Alright, so I decided I'd try my hand at creating a full world. For the first theme I decided to do character cameo levels, each with their mechanics similar to the game the character originated from.
They turned out pretty fun, though one was a bit harder than I expected. I left it, because I kinda liked the challenge. I'll be posting my second world a bit after this.
---- NINTENDO WORLD-----
N-1
Rosalina's Interplanetary Stroll
(A9F9-0000-0051-512D)
Difficulty: Easy
For this stage I decided to take the anti-gravity / multiple planets system from Mario Galaxy. You play as Rosalina, leisurely floating from pne planet to the next. Most planets are optional, but if you want to collect all the 1-UPs you'll have to explore them all. I tried to make them all feel like completely different worlds. Goomba Bounce Planet, Spiky Cave Planet, Party Piranha Planet, Silent Scream Planet, Rocky Wrench Hideout and Space Worm Planet... in case you wanted to know their names! This is probably the most fun out of all the levels I made. I found myself coming back to it just to stroll about. I hope you will, too.
N-2
Super Splatoon: Moray Towers
(7C91-0000-0051-EF58)
Difficulty: Normal
This stage is quick and dirty, sorta like a match of Splatoon. Most of the maps in Splatoon do not lend themselves to a sidescroller de-make, so I picked Moray Towers-- a stage I find to be the most like a sidescroller. You can't kill enemies in this stage, so your main focus is dodging fire and scaling the towers.
Kinda like avoiding snipers on Moray... I wanted it to be like ranked mode, just getting to the enemy base as the objective. (Which is pretty much Mario anyway) I used fireball cannons and squids stacked on Fire Piranhas to simulate the enemy ink fire. It's not my best level, but it's a nice nod to Splatoon... and the ending should be familiar to any of you who play online. I'm going to remake the DJ Octavio boss fight eventually, but for now this will do.
N-3
It Ain't Easy bein' Ollie
(BF91-0000-003C-B50B)
Difficulty- Normal- Expert
Fun fact, this world started out as a Luigi level. This was one of the first ideas I had when I heard of this game and the large enemy mechanics... I wanted to do something similar to a shrink ray, invented by E Gadd. Then my Olimar amiibo came in the mail and inspiration struck. I figured, how better to demonstrate a world becoming large than to use Olimar!? Yeah... so I at some point realized the Anniversary Mario amiibo makes you larger... Naturally, I put the two together to further exaggerate that sense of scale. So, you start the level off as Mario (big, and the level is a breeze)... then you go through a pipe. You must redo the level as Olimar. The catch is, everything is four times the size... and you now have to fight the bugs you couldn't see as Mario. Gaps you could walk over now can cause your death. You'll be running/ figuring out how to hide from your enemies in the second half of the level. Just like in Pikmin!
N-4
Pacman Fever
(8038-0000-0030-897D)
Difficulty: Normal
This is the first cameo level I made. I wanted to make a puzzle level where you had to get to the middle rather than the end, and the whole stage had no real start point or a linear objective. I figured, which game better to do that with than Pac Man? This stage uses lots of tracks to simulate the feel of navigating a Pac Maze filled with ghosts. I also wanted to to make it important to kill the ghosts, as well have incentive to "eat" the pellets/ coins. I won't spoil the puzzle, but I definitely managed to hit those goals. Whether you find this easy or hard boils down on your ability to forget about the conventions of a Mario stage and play it like Pac Man!
N- BONUS
The Mysterious Castle Dracula
(BAFC-0000-0049-1C32)
Difficulty: Expert
I included this as a bonus level because it does not use an Amiibo Costume Mario, nor does it represent a Nintendo franchise. This level is essentially a miniature Castlevania game. There's no singular really, linear answer to progression, and, interestingly, you're technically advancing up rather than right. I added all sorts of Castlevania nods, like health ups in the lanterns. This is by far the hardest stage of the five. You'll need to figure out the way through that works best for you in order to beat both Dracula AND the clock. I even included a haunting clock room to rub it the fact that it's one of your biggest enemies. The puzzles are not obtuse and there's quite a bit of an action focus for a puzzle level. I think of all the stages I've ever made, this stage is probably the best-- as it should be... taking two days. I think if you really want to test yourself, this will provide an awesome challenge. It's a mini- Castlevania game, so expect it to be more of a self contained game then a simple level.
I really love all feedback, and if you take the time to try and star my levels I'll be more than happy to return the favor. Thanks guys, and I hope you really enjoy my cameo world!
