Super Mario Bros. Looks Pretty, Odd With Modern Graphics

Earnest Cavalli

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Jun 19, 2008
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Super Mario Bros. Looks Pretty, Odd With Modern Graphics


There's something undeniably jarring about a recreation of Level 1-2 from the original Super Mario Bros. which features explosions, realistic lighting and gore, but also something strangely charming.

Super Modern Mario Bros. is an apparently ongoing series of YouTube videos in which user "Deloix" reimagines the stages found in the NES classic Super Mario Bros. with all the shiny, modern bells and whistles we've come to expect from the latest games. The result is ... well, there's a clip embedded at right. See for yourself.

Superficially, the idea is quite cool. Watching Mario blow stone blocks to bits using some kind of upgraded Fire Flower that spawns explosives instead of fireballs is certainly more visceral than its source material. That said, it also proves an important point about the utility of simple graphics schemes.

Think of it this way: In 10 years, people will still be playing the original NES incarnation of Super Mario Bros. with little regard for how aged the game looks. Why? Because it's always been aesthetically simple. Perhaps this feeling is exclusive to my generation and those that follow it, but there's something undeniably timeless about simple, square pixels. By contrast, this more modern-looking version of the game, while currently appealing, will be utterly obsolete in a decade. If this were a proper retail release, it would be forgotten as soon as new graphics tech was unveiled that puts its effects to shame. That's the problem with relying heavily on shiny graphics: At some point your game is going to be overshadowed by even shinier graphics.

On the other hand, Super Modern Mario Bros. is not a retail game. It's simply one fan's attempt to show the 'net that he or she could create something neat. In that regard, it's a success.

Comments are below, deposit your thoughts as you file out.

Source: YouTube [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sabJf0f4cM4&feature=youtu.be]

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Mr.Mattress

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Jul 17, 2009
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... Why are they bombs? Their supposed to be Fire Flowers! -5 for that...

Other then that, this was pretty neat. But Mario could totally kick that dragons butt.
 

ToastiestZombie

Don't worry. Be happy!
Mar 21, 2011
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It looks somewhat like a modern game, but I think it needs much more RPG elements, cover mechanics and iron sights for jumping. Oh, and Mario should be reluctantly forced to escort Peach through the mushroom kingdom, then learn to like her by the end.
 

LordLundar

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Mr.Mattress said:
... Why are they bombs? Their supposed to be Fire Flowers!
Fireballs which would spawn complaints that throwing fireballs makes no logical sense.

Go watch Brainscratchcomms youtuve videos and after listening to Lewis on the channel whine about how stuff in games don't work that way in real life you'll understand why developers have become largely afraid of being abstract.
 

Mr.Mattress

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Jul 17, 2009
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LordLundar said:
Mr.Mattress said:
... Why are they bombs? Their supposed to be Fire Flowers!
Fireballs which would spawn complaints that throwing fireballs makes no logical sense.

Go watch Brainscratchcomms youtuve videos and after listening to Lewis on the channel whine about how stuff in games don't work that way in real life you'll understand why developers have become largely afraid of being abstract.
1) I don't care about realism.

2) This is Mario we're talking about.

3) Only complete d-bags will say "Oh, It doesn't make sense Mario throws Fire Balls!" Especially when he's been throwing fire for ages now.
 

Skeleon

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Nov 2, 2007
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Dragon in the underground? Was that a Reign of Fire reference or am I just weird? Or both?
 

Angelous Wang

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Oct 18, 2011
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fix-the-spade said:
Bowser gets something of an upgrade there,
Yes, apparently Bowser evolves into Alduin.

Earnest Cavalli said:
On the other hand, Super Modern Mario Bros. is not a retail game. It's simply one fan's attempt to show the 'net that he or she could create something neat. In that regard, it's a success.
Plus if it was real game he would get sued massively by Bethesda for just ripping a model/textures out of their game and sticking it in his.
 

BehattedWanderer

Fell off the Alligator.
Jun 24, 2009
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How about not? Can we just say nope? Maybe without the .avi that loves to be thrown around? Because I could really do without this. Don't get me wrong, update the aesthetics if you wish, but don't make some bastardized Frankenstein's Monnster out of the effort.
 

Ruisu

Enjoy the Silence
Jul 11, 2013
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I don't think that "this game will be outdated when newer games come" is valid. Games today are designed with that in mind. They are made to appeal to people 'now' and for that appeal to end after some time so people want more, new games next month or so. Is just the mind-set of the current market, it's not only games that have this kind of situation.

If you got a problem with the way games are made today, then you likely have a problem with fast food and clothing and every other thing that people sell to you that won't last more than one year, some times less.
 

Olas

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Dec 24, 2011
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They didn't so much modernize the graphics as simply stick them in a 2.5D world, add some 3D animations, and add lots of post effects.

Overall it just looks bizarre, and pointless since we've already more or less had numerous actual games that are essentially modern day Super Mario Bros.
 

kailus13

Soon
Mar 3, 2013
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You'd think the bloody corpses would remain on screen if they were going for the "modern" feel.

Still less weird than most of the stuff people do with the Mario series.
 

ThunderCavalier

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Nov 21, 2009
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I wasn't aware EA got their hands on the Mario franchise.

When can we expect the DLC that will give us worlds 9-16? Can we also pay to get infinite Invincibility stars?

OK, in all honesty, I actually thought the animation was pretty neat, even if this entire concept of modern Mario Bros. has been done to death already.