New Super Mario Bros. 2: Rainbows

I never found any of the Rainbow courses, so I set out to look for them. There's a fairly specific method to follow them: in any course with a flagpole, land on the flagpole when the last two digits match the world number. For each of them, I recommend bringing a Super Leaf.

1-Rainbow
Make sure your time ends in "11" when you reach the flagpole. This will make the original flagpole music from Super Mario Bros. play and you'll get fireworks, in a number equal to the world number. The level will appear where the world's start arrow is. Take the pipe cannon up and you'll enter a world of rainbows with remixed Coin Heaven music. In this one, you'll stand on a moving platform as coins rain down. The random coin blocks have better odds here. Between the first and second sets of random coin blocks, a 100-Coin coin will appear. Try to get it. There is also a random coin block that can give you a 100-Coin coin. The platform will eventually move past a wall, so you'll drop back down to the World Map. You can drop down at any time without penalty.

2-Rainbow
Your time must end in "22" to access this level. The cannon will take you to an automatically scrolling level on rainbow platforms. The coins will rain down in lines. The 100-Coin coin will appear near the higher platforms. Be sure to get the Red Coins: getting them will put a Gold Flower as your reserve item.

3-Rainbow
Your time must end in "33" to access this level. The cannon will take you to a moving platform. The coins appear from below. Some 10-Coin coins will go by quickly, then the 100-Coin coin. There are quite a few random coin blocks. Eventually, the platform will reach a wall.

4-Rainbow
 Your time must end in "44" to access this level. The cannon will take you to an automatically scrolling rainbow level. The coins will rain down and arc from the pipes. The 100-Coin coin will appear up the platform "stairs". There are Red Coins here that appear in the circling coins.

5-Rainbow
Your time must end in "55" to access this level. The cannon will take you to a moving platform. The coins will arc from below. The 100-Coin coin will appear after the first random coin block. One random coin block can give you a 100-Coin coin.

6-Rainbow
Your time must end in "66" to access this level. The cannon will take you to an automatically scrolling ranbow level. There are coins spinning in rings over bouncy pink mushrooms. The 100-Coin coin will appear over the high platform between two rings. There are Red Coins here that will appear in the centers of the rings.

Mushroom-Rainbow
Your time must end in "77" to access this level. Mushroom isn't a number, so this is what you need. The cannon will take you to a moving platform. The coins will appear from above and below, and in spinning rings. There is a random coin block that can give you a 100-Coin coin. There are also Red Coins that appear on the outer rings of coins. The 100-Coin coin appears at the end. You'll have to jump for it.

Flower-Rainbow
Your time must end in "88" to access this level. The cannon will take you to an automatically scrolling rainbow level. The coins will spin more slowly in bands that look like a ferris wheel. There are Red Coins that appear via parachute. The 100-Coin coin appears here.

Star-Rainbow
Your time must end in "99" to access this level. The cannon will take you to a moving platform. The coins will appear in star formations from above. 10-Coin coins will rain down, as well as the 100-Coin coin. You can get another from the random coin block. Red Coins appear via parachute.

Coin Total: 75,654
Well, that's it. We're totally done here. My coin total wasn't too bad, but it's nowhere near the 1 million coin goal. I'll reach it slowly but surely.

New Super Mario Bros. 2: Star-6

This level is a castle-like area, down to the music. Go down the gap with coins and drop into the water. Keep going down, avoiding the Fishbones until you reach a blue pipe. The level will start automatically scrolling. Avoid the Fishbones, or lure them into walls or each other. The first Moon Coin is in an alcove in the ceiling. Coins in bubbles will appear. Take the magenta pipe in the ceiling to a room with the second Moon Coin and two Fishbones. You'll reach the midpoint once you return to the main level. Get the Fire Flower from the right brick block and the level will scroll up at the arrow. There is a fire pipe along the way. At the top is a random item block and the level will scroll to the right again. If you get a Gold Flower, you can destroy the brick blocks for coins. There are Red Coins between the blue pipes, each with a vortex. The third Moon Coin is in a ring of Fishbones. The blue pipe to the flagpole is nearby. Triple jump, following the coins for a 1-up at the flagpole.

Coin Total: 67,383

New Super Mario Bros. 2: Star-1

It takes 90 Star Coins to access Star World. There are no secret goals, just a linear path to the castle. Let's finish this!

This level is a dark world, made mainly of brick blocks. I don't recommend using a Gold Flower excessively here, as you may be destroying the floor. We still have special coins to collect, so what could they be? Go to the right and grab the shell and use it to hit the brick block over the first narrow gap. This will make a P-Switch appear, turning all brick blocks into coins. Hit the ? Switch to drop the bridge. The next switch is on the left side of the right brick block pair. Go over the brick block ferris wheel and you'll come across the first special coin. The shape on the coin is that of a 3-up Moon from Super Mario World. Moon Coins in Star World? Oh well. The brick block to the right has a P-Switch. Hit it to turn the brick blocks into coins and make Silver Coins and drop down. It's okay; there's a floor below. Pound the brick blocks over the green pipe to make the bridges move out of the way and use the pipe as a cannon to the first Moon Coin. There is a brick block jutting out of the right wall past the second ferris wheel. Pound the blocks to the right of it and hit it from below to make a vine appear. It leads to Coin Heaven. Hit the P-Switch to make some ground to stand on, then hit the item block outside of the ring for a Gold Flower. You'll drop back down to the midpoint. Past the next ferris wheel is the second Moon Coin over the gap. Go over the gap and use a shell to get it. Next is a Red Coin Ring. Activating it will make a Moneybag hop around, releasing the Red Coins. Next, keep going to the right without hitting the ? Switch. Go under the ledge for the third Moon Coin, then hit the switch. It will raise the bridge to the flagpole, blocking off the Moon Coin.

Coin Total: 64,866

New Super Mario Bros. 2: Mushroom-2

It's time to go swimming again. Go through the green pipe and start the level. It's an automatic sidescroller with Urchins and rock that will move out of the way rather slowly. A Fire Flower is great here to destroy the Urchins. The path will briefly fork near the floor, so drop down to reach the first Star Coin. You will be temporarily trapped until the rock in front of you moves. Next, the rocks in the floor will rise to alter the path the Urchins will take. This will lead to the midpoint and a random item block with a Gold Flower. There are some Red Coins nearby, but you need to deal with Urchins to get them. As you progress, you'll find Urchins trapped by rocks that are released from above and below. Be careful here. Swim up into the second alcove once the Urchin descends to get the second Star Coin. Immediately after that area, go through the green pipe above. Quickly swim up to avoid giant green Cheep-Cheep and get the third Star Coin at the top before rocks close in over it. Go through the green pipe to reach the flagpole. If you have a Gold Flower and do not go through the green pipe to the third Star Coin, you'll find a blue pipe blocked by brick blocks. It will take you to an area with brick blocks so you can make lots of coils. It will lead you to the same flagpole.

Coin Total: 54,400

New Super Mario Bros. 2: Mushroom-1

It's a new world. This particular level has lots of coin potential. The first brick block can become a Gold Block. Platform over the colorful blocks until you reach a blue pipe. Hit the invisible block next to it on the left for a Starman. Take out some Koopas and Piranhas, then hit the item block to the left of the midpoint for another Starman. Go down the yellow pipe in the center. Pound the POW blocks to form stairs down to the first Star Coin. If you don't feel like dealing with the Parakoopas, just send a shell down to get the first Star Coin for you. Go through the red pipe back to the main level. To the right are more block platforms. On top of the right tower is a Gold Ring, so you can cash in, especially if you have a Starman and a Gold Flower. Between the next blue and red pipe is a yellow pipe and a Red Coin Ring. The yellow pipe takes you to an area with lots of brick blocks. Instead of pounding them, hit the item block for a Gold Flower and get some coins. Don't destroy all the blocks at once so you can reach the second Star Coin, which is blocked from above. Next, you'll see some tall block platforms. You can try bouncing off the Koopas to reach the top, but I recommend flying. You might have to return with a Super Leaf. The third Star Coin is on the right tower. Go to the left tower and hit the invisible block for a vine to an area with flying blocks. Hit the block that isn't flying to make it fly. Go over the brick blocks and hop on the flying item blocks to reach the Red Goal. This opens the path to Mushroom-A. Otherwise, continue to the right on the main level to reach the regular goal to Mushroom-2.

Coin Total: 58,686
I found the secret goal after completing other levels.

New Super Mario Bros. 2: 4-5

Before taking the pipe underwater, stand on the ledge to the right to make coins appear. There are coins trailing the Cheep-Cheep as well. There is a random item block, so try your luck at getting a Gold Flower. That or a Fire Flower will be very helpful, as there are man-eating giant Cheep-Cheep in the water. Throughout are blue pipes with currents pushing you to the right. Above one of them is a yellow pipe that takes you to the first Star Coin. It's in the middle of a current pushing up. Jump out of the water and pound the ground to reach it. Before you reach the midpoint, there will be a random coin block and a giant Cheep-Cheep. To the right are Red Coins and, below them, a yellow pipe blocked by brick blocks. If you have the Gold Flower, you can access this pipe. It leads to a room with brick blocks that can be turned into quick cash. The pipe to the right takes you directly to the second Star Coin, but you can't quite reach it. Go to the right, up the left side, then the right, go left, and down to reach it. There will be a giant Cheep-Cheep waiting for you at the top, as well as a Starman in the middle item block. After you take out the Cheep-Cheep to the right, go through the green pipe below. The current from the blue pipe prevents you from getting the third Star Coin, so hit the ? Switch above. Leave the area and go through the green pipe at the end for the flag.

Coin Total: 24,865

New Super Mario Bros. 2: 4-1

World 4 is a winter world, so some platforms may be icy. This level is filled with snow, Micro Goombas, and rocks. The rocks are damaging, so go over them. Where there is a rope overhead, the first Star Coin is below with four rocks. Either be quick, or wait until you get a certain item to destroy the rocks. To the right, a rock will drop down and roll to the right. Get on the platforms above and quickly go to the right. You'll see two brick blocks in the rock's path. Take a Koopa shell or use a Raccoon Tail to hit the block to the right. It has a Gold Flower, which can destroy the rocks. Go back left. On the middle platform, there is an invisible block. Hit it and jump on it to reach a higher platform that you couldn't see before. There's a P-Switch that makes Silver Coins over this platform. Hop on the platforms to the right to reach the second Star Coin. Carefully drop down to the midpoint. Rocks will be rolling down nearby, so be careful. To avoid some of them, one of which is giant, go through the blue pipe. It will take you to an icy room with on rock and a random coin block. Go through the top pipe to the left. Wait until the rocks go by and hop up the mountain. At the top, get a running start and jump to the left for coins and the third Star Coin. There's a Gold Ring at the top of the mountain, so activate it and get some coins. The brick block on the mountain has a 1-up. Beware that if you send the Koopa shell down the mountain, it will rebound. There's also a rock at the base of the mountain. Just past it is the flag.

Coin Total: 22,212

New Super Mario Bros. 2: 2-1

The Koopalings are taking it to the desert. In this level, there are tilting platforms made of brick blocks. They contain one coin each. There are Red Coins that float down on parachutes. When you come across some brick blocks flipping 180 degrees, run up the top ones and jump to get the first Star Coin up in an alcove. You'll soon reach the midpoint. Take the yellow pipe nearby down. There is a lone item block in front of a wall of brick blocks. Get the item, which is a Gold Flower. Fireballs will turn enemies and brick blocks into coins, so get this item when you can. Stomping on enemies will also turn them into coins. Before you go crazy trying to hit every last brick block in the area, move ahead and hop up to the ledge with the second Star Coin. You can't reach it if all the brick blocks are turned into coins. Use the fireballs to clear a path to the coin, then destroy all brick blocks at your leisure. The brick block on the floor at the very end has the potential to become a Gold Block, so don't miss out. Go through the yellow pipe. The brick blocks to your right hold a 1-up, so destroy blocks carefully, (although I doubt you're in dire need of lives). The third Star Coin is a little to the left. Use the music note blocks to reach the tilting platform. Continue to the right, taking out Piranha Plants. Don't be afraid of hitting the tilting platforms with fireballs; they won't disappear. Once you reach the flagpole, you'll get coins based on your position if you're still golden, and Golden Mario will turn into Fire Mario. Darn, we lose a really cool powerup.

Coin Total: 9736