Super Mario Maker News
March2021
News Nintendo Appears To Have Already Terminated Super Mario Maker's Bookmark Website
Update - it's back! Well, for a few days
Update: The website now appears to be restored, but obviously not for long... Original Story: When Mario's 35th anniversary comes to a close next week, the online services for Super Mario Maker on the Wii U also end - meaning players will no longer be able to upload their own courses. As you might recall,...
Soapbox There Might Be A Bright Side To Mario's March 31st Doomsday, After All
The termination of various Super Mario games looms, but it's not all bad news
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In this piece, Kate argues that Mario's Doomsday might not be as bad an event as you think... Let's begin with a tally of...
The end of an era
With Super Mario Maker's servers being completely shut down on 31st March (the original Wii U game, that is, not Super Mario Maker 2 on Switch), one indie developer has decided to give it a mighty send-off. That send-off arrives in the form of a 36-course feast courtesy of Ultra Dolphin Revolution, a developer which has been...
December2020
Random Mario Maker Player Still Trying To Complete Course After 3,353 Hours
Ideally before the game's services are discontinued
Last week, Nintendo revealed it would be pulling the plug on the online services in the original Super Mario Maker for Wii U. After 31st March 2021, it will no longer be possible to upload courses but it will still be possible to play courses that were uploaded before the service discontinuation...
November2020
Random March 31st 2021 Is Becoming An Increasingly Depressing Day For Mario Fans
Give the poor guy a break
Considering he serves as the company mascot and generates more revenue per year than we could ever picture in our tiny minds, Nintendo sure seems hell-bent on ruining poor old Mario's day next year. 31st March 2021 is shaping up to be a pretty memorable day in Mario's history, but for all the wrong reasons. On that day,...
News Super Mario Maker Online Services To Be Terminated, Will Soon Be Removed From Sale
Goodbye, old friend
Nintendo has announced a discontinuation of online services for the original Super Mario Maker on Wii U, meaning players will no longer be able to upload their own courses. The discontinuation comes into effect on 31st March 2021; from that date, it will "no longer be possible to upload courses" and on that same day, the Super...
September2020
Anniversary Super Mario Maker Turns 5 Years Old Today
Mamma mia!
The original Super Mario Maker is celebrating its fifth anniversary today, after originally launching for the Wii U in Japan on 10th September, 2015. Also appearing in Europe and North America on the following day, Super Mario Maker flipped the Mario platforming franchise on its head by giving players access to a full suite of level...
July2019
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (July 13th)
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
Welcome folks to yet another weekend - and what a week we've had! The official reveal (finally) of the Nintendo Switch Lite kept the NL team super busy this week - you can catch up on everything you need to know right here - but now it's time for us to talk about our weekend plans. Which games will you be...
News Super Mario Maker 2 Debut UK Physical Sales Almost Double The Wii U Original
An impressive opening week
Just a couple of days ago, we shared the news that Super Mario Maker 2 had secured the lovely number one spot in the UK charts. The game saw the strongest opening sales for any Nintendo game in the region during 2019 so far. Things are only getting better for the creative plumber, though, as
April2019
Random PlayStation User Recreates Super Mario Maker In LittleBigPlanet 3
Absolute madness
Before Super Mario Maker was even a thing, Sony had already released a handful of LittleBigPlanet games across multiple PlayStation systems. If you're not familiar with this established series, it lives by its "play, create, share" motto, encouraging user-generated content to fuel gameplay experiences. With this in mind, one...
July2018
News A Huge Selection Of Mario Titles Have Discounts Available In North America Right Now
Mario Kart, Mario Maker, Mario 64, and more
The latest batch of North American My Nintendo rewards went live recently, and there's a whole lot of Mario games for you get your white-gloved hands on. The rewards are actually themed around Toad, thanks to Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker's upcoming release on Switch and 3DS, with two wallpapers...
June2018
Talking Point What Do You Want To See From Nintendo At E3 2018?
We predict... some predictions
With E3 2018 set to kick off this weekend with the showcases from many of the big publishers and platformer holders in the video game industry, we thought it was high time we cooked up a fresh batch of predictions. Team Nintendo Life has gathered together its collective hopes and dreams for the show - some realistic,...
November2017
News Super Mario Maker Updates Are Now Live
Goodbye, Miiverse!
The day has finally dawned when Miiverse—Nintendo’s ill-fated attempt at a social network—is seeing its end. Miiverse was an integral part of the Wii U experience, and though the sluggish console OS discouraged heavy usage of it, the network still played a significant role in many games, like Splatoon and Super Mario Maker...
September2017
News Super Mario Maker Gets A Long-Overdue Update On Wii U
To make for a "pleasant playing experience"
Super Mario Maker was one of our favourite Wii U games; Nintendo clearly invested great time, resources and thought into making it greater than its core concept. The user interface, the creativity of the tools that feed the player's imagination and the overall polish are a testament to the development...
May2017
News Meet The Mario Maker Player Nintendo Wants To Ban For Keeping The Game Alive
"Mario Maker was abandoned prematurely by Nintendo"
Super Mario Maker is one of the Wii U's stand-out titles and offers players the chance to create classic Mario levels and share them with the wider world. The title has drawn comparisons with Minecraft, a game which is constantly supported by content updates and new features. Sadly, Mario Maker...
January2017
Video Super Mario Land Gets the Super Mario Maker Treatment
Koopa Troopas with bombs on their backs...
Super Mario Land is one of the quirkier Mario titles, developed for Game Boy by a team led by Gunpei Yokoi. The Mario 'style' was still taking shape at that time and the first portable entry went its own way, even including some shoot 'em up-style levels for good measure. It would have two equally diverse...
December2016
Video The Latest Event Course in Super Mario Maker Wants You to Use Your Head
Well, not YOUR head...
Super Mario Maker is delightfully quirky - if a structured Mario game is a piece of art, the level creation tool is a scruffy yet oddly exciting street play. It's silly and ridiculous, encouraging players around the world to create daft stages full of puzzles, sound effects and oddly stacked enemies. Yet Nintendo can always...
Video It's Not Hard to Spot the Difference in This Super Mario Maker 3DS & Wii U Comparison
It really isn't...
Super Mario Maker is now available on the 3DS of all things, and if our review is anything to go by it's more than worth your time if you're currently in a state of Wii U-lessness. But can this shrunk-down version compete with its HD counterpart in the visual arena? Of course not, the whole idea that the two would be vaguely...
November2016
Feature Super Mario Maker FAQs - The Key Differences between the Wii U and 3DS Versions
Aside from screen size
Perhaps due to the limited userbase and sales potential on the Wii U, Nintendo is bringing a couple of its notable home console releases of recent times to the 3DS, no doubt necessitating some technical wizardry in the process. The first of these is Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS, which delivers a portable version of the...
Super Mario Run is also trying new things with the bankable franchise
When New Super Mario Bros. came out on DS, the excitement was palpable. After all, it was the first 2D Mario platformer in about 15 years, which seems amazing to consider nowadays. Some of you may raise your eyebrows at that statement, and may argue that it's incorrect, but let's...
October2016
News Super Mario Maker and Pokémon GO in the Running for BAFTA Children's Awards
Battling other big hitters in the Kids' Vote
Nintendo has a mixed record in awards shindigs over the past year, scooping some nice prizes and coming up empty in others. A chance for a bit more glory is coming up on 20th November, however, in the British Academy Children's Awards. The Kids' BAFTAs celebrate the best of TV, Film, Games and more for...
September2016
Weirdness Gummy Super Mario Maker Looks Like More Trouble Than It's Worth
Hey, at least it's in 3D
Nintendo's games tend to attract some pretty off-beat merchandise, especially in Japan. We've already seen Splatoon sweeties but now there's a Super Mario Maker Gummy kit - and as you would expect, it allows you to craft your own chewy sweets in the comfort of your own home. As you can see from the video above, the process...
August2016
Competition Create A Shaun The Sheep Themed Level In Super Mario Maker, Win Original Artwork
Drawn to life
Have you had a chance to check out the Shaun the Sheep event course in Super Mario Maker yet? We think it's totally adorable. Following the release of this sheepish course, Nintendo UK has teamed up with Aardman Animations to create an exciting course design contest with a very cool prize. The illustration of Shaun the Sheep playing...
Feature Ten Ideal Launch Year Nintendo NX Games
In one writer's humble opinion, at least
Just recently we ran a poll asking you which Nintendo games / franchises you'd like to see in the NX launch window, assuming that to be a period of around six months. Plenty of you pitched in, with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and a 3D Mario title being the leaders, with a new Metroid Prime title...
July2016
New amiibo support included, of course
Splatoon is heading towards a grand finale, of sorts, as Nintendo prepares for the last ever Splatfest which will be shared across regions and pit Callie and Marie against each other. In addition, of course, the singing duo have new amiibo that are due to arrive very soon, and with them
June2016
News 'Makers of Mario' Website Aims to Show Nintendo's Bookmark Functionality The Way Forward
Detailed searches, levels bundled into 'Worlds' and 'Games', plus more
Super Mario Maker proved to be a success for Nintendo and Wii U in 2015, handing over the keys to 2D Mario gaming for players to create their own masterpieces. The in-game searches and the web-based Bookmark service have also made it easier to try new levels and discover new...
Random This Real Life Parody of Super Mario Maker Reflects the Mascot's Never-Ending Struggle
With an awesome representation of Super Expert levels
Along with Splatoon, Super Mario Maker was a notable success story for the Wii U in 2015. Though neither title could ultimately transform the console's sales performance, both earned critical acclaim, pleased existing fans and reminded many of Nintendo's ongoing prowess in producing hit titles...
News Would Ewe Believe It, Shaun The Sheep Is Coming To Super Mario Maker Tomorrow
Baaaa-rilliant
Aardman Animation's popular Shaun the Sheep character is coming to Super Mario Maker as a special costume. The fluffy hero - who recently starred in one of Hideo Kojima's favourite movies of 2015 - comes with his own stage, entitled Shaun's Mossy Mole Mischief. Beating this course unlocks the costume itself. The costume and course...
May2016
Random Super Mario Maker Creator Proposes Marriage Through a Special Level
She said yes...
Super Mario Maker has some fantastically designed, devious and clever levels to play. Some use their creations to make a point, however, and not always to simply show off their level design mastery. Nintendo of America shared one rather cute example of a marriage proposal - luckily for Shanerator, Pam apparently said yes. [tweet...
News Hello Kitty and My Melody Costumes Are Coming to Super Mario Maker
So kawaii
Hello Kitty is one of those franchises that just feels like it's just always been there. It's tough to pin down what exactly made the character so famous, as Hello Kitty has appeared in countless forms of merchandise, as well as in some video games and TV Shows. Regardless of what gave it such pop culture recognition, few could dispute...
News Two Neat Super Mario Maker Costumes Have Been Unearthed by a Data Miner
Spoiler warning, obviously
Super Mario Maker has become a mini-platform of its own, commanding a loyal audience of creators and players while adding frequent content updates. More extras are naturally on the way and a data miner has dug up some information, so this is your spoiler warning. Below is a random video of dancing sprites; if you scroll...
News Super Mario Maker Update Version 1.43 is Now Available
Nope, still no slopes
Super Mario Maker has been a fascinating ongoing project from Nintendo. Ever since launch, new costumes or course building tools have gradually been made available to the public through updates that are pushed out fairly intermittently. All told, there's still lots that Nintendo could feasibly add to this game, and it'll be...
Video Check Out This Awesome Battle Against "Mecha Bowzilla" in Super Mario Maker
Let them fight
The toolset of Super Mario Maker allows for many unconventional levels that, while possible technically within a regular Mario game, Nintendo has never dared to create. After the company has taken some heat for releasing four New Super Mario Bros. games that are decent, though unsurprising, platformers, it's a refreshing breath of...
Video The Ice Climbers Are Coming to Super Mario Maker
Cool
It's been a couple weeks since Nintendo added another costume to Super Mario Maker. After the rather bizarre addition of BABYMETAL members, it's nice to see Nintendo is working on getting more of its own characters in the game, as it's just been announced that Nana and Popo will be making an appearance as a mystery costume. Though the Ice...
April2016
News New Super Mario Maker Costume Features All-Girl Japanese Rock Band, BABYMETAL
Why not?
Super Mario Maker has had some quirky tie-ins for its Event Courses and unlockable costumes, but the latest perhaps takes the biscuit. Nintendo's Japanese social media channels have confirmed that BABYMETAL will be the next tie-in. What's BABYMETAL? It's a Japanese rock band that consists of three young performers. Below are Nintendo's...
Random An Eager Super Mario Maker Fan Created a Shovel Knight Costume Sprite
Digging in
Super Mario Maker has a lot of Mystery Mushroom costumes, many of which have come through a combination of amiibo scans and Event Courses (in some cases both). With new additions we have an excuse to boot up the game and enjoy its delights again, and Nintendo has been so keen on the idea that it's included some rather quirky characters...
Video You'll Need Some Serious Surgical Shells Skills To Beat This Insane Super Mario Maker Creation
45 hours of attempts to beat
We love a challenging Super Mario Maker level here at Nintendo Life, but sometimes we come across a creation which is so punishing that it requires super-human levels of skill to complete. Behold The ER: Surgical Shells 2.0 by evil genius Docta_el, a course which has - at the time of writing - been completed zero times...
Random Super Mario Maker Bros. is Another Excellent 'Full Game' From an Ambitious Creator
Nine worlds and 70+ levels
Though being the creator in Super Mario Maker is undoubtedly rewarding, sometimes it's a lot of fun to just relax and enjoy the fruits of others' labours. As such we keep an eye on the game's subreddit, and sometimes creators share their 'full game' creations. Another has popped up as the finished article recently, called...
Random Here's Another Super Mario Maker 'Full Game' to Enjoy
40 levels across 10 worlds
Super Mario Maker has a loyal and sizeable audience that continues to stretch the creation tool to its full potential. With each update that adds doors, keys and other bits and bobs we also see increasingly clever stages, some which test our minds as well as our thumbs. In any case, while some create ambitious individual...
News Nintendo Updates Its Guidance on Super Mario Maker Level Deletions
Doesn't actually answer many questions
For a number of the most dedicated Super Mario Maker creators there's been a sore point - Nintendo removes levels with little explanation or warning. Communication has been an issue, as gamers have used social media to piece together limited details from terms of use and calls / emails with Nintendo's customer...
News Super Mario Maker and Splatoon Miss Out at BAFTA Game Awards
Darn
Nintendo has had some BAFTA wins to celebrate over the years, but the UK awards left the big N empty handed this year. In addition to the absence of any 3DS games in the Mobile & Handheld category, both Super Mario Maker and Splatoon missed out in their categories. You can see the relevant results (winners in bold) below: Family
Video Have a Gawk at Keiji Inafune's Super Mario Maker Stage
Insert your own Mighty No. 9 joke here...
Keiji Inafune is one of the best known game creators in the industry, and a designer that commands a great deal of respect. As a result it's intriguing to see him create a stage in Super Mario Maker while citing some principles first formed in the early Mega Man games. That's the idea behind a Polygon video...
Video Super Mario Maker Player Clears Insane Level and Shows Just How Tricky It Was
Come for the clear, stay for the bloopers
Here at Nintendo Life we rather enjoy videos of extremely complex and difficult Super Mario Maker stages - it's easier to admire the play of others than to attempt them ourselves, after all. The precision and skill in both the stage designs and the players that clear them can be extraordinary. Often we...
March2016
Video The Legendary Starfy Joins Super Mario Maker as a Costume
The star of the show
The Legendary Starfy was a mostly Japan-only platforming series that starred (sorry) the eponymous aquatic character and propelled him to relative fame. Drawing many comparisons to the Kirby series, Starfy games rose to popularity by smartly designed stages that mixed aquatic themed platforming stages with some light puzzle...
Random Metroid Resurrection - The Super Mario Maker Series With a Plot and Marketing
'The Chozo One' - zing!
Many of us like to talk a big game with Super Mario Maker creations, how we're planning to wow the world and change the way we play platformers in the Mario universe. In most cases, of course, a level creation is often abandoned early to do something a little less taxing; it's harder than it seems to make a good level. Some...
News Popular Super Mario Maker Speedrunner and Streamer Has All His Levels Deleted by Nintendo
"Streaming Mario Maker is 90% of my stream"
When it comes to engaging an enthusiastic community and holding the attention of online streamers and speedrunners, Super Mario Maker has all of the key ingredients. As a creation tool it allows fans to create and tackle extraordinary levels and to share them with followers on various platforms - it's...
Video Yuu Ayasaki, Voice Actress for Mashiko / Mary-o, is Next Up in Super Mario Maker
Also stars in Daigasso! Band Brothers P
Super Mario Maker has had a good mix of familiar and lesser known characters in its regular Event Course unlocks, and the next in line is certainly in the latter category. Having seen the latest video on Nintendo's Japanese channel we had trouble figuring out who it was, so hat tip to Perfectly Nintendo for...
News Toadette is Next in Line for Super Mario Maker's Mystery Mushroom Unlocks
Backpack 'n all
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is a bit of a gem on Wii U, and certainly worth considering for those eager to bulk up their Wii U game collection. With lovely visuals and clever puzzle gameplay it's certainly enjoyable to play, and has two of Nintendo's cutest stars in Captain Toad and Toadette. The first of the duo has already been...
News Nintendo Seems To Be Deleting Super Mario Maker Levels Without Explanation Or Warning
"I know this has been post about before, but I am so angry"
Nintendo appears to be removing user-generated Super Mario Maker levels without warning or reason, and is refusing to comment on the reasons why. Kotaku has reported on various posts online from users who have had their beloved creations taken down despite the absence of any objectionable...
News Super Mario Maker and Splatoon Pick Up BAFTA Game Awards Nominations
3DS games miss out entirely
The BAFTA Game Awards aren't far away, with comedian Dara O'Briain once again signed up to host the extravaganza on 7th April at Tobacco Dock, London. With plenty of awards up for grabs Nintendo will have a chance to walk away with a few prizes, though does miss out entirely in one key category. Let's start with the good...
