There are new dangers here: quicksand that sucks you down if you stand still and stacked bricks that block your path. You'll have to dig your way out through the sand, and it's not so easy. These are just a couple of many hair-raising problems and challenges. Don't sweat it! Keep going. You'll make it if you're fast, smart and a little lucky. Here's a clue to remember. Don't stop unless you have a good foothold.

Balanced character selection

Now that you're in a new environment, you must learn how to watch out for the many traps of the World of Deserts. You're bound to run into the snaggle toothed Cobrat. Also, beware of Panser's fire attacks. Few characters shine in any world as much as Toad shines in the Desert. No one can dig through the sand quite as fast as he can.

Part 1

(1) Wrong jar. OK, you've defeated the Cobrat and entered the jar. What's wrong? There's nothing inside but a Snifit and a Shell. Don't worry, those shells will turn into useful weapons if you take them outside.

(2) Sub-space. See the four patches of grass? The one on the left is the potion. Use it here, enter Sub-space, and take the mushroom and coins. Your life meter can never be too high. Mushrooms are precious items in the tough World of Deserts. If you don't find them, you'll regret it later.

Part 2

(3) Heave Shyguy at Panser! Panser is spitting flames at the top of the steps. Be careful! Look for Shyguy below, pick him up and throw him at Panser. Now you can get by safely.

Dangers abound in the World of Deserts: Cobrats live in the jars of the deserts. Watch out, they sometimes emerge from the jars to spit bullets. If you stop in the quicksand, you'll start to sink and lose jumping power. Just keep moving. Panser blows fire at you to block your way. Defeat it by tossing a Shyguy at it.

Super Mario Advance Mushroom

Don't be in such a hurry to enter that pyramid. In Super Mario Advance, you'll find a new patch of grass all the way against the right edge of the map. Pick it up, and you'll discover a potion. Bring that potion over to the cactus on the other side of the pyramid, and set it down to create a door to Sub-space. Step inside, and you'll find a new hidden mushroom. Once you're back, use the nearby Cobrat to give you a boost if you're having trouble collecting that A-Coin in the sky.

• (4) Leave the hole digging to Toad! It's time for Toad to show you how fast he can dig a hole! Press repeatedly to dig into the soft sand and move downward. Dig holes and go down to the ladder. But watch out for Shyguy—he's coming at you from the side. If an enemy attacks you from above, escape by moving right or left. Resume digging when possible.
• (5) Take a cherry and keep going. Cherries are buried in the sand. If you picked some up in map A, you'll meet Starman here. Grab him, and you can dig your holes with no trouble at all. If you eliminate all your enemies, you may even earn hearts.

Cobrats

Expect these snakes to pop out of nearly every jar you see. Knocking them out is easy enough—just leap up on top of their head, then lift them up and throw them. They're perfectly sized for knocking out several enemies, especially if you can hit a Pokey in the process. They count as four enemy hits, and may earn you a heart.

(6) Look for attacks from behind You'll never guess who's the mini-boss of World 2-1. It's Birdo again, but this time there are some big gaps to fall into if you're not careful. Toad is a great pick for this battle, since he can lift the eggs very quickly. It's the same strategy as before: jump on an egg, pick it up without falling into a hole, then throw it back at Birdo. But be careful—if you're timing is off, and you're too late in lifting an egg, you'll fall straight down into the canyon below. Three hits and she's history. Don't relax too much after defeating Birdo. Two canyons requiring long jumps await you in front of the gate.

(Grab the Crystal Ball , carefully aim your jumps, and head through the hawkmouth gate.