Hey guys, so, im new to speedrunning this game, and for some reason, am unable to beat level 8-2. I use NES classic, but may try using emulator with a keyboard. But anyone have advice on how to beat this level?

There are a few beginners guides - but I don't know that they will offer specific thoughts on strats for 8-2 that you would want.

Most of it is... just do it over and over and over - and you'll figure it out by pure practice and repetition. Make a savestate at the beginning of 8-2 and do it - then do it again.

In terms of the entire game (not 8-2 specifically) - I think the best way to approach it for a BRAND NEW runner is to (1) beat the game with a recorded time.... even if it means you died a few times. Then do it again - you'll naturally get faster and figure stuff out.

Specifically 8-2 - I have a video showing "safe strategies" for the whole game, but still resulting in a 5:18 time

In that I take a warp pipe to avoid the three goombas near the end of the level, but other than that you just kinda... run through the level. You can also take the first stairs slow - but you lose a lot of time, and the stair jump is much easier to learn that it looks - and you can take the final stairs safely by sitting on the second step (as is done in my video) - although there is a small chance the "parakoopa" can still kill you that way.

Also Xeroxfiend came up with a fantastic method of forcing a certain type of parakoopa on the last stairs called "BBBB - Bonk Brush Boing Bounce" (otherwise you get a "randomly" chosen set of three types of parakoopas, and you have to react QUICKLY to which one you see) - which Tecate made a tutorial video of... and I don't know how to find it (if anyone has a link to that video)

Here's the video showing safe strategies throughout the game.

Thanks for the video! Now, there is some things that I wanted to note. In the video, you did the wrong warp in 4-2, i don't know how to do that, and since im new, im just going to do the standard vine one, mostly cuz I don't care too much about my time yet.

WW free keepo

Best easy way to do wrong warp is to add in another "bump" - all the normal routes do three backwards bumps. Just do four. Gives you much more wiggle room - and is still much faster than the vine. Although starting out learning the game, vine is great also.

Yeah, deff just go for 4 bump. It's really worth it.