A guide to completing the first World 6 Fortress in Super Mario Bros 3 for the Nintendo Entertainment System.

How to Clear the World 6's First Fortress

Go down to the bottom of the area, and you find a platform above lava. Carefully get the coins above the platform and land on the platform, but be prepared to jump over the Podoboo (flame) if needed. Get the coins on the way up, and hit the ? Block to get a Super Mushroom or Super Leaf, and stay on the right side of the platform to get the item without leaving the platform.

The moving platform will take you past a floor of spikes, then it will go past a candle and start moving downward. The flame on the candle is a Hot Foot. If you turn your back to it, it will start walking toward you. Before the platform starts moving down, you can turn away from the Hot Foot to make it fall down below. If you don't, just be sure make sure to keep facing in its direction most of the time. You will need to move left and right to dodge the Roto-Discs on the way down, so if you didn't make the Hot Foot fall off already, watch out in case the Hot Foot falls from above.

Jump off at the ledge so you don't fall on the spikes when the moving platform goes through the floor. Go to the right and go through the door.

There are two Roto-Discs on the right. Jump on top of the column that the Roto-Discs are spinning around. Then go to the right, and you can hit the ? Block to get a Super Mushroom or Super Leaf, but make sure not to let the Roto-Discs hit you.

Go to the right and go past the Roto Disc to reach the area with ? Blocks. The leftmost ? Block contains a Starman, but don't get it yet. Hit the other ? Blocks first to get a coin from each. Then get the Starman, then if you're Raccoon Mario or Tanooki Mario, go to the left, jump over the block on the floor, and run to the left until you can fly. Fly back toward the ? Blocks but go upward to reach an area up above. Use your tail to hit the brick to make a 1UP Mushroom pop out. After you get it, carefully float back down while dodging the Roto-Discs. Try to jump just after the two Roto-Discs are at the highest point of their loops.

To the right of the area with the ? Blocks, if you're tall, you need to run and slide through the short gap.

Then go up the two stairs, and jump over the spikes to reach the middle area, but don't let the Roto-Disc hit you. You can hit the ? Block to get a Super Mushroom or Super Leaf. Then jump over the spikes on the right, and keep going to the right to find a door. Go through.

Boom Boom

Boom Boom will move left and right, and sometimes he will crouch and slide. Whenever he crouches, his spiky shell is not safe to stomp on. Try to stomp on him when he is running around. You can also hit him with fireballs. After you stomp him the first time, he will start flying in the air, going left and right, then he sometimes stops and swoops down, then lands on the ground and crouches, showing his spiky shell. Try to stomp him just after he starts flying again. After you stomp on him a second time, he will very quickly run left and right, so jump carefully to avoid letting him bump into you.

After you stomp him a third time, he is defeated, and drops a Magic Ball. Collect it and you will complete the level.

After the Level

Go to the right, past where the locked door was. You can optionally visit the Spade House for a chance to get 1UPs.

The pipe currently leads to a dead end, so ignore it for now.

When you're ready, continue on to World 6-4.