Mario Factory

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Mario Factory
A flyer depicting various screenshots of Mario Factory
Developer	Nintendo
Publisher	Nintendo
Platform(s)	Super Famicom
Release date	1994
Genre	Programming
Rating(s)	N/A
Mode(s)	Single Player
Format	3.5" "Tool Disk" floppy disk
Input	Super NES: Super NES Controller Super NES Mouse Game Processor Keyboard Microphone

Mario Factory is a piece of software released for the Game Processor, a development kit released by Nintendo in 1994 for the Super Famicom. Mario Factory is a game-making program made for use with the Game Processor unit itself, and was controlled with two Super Famicom controllers, a Super Famicom mouse, alongside a keyboard created for the Game Processor, and had additional support for a microphone jack. Mario Factory was loaded by way of a "Tool Disk", which was a 3.5" floppy diskette inserted into the front of the Game Processor. From there, a RAM Cassette could be inserted into the cartridge slot on top of the unit, allowing for the saving and loading of games created using Mario Factory.

Game Modes

According to a flyer, the software featured three primary modes for creating and editing graphics, sound, and program code, alongside additional tools for tracing, sampling, and scanning, as well as an "Auto Programmer" which, according to Figure 16 of the patent, allowed for programming set paths in a manner similar to Mario Paint's animation tool. Software could be loaded and saved to dedicated "RAM Cassette" cartridges.

In a patent, Figure 5 depicts the title screen of the software, featuring Mario, Luigi, a woman, and an unknown bipedal creature, in a lobby with the text "Mario Factory" above it, with five options available. A "network icon" depicting a telephone, which allowed the user to upload or download files, a "tool box icon" which leads to the game editor, and a "game icon" which allows the user to play the loaded game. In addition, Figure 19 mentions two modes not apparent on Figure 5, a "Config Icon" which allows for configuring the Mouse and Keyboard, and a "File Icon" which may be the same as the "Load Model Software" section.

There are two forms of game editor, the "tool box" and the "game play" menu. From the tool box, the player could change game structure, sounds, program code, maps, and "unit"s (in-game entities), alongside listing an author. In the "game play" menu, the player could select an "object unit", and either edit its animations, its status, sound effects, and use the "Auto Programmer". Alternatively, they could select a "stage icon" and edit its music, status, data, "screen", and map, alongside a "unit screen editor".

Software

Mario Factory came bundled with a sample game, in the form of a port of Mario Bros., the assets for which were later recycled for the Game Boy Advance version of Mario Bros. In addition, a select few titles made with Mario Factory were later distributed as broadcasts on the Satellaview, such as Easy Racer.

Gallery

• 

  Figure 5, depicting the title screen.

• 

  Figure 6, depicting running software.

• 

  Figure 11, depicting the Tool Box.

• 

  Figure 14, depicting the music editing tool.

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  Figure 19, giving a flowchart of the title screen.

• 

  Figure 20, giving a flowchart of Tool Box utility.

• 

  Figure 20, giving a flowchart of Game Play utility.

Notes

• Figure 6 depicts the ability to quickly switch between gameplay and editing software; a similar system would later be used in Super Mario Maker and Super Mario Maker 2, where the player can seamlessly go between editing a level and playing it.
• Figure 11 depicts a button very similar to Undodog.
• Figures 14, 15, and 15a depict a music editing tool that resembles the Music mode from Mario Paint, as well as the Music modes in the Super MakerMatic 21 in WarioWare: D.I.Y.