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Having been around since the 1980s, the Mario series of games is one of the gaming world’s most enduring success stories – and even led to the creation of other iconic games, with the creator of Sonic the Hedgehog having been inspired by Super Mario Bros. Its success is down to the depth of the games, with each featuring secret levels and other surprises.
1.Negative World
Super Mario Bros has hundreds of ultra-secret levels, but the most famous is still Negative World. This is an underwater level where Mario encounters things that really shouldn’t be there – including a goomba.
2.Star World
This was one of the secret levels in Super Mario World, where gamers could collect Yoshis with properties that could prove useful further along. In total there were five Star Worlds, with number five containing the secret exit to the next stage.
3.Special World
This was that next stage in Super Mario World and it was a series of tough stages where Mario had to cope with challenges like the slippery slopes of the ‘Awesome’ stage, while Bullet Bills were shot out of a cannon at him.
4.Infinite Lives
This is a secret level that can be accessed in Super Mario Bros that ensures you never run out of lives – and you get there by jumping on a green Koopa in World 3-1 and bouncing off the walls.
5. Swim Under Boats
Super Mario Bros 3 has a secret exit that allows you to avoid World 8’s navy. You locate it by diving into the water when the battleships appear, making sure that Mario’s head stays above water, and hitting the controller until you reach the finish of the autoscroll stage.
6.The Secret of Casino Delfino
This is a secret level within the Super Mario Sunshine game and is found by entering the Hotel Delfino, ignoring the Blue Coins and hitting the first floor to gain access to the casino by speaking to the pink Pianta. The casino slot machines offer further secret world access if you score 777 – where you can win a Shine.
7. The Red Coins of Casino Delfino
Another casino-based secret level in Super Mario Sunshine, here you have to grab the initial Red Coin before it is consumed by the moving block, then move towards the wood blocks to secure the next three Coins, before claiming the last one via a hover-somersault.
8. Mini Battles
Found within the Yoshi’s Island instalment of the series, this level is accessed by defeating the Chain Chomp inside the room in World 5, which opens a door to another room. At this point, you hold down the select key, hit X,X,Y,B and A to reach this level.
9. Grate Guy’s Casino
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars has this secret level to a casino owned by Grate Guy. Find Bean Valley’s secret passage, overcome the Chomp Chomp and enter using a Bright Card – with the casino games offering the chance to win everything from Frog Coins to the Star Egg.
10. Castle Roof
Most players of Super Mario 64 think you need 120 Stars to get to the roof of Peach’s castle, however this can be achieved quicker through mastery of the triple jump. Hit the right side of the courtyard and perform triple jumps using the hill and walls to lift Mario up.
The annual Mario Day is approaching, on 10th March, so why not try some of these to celebrate it.
