Super Mario Bros 2 Tricks

Toad is the only character in SMB2 who runs faster than normal running speed while carrying an enemy or certain items (the heavier the item the better), so you should always choose Toad unless you need Luigi to make big jumps in the level.

How it's done: While moving towards an enemy, jump and go through the top left or right corner of the enemy. You can either jump just before you hit an enemy on the ground that you were running towards, or it can be an enemy in the air or on a platform above you. If you timed the jump correctly, the character's feet will pass through the top of the enemy without taking damage, and this will trick the game into thinking that you're standing on the enemy, and it will still think that even after you move farther up. Any time before you begin to fall, you can jump again in midair and go much higher than you normally can. If the enemies are positioned correctly, you can even pass through the corner of another enemy during your second jump and jump a third time. You can use double jumps to reach high places more quickly.

Note: This trick can also be done with anything that can hurt you and that you can stand on, such as Birdo's eggs and water columns on whales.

Uses: In 1-1, use a double jump with Toad to reach the high platform so that you don't need Luigi's high jumping ability in that level. Even though it'll take longer to get up the steps after taking the shortcut, Birdo always throws his eggs at the same time so it doesn't matter exactly how fast you get there unless you can get there a lot faster and on time to get his previous egg. All that matters is how fast you can pick up the last egg, so Toad is slightly faster than Luigi in 1-1.

In 1-2, after getting the key from the jar, move an enemy so that it's just at the edge of the cliff, and use it to double jump over the big pit. As you make the jump in midair, duck so that you don't hit Phanto.

In 7-1, you can use a double jump to get over the big pole next to the ladder.

In addition to saving time, you can also use a double jump to do tricks and make the run look fancier.

I'm not sure exactly how this works, so maybe someone else can type an explanation, or I can experiment with this when I get a chance. - Michael Fried

How it's done: I studied the way the characters turn around at 5% speed, and I could not notice any difference between how fast they turn around in the air or on the ground (unless the ground is ice, in which case you could turn around faster in the air).

The only way to turn around faster is to let go of B (this works both in the air and on land), which seems to somehow cause the character to lose it's momentum faster. To turn around as quickly as possible, let go of B for 1 frame during the next frame after you let go of the original direction.

- Michael Fried

Since you accelerate slower on ice, if you're not moving at full speed, you should jump to accelerate faster.

Uses: Jump as soon as you start 4-1 and also in the next part of the level as soon as you get dropped out of the rocket.

When you climb a chain or vine to the top of the screen, you can jump from it and run across the top of the level. This allows to take some radical shortcuts or to explore the level.

Pressing up+down (on an emulator that does not filter input) while on a ladder will cause a movement glitch that results in the player being shot upwards at super high speed. This can be used for fast climbing of ladders and makes the activation of the above trick easier.

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See also