Super Meat Boy 3D hides five secret levels across its main worlds, each tucked behind a purple portal that's easy to sprint right past. These aren't just bonus stages either. Each one stars a unique character you'll unlock for use in the rest of the game, and they're styled after classic gaming references that range from Super Mario 64 to Metal Gear Solid. If you want the full roster and the bragging rights that come with it, here's exactly where to look.
How do secret levels work in Super Meat Boy 3D?
Every one of the game's five main worlds contains exactly one secret level, accessed by jumping into a purple portal hidden somewhere in a specific stage. The game gives you one audio cue to work with: when you're near a portal, the background music distorts and slows down. That warped sound is your signal to stop sprinting and start looking around.
Finding the portal is only half the job. Once you enter, you'll play through a short retro-styled level as the character you're about to unlock. Beat it, and that character becomes available across the rest of the game. Fail to finish it, and the unlock stays locked.
Slow down whenever the music starts warping. These portals are placed off the main path, so players going full speed will almost always miss them.
Where is the World 1 secret level?
World 1 secret level: Plumber Hill (unlocks Super Meat Boy 64)
The first portal is in Easy Start, the opening stage of the entire game. From the start, jump up to the platform on the left side. You'll see the portal in the distance from there. The jump to reach it requires a sprint and an air dash, so don't try to walk it.
Plumber Hill is an obvious Super Mario 64 tribute, complete with the Bob-omb Battlefield music and layout. To clear it, find three sets of coins scattered through the level. Collecting each set transforms them into a star, and grabbing all three opens Bandage Girl's cage and finishes the stage.
Plumber Hill coin collection
Where is the World 2 secret level?
World 2 secret level: Crash Corps (unlocks a truck character)
Head to level 6, Upwind, which sends you riding wind gusts upward through the stage. Very early on, spot a platform on the right side with a fan blowing outward. Jump up onto that platform and you'll find an open pipe containing the purple portal.
Crash Corps is the strangest secret level in the game. You play as a truck being chased by a missile, and your objective is to clear obstacles from the path ahead so the missile can keep moving forward. Once you reach a large acid pool, the dynamic flips: dodge the missile while it clears a route to Bandage Girl.
Crash Corps is intentionally weird. The truck controls differently from anything else in the game, so give yourself a moment to adjust before committing to jumps.
Where is the World 3 secret level?
World 3 secret level: Beef Gear Tactix (unlocks the Squirrel)
The portal is in level 10, Pain Production. Work through the conveyor belt section until you land on a middle platform with a robot on it. Instead of jumping forward to continue the stage, turn right and make a long leap past some saws to reach the portal hidden behind them.
Beef Gear Tactix is a Metal Gear Solid parody where you stealth your way across platforms as the Squirrel. The mechanic is simple but punishing: when a green light sweeps toward you, stop moving and stand still to hide inside a box. Keep repeating this until you reach Bandage Girl at the end.
Where is the World 4 secret level?
World 4 secret level: The Guy's level (unlocks The Guy)
Unlike the other worlds, this portal appears early: level 3, Ruinouse Tunnel. Play through normally until you reach the section near the end where four bone saws spin in a circle. At that point, jump to the right and break through a glass pane to access the portal. The timing window is tight but manageable.
The Guy's level is the hardest of the five. Veterans of the original Super Meat Boy will recognize him immediately, and his level lives up to the reputation. You'll need to double jump and dash around insta-kill drills with very little margin for error. The ground slam is your best tool for the trickier sections, so make sure you're using it. Expect to die here more than anywhere else in the secret level set.
The Guy's level has no checkpoints and very little room for mistakes. If you're finding it impossible, come back after finishing more of World 4 so your movement fundamentals are sharper.
Where is the World 5 secret level?
World 5 secret level: Donkey Kong Country tribute (unlocks Pumpkin Jack)
The final portal is in level 8, Anni's Nightmare, a fast-paced stage built around train-hopping and spike avoidance. As you approach the jump to the last set of trains, stay on the tracks rather than leaping forward. From there, jump slightly toward the camera to avoid the spikes and climb the metal tower to find the portal. Waiting until the last possible moment before the spikes to make your jump gives you the best angle.
The reward is the most relaxed secret level in the game. Playing as Pumpkin Jack, you jump between barrels in a clear nod to Donkey Kong Country. The only moment that catches players off guard is the final barrel, which barely shoots you far enough to reach Bandage Girl. Don't panic and jump early.
Complete all five secret levels and you'll earn a trophy for the full set.
Tips for finding portals faster
- Listen for audio distortion before you start scanning walls and platforms. The music cue narrows your search area significantly.
- Secret portals are always off the main path, so any time the obvious route pulls you one direction, check the opposite.
- You can re-enter a world's levels at any time, so there's no pressure to find portals on your first run through a stage.
- Levels are graded by completion time, but secret level hunting and time attacks are separate goals. Don't try to do both simultaneously.
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