Super Mario Bros. 3/World 5 Part 2

World 5 Tower
Climb a sky-scrapping tower to reach a high-altitude world filled with tricks and treats. The Tower to the clouds leads Mario to the second half of the Sky World. Now's the time to be Raccoon Mario!

Part 1

 * 1: You'll want to be sure to grab the power-up at this point—it's the only one on the stage. The power-up will be useless if you get hit, so move carefully to avoid the Roto-Discs.

Part 2

 * 2: Watch out for the Pile Driver Micro-Goombas. The jumping blocks may be easy to smash, but they can surprise you.  Once the leaping menace is out of your way, collect the 1-Up here.
 * 3: Tail attack the 10-Coin Blocks. The four blocks below the escape pipe each contain ten coins.  Hit them with your tail to collect.  The top block has coins too, but it's difficult to get at them.
 * 4: P-Wing Secret: If you want to use a P-Wing on this stage, you can find several 1-Ups by flying up and over this portion of the Tower.

Part 4

 * 5: After hitting the blocks around the base of the pipe with your tail to collect ten more coins from each of them, bump the ? Block to make a vine grow into the clouds above. Climb up and enter a sky pipe to zoom to the land of clouds.  Welcome to the Sky.

World 5-4
Flipping and tipping platforms make for a nightmare high in the cloudy skies. Try to be Raccoon Mario in this world, because the path through the sky is safer, easier, and has bonus coins.


 * 1: Use the Raccoon Suit to fly even higher up in the clouds to collect some loot. Be sure to land on something solid when you fall back down.  Or keep your P-Meter fully charged so you can fly to the end of the stage.
 * 2: If you didn't fly up to the top, jumping frequently on the Rotary Lifts is the only way to make it now. You'll have to time your jumps perfectly or you'll get smacked into the great beyond.  Try jumping while the platforms are spinning to land just as they stop.  Use a Raccoon Suit and glide with you tail to make this section much easier.


 * 3: Beware of waterfalls. They may look pretty, but the current can drag you down.  Jump to avoid them completely.


 * 4: Lakitu can be troublesome and dangerous. This time, however, you can use the vicious enemy to your advantage.  At the end of the stage, allow Lakitu to throw as many Spiny Eggs as he can before you hit the panel.  You'll be rewarded handsomely for each enemy on the screen.

World 5-5
Don't stop for a breath of fresh air, or you'll topple along with the shaky bridge. If you can collect 28 or more coins here, you can get the White Mushroom House to appear.


 * 1: Para-Goomabs and Paratroopas will attack here.  Take a moment to rid yourself of the annoying Para-Goomba, or it'll make your life miserable for the duration of the stage.  But hang on to that Koopa shell, you may need it.
 * 2: Repeated coin collection: Collecr rgese coins, go inside the Tanooki Suit pipe and come out. The coins will reset, getting you that much closer to the White Mushroom House.
 * 3: Bump the Wood Block to snap a power-up, then use the Raccoon Suit's tail or a Koopa shell to break away the blocks clogging the pipes. Enter the second pipe to reach an area (shown right) that contains coins and a Tanooki Suit.  You can reenter the area to reset the ? Blocks throughout the stage.
 * 4: White Mushroom House. Collect 28 or more coins to make a White Mushroom House appear on the map.  You'll need to get the coins above and below the bridge of point 4 to collect enough.  Allow the blocks to fall sufficiently far to allow you to get the coins, then jump to the next block.


 * 5: Bust through the two bottom blocks and bump the ? Block to grab a power-up. You'll have to do it in a hurry, or you'll get burned by a Venus Fly Trap.

World 5-6
Hitch a ride into the sky on the backs of soaring Para-Beetles. These flying Para-Beetle pests will give you a lift if you jump on their backs.


 * 1: The only way to make it across the gap in these clouds is to hitch a ride. Jump directly onto the back of a Para-Beetle where it's safe to land or it'll bite you.  Accuracy is crucial.
 * 2: Make your way across the quickly scrolling clouds by jumping onto the backs of Para-Beetles. When you land on a Para-Beetle it will begin to ascend, so be sure to jump onto the next one before you fly away into oblivion.


 * 3: Bump the block that contains the Switch Block and rush to stomp on it before the screen scrolls by. The maneuver will make crossing the next section much easier, not to mention more rewarding.
 * 4: Fire Chomps can be dangerous. The longer they stick around the more they pose a threat to you.  Bop them on the head to get rid of them.

World 5-7
Lay siege to a curious castle in the clouds teaming with camouflaged Micro-Goombas. In the original NES version, you can become invincible for an extended period of time in this world. This trick was removed in later versions of the game, but there are still plenty of other surprises to find. This stage is an excellent candidate for a P-Wing.


 * 1: Start with a Starman: Before you enter the stage, use a Starman from your inventory. That way, most of the ? Blocks on the stage will contain Starman power-ups.
 * 2: Pile Driver Micro-Goombas lie in ambush. Punish them for their sneakiness by giving them a good stomping.
 * 3: Slide down the first pipe to reach a special area full of golden opportunities. Before you go, grab the 1-Up hidden in a block nearby.  See below.


 * 7: Maintain your invincibility when you return from the special area, and the block above the pipe will be another Starman.

Special area



 * 4: Soar up to the Switch Block hidden among the floating blocks and stomp it to collect a mother-load of gold coins.
 * 5: Almost endless invincibility in the original version. The block before the end of this section is white on the NES.  Kneel on it until you fall through it.  Then return to the upper part of this world through the pipe above.  You'll be invincible for a time and you can still hit things with your Raccoon Tail!
 * 6: Collect the Starman hidden in the Jump Block and rush to the pipe above (collect another Starman along the way). When you emerge, Lakitu will be waiting for you.  Alternatively, if you have the P-Wing, you can reach the exit simply by flying above the top of the right wall in this area.