The World of Deserts seems extremely difficult when you are not used to it. World 2-2 is not that different from the level that you've just come through. It's a continuation of World 2-1, only the jars are closer together, the quicksand is faster, and you have a smaller area to move around in. There are some new dangers, like jars with armies of Cobrats and a deceptive path on map D that leads to a dead end. Just keep moving and be careful of the Shyguys. If you haven't selected Toad as your character yet, now would be a good time!

Balanced character selection

Once again, when it comes to the desert, no one is as equipped to deal with its perils and dig through the sand as Toad. It's not a bad idea to lean on him in this world. You may find some of the vertical jumps challenging, but it's nothing that Toad's Power Jump can't overcome.

A rare quiet moment. From the gate, you start off in a secluded cave. Take a deep breath, and when you're ready, advance through the door to the desert beyond.

Part 1

(1) Sub-space. The potion lies in the first patch of grass you see in World 2-2. Don't wait, use it and get the mushroom and coins from Sub-space.

Part 2

(2) Bounce off the bones! This quicksand is definitely quick! No matter how much you press A button, you're still in trouble. But all is not lost. Leap on the bones falling down and quickly jump to the other side. Just watch out for the Cobrat attacks on the other side. Run to the entrance to Map C and head for the underground. In Super Mario Advance, you'll likely need the assist from the bone platform in order to reach the A-coin perched above.

(5) Beware of Pokey! This is going to be as bad as it was in World 2-1. Cobrats are pouring out of the jars nonstop, spitting bullets at you as they come. Either jump on their heads, throw the Cobrats down, or hide in one of the rooms of a jar. Try to steer clear of Pokey. He can do a lot of damage. If you mess with him, go for his weak spot; the segment closest to the ground.

(6) Speed to Safety. Don't relax just because you made it past that river of Cobrats. There's trouble ahead up at the top of those stone steps; double trouble! Two Pansers are waiting to give you a flaming hot welcome. If you can't find anything at the bottom of the stone steps to cool their jets, your best bet is to "hot foot" it to safety. However, in Super Mario Advance, you'll have to be brave in order to find and collect the A-coin situated between the plants.

(3) Blast a wall. Before you do anything, drop down to the bottom of the right side of this map. Pull out the lone grass that you find down there, and get a 1-Up. On the ledge above and to your right, you will find three bombs. You must be quick in order to use them. Pull them out of the ground and immediately squat down for a Power Jump. Then drop them off in front of the wall just before the explode.

(4) Sub-space. Where's the potion? Pull out the grass dead center to find it. Go into Sub-space for coins and a mushroom.

(7) Get Starman's help! Remember in World 2-1, how you could grab cherries while you dug your way down through the sand to get Starman? Do the same thing right here. Just take him along with you, and get going with an invincible Toad!

(8) Zig-Zag! Maybe you weren't able to get Starman. Oh well, in that case, don't dig your hole straight down. Try zig-zagging your way instead, and Shyguy won't be able to touch you. They never learned the zigzag maneuver.

(9) Always take the passage on the right. The end of map D divides into two passages. Take the right one. The left one leads down to a dead end, and you'll get stuck climbing all the way back up again. The right one will lead you to door C with no problems.

Super Mario Advance Mushroom

The game designers gave new purpose to this otherwise dead-end of an alley. Instead of finding only sand, you'll find a new jar with a 1-Up mushroom inside of it. On top of that, you can also discover a potion buried below the grass nearby. Collect it, and bring it back up to the large gap in the sand where a cherry was found. Use the potion there, and you'll find yourself a third hidden mushroom for the stage.

Pokeys for life

While knocking out Pokey is a good way to save your life in Super Mario Bros. 2, it can actually increase your life in Super Mario Advance! You can collect at least one 1-Up on this stage by grabbing a Cobrat from a Jar, then knocking out a Pokey while also knocking out at least one additional enemy, such as another Cobrat. The Pokey alone is like knocking out four enemies, so each enemy added to that is worth an additional 1-Up.

(10) Use the Mushroom Blocks. There she is again, Birdo, the mini-boss of World 2-2. Collect one of the Mushroom Blocks, and use a power jump to reach the ledge in the upper right. Enter her arena, and throw the mushroom block to hit her from above. Hit her three times and you've got her beat. Be careful though; at this stage, Birdo starts shooting fireballs! She will spit fireballs once during every sequence of three, so be careful not to jump early before you know what the projectile is. Also, you cannot duck underneath them if you are on the same ground height as Birdo.

After beating Birdo, grab the Crystal Ball and head through the hawkmouth gate.