Jump to content

Super Mario Maker

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 157.182.84.10 (talk) at 14:48, 16 September 2015 (→Critical reception). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Super Mario Maker
Artwork used in all regions except for disc case packaging in PAL regions.
Developer(s)Nintendo EAD Group No. 4
Publisher(s)Nintendo
Director(s)Yosuke Oshino
Producer(s)Takashi Tezuka
Hiroyuki Kimura
Designer(s)Hirotake Ohtsubo
Kenta Usui
Nobuo Matsumiya
Mari Shibata
Composer(s)Koji Kondo
Naoto Kubo
Asuka Hayazaki
SeriesSuper Mario
Platform(s)Wii U
Genre(s)Level editor, platform
Mode(s)Single-player

Super Mario Maker (スーパーマリオメーカー, Sūpā Mario Mēkā) is a side-scroller platformer and game creation video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii U video game console, released worldwide in September 2015.

In the game, players create and play their own custom levels based on Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, and New Super Mario Bros. U and share them online through Course World. Tools from the game's toolbox are given to players as they progress through the game. They can also download and play the creations designed by other players. Originally revealed at E3 2014 as simply Mario Maker, the game was conceived as an internal development tool for Nintendo. Some parts of the game are inspired by Mario Paint, an art tool released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1992. It was re-revealed a year later at E3 2015, as Super Mario Maker.

Upon release, Super Mario Maker received critical acclaim, with reviewers praising the game's user interface and level editing tools.

Gameplay

See also: Common elements of the Super Mario series
Mario dons a Spiny Shell helmet, a new gameplay element in Super Mario Maker, as the player guides him through a level created in the style of Super Mario World.
The player uses the creation interface to modify a level.

Super Mario Maker is a creation tool video game which allows players to create their own levels from the Super Mario series using the Wii U GamePad, which they can then share with other players. Players can base their levels on the gameplay and visual style of Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, and New Super Mario Bros. U, with physics, gameplay mechanics, and enemy behavior changing accordingly. Some elements are limited to specific game styles while others can be added to game styles that previously did not have them in the original game, such as Boos in Super Mario Bros.[1][2][3]

In addition to traditional Mario elements such as Goombas, warp pipes, and power ups, players are able to manipulate the behavior of various elements in unique ways. For example, they can stack enemies on top of one another, have hazards come out of question blocks and warp pipes, use shells as protective helmets, and make cannons/Lakitu shoot out/throw down coins, enemies, or whatever the creator chooses. These combinations are possible because editing tools in the game work in tandem with one another. This allows players to make any enemy in the game larger by giving them a mushroom, grant them the ability to fly by giving them wings, and so on, with combinations being possible to implement as well. Other elements include the Sound Frog, which adds sound and visual effects to certain parts of the level, including voice recorded messages. Elements are introduced gradually, with new elements unlocked as the player spends more time creating courses.[4] Exclusive to the Super Mario Bros. theme is the Mystery Mushroom, which dresses Mario up in one of 100 different costumes. These can be unlocked by playing through 100 Mario Challenge, or by scanning a corresponding Amiibo figure. Additionally, the 8-bit Mario Amiibo adds a Big Mushroom that makes Mario giant while giving enemies moustaches.[5][6][7]

Players are able to share their creations online to the game's Course World, provided they can complete it themselves, where players can download other courses and follow specific creators, or participate in the 100 Mario Challenge, where they can play through a set of randomly selected user-created courses. Alternatively, players can play the 10 Mario Challenge, which features pre-made courses included on the disc.[8] Players will initially be limited in the amount of courses they can upload online, though they can unlock the ability to upload more by earning medals.[9]

Development

The game was first announced at E3 2014 under the name Mario Maker. The game was conceived as a tool by Nintendo's internal development team, to be used within the company. The team, however, quickly realized the tool's potential as a game and pitched the idea to senior game designer Takashi Tezuka.[10] Meanwhile, Tezuka had been wanting to make a Wii U followup to Mario Paint that used the Wii U GamePad.[10] Upon seeing the Mario Maker tool however, Tezuka realized that a level making tool was more marketable than a mere drawing program. He noted to Polygon that building levels is "not as difficult or out of reach as drawing is" but that he "was inspired to bring the fun of Mario Paint into this course editor".[10] The game was directed by Yosuke Oshino, who previously worked as a programmer on Pikmin, Pikmin 2, and New Super Mario Bros. Wii.[11]

The game's soundtrack was composed and arranged by Koji Kondo,[12][13] Naoto Kubo and Asuka Hayazaki.[14]

Marketing and release

In May 2015, Nintendo announced that people could try out Mario Maker at Best Buy stores across North America on June 17 and June 20, 2015.[15] The game was demonstrated under a new name, Super Mario Maker, on June 14, 2015, during the final round of the Nintendo World Championships 2015 event preceding E3 2015.[16] The four levels created by Nintendo Treehouse for the Championships will also be available to play in the final game.[citation needed]

Prior to release, Nintendo partnered with Facebook to host a special "hackathon" event. 150 Facebook employers were tasked with constructing levels using Super Mario Maker; the winning team being given the opportunity to create a level that will be featured in the game on launch.[17] Several video game developers including Playtonic Games and Michel Ancel showcased levels they had created in Super Mario Maker.[18][19]

Every copy of the game comes with a 96-page booklet showing various ideas that can be made in the game, which is also available as a digital PDF download.[20][21] Alongside the release of Super Mario Maker, Nintendo launched an 8-bit Mario Amiibo figure, available in two color variations. The figure is sold standalone, and in certain Super Mario Maker bundles.[22] Super Mario Maker was released worldwide in September 2015.[23] Super Mario Maker is also sold in a bundle with a Wii U console. In the United States, this bundle is sold exculsively at Walmart. In other regions it is not exclusive to a store or chain.[24] While the game originally required players to wait each day to unlock new elements, a patch was released on the game's launch date which allows players to receive new elements early through extensive creation.[25]

A downloadable Super Mario Maker-themed stage for Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U will be released on September 30, 2015.[26]

Reception

Critical reception

Super Mario Maker received critical acclaim from reviewers. It received an aggregated score of 89% on GameRankings based on 33 reviews[27] and 88/100 on Metacritic based on 63 reviews.[28]

Jose Otero of IGN praised the game's social elements, commenting on Super Mario Maker's online features and highlighting the 10 Mario Challenge in a positive light, stating that players would "see a genuine reverence for Mario’s history" in the online modes. He also gave positive comments on the level editor itself and its user interface, writing that "No matter which style you choose, creating levels is an intimidating task but the well designed interface makes learning easy and intuitive" and that it "gives us a fun, flexible toolbox to build and play Mario levels like never before".[36]

Justin Haywald, writing for GameSpot, also praised the game's level editor and its features, stating that "the mix-and-match nature [of gameplay elements] allows for exciting and anachronistic additions to familiar scenarios". In contrast, he also pointed out and expressed disappointment in certain limitations, such as the absence of a halfway marker, à la Super Mario World, and the vertical and horizontal limits of each stage, but ultimately concluded that "the game won't necessarily turn you into the next Shigeru Miyamoto, but you can almost feel a little bit of that magic rubbing off every time you upload a new creation".[33]

Polygon's Griffin McElroy also wrote positively of the game, writing he had "a tremendous amount of fun playing, but the way it developed that newfound appreciation for something I've known my whole life was the game's biggest accomplishment".[38]

Accolades

List of pre-release awards and nominations
Year Awards Category Result Ref.
2014 IGN's Best of E3 2014 Awards Best Wii U Game Runner-up [40]
Best Platformer Runner-up [41]
2015 E3 2015 Game Critics Awards Best Console Game Nominated [42]
Best Family/Social Game Won [43]
IGN's Best of E3 2015 Awards Best Platformer Won (tie) [44]
Best Wii U Game Won [45]
Game of the Show Nominated
Gamescom Award Best Console Game Nintendo Wii Won [46]
Best Family Game Nominated
Best Social/Casual/Online Game Won

See also

References

  1. ^ "New Zelda, Star Fox, Splatoon trailers – Nintendo @ E3 2014". Metro.co.uk. June 10, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  2. ^ Sliva, Marty (June 10, 2014). "E3 2014: Nintendo Unveils Mario Maker for Wii U". IGN. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  3. ^ Parish, Jeremy (June 12, 2014). "E3 2014: I'm Unreasonably Excited About Mario Maker [Updated]". US Gamer. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  4. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9W_y8IlNro
  5. ^ Farokhmanesh, Megan (June 16, 2015). "Here's one way amiibo will work in Super Mario Maker". Polygon. Vox Media. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  6. ^ Sliva, Marty (June 16, 2015). "E3 2015: 8-Bit Mario Amiibos Announced, Will Work with Super Mario Maker". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  7. ^ http://kotaku.com/every-costume-in-super-mario-maker-1730084595
  8. ^ "Wii U - Super Mario Maker E3 2015 Trailer". Nintendo via YouTube. June 16, 2015. Retrieved June 16, 2015.
  9. ^ Otero, Jose. "E3 2015: 9 EXCITING THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SUPER MARIO MAKER". IGN. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  10. ^ a b c Lien, Tracey (June 13, 2014). "Mario Maker started out as a tool for Nintendo's developers". Polygon. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
  11. ^ Bivens, Danny (June 16, 2014). "Team Behind Mario Maker Consists of Individuals from Multiple Nintendo Teams". Nintendo World Report.
  12. ^ Otero, Jose. "How Mario Maker Mixes Music With Level Creation". IGN. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  13. ^ "Nintendo Minute -- Chatting with Koji Kondo". YouTube. Nintendo.
  14. ^ "Super Mario Maker credits". Nintendo. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
  15. ^ "Nintendo- Get Ready For E3 2015!". May 13, 2015.
  16. ^ "Nintendo's cruel, perverse remix of Super Mario Bros. World 1-1 is mandatory E3 viewing". Polygon. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
  17. ^ McHugh, Molly (July 30, 2015). "Facebook Codes Compete to Build the Ultimate Mario Level". Wired. Condé Nast. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  18. ^ Whitehead, Thomas (September 2, 2015). "Nintendo UK and Playtonic Games to Host a Special Super Mario Maker Live Broadcast". Nintendo Life. Gamer Network. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  19. ^ Phillips, Tom (August 7, 2015). "Rayman creator Michel Ancel has made a Super Mario Maker level". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  20. ^ Whritenour, Jacob (June 16, 2015). "E3 2015: Super Mario Maker Comes with Sample Booklet". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  21. ^ http://www.polygon.com/2015/9/9/9298369/super-mario-maker-manual-idea-book-nintendo
  22. ^ Karmali, Luke (July 22, 2015). "8-Bit Mario Amiibo Release Date Announced". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  23. ^ Karmali, Luke (June 16, 2015). "E3 2015: Super Mario Maker Release Date Announced". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  24. ^ "Super Mario Maker bundle exclusive to Walmart in the US". September 14, 2015.
  25. ^ http://uk.ign.com/articles/2015/09/11/super-mario-maker-patch-removes-9-day-wait-for-unlocks
  26. ^ "Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS - Super Mario Maker Stage Incoming!". Nintendo via YouTube. Retrieved September 15, 2015. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= requires |archive-url= (help)
  27. ^ a b "Super Mario Maker for Wii U". GameRankings. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
  28. ^ a b "Super Mario Maker for Wii U Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
  29. ^ Carter, Chris (September 2, 2015). "Review: Super Mario Maker". Destructoid. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  30. ^ Schaefer, Emma (September 2, 2015). "Super Mario Maker review". Electronic Gaming Monthly. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  31. ^ Hilliard, Kyle (September 2, 2015). "Build The Mushroom Kingdom Of Your Dreams - Super Mario Maker - Wii U". Game Informer. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  32. ^ LaBella, Anthony (September 2, 2015). "Super Mario Maker Review". Game Revolution. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  33. ^ a b Haywald, Justin (September 2, 2015). "Super Mario Maker Review". GameSpot. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  34. ^ Roberts, David (September 2, 2015). "Super Mario Maker review: Let's-a-play/create/share". GamesRadar. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  35. ^ Gerstmann, Jeff (September 7, 2015). "Super Mario Maker Review". Giant Bomb. Retrieved September 7, 2015.
  36. ^ a b Otero, Jose (September 2, 2015). "Super Mario Maker Review". IGN. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  37. ^ Ronaghan, Neal (September 2, 2015). "Super Mario Maker (Wii U) Review". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  38. ^ a b McElroy, Griffin (September 2, 2015). "Super Mario Maker review: The Blueprint". Polygon. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  39. ^ Miller, Simon (September 2, 2015). "Super Mario Maker Review". VideoGamer.com. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  40. ^ "IGN's Best of E3 2014 Awards (page 1)". IGN. Ziff Davis. June 12, 2014. Archived from the original on June 30, 2014. Retrieved August 24, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  41. ^ "IGN's Best of E3 2014 Awards (page 3)". IGN. Ziff Davis. June 12, 2014. Archived from the original on August 26, 2014. Retrieved August 24, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  42. ^ "2015 Nominees". Game Critics Awards. Archived from the original on July 5, 2015. Retrieved August 25, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  43. ^ Calvert, Darren (July 8, 2015). "Nintendo Enjoys Success in the Game Critics E3 Awards". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on August 8, 2015. Retrieved August 25, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  44. ^ "IGN's Best of E3 2015 Awards (page 2)". IGN. Ziff Davis. June 16, 2015. Archived from the original on August 24, 2015. Retrieved August 24, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  45. ^ "IGN's Best of E3 2015 Awards (page 1)". IGN. Ziff Davis. June 16, 2015. Archived from the original on June 22, 2015. Retrieved August 24, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  46. ^ Whitehead, Thomas (August 8, 2015). "Nintendo Scoops Three Gamescom Awards". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on August 21, 2015. Retrieved August 24, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Super_Mario_Maker&oldid=681319870"