In World 1-2: Tilted Tunnel, there is a secret exit at the end of the level. Reach the part with the red coin ring on a slanted purple crystal. Jump up and over the red ring to find a hidden passage containing some normal coins. Once inside that passage, jump up at the top of the first hill to find another hidden passage made of square bricks. Follow this passage to find a hidden pipe. Exit the pipe to find the red flag for the secret exit to Acorn Plains.
Fireworks at the end of the level
If you touch the flagpole and the last 2 digits match (11, 22, etc.), fireworks will appear. The number of fireworks depend on the last 2 digits. 11 is 1 firework, 22 is 2 fireworks and so forth.
Flagpole Secrets
Complete a level and if the last 2 digits of the timer match excluding 00, Fireworks will appear and Toad will also give you an Item. Below is the list of the items unlocked by their matching timer digits.
Item
Location
Fire Flower
Last 2 digits equaling 33 or 34.
Ice Flower
Last 2 digits equaling 55.
Star
Last 2 digits equaling 88 or 99.
Super Accorn
Last 2 digits equaling 77.
Super Mushroom
Last 2 digits equaling 11, 22, or 66.
More Easy Extra Lives in Soda Jungle
As you play through Soda Jungle's first level, you have the potential to earn more than 30 lives on each attempt. As soon as you start the level, you'll see a single small Goomba. Instead of killing it, continue onward to find three larger Goomba enemies. You can start bouncing along Goombas and the number of points they grant you will continue to increase as long as you don't touch the ground (make sure you hold the jump button as you bounce, because that will send you higher into the air and give you more time to select your next target). The larger Goomba foes will split into smaller ones, providing you with still more opportunities. You'll start earning extra lives. There are additional areas within the stage where you can perform a similar cheat, which is how you can gain so many lives on each trip through the stage. You can also come back and repeat the stage as desired to build up your supply of extra lives later in the game.
Propeller Hat and Penguin Suit
Upon completing the game once and unlocking Superstar Road, the Propeller Hat and Penguin Suit power-ups [from New Super Mario Bros. Wii] are made available from the Toad Houses located there. Once obtained, they can used in any level in the game.
Records house
Successfully complete the game to enter the purple mushroom house in Sparkling Waters. Once there you can review your records, such as stages cleared, Goombas stomped, etc.
Rock Candy Mines secret level
In the Tower level, either get the mini mushroom found early in the level or enter the level with one. Remain as Mini Mario until nearly the top of the tower. Enter the miniature pipe near the top of the tower, and carefully proceed through the room to find Star Coin #3 and a pipe leading to the secret exit to Rock Candy Mines.
Save File Stars
You can earn up to five stars on your save file through varying degrees of completion of the main story mode.
Stars
How to unlock
1 star
Beat Bowser in story mode.
2 stars
Unlock and beat every level outside of Superstar Road.
3 stars
Get every star coin outside of Superstar Road.
4 stars
Get every star coin in the first 8 levels of Superstar Road to unlock the last level.
5 stars
Get every star coin in Superstar Road-9.
Save game at any time from overworld map
Finish Story Mode, and "Quick Save" will be replaced with "Save" on the start menu for the overworld. You can now save at any time from the overworld--not just after finishing important levels.
Saved game file star icons
Complete the indicated task to add the corresponding star to your saved game file.
Star 1: Defeat the final Boss of the main game.
Star 2: Collect all Star Coins from Worlds 1 through 8.
Star 3: Complete all levels, find all 94 exits in Worlds 1 through 8, and enter the purple Toad mushroom house.
Star 4: Collect all Star Coins in Superstar Road.
Star 5: Catch Nabbit in Worlds 1 through 7.
Secret Island and Superstar Road
Beat the game once and you'll unlock a secret island where you can view your stats throughout the game. You'll also be able to save your progress any time you like by accessing the pause menu, and you'll unlock a series of new stages called Superstar Road. You can access the island and the new stages using any of the pipes on the world map.
Sparkling Waters secret level
Proceed through most of the Ghost House level towards the normal exit. Reach the room that is almost completely made of false walls, near Star Coin #3. Go to about the middle of the room, and find the Boo near a signpost and coins above you. The path to the secret exit is slightly in the air and to the left. Use wall jumps or the Squirrel suit to reach the secret door up there. It will open to a room with a lot of coins and a red pipe that leads to the red flagpole for the secret exit to World 3: Sparkling Waters.
Turtle Tipping in Soda Jungle
Work your way to the end of the first Soda Jungle stage and head to the right from where you find the first star coin. You should see a green Koopa descending a giant staircase. If you time it properly, you can jump on the turtle and cause the shell to bounce repeatedly against the stairs as Mario bops it for extra lives, like you could in the very first Super Mario Bros. at the end of the level in World 3.
Turtle Tipping in Superstar Road
In Fire Bar Cliffs, you'll find stairs with two fire bars. A Buzzy Beatle will be descending them. If you time it right, Mario can jump on that enemy and cause his shell to bounce repeatedly against the stairs, racking up extra lives the same general way that you could at the end of World 3-1 in the original Super Mario Bros. Keep in mind that there are numerous other places throughout the game where you can perform a similar trick, including the Tilted Tunnel level in Acorn Plains and the Switchback Hill level in Meringue Clouds.
Visit Toad Houses repeatedly
Earn all five stars on your profile, and you can visit Toad Houses repeatedly without them becoming inactive (previously inactive Toad Houses will become accessible again).
World 9 - Superstar Road
Get every star coin in Worlds 1-8 and beat the game.
