When Super Mario Maker was announced at E3 2014, many Nintendo fans were excited about finally having the chance to legitimately create courses for the iconic plumber to traverse. Promising content from 2D Mario games across generations, from Super Mario Bros. all the way to current day, further trailers even detailed the use of additional Nintendo characters through amiibo support. Given that the title would also include 100 courses on disc, it seemed as though Super Mario Maker would have something for everyone.
Thankfully, when the game did arrive, it did not disappoint. Super Mario Maker proved to be a smash, impressing fans and critics through its easy-to-use creation tools and short but fun 10 Mario Challenge mode. With the potential for new content to continue appearing for as long as Nintendo keeps the servers running, there’s every chance that Super Mario Maker will prove to be a great investment for Super Mario fans.
There was, however, one obvious flaw with the title. Many players have criticized the game’s content gate, which only allows rewards to unlock for players after a real-world timer has run down. It turns out that Nintendo has apparently heard concerns over this mechanic, and has addressed the issue. The publisher has explained that giving players all the content from launch would have led to some confusion over how to best use the creation tools in Super Mario Maker.
According to Nintendo producer Takeshi Tezuka, the plan to release content incrementally rather than allowing players free rein from day one was always on the table. “This decision was part of our basic policy,” explained Tezuka in a recent interview with Edge. “We wanted the rewards to increase as you became more familiar with the game and to look forward to what would unlock the next day,” said Tezuka.The Nintendo producer continued to state that the development process involved testing players with a larger base of content and rewards, but the availability of all content actually led to a lessened gaming experience. “From our testing, we learned that if too much was available all at once many players weren’t sure what they should do and didn’t have as much fun with the game.” Tezuka, however, did concede that fans truly engrossed in the Super Mario Maker experience may get frustrated with Nintendo’s strategy, stating that he understands “the feeling of wanting to unlock things earlier.”
Although it’s good to have a reason for this mechanic being implemented, it may be an issue that needs to be addressed. After all, Super Mario is perhaps the most well-loved franchise in gaming history, so very few players would have a problem understanding how aspects of the game work. Perhaps the content gate may need a tweak before Nintendo becomes too focused on additional Super Smash Bros. maps.
