When New Super Mario Bros U was released in 2012, we didn’t expect that the game would receive many mods. After all, modern games are far harder to modify than those of times past, and the rise in things like HD graphics and modern console architectures has meant that even understanding the code behind these titles is trickier than it once was.

But it seems we severely underestimated the modding community. Why? Because not only has every other Mario game under the sun received its fair share of impressive mods in that timeframe, but the New Super Mario Bros U modding scene is booming as well. Whether it’s one-off custom levels like Rimea’s, or full-blown projects like Super Mario Bros U, the scene has gone from strength to strength with tech thought impossible in years prior.

And there’s no better example of that than the subject of today’s interview. Named Tricky Super Mario Bros U and helmed by the modder DoctorTricky, the game is a surprisingly ambitious mod with all sorts of creative custom content and ideas. It’s got new tilesets and music, new mechanics and enemies, and even the first ever custom boss made for a New Super Mario Bros U hack.

So today, we’re gonna interview the team involved, and see what makes the project tick. You ready guys? If so, it’s time to take a deep dive into Tricky Super Mario Bros U…

The Interview

Starting with a bit of background info on the team’s lead. So, who is DoctorTricky anyway?

DoctorTricky: Hello! I’m DoctorTricky, a 21-year-old guy from the United States. I’ve been modding New Super Mario Bros. U for five years now, mainly focusing on level design but still dabbling in other aspects of the game like editing layouts and importing music. My main focus has been my mod, Tricky Super Mario Bros. U, which I hope to release sooner rather than later!

And where did that username come from?

DoctorTricky: My username goes back to 2008, when I made my player character in an MMO called Toontown Online. At the end of the creation process, you can pick a name from a menu of numerous pre chosen names that get put together for your final Toon name. For “Title,” I chose Doctor, and for “First,” I decided Tricky… and the rest is history!

How did you get into gaming? What was your first game?

DoctorTricky: The first game that really left an impact on me was the aforementioned Toontown Online. I loved it in my youth, and I still love it to this day. While its servers have since closed in 2013, the game’s community remains as strong as ever, with free private servers that continue to carry the torch. It’s truly inspirational what the game’s community has been able to do to keep it thriving.

What games are you playing now?

DoctorTricky: Nowadays, I play whatever I feel like at the given moment, which consists of a lot of action RPGs and platformers. Recently, I’ve been replaying some of the Kingdom Hearts games with their recent release on Steam, with my latest completion being Kingdom Hearts 2. I’ve also been aiming for a 100% achievement run for each Kingdom Hearts game currently on Steam, so it has been immensely satisfying going up against some of the toughest challenges that the game has to offer.

What was your intro to the Mario series?

DoctorTricky: My introduction to the Mario series wasn’t the iconic platformers, but rather games like Mario Kart Wii and Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem. It wasn’t until the next generation of consoles that I started diving into Mario’s history, playing games like Super Mario World and Super Mario Land 2 on my New 3DS. Thanks to the titles I started with, I’m still a massive fan of the series to this day.

How about the New Super Mario Bros series in general?

DoctorTricky: I don’t remember the exact order in which I played the New Super Mario Bros. games, but my introduction was probably with either NSMB for the DS or NSMBU. While rough around the edges, NSMB DS oozes charm and is always fun to return to when I’m in the mood.

Do you prefer New Super Mario Bros U to the other titles in that series?

DoctorTricky: This may sound strange coming from somebody who primarily mods NSMBU, but I do not prefer NSMBU over the other titles. I find more enjoyment in the pick-up-and-play nature of the handheld entries, alongside the fact that they aren’t designed with multiplayer in mind. I still think NSMBU is a worthwhile entry in the series with some great level design, though.

Either way, how did you get started as a NSMB U modder?

DoctorTricky: Back in 2019, I stumbled across some YouTube videos and found an invite link to the Evolution Discord server. After joining and asking some questions about what I needed to get started, I began messing around with level-making and learning the basics as I navigated the tools and asked more questions. That’s where I got my start with NSMBU modding.

And why that game in particular compared to say, NSMBW or Mario 64 or what not?

DoctorTricky: I think the lack of any singular “big” mod was what really enticed me, in addition to the ease of entry compared to 3D titles like 64 or Galaxy where there’s an additional dimension at play. Even disregarding the 3D titles, NSMBW already had a good variety of standout mods, with Newer Super Mario Bros. Wii being perhaps the most prevalent. It just felt like NSMBU still had loads of untapped potential, and to me, it still feels like that.

Were there any other projects that inspired you here?

DoctorTricky: It’s been a while since I started, so I’m honestly not too sure what inspired me most. The game’s potential for modding, along with the already existing community and the work they had already done, really drove me to get started. If anyone reading this is interested, definitely take a look at currently released NSMBU mods. There’s a lot of great stuff in there!

Or any other NSMB U mods you’re excited to play?

DoctorTricky: I’m always on the lookout for new NSMBU mods in development. One that I think looks very promising is Super Mario World U, a mod being made by t0bu. All the custom elements they’ve shown are very impressive and will make it a treat to play! I’ve also heard that there are other standout mods in the pipeline that I’ve not yet seen, so I’m looking forward to learning more about any future projects.

Onto Tricky Super Mario Bros U now. What inspired you to start work on this game?

DoctorTricky: The concept of taking existing levels and modifying them to make the game more difficult was very enticing for me at the time, especially with the complaints I had seen about the NSMB games being too easy. I was also inspired by the fact that other games like NSMBWii had similar mods already, but there was none of that kind in sight for NSMBU. Of course, as I went along, my plans shifted, and I found it more interesting to recontextualize the “hard mode mod” archetype by creating something that could stand on its own with brand-new ideas while still keeping the promised difficulty intact. One of my main goals became subversion, with the idea of luring in the player with the promise of a vanilla approach, only for the mod to go beyond that and become a new experience.

Would you consider it more of a Kaizo game, or simply a difficult one?

DoctorTricky: I definitely wouldn’t consider Tricky Super Mario Bros. U a kaizo game. It lacks the intricate movement and devilish technique that defines that genre. However, I’d say it should still give players a run for their money, with the difficulty surpassing anything the original New Super Mario Bros. U ever did.

How do you design levels for it?

DoctorTricky: It depends. For World 1, I started out by simply adjusting existing levels, which quickly expanded into complete overhauls and added original sections. Now, with World 2, most levels are wholly original, and the few that follow in World 1’s footsteps continue with massive overhauls and additional sections.

And which levels are your favourites so far?

DoctorTricky: My favourites in the first world are the ones that go beyond what the mod advertises, being 1-Castle and the secret 1-Bowser. Both levels drop the mod’s more vanilla facade and introduce additions to the respective levels that exceed all seen in the mod up to that point. While a form of 1-Castle exists in the currently released demo, I’m referring to an overhaul made for the mod’s final release. As for World 2, I’ll try not to go too in-depth, but one level has a section based around some challenging platforming with the Penguin Suit that I’m happy with.

Any ideas you had to scrap because they didn’t work out?

DoctorTricky: There were a few levels that I started and felt weren’t going anywhere, so I scrapped them. One was an edit of 2-5 that used Screwtop Shrooms and Sumo Bros, which I envisioned having a steampunk aesthetic. There were also a lot of level ideas that I conceptualised but scrapped in an effort to make development move faster, though I’ll likely come back to many of those ideas down the line.

Aesthetically the game looks really good too, with lots of original tilesets and backgrounds. How did you create those?

Rimea: Hello, this is Rimea, the mod’s lead tileset designer.

Rimea: The main goal of Tricky U has been to twist and iterate upon the original game’s levels and themes. We embraced this same idea for the mod’s visuals as well. Whereas most mods reuse assets from the games they are based on out of convenience, DoctorTricky actually put a lot of thought into why many environments do or do not resemble areas from the original game. I can’t remember whether he came up with this or I did, but one of my favourite visual details in the mod is the broken bits of question mark blocks and brick blocks that are scattered throughout some of the levels. The idea of the mod is that you are revisiting these levels, so it only makes sense that some blocks have already been collected and destroyed. This also conveniently explains why far fewer power-ups can be found throughout the mod I suppose. As for how the tilesets were literally made, there isn’t really anything exciting to explain. I mostly work in 2D when it comes to tileset creation, so quite a few original tileset assets in the mod are hand-drawn. DoctorTricky and I have also worked together on several other projects, so we’ve had this deal of sorts where he gets to use stuff I’ve made for other projects if he thinks they fit and so long as all parties agree.

How about the soundtrack? Did you compose or port the songs yourself?

brickblock369: I’m one of the composers for this mod, and the soundtrack has been a mix of original compositions and rearrangements of familiar Mario melodies.

What are some of your favourite songs from the game so far?

DoctorTricky: It’s hard to choose favourites when there are so many great tracks in the mod. Underground, Airship, and Bowser Battle are three standouts among the currently released tracks. Some other impressive tracks are also in the pipeline, such as an updated version of the Castle theme and a new Tower and Bowser Base theme. When it comes to the soundtrack as a whole, I’m delighted with how the composers have managed to utilise common motifs as well. Listen to a few tracks, and you might just notice a familiar melody from the original game!

brickblock369: Snow, Bowser Base, and Bowser Battle!

One thing we’re surprised to see here is custom code, with new mechanics, enemies and bosses being added to the mix. What’s it like adding that stuff to a NSMB U mod?

Luminyx: It’s definitely very different than writing code for anything else out there, as you’re a lot more limited in what you can do and are generally confined to Nintendo’s decisions for a lot of things. However, over time we’ve worked on breaking the game open more and more which has resulted in a lot of freedom for custom additions in mods, something that I’m very proud of and excited to see be a part of newer NSMBU mods released more recently.

What are some of your favourite custom elements you’ve created for this game?

Luminyx: In terms of additions for Tricky U, it’s gotta be the Basalt Bones custom boss since it was the first ever custom boss in any NSMBU mod, and even more so the upcoming update to it which makes the fight even more awesome. However, my favourite custom enemy I have ever made is unreleased at the moment so I can’t say much there. 🤭

Swiftshine: It’s hard to say that I have a favourite. The second ever custom coded thing I’ve made for NSMBU were biddybuds; I saw that Super Mario Bros. Next had them and thought “that’s cool, am I smart enough to make them?” So then I did. If you’ve seen them in NSMBU mods, that’s proof of my stepping stone towards learning more about game programming. While I’m not as proud of the biddybuds themselves, I am proud of what they mean to me.

And how tricky is it to create custom bosses for a game like this one? The new Dry Bones boss looks really good…

Luminyx: When it comes to comparing custom bosses versus any other custom addition, it’s very simple actually. Bosses are really just regular enemies that include an opening and ending cutscene, so it’s the same process as any other custom enemy just with those extras.

Will later worlds have more of them? Like maybe custom Koopalings as well?

DoctorTricky: While the original plan was to go further with custom bosses, the goal now is to release the mod with the completion of World 2. This new goal means cutting back on many of the original plans, which means additional custom bosses are out of the question. However, that doesn’t mean the final release has no new custom content! In the case of bosses, as Luminyx mentioned, there’s an updated version of the Basalt Bones boss from 1-Tower with a brand new set of attack patterns. While this change in direction may be disappointing to some, I think it will be for the best in the long run.

Is the overworld map going to get a few more changes as well? It looks fairly close to the vanilla one so far.

DoctorTricky: With the mod’s final release, World 2 will receive an overhaul to reflect its new theming, just like World 1. However, the current look of World 1 and the vanilla world map foundation will remain intact.

Either way, the game’s been well received so far, with plenty of people trying the demo. How does it feel to see your game do this well?

DoctorTricky: When the topic of the mod’s demo comes up, I’m always happy to hear that people enjoy it. Considering I always intended to create something that feels fair to play and enjoyable for those looking for a suitable challenge, sentiments like these really help keep me motivated! I’m looking forward to seeing how people feel about the mod’s final release, which I think is a significant improvement on the currently available demo.

Assuming it gets finished as expected, do you have any other plans for NSMB U hacks? Or games in general?

DoctorTricky: Tricky Super Mario Bros. U definitely won’t be the end for me when it comes to NSMBU modding. As I’ve mentioned many times already, there’s a lot of untapped potential with this game, and I plan to take full advantage of that fact after the completion of this mod. I have no promises that my future projects will go anywhere, but my hopes are high!

Finally, what advice would you give someone looking to get into NSMB U modding, or game development as a whole?

DoctorTricky: Don’t expect for all of your plans to come to fruition in perfect form immediately. In the case of level design, everyone starts out rough, and I’m sure that’s the case for any other element of modding or development. As they say, practice makes perfect! And if you’re looking to get into NSMBU modding or game dev, what better time to start than the present?

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Yeah, that makes sense to us. As the old saying goes, your first few works will be terrible, no matter what hobby or activity you’re starting in. So regardless of if you’re modding New Super Mario Bros or Super Mario Bros Wonder, Super Mario World or Super Mario 64, you’re going to have to accept that your first few attempts at new levels and mechanics are just not going to live up to your expectations.

So stick with it, learn from others and make lots of things, because as DoctorTricky rightfully says there, practice does indeed make perfect.

Either way, thanks to DoctorTricky and the rest of the Tricky Super Mario Bros U team for the interview. It was great fun to speak to you guys about the project, and it taught us quite a bit about New Super Mario Bros U modding works as a whole. So yeah, thanks to you all for contributing here…

And thanks to everyone reading this interview. Hopefully you found it an interesting look into the development of this ambitious NSMBU hack, and that we covered any questions you might have about the project. Thanks for reading everyone, and hopefully we’ll return soon with another exciting interview!

Tricky Super Mario Bros U on Social Media

• Tricky Super Mario Bros U on GameBanana
• DoctorTricky’s YouTube Channel
• DoctorTricky on Twitter
• Evolution Discord Server (NSMB U Modding)
• Rimea’s YouTube Channel
• Brickblock369’s YouTube Channel
• Luminyx’s YouTube Channel
• Swiftshine’s YouTube Channel
• AdamCrossing 2’s YouTube Channel
• Sandre [GD]’s YouTube Channel