The most recent Nintendo Direct was focused on the upcoming Super Mario Maker 2, which is promising to expand on the features of the original game and offer new avenues of creativity for the wannabe Miyamotos of the world.
Super Mario Maker 2 is one of the major first-party releases for the Nintendo Switch during summer 2019. The original Super Mario Maker was one of the few games that made use of the Wii U’s GamePad in an effective way, as it allowed the player to easily design stages using the stylus and quickly test them out on their TV. Super Mario Maker 2 allows the player to design the stages in handheld mode, as well as using the controller while docked.
The latest Nintendo Direct revealed a lot of new information about Super Mario Maker 2, which included new options for creating levels, an entirely new set of features for the Super Mario 3D World style of stage, a Story Mode, several multiplayer modes, and new deals for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers.
New Features
Super Mario Maker 2 will include lots of new features. It’s now possible to add slopes that will allow Mario to slide through stages. The ON/OFF switches can be used to make barriers and platforms, which will be integral to puzzle stages. The Forest stages can now include a rising/descending level of water. There are now red Banzai Bills that can home in on Mario as he’s running. There are also new ways to build levels, with stages that can automatically scroll in different directions. It’s now possible to create sectioned off rooms using the Scroll Stop feature. One of the biggest changes is the addition of Clear Conditions, which will require the player to complete specific tasks in order to finish stages.
The Angry Sun from Super Mario Bros. 3 will be making an appearance in the game, and it now has an opposite in the form of the Moon. The Moon is special because it brings the nighttime with it, which changes the attributes of many stages, such as dimming the lights in the Ghost House stages. There will also be new stage themes, including Desert, Forest, Sky, and Snow.
Story Mode
Super Mario Maker 2 has a Story Mode which involves the destruction of Princess Peach’s castle and Mario’s attempts to fix it. The Story Mode will feature over a hundred unique stages, which Mario will need to complete in order to acquire the coins he needs to rebuild the castle. Mario will need to take jobs from bulletin boards as part of Story Mode, which will involve interactions with new characters, such as Mr. Eraser and Underdog.
3D World Features
Super Mario Maker 2 will allow players to build stages using the style of Super Mario 3D World, which uses a separate template from the other style of games. The Super Mario 3D World stages come with their own unique benefits, such as the Cat Mario suit that allows him to climb up surfaces, Clear Pipes that wrap around the stage, a Koopa Troopa Car that Mario can steal, and huge Piranha Creepers that follow a predetermined path through the level.
Multiplayer Modes
Super Mario Maker 2 requires the player to own a Nintendo Switch Online subscription in order to use its online features. The subscribers will gain access to Course World, which is an online hub that allows players to share their content. Course World comes with tags that players can use to define their stage (such as “puzzle-solving”), as well as allowing them to play the Endless Challenge mode that throws random stages made by other people at the player. The player will have a customizable avatar in Course World with outfits that can be unlocked in the game.
The most exciting aspect of the online component is the multiplayer modes, which allow up to four players to take on the role of Mario, Luigi, Toad, or Toadette in Versus or Co-Op modes. It’s also possible for four people to play locally and online, so long as they have four copies of the game and the player who sets up the room is connected to the Internet. It’s also possible for two players to build stages together by using the Joy-Cons.
Nintendo Switch Online Features
The Nintendo Switch owners who’ve yet to purchase a subscription for the online service can purchase a special bundle for $69.99 that comes with a twelve-month subscription. The people with a Nintendo Switch Online subscription can take advantage of a special offer where they can buy two game vouchers for $99.99 that can be redeemed for two eligible games, which include the likes of Super Mario Maker 2 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
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Super Mario Maker 2 releases for the Nintendo Switch on June 28, 2019.
Source: Nintendo
