Mario, a video game character players grew up with, has just turned 30 years old. Throughout the years, Mario has traveled through the Mushroom Kingdom, fought ghosts and baddies and even went to space. The plumber has gone on adventures far and wide, and for the 30th anniversary, Nintendo wants players to make their own adventure with “Super Mario Maker.”
“Super Mario Maker” is a course-creation tool that lets players take assets spanning four games: “Super Mario Bros.,” “Super Mario Bros. 3,” “Super Mario World” and “New Super Mario Bros. Wii,” and create their own levels. These levels can be traditional, but the fun of “Super Mario Maker” comes from experimenting. By simply shaking or dragging the item you want to place, it transforms. Those pesky Koopa turtles become angrier with a shake of the stylus. Ground is drawn by a dragging motion, and Bullet Bill launchers can launch coins or even extra lives. The possibilities are almost endless, and this is what makes the game such a delight.
Though the main draw of “Super Mario Maker” comes from designing your own courses, the game also offers challenge modes. 10-Mario Challenge attempts to ease the player into the game and show off what’s possible through simpler levels. One of the more interesting modes comes in the form of 100-Mario Challenge. This gives the player 100 lives to complete a set number of user-created levels at various difficulty levels. Completing this mode unlocks costumes for use in the “Super Mario Bros.” world set. These costumes open up the playing field for themed levels, or crazy instances where you can fight Bowser while dressed as Link from “The Legend of Zelda.”
This inherent craziness is what makes “Super Mario Maker” stand out. You can add in whatever you want and create the Mario level you’ve always wanted to see. Even so, “Super Mario Maker” is not without its faults. The game heavily relies on creativity, but often user-created content is similar. As of this writing, the most played and highest-rated level is an automatic level, where the player is instructed not to move at all and let the game throw you headfirst into danger without the fear of losing a life. While these levels are certainly a showpiece, they fail to showcase gameplay and make the game feel more like a cut scene than real content.
While there is an abundance of tools at your disposal, often it feels like it’s missing just a few extra things. Players can make: ground, water, ghost house, airship and castle stages, but the game lacks the desert, forest, and ice world themes. Certain enemy types and terrain that were staples of the games are also missing, such as the Charging Chuck enemy and sloped terrain from “Super Mario World.”
While there are omissions, “Super Mario Maker” includes items and tile sets based on the game look you’ve chosen, even for games that may not have had the item in question. For example, Ghost Houses and the Goomba Shoe items did not exist in the original “Super Mario Bros.” but are now available for use.
“Super Mario Maker” is a tremendous amount of fun. Despite its few shortcomings, the game shines as a prime reason to own a Wii U console. With full Amiibo figure support, tons of customization options, and the ability to play a near-endless supply of new Mario levels, Super Mario Maker is a no-brainer for anyone interested in the series. The game is available now as either a console bundle including a 30th Anniversary Mario Amiibo for $299.96, or as a standalone title for $59.99.
