List of Super Mario Bros. 2 glitches

These are the glitches found in Super Mario Bros. 2.

In World 2-1, if the player defeats Birdo, they should go to the Hawkmouth and come back to where Birdo was fought. She comes back when the player returns, and the crystal ball that Birdo dropped will still be there along with her. When she is defeated, she doesn't drop another crystal ball. She cannot be fought again.

The player should go to World 7-1, where is four ladders with two Hoopsters in two of them. Then, grab a Mushroom Block and jump at the front of one of the ladders. Drop the block. It will be inside the ladder, having the same pallete as it. This can't be climbed. If the player grabs the block, that piece of the ladder will vanish. If the block is in the ladder and the player changes the screen and back, the block will be with its normal pallete.

This glitch can happen in World 1-3. First, enter the last door in the stage. Then, enter the door that has the Key with a couple of Phantos. Pick up the key, then exit the door. Fall down to the space where there are Mushroom Blocks. When in the middle of passing by the Chains, throw the key onto a wall, and it will look like that it's going to land on the player. If its done correctly, the key will bounce on the head of the player. If the player kills a Spark with the bouncing key, there is an 85% chance of getting a heart.

This glitch can happen in the advance version and the all-stars version.

When climbing upwards very fast (with the fast climb glitch) at an area change point, the player can get above the screen without going to the new area. This allows fast access to other areas in some levels, such as World 7-2, where the player cannot get above the screen via other methods (due to lack of openings).

In any level with a Hoopster, the player can climb to the top of a vine and continue to hold up. If a Hoopster happens to come up to the top of the vine and push the character up while the player is still holding up on the controller, the character will be in the climbing animation a few feet above the vine. The character will fall as soon as the player lets go of the up control.

This also works in the All-Stars and Advance versions, except the player will need to hold up on the directional pad or else they will pop off the vine.

The player can climb climbable objects very fast by simultaneously holding both up and down. This usually isn't possible in a standard controller, but easy to do in an emulator or modified controller, or with tool assistance. It can also be done via Virtual Console, as the Wii Classic Controller and Gamecube Controller have both a Control Stick and D-Pad, which both serve the same function in NES and SNES Virtual Console games.

Occasionally in World 4-1 on the NES version, when the player grabs the Crystal at the end of the level, the Hawkmouth disappears and the players fall to their doom through the floor.

If the player throws a Potion above the screen, and then goes through the door, they appear in Subspace at the bottom of the screen and instantly die.

This can be done in level 1-2 of the game, as well as all of its remakes. After the player gets the key, (The player can easily do this with Luigi, but it's possible with the others.) the player must do a Super Jump off of a Ninji, and then the player will find the door to the Birdo battle. If the player can go into the door with the key, unlike Mushroom Blocks and vegetables. They can defeat Birdo with 3 hits with the key, although Phanto is still there to attack the player.

This only works in Super Mario Advance, and requires Mario or Luigi. In 2-1, a wall while digging through the sand exists. The player should super jump with the key up to it, and once they touch the wall, try to throw the key. If done right, they'll be stuck in the wall. The Phanto will be delayed for about two minutes, but will eventually swoop in. The only controls are left and right, though they make the character walk nowhere.

If the player throws a Mushroom Block offscreen and does not see it land, even to a place where it should safely land, it will disappear until the player leaves through a door and comes back.

In an level containing a hill possible to reach the top, an enemy walking in it and vegetables (a good place is the area before the first Birdo battle) can be used to make this glitch. With any character, the player should grab the vegetable and stand at the bottom of the enemy hill. Then, jump to the enemy (while holding the vegetable), killing it. The dead enemy will fall to the character and touch him or she. If he is in small form, both will die.

Mushroom Blocks can be dropped on top of certain interactive background elements. Usually these elements prevent the player from dropping a Mushroom Block, but if the player is near the edge of such elements and the normal background, sometimes it will become stuck in the element and temporarily adopt the palette. If the player leaves the area and come back (without going through a door) the palette will return to normal. If the player picks up the Mushroom Block, the element it was in front of is no longer there (chains/vines/ladders will no longer be climbable, and doors will become unusable if the player remove both the top and bottom elements).

At a spot in the game where climbing down changes areas, the player can fall off the climbable object such as a ladder, vine, or chain, and fall offscreen and die, even though continuing in that direction should take them to another area.

If the player exits Subspace above a patch of grass, and picks (and tosses) the grass fast enough, the item will be thrown, but still attached to the character's head. The item does not obstruct going through doors (similar to holding a key), nor does it interfere with climbing (unlike a key).

The object becomes normal once the player goes to a new area (such as through a door, climbs offscreen, enters a vase, or goes to Subspace), or dies. This allows items to be taken into areas they normally aren't found in. A Potion taken into Subspace will simply make another exit.

Note that this is easiest to do with light objects such as small vegetables, or with Toad who can grab things faster. There must also be an unobstructed path to throw the object (not facing a wall, etc).

Phanto can be killed by a Stop Watch (after picking 5 ripe vegetables) and contacting him while Invulnerable (getting 5 Cherries to make Starman appear. Phanto can sometimes also be killed with a Key under certain circumstances.

If the player throws a POW Block while standing on a Log, the log falls upwards. Once it hits the top of the screen, the player will fall normally.

Sometimes, the player can throw certain collision objects (such as vegetables) offscreen, quickly change areas such as going into a vase, and observe an enemy dying while making a "struck by object" sound effect, though no object sprite can be observed.

This glitch only works in the Super Mario Advance version of the game. First, the player must go to level 2-2 and play as Luigi. The player must have at least 3 hearts, and go into the tall vase shortly after finding the Mushroom. Once inside, the player has to pick up the strange ball, and then, super jump, and hit a Spark (at the top) and try to get to one side or the other (this part is easier the more hearts in possession). The player can't do it with only two, as when they shrink it won't launch them). Then, carry it out. It will become a Yoshi Egg with the palette of the ball. It will act the same way, with the exception of being re-usable if it falls in quicksand.

A Spark traveling along the floor or ceiling near Mushroom Blocks can be trapped in midair by grabbing the block at the right moment.

This glitch can only be done in Super Mario Advance. It best works in the Fryguy's boss fight area. If the player slides underneath one of the flying Mushroom Blocks, the player will have to let go of down on the controller. The character's whole body, except for legs, will be trapped inside the Mushroom Block. The only way to get out of it is to slide back out.

In certain areas, the player can throw a Mushroom Block onto the platform above the player without running or jumping. When timed correctly, the enemy will become trapped in the block.

Anywhere there are enemies and Mushroom Blocks, the player has to leave a Mushroom Block where an enemy first appears on the screen, and the player has to leave the area without going up a vine or through a door to another area and without attacking the enemy. When the player comes back, the enemy will be trapped in the Mushroom Block.

The player must be normal-sized to do this. After Clawgrip is defeated, the player must go on the platform just under the one Clawgrip and his rocks are. That platform can be walked through. Then, the player should run and slide under the rocks and stand up. The player should then be stuck in Clawgrip's rocks.

To do this glitch the player will need to grab a Star and go in the Subspace and quickly go out while they still have the star. If the player did it right then Super Mario Bros. music will play until the player leaves the area or goes in a door. It's also possible for the player to get that song to play for the remainder of the stage (until dying, going through a Door, or a vase), if the player stays in Subspace until the invincibility wears off.

In some levels, the character can become trapped with no way to get out or die. One such area is in World 2-2 at the bottom left of the dig-able sand pit. In World 3-2, after defeating Birdo the character can also become trapped if they fall before getting her Crystal Ball.

As there is no timer, the only option is usually to reset the game, or use controller two to commit suicide.

The player can go into Subspace and gather coins only twice normally, before the coins turn into small vegetables. However, a visit to Subspace to collect coins doesn't count against those two times if the player dies before exiting subspace. To gather a lot of coins in a single level, the player can throw a potion near both a bottomless pit and several patches of grass, gather the grass, and then fall into the pit.

In any level that has Brick walls in them, it is possible for the player to Super Jump into the edge of the walls as Luigi and can walk straight up the wall.