Super Mario Maker 2 Direct: all the details and announcements, Super Mario Maker 2 Invitational 2019 + footage

During the latest Nintendo Direct presentation, Nintendo shared plenty of details about the upcoming Super Mario Maker 2. Missed the presentation? No problem: you can now watch it live on YouTube:

Also, the official website was launched in Japan, offering us plenty of video clips for the game. We went and merged them into a single video, for your viewing convenience! (NB: there’s also a short video clip, uploaded separately, showcasing the multiplayer component):

Super Mario Maker 2

First, here’s all the new details about Super Mario Maker 2, with the many new elements introduced in this “sequel”:

What’s New?: There are a ton of new course parts, tools and features for creators to use in Super Mario Maker 2, some of which include:

• • Slopes – Create angled surfaces by just picking a direction and setting the length. Gentler slopes are an additional option.
  • Angry Sun – Remember the angry sun that attacked Mario in the Super Mario Bros. 3 game? It’s back and ready to put the pressure on players in this new game.
  • ON/OFF Switch – Hit an ON/OFF Switch, and all the red and blue blocks in the course will swap! Setting them up wisely will help players create tricky puzzles and obstacles.
  • Water Level – The water level in Super Mario Maker 2 can be adjusted in the Forest theme, so only half the course can be underwater if that’s what the player wants. Water can even be set to rise and fall at different speeds over time.
  • Banzai Bill – The red variations of these classic Super Mario enemies have a homing function, and chase poor Mario wherever he goes.
  • Co-op Making: Pass a Joy-Con controller to a friend to create a course together, side by side.
  • To Be Continued…: There are more secrets in Super Mario Maker 2. Players will have a blast experimenting with all the tools and features they can use to create.
• Story Mode: In the single-player Story Mode, which can be played entirely offline, Mario sets out to help rebuild Princess Peach’s castle. To fund this reconstruction project, he needs to collect Coins, which he can earn by accepting jobs from the bulletin board and completing the associated courses. Story Mode is a great way for makers to get inspired, with more than 100 original Nintendo-crafted courses to play.
• New Course Themes: In addition to all the course themes from the original game, players will be able to create and play courses using the Desert, Snow, Forest and Sky themes. These themes feature new music by veteran Super Mario series composer Koji Kondo. The new Moon course part can be used to unlock night versions of themes. Depending on the theme used, wild things will happen at night, including floating Goombas, dimmed lighting in the Ghost House and sandstorms in the Desert. Some items might even transform in the nighttime…
• Super Mario 3D World: Players can choose to create their courses in the style of Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, New Super Mario Bros. U games and a new one based on Super Mario 3D World. Some new features unique to this style include:
  • Cat Mario – Cat Mario can climb walls, scratch, slide and pounce on enemies. Players can even use Cat Mario to climb up the Goal Pole!
  • Clear Pipe – Clear Pipes can be placed in any shape the player wants, but they have to be careful, as enemies can also slide through them.
  • Koopa Troopa Car – Hop in this sweet ride and zoom through the course. Players just have to make sure not to crash!
  • Track Block – The Track Block will follow any path the player draws. The blue one starts moving when the player steps on it.
  • Piranha Creeper – The Piranha Creeper follows the path that the player draws, extending its dangerous spiky stem around the course.
  • Who’s Who in Super Mario 3D World?: A cast of other familiar faces will also make appearances in Super Mario Maker 2, so players are in for a treat!
• Course World: An online hub where players can play and share courses, as well as play together, Course World is available for players around the world who have a membership to Nintendo Switch Online. Players can browse by Popular Courses, New Courses or even search for specific tags like “puzzle-solving” or “autoscroll” using a set of filters. Once a course is downloaded, it can be played anytime – including offline! Players can also personalize their Mii character’s appearance using items like shirts and hats that unlock after completing various objectives. In Endless Challenge, players will try to complete as many Course World courses as possible on the difficulty of their choice before getting a game over. Earning impressive scores in this mode might even get the player on the Leaderboards!
• Play Together: In Course World, players can play courses with people all over the world. When playing with four players, players play as Mario, Luigi, Toad or Toadette.
  • Multiplayer Versus – Four players face off in a side-scrolling showdown in this online multiplayer mode. Each player will be assigned a different character, then race each other in a randomly selected course. The player who clears the course first wins and increases their Versus Rating.
  • Multiplayer Co-op – In this online mode, up to four players must work together to beat the course. If one player finishes it, everyone wins!

  • Nearby Play – If up to four players each own a Nintendo Switch system and the Super Mario Maker 2 game, one can set up a virtual room that the others in the same location can join to play together on their own systems. Only the player setting up the room needs an internet connection.

Also, Nintendo announced that North America is also getting the Super Mario Maker 2 + Nintendo Switch Online subscription (12 months, individual) bundle, that is sold as a Limited Edition in Europe and Japan. It will be available for $69.99, which is $9.99 cheaper than buying both separately.

By the way, if you’re interested, the game is now available for pre-purchase on the Nintendo eShop, worldwide!

Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers

Check out this post for all the details!

Super Mario Maker 2 Invitational 2019

Nintendo announced that there will be a third tournament at E3 2019: the Super Mario Maker 2 Invitational 2019. It will take place on June 8th / June 9th, and will have 4 members of the Super Mario Maker community compete in a variety of wild and unpredictable courses designed by the Nintendo Treehouse team.

The tournament will start on June 8th/9th, at the following time:

• Europe: 10PM
• UK: 9PM
• North America (ET): 2PM
• North America (PT): 11AM
• Japan: 5AM

Super Mario Maker 2 (Switch) comes out on June 28th worldwide.

Source: Nintendo PR