Super Mario Bros. 3/Walkthrough

World Maps
Each of the eight worlds in Super Mario Bros. 3 consists of a set of tiles which are connected via paths. The primary feature of each world are the regular stages, which are marked with a level number. While you are not required to complete each and every level in the game, you may not pass any tiles unless you have conquered that space on the map. For example, after you complete stage 2 in the first world, you may skip stages 3 and 4 entirely, but if you wish to visit the Mushroom House beyond them, you must complete at least one of those stages. Locks will exist on the map when you first arrive, but you can remove them by clearing one of the fortresses one the map. Although completed stages will need to be cleared again if you continue your game, the locks will remain open, providing you with a shortcut to the end of that world.

Along your journey, you will obtain power-up items which can be stored and utilized at a time of your choosing. These items can be retrieved by pressing while you are on the map screen. You will be presented with the first row of your inventory. Each row holds seven items, and you can fill up to four rows, for a total of 28 items. Any item that you collect beyond 28 will simply replace the 28th item, so be careful. After highlighting an item that you wish to use, press to activate the item before you enter a stage.

The following is a list of the most common map tiles that you are likely to encounter throughout the game, though you will find countless others as you explore each world.