After so many years of bland, corporate friendly art direction, Wonder is such a breath of fresh air. I think it's a perfect counter argument to all those people who denounce the importance of secondary elements, like art, animation, & story & claim that "gameplay is all that matters". Obviously the gameplay is probably the most important aspect, in most cases, but the way the gameplay is presented greatly affects your perception of it. That's why so many people were bored to death of the New Super series & why this game is so much more exciting. At its core, it is fundamentally the same thing as New Super (although I will say there is a lot more imagination gone into the level gimmicks) but it FEELS different because of the art & animation. It feels fun & full of life, in a way that New Super just didn't. Also, I'm certainly not the first to say this, but the way the character models are shaded gives me massive N64 promo render vibes & I love it. It's new & nostalgic at the same time!
There are some games that really deserve to have the pixel art, mainly Pokémon with how pretty bad the 3D models can look. Though I do think for Mario I love how he looks like the clay animation from the 1st Nintendo Power magazine, being his 2D art pose made in a 3D space. Not to mention Mario Odyssey also having some amazing animation for Mario so overall this series has nailed Mario without pixel art, though it would be pretty interesting to see a new Mario in pixel art.
Ah, yes it's called a 3/4 view, and it has prominence for the exact reasons you've listed; when you do a style guide you always get a front and profile view, but you get a clarification of both views simultaneously with a 3/4 view. It also works with profile and rear view pairs, making a rear version to compliment the 3/4 angle we see here in Mario. (They don't use that angle innthe game, but it's common practice when laying out character design fundamentals for a team to follow as a reference.) It's very handy because you can make a full turnaround design sheet by repeating both 3/4 positions and flipping them before adding any asymmetrical details, rather than having to draw them from scratch. Also, Miyamoto's choice to default with 3/4 view could also have to do with how some folks find it off-putting to see a cartoon character looking dead-on at them; those front-facing illustations generally aren't common in animation and if they're ever used, it's usually for guiding inbetweens, or for extremely specific scenarios or shock value. (Consider how frequently you ever saw Simpsons or SpongeBob characters looking straight into the camera, for instance.)
Even though I still believe Mario Odyssey is the best look for the red plumber, I do love the new "cartoony" style to the animation of Super Mario Bros Wonder. More movements to the body than before, more expression to the facial features than ever, IT'S MORE OF A LIVING BREATHING 2D WORLD FOR MARIO!!! Thanks for sharing this with us, Mark. It's been a whole year since your last video but it's REALLY great to have you back.
Great to hear. And you deleted the short video on the Movie Mario design which I actually enjoyed seeing. I wonder why? Great to see you're feeling better though.
Aw. That's too bad. But at least I certainly enjoyed the animated movie months ago as it felt like Smash Bros but only with Mario and co. It was a bigger blast than that abomination film in 1993, which was the year I was born in.
Something really neglected about wonders design is that they finally fixed toad in 3D, Since they started using 3D renders he'd always been quite still in his in-game movement, there were some exceptions in a render here and there. But they finally made toad move his legs hidden in his trousers, He doesn't feel like he's wearing diapers anymore!
God i hope this becomes the standart art style for mario from now on. I'm so tired of the "realistic" look mario had since the early-mid 2000s. This change is very welcome and has so much charm. Reminds me of the N64 renders which was my favourite look for mario.
I hope you do Peachie (Peach!) next, she along with Daiz (Daisy!) and Rosie (Rosalina!) and Paulie (Pauline!) are my favorite Female Mario Characters! 😌🙂☺️😊😁🤭😳🥰😍💖
Last night I fully 100%ed Mario Wonder, and I can easily tell you that it is the best 2D Mario game. I'd say it's the second best Mario game period, only behind Galaxy 1.
As much as I am nostalgic for New Super Mario Bros DS and New Super Mario Bros Wii, I have to say the artwork in Super Mario Bros Wonder is great! Even as a fan of the New Super Mario Bros Line Of Games, I have criticism. Super Mario Bros Wonder doesn’t seem to be part of New Super Mario Bros. Unfortunately for New Super Mario Bros, it gained a slow decline. New Super Mario Bros DS and New Super Mario Bros Wii were at the peak. New Super Mario Bros DS was my very first Mario Game and got me into gaming today. Followed by New Super Mario Bros Wii. Unfortunately for New Super Mario Bros Wii U/New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe and New Super Mario Bros 2, they weren’t as great. This will be a multiple parter! My Reasons: The Stale Animations Said Here. Why were they kept for so long? It doesn’t make sense!
Next, the reused music. New Super Mario Bros DS has a completely unique soundtrack, besides the Underground Theme but that’s a Mario Game Staple. New Super Mario Bros Wii did bring back the Overworld Theme and Athletic Theme and also remixed it to make a Snow Version. However this can be excused as it is the sequel to New Super Mario Bros DS, and it has its own unique tracks. However when New Super Mario Bros 2 came out, there was only four unique tracks. Everything else was either a remix or just a copy paste of the soundtrack for New Super Mario Bros Wii. New Super Mario Bros U/ New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe did have more unique tracks but still had an issue with copy pasted New Super Mario Bros Wii Tracks.
Next: 100% Rewards. In New Super Mario Bros DS, you would get infinite Mushroom Houses. Literally get infinite Mega Mushrooms and see what chaos you can do with them. Star Coins were also important for bottom screen wallpapers and opening other levels, making you actually want to collect Star Coins. New Super Mario Bros Wii did it the best with it’s item system. You can hold 99 of every item in the game, and only have to use one to power up all four players. So if you got 99 Stars and 99 Propeller Mushrooms, four people can play 99 Levels starting out invincible and being able to fly. It was OP, making getting all Star Coins and clearing difficult levels super satisfying. However when it came to New Super Mario Bros DS, it was just infinite Golden Houses and one infinite Star House. Gold Flowers are easily accessible by collecting all 8 Red Coins in Cannon Levels, and there’s one right in World 1. What’s the point besides a flex? Collecting 240 Star Coins/Moon Coins for something that you can get perfectly fine in ten minutes? The Mega Mushroom is in the game but only was in three levels. Could’ve been used like in New Super Mario Bros DS! The Coin Reward for getting 9,999,999 is simply a Golden Tanooki Statue. Bruh. What? New Super Mario Bros U and New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe has a terrible 100% Reward, because the item system is hot garbage. You can only hold nine items. One takes up a single slot. They don’t stack. I guess it was meant to represent Super Mario Bros 3 but they botched that up because even Super Mario Bros 3 had more item space than New Super Mario Bros U and New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe.
I agree with you that this design is an improvement. I probably wouldn't have even noticed the change (as I don't have a Switch or any other current-gen consoles) without watching this.
I haven't played Wonder yet, but I have to say it looks great! I do think comparing 8-bit to 3D is a little subjective. I personally think it depends on the gameplay. But I think Wonder looks objectively better than New Super Mario Bros. 👍
Subjectivity is the name of the game with my design videos! Always gonna be a stylistic choice based on preferences. Agree on that second point totally. 😂
I think Princess Peach would be a good next design video give her new designs in Princess Peach Showtime. But it might be worth waiting until the game realeases to see if there are any more costumes they are hiding.
oh how ive missed your soothing voice. at first i wasn't sold on wonder. i think a lot of folks in my vicinity were hyping it up as very weird, when im that quirky bitch who has been trying to get people to play lsd dream emulator for over 15 years. but ive slowly warmed up to it, especially after refreshing myself on the nsmb series. and now i can safely say i agree with this entire video (right down to having too many games to play rofl) i think my only real disappointment in wonder's art direction is daisy. idk, maybe its the hype of finally being able to play as her, but i cant help but think "does she really still have to be a semi clone of peach?"
Bald without explanation 🥚
Not because you’ve hit that time in all men’s lives when the buzzing becomes necessary?
Does the current ArtistMarkFlynn have the best have the NEW BEST hair design?
Haha but seriously, good to see you back.
Welcome to team egg 🥚🍳
I'm really vibing the egg
After so many years of bland, corporate friendly art direction, Wonder is such a breath of fresh air. I think it's a perfect counter argument to all those people who denounce the importance of secondary elements, like art, animation, & story & claim that "gameplay is all that matters". Obviously the gameplay is probably the most important aspect, in most cases, but the way the gameplay is presented greatly affects your perception of it. That's why so many people were bored to death of the New Super series & why this game is so much more exciting. At its core, it is fundamentally the same thing as New Super (although I will say there is a lot more imagination gone into the level gimmicks) but it FEELS different because of the art & animation. It feels fun & full of life, in a way that New Super just didn't. Also, I'm certainly not the first to say this, but the way the character models are shaded gives me massive N64 promo render vibes & I love it. It's new & nostalgic at the same time!
There are some games that really deserve to have the pixel art, mainly Pokémon with how pretty bad the 3D models can look. Though I do think for Mario I love how he looks like the clay animation from the 1st Nintendo Power magazine, being his 2D art pose made in a 3D space. Not to mention Mario Odyssey also having some amazing animation for Mario so overall this series has nailed Mario without pixel art, though it would be pretty interesting to see a new Mario in pixel art.
The Nintendo Power comparison is a great shout! I also wish Pokemon was in some kind of 2DHD format rather than the current direction 😢
I was literally rewatching your videos RIGHT as this came out.
The timing has never been better 😁😁
Ah, yes it's called a 3/4 view, and it has prominence for the exact reasons you've listed; when you do a style guide you always get a front and profile view, but you get a clarification of both views simultaneously with a 3/4 view. It also works with profile and rear view pairs, making a rear version to compliment the 3/4 angle we see here in Mario. (They don't use that angle innthe game, but it's common practice when laying out character design fundamentals for a team to follow as a reference.) It's very handy because you can make a full turnaround design sheet by repeating both 3/4 positions and flipping them before adding any asymmetrical details, rather than having to draw them from scratch. Also, Miyamoto's choice to default with 3/4 view could also have to do with how some folks find it off-putting to see a cartoon character looking dead-on at them; those front-facing illustations generally aren't common in animation and if they're ever used, it's usually for guiding inbetweens, or for extremely specific scenarios or shock value. (Consider how frequently you ever saw Simpsons or SpongeBob characters looking straight into the camera, for instance.)
Even though I still believe Mario Odyssey is the best look for the red plumber, I do love the new "cartoony" style to the animation of Super Mario Bros Wonder. More movements to the body than before, more expression to the facial features than ever, IT'S MORE OF A LIVING BREATHING 2D WORLD FOR MARIO!!! Thanks for sharing this with us, Mark. It's been a whole year since your last video but it's REALLY great to have you back.
Appreciate the enthusiasm! It's good to be making stuff again.
Great to hear. And you deleted the short video on the Movie Mario design which I actually enjoyed seeing. I wonder why? Great to see you're feeling better though.
Copyright claim took that one down
Aw. That's too bad. But at least I certainly enjoyed the animated movie months ago as it felt like Smash Bros but only with Mario and co. It was a bigger blast than that abomination film in 1993, which was the year I was born in.
2:44 Those are called Broozers! 🙂🙂🙂🙂
Bowser's an obvious choice for this villain lover, but I think Princess Peach might be a good choice since she's got a new game coming out soon
Eggman jumpscare
Something really neglected about wonders design is that they finally fixed toad in 3D, Since they started using 3D renders he'd always been quite still in his in-game movement, there were some exceptions in a render here and there. But they finally made toad move his legs hidden in his trousers, He doesn't feel like he's wearing diapers anymore!
lmao, that is an amazing observation and one I definitely need to check out.
Glad you're back, m8. Always found your videos to be prime mood elevators. Here's hoping the Algorithm Gods have mercy on you this time.
You should do Daisy!!
God i hope this becomes the standart art style for mario from now on. I'm so tired of the "realistic" look mario had since the early-mid 2000s. This change is very welcome and has so much charm. Reminds me of the N64 renders which was my favourite look for mario.
I hope you do Peachie (Peach!) next, she along with Daiz (Daisy!) and Rosie (Rosalina!) and Paulie (Pauline!) are my favorite Female Mario Characters! 😌🙂☺️😊😁🤭😳🥰😍💖
Last night I fully 100%ed Mario Wonder, and I can easily tell you that it is the best 2D Mario game. I'd say it's the second best Mario game period, only behind Galaxy 1.
😅😅 I want to play it a lot but the backlog is real!
I like the mario odyssey design the most
As much as I am nostalgic for New Super Mario Bros DS and New Super Mario Bros Wii, I have to say the artwork in Super Mario Bros Wonder is great!
Even as a fan of the New Super Mario Bros Line Of Games, I have criticism.
Super Mario Bros Wonder doesn’t seem to be part of New Super Mario Bros. Unfortunately for New Super Mario Bros, it gained a slow decline. New Super Mario Bros DS and New Super Mario Bros Wii were at the peak. New Super Mario Bros DS was my very first Mario Game and got me into gaming today. Followed by New Super Mario Bros Wii. Unfortunately for New Super Mario Bros Wii U/New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe and New Super Mario Bros 2, they weren’t as great. This will be a multiple parter!
My Reasons:
The Stale Animations Said Here.
Why were they kept for so long? It doesn’t make sense!
Next, the reused music. New Super Mario Bros DS has a completely unique soundtrack, besides the Underground Theme but that’s a Mario Game Staple. New Super Mario Bros Wii did bring back the Overworld Theme and Athletic Theme and also remixed it to make a Snow Version. However this can be excused as it is the sequel to New Super Mario Bros DS, and it has its own unique tracks. However when New Super Mario Bros 2 came out, there was only four unique tracks. Everything else was either a remix or just a copy paste of the soundtrack for New Super Mario Bros Wii. New Super Mario Bros U/ New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe did have more unique tracks but still had an issue with copy pasted New Super Mario Bros Wii Tracks.
Next: 100% Rewards.
In New Super Mario Bros DS, you would get infinite Mushroom Houses. Literally get infinite Mega Mushrooms and see what chaos you can do with them. Star Coins were also important for bottom screen wallpapers and opening other levels, making you actually want to collect Star Coins. New Super Mario Bros Wii did it the best with it’s item system. You can hold 99 of every item in the game, and only have to use one to power up all four players. So if you got 99 Stars and 99 Propeller Mushrooms, four people can play 99 Levels starting out invincible and being able to fly. It was OP, making getting all Star Coins and clearing difficult levels super satisfying. However when it came to New Super Mario Bros DS, it was just infinite Golden Houses and one infinite Star House. Gold Flowers are easily accessible by collecting all 8 Red Coins in Cannon Levels, and there’s one right in World 1. What’s the point besides a flex? Collecting 240 Star Coins/Moon Coins for something that you can get perfectly fine in ten minutes? The Mega Mushroom is in the game but only was in three levels. Could’ve been used like in New Super Mario Bros DS! The Coin Reward for getting 9,999,999 is simply a Golden Tanooki Statue. Bruh. What? New Super Mario Bros U and New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe has a terrible 100% Reward, because the item system is hot garbage. You can only hold nine items. One takes up a single slot. They don’t stack. I guess it was meant to represent Super Mario Bros 3 but they botched that up because even Super Mario Bros 3 had more item space than New Super Mario Bros U and New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe.
I agree with you that this design is an improvement. I probably wouldn't have even noticed the change (as I don't have a Switch or any other current-gen consoles) without watching this.
I don't know what it is but Mario's design in Wonder is a bit weird, I still prefer the SMW design.
Oh hey you remembered your password, yay!
finally
Mario so cute
😂
Hmmm
I haven't played Wonder yet, but I have to say it looks great! I do think comparing 8-bit to 3D is a little subjective. I personally think it depends on the gameplay. But I think Wonder looks objectively better than New Super Mario Bros. 👍
Subjectivity is the name of the game with my design videos! Always gonna be a stylistic choice based on preferences. Agree on that second point totally. 😂
Both Sonic and Mario look better with pixel art when it comes to 2D.
I think Mario is more debatable but I do agree on Sonic thus far
Who is this egg and what did you do with Mark?
Eggman looks good on you 👍
🥚
I think Princess Peach would be a good next design video give her new designs in Princess Peach Showtime. But it might be worth waiting until the game realeases to see if there are any more costumes they are hiding.
I'd love to see a Princess Peach design retrospective too. PLEASE?
The cover art for the game was also changed eventually to replicate movie-Peach more closely in the face which I find is a way bigger design change.
@@papermario47 I feel that facial change is only enough for the movie however much I understand it tries to make Peach fiercer.
Yeah I'm definitely leaning towards peach because of her upcoming game, but we'll see!
Time will tell. Right?
For 2D yes everything else not so much
I will always have a fondness for pixel art but this is exactly how modern Mario should look like
Definitely keen to see if this look sticks around!
I think it’s really interesting to see how the movie feels so lifeless and straightforward in comparison. This is by far my favourite design for Mario
I actually by contrast do quite love how the movie looks! But yeah this is great
oh how ive missed your soothing voice.
at first i wasn't sold on wonder. i think a lot of folks in my vicinity were hyping it up as very weird, when im that quirky bitch who has been trying to get people to play lsd dream emulator for over 15 years. but ive slowly warmed up to it, especially after refreshing myself on the nsmb series. and now i can safely say i agree with this entire video (right down to having too many games to play rofl)
i think my only real disappointment in wonder's art direction is daisy. idk, maybe its the hype of finally being able to play as her, but i cant help but think "does she really still have to be a semi clone of peach?"
I have missed your soothing pfp.
@@ArtistMarkFlynn you know ill never change it!
I miss your videos man
dw there was a new video uploaded this morning! I'm sorry you've missed me
Peach absolutely deserves a look at her design evolution.
Do you shave your hair or you have a cancer because you're not looking good
The prodigal son returns!!
also Egg is the way
do peach shes hotter
Nice contrasts!
👀 P r o m o s m
Mark, I think you took the haircut scolding from a few years ago a little too seriously.
IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT
Lovely Jubbly
😂
Mario got fat?
chonk
Nope. Odyssey is the best
I prefer odyssey but this video is about the 2D designs
O in that case I agree.