Mushroom Kingdom. Follow the linked route in order, stopping for recovery before the major fights. This chapter follows the original SNES game.
In this chapter
- Bowser’s Keep and Mario’s Pad
- Mushroom Way
- Mushroom Kingdom — shops and hidden treasures
- Mushroom Castle — first visit
- Bandit’s Way and Croco
- Return to Mushroom Kingdom — Mack
Bowser’s Keep and Mario’s Pad
In the opening visit to Bowser’s Keep, attack the chain holding Bowser’s chandelier to end the fight. After Mario lands at his house, speak to Toad, revisit the keep to see the broken bridge and return to report what happened. Take the item and timed-attack explanations before leaving.
Rest at the mushroom lamp in Mario’s house if you need recovery, save at the outdoor block and head along Mushroom Way. The damaged bridge is a story barrier; repeatedly returning to the keep will not open the next route.
Mushroom Way
Fight or avoid the Goombas and Paratroopas while rescuing Toad along the path. Defeating the Goomba on the spinning flower makes it usable: face the side ledge and jump from it to collect the Flower, then visit Toad’s high ledge for his reward. Flowers from chests increase the shared maximum FP.
At the end, defeat the two Hammer Bros. Concentrate on one, use Mario’s Jump and heal before another hammer volley can defeat him. The survivor strengthens itself after its partner falls. Equip the Hammer afterward; receiving a weapon does not equip it automatically. Continue to Mushroom Kingdom.
Mushroom Kingdom — shops and hidden treasures
Visit the item shop and buy appropriate armor before spending coins on optional accessories. In its basement, follow the Toad’s jumping lesson for the first hidden chest, then stand on the Toad’s head when they enter the far corner to reach the second. Both give Flowers.
Keep the Hammer: selling this unique early weapon cannot be undone by buying another in a normal shop. Save at the inn before the castle visit. Rest when it will recover the party rather than after every minor fight, and equip purchases in the menu. An accessory’s protection against a dangerous status can be more useful than a small raw-stat gain.
Mushroom Castle — first visit
Missable treasure: before entering the throne room for the first time, jump onto Toad’s head, then onto the top of the doorway. Move toward its right side and jump for the hidden Frog Coin chest. If you miss the jump, leave and re-enter before visiting the Chancellor to reset Toad. This opportunity is permanently lost once the early story advances. Explore the side rooms, then speak to the Chancellor in the throne room. Afterward, enter the vault for its coin, Flower and recovery chests before continuing the story.
Outside, agree to help Mallow recover his stolen Frog Coin. Visit the shop for his equipment, speak to the guard at the eastern exit and follow Croco into Bandit’s Way. The Chancellor’s map shows the connected destinations; travel between them on the world map.
Bandit’s Way and Croco
Follow Croco through the flower and moving-platform route. The platforms change position when Mario jumps. Before leaving the second area, launch from the spinning flower toward the blue flower to reveal the hidden Kerokero Cola chest. Save this full-party recovery item for a difficult fight.
Use the invincibility star to defeat as many nearby enemies as you can before it ends. In the last area, approach Croco from behind three times to trigger the battle. Mario’s Fire Orb is effective; keep Mallow ready to heal with HP Rain or restore the shared FP with syrup. Croco can heal himself with a Weird Mushroom, so allow for another attack cycle instead of assuming a fixed turn count. Recover the Frog Coin and Wallet.
Return to Mushroom Kingdom — Mack
Return to Mushroom Kingdom and defeat the invaders chasing the townspeople. Give the Wallet back to its owner for a reward. Rest, collect the vault’s remaining supplies and obtain the Wake Up Pin in the guest room before entering the throne room.
Against Mack, use Mallow’s Thunderbolt to clear the accompanying Shysters, then concentrate Mario’s attacks on the boss. Clear summoned replacements when they return. Keep enough HP for a party-wide attack and enough FP for healing; an exact “seven-turn” plan is unreliable with different equipment and timing.
After winning the first Star Piece, speak to the Chancellor. Visit the item shop again to exchange Mallow’s recovered Frog Coin for the Cricket Pie before leaving for Kero Sewers.