Super Mario Maker 2 is out now for the Nintendo Switch, giving players the chance to build their own Super Mario levels as well as play stages created by others. Whereas the first Super Mario Maker only supported single player, Super Mario Maker 2 introduces both online and local multiplayer for up to four players, but it doesn't exactly make it clear how to jump into these modes.

First off, there is no local co-op for story mode. Despite most modern 2D Super Mario games supporting co-op for story mode, Super Mario Maker 2 instead restricts co-op, and versus multiplayer for that matter, to player-created courses. And to play these courses in local co-op, players can't just select them from the Courses menu. Instead they have to download the courses first.

After downloading a course, Super Mario Maker 2 players need to go to Course Bot in the menu. Here they will find all of the courses that they've made and downloaded. Select the downloaded course you want to play, and then take note of the icon on the right-side of the screen with four people. This is the Play Together icon, and clicking it will enable local multiplayer for that stage.

Online multiplayer is much easier to get into, but note that Super Mario Maker 2 doesn't support online matchmaking with friends at launch. To start an online multiplayer game in Super Mario Maker 2, go to Course World and select Network Play, then choose to play co-op or versus.

It's worth pointing out that players can also create levels in co-op if they so wish. Making levels in co-op only supports two players, but to do so, just go to Course Maker and click on the two player icon in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen.

How to Play Super Mario Maker 2 Local Multiplayer

Just to recap, here are step-by-step instructions on how to play Super Mario Maker 2 local multiplayer.

  1. Go to Course World and download courses
  2. Go to Course Bot and select the courses you want to play
  3. Click on the Play Together icon

Super Mario Maker 2 is out now, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.