There are 10 Course Themes to choose from, including the classic Ground stage, the spooky Ghost House and the grandiose Castle. These are backgrounds that drastically switch up the vibe of the stage thanks to accompanied soundtracks. The next decision to make is what Course Theme you want. The new Super Mario 3D World game style brings with it an abundance of new content Super Mario 3D World looks to be a favourite with the online community, giving Mario makers exclusive access to the likes of Meowser (Bowser in cat form) for intense boss battles, the Koopa Troopa Car for fun speed trials and the Super Bell item to bestow Mario with feline powers perfect for vertical level designs. The unfortunate compromise of having all these big-scale changes is that they are not transferable to the other game styles, so you can’t interchange. Here, the textures look even better, you’re given more assets and enemies to play with and Mario has an extra few skills, including wall-jumping and a forward roll. Since this is a sequel, we also get the luxury of a brand new game style called Super Mario 3D World. Each game style is also accommodated by their wonderful nostalgia-inducing soundtracks. Switching the stage, and all its inhabitants, between pixel art and animated models is surprisingly slick and ridiculously fun, too. That said, you’re able to flick between these game styles at any point, so your decision is by no means final. The first decision to make is what Game Style you want to play, with the four returning options including Super Mario Bros, Super Mario Bros 3, Super Mario World and Super Mario Bros U. Nintendo is bundling a stylus with special edition games though, which don’t cost much more than the standard version. The perfect compromise is using a Switch-compatible stylus, but that of course requires an additional purchase. I’ve got nothing against the touchscreen controls – they work just as well as you could hope for – but I personally prefer using the pinpoint accuracy of the Joy-Cons’ analogue sticks when the Switch is docked, opposed to my clumsy, greasy fingers.
When using the Switch in handheld mode, you’re forced to use the touchscreen for building, which is disappointing. Assets are the exception, as they’re stored in eleven separate selection wheels, but you can pin your favourites to the top bar to avoid the hassle.
Everything is easy to access, with just a press on the touchscreen required instead of rummaging through time-consuming menus. All of your tools run around the edges of the screen with the assets (items, enemies, platforms etc.) on the top, the course’s timeline at the bottom, and loads of features on the left including timer, course theme and game style.ĭespite so many options being readily available, the screen never looks cluttered. Use the Switch’s touchscreen to drag all sorts of Mario-flavoured treats onto your stageĪs soon as you launch Super Mario Maker 2, you’re thrown into ‘Course Maker’ mode. Those who played the previous instalments won’t be disappointed either – this isn’t just a padded out port disguised as a sequel a new story mode, abundance of fresh tools and the introduction of the Super Mario 3D World game style make Super Mario Maker 2 a worthy successor.
But since a lot of people never bothered to buy the under-performing console, and the portable alternative lacked the important online functionality, the Nintendo Switch looks to be the starting point for many wannabe Mario makers. Of course, this isn’t the first entry to the build-your-own Super Mario saga, with the original Super Mario Maker launching back in 2015 on the Wii U and a port arriving on the 3DS in 2016. With Nintendo handing over the keys to the Mushroom Kingdom, Super Mario Maker 2 gifts you almost every single enemy, item, platform and gizmo featured in over three decades worth of Super Mario side-scrolling action, allowing you to play around with a seemingly unlimited pool of possible combinations. If you fancy taking your very first baby step into game design or simply love 2D platformers, Super Mario Maker 2 on Switch is an absolutely essential purchase.