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Super Mario Maker 2

Review · Action · Nintendo Switch

Super Mario Maker 2

Reviewed: 05 Apr 2026

Nintendo Switch

2019

Ludograph rating

B

Good

65 /100

Automated review

Super Mario Maker 2 is a platformer that fosters creativity and problem-solving by letting kids design their own levels with very low risk.

06010030Benefit →Low risk →B 51 · R 11
The Ludograph reading, plotted from the published benefit and risk sub-scores.

Growth (BDS)

51

Risk (RIS)

11

Daily limit

120min

Age guidance

–

Developmental benefits

B1Cognitive
0.60
B2Social-emotional
0.33
B3Motor
0.55

Super Mario Maker 2 is an exceptional creativity and problem-solving platform that asks children to think like game designers — balancing challenge, layout, and player experience from the other side of the screen. The course editor develops spatial reasoning, iterative thinking, and systems understanding as children learn how mechanics interact. Playing community levels also sharpens hand-eye coordination and reaction time across an enormous variety of self-directed challenges.

Design risks

R1Compulsion-loop pressure
0.10
R2Monetization
0.00
R3Social risk
0.28

The game carries virtually no manipulative engagement design: no loot boxes, no streaks, no spending pressure, and no time-limited events. The one meaningful consideration is the infinite pool of community-uploaded courses, which has no natural endpoint and could extend sessions without a child noticing. Online course sharing involves minimal stranger interaction through pre-set reaction stamps only, with no open text or voice chat.

Content (not in risk score)

R4.1Violence Level
0.00
R4.2Sexual Content
0.00
R4.3Language
0.00
R4.4Substance References
0.00
R4.5Fear / Horror
0.00

Content risk is displayed separately and does not affect the time recommendation.

Regulatory design checks · DSA — Assessed: meets criteria·GDPR-K — Not yet assessed·ODDS — Assessed: meets criteria

  • DSA:What Ludograph checks: whether the game's design gives minors the transparency the EU Digital Services Act expects: plain terms, honest defaults, and clear reporting routes.: Estimated from review data. No dark pattern or child-targeting concerns found.
  • GDPR-K:What Ludograph checks: whether age assurance and consent flows are designed for under-16s, in the spirit of GDPR Article 8.
  • ODDS:What Ludograph checks: whether paid random-reward drop rates are disclosed, as required in China, Japan and South Korea.: Estimated from review data. No paid random-reward mechanics found, so drop-rate disclosure requirements do not apply.

These reflect Ludograph's assessment of the game's design practices against each framework's criteria, not a legal compliance determination.

ReviewedApr 2026Report a data error →How scores are calculated →

Parents ask…

Is Super Mario Maker 2 safe for kids?

Ludograph gives Super Mario Maker 2 a rating of 65/100. It offers solid benefits but needs parental guidance on the risks.

How long should kids play Super Mario Maker 2?

Our session recommendation for Super Mario Maker 2 is up to 120 minutes per day. It is derived from the game's own structure (natural stopping points, compulsion-loop design, monetization pressure, and social dynamics), not from a universal screen-time dose.

Session recommendations are design-based heuristics. Evidence linking specific daily durations to child outcomes is limited, and context matters as much as time; treat this as a starting point for household rules, not a clinical threshold.

What are the main risks of Super Mario Maker 2?

The game carries virtually no manipulative engagement design: no loot boxes, no streaks, no spending pressure, and no time-limited events. The one meaningful consideration is the infinite pool of community-uploaded courses, which has no natural endpoint and could extend sessions without a child noticing. Online course sharing involves minimal stranger interaction through pre-set reaction stamps on