Support NeoGAF

[maxcriden]

Massive murals celebrating Russia's annexation of Crimea are disappearing from buildings in Moscow, with one being replaced by the video-game character Mario.

The mural, painted incongruously on a stately 19th century residential building on historic Novoslobodskaya Street, showed a Russian soldier playing hockey with Crimea, under the slogan "Happy Russia Day. 2014: we took back what was ours". But it has now made way for Nintendo's Mario declaring "Reach for the stars", the Gazeta.ru website reports.

The murals are the work of Art-Facade, a project run by pro-government youth groups. Their coordinator, Alexander Diaghilev, tells Gazeta.ru the aim was to promote young artists through a competition called "2,000 Homes for Russia". Launched in March, it promised participants the chance to showcase large-scale works in Moscow and St Petersburg. The only problem, as Mr Diaghilev acknowledges, was that the Novoslobodskaya Street residents weren't asked whether they wanted their building turned into a patriotic fresco. They didn't, and asked Art-Facade to "paint it over with something benevolent". This resulted in the Mario mural.

Mr Diaghilev is now promising a whole new series of murals next year, to mark the 70th anniversary of the Second World War. "We're talking about images of Soviet liberator-troops, and perhaps the Soviet flag over the Reichstag, the Kremlin victory parade, planes, tanks, and wartime posters," he tells the Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper.

The new mural shows Mario telling people to "reach for the stars"

Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-29821490

 

[MrNyarlathotep]

When you're sick of gritty modern warfare, turn back to Mario?

 

[bigbaldwolf86]

That's actually pretty cool

 

[DizzyCrow]

When you're sick of gritty modern warfare, turn back to Mario?

 

[Chariot]

When you're sick of gritty modern warfare, turn back to Mario?

Deep.

 

[Roo]

When you're sick of gritty modern warfare, turn back to Mario?

10/10

 

[Varjet]

Should have gone with Ike.

 

[Zalman]

When you're sick of gritty modern warfare, turn back to Mario?

Yyyyyup.

 

[Brazil]

When you're sick of gritty modern warfare, turn back to Mario?

Thank you.

Should have gone with Ike.

It's so stupid that I saw this thread under Gaming and couldn't help but think of FE.

 

[PoweredBySoy]

When you're sick of gritty modern warfare, turn back to Mario?

So, the first-post phenomenon. At this point I'm fairly convinced that whenever somebody is about to make a new thread, they call their buddy up and say "hey, yo, I'm about to post a new thread about this...". And then they let their friend spend the next 20 minutes coming up with a reply, after which they synchronize their postings perfectly. It's really the only explanation.

 

[mdubs]

When you're sick of gritty modern warfare, turn back to Mario?

 

[Art Vandilay]

"I've been waiting on my pizza for an hour. What do you mean you can't find my building? There's a giant Mario on the side of it, asshole."

 

[Wenger'sBakedBaguettes]

When you're sick of gritty modern warfare, turn back to Mario?

Genius.

 

[Tinfoilhatsron]

When you're sick of gritty modern warfare, turn back to Mario?

You magnificent bastard!
Awesome first post.

 

[jimi_dini]

When you're sick of gritty modern warfare, turn back to Mario?

 

[Vibranium]

When you're sick of gritty modern warfare, turn back to Mario?

Amazing.

If only Nintendo could end all wars.

 

[AdanVC]

When you're sick of gritty modern warfare, turn back to Mario?

Holy shit. One of my life goals now is to come with a first post as brilliant as this.

 

[dacuk]

When you're sick of gritty modern warfare, turn back to Mario?

Well said, sir.

 

[FrankCaron]

I am so glad I came into this thread. Dat first post is a post of legend.

 

[Endless]

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

I will let someone on GAF paint that on the side of my house if they pay for materials, labor and travel expenses.

When you're sick of gritty modern warfare, turn back to Mario?

 

[Nanashrew]

When you're sick of gritty modern warfare, turn back to Mario?

Amazing and deep.

 

[Mockingbird]

Nintendo isn't officially sponsoring this or anything are they?

 

[HabeeNo]

When you're sick of gritty modern warfare, turn back to Mario?

1st post man... wow

 

[Camjo-Z]

So, the first-post phenomenon. At this point I'm fairly convinced that whenever somebody is about to make a new thread, they call their buddy up and say "hey, yo, I'm about to post a new thread about this...". And then they let their friend spend the next 20 minutes coming up with a reply, after which they synchronize their postings perfectly. It's really the only explanation.

I like to think that most posters just instinctively know that, when they see a new thread, they should wait to discuss things until they or someone else has thought of a sufficiently derailing pun/joke.

 

[Sapphire Dreams]

This is really freaking cool, it's made with the 80s/ early 90s style too.

 

[AdanVC]

Is this was painted by Yoichi Kotabe or someone from Nintendo?? Seriously this looks as good as the official art, if not better, omfg.

 

[RedShift]

Should have gone with this design

 

[rokero]

When you're sick of gritty modern warfare, turn back to Mario?

sogood.gif

 

[dead souls]

Oh wow, that's awesome.

 

[Blues1990]

When you're sick of gritty modern warfare, turn back to Mario?

Shots fired!

 

[DaSorcerer7]

When you're sick of gritty modern warfare, turn back to Mario?

Bow, good sir.

 

[Acosta]

When you're sick of gritty modern warfare, turn back to Mario?

We have a winner!

 

[Falcs]

What I love about it is the old nes/snes era art style that they used. Not today's ugly New Super Mario Bros. style.

 

[foltzie1]

When you're sick of gritty modern warfare, turn back to Mario?

Shots fired!

Or not, as it were.

 

[FlashbladeGAF]

What I love about it is the old nes/snes era art style that they used. Not today's ugly New Super Mario Bros. style.

What's even more amazing than the first post is that the characters actually look goo. It looks official instead of fan-art like (proportions, colors off, etc..) Mario is simple but you be surprised how off easy characters look when being copied.

Nah first post still wins

 

[freethoughtbubble]

When you're sick of gritty modern warfare, turn back to Mario?

This post is like a zen koan or something. Bravo.

 

[Blues1990]

Or not, as it were.

Touché.

 

[Jotamide]

Wasn't this made by Nintendo of Russia? I swear I saw such a claim from Nintendo Life.

 

[Nintendojitsu]

I am in awe from that first post. Mural is pretty breathtaking as well.

 

[Nemecyst]

When you're sick of gritty modern warfare, turn back to Mario?

This is fucking fantastic. I had a 2-min moment of reflection after reading that.