The third screen Mario faces is the Elevators Level. Here we find lots of ladders but few girders, and the girders we see are mere pieces scattered about. There are two continuous elevators (which are cables supporting moving girder sections) on the left side of the board: one is going up, the other going down. Only two fireballs dog your path here.

The real problem are the bouncing I-beams. Massive springs help them boing along, across the top past Donkey Kong and the captive Pauline, after which they fall down. The first trip through this board isn't too bad; only a single I-beam bounces by at a time. Later versions of this board see two or three beams in rapid succession bouncing by.

Initially, the single I-beam follows a steady bouncing pattern, and is relatively easy to avoid. Later, the two and three at a shot have alternating patterns—they bounce in different spots and fall at different angles. You have to really study the patterns before moving. On the very top level, it involves running past the ladder you need to climb to rescue Pauline, then doubling back after an I-beam bounces over you. Time it wrong, or do this after the wrong I-beam, and you'll get hit in the britches while climbing the ladder.

Note that there is a complete lack of hammers on this level—but they would do little good. There aren't any barrels and only two fireballs. I've always wondered: if there were a hammer, could Mario smash the I-beams? I guess we'll never know (I always voted for "yes" on that one).

Mario jumps to the up elevators. He has to avoid the fireball zipping up and down the dual ladders in between the elevators. Note: the fireball can go down ladders very quickly. Mario also has the chance to cut some time off on this level: if he is on the upper girder, above the ladders and between the elevators, he can leap to a downward elevator and, if he's quick and on target, make a very long leap to the girder to the right. This enables Mario to avoid riding the elevator to the bottom and hopping from girder to girder all the way to the top.	Mario on the down elevator. From here, it isn't too bad: jump from girder section to girder section towards the right, then towards the left. The lone fireball can be a nuisance, but not too bad. The I-beam at the top is about to fall down the middle of the girder pieces, and it is the problem Mario must watch out for. Not too bad on the first occurrence of this board, but later on the I-beams fall multiply, faster, and at different angles.
Mario on the top level, face to face with a bouncing I-beam. As it moves over his head, he must run past Pauline's ladder, do a 180 as another I-beam bounces over his head, and go back... then up the ladder to rescue her.	And he rescues her... but Donkey Kong is heading up the ladder again. In a moment, she'll be flashing her panties and the heart will again be broken... and Mario will go back on the job.

The colors are different, but that's about all, except for the down elevators (see below). Also, there is no fireball on the right side of the screen.

The major difference is the right side down elevators: they aren't consistent, with long breaks. They seem to be a bit slower, making the super jump from the down elevator platform to where you see Mario standing a bit easier... but having to wait longer between platforms put you at great danger with that fireball running up and down the ladders.

NEXT: CONVEYOR BELTS LEVEL!