After online fan outcry, Nintendo has announced that Super Mario Maker 2 will, in fact, offer an online multiplayer mode in which players can connect with their friends rather than random players.
Super Mario Maker 2 is a sequel to Super Mario Maker, originally available on the Wii U. In terms of online play, the first game only allowed players to go online to upload, download, and play custom-made levels by other players around the world. Once Nintendo announced an online multiplayer mode that would allow people to play through these levels with others virtually, fans were ecstatic—until a Nintendo Treehouse representative confirmed that this mode would be restricted to randomized match-ups.
Two multiplayer modes will be available in Super Mario Maker 2, both online and local: Versus, in which players compete to finish the level first, and Co-Op, which challenges players to work together to help each other complete the level. Friends can play both modes together locally, but not online; Nintendo reasoned that allowing friends to play together online would “compromise” global leaderboards for Versus mode, though Co-Op mode doesn’t have any kind of leaderboard system, so it was unclear why Co-Op mode was restricted in the same way.
After Nintendo’s E3 2019 Direct, they had their usual post-Direct Treehouse livestream, during which the hosts played Super Mario Maker 2 while chatting with the game’s producer, Takashi Tezuka. As they played, Tezuka announced that Nintendo would continue working on the game even after its release, to eventually allow players to “[match] with friends that you can play.” Nintendo of America double-downed on his statement in a Tweet, confirming that, yes, online multiplayer mode with friends is coming!
Super Mario Maker 2 launches on the Nintendo Switch on June 28. Players will need a Nintendo Switch Online subscription to access other players’ levels online, as well as upload their own and to play online with others. Currently, Nintendo is offering a bundle that includes the game and a 12-month-subscription to Nintendo Switch Online. You can find some of the gameplay from the E3 2019 Nintendo Treehouse livestream below.