Summary
TheMariogame franchise has been around since 1983 and has seen many design changes over the years as technology improves. Mario’s first ever appearance was a sprite composed of just 4 colors, but it has come an incredibly long way since.
Seeing improved details is a good thing, allowing a design to shine brighter than it ever has before. However, too many details and trying to make something realistic can negatively affect something that has always been vibrant and whimsical.
Back when Mario was first created, he was not a plumber. Instead, he was the carpenter known as Jumpman. He also had apet gorilla named Donkey Kongthat had kidnapped his girlfriend and started throwing barrels down a construction site.
In this design, he wore red overalls instead of blue ones, with the blue used for his shirt, boots, eyes, and hair. This design would continue to be used forDonkey Kong Jr. — with red overalls also being used for the firstSuper Mario Bros.game and even the various cartoon shows that ran from 1989 to 1991.
This design starts to resemble the modern iteration more, with his red shirt and hat. However, it lacks a lot of detailed features in future games — as well as backtracking from some of the design choices featured in the previous entry ofthis best-selling series.
This design has Mario sporting a red hat, red shirt, and red boots. Instances of blue are not present in this design due to color pallet limitations at the time. Official art for the game does depict Mario with blue overalls.
Mario’s first instance of swapping around the red and blue colors was in the gameMario Bros. in 1983, but this change would not come to theSuper Mario Bros.games until the release ofSuper Mario Bros. 2.
This design also gave Mario more details to his NES-era sprites, including adding whites to his eyes and some scruff at the ends of his sideburns. His hat also has a different colored trim at the front. All of these details are not present in the follow-up title of theSuper Mario Bros. mainline games.
Super Mario Sunshinejust gives off a “Summertime fun time” vibe. Mario sports a similar look to his modern design, except this is the first and only time we would see his iconic look with such short sleeves. This design also has the Flash Liquidizer Ultra Dousing Device, or F.L.U.D.D. for short, on Mario’s back.
This is no mere aesthetic, as many of the game’s core mechanics revolve around using the F.L.U.D.D. The F.L.U.D.D. was created by Professor E. Gadd, better known for his appearances in the Luigi Mansion games, and has also appeared in other games and media across the Mario Franchise.
Paper Mariois the perfect way of showcasing the original Mario sprite’s design as a high-quality image. His little beady eyes are depicted as dots, the split in his sideburns is not too prominent, and his scrunched-up body just screams classic Mario.
This would be the idealdirection to go for a from-the-ground-up remakeof the original classics. While the design might be amazing, the gameplay elements are a drastic departure from the Super Mario Bros. style of gameplay, as well as the execution of the game’s art direction.
The Nintendo 64 console led to some of the biggest breakthroughs in Nintendo titles, with an overwhelming number of them still being enjoyed by old and new fans alike. This design has Mario’s Iconic “M” on his hat, a red trim, and detailed blue eyes. One could say that comparing this to a design like Paper Mario is the same ascomparing Classic Sonic to Modern Sonic.
While this design might serve as the perfect example, technology continued to improve as the years went by — and fans got some even more polished versions of the plumber.
Mario’s design for thesensationally well-writtenSuper Mario Odyssey showcases the power of its platform by making his hair look more realistic and elaborate than it has ever appeared. Trimming for Cappy, his overalls and even his overalls' pockets are instantly noticeable. While this may be the most detailed Mario to have come along, it can also be a lot to take in.
Having more simplistic designs for both Mario and the world around him, makes the games much easier to digest. This is the most similar design to how he appears in theSuper Mario Bros.feature film adaptation.
This is the penultimate design for the Mario character. His hat doesn’t have the on-again, off-again choice of black trim; the iconic “M” is present and clear; every element is detailed, and the graphics are very smooth. The vibrant primary colors pop without the need to make certain elements seem more realistic — such as gold coloring for buttons and lots of strands in the character’s hair.
While the design in Super Mario RPG might come close, this design’s less scrunched aesthetic allows the face to feel a lot more expressive. The closest comparisons to this design used in older games would be fromSuper Mario 3D WorldandtheSuper Mario Galaxygames.
