Super Mario Maker: Team 0% Nears Completion as Wii U Online Shutdown Approaches
Entry information
Published on: March 18, 2024
Description
Super Mario Maker, Nintendo's acclaimed level-creation platform released for the Wii U in 2015, is approaching a bittersweet milestone.
With the discontinuation of online services for both Wii U and Nintendo 3DS scheduled for April 8, 2024, community-built levels in titles like Super Mario Maker will soon become inaccessible.
This marks the end of an era for the user-generated content that has defined the game and its dedicated fanbase since launch.
Nintendo officially announced the impending closure of online features in a statement, confirming, "Online play and other functionality that uses online communication will end for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS software." This significant transition affects a wide range of titles on both platforms, but Super Mario Maker stands out due to its unique reliance on shared content via the Nintendo eShop and global servers.
When the shutdown occurs, players will lose access to millions of community-created stages, and the opportunity to reach 100% completion will disappear forever.
In response, a highly organized group known as Team 0% has dedicated themselves to conquering every unbeaten course before time runs out.
When the endeavor first gained significant attention in October 2023, there remained approximately 25,000 uncleared levels—a daunting task given the game's complex and sometimes brutal user-made designs.
With less than a month left before the online shutdown, Team 0% has made remarkable progress.
As of late March 2024, only a single unbeaten level stands between them and their goal.
The final challenge is a stage called 'Trimming the Herbs.' While it might appear straightforward at first glance, the course has gained notoriety for its extreme difficulty, requiring at least 18 consecutive frame-perfect jumps and precise maneuvering past various hazards such as spikes, Piranha Plants, and Boos, all while managing bomb mechanics crucial for advancement.
ThaBeast721, an active and respected member of Team 0%, recently shared a video analysis of 'Trimming the Herbs,' highlighting the level's punishing requirements and technical precision.
"Completing this course demands unwavering concentration and lightning-fast reflexes, pushing even expert players to their limits," he explained in his breakdown.
The progress of Team 0% has been closely chronicled on their official website, where the update "there is only 1 level remaining" now greets visitors.
With the countdown to April 8 ticking away, the Mario Maker community is watching anxiously to see if the last unbeaten level will be conquered before the curtain closes on Wii U's online era.
Super Mario Maker's legacy will endure through its innovations in user-created content, but the efforts of Team 0% serve as a powerful testament to the enduring passion of its community.
As the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo eShop continue to provide new opportunities for creative play, Super Mario Maker on Wii U stands as a landmark moment in gaming history—one now racing toward a dramatic finale.
