A guide to completing World 1-3 in Super Mario Bros 3 for the Nintendo Entertainment System.

How to Clear World 1-3

Go to the right, and there is a Green Koopa Troopa. You might want to jump on top of it and hold the run button to pick up the Koopa Troopa's shell, because after the Koopa Troopa, there is a Boomerang Brother. He moves back and forth, and sometimes jumps, and throws a boomerang at you that flies back toward him if you dodge it. If you still have the Koopa Troopa shell, you can let go of the run button to kick the shell at the Boomerang Brother and defeat him. Otherwise, you can jump on top of the Boomerang Brother to defeat him, or if you're Raccoon Mario, you can hit him with your tail to defeat him.

Next, there are a couple of Jump Blocks and a bunch of bricks. Jump on the Red Koopa Troopa and kick the shell to the left, and it will bounce around, breaking some of the bricks and hitting the ? blocks with coins in them. Before you move on, go into the right side of the floating bricks and hit the third brick from the right until it stops giving you coins.

There is also a Super Leaf in the fourth brick from the bottom right corner of the bricks you're standing on. You can run and crouch to slide beneath it if you're tall.

Finally, there is a hidden Magic Note Block in this area that you can use if you want a 1UP Mushroom, a lot of coins, and a shortcut to the end of the level. To reveal the hidden block, stand between the two sets of floating bricks, then go to the left without standing underneath any bricks, and jump straight up. The invisible Note Block should appear. Jump on it and press the jump button at the right moment, and you will be launched into a secret area in the sky. If you are Raccoon Mario, collect the first two sets of coins, then go to the left and start running to the right, then fly up and you will find a circle of coins with a brick in the middle. Hit the brick to get a 1UP Mushroom. Quickly collect any remaining coins around the brick, then go back down and collect the coins down there. Go down the pipe at the end and you will be near the end of the level. Skip ahead to Near the End of the Level.

If you don't want to use the shortcut, go to the right and get past the Green Koopa Troopa. Jump over the wooden blocks, stomp on the Goomba or ignore it, then press up against the wooden blocks and jump straight up to make a Super Mushroom or Super Leaf pop out of the top block.

To the right, there are three coins and a Para-Goomba, then another set of three coins and a Para-Goomba.

After that, there is a short gap, followed by a Boomerang Brother. As before, stomp on his head or hit him with your tail if you're Raccoon Mario, and be sure not to get hit by the boomerang.

After another short gap, there are some colorful blocks, including a White Block.

Optional: Use the White Block to Get a Special Item

As mentioned in World 1-1, you can stand on top of the White Block and crouch for five seconds to fall behind the scenery. In this level, you can get a special item by doing so. Note that if you choose to get this special item, you won't be able to use the Goal Block to get a symbol for clearing the level. Once you fall behind the scenery, keep going to the right (but you still need to dodge the enemies on the way) and you will go behind the Goal area. Keep going to reach a Toad House. Stand in front of the treasure chest and press B to open it.

You will receive the Magic Whistle, also known as the Warp Whistle, which allows you to reach the Warp Zone (also known as World 9), where you can skip ahead to a later world. Note that if you use it in World 1, you can only skip to World 2, 3, or 4, but if you save it and use it in World 2, you can skip to World 5, 6, or 7, or if you wait until World 7, you can skip to World 8. To use it, make sure you're on the Map Screen, then press B to display your items, use the directional pad (if necessary) to select the item, then press A to use it.

Near the End of the Level

If you fell down from the pipe from the secret cloud area, you can go back to the left to reach the White Block as mentioned earlier.

If you don't want to get the Warp Whistle, keep going to the right, getting the coins and getting past the Green Koopa Troopa and Para-Goomba (which flies up and hovers left and right while dropping Micro-Goombas). Hit the Goal Block to finish the level.

After the Level

After you're back on the World Map, you can optionally visit the first Toad House, where you can choose a treasure chest for a chance to get a Super Mushroom, a Fire Flower, or a Super Leaf. The item can only be used on the Map Screen. Press B to display your items, use the directional pad to select an item, and press A to use it.

Or you can go to World 1-4 if you haven't cleared it yet, or go to the Spade House, where you can play a matching game for a chance to get extra lives. The matching game is completely random, so don't worry about the timing of your button presses.

Or you can go past the Spade House (you don't have to play the Spade House game to go past it) and enter the World 1 Fortress.