A guide to completing World 5-1 in Super Mario Bros 2 for the Nintendo Entertainment System.

Reach the Cave

Go to the right and there is a Shyguy on an Ostro. After that, there is a red Panser that spits fireballs in an arc in your direction. Go past the Panser, then go down to the stone ledge down below. From there, go to the left, dodging the Panser's fireballs, then go through the door.

Use a Potion

Go to the right and don't pull the grass yet. The leftmost one is a Bob-omb, and the one to the right of that is a Potion. If you want to get 10 coins from this level, you should use this first Potion, but you will have to skip a Mushroom. If you want 2 Mushrooms and only four coins, don't use this first Potion.

If you read the above and you want to use this first Potion, you can just drop it where you found it, then go through and try to get as many of the six coins as you can.

After that, jump up the ledges on the right, then wait for a log to appear at the top of the waterfall and make running jumps to get across the logs here, being careful to avoid the Trouter after the third log.

After that, you have to carefully jump across the three Trouters that are jumping out of the water. After that, there is a log, then three more Trouters.

Then you reach a platform with two tufts of grass on it, but don't pull them yet. The one on the right is a Potion. If you used the first Potion but you want more coins and don't mind missing a Mushroom, don't use this Potion. Otherwise, pull the rightmost grass to get the Potion, drop it on the spot where you pulled the grass, then go through the door, quickly pull the grass to get a coin, then jump down below to get the Mushroom.

After that, pull the leftmost grass to get a 1UP.

Then go to the right and jump on the Trouter to get across, jump over the gap, then make running jumps over the logs and try to jump on top of the cliff so you're above the screen. If you made it onto the cliff, go to the right, but don't pick up the first Mushroom Block. Jump and keep going to the right, then pick up the rightmost Mushroom Block.

Down below, pick up the leftmost grass to get a Potion. If you picked up the rightmost Mushroom Block from above, you can go through the Potion door and get the Mushroom that falls from above, then try to get the four coins.

After you exit Subspace, go to the right and go through the door.

Grey Birdo

The Grey Birdo only spits flames, so you have to go to the right and pick up the Mushroom Block, and try to throw it at the Birdo. After you hit the Birdo enough times, pick up the Crystal Ball, then go to the right and go through the Mask Gate. Play Bonus Chance if you got coins. Then you'll continue on to World 5-2.