It’s not quite a trend yet, but Super Mario Maker may soon become the game that triggers a new wave of sponsor-created content in video games: Southwest Airlines announced Wednesday that it has created a level for Super Mario Maker introducing an all-new item, Mario’s “sky pop” costume from Super Mario Land.
The level, called “Southwest Sky Adventure,” includes a mystery mushroom that grants Mario access to the Game Boy-palette plane. Players who find the costume and complete the level will be able to incorporate it into their own Mario Maker levels.
The prize, however, does not completely deliver on its promise. In Super Mario Land, the sky pop costume allowed Mario to fly and fired a gun. The Super Mario Maker version does not seem add either ability, so don’t expect to see a wave of flying levels popping up in your 100-Mario challenge. Mario can honk the plane’s horn, though.
Southwest is not the first company to make its own promotional level for Super Mario Maker. Last month Mercedes-Benz released “Mercedes-Benz Jump’n’Drive,” an event course where Mario races through a Mercedes-Benz dealership and the Autobahn, according to Nintendo. Like the Southwest level, Mercedes-Benz’ “event course” included a collectible power-up that put Mario behind the wheel of Mercedes-Benz GLA.
Though the GLA had been featured in Mario Kart 8 as free downloadable content, the decision to release new content from a classic Mario game, Super Mario Land, in conjunction with a corporate sponsor feels like an escalation, and could signal that more and deeper corporate tie-ins are in store for Super Mario Maker, Nintendo, and across gaming’s user-generated content space.
Super Mario Maker‘s “Southwest Sky Adventure” level is currently available to play in the game’s “event courses” section.
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