Sometimes even the most skilled New Super Mario Bros Wii player needs a bit of a helping hand. Luckily, a series of cannons located throughout the game can help you move more quickly through the game worlds. Our complete guide has locations for all six, as well as instructions for reaching each.
No Mario game would be complete without a multitude of unlockable warp cannons. New Super Mario Bros Wii is no slouch in this department, as there are several secrets for careful explorers to unlock.
Our guide will help you find them all.
World 1-3
The game's first warp cannon entrance is located in World 1-3. You'll make your way through the level and eventually find a ? box containing your old pal Yoshi. Make sure you don't lose him during the level, as you'll need his help to gain entry to the warp cannon. Shortly after the mid-level save point, you'll come across a large floating mass in the sky with a tiny ledge just visible at the top of the screen. There are three smaller plateaus below it that you can use to reach the ledge.
If you continue into the floating mass from the ledge, you'll discover a hidden passage, ignore it. The passage is a red herring. The real secret path is just off the top of the screen above the ledge. Jump, then press jump again to have Yoshi boost you up the extra few inches you'll need to reach it. Alternatively, you can simply jump once then shake your controller to hop off Yoshi's back and get a little extra height.
Walk along the top of the ledge until you pass a small dip where you become visible. Immediately past that you should enter a hidden warp pipe. The pipe leads to a hidden flag pole exit, and jumping on the flag will open up the path to the warp cannon on the world map. This cannon takes you to World 5.
World 2-6
The game's second warp cannon entrance is unlocked within world 2-6. You'll have several chances to pick up a helicopter hat during this high-flying level, and that's good because you'll need one to reach the level's secret exit.
The upside-down warp pipe you're looking for is located just after the level's eight red coins. You'll see a set of ten invisible coins above several more dancing back and forth. Immediately above and to the right of the amazing reappearing coins is an upside-down red warp pipe. Use your helicopter hat to fly up and enter it. If you get to the end of the rotating pink block's path, you've gone too far.
Once you emerge from the pipe, you're just a couple of carefully-timed jumps away from unlocking the secret path on the world map. When the level ends, a couple of extra mushroom platforms will appear on the map to help you reach the cannon.
The cannon takes you to World 5.
Check out page two for warp cannons in Worlds 3 and 4, as well as the final two cannons located in Worlds 5 and 6.
Complete Guide to New Super Mario Bros Wii
New Super Mario Bros Wii may well be one of the best Nintendo Wii games of all time. Get the most out of this excellent title with the help of our complete guide, featuring must-read multiplayer tips, warp cannon locations, a full listing of unlockables, and much more.