You can’t keep a good plumber down, and Super Mario Bros. is still going strong decades after it first launched. Veteran players will no doubt already know the locations of every hidden block, the route to every warp zone, and how to score easy extra lives by bouncing Koopa Trooper shells off staircases, but this last trick for unlimited 1-Ups isn’t so easy. Yup, it turns out that sometimes if you want infinite lives you actually have to work for them.
Playing the game through on hard mode, in which Goombas are replaced with fireproof Buzzy Beetles (or Metto in Japanese, from the English word helmet) that are just great for kicking, it’s possible to volley the bugs against blocks and bounce on them repeatedly, each time racking up points that eventually become extra lives.
Okay, so far, so World 3 Level 1.
But it’s the effort involved in getting to this particular 1-Up-spewing Beetle that’s the hard part, and not to be attempted by anyone who has not cleared the game at least a few dozen times before. Check this out.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this trick performed, but it is without a doubt the one that the fewest Mario players know about, not to mention the trickiest to pull off, so we felt the need to share. If you happen to have a copy of the game for your old NES (or Wii, or Wii U, or SNES, or Gameboy Advance, or Gameboy Color or…) then by all means try this one out and let us know if you can pull it off.
▼ You’ll need to stomp that Buzzy before it can drop down.
▼ Then kick and chase it before it gets away.
▼ Bouncing off it to stop it in its tracks.
▼ Wait for Buzzy to wake up and walk off the upper block.
▼ Then set to stomping. You know the drill from here.
Aaah, it’s like reading those old players guides all over again!
There are of course a myriad other ways to get those extra lives, so follow this comprehensive video tutorial for the full list. Have fun and keep rocking the 8-bit, kids!
Mario AND Luigi team up for new infinite lives trick in Super Mario Bros. 【Video】
The more you know Mario: The unusual Japanese names of Nintendo’s Super Mario characters
Super Mario World 1-1 perfectly recreated, animation and all, in Japanese fan’s notebook【Vid】
Super Mario Bros. creator explains how and why he designed World 1-1 of the 8-bit classic 【Video】
Real Buddhist monk plays Super Mario Bros., recites prayers every time he kills an enemy【Video】
China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning seems to be affecting Osaka’s Namba and Dotonbori neighborhoods
Japanese company selling bear-proof automatic doors
Viral 3D ice creams land in Japan… but are they worth the hype?
Unique inclined elevator in Japan leads to a town that inspired Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away
Chinese government’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning has heartwarming non-effect on Yokohama Chinatown
Nintendo’s Kirby now delivering orders at Kura Sushi restaurants, but not in Japan
Here are the top ten foodie factory tours for the fall throughout Japan
Beautiful, intricate drawings of snowflakes from Edo-era Japan
Brand-new Pokémon park opens in Japan with larger-than-life-size Lapras【Photos】
Hen na Hotel Haneda: What it’s really like to stay at Tokyo’s “Weird Hotel” with dinosaur robots
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Japan considering raising international traveler departure tax even more than previously reported
Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting tourist crowds in Shibuya’s Don Quijote?
Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting tourist crowd sizes in Nara?
Studio Ghibli stamps lift your spirits with motivational phrases from Totoro
Japanese town suing resident for being a jerk
Is Kyoto less crowded with tourists after China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning?【Photos】
You can now buy a Japanese train station clock in Japan
Japanese police attempting to clamp down on “zombie cigarettes”
Starbucks Japan unveils new Christmas goods and a rhinestone tumbler that costs 19,500 yen
Real-world Nausicaa Ghibli anime glider completes its final flight in Japan【Video】
Japanese train company is letting fans buy its actual ticket gates for their homes
Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting tourist crowds in Tokyo’s Asakusa neighborhood?
The 10 best day trips from downtown Tokyo【Survey】
Naturally brown-haired Osaka student sues government for forcing her to dye her hair black
Japanese government considering tripling departure taxes to combat overtourism
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s deadliest food claims more victims, but why do people keep eating it for New Year’s?
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
The top 10 annoying foreign tourist behaviors on trains, as chosen by Japanese people【Survey】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Behold: The world’s fastest Super Mario Bros. speed run
Dedicated fan recreates video play-through of Super Mario Bros… in Minecraft
Full Screen Mario allows you to play Super Mario Bros. on your computer, create new levels!
Expert gamer builds and beats most insane Super Mario Maker level yet 【Video】
Lush x Super Mario Bros. Movie collaboration is filled with surprises for Nintendo fans
30 things that come to mind replaying the original Super Mario Bros.
How awesome is the sight of 974 Marios running through the same level at once? (Answer: Very)
Nintendo’s New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe ad blends fantasy and reality, scores a 1UP
Super Smash Bros. superfan shares shocking character tier list after thousands of hours of play
Super Mario Bros. is actually a three-person co-op game, as long as you play it like this【Video】
Pre-orders now open on Amazon for new, amped-up Lego and Super Mario collaboration!【Video】
Super Mario teams up with G-Shock for a salute to old-school gaming tenacity【Photos】
Large-breasted female fighting game character barred from Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. series
Universal Studios Japan starts Super Mario Sunshine-style “soaking wet” Power Up Summer event
Leave a Reply