Next week, Facebook staffers will get to test their mettle when it comes to designing a level for Nintendo’s Super Mario Maker.
Nintendo announced the hackathon at Facebook’s campus in Menlo Park, Calif., as part of its launch celebration for Super Mario Maker on the Wii Uconsole. The hackathon is set for July 28-29.
Per the Nintendo release:
“Hackathon events are a unique element of the Facebook company culture…At the event, participants will be using the demo version of the game that drew rave reviews at the recent E3 video game trade show to create levels using the in-game tools that will become available to a wider audience when the game launches exclusively for Wii U on the 11th of September.”
Facebook designers taking part in the Nintendo Super Mario Maker challenge will present their work to a panel of judges from both companies. The winning person/team will then have the chance to make the level for the real game.
It’s interesting that Nintendo is holding the event at Facebook’s headquarters. Perhaps they just want to see what another group of talented designers can bring to the game? Super Mario Maker allows players to create new levels for one another with the help of the Wii U GamePad controller making it “easy for anyone to create levels that it feels like simply sketching out ideas on paper,” according to the release.
All this continues to lead up to the 30th anniversary of the original Super Mario Bros. game. As we reported earlier in July with the news of Nintendo Co. President Satoru Iwata’s death, it’s a “pivotal” year for the gaming company, which posted its first annual profit since 2011. The company has been active in the buildup, relaunching Nintendo’s World Championships and holding finals at E3, and has positive expectations for its move into smartphone gaming.
Want to watch the hackathon? Nintendo will make a video series covering the event, which it will post after the hackathon ends. Fans can also check Nintendo’s social media for updates next Tuesday and Wednesday during the actual hackathon, too.
Watch the Super Mario Maker trailer from E3 below:
