number of Goombas to spawn (three from each box) while you wait on the ledge to the south. Once all have spawned, start jumping on the Goombas. Press 'A' as you land on each Goomba to perform a large jump, giving you more time to aim for the next Goomba and allowing more to spawn. While airborne, hover to the next Goomba (especially with the Tanooki or Statue power-up). Stomp it, perform a large jump, and hover to the next. Repeat this until you have the desired number of 1-Ups.

Potential issues with this method include not stalling long enough between stomps, causing Baddie Boxes to not spawn Goombas quickly enough. Moving too far from a Baddie Box will stop its spawning altogether, even if moving towards another box. This means one box alone won't spawn enough Goombas. This method also requires concentration to time jumps and aim correctly. Mistakes can lead to taking damage, losing power-ups, and needing to restart. If you mess up or there aren't enough Goombas, return to the ledge south of the Baddie Boxes to wait for them to respawn. If time runs out, the location is near the start, making it easy to return.

Pom Pom

This method is less effective as Pom Pom is usually found near the end of a course, and you can only earn a limited number of 1-Ups from her before she is defeated. You can intentionally die before defeating her to restart, but it takes time to reach the boss battle again. It also requires constant attention.

To farm 1-Ups against Pom Pom, dodge her boomerangs and stomp her. Move aside and wait for her to withdraw into her shell. As soon as she does, jump on and stomp the shell. If positioned correctly, you will repeatedly stomp the shell as it floats, receiving one 1-Up for each stomp after the fourth, without touching the ground. Continue this until Pom Pom emerges from her shell. Anticipate this and avoid touching her as she reappears. You can repeat this process once more before defeating her.

This method is not ideal due to a high risk of taking damage, a limited number of 1-Ups per attempt, and the time it takes to reach the battle after restarting.