See a Mario level turned into a Metroid homage

If you’re not in the loop, the forthcoming Wii U game ‘Mario Maker’ is shaping up to be a real hoot. Set to debut in September, the game essentially hands players the keys to developing and playing their own Mario level, dusting it with sprites, sights and sounds from many moments in the iconic gaming series’ history.

But YouTuber Pixelkabinett decided that the world really didn’t need another Mario level. In fact, many Nintendo fans have been waiting with bated breath for the next-gen console installment of sci-fi exploration series ‘Metroid.’ So he split the difference and used ‘Mario Maker’ to create a ‘Metroid U’ level.

“I made Metroid U because Nintendo is refusing to,” he says in the video.

It is awesome.

The level hits all the notes of  a true ‘Metroid’ game: open exploration of the game world, upgrade-based progression, and even enemy patterns designed to mimic the aliens and space pirates Samus fights in her journey.

Of course, it still adheres to Mario rules — particularly, there is a rather annoying time limit of 500 seconds that doesn’t leave much room for error. Still, the accomplishment is quite great.

Maybe our Metroid is in another castle.

➤ Super Mario Maker Gameplay Preview – Introducing Metroid U [Youtube]