World 1-2
{{Short description|Second level in the 1985 video game Super Mario Bros.}}
{{Infobox fictional location
| name = World 1-2
| image = World 1-2 Super Mario Bros.png
| caption = Mario in the underground setting of World 1-2.
| first = Super Mario Bros. (1985)
| creator = Shigeru Miyamoto
| last = Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition (2024)
| type = Underground
}}
World 1-2 is the second level of the 1985 video game Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the first underground level in the game, introducing players to a new environment with distinct challenges and secrets. The level was designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka.{{cite web |url=https://www.archdaily.com/783657/the-sheets-of-graph-paper-they-used-to-design-super-mario-bros |title=These Sheets of Graph Paper Were Used to Design Super Mario Bros |publisher=ArchDaily |date=2016-03-16 |access-date=2024-10-26}}
Design
Following the open, outdoor setting of World 1-1, World 1-2 immerses the player in a dark, underground cave (or sewer). The level's design builds upon the skills taught in the first level, but in a more confined space.{{cite web |url=https://www.anatomyofgames.com/2013/08/08/anatomy-of-super-mario-xi-learning-the-ropes/ |title=Anatomy of Super Mario: XI. Learning the ropes |publisher=Anatomy of Games |date=2013-08-08 |access-date=2024-10-26}} The ceiling forces players to be more precise with their jumps to avoid hitting their head and falling into enemies or pits. The level is populated with Goombas, Koopas and Piranha Plants, which emerge from the iconic green pipes, teaching players to be aware of environmental hazards.{{cite web |url=https://gamescrye.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Super-Mario-GDD.pdf |title=Adam Jones :: Design Documentation & Reverse Engineering :: Super Mario Bros. |publisher=Gamescrye |access-date=2024-10-26 |format=pdf}}
A key element of World 1-2 is its emphasis on secrets. Players are encouraged to break bricks, a mechanic learned in World 1-1, which can reveal hidden power-ups like a 1-Up Mushroom.
=Warp Zone=
World 1-2 is most famous for containing the game's first Warp Zone. Near the end of the level, there are two rising platforms. By riding the second platform to the top of the screen, the player can jump onto the ceiling and walk over the normal exit pipe. This leads to a secret room with pipes that allow the player to "warp" directly to World 2, 3, or 4. This feature was a significant factor in the game's popularity, encouraging exploration and adding immense replay value.{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/super-mario-bros-wonder-is-right-nintendos-series-has-always-been-about-secrets |title=Super Mario Bros. Wonder is right: Nintendo's series has always been about secrets |publisher=Eurogamer |date=2023-09-10 |access-date=2024-10-26}} The discovery of this secret became a legendary part of gaming culture in the 1980s.{{cite web |url=https://www.instructables.com/Find-The-Secret-Warp-Zones-In-Super-Mario-Brothers/ |title=Find the Secret Warp Zones in Super Mario Brothers |publisher=Instructables |access-date=2024-10-26}} If the player exploits a glitch, which maneuvers Mario through the bricks next to the Warp Zone and enters the pipe leading to World 4, instead of entering World 4, the player ends up in the Minus World.
Legacy
As the first underground level and the introduction to secret warp zones, World 1-2 is a pivotal stage in Super Mario Bros. It established design tropes that would become staples of the platforming genre. The level's design philosophy, which teaches mechanics through interaction rather than explicit instruction, is considered a masterclass in game design.{{cite web |url=https://www.cbr.com/super-mario-bros-first-world-great-level-design-tutorial/ |title=Why Super Mario Bros. World 1-1 Is a Masterclass in Level Design |publisher=CBR |date=2023-08-08 |access-date=2024-10-26}}