Nintendo Enlists Facebook to Design the Best ‘Super Mario’ Level

Nintendo of America said late yesterday that it will be partnering with Facebook to promote the launch of its upcoming game, “Super Mario Maker.” Facebook employees will be the first to get their hands on the new game, which allows players to build and play their own “Super Mario Bros.” levels, and will hold a hackathon-style competition to design the ultimate “Super Mario” level.

The contest, which is being held at Facebook’s Menlo Park headquarters on July 28 and 29, will be decided by a panel of judges from both Nintendo and Facebook. The winning level will be packaged with the game itself as a free download when it launches on Wii U on Sept. 11, which happens to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the release of the original “Super Mario Bros.”