How to design platformer levels like Mario and Celeste

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Layout lessons from Mario, Metroid, and Celeste — block teachable rooms with Map Builder.

Great platformers are taught through level one — Super Mario Bros. world 1-1 is a design essay in jumping, gaps, and reward placement. Celeste teaches dash rules on a single screen before the mountain opens up. Block levels in Manabit the same way: teach one idea per screen, then add difficulty.

What you'll make

A short platform segment — 20–40 tiles wide — with ground, pits, platforms, and one collectible or goal.

Super Mario Bros. — teach without text

The first Goomba, question block, and pit appear in safe order. Space lets players react. When you block a level, place one new challenge per screen, not five.

Super Mario Bros. world 1-1
World 1-1 — teaches jump, pit, and power-up without a text box.

Celeste / Shovel Knight — fair difficulty

Hard jumps show the landing before the gap. If a pit is blind, keep it short or mark it with a different edge tile.

Celeste single-screen challenge
Celeste — single-screen challenges with visible landings (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Shovel Knight level design
Shovel Knight — NES-style spacing with modern readability.

What you need

Steps

  1. Sketch one path from start to goal on paper.
  2. Block the safe flat route first — your “world 1-1” lane.
  3. Add one forgiving pit with visible landing.
  4. Introduce platforms at tested jump height (3–4 tiles up, 3–5 across).
  5. Place an optional reward off the main path.
  6. Zoom out — trace the player path with your eyes.
  7. Export the map layer as PNG.

Next steps