BY PAOLO OWYONG
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There’s really nothing like throwing on some Super Mario.
And with SMM2 you’re pretty much never gonna run out of levels.
Super Mario Maker 2 is a personal favourite of mine, as it sets itself apart from the series in how it gives you a mini game development studio within the world of Mario.
Create your own levels of play other people’s for hours. Or if you’re willing to get a bit creative with your Switch, maybe look into some of these SMM2 mods.
Don’t get me wrong, the base game is plenty enough to keep anyone busy for weeks (maybe years). But if modding is possible, fans will figure out how.
20. Lost Levels v1.0.1 WIP
One area where Super Mario Maker 2 really shines is its social aspect.
Players are able to create their own worlds and share their progress online, both with friends and strangers.
This combined with the fans’ love for everything Mario has led a few modders to recreate some of their favorite levels from classic Mario games.
Modder thatmusicweeb is one of those fans, giving us the ability to use some of the tilesets seen in Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels.
19. Super Mario Land
What’s great about some of these mods is they give us more options when it comes to world building within the game.
While the base game does include 5 classic Mario games to choose from, these mods further expand those options.
Every Mario fan has a favorite Mario game. And if yours happens to be Super Mario Land, then you’re in luck!
The Super Mario Land mod replaces most Super Mario Brothers 1 sprites to match the look and feel of SML instead. Simple changes, but they do make a difference.
18. Custom Graphics
If you’re looking to add some variation without a single Mario title in mind, Custom Graphics by JorgeLaxe is a great mod to try.
It adds tons of new sprites for clouds, tiles, and backgrounds so you’ll have much more to choose from when building worlds.
It might not seem like a lot at first, but trust me, once you explore the game enough you’ll be itching for more tiles to use.
17. MM2 Sewer Theme
There are loads of mods to help boost your creativity in SMM2, and getting some fresh new themes to build around is well worth the effort.
While the base game does come with 10 themes already, it’s great to have additional options – and we all know that Mario can end up pretty much anywhere in his adventures.
Robotooth13’s sewer theme replaces the default jungle theme, so get Mario ready to get his hands dirty as he’s heading underground pretty soon.
16. NSMBU Volcano Underground Theme
Speaking of underground – we’re going much deeper with the NSMBU Volcano Underground Theme by modder WillyMaker.
So deep, in fact, that we’re actually hitting some lava – which should still be a breeze for Mario to get through.
The textures on here look great, as you can set the lava levels to rise and fall as you’d expect.
The mod even includes custom placeable conveyor belts to make your levels all the more challenging (or annoying).
15. Extra Night Backgrounds
Up next we have another NSMBU mod to expand the available building tools in the game.
Another one from modder WillyMaker, which he created after noticing that most NSMBU night themes use the same background.
This pack includes a number of alternative night backgrounds, so you’ll be able to build worlds in creepy caves, vast nighttime desert scenes, or even winter-themed night maps.
14. Space Theme over Night Sky Theme
Moving from deep underground, we’re taking Mario and the rest of his friends all the way up with MegAmi’s Space Theme over Night Sky Theme.
This mod swaps out the night themes with space themes, so you can have Mario flying across the stars.
Well, at least in audio.
What’s great about this mod is that it comes with a version created specifically for each of the default game styles, each with their own tilesets and music to match.
We all know by now that Mario in space isn’t all that new. But this time you’ll have complete control creating your very own outer space maps.
13. SMM2 – Dino Torch Mod
Modding hasn’t just allowed fans to throw in some of their favorite Mario games, but also some of their favorite characters as well.
If you’re disappointed to see your favourite Mario character wasn’t included in the base game, then these next few mods might be what you’re looking for.
Chortlenator’s Dino Torch Mod adds our favorite Super Mario World dinosaurs to the game.
You probably remember encountering them across the Chocolate Island levels – and now thanks to Chortlenator, you’ll be able to add them to your own custom maps as well.
12. Classic Angry Sun in NSMBU
There hasn’t really been that many complaints when it comes to Super Mario Maker 2. But this next one aims to remedy one of the few.
Many fans didn’t like the addition of the new Angry Sun, which I honestly can’t blame them for.
It looks like a strange tribal flower. And if you think about it, would kind of make more sense in a Crash Bandicoot game than in Mario.
This mod provides a simple solution for that: replacing it with a more classic Angry Sun texture based on previous Mario games.
What’s even better is that the new sprites are even bigger and of higher quality, just to look better in the background.
11. Super Mario Land 2 Mario
The Game Boy was a large part of our childhoods (okay fine, I might have just given away my age).
But with that, so was Mario.
Super Mario Land 2 was one of the best Mario games on the platform. And modder Xuman has created the perfect throwback mod to add it into SMM2.
This replaces the game’s Mario, Super Mario, Fire Mario, and Tanooki Mario sprites to the Super Mario Land 2 versions – and the sprites are all in black and white, of course!
What’s even cooler is that he took the time to create his own custom sprites for moves that weren’t yet included in SML2, so these should fit right into SMM2.
10. Yoshi
Yoshi has grown to become one of the most beloved characters in the Mario universe.
Since his first appearance in Super Mario World, Yoshi has become a staple in Mario games. And even has his own games built specifically around his character.
Ever imagine what it might be like if Yoshi had come into the picture much sooner?
Well modder ELY_M did, so he added Yoshi into the Super Mario Brothers game style of SMM2.
The version even includes Yoshi’s regular, mega, pink, blue, and bigger variants so you’ll have lots of options to choose from.
9. Fighter Fly
Now here’s a real throwback, going all the way back to the original Mario Bros. arcade game.
Even I’m not old enough to remember this one.
Fighter Fly was one of the peskier enemies in the game, emerging from pipes to attack Mario and Luigi as they traversed across the different maps.
The mod adds him into SMM2 as a Mario replacement, so this time you’ll be playing as Fighter Fly instead of fighting against him.
8. Sumo Bro
Fighter Fly isn’t the only bad guy making an appearance, as modders WillyMaker and Chortlenator have added another iconic enemy from the Mario series.
While Sumo Bro’s might not be as common as most of the characters on the list so far, they were some of the biggest bad guys you’d have to face back in Super Mario World.
This mod replaces Morton with Sumo Bros instead, so you’ll be able to place them in your levels as you please.
Just be sure you’re not underneath them when they start stomping down fireballs.
7. Alien Mario
Going through mod lists for any game, you’re bound to find some that are just straight up weird.
You know how when something seems like it would be just so weird that you can’t resist trying it out to see for yourself?
ELY_M’s Alien Mario skin was exactly that for me – and it turns out, it’s exactly as weird as I thought it would be.
His explanation couldn’t get any simpler really, as he basically just says that he loves aliens. Good enough for me.
6. Sans over Mario SMB1
Modding for SMM2 has made it possible to re-live some of the greatest Mario games from all the way back in the 80’s.
But some modders are taking a different approach.
Sans over Mario SMB1 is the first of the few mods on this list that actually take from other popular video games, making for some interesting crossovers that we never thought we’d get.
This one in particular replaces Mario with the skeleton Sans from Undertale, who fits right into the 8bit art style.
The modder even threw in a track from the Undertale soundtrack so you’ll be able to use that in the creator as well.
5. A Link to the Past Mod
Adhering nearer to home, a few fans have made mods to incorporate a portion of their other most loved Nintendo games in SMM2 too.
This custom ALttP mod totally replaces the SMB1 default game style with sprites and subjects from the well known Zelda SNES title.
Other than the subjects, foundations, tilesets, and foes, you’ll obviously be playing the game as Link rather than Mario.
Tragically, the modders haven’t sorted out some way to add custom music from the game too. Yet, perhaps they will in a future update.
4. Kirby’s Adventure Mod
Our #1 pink mass is getting some affection also here!
Modder KawaiiDawn has quite recently made SMM2 into a Kirby world generator, supplanting the Super Mario World default game style.
The mod incorporates substitution tilesets, foes, sprites, and subjects from the famous NES title Kirby’s Adventure, permitting you to make your own special custom guides in the game’s style and appearance.
3. Zelda Mario Maker
In the event that you needed to take the Zelda subject a piece further, you should really look at Manito’s Zelda Mario Maker.
Past A Link to The Past, Manito includes some custom Zelda tiles and foes from other Zelda games too. Furthermore, there’s a great deal to cherish here.
This mod highlights custom audio effects from more seasoned Zelda games as well, and keeping in mind that it just covers the Super Mario Bros. style as of now, the maker referenced that he intends to deliver more updates from now on.
Watch out.
2. Super Minecraft Maker 2
Consolidating two universes may be an insane thought.
In any case, Robotooth13 was adequately insane to make it happen.
His Super Minecraft Maker 2 mod consolidates SMM2 with the famous structure and creating game Minecraft – giving Mario much more space to construct whatever the hell he’s structure.
This replaces the Super Mario World game style, trading in custom tilesets from Minecraft and making it seem to be something else altogether.
Vivified tilesets from Minecraft have been incorporated too for extra flare.
1. Super Madeline Maker
Finally here we have one more intriguing hybrid, further spanning various ages of platformers.
The group chipping away at Super Madeline Maker plans to consolidate Mario with seemingly the best platformer lately – Celeste.
Sadly, the mod isn’t accessible as of this composition (basically not completely). Yet, in the wake of seeing the review I was unable to bear leaving it off the rundown.
Super Madeline Maker is most certainly one to look out for.
