Practice
While NSMBW might look difficult on the surface, nothing in this game can’t be learned and made consistent with good practice.
Knowing how to effectively practice NSMBW is what will keep you from plateauing and help you to continuously improve your times.
If you’re looking for a plain list of practice resource links, head to Practice Resources.
Practice Mod
The Practice Mod is the best way to practice this game. It is packed with a multitude of features, including:
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Pipes placed throughout almost every level for quick access to rooms that may typically take a long time to reach. In 8-Airship, there is a pipe at the start of the level that takes you directly to the Bowser Jr. fight.
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Certain button combinations are hardcoded in for savestates, zooming in/out, power-up cycling, and instant room reloading. Here is the full list of features with their respective button combo:
| Action | Sideways Wiimote (“A”) | Sideways Wiimote (“B”) | Wiimote + Nunchuk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Save state | Minus | Minus | Minus |
| Restore state | A | B | C |
| Reload room (return to original position) | Minus + 1 | Minus + 1 | Minus + B |
| Reload room (keep current position) | Minus + 2 | Minus + 2 | Minus + A |
| Cycle powerup | Minus + B | Minus + A | Minus + Z |
| Toggle star | Minus + D-Pad Up | Minus + D-Pad Up | Minus + Joystick Up |
| Reload stage | Minus + D-Pad Down | Minus + D-Pad Down | Minus + Joystick Down |
| Zoom out | Plus + D-Pad Up | Plus + D-Pad Up | Plus + D-Pad Up |
| Zoom in | Plus + D-Pad Down | Plus + D-Pad Down | Plus + D-Pad Down |
| Toggle zoom | Plus + D-Pad Left | Plus + D-Pad Left | Plus + D-Pad Left |
| Default zoom | Plus + D-Pad right | Plus + D-Pad right | Plus + D-Pad right |
| Visualize Hitboxes | B + 2 | B + 2 | B + 2 |
- An info display at the top of the screen provides real-time useful info including X/Y speed, precise IGT, an input display, Mario’s current movement state, and a power-up-specific frame timer (more info can be found throughout the Movement Guide).
What the Info Display looks like in-game. This will be shown in all tutorial examples.
We recommend practicing while using instant replay software such as AmaRecTV to make the most of this feature.
Installation
NSMBW mods require installing Homebrew to your Wii/Wii U.
Linked are easy-to-follow Homebrew setup tutorials for:
All NSMBW mods launch using a Homebrew app called Riivolution.
After having a Homebrewed console with Riivolution:
1) Download and open the latest Practice Mod .zip file, located in the Discord Server #resources Channel
2) Drag the Roadrunner_Rynnoo_Edit and riivolution folders onto the root of your SD card and hit “Replace Files” if a prompt shows up.
3) Safely eject your SD card from your computer and insert it into your Wii/Wii U console.
4) Open the Riivolution app from the Wii Menu, make sure “NSMBW Practice Mode” is the only mod set to ENABLED, and hit LAUNCH.
This same installation process can be applied to all NSMBW Mods. Navigate Riivolution by using the Wii Remote dpad or cursor.
The Practice Mod also works well with Dolphin Emulator. (Tutorial on how to play Riivolution patches on Dolphin)
By now you should have a solid foundation for starting your NSMBW speedrunning journey. For more advice, questions, or any feedback you may have, join the NSMBW Speedrunning Server.
Your next steps are to start learning strats and movement in Tutorials! Good luck!