When I play a Mario game, I expect to make a lot of decisions about when to run and when to jump. Those expectations go out the window while I’m playing Super Mario Maker.
Sometimes, I boot up a Mario Maker level only to find that the whoever created the level actually just wants me to go along for the ride. Sometimes, moving at all will mean death. Other times, you are expected to run right and never, ever stop (or jump!), regardless of what’s happening on screen. If you don’t follow the rules, you die. If you do as you are told, you see all sorts of hijinks that make Mario Maker feel like a roller coaster. Levels like this are always intricate and painstakingly designed, making them some of my favorite types of creations in Mario Maker. You can view a few of them in the video below, which I’ve uploaded to my personal YouTube channel:
The first level, created by Skullkid, has you running endlessly forward—even if it means smacking your head against springs repeatedly (which is hilarious), or running into an enemy. If you stop for even a second, you mess the entire thing up and lose. The second level was created by Alex, and it’s called “Don’t touch that controller.” It requires you to hold perfectly still while a series of springs and Goombas bring you to the flagpole. And the third level, I’ve already shown off on Kotaku before—Enjoy “Mr. Blue Bones’ Wild Ride.” Like the second level, Wild Ride asks you to stand perfectly still the entire way through—you know, just enjoy the ride! The spring at the end is a particularly nice touch.
Levels of this sort are not unique to Mario Maker of course. Mario ROM hacks have a similar concept called “Automatic Mario.” You can see one such level uploaded by AutomaticSuperMario here:
(Thanks for the link, K7!)
Hell, it’s not even Mario-specific. Trackmania games for example have something called “Press Forward,” where you do what it says on the tin. Here’s a level recorded by Rock Paper Shotgun that shows this in action—it’s pretty bonkers.
I can’t wait to see what elaborate “Press Forward” type levels people make once Mario Maker is out in the wild. I have a feeling we’re gonna see way more ridiculous levels.