Super Mario Maker 2 has had a few updates since it released back in October. Past updates gave creators a bigger level limit and introduced a much anticipated online multiplayer with friends, among other smaller fixes. Yesterday, Nintendo put out a big 2.0 update for the game, introducing a bunch of new elements to the game.

The first noteworthy additions are well-known Mario enemies that have been suspiciously absent: Spike and Pokey. Spikes toss out spike balls that have different functions depending on the setting they’re placed in. In the Super Mario Bros and SMB 3 styles, the spike balls fly in a straight line while in other styles, they’re affected by physics. In snow levels, their spike balls are also converted to snow balls that can be grabbed and tossed. Pokeys largely function the same way they usually do, but in snow levels, they turn into a snowman variant that can be stomped and also leave behind a snowball. Pokeys can also fly in the normal night mode, with wings giving them the ability to home in on you.

On the subject of course parts, there’s now Frozen Coins, P-Blocks and Dash Blocks. Frozen Coins are coins encased in ice blocks and unlike the normal ice blocks, they can be thawed out by anything generating fire, which could set up situations like this level from New Super Mario Bros. Wii. P-Blocks are blocks that form when a P-Switch is pressed, but unlike coins that turn into bricks, they cannot be broken, which makes for more dependable P-Switch related platforming. The new Dash Block in the meantime is exclusive to the Super Mario 3D World style and it increases your character’s running speed when they walk on it.

On the official content side, Nintendo’s bringing Ninji Speedruns into the game. In this mode, players compete in officially designed levels to get the fastest time, with the records of other players showing up as translucent Ninjis running alongside you to represent the runs of other players. It may remind you of Super Meat Boy, but it’s also reminiscent of a fan-created thing that Nintendo took down.

All of those things pale in comparison to the real star of the show: the Master Sword power-up, only available in the Super Mario Bros. style. Picking up the Master Sword will turn your character into Link, who comes with whole new unique abilities.

Link can attack enemies with a sword and can cut through a whole bunch of them with a dash attack or downward stab. He can use a shield to protect himself from fireballs and he can drop bombs to blow up whatever Bob-Ombs can destroy. He can also use a bow and arrow and aim it in multiple directions to hit things at a distance. Getting hit however will turn him back into Mario/Luigi/etc, which may break levels taking advantage of Link’s skillset unless it’s stuck with a “don’t get hit” level requirement.

All-in-all, it’s a nice surprise update that brings some old things and new things to the game. The inclusion of the Master Sword may even set a precedent for more weirder things to be added to the game in the future.

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Dari Bazile

Howdy, I'm Dari, an aspiring game developer and game journalist. I run a review focused joint called Indie Hell Zone that's mainly focused on indie games, but here I'm willing to be all over the place. Avatar is drawn by @ladysaytenn on Twitter!

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