MM2Multiplayer

An update for Super Mario Maker 2 means that you can now play online with friends - we're here to show you how to get it set up as painlessly as possible. There have also been tweaks to streamline how local multiplayer is accessed, and you'll find all the details below.

Super Mario Maker 2 is a wonderful and incredibly versatile 2D Mario sandbox, but it sometimes has a strange way of doing the simplest things. Some power-ups or options are playfully hidden in the editor, but it can be frustrating when other more fundamental modes aren't immediately or obviously accessible. They're not 'hidden', per se, but you may well spend a few minutes hunting around menus to find what you're looking for, especially if you didn't play the original Super Mario Maker.

After testing the new update, connection issues and lag seem to have been addressed to a certain extent, too. Check out the video below by our resident video guru and all-round lovely chap Alex to get a better idea.

How do you play online with friends in Super Mario Maker 2?

If you wish to play online against friends in Super Mario Maker 2, go to Course World (this can be accessed at any time by hitting the '+' button and (predictably) tapping on 'Course World'. From here select 'Network Play' and you'll see new options to 'Play with friends' by creating or joining a room.

The person who created the room will be in charge of selecting the rules and options, but from there on it's as simple as playing Mario! Hitting the '-' button also enables you to send pre-approved messages to your friends as you play.

'Nearby Play' enables you to play with friends in the same room who have their own Switches (and copies of the game). Only the person who creates the room needs an internet connection to access the courses. Neat!

How do you play local multiplayer with friends in Super Mario Maker 2?

Previously, playing local multiplayer with friends involved downloading the course from Course World and then going to the Coursebot menu and tapping an obscure icon. The new update not only makes the 'Play Together' option available from the Course world screen, but also adds text and makes the icon much more prominent:

Just tap the button, sync the requisite Joy-Con and you're hot to trot. Enjoy!

Simple! Again, once you know where it is you'll never forget, but if this is your first time playing Super Mario Maker, finding the right menu is not necessarily the most obvious process.

Let us know how you're getting on with the multiplayer options in Super Mario Maker 2 below. Also, feel free to share your finest creations with the Nintendo Life community.