Super Mario Bros. 2/Getting Started

Mario, Luigi, Princess Toadstool and mushroom retainer Toad are getting deeply involved in a strange dream world where they must hop, jump, run and find vegetables. To make it through the seven worlds of Sub-con, you must learn a lot of special techniques. Control the movements of your character by using a combination of and  as well as the direction pad. If you want to jump, simply use. To increase your speed, hold for the "B button run." It just takes a bit of practice, and you'll have these moves down.

Straight jump
→ While you are standing still, press. You'll jump up and down, but not be very high.

Running jump
→ Jump while you are moving to the left or to the right and you will jump higher than when you stand in one spot. You can leap over enemies and obstacles.

Power jump
→ To jump extra high, hold  until your character is flashing. Then press to make the highest jump yet. You will jump nearly one and a half times higher than a regular jump.

Guided jump
While you up in the air, you can press or  to steer or guide your character through the air. Use this to successfully land on top of moving enemies.

B button run
Hold down while you press  or  to run faster than usual, just like in the original Super Mario Bros.

Squat
Throughout the crazy dream world of Sub-con, you'll find that you'll want to duck out of danger. Hold down to squat under enemy attacks. Run and duck on ice to slide. You can also use this method to enter jars.

Climb
Press when standing in front of a vine, a chain, or a ladder to begin climbing up. Press to climb down, or press  to jump off. → When you're climbing vines, it is possible to jump on top of enemies and use them to get a lift up and down the vine. Hoever, if you press while standing on them, you will initiate the act of lifting them, and begin to fall.

Open doors
→ Press  when standing in front of an unlocked door to open it and head inside. → If the door happens to be locked, then you will be unable to open it unless you happen to be carrying a key when you stand in front of the door and press.

Digging
Press repeatedly to dig into the soft sand and move downward. If they're present, grab Cherries along the way.

Lifting and throwing
Mario and his friends may be in a strange land, but they are quick to find lots of handy survival tactics. This is one strong group, and they are at their toughest when you use. With the B button, they can pull up the grass, and even lift enemies off the ground!

Plucking vegetables
→ Press  while standing in front of waving grass to pluck the vegetable out of the ground. You can use the same technique to dig up sand in the desert.

Lift items
→ →  Press  while standing on top of an item that you would like to pick up, in order to lift it. This works on items such as Mushroom Blocks or POW Blocks.

Drop items
→   →  While holding an item over your head, press  to drop the item in direction that your character is currently facing. Note that you will only drop bombs and mushroom blocks at your feet. Other items will be dropped a short distance from you.

Toss items
→   →  While holding an item over your head, hold  or  and press  to toss the item in the desired direction. Note that you can throw bombs and mushroom blocks farther than other items.

Toss enemies
→ →  The same rules apply when you are standing on top of an enemy. Press to lift the enemy up over your head, and then hold  or  and press  to throw the enemy in a particular direction. Try throwing one enemy into another to defeat two of them at a time.

Using bombs
In various parts of certain stages, you will find weakened walls which can be destroyed with a bomb. To create a hole, drop a bomb near the wall before it explodes, then run away to safety. Your character will suffer damage if he or she is caught in the blast.

Using potions
→ →  →  →  Potions have a very special purpose in the world of Sub-con. They provide you with access to sub-space. In sub-space, you might find hidden mushrooms which can power up your character, and you can plucks coins from the ground, but only for the first two visits to sub-space in any particular stage. To visit sub-space, you must first pluck a potion out of the ground. Then press to drop it at your feet. A door will appear. Step inside the door by pressing. In sub-space, the screen will not scroll, so it is important to give careful consideration to where you drop the potion.

Defeat your enemies
The World of Dreams consists of seven worlds. Each worlds has three areas, except for the 7th which has two. All areas have a Mini-Boss at the end. When you defeat it, you'll finish the area and you will finish each world when you defeat the Mini-Boss of the last area. Here are some of the various ways you can conquer your enemies:
 * Vegetables: Fight your enemies with vegetables. Simply pull them up from the ground and throw them at the bad guys.
 * Lift enemies: You can defeat the enemies by throwing them. First jump on top of the enemy character and lift him up with ease.
 * Slide and hit: You should try to defeat as many enemies as possible while you are in hot pursuit of the Turtle Shell.
 * Explode!: Bombs can be found to destroy walls and attack the enemy. Learn the timing of the bomb explosion.
 * Earthquakes: The most powerful weapon in your Sub-con arsenal is the POW Block which blasts away the enemy force with its power!