Super Mario Maker

Genre: Platformer / Content Creation Application

Players: 1, StreetPass Supported

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Review:

Super Mario Maker, released on Wii U in 2015 with an altered version released on Nintendo 3DS in 2016, is a Platformer and Content Creation Application that allows players to create their own Mario levels. Previously, players of the Wii U game could share their levels online, and while you can still download others’ levels as of this writing in 2022, Wii U players can no longer upload their own levels. The Nintendo 3DS game, on the other hand, never allowed players to upload levels in the first place, instead only able to send their levels to other players within wireless range who own the game, or via StreetPass. Suffice it to say, this highly limits this game.

Then, of course, there’s the elephant in the room – this game has since been succeeded by Super Mario Maker 2 on Nintendo Switch. As such, the natural question many players may have is… is the first game even still worth getting?

In terms of presentation, Super Mario Maker 2 presents levels that look identical to those from Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, and New Super Mario Bros. U, featuring the same colorful 2D and 3D visuals and same memorable soundtracks that those games had. These visuals are surrounded by a simple, cartoony exterior designed to make the process of building your own stages as simple and user-friendly as possible.

With players no longer able to upload stages, there’s now little reason now to create your own courses in this game beyond self-gratification, but it bears mention that course creation here is simple, fun, and unlike Super Mario Maker 2, this game gives players a bit of a sense of discovery as they uncover fun little mix-and-match tricks hidden within the game’s robust creation tool set.

As for playing the levels themselves… well, the core gameplay here is classic Mario, but as for the quality of the level design, that’s entirely up to the individual players that created these levels. There’s an assortment of built-in Nintendo-crafted levels (with some of them unique from the Wii U game), but the majority of the content you’ll be playing here is all community-driven. And while this game’s curation tools for finding good levels was originally pretty hit-and-miss, post-release updates have improved this quite a bit.

Okay, so let’s get to the main question here – why play Super Mario Maker on Nintendo 3DS when Super Mario Maker 2 exists, and on a current-generation platform? Unfortunately, this game lacks the Wii U version’s ability to use Amiibo to create a “?” mushroom in maps created within the Super Mario Bros. skin that allows Mario to transform into that Amiibo’s character – this feature is exclusive to the Wii U version of Super Mario Maker. I suppose, at the very least, using the touchscreen to create your own levels works much better when you are using the precision of a stylus. And finally, all of the unique community-created levels designed for this game didn’t carry over into the sequel, meaning there is a huge wealth of content that can only be played in the original Super Mario Maker.

However, realistically, is it going to be worthwhile for most people to get Super Mario Maker if they already have Super Mario Maker 2? Well… eh, probably not, no. While the first game still has some unique features and a wealth of unique content, Super Mario Maker 2 also has a huge amount of unique content, likely more than you’ll play in a lifetime. And it’s easier to navigate thanks to better curation tools, too. And unfortunately, the Nintendo 3DS version of the game doesn’t even have all the bells and whistles of the Wii U version, giving players even less reason to play this version of the game.

Ultimately, If you happen to have a Nintendo 3DS and want to get your hands on everything Mario-related, there’s still a lot of fun to be had in Super Mario Maker. However, for most people, the Nintendo Switch sequel is going to be the better way to go, for numerous reasons.

tl;dr – Super Mario Maker is a Platformer and Content Creation Application that allows players to create their own Mario levels. As of 2022, players can still download others’ creations online, but the 3DS game will only allow you to send levels to others who own the game within wireless range. What’s more, the Nintendo 3DS version even lacks features that were in the Wii U game. And of course Super Mario Maker 2 on Nintendo Switch is a far superior game that improves on this one in numerous areas. However, Nintendo 3DS owners looking for enjoyable Mario gameplay will still have a lot of fun content in this game if they decide to pick it up.

Grade: B-

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