Super Mario Maker on the Wii U, whilst not the most technologically advanced video game, was such a hit last year that Nintendo has decided to see if lightning strikes twice by re-releasing the game for the portable 3DS. It makes sense given that there are way more owners of the 3DS than the soon to be gone Wii U. It’s a simple idea that allows players the ability to create and share their own 2D levels involving Nintendo’s most recognizable mascot.
Even if you don’t feel creative, there are lots of ways to enjoy the game. Your first port of call should be the Super Mario Challenge, which are 100 original courses designed by developers at Nintendo. You can do the traditional navigation without dying, or individual challenges such as collecting all the coins. Beating these objectives will earn special medals and unlock extra elements for course creating. Best of all, no internet connection needed to play this portion of the game!
If you’re done with the Super Mario Challenge and near a WiFi connection, try the grueling 100 Mario Challenge. 100 chances to rescue Princess Peach through courses designed by players on the Wii U. Be careful though as these courses change every time you play. If you’re seeking a drop in/drop out session, you can just select individual courses from a recommended list, again created by players on Wii U.
The huge spectacle is the ability to create your own Mario levels in a variety of skins, just like in the Wii U version. You can choose from Mario titles on the NES, SNES and Wii U. The 3DS touchscreen makes a perfect tool when creating such levels. Just like it’s console version, drop and drag items to swiftly put a level together. If you get stuck, the 3DS version includes interactive lessons from 2 in game characters, a secretarial looking woman called Mashiko or a pigeon called Yamamura. If you ask me, the developers should have saved some cart memory and dropped both, as they don’t seem relevant in a Mario game.
Once you’ve finished a creation, the only way to share courses with other players is being in the same room for local wireless transfer or StreetPass. It’s a shame you can’t upload them to the Miiverse like on the Wii U, but I suppose the less powerful hardware has its limitations. To compensate for this lack of feature, players do have the ability when sharing courses with friends or strangers to make adjustments, encouraging you to team up with people and build the ultimate level.
To sum up Super Mario Maker for the 3DS, it’s the only handheld Mario game that offers millions of different levels. That statement should be enough to add the game to any 3DS collection. Hopefully, the lack of course sharing over the internet will encourage players, just like with Pokemon GO, to venture outside and meet new people.
Super Mario Maker for the 3DS is available now and can be purchased from most game retailers. Amazon is currently selling the game for £28.00 or you can download the digital version from the Nintendo eShop.