Controls[edit]
: Use the directional pad to move Mario left and right. You also need to tap a direction in order to go through pipes. Pressing 
while midair as Super or Fire Mario will let you perform a spin jump on the way down.
: Press A to make Mario jump. You can jump higher by holding the button down, while jumping further can be accomplished by running before jumping. When underwater, use this button to swim to the top. If you hold and press A as Super or Fire Mario, you’ll perform a Spin Jump like in Super Mario World. This will let you break certain blocks from above and defeat certain enemies more easily.
: Pressing B will make Mario dash and pick up stationary koopa shells. Letting go of the button makes you let go of the koopa shell and use it as a projectile. When you're Fire Mario, you can also throw fireballs.
: Press Start at the map screen to enter a location, while pressing Start in the middle of a level lets you pause the action.
: Lets you exit a previously completed level when paused. Also used in the file select screen to enable the easy difficulty.
Characters[edit]
Mario[edit]
Mario is the main protagonist of the game. As always, Mario starts out small, which means he will get killed if struck by an enemy. Mario's main method of attack is to stomp on enemies, but he can gain other attacks from items. Once he gets a Super Mushroom, he can perform a drill kick similar to a technique used in Super Mario World. He will be able to throw fireballs after obtaining a Fire Flower, while he can also slow his descent in midair with a Carrot.
Wario[edit]
Wario used to be a childhood friend of Mario, but a series of misunderstandings created a bitter rivalry between them. This rivalry eventually drove him to forcefully occupy Mario's castle while Mario was away in Sarasaland. Some even say that Wario was the one who orchestrated Princess Daisy's kidnapping. Wario, while noticeably more plump that Mario, is every bit as good at jumping as he is. In fact, Wario takes advantage of his weight to cause trembles when he crashes into the ground. Wario is also adept at using power-ups normally available to Mario.
Statistics[edit]
Unlike other installments of the Mario series, there is no score in the game. The numerous statistics are displayed at the bottom of the screen. The enemy counter and timer is only displayed during a level.
- Mario Head: The number of lives you have. You can hold up to 100 lives.
- Coin: The number of coins you currently possess. You can hold up to 999 coins.
- Insect Face: The number of enemies you have defeated. Getting the counter over 99 will grant you a free Star and reset the counter back to zero.
- Clock: The amount of time left to complete the level. Running out of time results in a lost life.
Items[edit]
- Super Mushroom: Turns you into Super Mario, even if you're already Fire or Rabbit Mario. The Super Mushroom lets you take one more hit before dying, but it will revert you back to Small Mario. You can also use the drill kick, which lets you break certain blocks.
- Fire Flower: Turns you into Fire Mario, but you will lose any abilities you gained if you're Rabbit Mario. It lets you throw fireballs as an alternate way of taking out enemies and to destroy special blocks.
- Carrot: Turns you into Rabbit Mario, though its effects are mutually exclusive with the Fire Flower. You can use your rabbit ears to slow your descent. It also lets you jump higher, but you lose the ability to drill kick.
- Heart: Grants you an extra life.
- Star: Turns you invincible, letting you destroy enemies by running into them. Unlike other games, Stars remain in place instead of bounce around if they were revealed from a block. A star will also drop down from the sky once you max out your enemy counter. Every enemy you take out beyond the fourth while invincible will give you an extra life.
- Money Bag: Adds 50 coins to your total. It is more uncommon than any item except for the Star and is usually found in hidden blocks.