Super Mario Bros. · NES walkthrough
World 5
Bullet Bills, a Hammer Bro course with a sky-or-swim choice, and long fire-bars. Four stages. Previous and next stage links sit under each area.
World 5-1
Reach the flagpole. First heavy Bullet Bill stretch. No mushroom/flower on this course.
How to progress
- Bullet Bills fire from cannons. Like Piranha Plants, they are less likely to attack if you stand very close to the cannon.
- A Star is in the center of a three-block set in mid-air.
- A mid-air pipe leads to a coin room. The timer is only 300 — do not linger.
- Flagpole.
Hazards that matter
- Bullet Bills
- Piranha Plants
- shorter timer (300)
- no Super Mushroom / Fire Flower on this stage
Notes
- StrategyWiki: there are no mushrooms or fire flowers in this level. Enter with a power-up if you can.
- A hidden 1-Up is documented as appearing only if you collected every coin in World 4-3 or warped into World 5.
World 5-2
Reach the flagpole. Optional swim pipe or beanstalk — not both.
How to progress
- Cannons sit on stairs. Time jumps.
- Hammer Brothers occupy a block set. After they throw, they often retreat — that is the window.
- Choice: a ground pipe leads to a swim bonus, or a beanstalk leads to a coin sky. You cannot take both on one pass.
- Flagpole.
Hazards that matter
- Hammer Brothers
- Bullet Bill cannons
- Koopa Paratroopas on the stairs
World 5-3
Same layout family as 1-3, with Bullet Bills and smaller platforms.
How to progress
- Treat it like 1-3, but Bills keep firing. Bills are easier to avoid on islands than on lifts.
- A large island gap needs a running jump.
- Flagpole. Coin-complete here is a documented condition for a later hidden 1-Up in World 6-1.
Hazards that matter
- Bullet Bills, including on lifts
- smaller platforms than 1-3
- Paratroopas
World 5-4
Clear the long fire-bar, then the axe.
How to progress
- The first long fire-bar covers the whole block set. You cannot stand safely on those blocks — time a jump through.
- Later bars sit close together. Clear them one at a time.
- Impostor + axe. A platform exists over the fight but ceiling blocks and Podoboos make it risky.
Hazards that matter
- Double-length fire-bar
- tight fire-bar sets
- a faster fire-bar near the end
- Podoboos at the bridge