is a side-scrollingplatform game and game creation system developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the sequel to Super Mario Maker, and it was released worldwide on June 28, 2019. The gameplay is largely retained from that of its predecessor, in which players create their own custom courses using assets from various games across the Super Mario franchise and share them online. Super Mario Maker 2 introduces new features and course assets, including a new course style and assets based on Super Mario 3D World.
Gameplay
Like its predecessor, Super Mario Maker 2 is a side-scrolling platform game in which players create their own courses using assets from across the Super Mario series and publish them onto the internet for others to play. Players can choose from a selection of prior Super Mario games to base their course's visual style and gameplay on, including Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, New Super Mario Bros. U, and a newly introduced Super Mario 3D World theme. Gameplay mechanics and enemy behaviors can vary between the styles, with some elements being limited to specific styles. The sequel adds various assets and tools, including assets and a course theme based on Super Mario 3D World. This theme is especially different from the four others, with many features and gameplay mechanics unique to it. It also introduces local and online multiplayer modes including co-op course creation, where up to 2 players can locally create stages together at the same time; as well as allowing up to 4 online players to complete user-made courses, cooperatively or competitively. Super Mario Maker 2 also features a new single-player campaign known as Story Mode. The story follows Mario, Toadette, and several other Toads helping to rebuild Princess Peach's Castle. Players must traverse through over 100 Nintendo-created courses in order to collect enough coins to rebuild the castle. Non-playable characters also offer players extra tasks and jobs throughout the mode. A Nintendo Switch Online subscription is required in order to access any online functionality in the game, including accessing player-created levels.
Development and release
Developed inhouse at Nintendo's Kyoto Development Center, conception of Super Mario Maker 2 began alongside development of the Nintendo Switch hardware itself. Most of the original development team including Producer Hiroyuki Kimura, Director Yosuke Oshino, and Planner/Game Designer Shigefumi Hino - reprised their roles for this second installment of the series. Nintendo's Producer Takashi Tezuka stated that the theme for the sequel was to expand on what could be done compared to its predecessor and try new things, which took the form of new course elements and new side content in the form of a full-fledged single player campaign. Tezuka also stated that as players continue to upload levels, he and the development staff would use these creations as a reference for adding content after launch, viewing the dynamic as a give-and-take between developers and consumers. Longtime Super Mario series composer Koji Kondo served as the game's sound director, while the music was composed by Atsuko Asahi, Toru Minegishi, and Sayako Doi. Super Mario Maker 2 was revealed during a Nintendo Direct presentation on February 13, 2019. It was released worldwide for the Nintendo Switch on June 28, 2019. Another Nintendo Direct was broadcast on May 15, 2019, which provided more information about new and returning features, gameplay modes, and pre-orders. Longtime Super Mario series composer Koji Kondo served as the game's sound director, while the music was written by Atsuko Asahi, Toru Minegishi, and Sayako Doi. In Europe, a capacitive stylus was included as part of the limited edition bundle of the game for customers who pre-ordered. Three planned updates were released for the game:
The first update, released on October 2, 2019, added more multiplayer options, including playing with friends on local area networks or nearby networks.
The second update, released on December 5, 2019, added an extra mode themed around speedrunning Nintendo-created courses, with "ghost" images of the best timed performances shown for the player to know how well they compare against. Additional parts were added, such as a Master Sword power-up that Mario can pick up to become Link and gain a different set of moves, ice-encased coin blocks, and invisible "P" blocks that are triggered by a "P" switch. Spikes and Pokeys were also added as new enemies.
The third and final update, released on April 22, 2020, added the ability to compose worlds to hold multiple courses, akin to the presentation of Super Mario World with up to eight different worlds and up to forty levels. A new power-up gives Mario the ability to pick up and throw objects as in Super Mario Bros. 2. Additional power-ups added in this update include the Frog Suit for the Super Mario Bros. 3 style, the Power Balloon for Super Mario World, the Super Acorn in the New Super Mario Bros. U style, and the boomerang flower from Super Mario 3D Land which was added to the Super Mario 3D World game style. Five other new power-ups were added to the Super Mario 3D World style as well, including the Propeller Box, the Bullet Bill Mask, the Goomba Mask, the Red POW Box, and the Cannon Box. The Koopalings and Mechakoopas were added as new enemies, along with new On/Off Switch-triggered blocks and mushroom trampolines in the Super Mario 3D World game style.
Reception
Super Mario Maker 2 received generally favorable reviews, according to review aggregatorMetacritic. The online multiplayer feature, however, was criticized for its performance issues. Gamespot, who gave the game an 8/10, stated that online lag frequently ruined the experience.
Sales
It was the best-selling game in Japan during its first two weeks of release, selling 279,357 physical copies. By the end of March 2020, the game had sold over 5.48 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling games on the Switch.
