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Fan Spends 7 Years To Create Super Mario Bros 5
Nintendo won’t be making a Super Mario Bros 5, so a dedicated fan took matters into his own hands — and the results are epic.
A Mario Bros fan known as “Metroid Mike 64” has finished a massive project over 7 years in the making. Mike used Mario Maker 2 to build the new game and has unofficially given the 2D platform game the Super Mario Bros 5 moniker.
Metroid Mike heavily utilized the World Maker update for Mario Maker 2, which allows users to stitch together multiple levels into full games, including world maps. The dedicated fan brought together 40 courses spread over 8 worlds, with, according to Mike himself, “24 courses from Super Mario World, 14 from SMB3, and 2 courses from SMB.”
This Super World features 40 full courses spread across 8 worlds. 24 courses from Super Mario World, 14 from SMB3 and 2 courses from SMB. There are no courses from NSMBU or SM3DW, only the classics. So if NES/SNES 2D Mario is your jam, this game is for you. pic.twitter.com/y1hFPXhRW5
— Metroid Mike 64 (@MetroidMike64) September 25, 2022
The unofficial game comes from a fondness of the NES and SNES era of games, with obvious nods to some of their hallmark bosses, world maps, and puzzles.
“[I’ve been trying to] provide players with something Nintendo should’ve done already, and a full Mario game within Super Mario Maker 2, that’s fun as heck,” says Metroid Mike 64.
The response to the epic project has been overwhelmingly positive, with Mike’s announcement generating 4,000 retweets and 25,000 likes at the time of publishing this article, with users highly praising the attention to detail and satisfying gameplay.
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Many people on Twitter have pointed out the oddity of a fan having to take matters into their own hands since Nintendo hasn’t released a 2D Mario game since 2012. Although the console giant has made games in that timeframe, none have been in the classic 2D format that fans seem to love so much.
If you’re a fan of the classic 2D SNES and NES games yourself, you can take Mike’s Super Mario Bros 5 for a spin by typing in the Mario Maker 2 ID, 0G9-XN4-FNF.
News
Checkout.com Set To Launch Card Issuing In The UAE
The payment service provider’s expansion is a first-of-its-kind investment and could reshape digital transactions across the region.
Checkout.com is laying the groundwork to become the first global payments platform to introduce card issuing in the United Arab Emirates — a move that could reshape how businesses in the region manage financial transactions.
The company plans to roll out its domestic card issuance offering in the UAE by 2026, subject to regulatory approval. The launch would give businesses the tools to issue both physical and virtual branded cards. This, in turn, opens up new ways to reward customers, streamline expense processes, and handle B2B payouts efficiently.
Checkout.com’s CEO and Founder, Guillaume Pousaz, revealed the plans during Thrive Abu Dhabi, the firm’s debut conference in the Emirates. Joined on stage by Remo Giovanni Abbondandolo, General Manager for MENA, Pousaz presented to an audience of over 150 partners and merchants at Saadiyat Island. Also in attendance was H.E. Omar Sultan Al Olama, the UAE’s Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications.
Abbondandolo highlighted the strategic importance of the announcement: “As a global business, we focus on bringing products to markets that our customers want and need. Today’s announcement is proof of our commitment to the MENA region and its rising influence in the digital economy. The appetite for innovation here is real, and we’re proud to be building the infrastructure that powers it”.
One early adopter of Checkout.com’s UAE acquiring services is Headout, a travel experiences marketplace, which recently named the payment provider as its main partner in Europe. The company has already begun card issuing there and is keen to expand that offering into MENA once approval is granted.
The expansion of services in the UAE and beyond builds on Checkout.com’s track record in the region. It was the first global payments firm to secure a Retail Payment Services license from the UAE’s Central Bank and was instrumental in rolling out Mada and Apple Pay in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
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The firm has also been rolling out new products: One of the latest is Flow Remember Me, currently in beta testing. It allows shoppers to store their card information once and access it across Checkout.com’s entire network, potentially cutting checkout times by up to 70%.
Earlier this year, Checkout.com also introduced Visa Direct’s Push-to-Card solution in the UAE, enabling both domestic and international payouts. Its collaboration with Mastercard has grown as well, making it easier for businesses to send funds directly to third-party cards securely and quickly.
With regional tech ambitions on the rise — spurred by initiatives like Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s 2031 Agenda — Checkout.com sees its role as one of a key enabler. “Our mission is to help ambitious businesses navigate the complexity of payments, so they can move faster, go further, and make the most of every opportunity,” said Abbondandolo. “In MENA, performance is personal. It’s local. It’s built on trust. And when payments perform, businesses thrive”.
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