TMNT NES underwater dam level in Mario Maker

[ManBurning]

Anyone here have or play Mario Maker on the Wii U yet?

It's a fun little time waster of a game that I can say has consumed quite a few hours of my life already.

Case in point: Exhibit A) is what I would like to share with you guys today.

I re-created the original NES underwater dam stage from the first game.

If anyone has the game, or know anybody that does and wants to take a stab at it, here is the course ID - E5B2-0000-006E-E641

[oldmanwinters]

Wow, I really want to play this!

[TigerClaw]

Originally Posted by ManBurning

Anyone here have or play Mario Maker on the Wii U yet?

It's a fun little time waster of a game that I can say has consumed quite a few hours of my life already.

Case in point: Exhibit A) is what I would like to share with you guys today.

I re-created the original NES underwater dam stage from the first game.

If anyone has the game, or know anybody that does and wants to take a stab at it, here is the course ID - E5B2-0000-006E-E641

I have Super Mario Maker, I'll have to give it a try.

[TigerClaw]

I beat the level! it took many tries, but finally did it.

I was streaming on twitch and managed to highlight and export it to youtube.

Highlight of me beating it.

[oldmanwinters]

I really like it! Creative use of the bob-ombs in the blocks to simulate the bombs.

Two things I'd recommend, if you're looking for constructive criticism:
1. I didn't like the various sound effects/special effects with the Bowser face constantly interrupting the flow of the level.
2. That last subarea that comes after you successfully reach the pipe just seems out of place for a TMNT tribute. The jump is a little harder than it should be after coming through all of that mess and reaching the end. I'd recommend streamlining the level experience a little.

Have you seen that one guy who has reconstructed all the levels from Mega Man 2? That kind of attention to detail out to be the gold standard for old game tribute levels!

[ManBurning]

TigerClaw - Thanks for capturing that and uploading it to YouTube, saves me the hassle of trying to do that, haha!

Always enjoy watching other people play my levels, that was fun. I think that's the only thing missing from Mario Maker is an option to watch people's attempts at your level.

oldmanwinters - Thanks for the suggestions. I actually know how to fix the music/bowser face thing now, but the problem is, I found out how to do that AFTER the level had been uploaded, and I don't want to pull it down now.


I was trying to get it so that boss music would play throughout the whole level, and I attached it to every enemy and obstacle on the screen hoping it would stay on. It wasn't intended to go on and off... Just couldn't figure out how to get it to play through the whole stage. Now I know if you attach the music to Mario is will play for the whole stage.

As for the final jump, I wanted to give the player one final obstacle to overcome before the goal. I even considered shaving off 10-20 seconds off the timer to really get people to really speed up, but then I realized the level was had enough as it was for the average person. Each run I successfully completed it, I usually had about 30-35 sec left on the clock, that's why I thought I could shave some time off. But that wasn't taking into consideration stopping to get the other mushroom in the event you got hit, so I left it.

What I originally had done, was I re-created the whole "warehouse / inside the building" of the dam part of the level as well. That was the first area, and then the subarea was going to be the water part. I then decided that would be WAY too much to put the player through in 1 go. If someone died in the water part, in the last area, it would make them play the whole inside the building part again, So I scrapped the first part and decided the water part was more iconic and to just start the level there.

[oldmanwinters]

The quote at the beginning was hilarious. "You have my support!" haha

Originally Posted by ManBurning

I was trying to get it so that boss music would play throughout the whole level, and I attached it to every enemy and obstacle on the screen hoping it would stay on. It wasn't intended to go on and off... Just couldn't figure out how to get it to play through the whole stage. Now I know if you attach the music to Mario is will play for the whole stage.

This is educational for me, so thanks for that info! I've found the overuse of special effects and sound effects to be an annoyance of early Mario Maker fan levels, so I hope in time folks will all learn when to use them strategically and when to leave them out entirely.

Originally Posted by ManBurning

As for the final jump, I wanted to give the player one final obstacle to overcome before the goal. I even considered shaving off 10-20 seconds off the timer to really get people to really speed up, but then I realized the level was had enough as it was for the average person. Each run I successfully completed it, I usually had about 30-35 sec left on the clock, that's why I thought I could shave some time off. But that wasn't taking into consideration stopping to get the other mushroom in the event you got hit, so I left it.

One thing I've learned about Mario levels is that a player will always start to tense up a little as soon as that "time running out" music starts to play and the music speeds up in the final 100 seconds. The thing is, 100 secs is still a lot more time than most players "think" they have. It's a psychological thing that makes them hurry up and rush things even though they might end up beating the level with plenty of time on the clock. So no need to worry about leaving too much time on the clock, since the player will feel like they are cutting it close so long as they hear the music start to play before they can see the goal post.

Originally Posted by ManBurning

What I originally had done, was I re-created the whole "warehouse / inside the building" of the dam part of the level as well. That was the first area, and then the subarea was going to be the water part. I then decided that would be WAY too much to put the player through in 1 go. If someone died in the water part, in the last area, it would make them play the whole inside the building part again, So I scrapped the first part and decided the water part was more iconic and to just start the level there.

I can understand that. The lack of level checkpoints is unfortunate in that it discourages lengthy, multi-challenge stages for a player to keep interested. I definitely look forward to a sequel stand-alone level from you though! It would be fun to see another TMNT tribute. I added you to my Followed makers list.

[sdp]

That's really cool, you should also share it in the general section of the VG forum in the Mario Maker thread, I'm sure a few who don't post here will appreciate it.

[Ninjinister]

The dam level is also its own game.

[Xav]

"The nightmare is back from the sewers!" Overselling much.

[oldmanwinters]

Found another Dam Level homage on 100-Mario Challenge!

"Teenage Mutant Ninja Plumbers" by Noisetank
943D-0000-0077-4FC8

It actually incorporates the platforming element and relegates the water level to sub-stage status.

I don't think it makes as creative use with the bombs as ManBurning and it is also much easier to avoid the hazzards. Still, I think it's lots of fun to see there are at least two different homages to the old TMNT classics.

[shuriken]

Originally Posted by Ninjinister

The dam level is also its own game.

That is freaking glorious