House Rules...

SMB3: White Mushroom House

Unlock the Secret Toad House
First Two: World 1-4 and World 2-2

Super Mario Bros. 3

Super Mario Bros 3 is a bit like a pinball machine...

Racking up enough coins in a particular world will unlock the elusive White Mushroom House.

Finding one of these special Toad Houses, Mario can collect a P-Wing (Worlds 1, 3, 5 & 7) or an Anchor in (Worlds 2, 4 & 6).

Definitely not crucial to finishing the game - Just a fun, challenging thing to do.

The one in the first World is relatively easy by comparison.

Collect Those Coins!

World 1-4
(44 Coins)

There might be 46 coins up for grab in this stage... Gotta snag most of them.

Some loose change, plus a pair of "10 coin blocks".
The more problematic of the two being towards the end.

World 1-4
Making every second count...

Approaching the first multi-coin block, pushing all the way to the right of the screen as it scrolls mid-level, Mario can start hammer away at coin block as soon as possible.


Because it's in the ideal spot, can usually manage to squeeze at least 11 coins out of it.





Towards the end of the level...
Gotta be quick and nimble to grab this string of coins, then break a brick to expose the ten-coin block.

The block is high and timing is tight.
Can usually only bank eight or nine coins of ten...




A quick check of the coin count before exiting the level.
Good enough to unlock the White Mushroom House, which contains a P-Wing.

Sandy Shores...

World 2-2
(30 coins)


This one's a bit trickier than the first, but that's just how Mario games go...
Scavenging 30 coins in the desert may take a couple of attempts.

More often than not, collecting some of the necessary coins requires hitting a "P-Switch".
Blocks will temporarily turn into coins, adding to the challenge of getting them all in time.

Here in the Koopahari Desert, a short ride on a mobile platform adds to the challenge.

World 2-2
Preliminary Collection...

I find it easier to collect the actual coins first.


Going back to hit the P-Switch and quickly hopping back on the mobile platform.
(That lone coin by the switch is tempting, although not worth the effort - I don't believe it's possible to grab that single piece with enough time to obtain the rest, but someone's bound to prove me wrong...)


At the end of the lift ride, the timer for block-to-coin magic usually ends before Mario reaches the last set of coins. Gotta jump for it...
With a leap of faith and a bounce off a Koopa Paratroopa, Mario can get enough lift to come sailing straight down through the row of coins as he falls.


Collect that last row of coins, and Mario is golden.




Got the first two White Mushroom Houses without much effort.

Pretty sure there a few in the later worlds that I never managed to reach, especially from World 5 onward. Suddenly tempted to find one of the more challenging levels and take a run at it...