Happy 30th Anniversary Super Mario! Your games are a true form of having fun, giving a challenge and mostly giving us memorable experiences that we will never forget. Here is to another 30 years of your games. I wanted to open my Super Mario Maker review with something to recognize. Can you actually believe that it has been 30 years of Super Mario? Wow, crazy isn’t. How does Nintendo kick off this celebration? By releasing a game where fans now have the keys and tools to create, play and share their wildest ideas for a Mario game.

Super Mario Maker is a game where you now run the show in creating stages for players across the world and have them play your levels. Ever wanted to have a stage go on and on with many obstacles? You can do that! Ever wanted to have a short level but, make it almost impossible to pass? You can do that! “Anyone can make it, Everyone can play it!” says the back of the box of Super Mario Maker. When you first start the game up you are introduced on how level creation starts. Take a few brick blocks add them here, have a “?” Block here with a nice surprise waiting for the player. And of course there are a couple of Goombas and a Koopa Troopa. Once you’re done, you can play it.

Super Mario Maker is a simple game to get into, simply choose “play”  from the title screen and you can choose to play potentially over thousands upon thousands of levels. Levels that can be fun, challenging or at worst,  straight up impossible. Either way you’re in for a treat ladies and gentlemen. You can play them to see what is it like, if you like it, star it. So that way anytime you can play it over and over again if it’s your favorite. Or if you like to give yourself a challenge, jump into the 100 Mario Challenge. This is where you can take on challenging levels to rescue Princess Peach all within 100 lives. A classic feel, mixed with a new form. Three options; Easy mode which gives you 8 stages to pass through. Normal which offers 16 stages with you having a chance to rescue good ol’ Princess Peach but, will offer more challenging course to play through. Lastly upon completing both difficulties, you’ll unlock expert mode. This mode offers 16 stages, but, some of the most challenging levels from any creator. How you choose to play is up to you, be ready!

Creating is where you get to show off your creative side. The creation side of things is how you as the creator,  will be able to take the classic 1985 World 1-1 stage from Super Mario Bros or World 1-1 stage from New Super Mario Bros and make it yours. Take some tools and create the next best stage for Super Mario Bros. Later on when you play the game regularly, you will unlock even more tools to make even more insane stages. Some added  gameplay features is the ever so popular Amiibo support which can unlock character costumes. Depending whomever you scan in, when you unlock a costume with an Amiibo, you will get classic sound effects and their classic win theme from their games. Or if you use the Classic 8-bit Mario Amiibo you can go Mega huge and crush through everything. Remember you hold the keys to make the most insane levels to date now.

Super Mario Maker looks great to look at as well. With the classic stages and sounds effects it will really take you back and enjoy it even more. Playing this game you will get a sense of nostalgia but, again with your style and flavor of creating your own levels. Everything about this game will give you a sense of excitement only to have try new levels that have been made from other players such as me and you. This game is an amazing experience to live up too.

Overall Super Mario Maker gives players old and new ways to easily get into this game. They can create and share their ideas, get inspiration from the included idea book when you buy the game or simply playing other creators levels.  I know I already have from laughing so hard playing some either crazy or  impossible stages. But, I do have the most fun playing those stages. 30 years of Super Mario has given us players something to cheerful. Super Mario Maker is another game to give up memorable moments that will hold deeply in our heart.  

4 out of 5 Koopas