New Super Mario Bros. (DS) - Blue Shell locations?

[Nintendork]

I am attempting to fully complete NSMB for the DS by getting each coin and finding each secret exit. And although I am near my goal I am still finding myself wondering where the best place to find a blue shell is?

If I want a mini-mushroom I travel to 1-4 but am still wondering if there is one board in particular that is prone to offering blue shell power ups. Any ideas?

[Jorpho]

Get into first place, and the blue shells will find you! But not really.

It is easiest just to make a mushroom house appear by finishing a level with x11, x22, or x33 on the timer, and then hope you get a shell as a random item. That way it stays in your inventory until you need it, and you don't have to worry about losing it while on the way to the location where you need it.

I thought there was only one secret that you need a blue shell for anyway.

[Leo_A]

The only times I ever needed a special powerup, the level itself would provide it by having it be contained in a block somewhere in the level.

I fully completed the game and recieved every coin, and don't recall ever needing a blue shell or a location to mine them from. The above poster says you only need it for 1 secret in the game.

[Nintendork]

Thanks for the help guys! I'll likely be wrapping the game up in the next couple of days.

So let me ask this, once I spend every coin, find all of the hidden secrets and beat the game as Mario and Luigi what else is there to do, if anything?

[Jorpho]

Thanks for the help guys! I'll likely be wrapping the game up in the next couple of days.

So let me ask this, once I spend every coin, find all of the hidden secrets and beat the game as Mario and Luigi what else is there to do, if anything?

Nope, that covers it - three stars next to your save file counts as completed. I don't think beating the game as Luigi even gets you anything.

You can always try to beat your high score in the minigames, of course.

[Leo_A]

Thanks for the help guys! I'll likely be wrapping the game up in the next couple of days.

So let me ask this, once I spend every coin, find all of the hidden secrets and beat the game as Mario and Luigi what else is there to do, if anything?

Max out your life counter.

Also, I think you can max out your score. It's been a while though, so maybe I'm wrong and it's erased between sessions. But I'm pretty sure I did that.