Levelhead is a platform game that allows you to make your own levels, and the most fundamental issue with this is Mario Maker 2's existence. After all, the plumber and his community have had almost a full year's head start. It's a shame, but you can't really ignore the fact that Nintendo's flagship series has its own construction tool right there - the market's effectively sewn up. Any contender going up against a similar first-party title has got its work cut out for it and will have to go some to impress. Thankfully, Levelhead is no slouch.
Story-wise, it's nothing to write home about, but nobody's here for an epic tale. You play as GR-18, a delivery robot, and the aim of each level is to find a package and take it to the exit. It's window dressing for the platforming gameplay, but it's surprisingly funny with it. We found ourselves laughing out loud more than once at the absurdly over-the-top cutscenes that crop up in Levelhead's training mode.
Said mode is impressive in itself - it's essentially the game's campaign, introducing the player to all the elements and components that will be available to them in the level editor. This could have made for a rote and uncreative experience, but the training stages are fun, plentiful and laced with secrets. They're not just tutorials, they're full-fledged things that incidentally happen to be teaching aids. It's an impressive level of commitment, and this no-half-measures approach is a welcome presence throughout the whole package.
Getting ahead of ourselves a little, Levelhead has an interesting structure - your completed creations are submitted to an in-game "Marketing Department" where they can be played by others. They may, however, prove difficult to find in the glut of stages already there. Thankfully, playing other people's levels gives you "Exposure" which you can then spend to boost your levels up the list, meaning it's more likely that people will see and play them. Levels that get enough plays then graduate to a different mode, "The Tower", which is a more curated selection of stages that have proven popular. It's an efficient system which lets you be a trend-setter or a connoisseur depending on your current mood. Levels are tagged well, in our experience, so you won't be getting unpleasant surprises. These systems are well thought-out and genuinely impressive - Nintendo could learn a thing or two in this department regarding the system implemented in Mario Maker. One particularly smart inclusion are the "Daily Builds", challenging you to create a stage using a limited, cut-down palette of objects. This is a fun, inspiring challenge that has the added bonus of encouraging good level design principles thanks to its enforced limitations.
As for the actual gameplay, it's good stuff. It's not as precise as Mario - nothing is, really - but it's far, far from awkward. Your GR-18 unit moves just the way you'd expect - smooth, speedy and delightfully controllable - the decision to limit its abilities to essentially just jump and grabbing helps focus the level design. Moving the package to the end of each stage may sound laborious, but it isn't; rather than some 2D take on Death Stranding, it becomes more akin to the likes of Super Mario Bros. 2 or the old Chip N' Dale: Rescue Rangers NES game. Your package isn't just a MacGuffin, it's a weapon and a platform. You'll frequently need to stand on it to reach higher platforms, utilising the satisfying extendable grip of your robot to pick it up again as you leap. It's no escort mission; your GR-8 feels downright naked without his little parcel.
There's a lot of stuff to work with - transformations providing new abilities such as flight, a variety of different enemies, multiple types of switches and doors, secret areas, collectable gems, everything you'd realistically expect from a platform game and much more besides. It's a good thing, too, because you'll need all those components to put together interesting and enjoyable levels to ship out to to the community.
The editor itself is fine. Levelhead is a PC port, and working with a mouse would certainly be more intuitive, but the Switch version's interface is perfectly acceptable and responsive to a fault. The button controls are functional, but we'd recommend investing in a stylus. However, that won't help you memorise where everything actually is within the menus. Thankfully the instructions are on screen at all times and hopping in and out of a level to make changes is extremely simple. It's almost certainly best to play through the extensive training mode before jumping head-first into level creation, as it's better to learn about Levelhead's many gimmicks in the right context. Once you know what you're doing, creating stages will effectively be limited only by your imagination. It's a robust, accessible piece of software, and that can't have been simple to achieve.
Conclusion
Ultimately Levelhead will live or die on the commitment of its community, but even without the creation aspect it would still be an enjoyable platformer. Smart design in every department - challenge, creation and curation - means that Levelhead is a surefire winner, and we only hope it catches on. After all, there's more to the 'maker' genre than just Super Mario.
Comments 24
Cool, I wasnt expecting a Mario Maker contender any time soon, glad to hear were getting more.
Mario Maker is Good stuff, I'm surprised more people aren't making games like it.
If it came out like two years ago I would have been all over it but these days I can't even find time for Mario Maker yet alone another similar game.
I cannot suggest this gem of a game enough! While SMM2 will always be the better game, I feel the handheld editor is much more competent and approachable than in mario maker.
This game looks awesome/
"Button controls for the editor are a touch lacking"
Why all the level creators has this con?? Man, the Switch has a nice touch screen we could give some use, you know...
Edit: alright, you actually CAN use the touch screen haha. My mistake.
Nintendo products can always benefit from some competent competition. I hope both games do their best
@the_beaver I think you've misunderstood. Considering in the next line the review recommends you buy a stylus this game has touch for the editor. I think they are saying that if you are NOT USING touch, then the editor buttons could be better. In other words the editor isn't great - unless you use touch.
I think the line 'Button controls for the editor are a touch lacking' is just a clever pun about the non-stylus method.
But I could have misunderstood too, because it's not very clear. Can anyone (maybe @stuartgipp ) confirm?
@brunojenso I'm pretty sure there are both button and touch controls. I personally prefer the button controls, but thats just me.
Interesting but it unfortunately needs to compete with Mario Maker, and when that happens it just doesn't look like something that I would get into. I feel like this would do better on other platforms as a result.
Well this has two things going for it. Price, and possible cross compatability with the PC version.
I have the first Super Mario maker and that was enough Mario for me (I unfortunately hate Mario and wish he was not Nintendo's mascot), so this actually appeals to me. May check it out on Steam first, but will definitely consider on Switch at some stage.
These guys make great games I'm just not much into the maker type games. Might grab it at some point.
I saw this game on Xbox GamePass and was tempted to try it, but I don't know if I have the time for another "infinite levels" game. But it sure looks interesting and quite funny.
This is a considered, levelheaded review.
Noticed this before the review. Very cool looking. Will keep an eye on this for sure or might buy on impulse sooner than later.
@Kalmaro Chicken Wiggle (Hatch Tales) has a level editor, however, the Switch version isn’t out yet.
Even if I don’t make any levels, it can be fun to play the higher rated levels of other users.
"Your package isn't just a MacGuffin, it's a weapon and a platform"
Oh, I know.
@brunojenso you're right haha, that's what happens when you only read the "conclusion" and the pros and cons (which are not very clear lol). Thanks for making it clear!
I've been glued to this game since i got it last week. A few extra notes:
So, so solid. Highly recommend it.
@brunojenso Yes - I intended for my stylus mention to be alluding to the game's touch controls, but I probably should have straight-up said "this game has touch controls", too. Sorry!
One thing the review didn’t talk about much is that Levelhead is available on Switch, Xbox, PC, iOS, and Android, and it is 100% cross-platform. You can start building a level on PC, publish it on Switch, and play it on mobile.
Also, the Exposure system really does work well. If you put in some time playing other people’s levels to get Exposure Bucks (as they’re called), your level will get played, guaranteed.
Yeah I was interested when it was originally announced and supposed to come out months before Mario Maker 2...but then it got delayed.
@JayJ It wouldn't have to compete with MM if you tried it. Once you give this a chance, you'll see it's much better.
It's really a unique experience. I started building a level on my phone, finished building it on my computer, play tested and published it from my XBox and my kids play it on their Switch. More than 1,200 other people have played that level and spent close to 20 hours of total play time in it. The developers a neat system in place to help guarantee your level gets attention. Basically, as long as you're playing other people's levels, your level will be promoted and played by others as well.
There's also an extremely active Discord community who are online all hours, day and night, willing to provide insight and help with your ideas and how to accomplish them.
You will, 100%, not regret playing this.
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