Nintendo really opened a door they couldn't close. When Super Mario Maker first landed on the Wii U back in 2015, it wasn't just a level editor; it was a fundamental shift in how we look at game design. For decades, we played what Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka told us to play. Then, suddenly, the grid was ours. We had the stylus. We had the power to place a Goomba exactly where it would ruin someone's day.
It changed everything.
Honestly, the brilliance of the game wasn't just the tools. It was the accessibility. If you’ve ever tried to use a "real" game engine like Unity or Unreal, you know there is a massive wall of code and logic between your brain and a playable screen. Mario Maker erased that. You just drag a mushroom onto a Koopa, and boom—it’s big. You shake a Bowser, and he becomes a different version of himself. It’s tactile. It’s immediate.
The Evolution from Wii U to Super Mario Maker 2
The jump to the Nintendo Switch brought us Super Mario Maker 2, and while it added a mountain of content—the Super Mario 3D World style, slopes (finally!), and the moon—it also changed the vibe. The Wii U version felt like a scrappy experiment. The Switch version felt like a platform.
The addition of the Story Mode in the sequel was a smart move by Nintendo. It gave people a reason to play even if they weren't "creative types." It offered over 100 levels built by Nintendo’s actual designers, basically serving as a masterclass in how to use the very tools they gave us. But let's be real: most of us aren't there for the Nintendo levels. We are there for the chaos. We’re there for the "Kaizo" levels that require frame-perfect inputs and make you want to throw your Pro Controller out the window.
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The Rise of Kaizo Culture
You've probably seen them on YouTube or Twitch. Players like Ryukahr, PangaeaPanga, or Grand Poo Bear spending five hours trying to clear a single screen of spikes and shells. This is the "Kaizo" scene. It started years ago with ROM hacks like Kaizo Mario World, but Super Mario Maker democratized it.
Suddenly, you didn't need to know how to patch a ROM or use an emulator to play incredibly difficult Mario levels. You just needed a 9-digit code. This created a feedback loop. Creators started making harder levels because players were getting better. Players got better because creators kept pushing the limits of what the physics engine could do. It's a beautiful, frustrating cycle.
Why the Physics Actually Matter
One thing people get wrong about Mario Maker is thinking that the physics are identical across all game styles. They aren't. If you’re building in the Super Mario Bros. 3 style, you have to account for the P-Wing flight logic. If you're in Super Mario World, you've got the spin jump, which allows you to bounce on hazards that would normally kill you.
The Super Mario 3D World style is the biggest outlier. It’s on a completely different engine. You can't just switch a level from New Super Mario Bros. U to 3D World because the move sets don't match. You have the long jump, the cat suit, and clear pipes. It changed the geometry of how we think about a 2D space.
Some purists actually hate this. They think it's too bloated.
I think they're wrong. The variety is what keeps the game alive ten years after the original launch. You can find everything from "Music Levels" that play Queen songs using note blocks to "Auto-Mario" levels where you don't even touch the controller. Then there are the "Troll Levels." These are a specific art form. A good troll level isn't just about killing the player; it's about tricking them in a way that makes them laugh. It’s psychological warfare with a plumber.
The Shutdown of the Wii U Servers
We have to talk about the "The Big Wipe." In April 2024, Nintendo officially shut down the online services for the Wii U and 3DS. This was a dark day for the Super Mario Maker community. Thousands of levels—some of which were genuine masterpieces of digital art—were essentially lost to the void if they hadn't been backed up by fans.
A group called "Team Save 0%" worked tirelessly up until the final seconds to ensure every single level ever uploaded to the Wii U version had at least one clear. They did it, too. Literally hours before the servers went dark, the final level was conquered. It was a massive moment for gaming history that proved how much this community cares about preservation.
Making a "Good" Level (Hint: It’s Harder Than It Looks)
Most people's first level is a "hot mess." You've seen them: 500 Bowsers, a bunch of random blocks, and no clear path. We call these "Little Timmy" levels. There’s a charm to them, sure, but they aren't fun to play.
If you actually want to make something people enjoy, you have to follow some basic design principles:
- Introduce a mechanic in a safe environment. If you want the player to jump off a falling shell, don't put spikes under them the first time they try it.
- Visual signaling is key. Use coins or arrows to guide the player's eye. Mario players are conditioned to follow the shiny stuff.
- Less is usually more. You don't need to use every single item in the toolbox. Pick a theme—maybe "Saws and Conveyor Belts"—and stick to it.
- The "Checkpoint" rule. If your level is longer than 30 seconds, give the player a break. Nobody likes replaying a boring intro five times.
The "Ninji Speedruns" in the second game were actually a great way to learn this. Nintendo would release a level, and you’d compete against the "ghosts" of other players. It taught us about "flow." A good level feels like a dance.
The Future of the Franchise
Is there going to be a Super Mario Maker 3? Honestly, I’m not sure. Nintendo has added so much to the second game that it’s hard to see where they go next. Maybe a "Mario Maker 3D" where we build actual 64-style worlds? That seems like a logistical nightmare for the UI.
The current state of Super Mario Maker 2 is still incredibly healthy. Even without major content updates from Nintendo, the community is the engine. New "Super Worlds" (which let you string 40 levels together into a full game) are being released constantly. People are still finding glitches and "new tech" that even the developers didn't know existed.
How to Get Into It Today
If you're late to the party, don't worry. The barrier to entry is low, but the ceiling is infinite.
- Grab a Stylus. If you're playing on the Switch in handheld mode, do yourself a favor and buy a cheap capacitive stylus. Using your finger to place blocks is like trying to paint a portrait with a bratwurst.
- Watch the Masters. Check out creators like PangaeaPanga for high-level play or Ceave Gaming for a deep dive into how the game's logic (like global timers and entity limits) actually works.
- Play the "Detailed Search" Tab. Don't just play the "Popular" tab; it's often full of easy "Auto-Mario" levels. Use the search filters to find "Standard" or "Puzzle" levels with a 5-10% clear rate. That's the sweet spot for fun.
- Don't Be Afraid to Fail. You will die. A lot. The "Start Over" button is your friend.
Super Mario Maker isn't just a game; it's a creative suite that happens to feature a jumping plumber. It turned us all into designers, for better or worse. Whether you're building a masterpiece or just trying to survive a "Troll" level, it remains one of the most significant things Nintendo has ever produced. It’s the ultimate tribute to the history of 2D platforming, and as long as there’s someone out there who wants to see Mario fall into a pit of lava, it’s not going anywhere.
To get the most out of your building experience right now, focus on mastering the "Entity Limit." Many creators get frustrated when they can't place more enemies, but understanding how the game prioritizes what's on-screen is the secret to making complex, "smart" levels that don't lag. Try building a level that uses only three different types of assets. You'll be surprised how much more creative you get when the toolbox is limited. Once you've cleared your own creation, share the code on forums or Discord—that’s where the real feedback happens.