[Nintendo 3DS] Super Mario Maker ROM Download

Super Mario Maker ROM Screenshots

Super Mario Maker ROM Description

Super Mario Maker is just over a year old now and the game is now available on the go with the release of Super Mario Maker for the Nintendo 3DS.

Creation Tools

For the most part Super Mario Maker is a direct port of the Wii U version, at least when it comes to the creation tools. Every tool, item, enemy, and even sound effect that were available on the Wii U version is available on the 3DS, which is pretty impressive because not only were the item elements ported over, but also all the game sceneries from Super Mario Bros 1-3, World, and most surprisingly New Super Mario Bros U.

It isn’t without its caveats though. It’s pretty apparent how taxing all of this is on the 3DS hardware, on both the older and the newer models. If you played the Wii U version of Super Mario Maker before, you’ll notice that the switch between editing and playing is pretty instant. That’s not always the case with the 3DS version. When you switch between the sceneries in Super Mario Bros 1, 2 or World, the transition is slower than the Wii U version but it’s still pretty quick and hardly noticeable.

However, when switching between sceneries in New Super Mario Bros U, it’s made quite obvious just how much slower the 3DS hardware is. If you’re playing on the older 3DS hardware, the switch can take anywhere between 5 to 6 seconds, while on the newer models it’s down to 3 to 4 seconds. Some could count this as just me nitpicking about the gameplay, but when you’re constantly editing and testing your levels it becomes much more apparent than just how annoying it is.

Presentation

Another thing I notice is that there’s this weird black border around the gameplay for some reason. No matter whether you’re editing, playing, or what version of the game you’re playing, whether it’s Mario Bros 1, 3, World, or U, there’s always this black border around the screen. Perhaps it is to keep the aspect ratio and grid system that’s used to make these levels in check for how the original Mario Bros games were designed, but it’s pretty off-putting, especially since the 3DS screens are much smaller already than the Wii U screen.

Portability

With that said, the creation tools on the 3DS feel right at home. Sure the screens are much smaller so the surface area for your level creation is smaller too, but having all the Wii U tools at your disposal in a nice compact package on the go is really exquisite. I’ve had Super Mario Maker for the 3DS for the last week, and it’s definitely made my metro subway commutes a lot more bearable now that I can create levels while I’m locked in.

Now when you finish creating a level you can save it to your course pot to replay later or you can share with your friends. Something new with the 3DS version is that you can share unfinished levels so your friends can actually help you finish a level on their own 3DS.

Sharing Limitations

Here’s the problem with sharing on the 3DS though – it’s heavily stripped on the 3DS version. You can only share levels over local wireless or StreetPass. You can no longer send your friends a level code so they can try out your level nor can you upload the level online to the internet for anyone else to try it either. You’re strictly limited to only local wireless and StreetPass sharing.

The only online feature Super Mario Maker for the 3DS has is the ability to play and download Wii U versions of levels to your 3DS. Once again though, you can’t search for the level code and you can only pick levels that Nintendo gives you by the top trending charts.

100 Mario Challenge

Beyond all this, you also have the return of the 100 Mario Challenge. This has you play levels pre-created by Nintendo for you to finish, or you can play through levels created by users online if you choose to play the levels made by Nintendo you’ll get many challenges in each level, like finish the level without using a warp pipe or finish the level with the fire flower. Completing these challenges earns you new medals that then unlock new challenges for each level, which is all pretty nifty.

If you do choose to play levels made by users, you don’t get these challenges but the game will then randomly select levels from Wii U owners that have uploaded their levels online and then give them to you to play. And that’s pretty much Super Mario Maker for the 3DS in a nutshell.

Conclusion

It’s a very stripped down version of Mario Maker when they come down to sharing. All the tools you can want from the Wii U version are here, but for some reason Nintendo has chosen to limit the sharing communities to just people around you. Sure this is cool if you commute around the city with a lot of people or have friends that also have the game. However not having the ability to upload and share your levels with friends far away from you cuts part of the fun of Mario Maker out.

Creating your Mario Maker levels is a great time but seeing people trying, and often times failing, at beating your levels is just as much part of the fun as creating the levels are. If you already own Super Mario Maker on the Wii U this is a pretty neat package to have on the go, but not really a must-have. If you only own a 3DS and you’re thinking about getting this, I think you’ll enjoy it if you haven’t played Super Mario Maker before, but just know the limitations that come with this specific version of the game.

Now if you do own a 3DS and have played Mario Maker before but don’t own it because you don’t have a Wii U, I think you’ll probably turn it off from the lack of sharing options. Overall, Super Mario Maker for the 3DS is a cool game but one that’s really only doing the basics when it could be doing so much more. In that sense I don’t think this game is a bad game, nor is it a great game, it’s just good or alright – nothing more, nothing less.