List of Super Mario Bros. glitches

This page is about the list of glitches found in the game, Super Mario Bros..

The Minus World
The Minus World is one of the most infamous glitches in Super Mario Bros. It is an endless underwater level, identical to world 2-2, and once there Mario or Luigi is doomed to die from either running out of time or being killed by enemies. While there is no strategic advantage in performing this glitch, many find it intriguing. The glitch was removed in all remakes of the game, excluding the Virtual Console remake. Interestingly, the Japanese Famicom Disk System version of the game includes a different version of the Minus World (even through FDS version doesn't have other differences). It contains three levels which can be beaten, and once -3 is complete the player will return to the title screen as if they have beaten the game.

To activate the glitch, Mario must go to World 1-2 and stand on top of the pipe that leads to the above-ground flag, without going in the pipe. Then he must break the second and third block from the pipe, but leave the one on the far right. Then he must stand on the left edge of the pipe (facing left) and duck. He then has to jump while in a ducking position and move right in mid-air (while still facing left). If done correctly, Mario will go through the block on the far right and through the wall to the Warp Zone. Mario must then go through the pipe that would normally lead to World 4-1 (the one on the far left), and Mario will enter the Minus World (world -1; it's actually world 36-1, but the game displays the number 36 as a single blank space).

If world 2-2 is edited in a ROM editor, so that it is possible to beat it during the underwater segment, there is a world -2, an underwater version of 3-4. If world 3-4 is edited in a ROM editor, then there is a world -3. It is also a version of 3-4 but with overworld graphics.

Small Fire Mario
The Small Fire Mario glitch is performed by having Super Mario or Fire Mario or Luigi hit the Ax in a Fortress level. If Bowser hits the player while the player hits the Ax, Mario will flash but stay Super Mario. Bowser will be defeated, and then the player will move on to the next level after rescuing the level's Mushroom Retainer. The game continues as normal, except when the player gets hit, they die. Collecting a Super Mushroom will make the player Small Mario, and when they get hit they'll become Super Mario again. When the player grabs a Fire Flower as Small Mario, the player will become Fire Mario, but in the smaller body. When Mario shoots a fireball, he will become large, then, when the animation is complete, he returns to the small size. If Mario dies, the player will need to repeat the glitch in order to play as him again. A similar variation on this is to do the same thing with small Mario. Mario will do his usual dying animation, but the screen will scroll over, like normal, to the Mushroom Retainer, even though there is no Mario.

Also, in the Japanese version of Super Mario Bros. Deluxe, the player can get Small Fire Mario like this; When the player is fiery Mario and hits an enemy, the player should pause and click save, Small Fire Mario will appear. However, Mario will lose a life in one hit, unlike small fire Mario in SMB.

Over The Flagpole
In some levels, it is possible to go over the flagpole. Beyond the flag pole is nothing but an endless castle. There is nothing to do; all that can be done is wait for the timer to get to zero.

In Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, this is actually exploited to hide a Warp Zone.

On a side note, this glitch was fixed in the SNES version of the game.

Stuck Under Water
In the end of swimming levels, there's a one block sized space above the Warp Pipe that leads to the exit. If the player crouches as Super Mario and then swims into the space while still crouching, Mario should walk backwards and get stuck in the far right side of the wall. After pulling off this glitch, it is impossible to move. This is a great chance to pull off Mario Jackson(see below). This works in the NES version, the Super Mario Bros. Deluxe version, but not in the Super Mario All-Stars version, as the space directly above the Warp Pipe has been filled up with a block.

Underwater Moonwalk
In 2-2, there are two hills with a pit in between them, with peaks one-block wide. If Mario swims to the hill on the right, then stands on it, he will automatically walk backwards into the pit. However, the player can stop Mario from falling by swimming upward, of course.

Music Change
This works in World 1-1. Mario/Luigi should hit the block with the Starman in, then go to the bit with the half pyramid with 10 blocks on each half. Then they let the Star touch them, then as quick as possible, go to the flagpole. If done correctly, when the invincibility wears off, the music from the level will play instead of the usual flagpole fanfare.

Magic Mushroom
This glitch also works in World 1-1. In the part where the second mushroom block is in Mario's/Luigi's Small Form, then get the mushroom off the bottom gap. As soon as this happens, the player must jump to the top of the level. If done correctly, the player will become their Super form, even though the mushroom has fell off the gap. This is because certain objects overlap to the top of the screen as they fall in a hole, only disappearing when the last pixel is down the hole. They can't be seen because SMB has no vertical scrolling.

Unmoving Mario
If Super Mario jumps right when a level starts, he will not move his feet when he walks. This glitch wears off if he gets hit.

Life Overflow
If the player achieves getting 128 lives, upon dying the player will see the game over screen. This is because game interprets the player as having a negative amount of lives, most likely to a data overflow.

Jumping Damage Glitch
In World 1-1, when the player gets to the Brick Blocks high above the ground close to a pitfall with 2 Goombas walking towards it, he or she must stand on the edge of the Brick Blocks, and wait until the Goombas appear on screen. Then the player should back up and wait for the first Goomba to approach the pitfall. As soon as it's about to fall in, the player must start running to the edge, and when he falls down, he or she must jump high to the left. The player should go off-screen from the top. If done correctly, Mario/Luigi will die. If the player is Super Mario/Luigi or Fire Mario/Luigi, he or she will simply shrink as if he or she has just been hit by an enemy. The timing for this glitch can be difficult.

Mario Jackson
When stuck inside a wall such as when doing the minus world glitch, the wall should pull Mario to the right. Holding down left during this makes Mario moonwalk like Michael Jackson.

This glitch was in a way removed from the Super Mario Bros. Deluxe version of the game, where instead Mario will start to slowly walk in the direction he is facing.

Hit the axe and keep it there
In any of the castle levels, make it to the end of the level. Defeat Bowser with fireballs. Run and jump behind the axe. (Don't crash into the wall when doing this.) Mario should hit the far right side of the axe. The screen will scroll to the toad but the axe will still be there.

Hole glitch
In any level with a ceiling that has a hole in it, the player will need to scroll the screen to the left so half of Mario could fit there. Go to the left side of the screen and jump. Mario will not fall down. Holding down left and rapidly jumping will cause Mario to get inside the wall allowing the Mario Jackson glitch to occur.

Die and Complete at the same time glitch
While going to any castle level, Mario/Luigi should go through the whole level by becoming Small Mario/Luigi. The player will need to touch the axe as usual, but if Bowser touches Mario while Mario touches the axe, he will die and win the level. If Mario does it with 0 lives he will die and win, but then after the text that says "Thank you Mario! But our princess in another castle!" is over and then the Game Over screen will be shown.

Jump Through Block
In World 8-1, Fire Mario is required. When Mario sees the spring with Brick Blocks above it, he should use jump on the spring. Mario should go through the brick and be on top of it.