A guide to completing World 5-7 in Super Mario Bros 3 for the Nintendo Entertainment System.

How to Clear World 5-7

In the NES version of the game, if you use a Starman before you start the level, many of the ? Blocks will contain Starmen, giving you almost infinite invincibility for the duration of the level.

To the right, there is a Green Koopa Troopa, then there are some columns of bricks.

This is followed by a set of three ? Blocks. If you used a Starman before you started the level (or if you come back here with invincibility later), the leftmost ? Block will contain a Starman. Otherwise, all three ? Blocks just contain one coin each.

To the right, there is a Pile-Driver Micro-Goomba on top of a column of bricks. The brick beneath the Goomba contains a Super Mushroom or Fire Flower.

Next, there is another set of ? Blocks, where if you're invincible, the leftmost ? Block will contain a Starman. Otherwise, all three ? Blocks just contain one coin each.

Next, jump up onto the bricks, but be careful of the three bricks on top, which are actually three Pile-Driver Micro-Goombas.

Next, there is an area beneath some wooden blocks. There is a Venus Fire Trap in the pipe, and some ? Blocks. There is a brick to the left of the leftmost ? Block that contains a 1UP. The ? Block to the right of that contains a Starman if you're already invincible (but it will make the 1UP Mushroom disappear if you didn't get it yet). To the right of the pipe, the leftmost ? Block also contains a Starman if you're already invincible.

You can optionally go down this pipe to reach a hidden area. After you come out of the other end of the pipe, go to the right and there is a Red Koopa Troopa. The there is a column of wooden blocks with a brick on top, and if you're invincible and you break the brick on top, a Starman will come out.

Make your way to the right, getting the coins above each wooden column. The third wooden column has a Super Mushroom or Super Leaf in the uppermost block if you bump into it from the side.

Before you move on, if you are Raccoon or Tanooki Mario, go to the left side of this area again, then run to the right until you build up the P Meter so you can fly. Go up to where there are a lot of bricks, and hit the ones beneath the gap in the bricks to reveal a P Switch. Then hit the bricks to the left of the P Switch until you can step on the switch. (You may need to fly up and float back down multiple times to do this.) Then after you step on the switch, try making a running jump to the clouds to the left to get some of the coins to the left of the P Switch, then jump back onto the brick that had the P Switch on it try making a running jump onto the clouds on the right. If you wish, you can keep going to the right, making a running jump from the bricks to jump over the gap and the pipe, and land on top of the blue bricks on the right, and if you keep going to the right, you can skip the rest of the stage and reach the end, where there is a Lakitu near the Goal Block. Go to the right and hit the Goal Block to complete the level. Skip ahead to After the Level to see where you can go next.

If you want to see the rest of the level, though, fall back down to the bottom of the hidden area. Find the Note Blocks near the blue wall on the right, and jump up to hit the leftmost Note Block. A Starman will come out. Then make your way upward on the wooden blocks, and hit the brick on the way to get another Starman if you're still invincible. Then from the uppermost wooden blocks, jump up into the pipe at the top. (Note that it might not be possible to go up the pipe while invincible because of the spin jump.)

If you jump up and hit the brick above the pipe while invincible, a Starman will come out.

Beware of the Lakitu, as well as the Pile-Driver Micro-Goomba on the brick above and to the right of the pipe that you came out of.

Go to the right and watch out for the two horizontal cannons. There is a Pile-Driver Micro-Goomba slightly before and slightly after the second cannon.

Go to the right and go through the pipe. Watch out for the Lakitu near the Goal Block. Go to the right and hit the Goal Block to complete the level.

After the Level

If the Hammer Bros are still on the map and in your path, you can battle them to get a Music Box.

If you haven't visited the southern Toad House in the clouds, you can go there for a chance to get a Super Mushroom, Fire Flower, or Super Leaf.

When you're ready to move on, you can go to the second fortress of World 5.