Super Mario 64 music
Press [Select] during game play at the map screen to display the level status screen. The music that plays in the background on this screen is from the Nintendo 64 game Super Mario 64.
Alternate Yoshi message
Successfully complete the game and go to Yoshi's House or go to Yoshi's House with Yoshi.
Alternate Yoshi colors
Use the following trick to get yellow, blue, red Yoshis in levels other than Star World. Get to the Star World and get one of the Yoshis. You will now be able to get those types of Yoshis in other worlds, and they are fully grown. Note: This does not always work and sometimes you will still get a green Yoshi.
After unlocking the red, blue, and yellow Yoshi (feed young colored Yoshi five enemies), you can pick the color you want. If you are Fire Mario/Luigi, you will get a red Yoshi. If you are Cape Mario/Luigi, you will get a blue Yoshi. If you are Big or Small Mario/Luigi, you will get a random color Yoshi (usually either yellow or green). This trick works well with the Top Secret Area.
Yoshi recommendations
Use the following tactics if you have obtained all the Star Road Yoshis. If you plan on flying through the entire level, choose the blue Yoshi and get a shell. If you are going to smash a lot in the level, get a yellow Yoshi and eat a shell. If you like to play with fire, get a red Yoshi and eat a shell.
Get and keep Yoshi without finishing level
Go to any level were you can get a Yoshi and do so. Then, press [Start] and select "Save And Quit". Load your file, and you will be on that same level with a Yoshi.
Easy Yoshi eggs
Go to level 2 and get a Yoshi. Go to Yoshis's house (resembles a tree) and eat all the berries. You should get either a Mushroom or a 1-up Mushroom.
Get a Yoshi as Luigi or Mario. Go to Yoshi's house with Yoshi and eat all the apples to get an egg.
Instant large Yoshi
In the Star Road levels, grab and hold a baby yoshi then immediately feed it a Star (the item that makes Mario invincible for a brief period of time). It will instantly grow into a big Yoshi. This is especially useful when you need to act fast and you do not have time to feed it six enemies.
Yoshi with Luigi
When Luigi is on Yoshi, it has the power to swallow a greater variety of enemies to spit out than with Mario.
Flying Yoshi
When Yoshi eats a multicolored shell, he will be able to fly for a short time.
If you eat a multicolor shell to fly, stomp when you hit the ground and spit it out as fireballs.
If you get a blue Yoshi to eat a Koopa Shell, he can fly up to about twenty five seconds.
Running Yoshi
Remain idle at the "Choose a game" screen and watch Yoshi. After awhile he will start running then start walking.
Bonus items
You can get extra items, depending what item you carry across the goal line. If you carry a baby Yoshi (from Star World before you feed them six items) or a spring box across, you will get a 1-Up Mushroom. If you carry a P box across, you will get an ordinary mushroom. Also, all enemies on the screen will turn into coins. Note: Hold [B] while crossing the goal line.
Items in Yoshi Eggs
If you eat a lot of berries, the Yoshi you are riding will lay an egg and an item will appear automatically. Yoshi's color affect its item. This works best in Yoshi's house.
Green: Mushroom
Yellow: Star
Red: Fire Flower
Blue: Feather
Flying
If you plan to do a lot of flying in a level, before entering it press [R] to switch to Luigi. After reaching the peak of his jump Luigi can gain even more height if you timed correctly. Do the standard take-off procedure, and hold [Forward] (while still holding [A] + [B]) immediately after he goes into a dive-bomb hold [Back]. When he gets to the peak of his climb, press [Forward] again. Mario can not gain any height after the peak of his take-off, but if you have perfect timing, you can get him to maintain his height for a long time. Take off and do the same as above. Immediately after he goes into a dive bomb press [Back], and when he reaches the peak of his climb press [Forward] again.
High jump
Jump with Yoshi by pressing [A], then at the peak of your jump press [R].
Music from Mario Brothers
Enter any of the special levels and remain on the world map. Leave the game idle until the music changes.
Change coins from Yoshi to Princess
Collect all five Yoshi Coins from each level. An animation will appear showing them change from Yoshi Coins to Princess Coins.
Replay castles and fortresses
After you defeat Bowser, all of the castles and fortresses you defeated will be reopened so you can go back to them. Note: This was done by defeating Bowser before completing all seven castles.
Save best scores in special stages
Once you complete the special stages, you will be able to save your best scores on them. The bottom of the screen appear like:
BEST (score) M or L (which character set the best score) (current score)
Stars for points
For every million points, one star will appear on the "Choose a game" screen on top of the type of game. The maximum number of stars that will be displayed is five.
Defeating Bowser
When Bowser appears in stage 1, he will fly across the screen. After a few seconds Bowser should go into his face ship and two Toy Koopas should fly out of the sides. Jump on the toy Koopas and pick one up. Run next to Bowser and wait for him to go by. Launch the Toy Koopa at Bowser and should get dizzy. Pick up the next Toy Koopa and do the same thing. Instead of flying around, he should duck and fly into the background. Then he will fly towards the screen. Fireballs should fall onto the ground. Princess Toadstool should appear with the words "Help!" in flashing letters. She will throw a mushroom and go back down. Bowser should re-appear.
In stage 2, Bowser will do the same thing as in stage 1, but he will flip over and shoot out giant black balls. Do not use a normal jump on them. Instead, press [R] and do a spinning jump. You will bounce off the ball and land on the ground. Do the same thing that was done in stage 1. Princess Toadstool will appear after the fireballs and give you a mushroom.
In stage 3 (final), during the last part of the fight, the face ship should be angry. Bowser will bounce around the screen. Note: Look out for the bottom of the ship. After a while he will launch the two Toy Koopas and bounce around the screen. Hit him twice and the ending sequence will begin. Note:The cape is highly recommended. You cannot hurt Bowser with any type of jumps or fireballs.
Quick way to Bowser
Complete Castle 1 (Iggy), and use the secret exit on the next level. You will go in the water. Take the secret exit there. Next, at the Haunted House, take the secret exit. Then, you will get to a Star Warp. Go through until you reach the last warp. Take it, and you will be beside Bowser's Castle.
In Star World, go to the fifth Star Road and enter. From there, you should be at Bowser's Castle.
Complete the first Star Road. Then, go to the fifth Star Road (bottom right). When you warp on that star, you will end up on the star next to Bowser's castle.
Go to Star Road and go to every level. Then, teleport from one of the stars. From there you can enter Bowser's Castle.
Getting to Chocolate Secret
Complete the level in under a minute. When you get to the area with Charging Chucks (football enemies), you will find the key. Put it in the keyhole.
Blue Switch Palace in World 5
Pass the half way mark. If you lost your Cape Feather, Fire Flower, and/or Mushroom, press [Start] and choose "Save And Quit." Then, head back to Super Mario World. Once there, go to Yoshi Island 4 and pick up the Mushroom and Fire Flower. Go to Donut Plains 1 and pick up a Feather. Go to start and press back on both of these levels once you have them all. Return to Forest Of Illusion 2, and you will be at the halfway mark. As soon as you find a Rip Van Fish sleeping on the bottom of your screen, pass that sleepy fish. There is a good chance that you will get hurt. You will find a key. Pick it up and head for the nearby key hole. You will complete that level and a path will show you where the Blue Switch Palace is located.
Chocolate Island 1: Extra life
Carry the Jumping Spring located near the goal to the goal as you pass through it. The spring will turn into a 1-up Mushroom.
Chocolate Island 4: Extra lives
In the middle of the level, you should see seven yellow blocks arranged diagonally. Once you see this, go back and there should be a slope. Go down into it and jump on the first island to save your location so you can do this repeatedly. Return to the seven yellow blocks and hit the third block from the top. A POW button should appear. Step on it and go down to the bottom tunnel. Go into the brown pipe. Once you are inside, you should see another POW button. Do not step on it yet. Instead, go right beside it (without falling). Exactly when you step on it, wait seven to eight seconds and jump on the block by the edge. Then, walk (do not jump) off the yellow block. Just fall until the music stops. When the music stops, you should be on the blocks with the five extra lives. After you get the extra lives, go into the green pipe. You are now back on top of a green pipe. Go back to the yellow blocks without dying. Repeat these steps until time runs out, then return to the level and repeat. You can die and your place will be saved. This will be a lot easier than going through the whole level.
Chocolate Mountain 2: Easy completion
Have a Yoshi and run through the first part until you reach the warp pipe. Enter it (you should have blue Yoshi). You will ow be at a place with hills and flying turtles. Eat a turtle, then fly to the top of the screen. Keep flying until you bump into the wall. Then, go left and enter the warp pipe as you can. You will be at a place with Chargin' Chucks that throw baseballs at you. Go to the end of that to find a key and keyhole.
Donut Plains 1: Get Caped Mario or Luigi fast
Jump on the first red caped Troopa. Once you get the Feather, do not step on the shell-less Troopa. Return to where you saw the caped Troopa. It will be there again. Step on it to get another Feather.
Donut Plains 1: Chased by birds
From the half-way point, go forward until you reach a blue pipe coming out of the ground. Go inside this pipe. Once there, you will notice a stage with many coins in the air. First, hit the big coin in the beginning of the stage to reveal a counter telling you how many coins there are. You must collect all of the coins in this level. You can do so by gliding through the air with caped Mario or Luigi. Once you get all 600 coins, you will get three lives and a flock of colored birds. Anywhere you move in that stage, the birds will follow you, even in the air.
Donut Plains 1: Quick completion
As you begin, run to the first caped Koopa and stomp on it. A Feather will appear. Get it to get the Cape and fly -- run, then leap but keep holding [B]. You will soar high into the sky. Then, press the D-Pad in the opposite direction that you are facing. Keep pressing the D-Pad in that direction until you reach the tape.
Donut Plains 2: Secret exit
Duck into the second green pipe, then press [R] to smash down and reach the shell. Toss it up at the highest yellow block to reveal a vine to Green Switch Palace.
Donut Secret 2: Extra lives
Unleash the Starman at the start of the level at the top of the vine. Get it then run very fast to the right. Near the end will be another block, all alone. While still invincible, hit the block and another Starman will appear. Plow through the long line of enemies. They will produce points, then extra lives.
Forest Of Illusions 1: Extra lives
Enter the first level of Forest Of Illusions and go through until you reach the block with the changing power-ups. Hit it when it changes to a Feather, and grab it when it changes into a Star. Run through the next part, hitting as many enemies as you can. You will receive about at least 15 lives. Exit and repeat as many times as desired.
Note: You must have completed this level first. Play the level again and find the half-way marker. Get it then press [Start] and go back to the same level. Once you jump onto the next platform/land mass there should be one turtle and a box that has the changing items. Hit the box the moment it hits the feather or slightly before, and get the star. Start running and try to hit every enemy that you can. After about the seventh enemy, you will gain one extra life for every enemy, and 2 extra lives for the caterpillars. Go to the end of the level, but do not complete it. Hit back and repeat.
Forest Of Illusions 4: Extra lives
Complete the level, then go into it again. There will be a cloud with a Koopa holding a 1-Up Mushroom. Get the Mushroom, press [Start], then select the "Back" option. Repeat this to get as many extra lives as needed.
Forest Secret Area: Extra lives
Go to the Forest Secret Area with a super cape equipped. Jump onto the first set of flying blocks and move in between the first and second block. When you are there, start spinning (press [B] rapidly). You will eventually hit a red turtle that will keep hitting your cape as you spin, giving you points and eventually lives. Note: The position of Mario may have to be adjusted slightly to get all 17 of the lives.
Ghost House 1: Top Secret Area
Two Feathers are required for this trick. Go to the first Ghost House, then run and jump while you are Caped Mario. Fly to a ledge. Run forward then run back toward the entrance. Jump to reach the ledge. Run right and you will fall and find four yellow blocks and a door. Break the four blocks to get extra lives, then go through the door. Go through the goal and you will go to a happy hill and the Top Secret Area. You can get one Yoshi, two Fire Flowers, and two Feathers here. You can return here as many times as desired.
Note: It is possible to get to the secret area with only one Feather.
Green Switch Palace: Extra lives
From the start of a new file, play until you reach the Green Switch Palace. Enter the switch palace as Caped Luigi and have a Cape Feather as backup. When the level starts, you will see a turtle shell and a "P" block. Grab the turtle shell but do not touch the "P" block. Instead, take the turtle shell and place it near the far left wall. Do not kick the shell -- it must be stationary. Get close to the shell so that in between the shell is a wall to its left and Luigi to its right. Press [R] repeatedly. If you time your jumps correctly, it will only take two or less tries in this level to gather 999 lives. Do not worry about the time limit because you can redo the level again and repeat the trick as necessary.
Forest Of Illusion 1: Extra lives
After completing the level, get a Cape Feather and a spare in the blue box. Play the level again and go to the halfway point. Hit the box near it. Pause game play and select the "Back" option on the menu. Enter the level again and you should be at the halfway mark. Do a normal jump onto the caterpillars and land on all the enemies (while holding [A]). Bounce out of the screen and land back on the renewed enemies. At first you will just get points, but eventually you should get 5-Ups every time you hit a caterpillar and a 1-Up for every other single enemy.
Star World: Extra lives
Unlock the Star World after Cheese Bridge and Soda Lake. Go to the Star Road and hit the Silver P switch. Then, feed the baby yellow Yoshi until he grows up. Get on the yellow Yoshi and run as fast as possible to the exit and break the rope. You will get Star Points. Go back to that Star Road and the egg will hatch, revealing a 1-up Mushroom. Combine this with the Silver Coins and the Star Point Bonus mini-game to get easy lives.
Star World 2: Extra lives
Enter the level and kick Yoshi so he does not eat the Star. Then, let the Star bounce so it goes near the first two sleeping fish. Get the star and hit as many fish as you can. Make sure you get to the next "?" box with the Star. Hit the box with the Star to get another Star. Go through the level and hit as many fish as you can until your Star runs out. If you get ten or more lives, a little banner will fly across the screen with a 10-up message. Repeat this as many times as needed.
Star World 3: Extra lives
Step on the blue P switch. Run to the finish line, but do not go in. Wait for the cloud guy to throw three coins (do not get them). When the cloud guy (and the coins) are in view, go into the finish line. If done correctly, it should show as a 1-Up, 3-Up, 5-Up, and 15-Up. This may be repeated as many times as needed.
Star World 4: Easy second goal
Get a Feather and fly on the bottom of the screen. Go in and out of the screen. You will approach green and red blocks. Go on the blocks and you will find a key on the right. This is easier if you do not have the blocks filled in.
Star World 4: Extra feathers
Get a Feather and go into the Star World 4. Run and fly. While flying, drop to the bottom and fly in and out of the screen. You will eventually see green and red blocks (if you got the switches). Fly under the green blocks and Feathers will appear from all of them. This also works with Star World 5 (flying).
Star World 5: Special stage
Find the key and the key hole to unlock a Special Stage with world names such as "Gnarly" and "Tubular".
The easiest way is to have all colored blocks (green, magenta, blue, yellow). Go to Star World 5 with Blue Yoshi, and Mario or Luigi small. Eat the first flying turtle that you see and fly to the top of the screen, but still in view. Fly until you see the green blocks you can get the Feathers from. However, do not get a Feather as it will be easier without one. Land on those blocks and press [L] to jump off Yoshi. Run through all the colored bricks until there is a space above you. Jump through it and put the key in the hole. A new Star Warp should appear. If you done correctly, when you warp there you should be in a room that has stars flashing the word "SPECIAL".
After unlocking all the Switch Palaces, when you get to Star World 5, use a Cape and fly up from the beginning. You should land on some of the blocks. Go over and open the keyhole. This unlocks the entrance to a Star Road that goes to special world with areas like Gnarly, Way Cool, and Tubular.
Top Secret Area: Extra lives
Go to the Top Secret Area and get a Yoshi. Go back and jump under the Yoshi block to get a 1-Up. Repeat this as many times as desired.
When you have a Yoshi, go to Top Secret Area and hit the middle block for a 1-Up Mushroom.
Valley Of Bowser 2: Key to Valley Fortress
Complete the first two rounds (the first with the flying birds and the next with the walls moving up and down). When you get to the pipe of the part where the walls move up and down, you will fall out of the pipe and land on a floor that will automatically move when you touch it. When the wall moves up completely (and you are not dead), there will be a piece of wall sticking out. Jump on that piece of wall then jump to the left. You will be unable to see yourself, but can keep walking to find the key.
Vanilla Dome 2: Key
Have two Feathers. Proceed until you get the P dot, then continue until you cannot go anymore. Step on it and run past where you jump down in the beginning. Go to the nine coins and jump down. Go left and get the key. Then, go right and enter the water. Put the key in the hole. Do not bother to bring a Yoshi, as you will reach a point where you must get off.
Vanilla Fortress: Extra lives
When you reach the big red doors, you will see two Bony Beetles. Get the Mushroom in the block, then go right under the block and repeatedly press [A]. The Bony Beetles will go under you and break apart. Keep doing this without touching the ground to get lots of extra lives. When you touch the ground and get a lot of extra lives as Luigi, he will say similar to "Yay Luigi", and there will be a number of how many extra lives you obtained going across the screen with flowers on the sides.
Vanilla Secret 1: Extra lives
This trick is best performed with caped Mario. Go up to the part of the level with the Red Koopa above a Dinosaur Coin and below the Wing Koopa. Destroy the right-most rotating block. Then, hop on the Koopa, grab it, and throw it up. While it is in mid-air, keep hitting it. Eventually you will get extra lives. With enough skill and timing, you can easily max out your lives in a short amount of time. Note: If you miss hitting the shell one time, a message will scroll across the screen showing how many extra lives you have collected and a "Bravo!!" from Mario.
Vanilla Secret 1: Get to Star World/Star Road
Find the secret exit in Vanilla Dome and go to Vanilla Secret 1. Fly to the top left corner to reveal a pipe. Go into the pipe to find a secret exit. A Star will appear to the left of Vanilla Secret 1. Take it to get to Star World/Star Road Note: You need a cape to do this trick.
Vanilla Secret 2: Extra lives
Complete the level, then play it again and reach the middle gate. Continue and get the 3-Up P-Block. Then, go back to the middle gate and jump on the P-Block. Once the block is activated, run back to the start of the level and collect all the 3-Up coins to get about 50 extra lives.
Get the "P" switch that is hovering over the Bony Beetle pit. Then, go to an area that has two purple pipes. Drop the switch between the pipes. then hit it. Go to the left with super speed to find a big line of coins. Get them and they will add up to big points then extra lives.
At the beginning of this level, dodge all of the flying turtles. After the half-way point, move forwards until you reach a pit with red spikies and a few yellow blocks. Hit the second block to reveal a gray "P". Grab the "P" and head backwards to the beginning of the level, just before the flying turtles. Stomp on the "P" and the turtles will become gray coins. Run and collect as many coins as possible You can get up to 51 lives by doing this.
Go past the checkpoint and go to the part where the red enemies with spikes in their back are located. Hit the second yellow block above them to reveal the silver "P". Collect it, then go back to the beginning where the turtles are, while still having the silver "P" in your hand. Release it and collect all the rings where that the turtle used to be at. If done correctly, you should have between 48 and 54 extra lives. Repeat the process to gain the maximum number of lives.
Yoshi's Island 1: Extra lives
Get the Yoshi and go to the other box with a Yoshi in it. Hit it and a 1-Up will appear. Complete the level, and then go back with the Yoshi. Hit the Yoshi boxes, press [Start], then select "Back" to repeat.
Yoshi's Island 2: Extra lives
Start your game at World 1, then go to Yoshi's Island 2. Start running, and once you see a shell, grab it. Jump up the platform where the turtles are located, and time it correctly to hit the turtles. If you hit them all, you will get a 1-Up. Pause game play, and select "Back" to return to the map. Keep doing this to get easy lives.
Yoshi's Island 3: Extra lives
Before you do this trick, you will need a Feather and have completed the Yellow Switch Palace. When you have done this, go to Yoshi's Island 3 and fly until you see the very first turtles (beside the two question boxes). Knock a turtle out of its shell, steal the shell, and fall off the left edge. When you reach the bottom, you will land on the yellow boxes. Place the shell as close as you can to the wall and stand directly beside it. Then, press [B] to do a Cape Spin. When the turtle is in the air, jump, do another Cape Spin, and hit it back up. Repeatedly hit it in the air, making sure it does not touch the ground. After awhile, the scores will turn into 1-Ups that will appear after every hit. When the turtle lands, you will have to start all over again.
Bonus game: Extra lives
Go in one spot and hit the exact same spot on the block every time to get lots of lives.
Special Stage: Super Player message
At the last part of the level in the special stage (after Funky), there are coins that spell out "YOU ARE A SUPER PLAYER".
Outrageous Special Stage: Help
Go to the Top Secret Area. Make sure you have a Yoshi, a Cape Feather in the Blue Box on the top of the screen, and in Fire Flower or Caped mode.
Easy lives
If you are in a level with any kind of shell, hit it with your cape. If you are able to keep it bouncing, you get extra lives for every bounce.
Eat two pink berries with Yoshi. Yoshi will lay an egg, which contains a little cloud that drops smiley faces. Get all of them and the cloud will drop an extra life.
Easy level completion
On Star Road. get a Blue Yoshi. Go to any outdoor level and eat a Koopa. Fly towards the end of the level. Once you run out of shell power, eat another Koopa and repeat until you complete the level. Note: This only works on levels without a roof, such as Yoshi island 1. This is very useful in water levels.
Easy coins
Get a Fire Flower and hit a Chargin' Chuck with five fireballs. Three coins will appear.
Play as Luigi and go up to a block with multiple coins and get it. Instead of jumping multiple times to get all the coins, they will spill out, making it easier to get them all.
Fly over the goal
On some levels if you fly high enough, you will be able to fly over the goal.
Throw and pick up "P" switch
When you go near a "P" switch, hold [B] and run into it. Mario or Luigi will pick it up . You can eat and spit out the springs with Yoshi.
Get congratulated
Land on top of enemies until you earn fifteen or more lives. When you land on the ground, the game displays how many lives you earned and says: "Woo hoo, bravo Mario".
Alternate Dinosaur Land
If you complete all 96 goals, all the worlds will become a light shade of brown, and Chocolate Land will become green. Pokeys (yellow with needles on them) will become gray, are slightly shorter, and no longer have a smiley face. Bullet Bills (small ones that shoot out of cannons) will become birds. Goombas and Paragoombas (ones where you can step on them, then carry them around) will become yellow and have sunglasses. Jumping Pirahna Plants (ones at the ends of vines that shoot out of pipes) will have pumpkin faces. Koopas (common ones with colored shells) will have Mario heads instead of shells. Although different, these enemies will have the same attacks and functions as before.
Glitch: Forest Of Illusion Fortress: Second door
Go to where you get the fifth and final Dragon Coin. There is a long pool of lava. Fly across it with your cape to find a second door to the Reznor's chamber.