At the end of every standard stage (1-1, 1-2, 2-1, 2-2, etc.), after you've jumped on the flagpole, you'll be presented with a short bonus stage. This is a simple mini-game that offers a chance to earn extra lives. The bonus stage consists of two ropes, one on the left and one on the right. You must choose one of the ropes to pull.
How to Play:
- After hitting the flagpole, Mario will be standing in front of two ropes.
- Press Left or Right on the D-Pad to select a rope.
- Press A or B to pull the selected rope.
Rewards:
- 1-Up Heart: One of the ropes will always reward you with a 1-Up Heart, granting an extra life.
- Coins: The other rope will reward you with a small number of coins (usually 3-5).
The choice of which rope gives the 1-Up Heart is random for each stage. There's no trick or pattern to determine which rope is correct; it's purely luck-based. However, since you get to play this bonus stage after every standard level, it's a consistent way to potentially gain many extra lives throughout your playthrough. Always take advantage of these bonus stages to maximize your life count. Even if you get coins, they still contribute to your 100-coin 1-Up goal.
While the timing-based ladder climb in Super Mario Land provides extra lives, Paper Mario: Sticker Star later reimagined bonus rounds as a slot machine mechanic for earning combat power-ups.