This is a list of tricks throughout the game that new players should try to prioritize, to gain some significant time without too much effort. This list is catered to any% since many of the tricks focus on skipping content, but some are appropriate for 100% as well.
Major tricks (15 sec+)[]
- 1-2 easy skip on screen 2 - this is NOT the full level skip on screen 1
- 2-2 beanstalk skip, baby mario skip
- 2-4 gatehack
- 3-8 boss 1-shot kill. Also know ghost skip in 2nd sewer area.
- 5-2 snowball skip, ski lift skip
- ~~~~5-4 Skip~~~~
- 6-4 end of screen 1 skip, fast slime kill, key skip, optimal lava crossing, fast taptap kill
- 6-5 2nd autoscroll skip
- 6-6 both keys early
- 6-8 door 4 everytime
Moderate tricks (5-15 sec)[]
- 1-8 optimal salvo kill. Also know platform manipulation & arrow block optimization
- 2-7 cannon despawn, car skip
- 2-8 pipe warp, falling spike log skip, optimal boss kill
- 3-4 crab kill before spikes, spike jumps, optimal boss kill
- 3-6 top route
- 3-7 pole pounding skip
- 4-4 arrow skip in lower right room
- 4-5 extended flutters over poles, final stair skip
- 4-8 breakable block skips, stairway skip, spike skip
- 5-3 various skips
- 5-7 piranha skip (dangerous)
- 6-6 rockless
- 6-7 know where to fall on screen 2
Minor tricks (1-5 sec)[]
- 1-1 beanstalk skip
- 1-4 pot break
- 1-6 beanstalk skip
- 2-5 shell jump & cloud use
- 4-1 baby mario star early
- 4-6 final piranha skip
- 5-1 cloud rides
- 5-4 skip spikes by hopping off slime
- 5-6 shyguy skip at beginning of screen 2
- 6-2 baby mario final star skip
- Various time-saving ground pounds: 2-8, 4-4, 6-7
1-1 warps[]
Note: These do not apply to warpless runs.
- 1-4 (30 Seconds)
- 2-1 (45 seconds)
- 2-4 (25 seconds)
- 3-1 (10 seconds)
- 4-7 (1 second)
- 5-4 (120 seconds)
Levels recommended to practice heavily, regardless of skips[]
1-2 skip isn't worth practicing until world 2 times are consistently below 31 minutes or so.
5-4 autoscroller skip is extremely difficult and you don't need to worry about it unless you're going for a top-time.
6-4 lava skip saves less than 3 seconds. !! TrY aT yOuR oWn RiSk !!