Super Mario Bros. 3/World 8 Part 3

Bowser's Castle

Eight worlds of blood, sweat and tears boil down to a final assault on Bowser's menacing Castle. It's been a long and difficult fight, but you've made it to Bowser's creepy looking Castle of Koopa. A long time has passed since Mario and Bowser first met. You've seen how Mario has changed since then—now find out how time has treated Bowser!

Part 1

• 1: Bowser is a vain creature, and the statues he set up in his own image shoot laser beams from their mouths! Dash as fast as you can underneath the statues. If you slow down, you'll get drilled by a laser.

• 2: Catch the Donut Lift in the area to the corridor above. The lift is invisible until you walk on top of it. If you miss the lift go through the door and come back again—it'll be there for you. The door will transport you to the room shown to the right. When you reach the top, stay on the Donut Lift until you see an opening to the right, then jump for it. If you miss the opening, you'll fall into a bottomless pit.
• 3: This stairway can be tricky. Crouch on the step near the hub of the Roto-Disc to avoid its whirling attack. Then move slowly past them to ensure you don't get burned. While you're at the top, grab the 1-Up in the Invisible Block.
• 4: Bowser's Fortress is like a maze—if you take the wrong path, you'll end up back at the beginning! Enter the door to reset all of the ? Blocks in Bowser's Castle. Go back and grab a power-up as many times as you need.

• 5: Donut Lifts will crash down if you hesitate too long between jumps, so keep on trucking at a brisk pace. Podoboos leap out of the lava and guard several gaps that you must cross. Try to make your way up as high as you can on these Donut Lifts, it will be to your advantage. In any event, be careful; these lifts are the only thing between you and molten lava.
• 6: One method of reaching Bowser is to take the top of the three passages at the end of the fiery chamber. You'll be taken to the top map of Part 2, where you'll have to content with fewer laser spitting statues, but more precision jumping.
• 7: At the end of the middle of the three passages on the far-right side of the fiery chamber, you can pick up a much needed power-up. Use the Donut Lift to drop to the passage below.
• 8: Bowser's Castle is full of crafty traps. Spring this Thwomp, then jump over him onto the Donut Lift. Fall down with the lift, and jump off at the last moment to reach the door which will take you to the lower of the two maps in Part 2.

Part 2

• 9: You will reach this map if you took the door to the right of point 6. You'll have to dodge the lasers from four Bowser statues, until you reach the Donut Lifts. Bowser breathes fire at you while you try to cross the lava. The fireballs move slowly, making them hard to jump over. What's worse, you can't stand on the Donut Lifts for long before they begin to sink into the lava. No matter what, you must keep moving.

• 10: You'll reach this map instead if you dropped down with the Donut Lift at point 8, and made your way to the door below. This route has 5 laser shooting Bowser statues to contend with, but it offers a small reward in the form of a power-up in the ? Block. Rather than dealing with Donut Lifts, you can strategically time your jumps over Bowser's breath on the solid brick platforms, but leap carefully, as they are quite small and difficult to land on.

B: Bowser

The King of the Koopas has barricaded himself in the bowels of his grand castle. Innumerable traps guard every approach to Bowser's throne room—use every technique you've mastered to reach the final confrontation.

From the top map of Part 2

From the bottom map of Part 2 When Bowser unleashes his horrendous breath, either jump or crouch to avoid the fireballs. Stay in position until Bowser leaps into the air, then scurry away to a safe spot. After breathing fire at you, Bowser will jump high into the air and crash down on the place you were standing just before he jumped. When he lands, he'll bust through a layer of blocks beneath him. When Bowser jumps again, move into the depression he just landed in and wait there, dodging fireballs, until he leaps into the air. Hop out of the way at the last instant. Bowser will pound the weakened area of the floor you just scrambled out of. If he crashes down onto the same section three times, Bowser will fall into a bottomless pit! You score 100 points if you defeat Bowser with fireballs. And finally, Mario will rescue Princess Toadstool from Bowser.