After your visit to the Mushroom Kingdom, you’ll witness an act of foul larceny that motivates Mario to muster against the mendacious malefactor - an admittedly snazzy reptilian thief named Croco. Joining forces with the victim, a… rather odd frog named Mallow, Mario ventures to Bandit’s Way - an aptly-named area, given the circumstances. This page will provide a walkthrough for the Bandit’s Way area in Super Mario RPG, pointing out how to catch Croco and find the Hidden Treasure along the way!

Bandit’s Way Hidden Treasure - First Area¶

When you arrive you’ll spot Croco, and after some chatter the crafty lizard will flee, leaving you to deal with this area’s enemies - some Goombas and Spikeys. Work your way to the southeast and note a save point down to the southwest, if you want to save. There’s not much interest on this screen, so make your way to the next area.

Bandit’s Way Hidden Treasure - Second Area¶

You’ll have another chat with Croco here, where he’ll diss the jumping prowess of plumbers before hopping away. Jump onto the red flower and wait until it spins you until you’re facing some high ground to the northeast, then press to jump again to propel Mario onto the aforementioned high ground. Now that’s flower power!

To the east, you’ll spot some yellow platforms. Jump onto the first one, then the second and you’ll notice the first platform spins around to the eastern side of the second. You can keep jumping from one platform to the next to reach another spot of high ground to the east - do so, but be wary of the new K-9 enemies below you, as they’re keen to punish any mistakes.

When you reach the second bit of high ground, drop off to the east and note two flowers to the south, one red (west) and one purple (east). Jump on the red flower and wait for it to spin you until you’re facing the purple flower to the east, then jump off and you’ll soar up and into the air, hitting Hidden Treasure #1 well above Mario’s normal reach, scoring some Croaka Cola in the process. This elixir will fully restore the party’s HP and FP and is best saved for difficult fights.

Anywho, make your way north from these two flowers to reach the next area.

Bandit’s Way - Third Area¶

When you zone in you’ll have another one-sided Croco-chat, after which the sticky-fingered lizard will flee. Make your way north through the Goombas and Spikeys that patrol this area, spooking Croco two more times. After the third time you run across Croco (he won’t speak the last two times) you’ll find yourself at a fork; continue northeast, then northwest to find a K-9 standing under a chest. Defeat the doggo, then pillage the chest to score a Mushroom that restores your HP and FP fully.

Backtrack to the fork, then head northwest and northeast, dealing with or dodging another Spikey to spook Croco a fourth and final time. Chase him northeast to the next screen.

Bandit’s Way - Fourth Area¶

Croco will restrain himself from pillaging when you enter, calling your attention to a chest before running off. There are several K-9 enemies milling about (they’ll likely be accompanied by Frogog enemies) and nearby are two more yellow platforms. If you get on one of these platforms the other will start to slowly orbit the platform you’re standing on, allowing you to reach the chest Croco wanted to plunder. Just wait until the unoccupied platform is where you want it and jump over to it, repeat until you’re under the chest. Do so and you’ll score a Star, which will turn you invincible and cause enemies you run into to be instantly defeated. Grab the Star, then run around bumping into K-9 enemies - more will spawn, but you’ll score a good bit of Exp in the process.

When your rampage is over, note another airborne chest to the east of the first one. Get back on the platforms and rotate them until they’re under the eastern chest, then jump up to snag a Flower. More FP never hurt anybody… Once you’ve plundered those two chests, it’s time to continue southeast to reach the fifth and final area of Bandit’s Way.

Bandit’s Way - Fifth Area¶

Croco has finally run out of room to run, so he opts to hide, instead. He’s terrible at hiding, but he’s still faster than you, so your goal on this screen is to sneak up behind him several times. He’s savvy enough to spin around from time to time to catch the slowest of ambushers, but not nearly fast enough to spot you if you’re reasonably quick. Dodge or fight the lesser enemies flying and crawling about (only the Paratroopa is new to this area) and if you need some healing, hit the chest near the beginning of the area. Repeat the process until Mallow flanks Croco (if Croco says “You fools couldn’t chase down a pumpkin!” it means you were spotted) and after one final deception, Croco will attack!

Check out the Croco Bandit’s Way Boss Guide page for tips and strategies for taking down Croco!