Super Mario's Invisible Difficulty Settings

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From Super Mario Bros. to Mario Wonder, Nintendo has explored and experimented with a genius way to let players dictate their own level of difficulty.

=== Sources and Resources ===

- Sources

[1] New Super Mario Bros: Volume 1 | Iwata Asks

https://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/wii/nsmb/0/4/

[2] Super Mario World – 1990 Developer Interview | Shmuplations

https://shmuplations.com/supermarioworld/

[3] New Super Mario Bros: Volume 3 | Iwata Asks

https://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/wii/nsmb/2/0/

[4] Interview with Shigeru Miyamoto | Nintendo Channel

https://themushroomkingdom.net/interview_miyamoto_nc_smb_25th.shtml

[5] New Super Mario Bros: Volume 2 | Iwata Asks

https://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/wii/nsmb/1/6/

[6] 9 Things Shigeru Miyamoto Told Us About the New Star Fox | TIME

https://time.com/4245215/starfox-wii-u/

[7] Super Mario Bros. Any% Speedrun in 4:54.631 *WR* | Niftski

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Khu9BB2g4Ks

[8] Is it Possible to Beat New Super Mario Bros. U Without Touching a Single Coin? | Ceave Gaming

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDZjJ0OREaA

[9] Super Mario Odyssey Nipple% Speedrun in 7:23.650 | Tyron18

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYlJ8EtXR9c

[10] SM64 - Watch for Rolling Rocks - 0.5x A Presses | pannenkoek2012

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpk2tdsPh0A

[11] Ask the Developer Vol. 11, Super Mario Bros. Wonder | Nintendo

https://www.nintendo.co.uk/News/2023/October/Ask-the-Developer-Vol-11-Super-Mario-Bros-Wonder-Chapter-3-2461479.html

- Additional resources

Miyamoto and Tezuka on the struggle of balancing games for advanced players and beginners | Nintendo Everything

https://nintendoeverything.com/miyamoto-and-tezuka-on-the-struggle-of-balancing-games-for-advanced-players-and-beginners/

Shigeru Miyamoto talks Game Design (1998) | Shmuplations

https://shmuplations.com/miyamotodesign/

=== Chapters ===

00:00 - Intro

02:34 - The Three Pipes

04:11 - Making the Game More Difficult

11:29 - Making the Game Easier

17:19 - Seamless Shifting

19:06 - Encouraging Players to Try

23:02 - Case Study: Super Mario Bros. Wonder

27:06 - Outro

=== Games Shown ===

Super Mario 3D All-Stars | 2020

Super Mario Bros. | 1985

Super Mario World | 1990

Super Mario 64 | 1996

Super Mario Odyssey | 2017

Super Mario Bros. Wonder | 2023

Doom Eternal | 2020

Final Fantasy XV | 2016

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown | 2024

New Super Mario Bros. | 2012

Super Mario Land 2: The Six Golden Coins | 1992

Super Mario Galaxy | 2007

Super Mario 3D World | 2013

New Super Mario Bros. Wii | 2009

Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS | 2016

New Super Mario Bros. 2 | 2012

New Super Mario Bros | 2006

Super Mario Galaxy 2 | 2010

Super Mario 3D Land | 2011

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island | 1995

Donkey Kong | 1981

Super Mario Bros. Deluxe | 1999

Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels | 1986

New Super Luigi U | 2013

Super Mario Maker 2 | 2019

Super Mario Sunshine | 2002

Super Mario Bros. 3 | 1988

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe | 2019

Super Mario Bros. 2 | 1988

Dead Space | 2023

Fire Emblem: Three Houses | 2019

Star Fox Zero | 2016

Super Mario Run | 2016

=== Credits ===

Music provided by Epidemic Sound - https://www.epidemicsound.com/referral/vtdu5y (Referral Link)

Music from Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Super Mario Odyssey, New Super Mario Bros. U

=== Subtitles ===

Contribute translated subtitles - https://amara.org/videos/5WwvofSn9p7U/