Super Mario Bros. 2/Controls

From StrategyWiki, the video game walkthrough and strategy guide wiki
Action NES SNES GBA Wii (Virtual Console)
GameCube Controller Wii Remote Classic Controller
Move Neutral dpad Neutral Dpad Neutral dpad Neutral dpad Neutral dpad Neutral dpad
Run B button B Button or Y Button B button B button or Y button 1 button or B button B button or Y button
Jump A button A Button or X Button A button A button or X button 2 button or A button A button or X button
Squat Down dpad Down Dpad Down dpad Down dpad Down dpad Down dpad
Power Squat Down dpad + A button Down Dpad + (A Button or X Button) Down dpad + A button Down dpad + A button or X button Down dpad + 2 button or A button Down dpad + A button or X button
After squatting for a moment, press when the character flashes to jump higher.
Pick up item B button B Button or Y Button B button B button or Y button 1 button or B button B button or Y button
Pan camera N/A N/A L button N/A N/A N/A
Pause Start button Start Button Start button Start button Plus button Plus button

Techniques[edit]

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 A button and B button as well as the direction pad. If you want to jump, simply use A button. To increase your speed, hold B button for the "B button run." It just takes a bit of practice, and you'll have these moves down. Additional techniques are explained below.

Jumping[edit]

Straight jump[edit]

SMB2 jump art.png

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

SMB2 guide jump1.pngSMB2 guide jump2.png

Running jump[edit]

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.

SMB2 running jump art.png
SMB2 guide runjump1.pngSMB2 guide runjump2.png

Power squat jump[edit]

SMB2 power squat jump art.png

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

SMB2 guide squatjump1.pngSMB2 guide squatjump2.png

Guided jump[edit]

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

SMB2 guide jump.png

Movement[edit]

B button run[edit]

SMB2 run art.png

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

SMB2 guide run.png

Squat[edit]

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

SMB2 guide squat.png

Climb[edit]

Press Up dpad when standing in front of a vine, a chain, or a ladder to begin climbing up. Press Down dpad to climb down, or press A button to jump off.

SMB2 guide climb.png

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 B button while standing on them, you will initiate the act of lifting them, and begin to fall.

SMB2 guide vinelift1.pngSMB2 guide vinelift2.png

Open doors[edit]

Press Up dpad when standing in front of an unlocked door to open it and head inside.

SMB2 guide door1.pngSMB2 guide door2.png

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 Up dpad.

SMB2 guide key1.pngSMB2 guide key2.png

Digging[edit]

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

Lifting and throwing[edit]

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 B button. With the B button, they can pull up the grass, and even lift enemies off the ground!

Plucking vegetables[edit]

SMB2 mario pull grass art.png

Press B button while standing in front of waving grass to pluck the vegetable out of the ground.

SMB2 plucking art.png
SMB2 guide pluck1.pngSMB2 guide pluck2.png

Lift items[edit]

SMB2 pick mushroom block art.png

Press B button 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.

SMB2 guide lift1.pngSMB2 guide lift2.pngSMB2 guide lift3.png

Drop items[edit]

SMB2 short throw art.png
SMB2 drop bomb art.png

While holding an item over your head, press B button 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.

SMB2 guide itemdrop1.pngSMB2 guide itemdrop2.png

SMB2 guide bombdrop1.pngSMB2 guide bombdrop2.png

Toss items[edit]

SMB2 long throw art.png
SMB2 throw bomb art.png

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

SMB2 guide itemthrow1.pngSMB2 guide itemthrow2.png

SMB2 guide bombthrow1.pngSMB2 guide bombthrow2.png

Toss enemies[edit]

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

SMB2 guide enemytoss1.pngSMB2 guide enemytoss2.pngSMB2 guide enemytoss3.png

Special items[edit]

For more details on this topic, see Items.

Using bombs[edit]

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.

SMB2 guide bomb1.png SMB2 guide bomb2.png SMB2 guide bomb3.png

Using potions[edit]

SMB2 sub-space door art.png

Potions have a very special purpose in the world of Sub-con. They provide you with access to sub-space (typset as "Sub-space" in the NES manual), an ethereal, dark, mirrored world. 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 B button to drop it at your feet. A door will appear. Step inside the door by pressing Up dpad. In sub-space, the screen will not scroll, so it is important to give careful consideration to where you drop the potion.

SMB2 guide potion1.pngSMB2 guide potion2.pngSMB2 guide potion3.pngSMB2 guide potion4.pngSMB2 guide potion5.png