Glitches occur as a result of a random fault in a video game.
Donkey Kong[]
Kill Screen[]
This only will happen in the Arcade version. In the 22nd round ("L=22"), Mario dies instantly after only eight seconds of gameplay. This is known as a "kill screen". It happens due to the fact that the arcade game is out of memory. When you first play the level, the Bonus Points timer displays 100, then goes up to 4,000 points as the level begins. When it's about to touch 3,600 points, it doesn't; it just stays at 3,700 points while Mario faces instant death.
Super Mario Bros.[]
Interrupted fanfare[]
In World 1-1, open the Starman, and run away from it (but not too fast). Go up the first staircase, then grab the Starman. Now quickly run, run, run, as fast as you can to the flagpole, before the Starman expires. If you touch the flagpole on time, the overworld theme will simply "interrupt" the fanfare for clearing a level. This will not work in Super Mario All-Stars or Super Mario Bros. DX.
Minus World (World 36)[]
Remove the two blocks except for the one touching the pipe, then hold the A Button and Right at the same time while facing left. You will then slide through the wall and land near the pipe. The first and third pipes will lead to an unusual place called "World -1", while pipe #2 leads to World 5. World -1 is the exact same as 7-2, except the pipe will lead back to the beginning of the level.
In the FDS version, World -1 is an underwater version of World 1-3; World -2 is equal to World 7-3, and World -3 is an underground version of 4-4. After that, you can press "B" to select a world. The glitch itself will partially work in Super Mario All-Stars, but you will not go anywhere except Worlds 4, 3 and 2. This glitch will completely not work in Super Mario Bros. Deluxe.
Small Fiery Mario[]
Stomp on Bowser and the axe at the same time while Super or Fiery Mario. Mario will then flicker while Super. On the next level, if you collect a Super Mushroom, Mario will turn small, and the next power-up you'll get is a Fire Flower. Now you're small and fiery, but Mario will grow and shrink back again after throwing a fireball. This won't work in the 1993 and 1999 remakes.
If you do this same glitch as small Mario, Mario will die along with Bowser, but you will still move on to the next world, and it will also cost you one life upon moving on.
In the Super Mario Bros. Deluxe remake, there is a completely different way to get small and fiery Mario at the same time. While in any level, quickly press Start to pause the game while Fiery Mario has just touched an enemy, and select "End", then reload the same file. Mario may turn small and still stay Fiery. The fireballs will then fly out of his head. A Super Mushroom will make him grow, and turn back into the normal Fiery Mario. However, you'll lose a life if small Fiery Mario bumps into an enemy.
The Small Fiery Mario glitch in the original NES game was submitted on February 11, 1999, and the Super Mario Bros. Deluxe's version on November 21, 2000.
World 4-2 warp glitch[]
Hit two blocks, then walk to the right until the puncture is halfway off the side. Once that's done, run over to the left and jump once. Mario will then slide through the wall. If you get stuck and forget to hold Right, just hit the A Button to jump off, and you'll be free again. Now take the pipe that leads to the bonus room, except now, you'll automatically be in the Warp Zone area. This also works in Super Mario All-Stars.
The Minus World and Small Fiery Mario glitches were confirmed sometime between 1998-1999, while the Starman and World 4-2 Warp glitches were added to TMK on June 3, 2003.
Super Mario Bros. 2[]
Restart World 6[]
Grab the Potion from the first vase, then throw it near the door. Enter Sub-space, and press Up to exit. As soon as the door opens, repeatedly press B, and you'll hang the Potion on your head. Go through the door, and you'll be holding the Potion again. Throw the potion near one of the vases, and enter Sub-space. Inside, any vase can lead back to where you started from. This probably won't work in Super Mario All-Stars.
Sub-Space Music[]
Get a Starman, and immediately enter Sub-Space. Stay there until time ends while you're still invincible. When the Star expires, the Sub-Space music keeps on playing. This glitch won't work in Super Mario All-Stars, but it also works in Doki Doki Panic (which has different music, of course).
These two glitches shown above were posted to TMK on February 11, 1999.
Backwards Warp Zone[]
It's rumored that you can warp back a level from World 1-2 to 1-1, by using a Stop Watch, an enemy, and a ladder. While the enemies are frozen by the Stop Watch, grab one and throw it under the ladder. If done correctly, the enemy will be stuck under. Jump repeatedly until you are standing on the enemy, then throw it aside and climb down. You will end up back in World 1-1.
The glitch can also be performed in World 3-1, where from there, you'll go to "World 1-2" (it's really World 3-square, a glitch level!).
A YouTube video showing these glitches was uploaded on October 9, 2010.
Super Mario Bros. 3[]
Battle Mode: Flame Cards[]
Start a 2-player game and keep playing Battle Mode stages until the one with the Question Blocks and ladders is reached. In this stage, if a block passes behind one of the characters, it will disappear when the game is paused and a fireball will appear in the character's first card slot. With this glitch, you can rack up as much as 74 lives! But be careful, if you go over 127 lives and win the round, your game is automatically over. If you lose, however, or if you have anywhere from 100 to 127 lives, you'll instead have 99 lives.
This glitch was submitted to TMK on June 22, 2009.
Bowser's Secret Room[]
In Castle of Koopa, use a P-Wing to squat and fly through the wall above the last Bowser statue. You will then enter a new room. This applies in Super Mario All-Stars.
Burping Bowser[]
This glitch is pretty funny. Use a P-wing, and take the lower route after the Donut Lifts. As you enter Bowser's arena, fly up and over the wall to your left. You'll then drop down entering the same place. As Bowser appears, you'll hear the fiery SFX, but Bowser will not be able to breathe fire. You can also do this in Super Mario All-Stars.
Death Glitch[]
In Sky 2 (World 5-2), start as Tanooki Mario. Jump while on the hill to the first pipe, then press B and Down to turn into a statue. Mario will slide down the hill and get squashed to the left of the screen, resulting in instant death. The glitch can also be performed in Super Mario All-Stars. It was posted to TMK on January 5, 2011.
Debug Mode[]
By using the Game Genie code "KKKZSPIU", you get five additional features -- select from Worlds 1-8 before starting the game, add 5 extra lives each time you press the A Button, start with every item available in the game in the inventory, press Select to change Mario's suit, and unlimited time in each level.
If you hold the A or B Button then press Select, Mario will instantly be wearing Kuribo's Shoe, which will look glitchy in levels where the shoe was never meant to appear in.
Early Ending[]
With the Debug Mode code turned on, press B, A then Down to go straight to the part where Mario rescues Princess Toadstool, or press B, A then Right to go straight to the credits.
Extended 1-UP Mushroom sound effect[]
Have Raccoon Mario wag his tail just a fraction of a second after collecting a 1-UP Mushroom. If this happens, a conflict between two sound effects will occur, and extra notes will play for the music when normally collecting a 1-UP Mushroom.
This glitch was uploaded to YouTube on January 13, 2008 by Xkeeper, and was submitted to TMK on July 6, 2009.
Gray Mario[]
Enter Sky 3 as Tanooki Mario. Immediately press B as you go down a pipe. Mario will instantly turn gray. This won't work in Super Mario All-Stars.
It is also possible to have gray Tanooki Mario climbing a vine in one of the levels in World 6. To perform this glitch, hold B and Down to turn into a statue, then let go of B and immediately press Up. Mario will climb up the vine still gray, but if you let go, he'll transform out of statue mode. The glitch was posted on TMK on October 7, 2013.
Gray Hammer Mario[]
Gray Hammer Mario.
Enter Pipe Maze 8 as Tanooki Mario. Quickly go down the secret room without even being damaged. Stand still as in statue form. If the Hammer suit touches you, you'll turn gray. Unfortunately, you can't leave the room.
What's even worse, it also works in Super Mario All-Stars, except Mario will turn bronze.
Sky 1: Treasure Box Glitch (Japanese version only)[]
Use a P-Wing before entering. Fly up and over the wall on your left, and walk on the wall. You will then hear a sound. Now go down, and the Nipper will change from a 5UP to a Warp Whistle. If you touch the Card Roulette, the Treasure Box may appear to the left. If it appears to the right, you'll earn the Music Box. The words "Course Clear! You got a card" will change into corrupted graphics. This does not work in Super Mario All-Stars, for the level is exactly like the U.S. version. The glitch was posted to TMK on September 26, 2000.
Super Fire Flower[]
Enter Sky 7 as any form besides small Mario, and without Starman power. Bump the first block to release a Fire Flower, but don't grab it yet. Hit the first "?" Block in the group of three to the right, and the Fire Flower will start to flash. Now take damage by the brick blocks that jump from one place to another, until you become small Mario. Now grab the Fire Flower, and you'll automatically become Fiery Mario. This works in Super Mario All-Stars also.
Warp Zone Canoe Glitch (Japanese version only)[]
Scroll over to the canoe and then use a Warp Whistle. Then move to the left and Mario will go off the island. This may not be a good idea, because once you move off, you're stuck, unless you have another Warp Whistle, and you can go to World 8. This glitch is fixed in both the U.S. and All-Stars versions, and will therefore not work.
The Super Fire Flower and Canoe Warp Zone glitches were added to TMK on February 6, 2007.
Super Mario World[]
Faster Music[]
Wait until the clock reaches 100 game seconds in the Funky level, then have Yoshi eat a Green Berry. The music will go faster and faster each time you do this. This glitch was posted to TMK on August 23, 1999.
The glitch was fixed in Super Mario Advance 2, as the music does not speed up should you attempt to do the glitch in the remake.
Test Level[]
If you find a lone area, it'll lead to a place with a scrambled background and the words "TEST" and the down arrow pointing to the only pit that causes you to lose a life.
Kirby's Adventure[]
HAL glitch[]
In Vegetable Valley 2, as you approach the first Warpstar, don't ride on it. Go back a bit, then come back until the Warpstar disappears. Go further than that, and you'll eventually see an "HAL" made out of Star Blocks. A Broom Hatter will be sweeping the words.
Hidden UFO room[]
In the second area of Vegetable Valley 1, there are four blocks in front of the first waterfall. Look closely, and you'll notice that the first block is different. Float underneath very carefully and press Up to reveal a hidden door. You'll end up in a secret room with a UFO!
These glitches were submitted to Kirby's Rainbow Resort on August 8, 2004.
Super Mario All-Stars[]
50,000 Points[]
In both Super Mario Bros. and The Lost Levels, make sure you stomp on the axe when there's 0 seconds left, and if the timing is right, the game will think you had 1,000 seconds left, giving you a plentiful of points. This won't work in the original NES, because no points are given that time. In addition, this also doesn't work on the flagpole; you'll get 0 points for that.
This glitch was posted to TMK on February 3, 2000.
Mushroom Block cloning[]
In the World 6-1 vase room of Super Mario Bros. 2, it is possible to create new Mushroom Blocks and therefore fill up the room with these blocks. This glitch, however, cannot be performed in the original SMB2 or in Super Mario Advance. The glitch was posted on July 10, 2012 to TMK.
This level was first discovered on June 21, 2000.
Super Mario 64;;[]
Black Room of Death[]
Fly through the ledge of the castle, and you'll fall down behind the doors... inside a black room you've never entered. If you open the door, you'll end up on the other side of the black room. To get out, simply walk through the wall.
Death Glitch[]
While you're on the castle roof, walk towards the corner on the southwest. Then walk off slowly so Mario is holding onto the ledge and make him pull himself back up. Once this happens, the game will think you're out of bounds, causing you to lose a life. During the process, Mario's hat will disappear while Bowser's shadowy figure representing death appears. You'll then show up on the bridge that leads to the castle entrance, with a cost of one life.
Hat Plus Hat[]
Drop and lose your hat, and when you find it, get as close as you can to it. Make sure Mario still finds the same hat he lost after he picks it up, and when he picks up the 2nd hat, he'll appear to be holding his hat in his hand, instead of wearing it on his head. But be careful -- your defense is still lower by 1 piece of your Power Meter, and you take 1½ times the damage from falling off a high place, as if you were not wearing your hat.
Koopa the Quick Automatically Loses[]
Grab a Wing Cap, and triple-jump next to Koopa the Quick. Land right in front of him, and fly down without touching the ground. Jump down into a cannon, and blast yourself to the mountaintop near the flagpole. Say yes if you are asked to race, and you'll end up with a time record of 0 seconds.
All glitches above were submitted in December 1999.
Negative Lives (Japanese version only)[]
There is actually a way you can change the number of lives from a whole number to just an integer. In any Bowser level, keep collecting coins until you reach 1,000, and you'll get an "M25" for your total number of lives, thus giving you -25 lives. If you lose a life, the total will go up to M26, or -26 in actuality. If you collect a 1-UP Mushroom, it'll go down by one number, just like negative integers. After M1 (-1), you'll go back to 0. After M128, you'll go back to 100.
The lowest number you can go for is -128, and if you keep collecting 1-UP Mushrooms, you can go from -1 to 0 lives. But you cannot go from 0 to -1 lives, 'cause then you'll get a Game Over. Some hacks, however, contain locations that can send you back with a cost of one life. If you have 0 lives when this happens, the game will not be over; instead, you'll have -1 lives.
The glitch was posted to TMK on February 28, 2001.
Rabbit Glitch[]
Do not collect the Star after catching Mips the Rabbit. Instead, carry him over to the wooden door near the two blue torches. Set him down near the door, and you'll be able to carry him over to the star door. Jump right through, and you'll be able to enter Dire, Dire Docks with only 15 to 29 Stars.
Scary Stair Glitch[]
It's not scary at first, but if you know how to do this glitch already, then it will get scary. First, perform a backwards long jump, then rapidly tap A to glide up the stairs and through the clock tower. Now, things will start to get scary after all. Go through the last star door, and do the glitch again. You'll end up near the Bowser picture, which is really frightening. But the good news is, you'll then get to beat the game with only 16 to 69 Stars.
A video of the glitch was first posted to GameFAQs on March 16, 2003, and the glitch was first uploaded to YouTube on January 16, 2006.
Donkey Kong 64[]
Boss Glitch[]
It's a little difficult, but also still possible to have a different Kong enter the boss battle, especially without the number of Bananas required. First, you must stand near the edge of a stair on the right side, then use the C-Up button right before the Kong drops down. Turn the camera over to the stair until you see a black mark through it. If done correctly, the Kong will be able to walk under the stairs and go straight through the other side of the door. Upon doing so, the door will open/close the opposite way, and you'll still see the number of Bananas required as the screen fades out.
Performing the glitch is not recommended in Frantic Factory, as the game will freeze if a male Kong falls off the platforms, and the background music will continue to play with just a black screen.
In the Gloomy Galleon boss battle (Puftoss), the other Kongs can be seen replacing Lanky Kong during the cutscenes, but you'll still hear Lanky's voice.
And in the Fungi Forest boss battle, you cannot win at the end no matter how hard you try, as the Hunky Chunky barrel will appear translucently. The best you can do is just watch as your Kong meets a fiery doom in the lava, and know for the fact that you actually wasted more time on this.
Test Room Glitch[]
Upon collecting all 40 Blueprints, as usual, you will also unlock the opportunity to replay all the minigames found in Bonus Barrels. Go to the minigame menu and press the A and B Buttons simultaneously. You will then end up ina a secret test room. This room contains a yellow Banana Balloon holding 10 Bananas. There is no background music in this test level, and you cannot pause the game while you're in this room.