http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7z0VMeiqwOE
Here is a video of a game I am planning to eventually do some graphical design for instead of have Link in SMB level 1-1. It will be overhead view and sideview scrolling. The scrolling scripting is already done, it just needs some graphics and enemy/item scripting for the scrolling aspect, which will not take long once I get the level graphics complete.
There is also missile launching and skateboarding involved, as previous demos have shown. My "grandiose" aspect of this plan as of right now is that someone will actually help me map out levels.
The levels can be drawn on the map much like an overhead map, and I'd just have to write in the collision points manually, unless the person who helps writes down how far away from the start of the level every part is for me.
Either way that doesn't take very long.