How to Play
Wrecking Crew NES Game Guide
Player characters
Mario
Player 1 controls Mario in the red dungarees.
Luigi
In the 2-Player game, Player 2 controls Luigi in the pink dungarees. Players take turns each time they lose a life.
Choose a Phase
The levels in Wrecking Crew are named Phases. There are 100 Phases to clear. You can select any Phase from the title screen.
There is no ending to the game. If you clear Phase 100, you loop back to Phase 1.
Break Every Wall
Break every wall in the current Phase to clear it and move on to the next Phase. Swing Mario's hammer to damage the wall he’s standing in front of.
Wall (1-hit)
A standard concrete wall that only takes 1 hammer swing to crumble.
Wall (2-hits)
Hit the white brick wall with two hammer swings to break it down.
Wall (3-hits)
You'll need to strike the gray brick wall with three hammer swings.
Ladder Wall
A breakable ladder that counts towards clearing the Phase. It only takes one hit to make the whole ladder crumble.
- At the start of each Phase (or if you press Start to pause), the walls you must break will flash.
- All walls are worth 100 points when you knock them down.
- If you break multiple walls in a row (including tall Ladder Walls or by using Dynamite) then the first wall is worth 100 points, the second is worth 400 points, and every other wall is worth 800 points.
- Don't knock down White Ladders if you need to reach any high platforms.
- Break a White Ladder while an enemy is climbing on it and they will fall to the bottom of the level.
Avoid the Enemies
Foreman Spike and his lackeys wander around the building site causing trouble for Mario.
Foreman Spike
The mean foreman tries to sabotage Mario. He follows you around in the background and swings his hammer at walls and other objects you're standing in front of. If he breaks the wall, you will be knocked to the bottom of the level. You can also knock Spike to the bottom by breaking the wall first.
In the Bonus Phase, you have to find the Coin before Spike does.
Gotcha Wrench (Red)
A cross between a dragon and a wrench. It runs around and climbs ladders, chasing after Mario. It will often only change direction when it reaches a ladder.
Gotcha Wrench (Purple)
The Purple variety of Gotcha Wrench moves faster than the Red variety.
Eggplant Man
Eggplant Man doesn't chase Mario, but runs in a straight line, only changing direction if it hits a wall. It drops off the ends of platforms and climbs any ladders it encounters. They usually travel in groups, so beware of getting trapped.
Fireball
If Mario spends too long on a single storey of the building site, a fireball will appear at the side and move in a wave pattern across the stage, disappearing at the other side. The longer you take to clear the level, the more frequently fireballs appear. It is possible to run under them with good timing.
Using Bombs
Striking a Bomb will cause it to explode. After hitting it, you have a moment to move out of its way or the explosion will knock you to the bottom of the level. The explosion causes a shockwave that cracks any walls along the same row until it reaches a gap.
Bomb Drop
On some levels, you will need to use a Bomb to intentionally drop to the bottom of the level. This could be to reach an unreachable area, avoid being cornered by enemies, or simply to take a shortcut. This is referred to as a Bomb Drop in this guide.
Prize Bombs
In Phases with 3 or more bombs, one bomb will reward you with a prize if you meet certain conditions.
Using Doors
The door opens if you strike it with the hammer or explode a Bomb somewhere on the level.
Enemies who pass the door while it is open will walk through it and appear as shadows in the background. While enemies are in the background, they are unable to harm Mario. If enemies in the background pass by an open door, they will pop back out into the foreground.
Using Pillars and Drums
Pillar
A supporting metal strut. Hit it once with the hammer to break it and cause whatever is on top of it to drop down to your level.
Drum
A large metal drum that blocks off sections of the level. You can walk on top of them like a platform as well.
Hit a pillar with a Drum on top and it can fall down and block the path of pursuing enemies. If you time it well, the Drum can even drop on top of the enemy and trap them underneath. Beware! If Mario is standing under the Drum when it drops, he will also be trapped, forcing you to reset the game.
If you Bomb Drop onto a Drum, you can move around safely behind it. Some later Phases will require you to use this technique.
