Chapter 559: Isn't This Bullying an Honest Person?! (Requesting Subscriptions, Monthly Passes)

Ordinary players, it can be said, experienced different kinds of fun within the game.

While the game's high-level operations were very hardcore, the maps on easy and normal difficulties were not very difficult. Players could essentially clear them with a little caution, and there were also many fun maps.

For example, some maps appeared to have all sorts of terrifying traps, seemingly full of danger at every step. Yet, in reality, players only needed to continuously hold down the forward key without letting go to successfully reach the finish line. These were semi-automatic or even automatic maps.

On these maps, players only needed to hold one button and not bother with anything else to easily reach the finish line.

Of course, if a player insisted on moving around in these maps, the difficulty would immediately jump from easy to hellish.

At the same time, some maps used functional items like musical notes to play music within the game. Much like the Redstone music in Minecraft, a very pleasant melody would play as Mario moved forward.

There were also maps that created clever levels, requiring players to utilize various in-game items to solve puzzles and clear the stage.

These maps allowed many ordinary players to enjoy the game even without excellent operational skills.

And then, of course, there was the primary map-making gameplay in Super Mario Maker.

By utilizing various in-game mechanisms, players could easily create a map and then let other players play it.

However, to upload a map, players needed to clear it themselves in one life within the game.

After the game launched, a large number of player-made maps emerged, enriching the game's map library. Although many of these maps were quite bad, there were also some decent ones.

Soon, some clever players discovered that when creating 'technical' maps that were beyond their own skill, they could actually hide an author's shortcut.

For instance, by placing a pipe leading directly to the finish line in the sky outside the screen, and then hiding a hidden block somewhere that leads to that pipe.

Of course, ordinary players quickly discovered the trick behind these maps.

For such maps, Chen Xu adopted the editor from the original Super Mario Maker in his previous life. Players could download the map locally and then enter the editor to see how the author had designed it.

Naturally, to prevent people from modifying maps using the editor, the player who uploaded the map could decide whether the players who downloaded their map had the option to modify it.

Although an editor was available, most players would still give a 'bad' rating if they encountered such maps.

After all, if you, the author, need an author's shortcut to clear your own map, how can you expect us players to clear it normally?

Maps in the game that receive a sufficient number of 'bad' ratings, as opposed to 'likes' and 'normal' ratings, will gradually be hidden.

Furthermore, the game's multiplayer mode was also a major topic of discussion among many players.

After all, for a 2D platformer game, the ability to have multiplayer competitive play was quite interesting to many players. Prior to this, there hadn't really been a similar game.

“Anyone want to play my map? Let's trade likes!”

“By the way, anyone want to add friends and play the multiplayer co-op mode together? This mode is pretty fun! A bunch of people cooperating to clear levels, acting as human trampolines for each other. If we encounter a less rigorous map, we just cheese it and take a shortcut.”

“Not just co-op mode, regular multiplayer is fun too! And the built-in message interactions are super friendly, like ‘Like!’ and ‘How did you do that?’ Combined with the cartoon characters, it feels so cute, especially Little Blue, who seems so clumsy and adorable.”

“But I wonder why Mr. Chen didn't include a voice chat system. Everyone is so friendly, and some super difficult maps become very easy in multiplayer mode with invincibility and by using others as stepping stones!”

Online players were enthusiastically discussing their Super Mario Maker gameplay experience.

However, as some players' scores in the game climbed higher and higher, their initial thoughts slowly began to change.

Because the higher their scores got, the more they sensed a certain 'idiot' vibe.

………………

On Shark TV, Xiao Jie was about to open multiplayer mode.

These past few days, he had been continuously attempting that super-difficult Shell Jump map.

However, compared to initially being unable to even get out of the starting area, he had made significant progress. There was even one time he saw the finish line, but messed up right before it due to being too excited.

But that was a good start. He didn't just play that one map; he also interspersed it with playing the game's multiplayer mode.

Regarding multiplayer mode, his evaluation was that it was quite harmonious and friendly.

Very comfortable to play.

“The opponents this round have really high scores!” Entering the game's preparation screen, Xiao Jie looked surprised.

Because he had been stuck on that super-difficult Shell Jump map for days, he hadn't played many multiplayer matches. His current score was only around 3000 points.

In this round, he encountered two players with over 4000 points, and one with over 5000.

“‘Eight Xi Eight’, ‘Brother Song’, ‘Kou Yi Er’ – these names are pretty interesting, huh?” Xiao Jie chuckled. His own game ID was straightforward: simply his streaming platform's name followed by his ID, Xiao Jie.

As the game began, everyone could only wander around the starting point, having to wait a few seconds before being able to move.

‘Like!’

‘Thank you’

‘Great!’

‘Let's cooperate’

Inside the game, the other three players exchanged built-in messages, appearing very harmonious and friendly.

Xiao Jie also controlled Mario, constantly squatting up and down, expressing his goodwill.

But he was quickly picked up by the Luigi next to him and thrown behind.

This was the second pixel version; Mario in this game only had the functions of picking people up and squatting.

“This Luigi has a bit of a temper! But Brother Jie is still leading the whole field! What does high score matter?! Brother Jie's lead is the real lead!”

Controlling Mario in the game, Xiao Jie dashed out in the lead.

Although he had just been thrown behind from the first position, he managed to regain first place because the game hadn't officially started.

“The pressure is so intense! These three are all so good!”

In the game, he saw a question mark block, but Xiao Jie didn't stop to get a power-up because the three behind him were hot on his heels.

And if he stopped for a power-up, he would fall behind.

The three behind him also didn't stop for power-ups.

“So reckless!”

While exclaiming, Xiao Jie still maintained his lead.

Entering the pipe, a small Koopa appeared before him. But then, something that stunned Xiao Jie happened.

“Gonna fight a BOSS? Eh… why did Little Blue and Luigi commit suicide? And Little Red too?”

Looking at the three players who committed suicide in the game, Xiao Jie was a bit confused.

But he didn't dwell on it. He diligently continued his work, because the clear condition for this level was to defeat the small Koopa.

Xiao Jie cautiously killed the small Koopa, obtaining the Koopa's key and the clear condition.

Looking at the key he held and the only path back, Xiao Jie paused.

He suddenly realized a serious problem, and at the same time understood why those three had committed suicide.

How was he supposed to get back now?

In Super Mario Maker, keys for opening doors and warping, as well as clear conditions, could be stolen by stomping on others' heads.

And the moment you exit a pipe or door, you couldn't move.

So now, although he had killed the Koopa and obtained the key and condition.

Luigi and Little Blue had already committed suicide and returned to the pipe's entrance. There was no other way. He had to go back to open the door to win.

And Little Blue and Luigi, including Little Red, these three 'bosses' were waiting for him outside the pipe?

Was he the worker!?.!

Looking at the verdant pipe in front of him.

Although there was no image before his eyes, Xiao Jie's mind was already picturing the scene outside.

That is, Luigi, Little Blue, and Little Red outside were probably waiting for him to bring the key out.

Then they would stomp on his head.

This also made Xiao Jie think of the game's initial plot.

Working to build a castle?

Was this some kind of implicit hint?

Of course, Xiao Jie still held some hope, so he went into the pipe.

‘Beep beep beep…’

Accompanying the sound of entering the pipe, the game screen went dark and then switched to outside the pipe.

After he emerged, glowing with invincibility, he couldn't move for a moment. But it wasn't what he expected, because there were only two people outside. Little Blue was not there for some reason; looking at the icon, Little Blue seemed to have just died and was rushing over.

The moment Xiao Jie came out, the two people who were fighting outside immediately turned their attention to him and rushed towards him.

Luigi, the closest ‘Kou Yi Er’, splatted right onto his head, taking away the key and condition he had painstakingly obtained from killing the Koopa.

And Little Red was like the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind, stomping on Luigi's head to take the key, then instantly opening the door and entering.

At this point, the 'big smarty' Little Blue belatedly arrived, but he had somehow acquired a green Koopa shell.

Seeing Little Red had already opened the door, a very angry Little Blue immediately jumped up and hit Xiao Jie’s Mario with the Koopa shell.

The entire process took only about two seconds. Watching his Mario die from the Koopa shell and respawn at the starting point, Xiao Jie was completely dumbfounded.

“Damn it to Egypt! Idiots! Little Blue, you really are an idiot!”

“Darkness… darkness! I fought the BOSS! I did all the work! And me?! Where am I?! Isn't this just bullying an honest person?!”

Looking at Little Red's clear message, and the group photo of Little Blue, Luigi, and Little Red at the finish line, Xiao Jie's voice was filled with an inexpressible emotion.

(End of Chapter) <>