Super Mario Bros. No Power-Ups Challenge!

Started by Dragon October 22nd, 2013 6:36 AM
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  • 51 replies

Dragon

lover of milotics

Age 30
Male
Viridian City
Seen 15 Hours Ago
Posted October 24th, 2022
11,170 posts
9.7 Years

No Power-Ups Challenge!


Introduction & FAQ

Following the Legend of Zelda Challenge, this is the Super Mario challenge, celebrating the upcoming release of Super Mario 3D World! In this challenge, as the name suggests, try to complete a Super Mario Bros. game with out using any power ups, which includes Mushrooms, Fire Flowers, Super Capes, and so on. A tough feat this might be, but, try your best!

Rules

  • The final day to post all logs and progress is November 22nd, (or about a month from now) which is when the event will end!
  • Please don't use any cheat devices or codes. D:
  • If you want to join, refer to the Sign-Up Section below!
  • Feel free to use emulators if you wish - you don't have to play these games on a normal handheld or console!
  • Try to jot down your progress in this thread - juuust to see that you're at least attempting it, if its a little tough to beat.
  • Yoshi's are allowed, since... I don't really see them as "power-ups" per se, but, that's up to you!
  • Got any other questions? Feel free to ask in this thread!

Restrictions & Legitbility

Some Mario games require you to power ups in order to advance through the game, like Super Mario Galaxy, or Super Mario 64, in which, you'll won't be allowed to do the challenge on games like those. So, barring that, you're allowed to do this challenge on any of these Super Mario games below, but keep in mind some things to watch out for, which I'll put in brackets:

~ Super Mario Bros.
~ Super Mario Bros. The Lost Levels
~ Super Mario Bros. 2 (in which you're automatically big, but, you can't pick up Mushrooms)
~ Super Mario Bros. 3
~ Super Mario World (and Super Mario World Advance, in which in this case, watch out for checkpoints - they make you bigger)
~ Super Mario Land
~ Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
~ New Super Mario Bros.
~ Super Mario 3D Land (some power ups like the propeller hat is needed in order to advance, but try and not to collect fire flowers, mushrooms, etc.)
~ New Super Mario Bros. 2
~ New Super Mario Bros. U



Prizes

Aw, but, what's a little event-challenge without prizes in store? You may be able to get these two emblems for participating, and going beyond that (but that is up to you!):




Sign-Up

If you want to participate, fill out this SUS below!

Username:
Game:


For example:
Username: LGDArm
Game: Super Mario World


Challengers

Spoiler:

LGDArm - Super Mario World
DavidtheDeadPhilosopher - Super Mario Land 2: Legend of the 6 Golden Coins
[supporter]Perdition Haze[/supporter] - Super Mario 3D World
jsziede - Super Mario 3D World
Bruce Banner - New Super Mario Bros.
[supporter]Moustachio[/supporter] - Super Mario World
Spinosaurus - Super Mario 3D World
Airbourne Bubblun - Super Mario World
chuckles Lucifer - Super Mario Bros.
Pixelrushe - Super Mario Bros. The Lost Levels & New Super Mario Bros. U





(css made by TwilightBlade)


"Let the fools who stand before me be destroyed by the power you and I possess...
DRAGON SLAVE!"
Age 33
Male
Somewhere next to your motherboard
Seen July 24th, 2014
Posted July 21st, 2014
480 posts
10.3 Years
Well I bit off more then I could chew last time with Adventure of Link (i don't know WHAT I was thinking) but this time I'm FAR more confident.

Name:DavidtheDeadPhilosopher

Game: Super Mario Land 2: Legend of the 6 Golden Coins

Also out of curiosity why did Super Mario Land not make the list?

Dragon

lover of milotics

Age 30
Male
Viridian City
Seen 15 Hours Ago
Posted October 24th, 2022
11,170 posts
9.7 Years
Thought I added that, but I guess not. Well, it's in! I'll update with my progress shortly!


"Let the fools who stand before me be destroyed by the power you and I possess...
DRAGON SLAVE!"

Hiatus

Seen 2 Days Ago
Posted July 24th, 2021
12,283 posts
10.8 Years
Username: Perdition Haze.
Game: Super Mario 3D Land.

This is going to be quite a tough challenge, in my opinion. I always end up getting myself hit by Goombas, since they tend to rush into you whenever you're near them. I'll try to avoid them as much as possible this time around, because if I don't—game over. xD

Good luck to everyone else who are participating!

Wobbu

bunger bunger bunger bunger

he/him
Snaktooth Island
Seen January 22nd, 2023
Posted August 28th, 2016
2,793 posts
11.2 Years
Username: jsziede
Game: Super Mario 3D Land

I missed the Zelda challenge so I shall do this one instead :P
My dependence on power-ups (mainly the Tanooki Suit) will make this very challenging, especially with my habits of collecting every power-up in sight. Good luck everyone!

Dragon

lover of milotics

Age 30
Male
Viridian City
Seen 15 Hours Ago
Posted October 24th, 2022
11,170 posts
9.7 Years
Oh fun, I may try this. Could I participate on New Super Mario Bros. for DS?
Siiince it's on the list, yes you can~!


Anyway, just to track my progress so far:

~ Beat Yoshi's Island 1
~ Beat Yoshi's Island 2
~ Unlocked the Yellow Switch Palace
~ Beat Yoshi's Island 3 (which was insanely easy with the Yellow Blocks unlocked!)
~ Beat Yoshi's Island 4 (kind of tricky, because of the spikes in the water, but, it as fine)
~ Beat Iggy's Castle

All in all, the Yoshi's Island stage was pretty easy with no powerups, but well, it was the first course, soooo, I guess it's as to be expected.

~ Beat Donut Plains 1
~ Beat Donut Plains 2 (which I used Yoshi for means to fly towards the secret key)
~ Unlocked Green Switch Palace
~ Beat Donut Ghost House (thought it'd be harder, buuut it was more tricky, ahaha)
~ Beat Donut Plains 3

Annnd which brings me to Donut Plains 4. I didn't unlock the secret from Donut Plains 1 to the secret Donut Plains course yet, but, maybe after Donut Plains 4 I will. I hope the 2nd castle won't be too hard... ugh.


"Let the fools who stand before me be destroyed by the power you and I possess...
DRAGON SLAVE!"

Spinosaurus

Seen May 27th, 2019
Posted June 7th, 2018
4,569 posts
14.1 Years
Username: Spinosaurus
Game: Mario 3D Land

Regarding Mario 3D Land, do the special world count? Or it just the first 8 worlds?

And I'd love to see anyone here beating The Lost Levels at all, let alone beating it without power ups. lmao.

EDIT: Are infinite 1-up tricks allowed?

Dragon

lover of milotics

Age 30
Male
Viridian City
Seen 15 Hours Ago
Posted October 24th, 2022
11,170 posts
9.7 Years
Username: Spinosaurus
Game: Mario 3D Land

Regarding Mario 3D Land, do the special world count? Or it just the first 8 worlds?

And I'd love to see anyone here beating The Lost Levels at all, let alone beating it without power ups. lmao.

EDIT: Are infinite 1-up tricks allowed?
As long as they're not ~cheat codes~ of any sort.
Then by all means!


"Let the fools who stand before me be destroyed by the power you and I possess...
DRAGON SLAVE!"

Spinosaurus

Seen May 27th, 2019
Posted June 7th, 2018
4,569 posts
14.1 Years
Ah, in case I see myself dying a lot (lol) I'll do the world 1-2 1-up trick.

Also, as an extra, I'll avoid flags. Completely forgot it counts as a mushroom if you're small Mario. And also get hit on purpose since you start as big mario.

EDIT: Also you didn't answer my special world questions.

EDIT2: Well, that's world 1 done. Died from some stupid mistakes...man I'm rusty. I'm pseudo-speedrunning btw.
EDIT3: World 2 done...only died once.
EDIT4: World 3 done :P
EDIT5: World 4! And I'm done with the day. In 1 hour I beat half of the game. :V

Dragon

lover of milotics

Age 30
Male
Viridian City
Seen 15 Hours Ago
Posted October 24th, 2022
11,170 posts
9.7 Years
Oh, the special world - technically you can be finished with the challenge if you beat all 8 courses. It's just something extra, imo. Doing the challenge on that world is up to you.


"Let the fools who stand before me be destroyed by the power you and I possess...
DRAGON SLAVE!"

Dreg

Done after the GT.

Seen July 11th, 2016
Posted July 11th, 2016
1,496 posts
11.2 Years
And I'd love to see anyone here beating The Lost Levels at all, let alone beating it without power ups. lmao.
I can't for the life of me beat it without savestating, so minus the powerups is just hell

Username: Airbourne Bubblun
Game: Super Mario World

I might do this in vids, in spoilers, as proof. Anyway, I'm guessing midway points are out of the question?

Dragon

lover of milotics

Age 30
Male
Viridian City
Seen 15 Hours Ago
Posted October 24th, 2022
11,170 posts
9.7 Years
I can't for the life of me beat it without savestating, so minus the powerups is just hell

Username: Airbourne Bubblun
Game: Super Mario World

I might do this in vids, in spoilers, as proof. Anyway, I'm guessing midway points are out of the question?
The mid way points make you grow bigger, so, I'm afraid not. D:


"Let the fools who stand before me be destroyed by the power you and I possess...
DRAGON SLAVE!"

Hiatus

Seen 2 Days Ago
Posted July 24th, 2021
12,283 posts
10.8 Years
So far, I've beaten three levels from world one. In the first level, I almost got myself disqualified by running into one of those checkpoint flags. They do count as power-ups, don't they? I was able to stop just two to three seconds before touching it though, so that's good! Phew. I may end up running into one of these at some future level, though. They're just so impossible to avoid. D: I was pretty close to get struck by a red mushroom as well, but I avoided it by jumping over. Out of the three levels I've faced today, the hardest would prooobably have to be the last. That level had so many obstacles, it was ridiculous. I've lost about two lives trying to successfully complete it. Lives are quite rare when you're in a challenge like this, since the only way to obtain them is by collecting a hundred coins.

acatfrommars

Male
Seen February 5th, 2023
Posted January 9th, 2023
3,870 posts
9.6 Years
Alright my progress so far:

Started about an hour and a half ago. Made it through World 1 pretty easily although I did lose all of my lives once and had to start over at the Bowser Jr. castle. Besides that though,I ha d no problems. Defeated the bowser in that world easily. Now I'm at World 2, it's a little harder. The Pokey's in 2-1 were such a pan to get through, I lost about three lives trying to dodge them. The lakitu level was easy, I didn't lose a single life. I died before I got to the Bowser Jr. castle so I had to restart, but was bale to get there fine on my second try. I got through the Bowser Jr. castle with 1 life left and 97 coins. I'm currently at 2-5.

Wobbu

bunger bunger bunger bunger

he/him
Snaktooth Island
Seen January 22nd, 2023
Posted August 28th, 2016
2,793 posts
11.2 Years
Update #1:

World 1 was fairly easy. I died a couple times on the second level because my depth perception was off. I also died once on the bonus level that costs 3 star coins because, once again, my depth perception was off (by that I mean I jumped right into a Goomba). Bowser's level was much easier than I remembered, I must be thinking of the later levels. I stopped after the first level of the second world. I had to jump off of the edge the first time because a wild Tanooki leaf appeared (directly above me).

msdmario

Age 33
Male
Texas
Seen August 29th, 2016
Posted April 3rd, 2014
784 posts
16 Years
Yesterday afternoon, I made some significant progress on Super Mario World. I will list all the levels I have beaten so far. This checklist is long because it contains all 96 exits in the game so I'll keep it inside the spoiler tags.

Spoiler:
[X] 1. Yoshi's Island 1
[X] 2. Yellow Switch Palace
[X] 3. Yoshi's Island 2
[X] 4. Yoshi's Island 3
[X] 5. Yoshi's Island 4
[X] 6. #1 Iggy's Castle
[X] 7. Donut Plains 1
[X] 8. Donut Plains 1 Secret Exit
[X] 9. Donut Plains 2
[X] 10. Donut Plains 2 Secret Exit
[X] 11. Donut Ghost House
[ ] 12. Donut Ghost House Secret Exit
[X] 13. Donut Plains 3
[X] 14. Donut Plains 4
[X] 15. #2 Morton's Castle
[X] 16. Green Switch Palace
[X] 17. Donut Secret 1
[X] 18. Donut Secret 1 Secret Exit
[X] 19. Donut Secret House
[X] 20. Donut Secret House Secret Exit
[X] 21. Donut Secret 2
[X] 22. Vanilla Dome 1
[X] 23. Vanilla Dome 1 Secret Exit
[X] 24. Vanilla Dome 2
[X] 25. Vanilla Dome 2 Secret Exit
[X] 26. Vanilla Ghost House
[X] 27. Vanilla Dome 3
[X] 28. Vanilla Dome 4
[X] 29. #3 Lemmy's Castle
[X] 30. Red Switch Palace
[X] 31. Vanilla Secret 1
[] 32. Vanilla Secret 1 Secret Exit
[X] 33. Vanilla Secret 2
[X] 34. Vanilla Secret 3
[X] 35. Vanilla Fortress
[X] 36. Cheese Bridge Area
[X] 37. Cheese Bridge Area Secret Exit
[X] 38. Cookie Mountain
[X] 39. #4 Lugwig's Castle
[X] 40. Soda Lake
[X] 41. Butter Bridge 1
[X] 42. Butter Bridge 2
[ ] 43. Forest Of Illusion 1
[ ] 44. Forest Of Illusion 1 Secret Exit
[ ] 45. Forest of Illusion 2
[ ] 46. Forest of Illusion 2 Secret Exit
[ ] 47. Forest of Illusion 3
[ ] 48. Forest of Illusion 3 Secret Exit
[ ] 49. #5 Roy's Castle
[ ] 50. Blue Switch Palace
[ ] 51. Forest Ghost House
[ ] 52. Forest Ghost House Secret Exit
[ ] 53. Forest of Illusion 4
[ ] 54. Forest of Illusion 4 Secret Exit
[ ] 55. Forest Secret Area
[ ] 56. Forest Fortress
[ ] 57. Chocolate Island 1
[ ] 58. Choco-Ghost House
[ ] 59. Chocolate Island 2
[ ] 60. Chocolate Island 2 Secret Exit
[ ] 61. Chocolate Island 3
[ ] 62. Chocolate Island 3 Secret Exit
[ ] 63. Chocolate Fortress
[ ] 64. Chocolate Island 4
[ ] 65. Chocolate Island 5
[ ] 66. #6 Wendy's Castle
[ ] 67. Chocolate Secret
[ ] 68. Sunken Ghost Ship
[ ] 69. Valley of Bowser 1
[ ] 70. Valley of Bowser 2
[ ] 71. Valley of Bowser 2 Secret Exit
[ ] 72. Valley Ghost House
[ ] 73. Valley Ghost House Secret Exit
[ ] 74. Valley of Bowser 3
[ ] 75. Valley of Bowser 4
[ ] 76. Valley of Bowser 4 Secret Exit
[ ] 77. #7 Larry's Castle
[ ] 78. Valley Fortress
[ ] 79. Star World 1
[ ] 80. Star World 1 Secret Exit

[ ] 81. Star World 2
[ ] 82. Star World 2 Secret Exit
[X] 83. Star World 3
[X] 84. Star World 3 Secret Exit
[X] 85. Star World 4
[X] 86. Star World 4 Secret Exit
[ ] 87. Star World 5
[ ] 88. Star World 5 Secret Exit
[ ] 89. Gnarly
[ ] 90. Tubular
[ ] 91. Way Cool
[ ] 92. Awesome
[ ] 93. Groovy
[ ] 94. Mondo
[ ] 95. Outrageous
[ ] 96. Funky


Out of those levels I have completed, I found Vanilla Dome 1 and Cheese Bridge Area's secret exit to be challenging. For Vanilla Dome 1, it was the second room in particular. That is the room where you collect a star and run on a sinking yellow platform to kill enemies before the platform goes in lava. This is a lot harder since the star is banned. The trick was to eat the Buzzy Beetles with Yoshi while running at full speed. Slowing down for even a second means the end for both of you. It took me several tries to pull these off and I had to make a trip to Yoshi's Island 2 to pick up a new Yoshi after every failed attempt.

For Cheese Bridge Area secret exit, it was just getting to the end of the level that was annoying. Luckily, there was a Yoshi to get in the Cookie Mountain level right next door.

An epic fail moment occurred early in the playthrough. I attempted to complete Star World 1. However, that level is full of yellow blocks which can only be destroyed using a power-up. The game even leaves a Super Mushroom to taunt me. I pretty much had no choice but to let the time expire and turn around.

I'm tempted to complete as many exits as possible. As of now, it looks like 93 exits is the highest amount possible.
Age 28
Male
Behind my pillow
Seen May 11th, 2019
Posted February 10th, 2015
58 posts
9.6 Years
And I'd love to see anyone here beating The Lost Levels at all, let alone beating it without power ups. lmao.
Username: Pixelrushe
Game: Super Mario Bros. The Lost Levels

I'm gonna do it. I feel like someone has to try, at least. I have actually beaten this game ONCE before after God knows how many rage-quits and with that being said, I probably won't be able to finish this challenge buuuuut I'll give it my best shot. FYI, I'll be playing the 25th Anniversary Edition port for the Wii if that's OK? I think I have a Dazzle somewhere so I'll try to record my progress as proof. ^^

Oh and are you allowed to play multiple games?

Spinosaurus

Seen May 27th, 2019
Posted June 7th, 2018
4,569 posts
14.1 Years
Username: Pixelrushe
Game: Super Mario Bros. The Lost Levels

I'm gonna do it. I feel like someone has to try, at least. I have actually beaten this game ONCE before after God knows how many rage-quits and with that being said, I probably won't be able to finish this challenge buuuuut I'll give it my best shot. FYI, I'll be playing the 25th Anniversary Edition port for the Wii if that's OK? I think I have a Dazzle somewhere so I'll try to record my progress as proof. ^^

Oh and are you allowed to play multiple games?
Godspeed, man. Would love to see you do it.

Give this man a special emblem if he does it!

Dragon

lover of milotics

Age 30
Male
Viridian City
Seen 15 Hours Ago
Posted October 24th, 2022
11,170 posts
9.7 Years
Aha, I admire your enthusiasm! :3
And yes, you are allowed to do multiple games if you wish!


"Let the fools who stand before me be destroyed by the power you and I possess...
DRAGON SLAVE!"

Meganium

memento mori

she/her
Houston, TX
Seen February 1st, 2023
Posted February 1st, 2023
I'll be playing Mario World from my phone, so count me in on this :D

Username: Meganium90
Game: Super Mario World (GBA)

also to the guy trying out Lost Levels without power-ups, lord have mercy on your soul.

acatfrommars

Male
Seen February 5th, 2023
Posted January 9th, 2023
3,870 posts
9.6 Years
Current progress: I'm about half way through the third world in New Super Mario Bros. for DS. Personally, I think that the third world is easier than the second. I had to halt playing because I can't find my charger and both of my DS Lites are about to die. Hopefully I can start playing again tomorrow or Wednesday because I'm going to have my friend, who has a charger, charge them for me tomorrow. :p