Analysing Mario to Master Super Mario Maker | Platformer Level Design

Hi, this is Mark Brown with Game Maker's Toolkit,
a series on video game design.

Games with user generated content can be great stepping stones for wannabe designers.

Games like LittleBigPlanet, simple level making
engines like Duke Nukem 3D's Build, the track

editor in Trials, and modding tools for Skyrim
let you try your hand at design, without having

to learn Unity, or Xcode, or something like
that.

Which is why I was excited to sit down with
Super Mario Maker, the Wii U game where you

can build your own Mario stages. I didn't
want to build troll levels or goofy gimmick

stages - I wanted to see if I could build
good levels that follow Nintendo's design

philosophies, and could feasibly exist inside
a Mario game.

But when I was faced with a blank screen and
a box full of goombas and pipes and coins,

I realised that didn't even know where to
start. Even after thinking back to my video

on "Super Mario 3D's 4 step level design",
I felt stuck.

Luckily, the other advantage to these level
editors is that they come with a wealth of

content to look at for ideas and best practices.
Aka, the game itself. Or in the case of Super

Mario Maker, four games: Super Mario Bros,
Super Mario Bros 3, Super Mario World, and

New Super Mario Bros U.

So, with that in mind, I wanted to analyse
a favourite level from each of these games

and figure out how they're built, how they
challenge and surprise the player, and if

there are any ideas I can borrow, or steal, for my own
stages.

Let's start with New Super Mario Bros. U,
and the level Seesaw Bridge, which is in

the Soda Jungle.

MARIO: Let's-a go!

The first thing we see in this level, is actually
kind of weird. There's a Wiggler on these

blocks, and it isn't exactly a threat. All
you can really do is kill it. An easy win

before a slightly tricky level, perhaps?

We're then introduced to the stage's main
mechanic: these bridges that automatically

see-saw up and down. We get a feel for them,
but we're in no real danger: the tip never even

goes underwater, so Mario is safe wherever
he stands, and only has to make a small jump

to get on.

We get a power-up box, and now a bigger jump
between two see-saws. The arc of the coins shows

us the optimum time to jump off the bridge.

The Koopa Troopa isn't so much a danger here.
It's the set up for a fun moment: Mario veterans

will want to lob his shell at the other Koopa,
and - thanks to the layout of the level - this

will take out three Wigglers.

Before we move on, you might have noticed
a not-so-secret pipe. This takes us to an

area with the game's optional pick-up: a big
coin. It's a really hard challenge, using

mechanics we haven't come across yet, designed
specifically for veterans.

Anyway. Back up top, we see the basic see-saw
mechanic has now become more challenging. There's

a bigger gap to jump, the platform now dips
into the poisonous water, and we see our first

interceptor. These are enemies that periodically
appear between platforms to make you consider

timing, as well as jumping and landing.

We get another jump, with another interceptor, this
time with Wigglers on the platforms so you'll

have to bounce off their backs to proceed.
It adds a slight wrinkle to the basic jump.

Now the challenge is really starting to ramp
up. These bridges have only one pivot point,

and so spin in a full 360. Plus: their spins are
out of sync, so you can't just wait for them

to line up and will inevitably have to do
some tricky jumping to stay alive.

That block is interesting. Mario games are
always asking you to make tricky decisions.

You can wimp out and ignore the block, or
you can risk everything to get a 1UP mushroom.

It's optional, though, so players get to choose.

This section looks quite intimidating, but is actually
another set-up for a power trip. Mario

games, at the end of the day, want you to
have fun and this sort of moment is just there

to make you smile. It's really hard to mess
up, too, as the placement of the Koopa and

the Wiggler will make almost every player
throw a shell to the right.

These red rings cause time-sensitive coins
to appear. This is important, because playing

Mario at a high speed is really fun and exhilarating,
but it often makes more sense to play it slow

and move slowly. These brief spurts of speed
add short moments of speed-running flair to

the game. Imagine how different, and how boring
this section would be if you waited patiently

for each spiky ball to fall before jumping.

Next up, a mutation of the spinning bridge.
This time, it's so long that you can't hope

to jump to the other side mid rotation. But
a cheeky ring of coins will encourage some

players to make a dumb decision.

Part of ramping up the challenge is increasing
the distance between safe zones. On this image,

the red areas are where Mario can fall in
the water, and the green areas are safe. As

the level goes on, there are longer and longer
periods where Mario has to think fast and

react on the spot, without being able to relax.

So, here, you can't even see the next safe
spot. You'll have to just go for it and react

to whatever the level throws at you. Complete all this,
and you'll get a reward: an easy three Koopa

kill.

And now, the final challenge: a whole bunch
of different spinning bridges. There's a mutation

we haven't see before. And a long distance
until the next safe space. And we finish with

an echo to the beginning: a Wiggler that is
no threat to us, but we can't help but kill him.

MARIO: Oh yeah, Mario time!

There are loads of great moments in Super
Mario Bros. 3, but one level really stuck

out for me during this playthrough. It was
a level that trolled me. That played a joke on me.

It's stage 4-6, which is in the game's iconic Giant Land.

We actually get a reminder of that New Super
Mario Bros. U level, here. There's a Koopa

who can't hurt you, but you'll probably kill
it anyway, because you're a terrible monster.

This is more of a gimmick level than anything.
You can switch between the giant enemies and

the normal sized enemies by going in these
magic doors. It doesn't change much, but it

gives the player an interesting choice, and it's a clever
idea overall.

Now here's where the joke happens. You bound
over this Koopa, and end up flying into this

wall, which spits out a star man. If you've
never played a Mario game, this thing makes

you invincible for a short time and lets you
instantly defeat any enemy you touch.

Once you get it you start to kill enemies like
this Goomba, and then, while you're on your

murderous rampage, you decide to kill this
Koopa too. But as you try to escape, an invisible

block appears over your head. And then another!
And another! The third one spits out a 1UP

mushroom but you probably won't get it, and
also your star man has run out before you

get to easily dispatch a pair of Koopa.

It's a moment of surprise. It's a joke between
the developer and the player.

Definitely a memorable moment.

The rest of the level is pretty typical. Some
jumping puzzles, and a reminder that while

Koopas aren't a particularly tough enemy to
dispatch, their predictable patrol pattern

can add a slight element of timing to a simple
jumping section like this.

For Super Mario World, we're checking out
Chocolate Island 3. The mechanic in this level

is actually a more challenging version of
one seen much earlier in the game, in Donut

Plains 3. This time around, the rotating platform
only has one arm.

We start, as usual, by getting to experiment
with the idea in a largely safe environment.

It's easy to get on board, there are no enemies,
and there's only one platform between safe zones.

Straight away, we see an addition to the challenge.
Now, a Koopa is on the central point, which

means that if we need to land on that section we'll
have to be careful not to touch the Koopa

or bounce off its shell into danger.

Now we have three spinning bridges between
safe zones. And look at how the distance between

these platforms is smaller than the distance
between these. It's subtle, but it's

still a step up.

Again, we can choose to contend with the Koopa
and get this block, or ignore him altogether

and run along the top.

Here, the two spinning platforms are out of
sync. Again, a subtle change to how things

work but it adds an extra challenge for Mario to
overcome. And, like before, we get to choose

whether we want to risk going into this pipe.

If we do, we're given a really good reward. Not just
a bunch of coins, but a fun and cathartic

mini-game in which to collect them. Mario
levels are all about balancing moments of

threat and moments of pure fun. And providing
satisfying rewards to moments of risk. It's

actually more of a risk than you might realise:
you'll miss the mid-level checkpoint if you

take this route.

Anyway. That checkpoint is, quite cheekily,
hanging in the air and only accessible if

you take this tricky high route and then land
on this small platform.

After some more jumping, we see a mutation
to the challenge. Now, instead a Koopa, the

central platforms are patrolled by Fuzzies
which you can't land on, and they go underneath

to force Mario to duck during the low points
of these swinging platforms. We also get a

classic intercept.

And then the big finale. Six platforms between
safe zones, some of which are out of sync.

There are Fuzzies on almost every central
point, and a question mark block and two Koopa

coins to encourage risky play. And a Koopa
Paratroopa intercept.

Finally, a vine and one last echo of the level's
mechanic, let us end the stage.

Finally, Super Mario Bros. These stages are
often a little more simple, as Nintendo was

finding its feet and, this being the first
game, every challenge and enemy would be exciting

to players in a way that, say, piranha plants
just aren't anymore.

But there's still plenty to learn, and not
just from Stage 1-1, which may be the most

analysed level in any video game ever. Instead,
I want to show you something I love, and something

I don't, in Stage 8-2.

This level reintroduces us to Lakitu, and
immediately puts us in danger as we must dodge

him, his Spinies, and a Koopa Paratroopa on a broken staircase. This level just isn't messing around.

But, this puts us in a position where we can
quite safely and easily dispatch Lakitu - an

enemy that has terrorised us earlier in the
game. It reminds me of when you finally get

to take down the helicopter that chases you
in Half Life 2.

This is the bit that stuck out to me. You
jump on this spring - because, why wouldn't you? - and

it dislodges a 1UP mushroom. But you can't
grab it so you have to run through this next

bit, keeping one eye on the shroom up high
and another on the pits and enemies down low.

It's another example of pushing the player
to become a speed runner, if only for a few

seconds, to give an exhilarating moment of
momentum and speed.

For this next section, we are beset by bullet
bills. But if you're an adept platformer you

can avoid them, and all the enemies, completely
by staying on these upper platforms. Until

this guy comes along and scuppers your plans, of course.

Now this bit kind of sucks. It's just a huge
jump. It will sap your lives, and it's not

an interesting challenge. There's only so
far you can keep expanding the distance of

your jumps before they become unfair and un-fun.

After that, we get some tricky sections but
with very simple obstacles. Just enemies we've

seen before, but in layouts that force
you to make precision jumps. We get a final

echo of that first staircase, but now with
even more pitfalls, before we finish the stage.

So, while I start work on my first Mario Maker
stage, let's recap what we found out. A typical

Mario level will only have one or two ideas,
and then iterate upon them to make it increasingly

challenging.

That might involve bumping up the gap between
jumps or making the timing harder to follow.

That might mean increasing the distance between
safe zones, or placing enemies - either as

interceptors between jumps or as obstacles
on the path. It could involve changing the

mechanic completely to make it more complex
or take away safety nets.

We can use coins to lure the player through
the level, and optional rewards to encourage

risky play. We can use time sensitive events
to make a player want to go fast, if only

for a moment. And we can offer moments of
fun and catharsis, either as a reward or as

a palette cleanser between moments of challenge.

And here's what I've got. Now, perhaps the
biggest limitation of Mario Maker is that

you can't exactly make your own level gimmick
- you're limited to what's available in the

toolbox. So, platforms on tracks aren't exactly
new, but I'm going to try and find some fresh ways

of iterating on that basic premise.

At the start of the level, we get to see how
these things work and play with it in a safe

area. If we fall, a safety net lets us get
up and try again. We then get a mushroom,

and a hint at what's to come.

Our first iteration is having to jump between
two platforms, while dealing with an intercepting

Koopa Paratroopa. Then there's this bit where
a Goomba bounces off a music block which,

to be honest, is a bit rubbish. But it happened
by accident and I liked it enough to keep it in.

Next there are three moving platforms. And
here, you get a choice. Are you going to take

the easy route and keep moving, or are you
going to take the risky option, up through

these spikes?

If you do, you'll have a small gauntlet to
face. Bullet bills, dropping donut platforms,

and spikes. Then, a 1UP mushroom chase that
I stole wholesale from Super Mario Bros., but

with spikes to keep it in tune with the rest
of the stage. If you're quick, you'll get

the 1UP. If you're not, then it will fall
into these spikes.

Either way, this door takes you

back to the level. I put it in the sky, as
a little homage to Super Mario Bros. 2, because

I felt sorry for it being left out of Mario
Maker.

Anyway! Back down here, we have a Koopa on
a small platform to deal with. By the way,

I chose to use these mushroom platforms because
while they act exactly like standard ground,

I think they feel less safe. I might be reaching
with that one.

Next, we have to deal with these flame throwers.
I deliberately put a piece of track going

down, here, so you'd have more time to see
how the flame throwers work. Then, you have

to deal with them. You can escape up here,
which puts you out of harm's way, but you'll

never know what was in that question mark
box!

It was a feather.

We get a safe zone, and - oh my god - I didn't
foresee this happening. But I like it, and

I love how it has a random, low chance of
happening. So that definitely stays.

The next bit sets the scene and is a warning,
but it can't actually hurt you unless you

jump. But the next version of this, which
you can see from this platform, can. You'll

get a chance to figure out what to do while
you ride up here. Then you get a moment

of catharsis before the challenge.

Now, the solution here, of course, is to use
the musical note to jump over the blade. But

timing this with the platform is a little
tricky.

I kind of troll you with these unattainable
coins, but the real reward is getting to kick

this shell down these steps to kill a bunch
of Spinies and earn a handful of 1UPs.

The saw blade in the wall is an echo to the
start of the level, kind of like a bookend.

And then we get our final choice. Ride the
easy platform over to the exit goal. Or take

this terrifying saw blade ride up here so
you can get an extra life.

Phew! So there we have it. My first ever Mario
Maker level and, I'm pleased with it. It's

not perfect, it's a little easy, perhaps - the musical
note jump could be harder, and the 1UP chase

is actually pretty hard to mess up. Bullet
bills are slow, it turns out.

But in general, I think it's a pretty good first
attempt. And it mostly adheres to the principles

I discovered in my analysis.

So, let me know what you think. And, when
Mario Maker comes out, let me know what you

come up with by leaving your level code in
the comments below. Plus, please like the

episode, subscribe on YouTube, and consider
supporting Game Maker's Toolkit on Patreon.