It turns out that playing loads of video games doesn't necessarily make you a good designer. Who'd have thought it? So, scuppered by Super Mario Maker, I decided to analyse the four Mario games featured within and see what I could learn.

(Note: early Super Mario Maker code provided by Nintendo for review purpose only. Also: how do you like these longer episodes? Let me know in the comments below!)

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Research help via:

The Game Design Forum: "Reverse Design - Super Mario World"
http://thegamedesignforum.com/features/RD_SMW_1.html

Recommended reading / viewing

Game Maker's Toolkit: "Super Mario 3D World's 4 Step Level Design"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBmIkEvEBtA

Significant Bits: "Super Mario Bros 3 Level Design Lessons"
http://www.significant-bits.com/super-mario-bros-3-level-design-lessons

Auntie Pixelante: "Level design lesson: To the right, hold on tight"
http://auntiepixelante.com/?p=465

Games shown in this episode (in order of appearance):

LittleBigPlanet 3 (Sumo Digital, 2014)
Trials Evolution (RedLynx, 2012)
Super Mario Maker (Nintendo, 2015)
Super Mario 3D World (Nintendo, 2013)
Super Mario World (Nintendo, 1990)
Super Mario Bros. 3 (Nintendo, 1988)
Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo, 1985)
New Super Mario Bros. U (Nintendo, 2012)
Super Mario Bros. 2 (Nintendo, 1988)

Music used in this episode:

Coursebot (Super Mario Maker)
Title Screen (Super Mario Maker)
Seesaw Bridge (New Super Mario Bros, U)
Super Mario Bros. 3 Ground Editor (Super Mario Maker)
Super Mario World Ground Editor (Super Mario Maker)
Super Mario Bros. Ground Editor (Super Mario Maker)
Course World (Super Mario Maker)
Title Screen (Super Mario Maker)
14:26 - Digital Manual (Super Mario Maker)