World 1-1
The first level of the game. There are two main strategies to use on this level, one to get through the level quickly while getting as many lives as possible, and one to uncover all the level's secrets.
Normal
Star coin 1Travel right. Stomp or avoid the goomba. The 3 blocks contain coins and a powerup, hit them all. Keep going right and jump up the hill, grabbing the coins along the way. There's a block on top, hit it for another coin. Just to the right, you can see 4 blocks. If you're super mario or higher, jump on top of the highest one (making sure not to hit it) and then do a ground pound, making sure to hold down the button. You should get lots of coins and a super mushroom will pop out of the bottom. The block right below the one you just ground pounded has a coin, hit it if you want.
Star coin 3.Continue right. Jump to get the 4 coins and be careful of the goomba. There's a pipe, but you can't go down it so jump over it, hit the goomba and jump over the pit, hopefully grabbing the coins along the way. Keep going right. The first ? block contains a mega mushroom, but avoid that if you want to get all star coins. There are 4 more blocks, some of them have coins so hit them all. Jump over the pit. There's another pipe, but like the other one, you can't go down it, so just jump over it and keep going. Watch out for the koopa. You'll see a koopa standing on some blocks and a goomba underneath. Kill the goomba and hit the blocks from below to knock the koopa over. Kick his shell away. If you jump when you're in between the 2 bottom groups of blocks, you'll reveal some more blocks. Stand on them and hit the top blocks and a vine will pop out, climb up.
Star coin 3You'll arrive up in the clouds. Touch the red ring, then hurry and grab all 8 red coins and you'll get a powerup. Fall down the gap with the coins and you'll land on a ? block with a coin in it, hit it for a coin. Look out for the goombas.
Move right and jump over the pit. There's a goomba on the other side, so be careful. Jump over the pipe, there will be a koopa and a goomba. One of the blocks has a coin. Deal with the enemies then keep going right and you'll find another koopa next to a ? block with a coin in it. Kill or avoid the koopa, then climb up the stairs and jump onto the flag pole.
Speed
There is a Mega Mushrooms in the first ? Block after the first pipe. To make best use of it, kill the Goomba to its right, then hit the block and follow the Mega Mushroom rightward. Shortly before the mushroom falls into the pit, grab it! Now run to the right as fast as possible. You will need to jump once onto a hill. By doing this, you should be able to reach the ending flagpole as Mega Mario. As an added bonus, you'll get five 1-Ups! If you only manage to destroy part of the staircase before changing back to super mario, you'll need to jump underneath where the steps used to be to reveal some blocks which you can jump on to finish the level.
Depending on when you hit the block that contains the Mega Mushroom, you can cause a toad house to appear. Hit it when your timer says 362 and do the rest of the speed strategy as normal. You should hit the flagpole at 333 and create a red toad house. Hit the block at time 328 to smash the flagpole at time 299 and make a mega Toad House, which allows you to take a Mega Mushroom to another course!
World 1-2
This level takes place in underground. Near the start of the level you'll see coins under some bricks. You can get these by Ground Pounding the bricks. The third one when Ground Pounded all the way down will lead you to a room with 31 coins. Continue right and you will see the first Star Coin for the level. Jump on the bricks to get up to it. The next star coin is under some bricks later in the level. Ground Pound them to get it. The first pipe after the half way mark leads to a hidden room. Inside this room is a Koopa. If you jump on the Koopa and get him to break all the bricks under the pipe, it is possible to run along this passageway. This is easier to do if you are regular Mario, but can be done if you are big by running towards the passageway and pressing down to slide under. This passage leads to another hidden room full of Gumbas. At the far end of the room is a ? block which contains a Mega Mushroom. Just before the end of the level, use the sea-saw to jump on top of the ceiling and run along it until the end, where you will find the third coin and an alternate exit that opens up a hidden path past World 1-3. For the normal exit and the normal path to 1-3, follow the level without jumping onto the ceiling.
World 1-3
Go right until you get to the first Spin Block. Use it to jump up to the platform above. There you'll see another spin block, use it to jump up to yet another platform where the first Star Coin is located. You should be able to see a trail of coins to the right. Follow this trail down and it will lead you to the second Star Coin. The third Star Coin is just after the half way point.
World 1-Tower
In the beginning, there are two ? blocks and a Dry Bones. The left ? contains an item while the other has a coin. In this fortress, there are a lot of blocks that come in and out, so don't get squished. Just keep climbing until you get to a part where the blocks change direction. Just wait until the bottom block goes down to run across. Above these blocks is the first Star Coin and an item. Climb up the stair blocks until you get to a pipe and a black door. If you want to get the Star Coin, go up the right side. After climbing up, go to the left and fall through the dotted coins to the yellow door. Inside is a room filled with tons of moving blocks going all different directions. Climb across the room to the third and final Star Coin. To go to the alternate ending that allows access to the World 1-Cannon, don't go in the door. Jump up to the slow moving block and walk to the right. You will enter a secret room with a yellow pipe. If you have Turtle Shell Mario, go to the right until you see the small blocks. Break them to get to get to the alternate ending. If you don't have Turtle Shell Mario, just go up the pipe. Once here, be careful launching yourself out of the pipe. If you don't do it at the right time, you might get crushed. Once at the top, go into the door to fight Bowser Jr. Catch his shells by jumping on them once they have been thrown and then throw them back at him. Once's he hit, jump on him. Repeat this process a few more times to defeat him.
World 1-Cannon
If you were able to make it out of the secret path in the castle, you will be sent to a cannon that will launch you into World 5. If this is your first time playing through the game, I advise you not to play the levels here yet.
World 1-4
When you arrive at the two pipes (one large green pipe and one mini warp pipe), hit the block that is to the right of the large pipe for a mini mushroom and go down the mini pipe. Run to the right and wall-jump off the right wall to climb to the first Star Coin. Run back to the left, wall-jump to the large pipe, and enter it. Once back outside, continue to the right and destroy the blocks blocking the pipe near the Red Koopa. Enter the pipe. DO NOT GET THE COINS! Hit the right-most block from underneath. Hit the switch which comes out and run across the new platforms to get the second Star Coin. Exit through the pipe on the right. For the third Star Coin, you must be Small Mario. If you are Big Mario or Fire Mario, let a Goomba hit you. Return to the left and go below the overhang. Dash across the small gap to get the last Star Coin. Dash back across the gap and finish the level.
World 1-A
To reach this level, you must use 5 Star Coins to open the path. The first Star Coin is easy. Head right until you reach a big open space. The coin will be at the top. Head up the pipe to get the second Star Coin. Continue to the right and you will see the third coin. Go past it and up, then head back to the left to get it. Finish the level by going through the pipe at the end.
World 1-5
Head right. Jump just as Mario lands on the trampoline mushrooms to jump higher and reach the first Star Coin. Continue to the right and you will see the second Star Coin. Be careful on the platforms, as they can fall off. On the third set off platforms, wait on the first one for the second one to rise. When it is close to its highest point, jump on it and then jump and press up to go in the pipe. Jump on the red mushroom and jump at the right moment to grab the third Star Coin. Jump down where you see three coins and finish the level.
World 1-Castle
Head right and jump across the lava. When you reach the moving blocks, be careful not to get stuck. Continue until you reach the first Star Coin. Wall-jump between the blocks to reach it. Continue to the second moving block in the lava. When the smaller one appears, jump down on it to get the second Star Coin. Jump back up to the wire and continue. When you reach the horizontal wire with 5 coins above it, jump up to go in a pipe. To jump higher, wait until Mario is at his lowest point. To defeat Bowser, jump onto the platform and then above him to hit the red switch.