Description: World 2-1 is a long stage. Almost immediately after starting, you will be forced to run at top speed. You will encounter three rows of poles containing, in order, Potions, Mushrooms, and Rockets. Then you are sent into a crowd of Robot Heads. Shortly after are a series of jumps. Between each jump, you will often find pairs of Stars, of which you can only collect one. Some of the jumps have short spans that you must land on which are occupied by Meanies. You can kill them if you land on them, otherwise be careful. When the jumps stop, you will notice single green poles surrounded by four fire poles. The poles will contain a Rocket, a Potion, and an Invincibility. The Invincibility will help, but only for a short while as you run headlong into another crowd of Robot Heads and Meanies. Run safely through the crowd to reach the next section.
Key Feature: Using Stars and fire poles to guide you through Hand Man mazes.
Description: When you start this section, Hand Mans will move left and right to block you, but each row will stop following you at a different point, so run left or right until you can pass. After that, you will see two rows of hands which you must leap over in order to pass. After some fire poles, you will find a line of stars which lead you to a lone pole which contains an Extend Heart. Beyond the pole, continue to follow the line of stars. The line will occasionally be interrupted by a fire pole or a jump. Stars will be elevated off the ground around the jumps to guide you across. After a long jump, the star line will split. Follow it either way and continue moving so that you are in line with a green pole. Hit the first for a Potion, the second for Rockets, and the third for a Stopwatch which will replenish your time, and you will definitely need it. Behind this last pole is a Warp Balloon which will take you to bonus world 2-B, which is a little bit like 1-B only you are forced to run which makes it easier to miss stars. When you return, continue to run along the fire poles to avoid being bounced back by Hand Men.
Key Feature: Forced running through long crowd of enemies and fire poles.
Description: At the start of this world, you will be forced to run through a set of fire poles, followed by a crowd of Robot Heads. You will then see a row of file poles surrounding one green pole. The green poles contain a Potion, a Rocket, and Invincibility, which will help you at the start of your next run through a crowd of Robot Heads. After a jump, the next crowd will be mixed into a field of fire poles. After another jump, the crowd will be a mix of Robot Heads a Meanies until you reach the boss of the world.
The boss of world 2 appears to have a robot head. It will fly out at you, not much faster than the first serpent beast, appearing blue at full strength. After taking a number of shots to the head, it will turn yellow indicating that it is close to dying. Once you defeat the serpent beast, don't celebrate just yet; there's a second one coming in behind him. The second beast is no different than the first. Just be patient and take shots at the head whenever you are able. If you lose this fight, you will return to the beginning of World 2-3 and be forced to fight both all over again, so don't try any risky maneuvers.
