Super Mario Bros. · NES walkthrough

World 4

Lakitu, the second Warp Zone, balance lifts, and the first looping castle maze. Four stages. Previous and next stage links sit under each area.

World 4-1

Overworld Timer 400

Reach the flagpole while Lakitu throws Spinies.

Lakitu follows you and drops Spiny eggs. Stomp Lakitu from a high ? block when you can; Spinies are safer to jump over than to linger near.
A pipe leads to a coin room (optional).
Flagpole.

A hidden 1-Up on the ?-block platform is documented as appearing only if you collected every coin in World 3-3 or warped into World 4-1.

Underground Timer 400

Exit to the flagpole, or take one of two intended Warp Zones.

Underground again. Super Mario can break bricks for headroom.
Warp to Worlds 6, 7, or 8 (vine): near the start, reveal hidden blocks as steps to a beanstalk brick. Climb. The sky room’s pipes skip far ahead. Details on the Warp Zones page.
Warp to World 5 (ceiling): like 1-2, ride lifts to the ceiling and run right into a single-pipe Warp Zone to World 5.
Otherwise take the exit pipe to the flagpole.

World 4-2 Warp Zones — World 5 (ceiling), Worlds 6, 7, and 8 (vine).

Athletic / treetops Timer 300

Cross mushroom platforms and balance lifts to the flagpole.

Kick Troopas off small mushroom platforms before they pin you.
Study balance-lift motion, then jump when both sides are even.
Flagpole. Coin-complete here is a documented condition for a later hidden 1-Up in World 5-1.

Castle maze Timer 400

Take the correct hallway pair, then the axe. Wrong paths loop.

This castle loops if you take the wrong height.
First hallway: take the upper path. The lower hall sends you back.
Second hallway: take the lower path. Middle/upper here loop.
Impostor + axe. There is no lift over this fight — jump over, run under, or use fireballs.