It's Time For A Report On Something Nobody Asked About But Maybe Someone Kind Of Wondered: Playing Mari0

It's time for a report on something nobody asked about but maybe someone kind of wondered: playing Mari0 with the Nintendo Switch's Joy-Cons! (insert ® and ™ as needed)

For the unaware, the new controllers for the Switch are PC-compatible out of the box, no need for drivers. You just connect them via Bluetooth and they're good to go without any other setup. They interface through DirectInput, which is an older standard, so they don't work with every game. However, Löve2D recognizes DirectInput, so they work in Mari0!

Mostly. …Kind of.

The first setup I thought to try was to put the Joy-Cons together as one standard controller, and play with two sticks. Even though they're technically recognized as two separate controllers, there's nothing stopping one player from using two controller inputs. Curiously, though, the control sticks are recognized as "hats" (like a d-pad) rather than axes, and Mari0 only recognizes axes for aiming the portal gun.

This screenshot was unfortunately not taken with the new capture button.

In other words, this idea was pretty short-lived. You can play like this if you have a platforming-centric mappack (read: doesn't use the portal gun at all), but it's not exactly the best experience out there - especially since, in my testing, the right Joy-Con often had input lag of up to half a second. It was pretty excruciating to say the least, although that's probably just my Bluetooth driver not playing nice. (It's kinda amusing, though, since everyone else is having problems with their left Joy-Con.) If you're just going to platform, using just one on its side is your best bet. This still leaves us with one other option, however: one Joy-Con in one hand, and the mouse in the other.

This picture, on the other hand, was taken with the capture button. The one on my phone.

The problem with playing like this, however, is the button layout. There's not really a comfortable way to map even just run and jump. You could use SL and SR (the side shoulder buttons), but those are hard to press when holding it like this. You could use L and ZL (the back shoulder buttons), which works pretty decently; however, you have to hold the controller in a claw grip, which I can't imagine doing for more than five minutes - and I have small hands! You could press the stick for one of them, but that's hard to do when you're constantly moving it. Any other buttons require removing your thumb from the control stick, which is no bueno for platforming controls. And just imagine a left-hander trying to play with the right Joy-Con! In sum, it works, but with plenty of caveats. Final verdict: 2/10, just wait until Super Mario Maker: We Finally Added Slopes Edition comes out.

I don’t normally announce streams here on Tumblr, but this is an important exception: I’m hosting a Switch Launch Party stream on Twitch this Friday, March 3rd! I’ll be playing a bit of Super Bomberman R, Fast RMX, and Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment. Unfortunately I don’t know what time it’ll start (dunno when the mail will get here!), but you can follow me for notifications and updates:

Twitch: http://www.twitch.tv/willware Twitter: http://twitter.com/willware15

Edit: You can watch the whole stream here!

Here’s a digital art thing I made recently! It’s my first real attempt with it so it’s nothing fancy yet, but I’m glad I’m starting to get back into drawing more - it’s something I’ve missed a lot.

Speaking of missing a lot, I actually posted this a whole month back on Twitter... haven’t been on Tumblr in a long time, I really need to fix that. How many memes have I been missing out on???

A drawing of the Mueller PLS, from Fast RMX

I’m kind of in a state of “AAAA I DREW THIS???? WHAT”

Even though the texturing didn’t turn out quite like I wanted it to (Mueller logo etc.) I’m still amazed at how well this turned out. Drawing is still kind of uncharted territory for me, and I was working with marker for the first time, so I had a lot to work against. I’m really inspired to draw more now that I know what I’m capable of!

me: *makes thing*

me: I hope people like this thing

people: Wow your thing is really great!

me: No, you're wrong, it's terrible, I'm awful at this

More, more, more Mario! Because level design is my life, or something.

4-2 Remix (SMBS) - A level from the little-known Super Mario Bros. Special, complete with hidden secrets! 471A-0000-0086-00B9

Grape Garden 3 Remix - The blimp level from Kirby’s Adventure, adapted for Super Mario Maker! 69C1-0000-0086-2050

Stonefall - No enemies, just rocks. Lots and lots of rocks. A9DE-0000-006A-8FB9

The Time Machine - An autoscrolling level that you “rewind” with doors to solve puzzles. 5CC1-0000-0088-4A13