In Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, what mushroom damages Mario like an enemy?

In Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, the Poison Mushroom damages Mario like an enemy.

Unlike the helpful Super Mushroom, the Poison Mushroom is an anti-power-up. Touching it can shrink Mario or kill him, depending on his current state and the version being played. Its deceptive appearance is part of the game’s challenge: players must recognize that this mushroom is dangerous rather than beneficial.

The Lost Levels introduced the hazard in the Japanese game known as Super Mario Bros. 2, released for the Famicom Disk System in 1986. Nintendo designed the sequel for players who had mastered the original, so it added unusually punishing obstacles, including poisonous mushrooms, backward warp zones, gusts of wind, and precision jumps.

Nintendo of America decided the Japanese sequel was too difficult for its market and released a different game as Super Mario Bros. 2 in 1988. The original Japanese sequel first reached Western audiences in 1993 through Super Mario All-Stars, where it received clearer Poison Mushroom graphics and more frequent checkpoints. The item later became a recurring hazard across the broader Mario franchise.