Why is there always a catch?
Hello. Hello. I’ve got a message for you and you’re not going to like it.
Super Mario Maker 2 doesn’t support online multiplayer matchmaking with friends and Nintendo’s explanation makes the odd omission even more frustrating. “As the game is now, you cannot bring friend lobbies online,” the company said in a statement. “You can only play online with randoms.”
What gives? As relayed to Nintendo World Report during a Super Mario Maker 2 press event, the decision has to do with online leaderboards and an attempt at keeping things fair.
The way things stand right now, you’ll be able to round up your friends for multiplayer with a single Switch console or multiple Switches in the same room, and in the latter scenario, one of you will want to have an active Nintendo Switch Online membership and a persistent connection so you can play together in a virtual room. “You won’t be rated in this mode, but you can check out the standings.”
Here’s how that setup – playing with nearby friends who have their own system – looks in-game:
In other words, you can team up or go head-to-head with your pals in Mario Maker 2 in a quasi-local setting where your scores are unranked, but the same can’t be said for online, match-made multiplayer.
After the recent jam-packed Nintendo Direct presentation, this stings a bit. It’s another one of those unfortunate situations (not unlike games that lack Pro Controller support) where plenty of people won’t find out until it’s too late. They’ll pause the game, pull up a search, and see the bewildering results.
In other Mario Maker 2 news, the themed Nintendo Switch stylus isn’t coming to North America.
Online Play in Super Mario Maker 2 Limited to Randoms Only [Nintendo World Report]
Super Mario Maker 2’s paid online mode won’t let you matchmake with friends [Ars Technica]
