How to Complete Super Mario World in the Shortest Time

Super Mario World, originally released for the Super NES and re-released for the Game Boy Advance, is one of the largest Mario games created. There are 96 total stages in the game, but you do not have to finish all of them to complete the game. You can actually complete the game in only twelve stages.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

The Shortest Path

1. Complete Yoshi's Island 2, 3 and 4, and Iggy's Castle.
2. Find the secret door in Donut Plains 1. Use the Cape to fly up to the yellow pipes just before the goal, and carry the key to the keyhole.
3. Find the secret door in Donut Secret 1. Spin-jump to destroy the blocks next to the keyhole and get the key from the Mystery Block.
4. Find the second secret door in the Donut Secret House. Defeat Big Boo to get to the Star Road.
5. Find the secret doors in Star World 1, 2, 3 and 4. Take Star Road 5 to the Valley of Bowser.
6. Enter the Bowser Castle through the front door. Complete the castle to complete Super Mario World.

Complete the Donut Secret House

7. Go through the first door inside the house, then go left until you see the P Switch.
8. Carry the P Switch back to the floating door and step on the switch. Stand on the Mystery Blocks that appear and hit the middle block above you to release the vine.
9. Climb the vine to the top and head right to the secret door. You must do this before the P Switch runs out.
10. Attack Big Boo by tossing the blue blocks up at him. Watch out for the Boo Buddies.
11. Hit Big Boo three times to defeat him. You'll complete the stage and go to the Star Road.

Star World and Bowser Castle

12. Go to the far right in Star World 1 and spin-jump the yellow blocks. Tunnel through the first two block formations to get to the key.
13. Don't take the exit pipe in Star World 2. Swim through the passage below it to find the key.
14. Defeat Lakitu in Star World 3 by tossing a blue block up at him. Climb the block stairs to get on his cloud and ride it up to where the key is.
15. Use the cape in Star World 4 to glide under the row of gray blocks to the keyhole. Get the key out of the Mystery Block by whacking it with the cape.
16. Go through rooms 2 and 8 in the castle. Light up the dark room by hitting the block near the first stairway and head for Bowser.
17. Attack Bowser by stomping the Mecha Koopas he throws and tossing them back up at him. He'll leave and return after he's hit twice. Do this three times to finish him.

Tips & Warnings

• Carry items by holding down the X or Y button. Hold up on the control pad and release the button to toss them upward.
• You won't be able to reveal any of the special colored blocks if you use this short way. This can make some of the stages more difficult.

Who Can Help: