Today Nintendo announced that they'd be including 5 new features in an update happening on 11/4.

1. They've finally added checkpoints
2. You can now have question blocks give you a Super Mushroom when you're small or a Fire Flower when big
3. There's now a more challenging version of Gnat Attack
4. A new tab for Official Nintendo made courses
5. A new area for "Event Courses" which will be worldwide challenges it sounds like

Pretty awesome stuff. At least this shows that Nintendo plans on supporting Mario Maker after release. So who knows what they'll add next. I know lots of people want slopes.

Adding that shit to all my levels, great update!

Nice, hope this continues.

Vertical levels plz.

Glad to see they're going to support this. They've done a pretty great job at supporting their first-party stuff as of late.

Still waiting for the update where you can link multiple levels together. This is real cool though.

Super looking forward to this update! Now all I need are the angry sun and pokeys to be added and I'm good.

Awesome. #1 and 2 are really pretty significant changes that will affect level design going forward.

#4 and 5 are good for the community. It'll be nice to be able to play Nintendo-designed or curated levels now and then, instead of just playing the 100 Mario lottery.

I hope we can add more than one checkpoint in a level. I'd like to add one after each section of my Unprofessional Friday level.

I'm super stoked about getting to make proper power-up blocks. Trying to build a Nintendo-like level without them was difficult without either abandoning the fun power-ups or risking damage boost abuse.

Waiting for Dan to create a level where you need a power up to finish the level but can't get it after the check point cause hes terrible.

Waiting for Dan to create a level where you have to avoid the checkpoint because it just drops you into a spike trap.

All my old levels are now archaic with their lack of checkpoints and free power ups.

This sounds like a great update and I wish I had a Wii U just for this!

@kalli: I got the impression that you have to clear the level multiple times starting from every checkpoint in it.

This. Probably "resets" the level (makes you small, resets state of level) when you touch checkpoint. And yes, you probably have to touch all checkpoints you added to upload level :)

@mcfart: so of you can do it in one try from the beginning, I could see checkpoint trolling still being a thing.

They specifically point out in the video that you can't checkpoint troll, so I don't know why people in this thread keep on mentioning it.

@retris: on my phone, so I haven't watched it yet, just speculating based on what others have said.

Adding in checkpoints seems like a great way to get people to finish levels. Even though most of my levels aren't crazy hard the completion rate is always really low. Power ups acting like they should is also a vital aspect of a traditional Mario level. The extra community tabs seem useful although what they really need is a search bar for levels.

That's good stuff man, I'm excited. Though, being unable to add the mushroom effect to a leaf/feather/propeller suit is unfortunate. I guess that was a result of how the item changes and they didn't want that effect for the mystery mushrooms?

The extra tab and event stuff could be neat too.

I'm over the idea of slopes, I think. Don't need them. A couple of new themes like desert/snow/water would be nice though. I'd pay to use that.

this is great great stuff!

checkpoints and catagories change the gosh darn game.

Checkpoints and proper "mushroom rules" are super great additions. I'm not weird for saying I'd like a Super Mario All-Stars tileset, right?

Yes, All-Stars tileset and music, please.

Even if your levels are outdated and lack a checkpoint flag, it's not necessary to add one. A checkpoint flag is pretty a way to make your level easier. It depends on you if you want to challenge your folks or give them a helping aid.

Can't be happier about Nintendo showing this level of support. Mario Maker is a fantastic game already, and an update like this shows a level of commitment few companies are willing to exhibit. It makes me far more willing to part with my money when I feel like Nintendo cares about the game beyond its release.

@dudeglove: oh god, pipe brings you back all the way and forces you through an earlier checkpoint maybe?

Some nice updates, but what I really want is youtube exporting and/or a way to watch replays of people attempting my levels.

They really need to add sloped terrain and the ability to add pools of water in non underwater levels. Without those two things you can't really make levels that have the same feel of the 2d Mario games.

@omega: wait so you can't have slides in mario maker yet?

@darkvare: No not yet at least. It's really surprising since I don't think there is a single level in Super Mario World that doesn't have sloped terrain. Every attempt at a more traditional level I've made just doesn't feel right because it's so blocky. It feels like a minecraft or terraria level more than Mario.

Wow, that was fast! I thought we'd have to wait till next year, and checkpoints are literally a game changer.

@dudeglove: According to the video, you need to also complete the level from the checkpoint to upload, so it would be hard to put in a troll checkpoint.

Good start, hope they keep it up and add lots more content!

I hope people take advantage of checkpoints. Maybe I can finally fucking beat 100 Mario Challenge on Expert Difficulty. :l

It's out. A little disappointed the checkpoints in the Mario World style aren't Super Mario World's checkpoints... but glad they're here nonetheless. The ability to be able to put a mushroom and fire flower in the same block and having them pop out depending on Mario's size is great too.

Also, in the event courses there's new Mystery Mushrooms. What's really surprising to me is they brought over the Arino costume! (Guy from GameCenter CX)

New content on the 21st of dec P doors are going to be evil !

I was not expecting more stuff so soon after checkpoints, but good god Nintendo and SMM keep delivering. I can not wait to see @jeff utilize P-Doors in some horrible, horrible ways.

Boo. Apparently you can't set a World Record on your own stages. That makes that whole system worthless to me. If I'm not setting World Records for my stages who the fuck will? No one plays anyone else's stages more than once.

Yes, keep it coming. Hope they update it indefinitely.