We’re hyped up about Mario Maker. One of the things we’ve always wanted is the ability to create our own Super Mario Bros levels. We played a bit at last E3, and made a few questionable iterations that we were proud of (but we’re sure the Nintendo staff probably weren’t). At the Game Awards last night, Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto reconfirmed that the game/creative software would arrive in 2015, along with Super Mario Bros 3 and Super Mario World assets for the levels — in addition to the already announced Super Mario Bros and New Super Mario Bros U (whew!) art styles.
He then dropped a nice little tidbit: Depending on reaction to this game, it could end up being a franchise.
That immediately gets our brains spinning. What other game series would we like to see get the Maker treatment?
The Legend of Zelda
Zelda seems like a natural next step for Maker. While the series may have gone 3D now, last year’s Link Between Worlds was a terrific game (one of the best of the year, for sure) and there’s plenty of magic in two-dimensional Zelda games yet.
Being able to create a Zelda game with our own story, our own vision of Hyrule and our own puzzles would be fantastic, especially when we consider that there really aren’t any limits to the environment. We have the prerequisite fire, ice, forest and mountain terrains, dark and light worlds, swamps and deserts. And a Zelda game couldn’t exist without secrets (bombing walls!) and puzzles. Recent Zelda games have introduced warping, multiple shops, day and night effects, and even strange new abilities like turning into a flat painting on a wall.
With art style being an important factor in Mario Maker, it would seem perfect to be able to switch between the original Legend of Zelda art style into the Super NES or 3DS versions. Heck, maybe there would even be a way to add in Zelda 2‘s sidescrolling 2D style in there as well.
Thankfully, we have some options while we wait on the possibility.
Open Zelda is an open source Zelda game maker available for download. Created by fans, the software allows for a Link to the Past (Super NES Zelda) style of game, with the ability to make puzzles, add in secrets, and more. It’s currently available for Windows, Mac, and more, and Nintendo has so far let it live on.
Mega Man
No, this isn’t a Nintendo published game, but we need new Mega Man! We haven’t had one since 2010’s Mega Man 10 for modern consoles, and though the downloadable game sold extremely well, the 3DS’ Mega Man Legends 3 game was cancelled soon after. In fact, Capcom wanted to give fans the opportunity to create their own games with Mega Man Universe, a piece of software that would allow fans to make levels and share them.
Sounds perfect! Too bad it was cancelled. As development trudged on, all sorts of factors took over and the product was never finished.
Mega Man games always rely on twitch mechanics and tight controls, and that definitely requires much more development know-how than many casual fans would have been able to give it. It’s more complicated than Mario games, for sure. However, it still exists as something we’d like to see. Perhaps in the hands of Nintendo (who managed to make Mega Man a terrific addition to Super Smash Bros) the concept could actually come to life.
Donkey Kong
No, not Donkey Kong Country, the original Donkey Kong. Every time we play the classic, we’re in love with the puzzles. It’s basic platforming, yet the mix of speed and timing (and even jumping physics) makes for one of the most tense and tight experiences possible. Donkey Kong Jr was pretty interesting as a sequel, but we were given a real treat when Donkey Kong 94 arrived for the GameBoy. The game mixed that classic style with new puzzles and an overworld map, all of which worked well on the portable’s screen.
Though we’ve had Mario vs Donkey Kong games since then, and even the excellent platformer series in Donkey Kong Country, it just hasn’t been the same. Twenty years have passed since a true Donkey Kong experience, and that’s far too long.
Leave it up to intrepid fans to take up the reigns. Game developer Mike Mika hacked the original Donkey Kong for his daughter to let Pauline be the star, rescuing Mario from the big ape. Donkey Kong: Pauline Edition is available for free.
But wouldn’t it be great to create our own DK levels? To be able to switch back and forth between the classic arcade visuals, the Gameboy’s updated style, and even those of the Wii U’s Tropical Freeze? And being able to mix who the heroes and heroines are would be just as enjoyable. Heck, why couldn’t Pauline rescue Donkey Kong from Mario?
NES Remix
The Remix series of mashup games is the ultimate Nintendo fan’s dream. The changes to the classic games is tons of fun, and the additional mashups and design tweaks is great. Link in Super Mario Bros? Mario with the lights flickering on and off? Everything played backwards? And they all work! It’s a testament to Nintendo’s design prowess that even significant curveballs don’t break the games.
Now, wouldn’t it be great to give fans that opportunity as well? I would love to create short experiences where I mix and match assets from classic Nintendo games, change the goals and game mechanics, and share them with friends. My first would probably be to place Donkey Kong‘s Mario (Jumpman) in the world of Ice Climbers, with only fireballs as my weapons as I battle Punch Out! characters.
The combinations there would be nearly endless. Heck, there could even be a SuperNES sequel that goes even further.
So, what games would you like to see Nintendo create Maker software for?
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