A day-one patch for Super Mario Maker nixes the nine-day wait for unlocks

Super Mario Maker's approachable take on level creation has earned nearly universal accolades so far, save for one sticking point: that strange nine-day waiting period between you and all the tools in the Mario making toolbox. It sounds like Nintendo has been listening, though, because the game's very first patch apparently ditches that unlock system.

Multiple users across NeoGAF and Reddit are reporting that they're having a much easier time unlocking new blocks, items, and enemies with update 1.01 installed. Super Mario Maker just released to the general public today, so that's a pretty darn quick response time.

The patch notes for update 1.01 only say that conditions for unlocking items were added, so how exactly the revised system works is still a bit unclear. It seems the game may now roll out additional "shipments" based on how many blocks, and of what type, you add to custom levels - so dropping a bunch of random blocks and then copy and pasting big chunks of 'em can unlock the next tier within minutes. I've asked Nintendo if it can clarify update 1.01's changes and will update this story with any response.

Specifics aside, it should be a much friendlier process for players who want to make their Mario levels in extended play sessions, rather than returning day after day.

Seen something newsworthy? Tell us!

Connor Sheridan

I got a BA in journalism from Central Michigan University - though the best education I received there was from CM Life, its student-run newspaper. Long before that, I started pursuing my degree in video games by bugging my older brother to let me play Zelda on the Super Nintendo. I've previously been a news intern for GameSpot, a news writer for CVG, and now I'm a staff writer here at GamesRadar.