Super Mario Brothers 2 Boss FAQ

Copyright Nintendo 1988
Written By Brian P. Sulpher
E-mail: [email protected]
Version 1.6
Dates Written: December 13th, 2002

I dedicate this to anyone who still plays this gem of a game.  I hope that
this FAQ will give any tips for the bosses that will make them a little
easier to handle.  I also hope that those who play do not hold the fact it
was not an original Mario game, it was still A Mario game.

Also, for Cougar, Howler, and Koonce.  I miss you, and I hope you are living
it up in the afterlife as you did in this world.  You will always be in my
memories, and you will never be forgotten.

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Version 1.0
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-submitted guide December 13th, 2002

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Version 1.1
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-submitted guide January 10th, 2003
-Added new way to beat First Triclyde
-Fixed a few small errors

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Version 1.2
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-submitted guide on January 18th, 2003
-Got the contributor's name for the First Triclyde
-Edited the format

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Version 1.5
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-submitted guide on July 17th, 2004
-Altered format to make it easier on the eyes

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Version 1.6
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-Submitted guide on 18th of October, 2005
-I added in Retronintendo and Honestgamers as sites allowed to use my FAQs
-Altered the format to make it easier on the eyes of the reader

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-------------------------------Table Of Contents----------------------------
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1) Introduction
2) Birdo
3) First Mouser
4) First Triclyde
5) Second Mouser
6) Fryguy
7) Clawgrip
8) Second Triclyde
9) Hawkmouth
10)Wart
11)Final Word

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-------------------------------Introduction---------------------------------
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1) This guide came to be because of an absence of a Boss FAQ on gamefaqs.  I
  felt that the varied number of opponents you will face along the path to
  the final opponent warranted such an endeavor.  So sit back, relax, and
  catch up on any strategies that can be taught for these bad guys!

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-----------------------------------Birdo------------------------------------
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2) Birdo is the most common Boss character you will face along your journey.
  She will almost always being waiting at the end of the first two levels
  of every world, and she will start to appear in the third level later on
  in the game.  Birdo also has the ability to appear in different colours,
  which signals a different type of attack.  This section will give
  behaviours, and strategies for each type of Birdo.  Keep in mind that ALL
  Birdos will shoot their attacks, and then they will hop, walk backwards
  or forwards and then start their attack again.


                            o------------o
                            | Pink Birdo |
                            o------------o

This is the first Birdo you come across, and they are rather common
throughout most of the game.  This Birdo has one attack pattern, and that is
to spit one egg at a time.  To beat this low intensity version of Birdo, you
must hit the flightless bird three times with it's own eggs.  Occasionally
you will have an item or two on hand to help, but most of the time you will
need to jump onto the incoming egg attack from Birdo, grab the egg, and then
throw it back into Birdo to score a hit.  You will have a fairly easy time
beating this version with minimal practice.


                             o-----------o
                             | Red Birdo |
                             o-----------o

Red Birdo becomes the most common version of Birdo you will face as you get
into the second half of the game.  This version will spit three projectiles
at one time in your direction, but there is a slight catch to this.  This
Birdo will randomly spit an egg or a fireball on all three shots.  This
means that you the player will need to be fast to grab the egg (if any eggs
are shot) while avoiding the fireballs.  A good strategy for not getting hit
is to only concentrate on grabbing the third projectile.  If it is an egg,
grab it, and if it is a fireball, then just jump it.


                            o-------------o
                            | Green Birdo |
                            o-------------o

Green Birdo Is the rarest of the three types of Birdo, but it really begins
to show up repeatedly in the last two worlds.  This Birdo will shoot three
projectiles (like Red Birdo), but the difference is that the three
projectiles are in fact three fireballs every time!  To beat this baddy, you
will often have to make use of an item (usually Mushroom Blocks) to get the
three hits necessary for victory.

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-------------------------------First Mouser---------------------------------
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3) The first big Boss you will face is Mouser on level 1-3.  He is a big
  mouse who seems to have some emotional problems.  How else do you explain
  a personality that rationalizes throwing bombs as not only a good idea,
  but as a full time job?  Anyway, you will enter the room to do battle,
  but you must first break through the walls between Mouser and yourself.
  Avoid the Spark as you pluck the plants to reveal bombs.  Lay these bombs
  against the brick wall to open a path through to Mouser (takes two),
  and then get one of the planted bombs from the platform above (again
  being careful not to hit the Spark).  Now run to the right to see Mouser
  on his platform, and lay the bomb in your hands on the platform near
  Mouser to score a hit.  Now you need to either: go back for another bomb
  or catch one of Mouser's.  Now take the bomb, lay it on the Bosses
  platform, and then repeat.  You will need to hit the deranged mouse with
  4 well placed blast to move onto the next World of Subcon!

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------------------------------First Triclyde--------------------------------
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4) You arrive deep in the pyramid of 2-3 to find a triple-headed snake.  You
  fall down into the room, head right to find six Mushroom Blocks arranged
  in a 2 X 3 design.  Your first step is to stack the blocks up in a big
  column (1 X 6).  Now get yourself on top of the column, take the top
  Mushroom Block, hop to the ledge on the right, jump up in the air
  slightly to the right so you can toss your Mushroom Block at Triclyde
  before pulling your player back onto the left of the ledge (that way the
  fireballs from Triclyde will harmlessly pass under you).  Now you should
  grab another Mushroom Block, repeat the same song and dance, and then go
  back for one more Mushroom Block (take it between fireball volleys in
  your direction), and then clock the boss for the least hit so that snake
  will be knocked onto the endangered species list!  A neat little trick to
  use if you are Luigi is to grab your Mush Room Block, hop over Triclyde,
  hit Triclyde from behind, and then super jump back out to repeat the
  process (this is a safer way to avoid fireballs).

  A recent e-mail from Wilson Lau states that if you grab the Tweeter that
  bounces in from the right where Triclyde is, and then chuck it past
  Triclyde so it hits the wall, and then it will fall onto Triclyde.  The
  Tweeter will bounce off of Triclyde for three fast hits, and that will
  finish the triple-headed snake off super quickly!  Thanks Wilson!

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----------------------------------Second Mouser-----------------------------
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5) You fall down into the Mouser room to battle yet another deranged Mouse
  with a bomb fetish.  Anyway, head past the chains to the right to find
  our bomb-lobbing friend Mouser, along with a Spark circling the perimeter
  of the room.  Your goal is to catch a bomb thrown my Mouser, put the bomb
  on the platform Mouser patrols (usually on the opposite end of where
  Mouser is so he will walk into the blast), and then go catch another
  bomb.  Mouser will blow the Spark into many pieces at some point during
  the melee.  You need to tag Mouser with five big bomb blasts before he
  will bite the dust, and you can move onto World Four.

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-------------------------------------Fryguy---------------------------------
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6) This huge Fireball flies around the screen in a figure eight pattern.  He
  will continually spit smaller fireballs down at the ground, so be sure to
  stay high to avoid the shots (just be ready to jump when he buzzes close
  to your platform).  Your first job is to open up a hole in the middle of
  high platform in the middle of the screen.  Take the Mushroom Block with
  you as you climb up the platform steps as you dodge Fryguy and his
  projectiles (remember that the screen wraps around, so you have a place
  to cut through to get away from Fryguy).  Once up top, drop the Mushroom
  Block through the hole as Fryguy passes underneath you to score a hit.
  Then you should take the other Mushroom Block form your platform, climb
  back up, and hit him once more.  Now you have to go down to the bottom
  to get another Mushroom Block, bring it back up top, and then drop it on
  Fryguy to cause him to explode!  Unfortunately he splits into four small
  fireballs, all of which must be extinguished individually (you can kill
  more than one at once though).  The best bet you have is to build a
  column of Mushroom Blocks as you fight Fryguy so you can stand on top of
  it, out of reach of the fireballs, and drop Mushroom Blocks from above.
  Be warned that with each one killed, the remaining fireballs will gain
  the ability to move faster, jump more often, and to jump further than
  before.  Once they are gone, move onto World Five!

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-----------------------------------Clawgrip---------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

7) Upon entering this crabs lair, head right till you find the big mean claw
  hurtling his huge boulders.  Now stay in the lower part with the wall at
  your back, and then jump on top of a hurtled rock before you pick it up.
  Now wait for the next rock to fly, and then quickly hop up towards
  Clawgrip to throw your rock at him before he launches his next rock (this
  will likely hit you if you are not fast enough).  Now return to the same
  area as you were before, and get yourself another rock.  An alternate way
  to attack Clawgrip is to dodge all the rocks flying down at you, and then
  go after Clawgrip when he starts moving back and forth across the
  platform rapidly.  Repeat these steps until you have hit the mean old
  crab five times to send him out to the restaurants as the special of the
  day!

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-------------------------------Second Triclyde------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

8) Upon going in, head right till you see a drop to some Mushroom Blocks.
  Now wait till you catch the rhythm of the fireballs shot by Triclyde, and
  then fall down, followed by a quick jaunt to the Mushroom Block closest
  to the pit (the Triclyde can not shoot you there).  Now you should get
  onto the platform between Triclyde shots, and then toss the Mushroom
  Block at the three-headed snake.  Go back and get another Mushroom block
  to repeat the process once more.  After you have scored three hits, you
  will have put the permanent squash on this demon snake, and you will be
  able to move onto the final world, and get your hands on Wart!

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----------------------------------Hawkmouth---------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

9) So you have fought your way through the large castle of Wart, and you
  have finally found the Crystal Ball to open the Hawkmouth, and get your
  shot at the crazy toad, Wart!  As you approach the Hawkmouth, it will
  suddenly come to life, and it will charge you!  Go back to the left to
  find Mushroom Blocks, and then get on top of one of the column stands
  that are strewn throughout the room.  Now when the bird approaches, wait
  till it is about to reach you, and throw the Mushroom Block.  That will
  stun the Hawkmouth long enough to let you escape to the next Mushroom
  Block (you can also leap the Hawkmouth to buy yourself some time).  Do
  this two more times to get the Hawkmouth to give up it's wild charges for
  a second, and to open up it's mouth.  Now I will give you the best advice
  that this whole guide has, and that is to GET INTO HIS MOUTH IMMEDIATELY!
  If you delay for too long, the Hawkmouth will shake off the damage you
  dealt it, and start the attack anew!  Once you have gone through the
  mouth of the flying Hawkmouth, you will arrive at...

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--------------------------------------Wart----------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

10)The big bad goon himself!  Head left to see a vegetable distributing
  machine, followed up by the big fat toad spitting bubbles.  Stand on the
  platforms above the machines, catch a veggie, and then you have to time
  your throw at Wart so the veggie goes down his open mouth before his
  bubbles come flying out to block your attack.  There is an easier way to
  hit this guy, and that is to jump over him, and when he opens his mouth
  to spit out his bubbles, you will have an unimpeded shot which can not
  miss (you do not have to hit him in the mouth).  You need to hit the Boss
  of the enemies a whopping SEVEN times before he will finally choke his
  way off of the screen (keep in mind that as he flies backwards choking,
  he will still damage you if he touches you).  Go through the door to
  rescue the Subcons!

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-----------------------------------Final Word-------------------------------
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11)As is the usual, this walkthrough is copyright property of Brian P.
  Sulpher, 2003.  The only website, group, person, etc. to have access to
  post it is www.gamefaqs.com, www.ign.com, www.retronintendo.com, and
  www.honestgamers.com.  You must ask for permission before posting this,
  as doing so without consent is a violation of international copyright
  law.

  If you liked it, hated it, have anything to add, then please E-mail me at
  [email protected].  You can also contact me through MSN messenger
  through the same E-mail address.

  This is a great game, and I hope to get a full FAQ/Walkthrough up for it
  by the end of the year.  Play the old school, respect the old school, and
  if you are like me, worship the old school!  If you do not appreciate your
  origins, you are not a true fan of gaming, so best be off with you to the
  land of pseudo movies in FMV form!