How Online Works in Super Mario Maker 2

Yes! A Nintendo Switch Online Membership is required to upload levels you’ve created online. It’s also needed to search for and play levels made by other players.

What kind of things can I do online?[edit]

Course World is Super Mario Maker 2’s online hub. This is where you’ll search for levels, view leaderboards, play online, and play the Endless Challenge mode. Endless Challenge allows you to play a gauntlet of randomized levels back to back. The 1-ups you collect carry over to the next level. Once you’re out of lives it’s game over.

Online courses can also be downloaded. Downloading levels allows you to play them offline at any time and even edit them. You’ll also create a Maker Profile and have the ability to upload the levels you’ve made.

What is a Marker Profile?[edit]

Each player in Super Mario Maker 2 has a Maker Profile that keeps track of stats like levels you’ve played and completion times. You can also comment and rate levels made by others, and even follow other makers you like. Your profile is attached to any level you upload. As people play and rate your levels, you’ll receive Maker Points that help you customize your Mii with various clothing options and poses. Maker Points can also be earned by playing through the Endless Challenge mode.

How do I play online multiplayer?[edit]

Selecting the Network Play option in Course World gives you access to Global Play, allowing you to play levels online with three other players. You can choose between Versus or Co-op.

Versus matches rate each player after finishing the level. Your score is dependent on a variety of factors like time-completion, clear conditions, coins and points earned in the level. This will earn you Maker Points. The better you do, the more Maker Points you’ll receive. You’ll also have a Versus ranking that will rise and fall depending on how well you perform. Players with similar rankings will be matched together during Versus play.

Co-op matches are not scored at the end. Once one player completes the level, the whole team succeeds.

Can I play multiplayer online with friends?[edit]

Not quite. You can follow your friends’ Maker Profile, play and rate their levels. You cannot, however, play together online. There is currently no way for a player to make an online lobby and have online friends join in to then play levels together in Versus or Co-op. This is only possible locally via the Nearby Play Option.

Nearby Play allows you to play Versus and Co-op levels with friends in the same room. It can be played locally without all players having a Nintendo Switch Online membership. This, however, requires only one player to have a Nintendo Switch Online membership and be connected to the internet. This player can then make a virtual room for the other nearby players to join. The other three players do not need to have Nintendo Switch Online to play but must have their own Nintendo Switch and Super Mario Maker 2 game. If there are only two players you cannot fill up the other two spots with random online players. It is not yet clear if downloaded/offline levels can be played like this.

Can I play local multiplayer using only one Nintendo Switch?[edit]

Yes! Super Mario Maker 2 supports up to four players together on one screen. Each player just needs a controller (single Joycon, Dual Joycon, and Pro Controllers are all supported). All offline levels are playable this way. It’s unclear if you can play online levels this way. As of this writing, it seems that this method only allows for Co-op play because of everyone having to share the same screen. Respawns work similarly to the New Super Mario Bros. U games. Players respawn inside bubbles which must be popped by making contact with a teammate.

The course editor also supports 2-players on the same screen. Each player can build and edit a level together. There are even color-coded cursors displayed on the screen to differentiate between the two. Though each controller type is compatible with the game, the co-op editor has only been demonstrated with single Joy-Con. We’ll update you when we confirm if this is the only control method for this mode.