Nintendo on why Super Mario Bros. 2 isn't in Super Mario Maker, revisiting that game's style

A portion of a USGamer interview with Nintendo's Kensuke Tanabe...

On why Super Mario Bros. 2 isn't a filter option in Super Mario Maker

"Super Mario Bros. 2, as you know, when we created that game in Japan, it didn't have Mario as the main character. Probably because of that, it's been overlooked for Super Mario Maker."

On talking to Mr. Tezuka about including it in the game

"I didn't talk to Mr. Tezuka at all about it, actually. It does seem sort of unfortunate. If I ever have the chance, yes, it would be interesting to work on something like that."

On the game itself and returning to those mechanics

"I do still feel like the game mechanics — especially pulling things out of the ground — that's something I can still make another game out of. It's just that I've been busy with all the other projects I'm working on. Even back [in the NES era], I was interested in creating another game in the style of Super Mario Bros. 2, but I never had the opportunity. But you never know. If you look at something like Federation Force, for example, it's something I had in mind for 10 years, but it's only now I've been able to realize the game idea!"