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Discussion How should the next 2D Mario look visually? (poll)

What visual style should the next 2D Super Mario game use?

  • 2.5D (New Super Style)

  • Kotabe artstyle

  • Retro (8bit/16-bit throwback)

  • "Upgraded 2.5D" (like the 3D World theme in Super Mario Maker 2)

  • Other (explain)

Results are only viewable after voting.
TheMindOfThomas

TheMindOfThomas

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The most common complaint regarding the 2D Mario series over the past decade has been its lack of visual variety. Many ideas to remedy this have been brought up (Kotabe art syle, 16-bit, etc.), and the demand has only grown with the taste of different "themes" available in the Mario Maker subseries. How do you think Nintendo should evolve the image of mainline 2D Mario going forward?
 
Voted for the Kotabe style which I think is the ideal outcome, but I'm also cool with an "upgraded 2.5D" style that can carry an appealing look on par with something like Tropical Freeze or Metroid Dread.
 
I've wanted Kotabe since I was 16 but next best thing would probably be a nice 3D like Gar says
 
I voted for the Kotabe artstyle. It just has so much personality. I can see how the general gaming public would probably think it would look cheap or whatever, because it's all about muh 3D graphics. But imagine Nintendo taking a crack at something like Wonder Boy but with even more frames and in Kotabe's art style. Would be amazing!

I also like 3D World's art style a lot, though. Never quite understood why that was the Nintendo game people made fun of for looking plastic-y/fake, I think its one of the better looking Nintendo games in that simplified clean style. Obviously, I want a new 2D Mario series to look like a new series rather than more 3D World, so something more spicy would liven things up, but taking ques from that game wouldn't be bad is what I'm saying.
 
I'm so done with the NSMB artstyle, so anything would be an upgrade at this point IMO. I was going to say I'd love to see Paper Mario graphics on a game that controls like a traditional 2D Mario platformer, so I'll vote for Kotabe. What a great idea! A hand-drawn look with precise and quick platforming would be incredible.

Super Mario 3D World has great 2D art. I'd love to see a full game in this style:

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I’d definitely like to see 2D Mario in a hand drawn style, whether Kotabe’s or otherwise, but I think high resolution pixel art (beyond “16-bit”) would also work well.

If Nintendo wants to stick with polygonal models, I hope they go with something more stylized, as various recent “anime” fighting games have.
 
Voted Kotabe style but I'll take anything over the actual look and music , it's already run its course
 
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I just would like to see them go in a enterally new art direction. Don‘t care if it is "2.5D", 2D or whatever.
 
em said:
I’d definitely like to see 2D Mario in a hand drawn style, whether Kotabe’s or otherwise, but I think high resolution pixel art (beyond “16-bit”) would also work well.
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Noise said:
for the love of god please make it something other than 2.5d
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At this rate, we aren't going to get a brand new retail release from Nintendo which will be sprite based or hand-drawn, if their making a 2D game... it's basically guaranteed to be 2.5D.
 
em said:
I’d definitely like to see 2D Mario in a hand drawn style, whether Kotabe’s or otherwise, but I think high-resolution pixel art (beyond “16-bit”) would also work well.

If Nintendo wants to stick with polygonal models, I hope they go with something more stylized, as various recent “anime” fighting games have.
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I feel like a high-res pixel art game could be really cool if they added some polygonal/early 3D elements in there as well. It could feel like an alternate universe where Nintendo made a 2D Mario game for the N64.
 
I mean a full blown Kotabe style 2D game is the dream for me personally. I can imagine it looking absolutely stunning. Can't see Nintendo ever being that brave mind
 
Galgavias said:
I mean a full blown Kotabe style 2D game is the dream for me personally. I can imagine it looking absolutely stunning. Can't see Nintendo ever being that brave mind
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I'm not sure what "brave" has to do with it. In general, people like 2.5d games, and they certainly tend to sell better.

Still, I think the biggest barrier, even beyond the frankly limited sales potential, is that a style like the Kotabe art probably doesn't convey information to the player as well because of the style. I'm specifically thinking about Rayman Origins/Legends here, but those games despite looking really nice in screenshots, do a much poorer job of conveying information quickly to the player when compared to the NSMB series, which is a line I doubt Nintendo would be willing to cross.
 
Follow me on this one: I would like it to look like the characters were colored in with crayons. A new style. Something of a crayon meets Kotabe's style. NSMB style is nice and serviceable, but give me something different. Crayons. Boom.
 
I want Kotabe & 16bit look, maybe something similar to Yoshi's Island or whatever you want as artistic choice, just make it sprite based.

Imagine a sprite based game using the intire power/memory of the Switch? that's a dream game for me not only regarding Mario or Nintendo, but also speaking about the videogame medium as a whole. I want them to do a 2D sprite based game that uses the entire power of the latest consoles in new, innovative ways (Again, like Yoshi's Island did in its time).

But no matter what you do, please DO NOT use 2.5D, i'm super tired of that aesthetic in 2D games in general.
 
famicorpse said:
Follow me on this one: I would like it to look like the characters were colored in with crayons. A new style. Something of a crayon meets Kotabe's style. NSMB style is nice and serviceable, but give me something different. Crayons. Boom.
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I get it's not really considered a "Mario" game by a lot of people, but that's not really new, Yoshi's Island did that and even has Mario in it.

Still would be cool though :)
 
AngryAlchemist said:
I get it's not really considered a "Mario" game by a lot of people, but that's not really new, Yoshi's Island did that and even has Mario in it.

Still would be cool though :)
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Yes, completely forgot about Yoshi's island. But Kotabe's style x Yoshi's island color scheme? Magic.

I honestly don't think we'll see a new style. Nintendo will probably just give us NSMB style for the December release and play it safe to go well with the movie release.
 
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Who do I need to bribe to get a Kotabe art style game? Hell, a lot of that retro Nintendo art would make for a terrific art style for modern Nintendo games.
 
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Linkstrikesback said:
I'm not sure what "brave" has to do with it. In general, people like 2.5d games, and they certainly tend to sell better.

Still, I think the biggest barrier, even beyond the frankly limited sales potential, is that a style like the Kotabe art probably doesn't convey information to the player as well because of the style. I'm specifically thinking about Rayman Origins/Legends here, but those games despite looking really nice in screenshots, do a much poorer job of conveying information quickly to the player when compared to the NSMB series, which is a line I doubt Nintendo would be willing to cross.
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Let me change the word 'brave' to the word 'expensive.' Nintendo sold millions using basically the same artstyle for the NSMB series and two Mario Makers, so they got bang for their buck. Creating a whole new animation style echoing hand drawn animation would cost a lot, and I'm not sure they'd be willing to go to that expense when the current style has served them so well.

I mean, you can look at something like Cuphead to see how well traditional cartoons and animation can be conveyed into fast paced gameplay, but a move to a style like that doesn't seem very...Nintendo. I'd like to be wrong mind.
 
I'll probably be alone on this, but I loved the look of Mario & Luigi: Dream Team so I'd be happy if we could see a higher res, extra polished, even more fluidly animated version of that art style in a new Mario game.

 
I really dislike the 2.5d approach. Also don't want pixel art as I'm tired of it.
I want something more lively, like super Mario world art but high res. Something 2d like hollow knight that has a great sense of depth.
 
I voted for Kotabe/Nakaue art style. I personally can’t envision what a game would actually look like in that style, but I feel like it could look absolutely stunning. I think an art style similar to Yoshi’s Island would also look really cool. We kind of saw this in Painted Swampland in NSMBU. I think the most likely scenario is another 2.5D game, but with fundamental changes (sort of like 3D World in SMM2). Honestly I’m fine with whatever, I just want a new game, but even as someone who loves the NSMB series, I hope Nintendo branches out and tries something more unique.
 
A game based on Kotabe’s art style would look incredible, I’m glad everyone basically seems to be in agreement in that.
 
Evolve. I want a unique style that's different from anything Mario related released until now that can shake forever the "samey", generic aura that 2D Mario has (for me at least)
 
Kotabe hasn't been Mario's illustrator for many years; time to give Shigehisa Nakaue his due, eh?

But yes, that visual style for a full game please. Wouldn't be opposed to a sprite-based retro throwback game ala Super Mario Flashback; but I can't see Nintendo pursuing something like that.
 
Can't really add beyond what's been said. A Kotabe/Nakaue style 2D Mario would be gorgeous, and that's what I voted for, but a good looking 3D like Mario Maker 2's 3D World levels is more than up to the task.

As fun as it is to imagine a Sonic Mania-esque Super Mario Bros. game, I can't see it happening.
 
edamame said:
I'll probably be alone on this, but I loved the look of Mario & Luigi: Dream Team so I'd be happy if we could see a higher res, extra polished, even more fluidly animated version of that art style in a new Mario game.

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You're not alone, I'd love to see this!
 
It'd be nice if, alongside a Kotabe artstyle, we could get some new level archetypes as well. Break away from the standard Grassland, Desert, Forest, Beach ect, and try some new stuff! Maybe Mario could platform through a carnival? Or a Temple? Try some locations the Mario series hasn't really seen before!
 
Noise said:
i will fight nintendo if necessary this is not going to happen
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I mean, you best gear up then because Nintendo stopped internally making sprite games a long time ago.

If anything, I'd put money on a bet that the fact that alphadream were unable to move past making sprite based games was one of the big reasons Nintendo weren't interested and let them go under.
 
GoGoDezmo said:
It'd be nice if, alongside a Kotabe artstyle, we could get some new level archetypes as well. Break away from the standard Grassland, Desert, Forest, Beach ect, and try some new stuff! Maybe Mario could platform through a carnival? Or a Temple? Try some locations the Mario series hasn't really seen before!
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Carnivals and temples arent exactly "new" since they've been in the 3D games multiple times, but I agree there should be more variety in the next 2D game.
 
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Nintendo can't do KotabeD-HD-2D Mario this year because it will look so glorious that the CG animation in the Super Mario movie looks trash by way of comparison.
 
Linkstrikesback said:
I mean, you best gear up then because Nintendo stopped internally making sprite games a long time ago.

If anything, I'd put money on a bet that the fact that alphadream were unable to move past making sprite based games was one of the big reasons Nintendo weren't interested and let them go under.
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i am literally saying i will fight nintendo why are you telling me unnecessary details about their in-house development pipeline. i’m getting that 2D mario one way or another.
 
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