Some thrilling news if you own a Wii U: we collaborated with original Super Mario Bros designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka on a new level for the game using Super Mario Maker.
Before we began, Tezuka-san voiced this warning: “There’s the tendency when you first create a level to make it very difficult. If it’s kept balanced, it makes the player want to explore and find things.” So basically, don’t do that. Keep it playable, keep it orthodox. As you learn new tricks, you’ll be able to up the intricacy of your creations.
So our level is designed to be an early level on in Super Mario Bros 3 – nothing too taxing. But there is a twist – a secret area inspired by the very first video game Easter Egg in 1979 Atari classic Adventure. In that game a hidden pixel was used to make a wall vanish, which led the player to a secret area where the words “Created By Warren Orient” were visible.
Our level has a similar area. We’re claiming it’s an homage. But “rip-off” potentially fits, too.
Spoilers follow. If you want to find the secret area yourself, then skip the next paragraph.
When we came to work on it together, we’d hidden the secret stuff too well. So the first element was moved so players would find it in their natural progression, prompting the question, “I have this item, now what should I do with it?” If you’re hiding things in levels, we were told to make subtle environmental nods to their existence to make the player suspicious.
You can play the level in Super Mario Maker by using the download code A766-0000-0036-037C.
We hope you like it.
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