Well folks, it’s time for the first official Making It Rainfall of 2020! Normally I would apologize about it happening later in the month, but honestly I don’t think we could push this out any faster, given our other responsibilities. So from now on, you can probably expect Making It Rainfall to happen the second to last week of each month. Cause as much as I love Super Mario Maker 2, it takes a lot of thought to come up with each theme and more to make it come to life. That said, I’m very proud of how this particular Making It Rainfall came together. For reasons our theme was war this time, and I feel myself, Font and Ken did a really great job of expressing it. Oh and as a special bonus, Ken decided to do an extra level this time around, so we have 10 instead of the usual nine.
Font’s Levels
Level 1 – The Great Koopa War
Course ID – 317-YFS-PXF
You’ll need to survive as you make your way through the Great Koopa War. You’ll have to carefully sneak your way through while making sure you don’t get caught in the crossfire of the battle. There are three 50 coins hiding in this stage, and a few 1-Ups as well.
This fun airship level really brings the war theme home. There’s cannons and bullet bills everywhere, flying in dangerous arcs to ruin Mario’s day. And though Font does mention some 50 coins hiding, I only found one. It’s a big, bold stage full of aerial death, and even some giant grinders. A fun and challenging experience.
Level 2 – Bowser’s Doomsday Army/Airforce
Course ID – KQS-2MX-3JF
It’s up to Mario to stop Bowser’s air force & army from deploying! Bowser and his son won’t let him get away with it, though! Older players will notice that this level is heavily inspired by the tank and airship levels from World 8 in Super Mario Bros. 3. In fact, one of the large tanks is a replica of one from that game, with a few little tweaks. This stage is a little tougher than the others, and there are four hidden 50 coins and a few 1-Ups.
I absolutely adore this Making It Rainfall level. Font says in his blurb above that it was inspired by Super Mario Bros. 3, and I saw it instantly. The section with scrolling tanks was beautiful and nostalgic. And the boss fight against Jr. was legitimately challenging without being unfair. A really entertaining march to war.
Level 3 – Banzai Bill Tower
Course ID – 9SF-P6W-SSF
Ascend Banzai Bill Tower while avoiding obstacles and enemies. They don’t seem to be a very welcoming bunch! Watch out not only for Banzai Bills, but also for other hazards like lava (and a few lava-based foes here and there). This one ended up with four hidden 50 coins, just like the previous level. There are also a few 1-Ups hiding around as always.
Fair warning – this is a TOUGH level. I thought I would get through on my first try, and that was far from the case. Part of that was due to the dangerous lava that rises and falls throughout the level. Another source of difficulty involves some tricky jumps on Banzai Bills to get to the right location. Despite all that, I did really enjoy this level as well. It’s more kinetic than most of Font’s creations, but in a good way.
Josh’s Levels
Level 4 – Demolish the Grinder!
Course ID – 5NQ-Q6G-MSG
Survive the wrath of Bowser’s newest War Machine!
I was really proud of this Making It Rainfall level, until I saw both Font and Ken do it somewhat better. But you know what? I’m still proud of Demolish the Grinder. It’s supposed to be an epic war machine, and you have to get past the armament outside, then jump inside it to win. But you can’t just race to the finish, you’ll need to grab a few red coins to open up the door to the exit.
Level 5 – Raid the Blooper Bank
Course ID – HFD-D6M-80G
Steal gold from Bowser’s hidden gold reserve. Just avoid the guards…
I took the whole war theme as far as I could here. I figured, wars are dependent upon finances, so why not steal some coins from Bowser? I’m not sure why I went with an underwater theme, but I’m also kind of glad I did, since it helps distinguish this from the other levels. Your job is to nab enough coins to open up the exit, and it’ll take quite a few. You can search in dark and watery corners for some 1-Ups, but you’ll probably need to sink into the dangerous Blooper Bank itself to get enough cash. A mostly calm stage with some nasty aquatic guards.
Level 6 – Jr.’s Fire Fort
Course ID – PN8-HFL-WWF
Put a stop to Bowser’s invasion by beating his brat!
Now that you’ve demolished the Grinder and raided Bowser’s bank, it’s time to take the fight to the Koopa King. Kind of. You’re actually taking the fight to Jr., but he has a nasty fort you’ll have to get past. There’s lots of fiery traps, sneaky Piranha Plants and more to keep you busy. It’s not a very long level, but it’ll keep you on your toes.
Ken’s Levels
Level 7 – March to War
Course ID – 3KP-66M-70H
Bowser’s war machine is on the move. Get past the tanks to move on.
This level is a good example of what I meant when I said my Grinder level was eclipsed by Font and Ken. I forgot to use scrolling in my levels, but Ken remembered, and this level is all the better for it. You’ll have to jump over Bowser’s marching minions, and then ride his mobile fleet of tanks to the end. Just to keep you busy, there’s also a tide of poison to avoid. A very fun march.
Level 8 – Koopa Sky Attack. Shoot Them Up!
Course ID – M15-0SR-NGF
Koopa’s sky fleet is attacking. Get past the fleet and get past Bowser.
I really admire Ken’s creativity in this Making It Rainfall level. He essentially made a SHMUP stage, with you riding a Fire Yoshi inside a Clown Car. The tricky part is that I was often killed by getting pinched by the scrolling, as much or more than actual enemies. Thankfully Ken put in some music blocks and extra Yoshi’s to help out. Just be ready to beat Bowser at the very end of the level, cause he’s a big boy.
Level 9 – Ride to the Tower Top
Course ID – M9K-DQV-9HG
Sneak into Bowser’s Tower and drop his war bombs into the lava. End the war.
I love this Making It Rainfall level. It’s a simple concept executed flawlessly that’s still a distinct challenge. The ride to the top of the tower starts out pretty simple, and gets more and more hectic, with Fire Bars, Bullet Bills, Bob-Ombs and much more. It’s really satisfying getting to the very top and disposing of those war bombs, then escaping. But there’s one more level before we close out this Making It Rainfall!
Level 10 – The War is Over, Celebrate!
Course ID – 5B1-B4B-JGG
Bowser is beaten. No bombs, no war, right? Celebrate with a short run.
The title of this level lulled me into a false sense of security. I thought it was just a race to the finish without any interruptions, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. It starts easy, then you’ll face a gauntlet of mini-bosses, ending with a big Bowser finish. But still, overall this level isn’t all that hard, and is a great way to wrap up our war theme.
Overall, I think this was a great start to the New Year for Making It Rainfall. Thanks as always for joining us for our monthly segment, and tune in next time for another themed exhibition of Super Mario Maker 2 levels.
