Super Mario Maker for the Nintendo 3DS has just released, bringing players the chance to create their own Mario levels on the go.
After being released on the Wii U in September, the 3DS version is mostly a direct port tailored to function on the handheld's smaller screen.
Players can access a bunch of different tools to replicate or build new levels for Mario to jump through - from the original Super Mario Bros to the latest. Each level can be designed to look like various worlds from the Italian plumber's history.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Latest Videos FromThe Week
But does the 3DS version live up to the original it's based on? Here's what the experts think.
Gameplay
Wired finds Super Mario Maker works just as well on the 3DS as it does on the Wii U, although having so much squeezed into the handheld's touchscreen can feel "a bit cramped" on the XL version.
Drawing and dragging is simple, the website says, and all of the course elements from the Wii U version are present - the "Mystery Mushroom", which allows the player to alter Mario's appearance, is one of only a few omissions.
The offline campaign takes players through 88 different challenges and is a step forward from the Wii U version, says IGN.
While the site says the 3DS version can't handle as many tools, it adds that the levels are "never hindered" by the asset cap. Jumping between the ability to build and play is "easily the best part of the experience" and is an "excellent way to play a bottomless pit" of retro 2D Mario levels.
Ars Technica calls the game "extremely enjoyable", saying it is an "undermarketed" 2D Super Mario title disguised as a level-editing experience. This is mostly down to the 100 Nintendo-created levels with unique goals designed to challenge "any serious player", it adds.
Level creating is "just as functional and creativity inducing" as the original version, the website continues, while the simple selection of classic building blocks offer "endless possibilities" of design.
Multiplayer
Digital Spy notes the absence of online features. While it does mention that work-in-progress levels can be shared with friends, "who can collaborate with you on designs", it says it is not compatible with players on the Wii U version and can feel "redundant" if your friends don't have a 3DS.
Handheld players can download Wii U-created levels through Nintendo's cloud, but the inability to upload levels on the handheld system is "frustrating", says Digital Spy.
The lack of online sharing capabilities will be a "deal breaker" for many, says The Verge, as the original's ability to download and distribute homemade Mario creations was a "key component".
However, Super Mario Maker on the 3DS breaks the "rigid" and "strict" rules imposed by conventional games and offers young players tailor the experience to suit their experience, the site continues. The combination of the dual screen layout and stylus makes the 3DS version feel "more natural" and its portability is "ideal for sudden bouts of inspiration".
Release date
Super Mario Maker is released on 2 December for the Nintendo 3DS, while players on the Wii U can pick it up from Amazon for around £35.00.
Price
You can pick up Super Mario Maker on the Nintendo 3DS for £28.00 on Amazon, with the Wii U version available for £38.88
