We’re taking the fan-made Super Mario Bros. 5
While Nintendo seems to have largely forgotten about it, Super Mario Maker 2 still has its fans. Indeed, this is how it should be; is an extremely accessible creative tool for users to turn their dream Mario levels into reality with an incredibly intuitive user interface and toolset inspired by the great Wii U original.
As we recently reported, one creator named Metroid Mike 64 took the core concept of Super Mario Maker 2 and took it to the extreme, creating what is effectively a full Mario campaign with 40 levels spread across eight worlds.
Describing the gameplay as “totally classic Mario”, Metroid Mike 64 aimed to create what it felt was a genuinely “Nintendo” campaign, going so far as to informally call it “Super Mario Bros 5‘. If you want to play it yourself, just copy the ID code from the Twitter embed below (you’ll need a copy of Super Mario Maker 2, of course!):
Note. This first alphanumeric digit is zero – 0G9-XN4-FNF
We’ve been playing the creation of Metroid Mike 64 for the last few days and have absolutely enjoyed it. explosion with this. Understandably, the approach here was to pay homage to the classic 2D Mario games of the 80s and 90s, including themed worlds, bonus levels, branching paths, and more. The levels feel sprawling yet intricately lined up, with traps, items and enemies perfectly placed to keep the gameplay moving at a great pace but also pose serious challenges as you progress.
We recently spoke with Metroid Mike 64 to get some insight into the making of this Super Mario Bros. 5″. We found out what difficulties he encountered during seven year old project, how he found user feedback and whether he thinks Nintendo will ever make another “traditional” 2D Mario game again.
Below we also highlight four of our favorite levels from the game and take a little bit into creating each one…
Nintendo Life: When you presented your creation, you mentioned that work started back in 2015. What inspired you to create what is effectively a full 2D Mario campaign?
Metroid Mike 64: I’ve always wanted to create a Mario game since I was a little kid. At school, I drew courses in a notebook. When Super Mario Maker was released it was a dream come true. I started creating courses with the intention of making them part of a larger game. But really, it wasn’t until the world creator update released for Super Mario Maker 2 that my dream could finally come true.
Much of the game was based on the Super Mario World template, with a small addition of Super Mario Bros. 3 for good measure. It also seems like you actively avoided the New Super Mario Bros. aesthetic. U. What was the reason for this approach?
I avoid the new styles of New Super Mario Bros. U and Super Mario 3D World because I love the SNES/NES era too much. Styles of Super Mario World and Super Mario Bros. 3 makes me too nostalgic. I wanted the game to be the same as those games.
What was the most difficult part of this project? How did you overcome it?
The most difficult aspect of this project was just letting go and posting the damn thing! I tried to improve every course by constantly reworking and testing. My Super World was ready a couple of months ago, but I felt like I needed to finalize it. It seemed that this process would never end.
Given that Nintendo seems to be putting a lot of emphasis on 3D Mario games lately, do you think there is a possibility for another traditional 2D Mario game and do you think that NIntendo will ever make one? again?
Yes. I believe Nintendo will release a new 2D Mario game someday, maybe as early as next year along with a Mario movie (fingers crossed). New Super Mario Bros. U turned out great. I believe that if the style of this game were switched to a more retro pixel style like Super Mario World, it would be remembered with more fondness.
Super Mario Bros. 5″ has attracted a lot of attention since you shared it on Twitter. How does it feel to finally share the results of seven years of work with the world?
Metroid Mike 64: It’s nice to finally finish this project and focus on other games. Sometimes I felt trapped, like if I stop creating and play another game, I might lose interest and put off Super Mario Maker 2 for a few months. This year I focused on doing just that and avoided other games entirely. The answer was overwhelming. I may have to go back and update some courses!
World 1 – Galumba Gardens
Galumba Gardens is the very first level you will encounter in the game. It serves as an excellent introduction and there is little here that can seriously test the average player.
Having said that, its overall layout and pace is definitely very different from your typical Mario game. Great start!
Here’s what Metroid Mike 64 says:
“I wanted this course to be a basic 1-1 for you and at the same time teach the player the hidden “?” blocks and that multi-colored pipes can be inserted.
World 2 – Beanstalk Expressway
One of the few times in the game when Indeed Turning standard gameplay on its head, Beanstalk Expressway sees you fly through the sky with a Power Balloon, dodging giant Bullet Bills along the way while iconic music from Super Mario Galaxy plays in the background.
It’s a fun little stroll that could easily be filled with enemies, but the restraint shown here makes one think about a change of pace.
However, Metroid Mike 64 thought that some might be intimidated by this level:
“Originally called Beanstalk & the Balloon, then Beanstalk Bridge, this level eventually became an expressway. I debated whether to include the Power Balloon segment. Some people might like it and some might be scared, so I decided to make this course skippable so that players can continue playing.”
World 3 – Wendy’s Battle Tank of Destiny
The level of creativity shown in the final level of World 3 is truly special. It is one of the stages of the game with bosses, ending with a fight with Wendy O. Koopa. The level itself was designed to depict tanks rolling across the stage, but despite the rather gimmicky aesthetic, moving around the course exhibits the extreme craftsmanship required to make it all fit together.
This is a true representation of the “classic Mario” gameplay that made the originals so special. Metroid Mike 64 is also quite interested in this:
“This is one of my favorites. It’s an airship designed to look like a tank, using conveyor belts as the tank’s tracks and moving platforms as the moving ground. I think it came out great and the gameplay is top notch.”
World 4 – Hammer Jungle
Hammer Jungle is where the difficulty in Super Mario Bros. 5 is really starting to increase. Blocks hiding Hammer Bros. are scattered throughout, and climbable beanstalks give it a vertical feel.
It also ends up with a pretty cool “boss fight”, although Metroid Mike 64 mentioned that there might be a level overhaul on the maps as he thinks it breaks the flow of the game:
“I released this earlier in the original SMM. The trick is that there are hammer brothers hidden in certain blocks. It’s a risk/reward, so you have to be hesitant to hit the block at all. There is a boss at the end. which I think breaks the flow of the game. This course was originally conceived as the last course of one of the worlds before the Couplings were added. This is one of the courses on my list that I will eventually return and fix. a little more.”
So you have it! So far, this is just a small selection of our favorite levels, and we can’t wait to complete the rest as soon as possible. Be sure to try Super Mario Bros. 5″ if you have a chance; we think this is a very compelling look at what a new “traditional” 2D Mario game could look like in 2022. Now the ball is in your favor, Nintendo… Make the 2D Mario game we’ve all been waiting for, please!
Have you dabbled in the world of Metroid Mike 64? What do you think of it? Have you made one of your own? Let us know!
