I've been playing through Galaxy 2 for the first time. It's very, very impressive. The vision in terms of aesthetics is incredibly strong and the execution is pretty much flawless. The designs feel so whimsical and fun, and yet the entire game is uniform in it's visual styling and representation. The colours pop, and the designs are expertly rendered into 3d.
And of course, the game features Mario, who I believe rivals Mickey Mouse in terms of iconic design. Very recognizable silhouette this fella has. Kind of crazy how much cute was squeezed into a moustachioed man - and dat nose! It seems unlikely that such a memorable character design was conceived in the fledgling video game industry. In the Galaxy games his proportions and dimensions are spot-on, too. These are rendered shots but you see how clear the vision was - and the game very much reflects all the official art.
Bowser is an enemy that also gels seamlessly into the art style. Mario actually bests Mickey in this field - Pete is no match for Bowser's fearsome design.
