Super Mario Bros.

P Switch

When you hit a P Switch, all bricks will become coins and all coins will become bricks for a short period of time. This can allow you to reach other areas more easily if you didn't grab too many coins before hitting the P Switch. Sometimes these switches also reveal some blue coins that disappear after the effects of the switch wear off.

POW Block

These blocks are an old favourite from Super Mario Bros. 2 and 3. When you hit one, all enemies on the ground will die and now all on-screen coins in the air will fall to the ground. This makes them easier to collect all at once.

SNES Originals

These items all showed up in Super Mario World 1 or 2.

Yoshi Egg

When you reveal a Yoshi Egg, then a Yoshi dinosaur appears. Jump on Yoshi to ride him and use his tongue to eat fruit and enemies. If you get hit, Yoshi runs away, but you can catch him if you're fast enough. Yoshis can jump pretty high and also do a flutter kick if you hold the jump button down, to get some extra height and distance. You can also shake the remote to jump off Yoshi, which can mean an extra high double-jump of sorts if you do it while in the air already.

Red Coins

There are eight red coins in some stages of the game that only show up when you pass through a nearby ring. If you can collect all eight before the brief timer runs out, then you will receive an item to help you along.

Newer Items

These items showed up in more recent Mario games.

Mini Mushroom

These blue mushrooms first showed up in New Super Mario Bros DS. They allow you to shrink even smaller than normal. This means that you are weaker and can only damage enemies by stomping them with your ground-pound. On the plus side, you can take a lot of tiny paths, perform long floaty jumps and even run across the surface of water. So it's not all bad being short, right?

Ice Flower

The blue Ice Flower is new to the series and allows you to throw iceballs ahead of you. If an iceball hits an enemy then they are frozen in an ice cube like a novelty plastic fly. You then have the choice of leaving them alone, using the cube as a platform, picking it up and throwing it, or stomping them.

Star Coins

Each stage has three Star Coins hidden somewhere. The Star Coins can be spent at Peach Castle in World 1 of the game to unlock hint movies and make the game easier. You can also throw enemies into some Star Coins to collect them more easily.

Propeller Mushroom

This new mushroom has a propeller growing out of its head, but don't say anything, it's kind of self-conscious. Instead you'll want to send yourself spinning into the air and slowly glide back down when you have one of these. You can also do a spinning stomp that allows you to turn giant screws in some stages. In multiplayer, if you lift up someone who has the propeller power and then shake your remote, you will both spin jump.

Penguin Suit

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. After being fed up with sliding down icy paths against penguins in the past, it's time to try being a Penguin. This allows you to throw iceballs, like the Ice Flower. You can also move across ice and snow more easily and you can also swim easier in water (much like the Frog Suit of old) and slide over water. Just remember that penguins can't fly! Also when sliding on flat ground, you won't fall into pits if they are two spaces wide or less.

Enemies

If you know the correct names of any of these enemies, please feel free to email me.

Old Enemies

Goomba

These walking mushroom-looking enemies are not your friends. Instead you want to jump on top of them to squish them flat. Of course you can also use the fireballs, iceballs and other tools at your disposal.

Micro Goomba

These tiny goombas are easily killed, but if one or more of them jump on you, then you can't jump as high until you shake them off.

Koopa Troopa

These turtle/bird hybrids walk along the ground and hide in their shell if you jump on them. The shell can be picked up if you hold the 1 button, or you can just walk into it, to kick the shell forward. A moving shell will take out most enemies in its path, but it can also damage you. So don't get hit if it rebounds off a wall or block. The green shelled koopas walk off the end of a ledge, while the red ones turn around when they hit the end of a ledge. Some (koopa paratroopas) also have wings which allow them to get a bit of air and survive one more jump from you. Be careful because a koopa will shake and come back out of its shell if you leave it long enough, even if you're holding the shell at the time!

Buzzy Beetle

These enemies behave a lot like koopas and you can carry their shell and kick it in the same way. The big difference is that they are immune to fireballs, so don't waste your time using them.

Parabeetle

Parabeetles are beetles with wings that fly horizontally. You can use them as moving platforms of sorts, depending on their size. The small ones dip a little as you land on them, before rising up into the air. The big parabeetles slowly sink as you land on them, so don't linger too long on their backs.

Piranha Plants

These deadly looking venus fly trap inspired plants lurk in pipes and can't wait to take a bite out of you. The trick is to either stand right beside the pipe or stand on top when they are hidden inside. In either case they won't come out, but if you move away from the pipe a bit, they will. They can also be burned or frozen with your attacks, just don't jump on them or you'll regret it! Some piranhas in later worlds can walk around and stretch up higher, but the same strategy applies.

Munchers

Munchers are small black plants that are invincible. They can't be killed and you can't touch them without taking damage. So try to jump over them whenever possible or use a Power Star.

Hammer Brother

This enemy can be a real pain at times, but he throws three hammers in an arc followed by one more and then jumps higher.

This section covers various enemies and hazards encountered in Part 3 of New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Understanding their patterns and weaknesses is key to progressing through the game.

Enemies:

• Hammer Brothers (and variants): These enemies throw projectiles like hammers, boomerangs, or sledgehammers. Some can stun you with ground pounds. Avoid their attacks and jump on them, or use fireballs/iceballs.
• Fire Log: A straight line of fire that spins. Watch its pattern before moving under or over it.
• Boomerang Brother: Throws boomerangs that curve. Jump over them and land on the brother.
• Fire Brother: Shoots fireballs in groups. Jump over the fireballs and land on him. Fireballs or iceballs can also be used.
• Sledge Brother: Larger versions that leap and throw sledgehammers, also stomping the ground to stun. Jump to avoid the stomp.
• Amp: Small electrified orbs to be avoided.
• Dry Bones: Boney Koopas that walk back and forth. They crumble when jumped on but rebuild. Immune to fireballs; iceballs can help.
• Fishbone: Fish that swim horizontally, then rush at you. Swim out of the way.
• Cheep Cheep: Fish that swim in groups. Spiky variants chase you. Fireballs or iceballs can help.
• Urchins: Sharp underwater enemies that sink after thawing. Can be frozen.
• Huckit Crab: Throws dirt balls sideways. Jump on the crab or bounce off the dirt ball.
• Thwomp: Large enemies that crash down. Spot them early and bait them into falling before you're underneath.
• Spike: Throws large spike balls. Time jumps carefully between throws.
• Spiny: Spiked enemies that cannot be jumped on. Use Yoshi, fireballs, or iceballs.
• Lakitu: Throws Spinies from a cloud. Can be defeated by jumping on him or using projectiles, allowing you to briefly use his cloud.
• Firesnake: Jumps towards you, made of fire. Avoid touching it; running under is often safer than jumping over.
• Pokey: Tall cactus-like enemies with spikes on their heads. Use iceballs or Yoshi. Eating one with Yoshi when it has leaves yields an item.
• Chain Chomp: Metal orbs held by a chain. Keep distance and watch their pattern. Stomping the post makes them rush forward.
• Fire Chomp: Fly and shoot fireballs, losing body parts until only the head remains, which then explodes. Can be killed by waiting for the explosion, jumping on the head, or using fireballs.
• Podaboo: Fiery bubbles that jump from lava. Can be removed with an iceball.
• Penguins: Slide across the ground. Jump on them twice or use fireballs/iceballs.
• Bullet Bill: Fired from cannons, fly horizontally. Can be used for bouncing to higher places. Cannons won't fire if you're too close.
• Boo: Ghosts that freeze when faced and approach when turned away. Keep them in place by staring.
• Bob-omb: Walking bombs that activate a timer when jumped on. Can be moved to desired locations.
• Blooper: Sea creatures (description cut off in source).

Enemies:

Rats travel in packs and run away when you attack one of them.

Mecha-Koopa are mechanical koopas that walk along until you jump on them. You can then throw the mecha-koopa before it comes back to life and starts moving again.

Wiggler are yellow caterpillars with a flower on their head that walk back and forth. If you jump on one, then it loses its flower, turns bright red in colour and walks faster. Try to keep them happy if you can and give them some distance.

Swoopers are bats that lurk up high until you get close, then they swoop straight down and start flying across to you. As long as you keep an eye out for them, then you can avoid them pretty easily or bounce off of one to higher ground.

Rocky Wrench were introduced on the airships. They hide under a manhole (cover (press the cover button to crouch behind walls or objects)) until they're ready to throw a wrench at you. Your best bet is to jump on them once they lift the manhole off the ground a little and watch out for those flying wrenches!

Fuzzy are dark enemies with big eyes and teeth. They follow a track in mid-air and generally just get in your way. If you watch the track then you should know where they are going ahead of time. This way you can jump, duck or otherwise avoid them before it's too late.

Broozer are very aggressive and punch towards their target until they either hit their target or find a new one. You can use this to your advantage and get Broozers to punch through breakable blocks or bricks. Otherwise, you can jump on a Broozer three times to defeat it.

Crowber are crows that swoop down to your level and fly straight across. Usually they attack in groups, but watch out for them and plan your jumps ahead of time.

New Enemies:

Snow Brother shoot iceballs at you usually two at a time before pausing briefly. You want to jump over the iceballs and land on them before they throw some more. You can also use some fireballs or iceballs of your own to make things a bit easier.

Fog Enemy just stand in one spot and blow fog ahead in bursts to try and make it harder for you to see enemies, pits, platforms and other objects just in front of them.

Angler are slow fish that swim back and forth and light up dark sections of water. Try to keep them around so that you can see a bit better.

Jellyfish show light underneath them and hover in one spot. Once you swim under one, it sinks down towards you and slowly returns to its original height.

Basics:

Map Screen Basics

The Map screen is where you move your character(s) and decide which stage you want to play, or which mushroom house, shortcut or warp cannon you want to use. Each stage and shortcut on the map screen starts out as a flashing red circle once unlocked, otherwise it is black in colour. If you use the Super Guide to beat a stage, then it shows as solid red on the map screen. When you beat a stage without using the Super Guide, it shows as blue on the map screen. Every map has a fortress halfway and a castle at the very end. Each of these stages are guarded by a boss and you get to save your game after beating them. Some worlds also have an airship after the castle. You can see how many Star Coins you have found on each stage of a world by walking to it, or selecting Star Coins from the Plus menu to see a breakdown of all the Star Coins in the current world.

Mushroom Houses

In between the stages and shortcuts on the map of each world, there are three possible colours of mushroom houses: red, green and yellow. Each one lets you earn more lives or items.

Red Mushroom House - Power-up Panels

There are 18 cards spread out over three rows (6x3) in this minigame. There are seven possible items to win by matching them up in pairs. There are also four cards that can end this minigame if you match up the two bowser cards or the two bowser jr cards. They stay face up as you choose them.

Green Mushroom House - 1up Blast

For this minigame, you want to choose a cannon that can line up a shot through multiple targets above. Hop in a cannon and tilt the remote to aim carefully, then fire yourself at the numbered balls in order to earn that many extra lives. Try to angle your cannon so that you will hit more than one target if possible.

Yellow Mushroom House - Power Star

There's no minigame in these mushroom houses. Simply open the chest that's waiting for you and collect the Power Star inside.

Items

You can earn some items at the mushroom houses in between stages. These items get added to your collection. You can then use these items on the Map screen before you begin a stage to give you an advantage in that stage. Any item used in this way will affect all players in the multiplayer mode.

Saving

You can do a Quick Save at any point in the game which creates a temporary save on your file indicated with a balloon. As soon as you load this quick save the next time you play the game, it disappears! Which means that you HAVE to create another quick save before you quit playing the next time, or do a normal save instead. Quick saves are really to keep your progress temporarily, when you might not have the time to do a normal save. A normal save is done...