We’ve all been having a good time with Super Mario Maker, right? Nintendo’s toybox has been providing us with the means to create those Mario levels we always imagined when we got frustrated (an entire level full of nothing but Super Stars and a veritable conga line of Goombas to vent on? Sign me up). Having recently picked up the game myself, I’ve been playing away with it for days now and I’ve been thoroughly enjoying every second of it. I’m not sure I have the heart to make levels that are truly fiendish as some people have (far too nice for that, me), but it’s been informative-bordering-on-terrifying to see the creativity that people have been unleashing!
With that in mind, I decided to do up a quick Top 5-style list of some of the levels I’ve been enjoying most as of late, so anyone who’s looking for something to entertain themselves (or frustrate themselves) can go have a crack at them. I’ll include the IDs for each level so you can just pop them in and get on with it!
Ultimate Bowser Castle: This one seems to me like a good starting point! It’s not too hard a level, though it’ll certainly challenge you nonetheless. The right level of difficulty, I feel! What I found really interesting about this one is that there’s a few notable puzzle elements to it not often seen in Mario levels, involving clever use of items and (the most elusive of all traits in Mario platformers) backtracking. I recommend this one heartily to anyone looking for something different!
Level ID: 1323-0000-0018-51E1
Fish and Ships: An amusing name is only the beginning of the delights with this level, which largely delivers what it promises in the name! This one is hectic right off the bat, featuring a cavalcade of enemies and environmental hazards to deal with in spades. The level creator liberally hurls both threats and assistance at you, however, as powerups are in great supply throughout…provided you keep moving. With this level, movement is the name of the game, and staying still is a death sentence. It’s a fun ride!
Level ID: 8E4F-0000-001C-9761
Sega Throwbacks (SONIC1 MEMORY & Alex Kidd in Miracle Land): Bundling two together for this one, by completely separate creators, but they fit the same theme! Both of these levels are wonderfully-made throwbacks to classic platformers Sonic the Hedgehog and…well, as the name says, Alex Kidd in Miracle Land. It’s a fascinating thing to me, to see such revered games remade in the engine of Sega’s greatest competitor at the time. Who’d have thought it?
Level ID (Sonic): 6BC6-0000-000F-86F4
Level ID (Alex Kidd): 7E49-0000-001E-DFDC
Premiére Création: This one really, really impressed me, I must say. Not a difficult level by any means (though it’s tricky for sure), what really stands out about it is the sheer scope of the thing. It’s enormous! Its size and complexity are beyond many levels I’ve seen, and certainly those in the actual main-series Mario games. Combined with the traditional Bowser’s Castle tilesets it uses, it feels rather like a dungeon crawl (something that I’m a big personal fan of). A wonderful level, well worth the play for someone who wants to see how novel Super Mario Maker can get.
Level ID: 7180-0000-000F-AF5D
Easy: Oh boy. Any fans of the Game Grumps in our audience might recognize this one, and are no doubt already groaning. Its name is almost exactly the opposite of what this level brings to the table. It’s frustrating and will cause no end to the rage-quits, no doubt, and yet there’s something oddly compelling about it. Perhaps it’s the sense of humour that it seems to have about the way it tortures its players, which is definitely present in no small amount. Regardless of what it is, this level is worth playing…and restarting…and playing…and restarting. One for the patient!
Level ID: C9A9-0000-002C-E1C8
So there we have it, just a quick run-down of the creations I’ve been enjoying as of late! Super Mario Maker really is a plaything that’s got a lot of longevity to it, I suspect, and I can’t wait to see what else people bring to the table as they figure out more of its quirks and tricks. Any fans/would-be designers who have been having fun with it, leave your level IDs down in the comments!
