Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

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Screenwise Verdict

This is one of the rare games that's both genuinely educational AND genuinely fun—no parent guilt required. It's essentially teaching your kid game design, logic, and creative problem-solving while they think they're just playing Mario.

The creation tools are surprisingly robust without being overwhelming. Younger kids can slap together a simple course in minutes, while older kids and teens can spend hours crafting intricate Rube Goldberg machines of platforms, enemies, and power-ups. The fact that you can instantly playtest your creation means kids learn through natural experimentation rather than tutorials.

The user-generated content is both the game's greatest strength and minor weakness. There are millions of courses out there, from ingenious puzzles to artistic showcases to sadistic death traps. Nintendo's moderation keeps truly inappropriate stuff out, but you'll encounter plenty of low-effort or frustratingly difficult levels. That said, learning to identify quality design versus lazy construction is actually a valuable skill.

Still holds up great in 2025—the gameplay is timeless, and the creation tools feel modern. This is a legitimately smart purchase that'll get years of use.

Age Fit

Best for ages 6-16, though the creation tools have enough depth that even adults get hooked. Younger kids (6-8) can enjoy Story Mode and simple building; older kids (10+) will dive deep into complex contraptions and game design theory.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

92

Classic Mario universe with bright, cheerful aesthetic and no problematic content. Cooperative building mode models collaboration. Pacing is player-controlled, avoiding chaotic manipulation. The tone is consistently positive and family-friendly across all 100+ built-in courses and user-created content.

Imaginative

98

This is essentially a creativity sandbox disguised as a Mario game. Course Maker gives players genuine creative control with extensive tools, parts, and physics manipulation. The ability to create coin-shooting cannons, stack enemies in absurd ways, and design intricate levels fosters genuine problem-solving and artistic expression. Story Mode's 100+ courses also model creative possibilities.

Safe

88

No in-game purchases or loot boxes. Users interact through sharing courses but there's no direct chat feature, significantly reducing toxicity risk. The main safety consideration is exposure to user-generated content that can range from thoughtfully designed to frustratingly difficult or occasionally crude (within Mario's visual constraints). Nintendo's moderation removes inappropriate content but some slip through. No privacy-invasive features.

Enriching

85

Genuinely teaches game design principles, spatial reasoning, cause-and-effect logic, and iterative problem-solving. Kids learn to playtest, refine, and think about user experience. Playing others' courses builds perseverance and pattern recognition. The entertainment value is extremely high—this isn't educational drudgery dressed up as a game, it's a legitimately fun platformer that happens to teach valuable skills.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Teaches actual game design skills—kids learn about level flow, difficulty curves, and playtesting through hands-on creation
Unlimited replay value with millions of user-created courses plus 100+ Nintendo-designed levels in Story Mode
Co-op building mode lets siblings/friends collaborate on a single screen, fostering teamwork without competition
Encourages iterative thinking: kids build, test, fail, refine—real problem-solving without feeling like homework
The Mario aesthetic is timeless and universally appealing, making this accessible even to kids who aren't hardcore gamers

⚠

What to Watch For

User-generated courses range from brilliant to brutally unfair—some are designed to be nearly impossible, which can frustrate younger or less experienced players
Requires Nintendo Switch Online subscription ($20/year) to upload courses or play others' creations—offline Story Mode works fine though
Kids can spend hours in the creation tool, which is great for creativity but may need time limits like any engaging activity
Occasional crude humor in user courses (nothing explicit, but you might find a course shaped like a butt because kids will be kids)

Conversation Starters

"What's the hardest level you've beaten? What made it so tricky?"
"Can you show me a level you designed? Walk me through what you were trying to make players do."
"If you could add any new item or enemy to Mario, what would it be and how would it work?"
"Have you found any levels that surprised you with how creative they were?"
"What's harder—beating a tough level or making one that's fun but challenging?"

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Super Mario Maker 2