Mario Maker is the 2019 Game of the Year and there is no competition.

Super Mario Maker 2 is this year's Game of the Year and I have to say the competition isn't even close. While I may be calling out every game company and every game released already (for 2019 only), it seems that Nintendo has topped their original masterpiece for the Wii U and improved it to a certified winner. Honestly, looking through this year's list of games and upcoming games besides Devil May Cry 5 and Sekiro: Shadow's Die Twice, I have to say the lineup for 2019 has been a bit weak due to massive disappointments (cough, KINGDOM HEARTS 3, cough).  All in all, my lack of playing every game ever this year may be showing, but I have to say Super Mario Maker 2 is the one game this year that one, I keep finding myself wanting to go back to and two, I can talk about and think about for hours; it's just that good.

Going back, I loved Mario Maker for the Wii U, don't get me wrong however, the game eventually lost its appeal in that I felt like I hit the max usage for it, even though it was supposed to be a type of game that was endless with limitless possibilities. Mario Maker was a bit raw and disorganized, but true Mario fans stuck out to Super Mario Maker all the way up to June 28^th, 2019. And then, like the Switch, everyone's minds were blown; we were graced a new Mario Maker, with new online, more creation tools (oh so many good ones), new power-ups, HECK WE GOT A WHOLE NEW UNRELEASED GAME ENGINE! While they took away our amiibos / awesome sprite designs, they gave us a "story mode", they gave us multiplayer versus, they even gave me songs from Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario Galaxy, and even Super Mario Kart; I didn't even know I wanted these one tracks as bad as I did. But the number one, greatest addition they gave us was Super Mar....TAGS! Oh, the glory of searching for games modes I like, scoffing at those damn "puzzle-solver" tags and "auto-Mario" levels. I finally can live my life in the good ol' Super Expert standard and speedrun levels! (Just kidding every level type is fantastic except for Super Expert puzzles because I'm playing Mario here not Layton).  The game offers so much and in a weird way, improved the endless challenge runs where it's addicting to see how far you can extend your streak before you eventually lose all your lives. I still am proud to this early Mario Maker 2 lifespan day, that my 22 level completion streak in Expert was Global Rank: 522; I was the talk of my friends err town.

Now, while I may have only talked about the positives here are my bits to ruin my Super Mario Maker 2 GOTY 2019 run... the new kart power is NOT AS FUN AS I THOUGHT. There you go, clearly the reason why it's going to lose eventually later in the year. All the voters are going to be like, "Umm...yeah the game is amazing in every aspect BUT the Mario Kart power is kinda weak." It's a rough time, when the worst part of your game is still fun, but just not as fun /s Enough sarcasm though, while I may have been a little disappointed from the Kart power, I do have to say I know many people are so-so with the 3D World engine, in which I can agree.

Super Mario 3D World was probably the most impressed I was ever with a Mario game and to this day, I will stand by that game. The platforming, puzzle-solving, different character play styles, artwork, amazing controls, surprisingly fun and well-done multiplayer, and overall impact it had is honestly something I've been waiting for in a Mario game and deserves a sequel. It was like Super Mario 64 met Super Mario Galaxy and pushed 2.5D to the absolute limit. So, to hear that they made a 2D engine in Super Mario Maker 2, you can imagine how excited I was; however Super Mario 3D World MM2 style is a bit more of a dumb downed version of its original game, which may lead some to being not too impressed with its style, especially those who didn't even play and only heard good things about SM3DW. Despite the short comings of the long jump, rolling not being as good, and the spin not having the "usual" Mario effect; Super Mario 3D World in Super Mario Maker 2 is gorgeous to look at, mind-blowing in still keeping true to its "3D elements" in a full 2D-plane, and the Bowser fight is so unique I'm shocked every time I fight the King of the Koopas. While I do not hope Super Mario 3D World 2 uses this engine, I do have to commend Nintendo for giving us something completely new that they never even used and let the players create a whole new world.

All in all, aside from my Super Mario 3D World ramble, Super Mario Maker 2 is the Game of the Year 2019 because it's just fun. It's something that doesn't end, it's something that improved on the original in every way, and its already good enough to go, "If you have a Switch you need Odyssey, Mario Kart 8 DX, Breath of the Wild, and Super Mario Maker 2." When a game makes it into a sentence like that, you know it's already one of the best games a system has to offer.