Super Mario Maker 2 is filled with creative ideas that leverage all of the tools at a creator’s disposal. Sometimes though, people get a little too wild making levels that are either hyper difficult or just so crazy that they barely resemble a Super Mario game. Or on the flip side, you’ll get saddled with lazy and lame courses that are a chore to play through. Sometimes you just want to play a course that just reminds you of something you’d play in a real Mario game from Nintendo. For you, here are 10 traditional, standard courses that feel ‘just right.’
These courses all fall around the normal difficulty. We tried to pick out ones that weren’t too easy but not too tough either. Also, we looked for a mix of super popular levels, and a few hidden gems. Enjoy!
Storm the Flooded Castle – SMB Style
Course ID: JJY-555-QDF
Storm the flooded castle makes effective use of the somewhat strange Night Time Castle Theme within the original SMB style. You begin in the forest zone but you’ll eventually come across the castle that has sunk to the bottom of the river.
Once you enter, you’ll be greeted with a lot of the traditional castle elements such as dry bones, lava, and flames, but with the twist of you needing to traverse it as if you were swimming underwater. Make it to the end and drop Bowser into the depths below to proceed and eventually clear this stage.
Coin Ship Heist – SMB 3 Style
Course ID: JLS-4DL-2SG
While this one isn’t purely traditional because it has the clear requirement of needing to obtain a certain amount of coins, throughout your exploration of this airship, it will play out like a standard level with a very fun twist.
This massive airship is loaded with coins and your job is to walk out with as many coins as possible. You’ll need to at least 250 to be allowed to leave the area. If you’re lazy and unwilling to explore you’ll have a harder time hitting the 250 you need.
However, if you look around, you’ll find hidden areas that have big-time coin scores that will help you clear the level as quickly and lucratively as possible.
Snowdrift Bounce – Super Mario 3D World Style
Course ID: 25F-824-FMG
Snowdrift Bounce is a very simple but satisfying traditional Super Mario Maker 2 level set within the Super Mario 3D World style. It plays exactly how it sounds. Make your way across the snowy landscape while making use of the various bounce pads to get you where you need to go.
It’s nothing particularly special, but it’s fun and it reminds of a level you would play in a regular ol’ Super Mario game and that’s what we’re all looking for here right?
Dry Dry Desert – SMB 3 Style
Course ID: 46W-F70-TNG
Perhaps inspired by the Mario Kart map, Dry Dry Desert is a very traditional platforming level that alternates between a desert and castle theme. Your goal is to find a rumored oasis at the end of the course.
Like some of the courses on this list, there isn’t anything crazy unique about it’s just a very tight, well-done course that is fun to play.
Snowy Slide – SMB 3 Style
Course ID: R8R-RV9-PJG
Snowy Slide is an oh so satisfying Super Mario Maker 2 level that is filled with, well, snowy slide after snowy slide packed with enemies for you to plow on through. It begins at a more traditional pace as you get a grip for what the level is going to play like.
Once you’re about halfway through, however, that Super Mario 64 music kicks in and then it’s fast pace sliding with properly timed jumps being rewarded with shortcuts and big coins. It’s not very challenging, it’s just lots of fun.
Red Yoshi’s Scorching Desert – Super Mario World Style
Course ID: RS7-HGG-5MF
What I like most in standard-themed levels in Super Mario Maker 2 is when they are able to be cleared while using the intended mechanics or without them. The mark of a well-designed level is one that takes into account all possibilities.
This one, as you can tell by the title, takes advantage of Red Yoshi’s ability to shoot fire. Hanging onto your Red Yoshi will make your life so much easier but if you lose it, don’t worry about facing frustrating deaths, you’ll just need to play it a bit safer.
Secrets of the Frozen Spire – SMB Style
Course ID: HV6-H7V-JSG
Secrets of the Frozen Spire is a fairly standard ice-themed SMB level that will put your vertical platforming skills to the test. Your goal is to go up and up and up until you reach the courses’ end along the way.
The area is filled with munchers that you’ll need to dodge while making some challenging jumps. There is some light puzzling with the on/off switches, but for the most part, this is a traditional platformer course.
Chocolate-Mountain-Expedition
Course ID: 3QY-VHN-CHF
Chocolate-Mountain-Expedition is a traditional Super Mario Maker 2 level that will test your platforming ability a little bit, more than most of the other levels on this list, without getting too tough.
As you could guess, the course is themed around the Super Mario World’s desert theme, AKA Chocolate Mountain. There’s not a ton of nasty tricks, just some tight platforming jumps coupled with dodging enemies, spikes, pitfalls, and also the appearance of an angry sun.
Suntouch Sanctuary – SMB Style
Course ID: 78K-JP3-CYG
Suntouch Sanctuary is one of the most ambitious and well-designed standard SMB courses we’ve ever played. It explores the desert SMB theme to its maximum potential and delivers a unique experience that feels like an adventure.
You’ll need to make your way up through the Suntouch Sanctuary, solving light-puzzles and platforming along the way, in order to gain access to Super Mushroom that will allow you access to a secret area that will eventually lead to the exit.
Fossil Fall Caverns – Super Mario World Style
Course ID: 3NN-BP0-KCG
This course makes use of the lava bridge blocks in a unique way. As the name implies, you’re in an underground cavern. The lava bridge blocks are turned into bridges and platforms that will eventually fall and you’ll need to get on and off them quickly in order to make it through the course.
It works similarly to Donut Blocks but more challenging because you have less time and in a few occasions during the course, they will shoot you up and give you an opportunity to make some skilled jumps onto higher platforms.
That does it for our list of the most fun traditional Super Mario Maker 2 levels we could find so far. We’ll be sure to add to it if we find some more good ones along the way. There’s no shortage of them that’s for sure.
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