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Nintendo Classic Games (Games)

'Super Mario Maker 2' Finally Acknowledges Nintendo Fan Communities (npr.org) 36

It was the best-selling game of June, with IGN calling it "the most accessible game design tool ever created, and that core is just one part of a greater whole..."

Since its launch three weeks ago, fans have already built over 2 million custom stages, NPR notes -- but the real news is that Super Mario Maker 2 finally represents a shift in Nintendo's attitude towards its fan community: It's Nintendo's reliance on the creative spirit of these dedicated players that makes the Super Mario Maker series such a quietly radical property within the Nintendo canon... By loosening its grip on a beloved property and tossing the keys to the player community, Nintendo feeds into the fan-obsessive tendencies they've previously refused. With the Super Mario Maker series, Nintendo acknowledges the history of competitive speedrunning, tournament play, and even the masochistic fan games that have made their games visible and interesting in an entirely different way. It's the rare Nintendo game that is depending on those players, creators, and spectators to keep it alive. Super Mario Maker 2 has only been out for a few weeks, but already we've seen how the game's deceptively complex course editor has led to the community making some astounding levels...

Nintendo has always been old-school in the way they rely on offline experiences, downplaying the kind of online communities that other developers prioritize. Ironically, it is that indifference that has made fan communities formed around Nintendo games feel singular and special -- they're smaller, more intimate, and regulated by the players themselves. With the Super Mario Maker franchise, Nintendo finally acknowledges the power and influence of its most obsessive fans -- by creating something that couldn't thrive without them.

IGN argues that "it's astonishing how incredibly well it's all held together in one cohesive package... It does nearly everything better than its already excellent predecessor, introducing some incredible new ideas, level styles, building items, and so much more - all while maintaining the charm of Mario games we know and love."

And Slashdot reader omfglearntoplay writes "If you like old games from the 1980s, this is your game."
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'Super Mario Maker 2' Finally Acknowledges Nintendo Fan Communities

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  • And you want to PR pressure wash that away with THIS, lol. Good fucking luck bastard-san.

    • Nintendo sues basically nothing out of existence since the fundamental difference between fan projects for abandon ware and fan projects for Nintendo IP is that Nintendo's IP is actively re-used, re-sold.

      Frankly people making works based on other people's IP deserve what they get if they don't seek prior permission, especially when that IP is still in active use. I have no sympathy for those sued by Nintendo.

  • by Luthair ( 847766 )
    As someone who has played most of the mario platformers I have zero desire to subject myself to a random grab bag of trash that is user generated content. For every diamond there are many more autorunners, gimmicks, bullshit, etc. The reason Mario is popular and has survived is the high bar & polish that Nintendo sets for its games not because of niche communities.
    • Comment removed based on user account deletion
      • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

        I only have the first game but the ranking system in that is not great. There are still a lot of really bad levels that get recommended.

        At least you can down-vote levels in MM2. In the first game you could only up-vote.

      • It is definitely worth it to get this game if you like any Mario platforming games at all. It is easy to find some high quality makers and then "follow" them. Or go to Reddit or similar and 95% of the ones listed there are well done and worth checking out. Even better when people describe their levels or you can do a detailed search in game for the tags that you like, which work well in many cases (not all, granted).

        Making levels is just too fun... you make what you like, then play that yourself and with yo

    • And for every diamond and every garbage level there is ultimately a rating system which allowed you to do something such as work through levels by popularity playing only the diamonds.

      • by Luthair ( 847766 )
        Except the part where the internet is full of influencers telling their follows to play and up vote their crap.
  • On PC when?
  • as long as you don't develop your own tools or make a clean room implementation, sure they acknowledge that you can use super mario maker, a program they made and sell.

    all others get acknowledged by a c&d letter.

  • Super Mario Maker 2 shows Nintendo is finally shifting and letting fans design levels?

    I must be remembering wrong since apparently there either was never a Super Mario Maker (1), or if there was, it didn't let fans design levels!

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