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Super Mario Bros. 2 · USA NES · 20 areas

Complete 20-area walkthrough

North American Super Mario Bros. 2 only: pick up, throw, four characters, Subcon. Worlds 1–6 have three areas each. World 7 has two. This is not Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels. Super Mario Advance extras stay out of scope.

How to use this: Play in order, or jump to the area that stopped you. Potion doors and Sub-space mushrooms are tools, not a second map. Warp jars skip worlds; they are optional.
Not in this walkthrough: Doki Doki Panic name trivia as NES gameplay, Super Mario Advance Yoshi Challenge, a ranked best-character list, or prices.
Version: USA NES 1988 / Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Classics
Last checked: 2026-09-11
Start World 1-1 Hub CharactersPotion / Sub-space
World 1

World 1

Learn pulling grass, throwing, Potion doors, and Birdo. Mouser waits in 1-3.

Open World 1
World 1-1Overworld · BirdoWorld 1-2Sky / cave · BirdoWorld 1-3Waterfall / tower · Mouser
World 2

World 2

Desert sand, Pokeys, and Triclyde. Digging and keys matter more than in World 1.

Open World 2
World 2-1Desert · BirdoWorld 2-2Pyramid · BirdoWorld 2-3Desert / castle · Triclyde
World 3

World 3

Night water, whales later in the set, and a second Mouser. A waterfall drop hides a warp jar.

Open World 3
World 3-1Night overworld · BirdoWorld 3-2Water / sky · BirdoWorld 3-3Tower · Mouser
World 4

World 4

Ice and whales. Fryguy is the world boss. A jar on a whale island skips to World 6.

Open World 4
World 4-1Ice · BirdoWorld 4-2Ice / whales · BirdoWorld 4-3Ice castle · Fryguy
World 5

World 5

Sky and night cliffs. Clawgrip throws rocks. A high jar at the start of 5-3 skips to World 7.

Open World 5
World 5-1Sky · BirdoWorld 5-2Night cliffs · BirdoWorld 5-3Sky / castle · Clawgrip
World 6

World 6

Desert returns, harder. Second Triclyde.

Open World 6
World 6-1Desert · BirdoWorld 6-2Desert cave · BirdoWorld 6-3Desert castle · Triclyde
World 7

World 7

Two areas only. 7-2 is Wart’s castle — the last course in the NES game.

Open World 7
World 7-1Sky castle approach · BirdoWorld 7-2Wart's castle · Wart

Version and scope notes

  • This walkthrough is the USA NES game listed on Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Classics. It is not The Lost Levels.
  • Super Mario Advance / GBA mushroom and A-coin extras are out of scope except where a note labels them OUT OF SCOPE.
  • Warp jars require a Potion dropped next to the jar, then entering the jar in Sub-space. PixelQuest lists the four verified NES warps, not a coordinate farm.
  • There is no universal best character. Luigi jumps farther. Toad pulls fastest. The Princess hovers. Mario is the middle option.

Sources used on these pages