That sheer hopelessness in Mario when he notices that he is literally about to get crushed on a rope and a mutated eel's teeth.

Seriously though, this is cool The Mega Unagi screenshot looks... Somewhat empty? Perhaps add some coins.

This was originally in the Community Remix apply thread, so I decided to post it as a thread.

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1. Have a theme for your level.
- Having a bland, and boring level with no real flair or theme to it is never good. Have some kind of 'gimmick', maybe. Perhaps I'm using the wrong word here, but what I mean is, use some of the many platforms you can find in the game. Or perhaps think of something using switches?

An example would be to have a level revolving around say, 4 platform spinners. Or spinning shapes, or ? switches, p-switches, or maybe a sewer revolving around the ground-pound panels? Employ your imagination, and be as free as you can be with the game's limitations.

Don't go TOO overboard, though. That can end badly...



2. Add 'twists' as the level goes on
- Here's something I do, and enjoy doing when it comes to level design. As the levels go on, you can throw in twists. Differing 'challenges'. Start off easy, with maybe a small obstacle course involving the main theme of the level. Then throw in a fun and creative twist to that theme.

Let's say you want... Seesaw platforms. You could have the player activate the platforms using switches, and make fun things off of that.

Or maybe you want moving platforms. You could throw in some Piranha Plants to spike up the challenge a bit!

Not much else to say here. I think you should get the point by now.



3. Have a difficulty 'progression system'
- Here's something. If you want a fun level, try to have the player slowly but surely grasp the main mechanics of your level.

Start it off with involving your main mechanic that you have for your level, to reward the player in some way - best way to do so is to provide them with a powerup.

Now that the player actually knows how the 'main mechanic' of your level works, have them go through a small and fairly easy 'obstacle course' involving the mechanic. Perhaps have moving platforms, that move at a pace not too hard to traverse, but not too bloody easy also.

Add in a few twists, make the level harder as it progresses. At the midway point, throw in a more major twist if you want. That's optional, though.

And at the conclusion of the level, aka the end/the flagpole, have the player utilize their new-found mastery of the mechanic that the level is based around, to reach the top of the flagpole and be awarded a 1-UP for their mastery.

Although, in almost all cases, you should make sure that there's a safer route to the flagpole. The 1-UP is optional, and a bonus - and thus should be treated as such. So have a simple route which won't take you to the 1-UP (top of the flagpole), and a route that utilizes the mastery of the level's main mechanic, which rewards the player with a 1-UP if taken.


That's a good way to introduce the player to the level's main theme, have them get good at it, then better, as the level goes on, and then to conclude it by testing the player's newfound mastery of the mechanic of the level. Good level design practice.



4. Have a select 'palette' of objects, that fits to the level
- Look at a level in NSMBDS. Or NSMBW, NSMBU, NSMB2 or Newer. Or almost any of the mainstream platformers in the Mario series...(and Newer)

You can see that they all have a select 'palette' of enemies, and platforms. They make sure it 'fits' to what the level actually is.

Let's say we have a forest. You could use Wigglers, Scuttlebugs and Piranha Plants. Main mechanic, Dorrie. Or four-platform spinners on tracks, over poison water.

Don't go overboard with your 'palette'- you pick one for a reason. Don't have Piranha Plants, Wigglers, Scuttlebugs, Buzzy Beetles, Spinies, Lakitus, Spike Basses, Cheep-Cheeps, Cheep-Chomps, etc. etc... That's a terrible palette! Try to keep it to a limit of enemies - best maximum for me is 4 enemies per level.


This also applies to powerups.

Try to think of what the player would do. Provide the player, in the level itself, with a powerup that would suit the level's 'playstyle'. If it's a cavern with lots and lots of enemies that you could easily kill with a Fire Flower and make the level slightly easier for yourself, you should...well, use a Fire Flower.

Or let's say it's an underwater level, or a level somebody could want a go at boosting through. Provide them with a Blue Shell.

Have a fitting powerup, which could fit with the level and make it more fun.



5. Have the terrain be more 'dynamic'
- Here's something important. Looks. Looks are important for your level. They add to the feel. You could have everything be perfect... But the terrain is terrible. You have 1-slope tile slopes. You have very, very basic edges, maybe even a few tiling mistakes.

The level stays at the top of the screen for too long, thus giving you a very ugly view of all of the tiles underneath. A repetitive, boring and bland view.

The floor is too flat. The ceiling is also too flat.


Avoid this at ALL COSTS.

Try to make the terrain feel 'dynamic'. Fitting. Have the beach terrain be smooth. Lots of slopes, and hilly. Add an amount of decoration that's not too much, not too little. Just right.

For a cave, perhaps have a more 'tight' (or, spiky) terrain. Especially with the ceilings - I like to make them all spiky-shaped, as to have 'terrain stalagmites'. (keep in mind that vanilla NSMBDS's underground tileset slopes are...limited. This style doesn't look good with those limits, so watch out!)

It's heavily opinion based on what you find fitting for your level, but it's your hack. You can go crazy all you want.


But just remember, don't have the terrain be too flat, bland and boring. It looks bad, and might leave a bad taste in the player's mouth/brain/level-playing quarters.



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There we go. That took a while to type out, and I seriously doubt anybody would read it. I am worthless.

And the game crashed. He means he tried to use the Shy Guy but his game crashed.

This
is



terrible.
Let me just give you a list of points on why this is so horrible.



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Etcetera, etc, etc. I'm sure you can find MANY more. I don't have time for anymore, otherwise, well, I woulda written more.

Name is a bit odd, and logo's not THAT good. But aside from that, it looks really good. Good luck. (also some of the slopes seem... ... Sharp, at the tips)

mariofanatic64 just give up you can't roast back anybody for shit
run before you're burned alive by these roasts

give me your body so i can roast you on my deluxe premium luxury oven like come on how am i supposed to roast you when you're so far away? through the internet?

You can make something that stands out without 'amazing code hax'...

Although yeah, I see where you're coming from. RIP.

I'm not gonna lie, that W4 map is pretty darn excellent. Good job.

The level design could use some work though, yeah.

Wait, what? Did he somehow manage to get the real thing? Was there some form of leak protection put in by Skawo? I'm confused.

That's awesome, great job. pyrochild's plugins to the rescue I guess.

I'm so sorry. I sincerely hope everything goes well for you and your family and may your father rest in peace.

That's a question for New Super Mario Bros. Wii, not New Super Mario Bros. DS. This forum applies only to NSMBDS, which is the DS release of the game

But, I do have an answer to your question. There is a sprite in the game that looks like bubbles and blows you towards a certain direction underwater, which is used in the original game.
For the boiling water in Newer, they just disabled the collision for the bubbles meaning they will NOT blow Mario towards a certain direction, and put an invisible and non-solid hurt tile throughout.

Basically, it's not a new liquid, it's just normal water with the bubble sprite and invisible hurt tiles