Super Mario Maker 2 | Switch Review

When Nintendo released Super Mario Maker on the WiiU in 2015, many of us thought we’d never need another Mario game. Thankfully, we were very much wrong. While Super Mario Maker 2 still suffers from online issues, the sequel improves drastically on the original. The tool set is incredibly more vast and the inclusion of an addicting story mode are both very welcome indeed. That Nintendo seal of quality shines truer than most games on the Switch, and I’m happy to recommend it.

Who Plays Mario for the Story?

Let’s be honest, Mario games have never really been about the story. Sure, Super Mario RPG: The Legend of the Seven Stars was pretty decent. But for the most part, we dive into the Mushroom Kingdom for the tight gameplay Nintendo is known for. Super Mario Maker 2‘s story mode is even more thin than Paper Mario himself, but it serves a greater purpose.

After Mario finishes building Peach’s castle, the playful puppy known as Undodog triggers a button that erases all of his work. He’s tasked with starting from scratch, which requires him to collect gold coins to pay for the project. Mario earns these coins by completing tasks, which come in the form of the 100 Nintendo-generated levels.

Silly plot aside, this acts as a perfect way to introduce the new mechanics to the player. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it a training mode, however. You’re not given instructions on how to piece together the levels. Instead, you’ll get a hands-on experience with switch blocks, slopes, gravity effects, and the plethora of other new goodies packed into this title.

I found the story mode in Super Mario Maker 2 to be a delight to play. The levels were incredibly clever and addicting, making it very hard to put down. Although I’m not smart enough to design my own creations, this got the creative juices flowing in my mind. It’s an easy place to recommend starting the insanity that is user-created levels.

Build Me Up, Buttercup

Although the changes to the builder mode in Mario Maker 2 are small, they add up to a great deal. In addition to elements from Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros 3., Super Mario World, and Super Mario WiiU is pieces from the Super Mario 3D World template. This doesn’t mean you’ll be able to create 3D levels, however. You’ll merely have access to 2D version of the pieces from the game. Still, the added elements are very welcome, even if the Mario cat suit is still super weird.

One of my favorite mechanics that is new to the Mario Maker series is the inclusion of required conditions. For instance, you can design a level that will not make the “finish line” (flag pole, etc.) appear until you’ve completed certain tasks. Say you wanted to make your player collect a certain number of coins before completing a level. Not a problem here.

And that’s just the beginning. There are so many new pieces to play with that we didn’t have in the previous iteration, including automatic-scrolling, Bowser’s flying “top” machine, and even a go-kart. You can also mix and match platforms and enemies from different games. There’s something spectacular about seeing pieces from later iterations of Mario in 8-bit form.

Nintendo’s Online Woes

My only real issue with Super Mario Maker 2 is unfortunately a pretty significant one. Although the game offers plenty of gameplay for couch co-op, its online functionality is frustratingly lacking. You can play online, just not with your friends. Let’s be honest; no one actually prefers playing with random strangers from the internet.

In all seriousness, this correction would make Mario Maker 2 a near perfect game. Here’s to hoping that one of these days Nintendo will figure out how to make online interactions easier.

Super Mario Maker 2 Final Verdict

It may be an iteration of a game from a few years ago, but Super Mario Maker 2 has all but perfected this series. Online issues aside, having a near unlimited amount of Mario levels to play makes this package well worth the investment for any fan of our favorite Italian plumber. Although it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, its additions and improvements make it a worthy sequel.

To hear more about Super Mario Maker 2, be sure to listen to Episode 251 of our podcast or our “Legacy of Mario” Patreon episode.