At the beginning, you'll go chasing after Toadstool's captor to...

Bowser's Keep
For starters, run strait ahead and enter the next room. You are now in a room filled with your first opposition: Terrapin.
The room is filled with four Terrapins marching sentry lines. These four are easy to miss, and you should try you hardest to do so. Each one can hold anywhere from 1-4 troops in battle. There is, however, a pair of Terrapins guarding the door at the end of the room. These you HAVE to battle. Hit each of them as quickly as you can, Timed Hits are not necessary. With one hit, they'll pop.

Rush into the next room and run across the bridges. The fireballs that leap up can't hurt you. The last bridge will fall like from the original Super Mario Bros.. Enter the final door to greet the first boss.

	During the battle, don't even concentrate on Bowser. Just attack and destroy the only thing that's holding Bowser aloft--the Kinklink. Two hits with Jump should do the trick. With that battle done, you'll move onto Mario's House.

Mario's Pad
After Toad gives a brief speech, jump off your rack and follow the Mushroom man outside. Talk to him and then save your game and the nearby save point. Run off to the lower left side and head to Bowser's Keep.

You won't even get a glimpse of the inside of the fortress again, instead you'll be forced away by a gigantic sword!

Return to Mario's Pad and find Toad inside the house. Talk to him, and Mario will explain the situation (using a charades type game). Exit your house and save again. Then follow Toad off the level
*Wham!*
Toad runs strait into you and depletes your HP Level by 1.

Toad will give you a Mushroom to sooth your wound and ask if you know how to use items. Hit yes if you know how to use them. He'll give you three bonus mushrooms in a moment; that's four free Mushrooms if you say yes! (Say no if you don't know how to use Items so you can figure out how!)

A goomba will walk up behind Toad and remind him what he was going to say. For you first timers or people who haven't played the game in awhile, listen to his spiel on "Timed Hits". He can explain it just as good as I can, but it helps to have on-the-job practice.

After a bit more of speech, Toad will leave. Rush back into your house and talk to the mushroom lamp in the corner to refill that missing HP and possibly FP. Now follow Toad to the road connecting Mario's Pad and the Mushroom Kingdom....MUSHROOM WAY!!!!

Mushroom Way
As Toad mentioned, Mushroom Way is swarming with monsters. For you newcomers, avoid as many monsters as you can. Everyone else, battle as much as possible to get experience points!

Head strait down the road until you reach the first treasure box. While avoiding the hovering Koopa Paratroopa, get all 5 coins. Head up and around to the top of the screen. When you see Toad alongside the road, attack the Goomba that's pinning him against the shrubbery.

Save Toad and you'll receive a Honey Syrup. Don't forget the treasure box and its 10 coins! Go on through the next opening and enter a room full of Goombas that are lying in wait. There's one just to Mario's left when you enter. Run across the field and attack the goomba that's spinning on the flower. When you start to spin, jump to shoot in the direction your facing. First of all, jump strait to the left.

Grab the chest--it contains a flower that raises your FP by one--and jump back on the flower. Now, shoot to the right. Watching the shadows, attack the Troopa that's holding Toad hostage by jumping into him.

For saving Toad's life once again, you'll be rewarded with a precious Flower Tab. As soon as you're rewarded for it, go to the item screen and use it immediately. If you ever find one of these, use it immediately. It will raise your FP by one point, and refill it completely!

Drop down to the right and stand under the treasure chest. Allow the goomba to attack you. Knock it away and grab the chest--which contains an HP/FP replenishing mushroom! In the next area, you'll meet an old nemesis named Lakitu.

Get through the area taking the upper path. At the point where a pair of bushes makes the road extremely narrow, stop. A Spikey will go whizzing past. Go between the bushes when he's past and continue on. Soon you'll meet up with the last of Toad's captors--A Pair of Hammer Bros.

	This is actually two bosses. And with each one packing 50 HP, it makes for 100 HP of brute strength! Press A just as they whop you with their hammer to blunt the effect. Once you can attack, use a Jump on either one. You should do at least 30 HP Damage! The two will rush forwards and hit you. Once you can attack again, hit the other with another Jump. Survive two final attacks, and then hit either one with one more jump. He'll abort the battle, leaving you with the other. The remaining brother will use Valor Up, an attack that doubles their defensive power. Smack him with the power of your Jump!

Your reward for defeating the pair will be one of their hammers and a Flower Jar (Flower Tab that raises 3 instead of 1!). Follow Toad to my favorite town in the game....

Mushroom Kingdom
First off, head strait up the road until it forks. Then head to Mario's right and enter the first building on the left. In the corner below the stairs sits a save box, use it well! Now, exit the building and go to Mario's right. Enter the large building above and follow my instructions precisely below.

As soon as you can, run up and jump on Toad's head (Cruel, but it's gotta be done!). Ride him up the hall until he stops at the door. Jump up and over onto the roof above the door. There you'll find a hidden chest that can only be gotten at this time. Jump once to make it appear, and jump again to grab the frog coin inside. Then follow Toad into the throne room where you'll meet the Chancellor of the Mushroom Kingdom and Toadstool's father.

Now comes a whole lot of talking. I suggest you read most of it, but you don't have to.

As soon as you can, leave the room and go in the first door on Mario's left and then his right. Talk to the guard at the door and enter the legendary castle vault. Grab each of the treasures from left to right.

Once they're all empty, head to the left and then strait across into the other door. Go up the stairs and enter Princess Toadstool's room. Run across the room and talk to the white section on the wall just to the right of the fireplace. "Toadstool's ???"? You don't know what it is, and we'll never find out. The former Queen of the Mushroom Kingdom and Toadstool's grandma will rush up and grab it from you. In return for putting things back, she'll give you a mushroom.
Leave the castle and head off on your search for---

After the chase stops, rush forwards and comfort the young child by talking to him. He'll introduce himself as Mallow and explain the situation. It appears that that Crocodile is a thieving crook and that he took Mallow's coin! He also stole one of the Mushroom people's wallets!

Offer to help him catch the crook and then head down and to the right.

Enter the last building on the left (Mario's left) and talk to the shopkeeper. Buy a pair of "Pants" and a "Shirt" after Mallow and the shopkeeper converse. Also, buy a couple of "Pick Me Ups" just to be safe. If you have enough, buy some Honey Syrups for your FP emergencies.

One more thing: if you've got the money, get a pair of Jump Shoes for Mario. Equip everything to its proper place and return to the save point in the Inn.

Now, head to lower right side of town and talk to the jumping Mushroom Person. Croco, the criminal who stole Mallow's coin, will fly past. As soon as you can, yell, "Stop that Shoplifter!!!" and give chase.

Bandit's Way
Croco will be standing not far into the path--the start of it to be exact! He will turn and run away with his bag slung over his back. Follow him to the next area, battling as many creatures as you can to gain experience.

In the next room you will meet Croco again. He'll run away once again, but he still isn't far ahead.

Jump on the flower and then onto the elevated piece of ground. Start jumping on the Yellow Blocks one by one. After the first one, grab the coin. Wait a few seconds and another coin will appear! Grab it and continue the pattern till youÕre all the way across. If you fall, just jump back on! Go until your past, or you can fight the never-ending supply of Chows below (great for leveling up!). And don't forget the hidden box between the two flowers before you leave this room! (See the Box Guide for more info.)

In the next room you will see Croco again. He runs off, but this time he doesn't run completely away. He waits for you to catch up then sprints a distance and waits again. Just follow him to the exit. Once again, battle as much as you can!

You enter just to see Croco attempting to reach a box overhead. Wait till he leaves and then grab it for yourself--and defeat all the enemies that you see! The box contains a star, if you're wondering. Grab it easily by just leaping from the block closest to it.

Move on to the next room where you'll confront Croco for the last time. He runs and hides in the bushes somewhere nearby, so you must sneak up behind him and tap him on the shoulder.

First, though, kill all enemies in this area besides Croco and then grab the chest to the right of the entrance--it contains a Mushroom.

Then, play hide and seek with the pickpocket. Catch him 3 times and he's yours to battle...

	Attack fast and hard with Mario's Fire Orb first off. Most likely it will do about 90-100 HP damage to the crook. And, as a bonus, your first smack with it will catch the crock's tail on fire. He will spend his next turn trying to douse it... During the momentary distraction, attack as hard as you can with Mallow (not his Thunderbolt). After 3 hits with Fire Orb, use a Honey Syrup to allow the use of it 2 more times. If youÕve gotten him to use his one and only Weird Mushroom, you're good! Either way, he wonÕt take much more. After the 'Shroom, he will basically forfeit the match. He won't fight back very often, so just hit him will all you got to make it end quickly.

The prize for beating this lightweight is Mallow's coin and the Wallet the guy lost. You can sell it for a lot of cash, or you can give it back and get 2 Flower Tabs later on. It's your choice. (That's why this is an RPG.)

After Croco's defeat a springboard will fall down from above. Jump on it to get out of the battle area and back to a save point near the entrance to Bandit's Way. Use the opportunity and save, then head to the top left and leave and return to...

Mushroom Kingdom
A strange and eerie music starts to play upon entrance to the town. The guard that was standing watch near the path to Bandit's way is being chased by the most annoying (and coolest) of the normal bad guys: Shyster.

Attack it and save the guard to receive a (Sarcastic Tone) whopping ten coins!! The man being chased in the circle below you is the one missing the wallet. Rescue him and get a Flower Tab in exchange. (You can receive a Flower Tab later in your quest from this same man. Visit the Secrets page to find out how!)

Save each person outside the castle (including in the largest home) and then go into the Inn and save.

As quietly as you can, enter the Castle commando style (just walk in the door). You will be greeted by even more Shysters. See the Mushroom person being chased by a Shyster? That's Toad. Attack and destroy that Shyster!

If you miss him on their first pass through, just wait a few moments and they'll reappear from the other direction. Toad will thank you, and also tell you where everyone else is. (Why isn't he up there in Toadstool's room?) Follow him into the next room.

Two Shysters block the stairs to Peach's room, attack and destroy both of them. (The one at the bottom of the stairs is enough, so only defeat it if you need HP badly.)

Follow Toad up the stairs to the entrance to the Princess's room.

Walk between the two guards to challenge them to a battle.

Follow Toad into the only safe room of the Castle--Peach's Room.

When Toad asks if you'll all be safe with Mario, say "You Bet" to receive a Flower Tab. Don't forget to use any Flower Tab's you've acquired in the Mushroom Kingdom!

Talk to Toadstool's grandmother to be healed. (The only old Mushroom Person in the Room). Don't forget to save!

Now, head back out into the entry hall. Run across the hall to the Guest/Safe hall. Go down into the now unlocked Safe and grab the goodies again! Defeat both Shysters in the hallway and then go into the Guest room.

Talk to the guard (he's hiding in the corner near the bed) to receive a Wake Up Pin. Don't forget to equip it! Run back into the main hall and battle the Shyster bouncing next to the door. Then enter the door towards the Throne room and battle those two. (Where did the Shyster parade go?)

OK, are you at level 6? Both Mallow and Mario? If you are, dash back and get healed in Toadstool's Room, then go into the throne room. If not, go back and battle as many of the marching Shysters as you need to reach that level for both Mario and Mallow.

Once you are, go heal and then enter the throne room and face the first of Smithy's minions....

	Begin by either hitting the group with Thunderbolt or Super Jump (whoever goes first). Then, do the other one when it's their turn. Mack's bodyguards should be gone, so start attacking him with Mario's Super Jump and Mallow's normal attacks. Do not allow Mallow to use magic unless you're nearly dead. In that case, use HP Rain. If you have Super Jump, and you're fairly good with it, you can't loose. Just continue using Super Jump until you run out of FP, then have Mallow use a Honey Syrup. If Mack bounces off, just destroy his troops to make him reappear. Once Mack is up and packing, grab the first Star.

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