Mario Maker 2 is an overall improvement on the first game in most ways that count, but at the cost of Costume Mario. I do get it - renegotiating all those licenses would've been a total nightmare, and especially doing them for something as trivial as a palette swap could not have felt like an ideal use of time. Sadly, as someone with only the most casual connection to the Mario Maker scene, this means that the one thing I really cared about in the long run isn't there, and I kinda prefer the original by consequence.

But there's a good deal that's been added, too, so let's not dwell on what's missing. A new suite of level archetypes is nice to see, plus nighttime to add a new layer of depth. Slopes were conspicuous in their absence last time, so they're very welcome here. A ton of other things feel like game changers, too, like On/Off Switches, additional checkpoints, and keys. New enemies are always appreciated, and the Lemmy's Land Tourist in me will always appreciate the Koopalings being relevant.

Super Mario 3D World's inclusion as a special level archetype is a curious one. I think adding something new to proceedings is cool, but it seems weird to convert an explicitly 3D Mario entry into purely 2D design. But (1) it comes with its own suite of power-ups/enemies/obstacles and (2) the mechanics are a bit different, so it makes for a pretty decent complement as its own thing. I do think it's strange that 3D World is the only game presented as this sort of Extra Style; I had Super Mario Bros. 2/USA pegged as an Extra Style that'd be added in a patch, but that never really shook out. Though we got SMB2 controls later as a unique power-up, so... I guess it evens out?

Speaking of power-ups as theme consolation prizes - the Superball Flower and the Master Sword feel like this, too. Obviously the Master Sword is way more interesting, since turning into Link gives Mario a wildly different moveset. From what I've seen, Link levels tend to be a lot more puzzle-oriented by consequence, which feels like a very accurate expression of Zelda's whole thing in the template of a Mario game. I would've loved to see other character-based movesets like this (Samus, maybe?), but just the one is neat.

...but Superball is cool, too! Definitely not something I would've ever expected to see come back, since I figured Superball was just poor man's Fire Flower. Super Mario Land is probably the only other obvious pick for an Extra Theme, since Yoshi's Island/Wario Land is a bit too removed from standard Mario and all the other New Soups/Mario Advances would feel redundant with what's already in-game (and Super Mario Land 2 is mostly just a slower Mario World). So it's neat to see SML repped in its own way.

I didn't spend much time if any with the course creator, but I did have a ton of fun running through the game's campaign. I'm sure the story mode is mostly just your in-road into the creative side, but I love the little story they make for these characters. Toadette as the strict forewoman of a construction project is... not at all a role I would've pictured, but I kinda love this take on her? Toad the Toad being relevant is always nice, and I like all the little character details you can pick up on if you read between the lines of the "anonymous" course creators. For example, Bowser gives his son a weekly 40-coin allowance! When else are you gonna learn something like that?

Like I said at the top, I probably like the first Mario Maker better for what it represented, but Mario Maker 2's at least as good in its own right. By now, almost every major Wii U game has been reincarnated on Switch, and I gotta respect that Ninty did more than just opt for a (second) port of the previous game. I don't expect we'll be seeing another Mario Maker any time soon, but I'm glad they let people experiment once again.

I set up to create my own mini Mario game, with my own Super World with at least 6 or 7 worlds full with my own levels made specifically for it.

I was really determined to do this but one day halfway through like...World 4, I realized that I really didn't have the amount of free time I needed for the amount of effort I was putting into each of these. I was kinda sad, but it didn't seem like it was worth it, considering I'm no level designer and some of these were not exactly great when looking back to the earlier ones.

So yeah, I abandoned the project and I don't really think I will finish it at this point. I'm sure 8 year old me would be very disappointed.....

Other than that, game good!!!