Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information, you confirm you are aged 16 or over, have read our Privacy Policy and agree to the Terms & Conditions. Geographical rules apply.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • Home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • Summer Preview
  • Prime Day deals
  • New Games 2026
  • Best gaming tech
  • GTA 6
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Games
  2. Platforming Games
  3. Super Mario Maker

After 280,000 attempts, the final level of Super Mario Maker turns out to be a fake, and now players can start celebrating a victory they already achieved a week ago

News
By Dustin Bailey published 22 March 2024

Trimming the Herbs was a TAS all along

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Super Mario Maker
(Image credit: Nintendo)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter

Super Mario Maker players have finally done it - they've beaten every single legitimate level uploaded to the original game before the servers shut down. The catch is that they already achieved victory last week, and they're only now able to celebrate the accomplishment after the creator of the last level standing came forward to reveal that it was a fake.

Up until today, the last level standing seemed to be Trimming the Herbs, an absurdly difficult stage that's just a few seconds long but requires near-inhuman precision to complete. Well, actually, it took more than "near" inhuman skills. Ahoyo, the original creator of the level, revealed today that it was uploaded with tool-assisted speedrun techniques that let him clear the stage and upload it without actually proving that a human could beat it. 

WE DID IT! SUPER MARIO MAKER 1 IS COMPLETED! 'The Last Dance' was the final level, beaten by @Yamada_SMM2. Much love to everyone who supported us on this journey. GG!We kindly ask you not to harass anyone over the situation. ... https://t.co/GNZfTzCrkYMarch 22, 2024

Some members of Team 0%, the group working to beat all the Super Mario Maker levels before servers shut down on April 8, already suspected that the level might have been uploaded through some illegitimate means. But prominent members of the group pretty quickly dismissed that idea, especially since the means to create a TAS for Wii U seemingly didn't exist.

Latest Videos From
Watch full video here:

Except, those tools actually did exist. "Someone had messaged me about a TAS they were working on for the Wii U," Ahoyo says in a message posted to the Team 0% Discord. "In a video they sent, it seemed to me like they had it working, but they told me they were abandoning the project. The TAS was replicated by my friend after two days of building." And thus, Trimming the Herbs was uploaded through this tool.

"I’m sorry for the drama it caused within the community, and I regret the ordeal, but at least it was interesting," Ahoyo says. "However in the end the truth matters most. Congratulations to Team 0% for their well-earned achievement! SMM is cleared, and The Last Dance was the last level!"

You may like
  • Bowser Jr. in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Bowser Jr.'s fiendish Super Mario Galaxy Movie 'level' is now playable in Super Mario Maker 2
  • The Super Mario Bros NES box After 40 years, Super Mario Bros speedrunners discover "the Holy Grail of glitches"
  • Super Mario 64 Nobody can touch the $10,000 Super Mario 64 speedrunning bounty except for the guy who started it
YouTube YouTube
Watch On

And, indeed, the community is celebrating last week's clear of The Last Dance by a player called Yamada as the ultimate victory over Super Mario Maker. It's a hell of an accomplishment, especially given how many stages were left at the start of the project and how close it all ultimately came to that final April 8 deadline.

But here's the thing: Trimming the Herbs wasn't the only TAS level that Ahoyo uploaded. The tool was also used to upload a stage called Bombs5 - a level which human players have managed to clear legitimately. Many players are now committed to continuing their attempts at Trimming the Herbs up until the very last moment. After all, what better bragging rights could there be than being the one to beat Super Mario Maker's impossible level?

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

The end is nigh – Animal Crossing and Mario Kart fans flock to the online modes of their favorite Nintendo 3DS and Wii U games as the service shutdown nears.

CATEGORIES
Nintendo Switch Platforms Nintendo
Dustin Bailey
Dustin Bailey
Social Links Navigation
Staff Writer

Dustin Bailey joined the GamesRadar team as a Staff Writer in May 2022, and is currently based in Missouri. He's been covering games (with occasional dalliances in the worlds of anime and pro wrestling) since 2015, first as a freelancer, then as a news writer at PCGamesN for nearly five years. His love for games was sparked somewhere between Metal Gear Solid 2 and Knights of the Old Republic, and these days you can usually find him splitting his entertainment time between retro gaming, the latest big action-adventure title, or a long haul in American Truck Simulator.

Read more
Bowser Jr. in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
Super Mario Bowser Jr.'s fiendish Super Mario Galaxy Movie 'level' is now playable in Super Mario Maker 2
 
 
The Super Mario Bros NES box
Super Mario After 40 years, Super Mario Bros speedrunners discover "the Holy Grail of glitches"
 
 
Super Mario 64
Super Mario Nobody can touch the $10,000 Super Mario 64 speedrunning bounty except for the guy who started it
 
 
Final Fantasy 14 Kefka
Final Fantasy Final Fantasy 14 fans are once again alleging Ultimate world first winners are a "cheater team"
 
 
Hades 2
Roguelike Games They weren't "distributed on Steam," but Hades 2 lead who oversaw that true ending change says myths are also "told and retold" by design
 
 
Final Fantasy 14 Kefka
Final Fantasy Final Fantasy 14 raiders trolled by old JRPG icon proving the most annoying Ultimate boss yet
 
 
Latest in Platforming Games
Sonic Adventure 2
Sonic the Hedgehog Sonic Team lead would love to "magically" remake every Sonic game
 
 
Sonic the Hedgehog holding chilidogs
Sonic the Hedgehog Sonic lead says AAA studios can learn from indies in the same way movies should take notes from Backrooms and Obsession
 
 
Spyro stands on a skateboard in the Reignited Trilogy.
Platforming Games Spyro: A Realm Beyond dev says the "loud and consistent" fans helped manifest the series' first new game in years
 
 
Banjo gives Kazooie the thumbs up in a screenshot from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Platforming Games We asked Xbox exec Matt Booty about legacy IP like Banjo-Kazooie
 
 
Spyro: A Realm Beyond
Platforming Games Spyro: A Realm Beyond devs say "the world needs more radically joyful, colorful games"
 
 
Donkey Kong Country
Donkey Kong Nintendo may be adding challenges to Switch Online retro games, dataminers find
 
 
Latest in News
Spider-Man stretches in Brand New Day
Open World Games Marvel's Spider-Man 2 gets its first update in over a year as Brand New Day suit hits PS5 and PC
 
 
Call of Duty Black Ops 1 soldier holding a gun and wearing sunglasses
Call of Duty Treyarch confirms Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 and 2 are "being ported to PlayStation"
 
 
Palworld character wincing at sunlight
Survival Games "Gamers don't want it": Palworld lead says Pocketpair doesn't touch AI because players hate it
 
 
Murray Bartlett in The Death of Robin Hood
Thriller Movies The Last of Us star says no one recognized him on set of The Death of Robin Hood: "People were like, 'Who's that guy?'"
 
 
Fractured Blooms character stands in field
Simulation Games This farming sim horror demo is better than anything you'll play during Steam Next Fest
 
 
Lalalfel riding a shiba inu in Final Fantasy 14
Final Fantasy Final Fantasy 14 rewards Japanese players for paying their taxes: make a donation and get a pile of MMO cosmetics
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. A new trailer for Spider-Man: Brand New Day is here
    1
    New Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer sees Tom Holland's Peter Parker start to lose control as an invisible villain causes Hulk-level havoc
  2. 2
    "Gamers don't want it": Palworld lead says Pocketpair doesn't touch AI because players hate it and artists "like doing stuff themselves"
  3. 3
    I'm convinced this farming sim horror demo is better than anything you'll play during Steam Next Fest
  4. 4
    Final Fantasy 14 rewards Japanese players for paying their taxes: make a donation and get a pile of MMO cosmetics
  5. 5
    The Super Pocket Rare edition reeled me in with Banjo-Kazooie goodness, but the retro handheld also boasts one of my favorite NES games

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...