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[Solid SOAP]

Looks a TON better than NSMBWii, but I'm not gonna lie, it definitely could look a hell of a lot better than it does. I do think it looks better in motion though and it's certainly not a bad looking game, but Nintendo could and should do better considering I'm assuming this is going to be a launch game and they should be trying their best to reel people into buying their console.

 

[Linkhero1]

I'm digging the background...everything else not so much.

 

[Branduil]

Art is an objective thing now? What makes art better? I mean clearly NSMB Wii U is showcasing a higher technical output. The rest is in your head my friend.

SMW has a pleasing cartoon style. You can see from that screenshot that all of the characters have their own personalities and the backgrounds use a unified cartoon style. NSMB is not as good because the characters are rather bland 3D models with bog-standard shading. The background art looks weird because it attempts to combine cartoony designs with realistic 3D shading and overly-smooth beveling. Although I would say that the backgrounds in these new screens look much better than the old ones.

 

[Zekes!]

That's doesn't change the fact that SMW has 20 times better art than NMBW, and that the later feels cheap compared to anything around at its time, even kirby games...

what does this even mean

 

[Future PhaZe]

I've played this game literally like 20 different times between Super Marios Bros and Supermario Land 3D...wtf

Fun formula but goddam it couldn't be getting older at this point..bring me more Galaxy like attempts at originality..

 

[DungeonO]

Yeah why not? I still remember the awesome TV commercial where it was advertised exactly as that.
Come to think of SML, SML2 also had a quite different artstyle from the other games:

So when someone asks you to name off all the Mario games, you include Wario Land just as quickly as you include Yoshi's Island?

 

[Himself]

Wake me up when they make another real Mario platformer.

 

[Alrus]

Wake me up when they make another real Mario platformer.

What does this even mean?

 

[apana]

I like the background art.


I did predict that a NSMBWiiU would look roughly on par with Dolphin, and it looks like I'm right.


Exactly my thoughts. The improvements are stylistic, not technical.

Nintendo will surprise everyone by telling us this game runs at 240 FPS, I can feel it.

 

[Lord_Byron28]

At that scale, it honestly looks like two different levels of the same game on the same system, with the nicer art style world on the left.

I still think it might just be a mockup Mario and not an actual game.

Miyamoto already confirmed that they would release a 2D Mario game on Wii U this year. We had 4 levels demoed for us last year as well. This is most assuredly a real game likely going to be a launch title or close to it.

 

[orioto]

what does this even mean

Only that Kirby games in the recent years have been a lot more refined than Mario ones, artistically. And Kirby isn't really th central point for Nintendo's strategy.

 

[DungeonO]

Wake me up when they make another real Mario platformer.

Man oh man.

 

[qq more]

Wake me up when they make another real Mario platformer.

What?

 

[Haunted]

Wake me up when they make another real Mario platformer.

They're making them, like, yearly now.

 

[DungeonO]

Only that Kirby games in the recent years have been a lot more refined than Mario ones, artistically. And Kirby isn't really th central point for Nintendo's strategy.

And yet the Mario games have all been better than the Kirby games, so...

 

[Zekes!]

Only that Kirby games in the recent years have been a lot more refined than Mario ones, artistically. And Kirby isn't really th central point for Nintendo's strategy.

Kirby games have always been this way, see Kirby's Adventure and Dreamland 3

 

[Branduil]

And yet the Mario games have all been better than the Kirby games, so...

Sure. But there's no reason NSMB can't have a visual scheme that's faithful to the old games and also visually interesting.

If there was ever a Nintendo series that demanded cel-shading, I would think it was this one.

 

[Margalis]

People please stop using the clarity argument about graphics... I mean, there are tons and tons of skilled graphic designed who can clearly achieve great art while keeping certain ergonomics in the design and respect charts....

Why would we stop using the single most important argument?

Lots of games suffer from clarity problems. Naughty Dog has skilled artists but when I played Uncharted I still died 5 minutes into the game by jumping to a "ledge" that was just a texture. Reviews trashed Sine Mora for being unreadable and clearly the people who worked on that were talented artists. Enslaved had readability problems and solved them by highlighting stuff you could interact with in a way that took you out of the game. Valve had a lot of readability issues in L4D that they had to work very hard to solve. To some degree making things look readable and naturalistic are at odds, and even AAA games often struggle with this.

When I look at a screenshot of NSMB I can tell what is happening much more easily than when I look at a screenshot of Rayman, even though the Rayman artists are obviously fantastic.

 

[SMT]

And yet the Mario games have all been better than the Kirby games, so...

Mario games are all the same, if you can't top that you belong in purgatory, so...

 

[Neiteio]

So we're likely getting this this holiday, for numerous reasons listed in this thread. Meanwhile, NSMB2 is confirmed for release in NA in August. I'm guessing the main distinction, aside from autostereoscopic 3D on one and big-screen HD on the other, will be that NSMB2 is a mainly single-player affair (judging by the more "compact" scale of stage elements in the screens) and this WiiU title will, of course, be four-player co-op compatible, like the demo with four levels shown last year. The personalized, on-the-go Mario experience and this gather-around-the-TV-with-buddies game.

 

[Himself]

Eh I wasnt expecting much from an NSMB title, but it still bothers me that 2d Mario games have become so banal since Yoshis Island. Can't wait till they drop the current style for something way more inspired/creative.

 

[PeakPointMatrix]

Once again, the art style is clinical as fuck. Looks like NSMB on Wii.

When you have shit like Rayman Origins and DKCR that are a visual creative feast with the gameplay to back it up, NSMB just looks stale and boring in comparison. Come on Nintendo, you gotta flex your art team's muscle. This is inexcusable.

 

[bomma_man]

Yeah why not? I still remember the awesome TV commercial where it was advertised exactly as that.
Come to think of SML, SML2 also had a quite different artstyle from the other games:

Only difficult level in the entire game.

Honestly SMB3 is the only 2D Mario with a good art style. SMW is a great game but it's pretty plain.

 

[orioto]

Why would we stop using the single most important argument?

Lots of games suffer from clarity problems. Naughty Dog has skilled artists but when I played Uncharted I still died 5 minutes into the game by jumping to a "ledge" that was just a texture. Reviews trashed Sine Mora for being unreadable and clearly the people who worked on that were talented artists. Enslaved had readability problems and solved them by highlighting stuff you could interact with in a way that took you out of the game.

When I look at a screenshot of NSMB I can tell what is happening much more easily than when I look at a screenshot of Rayman, even though the Rayman artists are obviously fantastic.

And i agree 100% with you, clarity is gone in game nowadays, and even in rayman in my opinion, BUT that's not a problem of artists to me... That's a problem of direction, and still, i think there is a margin there, in mario, to make things look real good AND clear.

 

[MisterHero]

People please stop using the clarity argument about graphics... I mean, there are tons and tons of skilled graphic designers who can clearly achieve great art while keeping certain ergonomics in the design and respect charts....

This is just a matter of rushing things and not wanting to spend in that department...

Anyway i have to sleep, sorry to bail out.

No, the argument stands because most game artists would be tempted to make platformers with busier screen elements than maintain visual ergonomics.

That's how artists and most modern developers work. Nevermind concieving any sort of 4-player shared platformer when you have Online now, they wouldn't want to restrain the flashiness of the action when they have all that hardware power. They want to show off too much.

 

[Haunted]

And yet the Mario games have all been better than the Kirby games, so...

Better despite of the inferior art style, not because of it.

Imagine how much better NSMB could have been combining their unmatched level design and pitch perfect gameplay beats with the brilliant, creative and daring art design shown by Kirby (Epic Yarn comes to mind).

 

[DungeonO]

Sure. But there's no reason NSMB can't have a visual scheme that's faithful to the old games and also visually interesting.

If there was ever a Nintendo series that demanded cel-shading, I would think it was this one.

If they made a 2D game that used the old art assets like this:

I'd be highly satisfied.

 

[Einbroch]

Those backgrounds are gorgeous. Will reserve judgement on the foreground stuff.

 

[Alex]

How does this specifc artsyle limit shading and lighting so much?

generations_ps3_4 by dr2k, on Flickr

No reason for it not to look like this. Regardless of art.

I'd imagine these games are rather low budget with short development cycles and a lot of asset sharing, the fact that this one now uses some background imagery thats less stock-ish than the others is a pretty big upgrade :lol Mario is something that often takes damage from having become somewhat of it's own institution... like every asset and doodad comes lifted from a labeled file containing past titles with exact dimensions and design schemes.

I mostly just think they should be cheaper to reflect what they are or maybe used in some DLC sort of gig going forward with upgrades and expansions and the ilk, perpetually improved upon instead of endlessly rebooted, could be interesting, but they're good, very safe games and Nintendo can get away with it so no use worryin' over it.

 

[DungeonO]

Imagine how much better the Mario games could have been combining their unmatched level design with the pitch perfect gameplay beats with the brilliant, creative and daring art design shown by Kirby (Epic Yarn comes to mind).

There never has been a Mario game (outside of Yoshi's Island which is a debatable Mario game) that has had an artstyle at all as involved as Kirby's Epic Yarn.

That amount style and art works much better in slower games like Yoshi, Kirby, and Wario Land Shake It. Mario is about fast paced precision platforming. I'd argue that the Donkey Kong Country games are a notch below Mario because of the intensity of their graphics. It's not as clear as to where a platform begins and ends, and where Donkey Kong will go.

 

[The_eJoker]

The art style is WAY better than NSMB DS/Wii.

 

[Formless]

Just looks kind of weird with the detailed background and noticeably less detailed foreground. Will probably be fun though.

 

[Dash Kappei]

Just noticed on the Mii/achievement screen that one of them says "Being a flying squirrel is way more fun than it should be." Tanooki confirmed or a new suit?!

It's probably the "new" cape from SMW. Squirrel suit was awesome in Pilotwings Resort.

 

[Shadowlink]

The backgrounds look amazing. Can't wait to see more footage this week.

 

[EternalGamer]

People please stop using the clarity argument about graphics... I mean, there are tons and tons of skilled graphic designers who can clearly achieve great art while keeping certain ergonomics in the design and respect charts....

This is just a matter of rushing things and not wanting to spend in that department...

Anyway i have to sleep, sorry to bail out.



I don't see how they could have avoid to see pictures of modern games somewhere in the media...

It's like they haven't played another 2d platformer? Did no e of you people play Rayman. Fr instance? Beautiful, lush art style, gameplay that is at least twice as fast as any Mario game I. The later levels and there is no problem with "clarity."

This is a very stupid argument. It's like saying Gears 3 is hard to and shoot because of the detailed environments

 

[JaseMath]

FLYING SQUIRREL MARIO! OMG.

 

[Lijik]

At least this one finally has new backgrounds - and i actually really like how they look!
Now get the foreground to stop looking so bland.
All star gameplay should have an allstar artstyle

It's like they haven't played another 2d platformer? Did no e of you people play Rayman. Fr instance? Beautiful, lush art style, gameplay that is at least twice as fast as any Mario game I. The later levels and there is no problem with "clarity."

This is a very stupid argument. It's like saying Gears 3 is hard to and shoot because of the detailed environments

I feel like people got to the second stage of Earthworm Jim, and decided then and there that detailed graphics could only mean a clutered mess without clarity.
You dont even have to look outside of Nintendo's stable- Wario Land, Donkey Kong and Epic Yarn have already nailed such a thing.

EDIT- Dont get this weird "Even KIRBY doesnt look as cheap as Mario!" thing Oritio is spinning. Kirby games have always been stylish art powerhouses and besting Mario in visuals. What are you talking about.

 

[Neiteio]

FLYING SQUIRREL MARIO! OMG.

I'm REALLY eager to crack open Nintendo's media press kit package Tuesday afternoon and see the inevitable super-high-res renders of Flying Squirrel Mario.

 

[JaseMath]

I'm REALLY eager to crack out Nintendo's media press kit package Tuesday afternoon and see the inevitable super-high-res renders of Flying Squirrel Mario.

I'm calling dibs on the squirrel Mario avatar. You here that, fellas? That shit is mine!

 

[Shadowlink]

FLYING SQUIRREL MARIO! OMG.

Don't forget Baby Yoshi!

 

[DungeonO]

ITT: People think they can design a better Mario game than the developers who have designed Mario games for nearly 30 years.

 

[TheCongressman1]

ITT: People think they can design a better Mario game than the developers who have designed Mario games for nearly 30 years.

And? Some of us probably can. Not claiming anything personally, but there's no reason to believe that they are gods that can do no wrong.

 

[EatinOlives]

If they made a 2D game that used the old art assets like this:

I'd be highly satisfied.

I find the current "art style" of Mario to be woefully generic. I'd love for them go back to the look of the 90's, it had way more charm and style than the current ones. Plus, given the limitations of hardware back then they could never make a game that looked exactly like the style of the concept/promotional art. I'd love to see a game in full motion that looked like that.

 

[Neiteio]

ITT: People think they can design a better Mario game than the developers who have designed Mario games for nearly 30 years.

More like, people look at the inspired art direction in other Mario titles the Mario developers have made for nearly 30 years, and they expect better.

But like I said, I personally think this looks good. The first time I've said that about a NSMB title.

 

[Nocturnowl]

I'd wager that the Flying Squirrel Suit wont be the only new power up, NSMBwii gave a new flight item (Propeller) a new projectile (Ice Flower) and a Swimming suit (Penguin, also with Ice flower functions and other perks).
If they can top my beloved Penguin suit there will be much rejoicing, give Mario an Armadillo suit working like a more controllable NSMB blue shell or something.

 

[DungeonO]

And? Some of us probably can.

A GAF designed Mario game would probably resemble a Sonic game.

 

[AntMurda]

And? Some of us probably can. Not claiming anything personally, but there's no reason to believe that they are gods that can do no wrong.

It will be an awesome game for 10% of the gaming population. But Nintendo's point was making NSMB for the masses. Simplistic graphics are unintimidating to non-gamers. Good luck trying to get a non-gamer to play Rayman.

I'm just explaining the rationale. Eitherway the game should be a blast.

 

[PeakPointMatrix]

ITT: People think they can design a better Mario game than the developers who have designed Mario games for nearly 30 years.

No, we're not talking about level design, the complaint is towards the uninspired art direction.

Qouting again for emphasis.

This is beautiful. This is exciting. And just one of many directions they could take the look. Best of all, it it totally possible. It's always been possible, even on the Wii.

The NSMB art style is old and tired. When even Sonic Team's art team is running creative circles around a 2D Mario game, you know something's wrong.

 

[Caelus]

Background looks fantastic, painter-like, and reminiscent of Super Mario World.

As constantly expressed, I still find the foreground rather bland. Since we've seen such an art-style so many times, I would have been happier with a newer one, slightly newer.

 

[Neiteio]

I'd wager that the Flying Squirrel Suit wont be the only new power up, NSMBwii gave a new flight item (Propeller) a new projectile (Ice Flower) and a Swimming suit (Penguin, also with Ice flower functions and other perks).
If they can top my beloved Penguin suit there will be much rejoicing, give Mario an Armadillo suit working like a more controllable NSMB blue shell or something.

Time to finally implement the Chicken Suit? (Seen in this NSMBW preproduction art)