Super Mushrooms appear and travel in a particular direction depending on how Mario hit the block that revealed it. If he hits the left side of a block, it will travel to the right, and vice versa. These mushrooms change regular Mario into Super Mario. In this form, he can break bricks. However, if Super Mario is damaged, he will return to regular Mario form.
The Fire Flower changes Mario into Fire Mario. In this form, he can throw fireballs. A single fireball can kill most enemies (castle enemies and a few others are invincible to fireballs) and bosses can be defeated with several fireballs. In World 6, Fire Mario can remove ice from iced coins and Munchers.
Super Leaf
Star
The Super Leaf changes Mario into Raccoon Mario. In this form, he can use his bushy raccoon tail to fly through the air after gaining enough speed. He can twirl around and use his tail to whack enemies or break bricks. He can even flap his tail to slow his speed while falling.
The Star turns Mario temporarily invincible, allowing him to kill enemies simply by running through them. He's not entirely indestructible however. Mario can still lose a life if he falls into a bottomless pit, falls into lava, runs out of time, or gets stuck in an auto-scrolling level. When Mario jumps forward, he performs a somersault through the air in an homage to Samus from Metroid and her Screw Attack power-up.
Tanooki Suit
Frog Suit
The Tanooki Suit changes Mario into Tanooki Mario. In this form, you can can do anything Raccoon Mario can do, as well as turn into a statue. To turn into a statue, hold and press while squatting. You may be able to find Tanooki suits inside some chests of Red Toad Houses, and in rare giant "?" boxes.
The Frog Suit changes Mario into Frog Mario. In this form, Mario becomes a master swimmer who can swim in straight lines without constantly being pulled down by gravity. He can overcome strong currents, allowing him to reach new places. On dry land, he can jump higher than normal, but he cannot run fast (unless he is holding something). While swimming underwater, you can hold to swim faster than usual. While wearing the frog suit on frozen terrain, Mario experiences no traction/inertial effects usually associated with movement on ice covered surfaces.
Hammer Suit
Kuribo's Shoe
The Hammer Suit changes Mario into Hammer Mario. In this form he can throw hammers, which are even stronger than fireballs. When Hammer Mario crouches down, fire attacks will bounce right off of the black Koopa shell on his back. Hammer Mario can destroy nearly any enemy, including Boom Boom, with just one hammer. Hammers are affected by Mario's momentum, so they will travel farther when he tosses them as he is running.
This unusual power is only available in a single world, World 5-3. In order to obtain the Kuribo's Shoe, Mario must hit the Goomba that wears it from underneath; any other attack will destroy the shoe as well. While wearing it, Mario can jump higher than normal and stomp enemies that would otherwise hurt him on contact (such as Spinys and Piranha Plants). He can even walk on the indestructible Munchers without taking damage. As Fire Mario or Hammer Mario, he can still throw fireballs or hammers as well. If hit, he loses the shoe but not his powers; he automatically discards the shoe at the end of 5-3.
The Hammer allows Mario to break the large rocks that you find along certain paths on world maps. To break a rock, stand next to it on the map screen, and select a hammer from your inventory. You can gain hammers by defeating some of the Hammer or Boomerang Brothers that inhabit each world. Break rocks to gain access to bonus sections or shortcuts in some worlds.
The Music Box plays a lullaby that puts all of the Hammer Brothers (or Piranha Plants in World 7) present on a map to sleep for 1 to 3 turns. While they are snoozing, they won't move to new portions of the map between worlds, and Mario can slip past them without getting dragged into a fight.
Anchor
Lakitu's Cloud
If Mario or Luigi happen to die in an encounter with an airship, the airship will fly off to some other section of the map before you can engage it again. Use the Anchor to prevent an airship from being able to fly away. This item can only be found by revealing the hidden White Mushroom House in even-numbered worlds.
Lakitu's Cloud allows Mario to skip a level by moving past it on the map. However, if you use a Lakitu's cloud to skip one level, and then die on the next, you will be sent back and forced to attempt the level you skipped, so use it carefully. (To avoid this fate, travel through a map pipe after using the cloud; you will be sent back to the pipe you most recently originated from.)
Warp Whistle
P-Wing
Using a Warp Whistle will summon a whirlwind that collects Mario and whisks him away to the Warp Zone. Where you play it determines where Mario will be deposited on the map. See the Warp Whistles page for more information on how to use them. The tune that plays and the whirlwind which appears are both homages to the Whistle item from The Legend of Zelda.
By using P-Wing on the map, Mario instantly transforms into Raccoon Mario (if he isn't already). Then upon entering a level, the P-meter at the bottom will be constantly full, allowing Mario to fly on-demand at any point in the level. The effects of the P-Wing only last for one life on one level. If Mario completes a level, loses a life, or gets hit, the power will disappear.
Coins are found throughout the Mushroom Kingdom in just about every level. Some of them are inside blocks or iced cubes, while others simply float in mid-air. For every 100 coins that Mario or Luigi gather, they will earn one extra life.
These lighter colored coins are just like the regular kind, except that they only appear temporarily after Mario or Luigi hits certain P-Switches. Collect as many as you can before they disappear for good.
1-Up Mushroom
P-Switch Block
The 1-Up Mushroom gives Mario an extra life. 1-Up Mushrooms aren't very common and they usually appear in risky places. They follow the same rules as Super Mushrooms when it comes to which direction they travel, so take note of what side you're on when you make one appear.
The P-Switch Block makes changes to the area around them for a limited period of time. They cause bricks to become coins, and coins to become bricks. They can also make hidden objects appear, such as silver coins or even invisible doorways.
Question Ball
Vine
The Question Ball is Mario's reward every time he defeats Boom-Boom at the end of a Fortress. Once collected, the Fortress is complete, and Mario can continue on his adventure.
Vines can be found by striking particular bricks or hidden Blocks. By climbing these vines, Mario and Luigi can reach new locations where they may find coins, power-ups, or even extra lives. Some vines are simply there to help save you from disaster.
Bricks
Question Block
Bricks are a common type of block. They can be hit with a jump from below, with a Shell or with a Tail attack. As long as they hide no object, Super Mario can destroy them. They may contain items such as coins, power-ups, extra lives, or Stars. Bricks which contain multiple Coins can be struck repeatedly until all the coins are found.
Question Blocks are another common type of block. They can be hit with a jump from below, with a Shell or with a Tail attack. When they are struck, they reveal their contents: a power-up, a coin, or a 1-Up Mushroom. Some of them are invisible and will appear only if Mario jumps in the right spot. You might even find giant Question Blocks, which may contain a suit or three 1-Up Mushrooms.
Ice Block
Note Block
Ice Blocks are usually found in Iced Land. These light blue bricks can be picked up by hand and thrown like a weapon, just like a Koopa Shell. However, if Mario holds an Ice Block for a long time, it will vanish. Mario's not the only one who can throw ice; Buster Beetles can pick them up and toss them at Mario. Ice Blocks shatter upon hitting a wall.
Note Blocks are a rare type of block. They're very springy and if Mario jumps at the right time after landing on, he can bounce very high. Some Jump Blocks have a power-up inside. Hidden pink Note Blocks can be used to send Mario to Coin Heaven.
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to swim faster than usual. While wearing the frog suit on frozen terrain, Mario experiences no traction/inertial effects usually associated with movement on ice covered surfaces.
