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Having trouble telling these Nintendo games apart...

Can't you get juniored for making threads like these? You seriously just posted games from 5 different genres with wildly different art styles and said you can't tell them apart.
 
Can we actually get back on topic. OP may have a history but that doesn't mean you should regard all his posts/threads as agenda driven.

-Pictures-

OP does have a point particularly (if not solely) the mario universe. The games seem to have an almost unified character model set, relatively similar art style and obviously the same characters. This is only most apparent superficially as the games play differently.

Aside from Mario Party, which has historically been a boring and dull looking series, the rest of them are all fairly differentiated from each other. Mario vs DK has super small compressed models and overly large items. Mario and Luigi has a painted sprite-on-3D-environments thing going on that your picture doesn't really show because of the massive bubble. Mario Golf has bright, open landscapes and detailed models.

I mean, sure, they do all have common aspects to the art design and 3DS graphical strengths and limitations. Obviously. Yes. But they're definitely different and I can't see how they could ever be confused.

It does not look like LTTP at all in art style.

-pictures-

Now that I must disagree with 100% entirely. It looks much more like LTTP than Mario Party. In fact, the closest I would say LTTP2 looks like is Minish Cap and Spirit Tracks, which are, gaspity gasp, the handheld predecessors of the Zelda series.

Hellions have wheels dude, they are COMPLETELY the same game.

Shit, I wonder if I've ever gotten it wrong and started playing the game with the wrong genre. Though I bet if I play StarCraft II like Mario Kart 7 it would be just fine.
 
Sometimes I wonder if I'm playing Mario Kart 7 or StarCraft II. But then I see the wheels on the screen and I know.

It's all those colors man, that generic art style between the two is all basically the same. Fuck that cartoony bullshit.

Hellions have wheels dude, they are COMPLETELY the same game.
 
well, he was talking about the games of the mario universe. I consider it as the same franchise... and I feel that it's completely normal (and necessary) to look similar.

hmm. i don't consider them as same franchises - but different franchises that use the character Mario as a binding force that makes it popular. but just because Mario is in it, doesn't mean its the same one-game Franchise. so i do expect different art styles, like in the old days. (it should be noted that i hate the current design of mario)
 
You guys keep saying this like I'm a moron (probably am but that's not the point) but I was right about the Wii U, as were many others who got constantly crapped on during the past year. Just sayin'. Most of this "oh you" stuff was due to making predictions about the Wii U, and I was right.

Remind me how you got your avatar again?
 
hmm. i don't consider them as them same franchises - but different franchises that use the character Mario as a binding force that makes it popular. but just because Mario is in it, doesn't mean its the same one-game Franchise. so i do expect different art styles, like in the old days. (it should be noted that i hate the current design of mario)

well, I guess we have mixed up the term "franchise" then.

can you give me an example of what you mean with the bolded part?. I remember most mario games sharing same elements, enemies, locations, etc, even back in the NES era.
 
only on mario.
i dont FPS,

If Heavy's point was that similar aesthetic games are difficult to tell apart to the casual observer, I agree. However, that's also by design from Nintendo. They want recognizable characters that will cause the casual observer to feel more comfortable buying a game they don't know much about just because they are familiar with the characters. However, he just had to add that part about Battlefield/Call of Duty not being "as bad," which destroyed any credibility in the earlier part. If he can follow Battlefield/Call of Duty close enough to tell the difference between iterations, then he should be knowledgeable enough to tell the difference between an RPG and a golf game despite the characters being the same in each.

Anyone have that poster showing three FPS made by three different developers that released in the same year that all looked alike to a casual observer?
 
Well most of the games listed are from the Mario universe and with any major brand i'm guessing Nintendo have guidelines in place so particular aspects are recognizable across the board so customers will easily recognize them.

So I don't think customers will end up in a dizzy swirl in a game shop bamboozled by all the Marios, they will most likely recognize the brand and think to them selves "I recognize this and associate this with quality", it's probably a good thing from a unaware customers perspective.

If your a gamer with a taste for distinct art styles then yeah you may end up getting bored with a particular style if it's in constant use across multiple games, though i'd say (imo) the Mario and Luigi RPG, Yoshi's Island and Mario vs DK Carnival all have fairly distinct styles within the Mario universe.
 
This is a joke, right?

I can't tell anymore.
trolls trolling trolls
trolling101ql8.gif
 
well, of course... it's the same franchise... halo games and CoD games looks the same... the same for Fifa games, "Tales of..." games, Metal Gear... Uncharted... most of the Tomb Raiders... etc...

that's how it works. They have to look similar because that's how people want them... REGULAR PEOPLE, not Gaf people.

Exactly. Nintendo is trying to create a unified look to most of the mario games and thats where this distinguishing problem stems from albeit only on a superficial level.

You also have to remember the franchises you mentioned above have no where close to the same number of releases in the same time period.

Were getting all of those games in one year iirc which we never see from COD, FIFA, etc.
 
I was right this one time, so this is totally legit.

If you can't notice the difference, time to take a few tests. You might need glasses
 
This is a joke, right?

I can't tell anymore.

Brawl aesthetic
1262.jpg

There is a very real textured grittiness to it...comapred with current Nintnendo's perfectly clean rounded aesthic especially with Mario centric games
Zelda-Link-to-the-Past-Nintendo-Direct-630x354.jpg


yes, I am legitimately worried

EDIT: I dont mind if the keep the Mario characters in that style, but I will be dissapointed if they make that the overall theme
 
I don't understand why Nintendo is expected to change up the art styles of games set in the same universe. The only problem here is probably the abundance of Mario titles. Of course, there will be similarities, but expecting them to have distinct art styles for every one of those games is unrealistic. The art is adequately varied considering the games are in the same universe.
 
Exactly. Nintendo is trying to create a unified look to most of the mario games and thats where this distinguishing problem stems from albeit only on a superficial level.

You also have to remember the franchises you mentioned above have no where close to the same number of releases in the same time period.

Were getting all of those games in one year iirc which we never see from COD, FIFA, etc.

I still don't see how is that a problem. People who WANTS to buy a Mario game will know what they're buying.
 
What is this business?

Heavy made a bet in the MC thread about Wii U sales the next week and totally missed the importance of the next week (might've been New Year's week) and disregarded all the people trying to tell him about the importance of the next week. He then lost the bet, and was like "Oh, I didn't realize the importance of this week" despite lots of people telling him it in the previous thread. The bet result was that avatar,
though, I think he's allowed to change it now, if he wanted. It was only for a month ...
 
Brawl aesthetic
1262.jpg

There is a very real textured grittiness to it...comapred with current Nintnendo's perfectly clean rounded aesthic especially with Mario centric games
Zelda-Link-to-the-Past-Nintendo-Direct-630x354.jpg


yes, I am legitimately worried

I still can't tell if this is being serious...why not look at the Yoshi game's artstyle? Or Pokemon X/Y? OR the recent Luigi's Mansion? Fire Emblem Awakening? Wario Ware? They all have different art styles. They're all made by different teams. Brawl isn't made by the same people who make the Mario games at all
 
Brawl aesthetic
1262.jpg

There is a very real textured grittiness to it...comapred with current Nintnendo's perfectly clean rounded aesthic especially with Mario centric games
Zelda-Link-to-the-Past-Nintendo-Direct-630x354.jpg


yes, I am legitimately worried
Um... Uh... Okay, let me try this. Compare Meele with Wind Waker/Minish Cap. Then compare Brawl with the DS Zeldas/Skyward Sword. Conclusion, the graphical style of Zelda's have no effect on the graphical style of Smash Bros. games.
 
I can't tell this turn-based RPG from this golf game because the characters have hats with an M or L on them.
 
I still can't tell if this is being serious...why not look at the Yoshi game's artstyle? Or Pokemon X/Y? OR the recent Luigi's Mansion? Fire Emblem Awakening? Wario Ware? They all have different art styles. They're all made by different teams. Brawl isn't made by the same people who make the Mario games at all

your post is almost TOO logical for this thread.

I like it
 
well, I guess we have mixed up the term "franchise" then.

can you give me an example of what you mean with the bolded part?. I remember most mario games sharing same elements, enemies, locations, etc, even back in the NES era.

sure.

SuperstarSagaScreen1.jpg


f150b__mario_screen001.jpg

super-mario-world-2.gif


super-mario-bros-3.jpg


and even the original Super Mario Bros.
yes, the elements of Mario lingers within all Mario games, but their artstyle was distinctive to each franchise and game - even Mario Kart and Mario RPG. that gave them, at least for me, a feeling of uniqueness and originality.

i think it's the 3D version that really got me in a hold. and since Nintendo is comfortable with the mario they have now, i don't think they'll change it anytime soon.

the same character models shown in recent Mario games (without distinction of art and style, its just mario), regardless of the distinction in gameplay and genre and background art - puts these "new" games to the idea to the consumers that they've been done before, and they are exactly the same as the "old" and already existing games.
 
Cant a mod just kill all these dumb threads that are just trolling after teh Nintendo Direct?

Lets just have ONE thread for all those who just want to bash everything that was announced today.

Please?
 
elements of Mario lingers within all Mario games, but their artstyle was distinctive to each franchise and game - even Mario Kart and Mario RPG.

That's because they were sprites from systems with vastly different ability to display sprites. Reusing 3-D models is intentional to save time. Why re-invent the wheel each game, if it doesn't call for it (e.g. Paper Mario)?

Edit:
As examples, look at the Mario characters in Super Mario All-Stars. They repeated the characters between then. Super Mario Advance games, too. Nintendo didn't change the sprite looks just because. There was a rapid change in ability/skill between iterations of those earlier games.
 
I still don't see how is that a problem. People who WANTS to buy a Mario game will know what they're buying.

As a casual observer of Nintendo games, I have trouble differentiating these. Is anyone else? I can tell they're different games but they all sort of mesh together.

I was trying to see some sense in the OP's claims that they have a unified style.
 
That's because they were sprites from systems with vastly different ability to display sprites. Reusing 3-D models is intentional to save time. Why re-invent the wheel each game, if it doesn't call for it (e.g. Paper Mario)?

Edit:
As examples, look at the Mario characters in Super Mario All-Stars. They repeated the characters between then. Super Mario Advance games, too. Nintendo didn't change the sprite looks just because. There was a rapid change in ability/skill between iterations of those earlier games.

that is true; however, i feel that the mario we have now, since Wii- Wii U and ds - 3ds haven't changed at all.

from New Super Mario bros wii - New Super Mario bros Wii U
(Super Mario Bros Ds - Super Mario bros 2 )
(Mario Kart 7, - Mario Kart WII ...)

like, at all.

am i to believe that HD WIIU mario should look the same as the WII mario?

that's just bullshit.
 
sure.


elements of Mario lingers within all Mario games, but their artstyle was distinctive to each franchise and game - even Mario Kart and Mario RPG.

i think it's the 3D version that really got me in a hold. and since Nintendo is comfortable with the mario they have now, i don't think they'll change it anytime soon.

same character models in recent Mario games, regardless of the distinction in gameplay and background art - puts these "new" games to the idea that they've been done before, and they are exactly the same.

I see your point... but I still think that you people are worrying too much. The art style differences are still there.

13.0_cinema_640.0.jpg

same mario from yoshi island.

mario-and-donkey-kong-minis-on-the-move-gameplay-screenshot-3ds-eshop.jpg

same mini mario.

new_super_luigi_u_001_thumb.jpg

same "new" model.

mario__luigi_dream_team-2198038.jpg
same mario model from Partners in Time/Bowser Inside Story.

if we are gonna call them franchises... each franchise have the respective Mario model... with their respective art style...

people are over dramatizing about this.
 
Unless you think there's a Mario game that goes back and forth between golfing and turn based battles, genre is kind of important.

no argument there, the argument that's being had atm (at least by me), aside from Heavy's trolling, is the sameness that we get from the recently released and releasing gamings from Nintendo. specifically in the character model and artstyle of Mario and friends
 
that is true; however, i feel that the mario we have now, since Wii- Wii U and ds - 3ds haven't changed at all.

from New Super Mario bros wii - New Super Mario bros Wii U
(Super Mario Bros Ds - Super Mario bros 2 )
(Mario Kart 7, - Mario Kart WII ...)

like, at all.

am i to believe that HD WIIU mario should look the same as the WII mario?

It's going to get worse as Nintendo starts to more freely share assets between handheld and console development teams. Nintendo decided that ~ what they have now is good enough, and keep reusing it.
 
I see your point... but I still think that you people are worrying too much. The art style differences are still there.


same mario model from Partners in Time/Bowser Inside Story.

if we are gonna call them franchises... each franchise have the respective Mario model... with their respective art style...

people are over dramatizing about this.

i agree - there are the art style differences that remain still - they are subtle and little, less emphasizing to the eyes than the olden days, but they're still there.

i want artistic, characteristic Mario. i want style and uniqueness in each mario that i play as in each respective great franchises.

i'm just saying, they "look " the same if you don't look hard enough for these submissive differences that linger in the recent mario games :p
 
If the way you tell games apart is by watching what the main character looks like, then, yeah, 3-D Mario games are all going to look alike.

All Leonardo Di Caprio films are identical! I can't tell them apart!

(Okay, perhaps a slight overstatement, but that's what sprung to mind from this)
 
While the models look very similar among the platformers, I refuse to believe you people think M&L = Paper Mario = Yoshi's Island = Mario vs. DK in terms of character models. For real? I mean, I wish! I wish we'd have M&L art in more games:

YEpMwsW.png


Love it.
 
I know man! I can't even fucking tell the difference anymore between one Mario game and another. Here's an old Mario game:

sonic-game.jpg


And then, here's a brand new Mario game from 2012:

Call-of-Duty-Black-Ops-2-1-610x343.jpg


Nintendo needs to get their fucking bullshit together. Fuck.
 



damn it.

i can't seem to have a serious argument in a Heavy thread.

While the models look very similar among the platformers, I refuse to believe you people think M&L = Paper Mario = Yoshi's Island = Mario vs. DK in terms of character models. For real? I mean, I wish! I wish we'd have M&L art in more games:

YEpMwsW.png


Love it.


thank you. the distinction is there. the new games are just weak at it
i've been concerned about this use of Mario model in every new Mario game that came out since the Wii and Ds, and its getting worse and worse.

It's going to get worse as Nintendo starts to more freely share assets between handheld and console development teams. Nintendo decided that ~ what they have now is good enough, and keep reusing it.


and it'll be a giant mush of one artstyle for ALL of mario games. joy.
 
Can't you get juniored for making threads like these?

No but backseat modding can. But seriously why does it bother you that much? The other day someone asked a member to be banned because he expressed his opinion in some lego city thread. It's as if you need to take precautions when you enter a nintendo thread lol.
 
I read Cheesemeister's OP for the conference and figured RPG4 and Dream Bros. were different games. Doesn't it all come off a bit homogenous to you? Imagine yourself as someone who doesn't follow the games super closely. It's not that easy to tell them apart.

Well, no, because I distinguish between them by observing elements rather than art style. I notice RPG-style battles; I know Mario and Luigi is an RPG. I notice dice rolling and characters moving from circle to circle: I know Mario Party is a board game. I notice a grid-based environment where the player lays tiles; I know Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a puzzle game. The one where you *might* have an argument is Yoshi's Island 3DS and NSLU, since both of those *are* platformers - but they're also platformers with art styles that are actually fairly different from one another (and do play somewhat differently, too)

You're basically focussing on the superficial rather than the important gameplay factors behind them.
 
Well, no, because I distinguish between them by observing elements rather than art style. I notice RPG-style battles; I know Mario and Luigi is an RPG. I notice dice rolling and characters moving from circle to circle: I know Mario Party is a board game. I notice a grid-based environment where the player lays tiles; I know Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a puzzle game. The one where you *might* have an argument is Yoshi's Island 3DS and NSLU, since both of those *are* platformers - but they're also platformers with art styles that are actually fairly different from one another (and do play somewhat differently, too)

You're basically focussing on the superficial rather than the important gameplay factors behind them.

if all games had varying gameplay but the same artstyle, would you be content with that? i guess since i value style more than gameplay, it'd differ with me.
 
Well, no, because I distinguish between them by observing elements rather than art style. I notice RPG-style battles; I know Mario and Luigi is an RPG. I notice dice rolling and characters moving from circle to circle: I know Mario Party is a board game. I notice a grid-based environment where the player lays tiles; I know Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a puzzle game. The one where you *might* have an argument is Yoshi's Island 3DS and NSLU, since both of those *are* platformers - but they're also platformers with art styles that are actually fairly different from one another (and do play somewhat differently, too)

You're basically focussing on the superficial rather than the important gameplay factors behind them.

Art style is not superficial to a lot of people....it is what seperates game when you dont have a controller in your hand
 
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