Mario Paint
Encyclopedia
Mario Paint is a video game created by Nintendo
for use with the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
, and was released along with the SNES Mouse
peripheral device. The game's package was a larger than normal size in order to accommodate a plastic mouse pad which was included along with the SNES mouse.
-by-pixel. Several publications, such as Nintendo Power
, released how-to guides on how to create iconic Nintendo
related stamps for use within Mario Paint. Besides just creating static pictures, a user could also make simple looping animations which could then be set to music created in the music generator. These animations painted by the user could only be viewed on a television screen, and while instructions were provided to users on how to record these to a video cassette recorder, there was no other way to export any of the work done in Mario Paint.
In addition, standard features consist of:
mouse. The player controls a gloved hand (similar to the one seen on the title screen) holding a flyswatter, which must swat flying insects on the screen, before the insect stings the player's hand in one way or another. There are three levels, each with 100 insects and a boss. When you win the last boss it takes you back to level one and adds a small icon in the top left corner of the screen. There is no final level or reward, as the game will loop endlessly.
The title screen for Mario Paint proved to be a mini-game of sorts. The user was able to click each letter in the title to trigger a certain action. Certain letters would cause the music to change, have Yoshi
run by on screen, make Mario shrink and grow, and even allow the user to temporarily paint the background. Also, occasionally, a star would fly across the screen very quickly which the user could click on and make it rain down lots of stars and change the music for the duration of this.
is a 19-note song that appears in many Nintendo games. In Mario Paint, the song is an Easter egg
, found on the front screen when a user clicks the O in "Mario Paint." Although it has been referred to as the "Mario Paint song", its first appearance was in a Japanese-only Game Boy Game, X
.
's Top 200 Games list.
The first cartoon (although not Flash like the rest of the series) of Homestar Runner
was animated using Mario Paint. A primitive Mario Paint made introduction video can be found in the museum of the site.
Mario Paint has been inspirational for developers. Masahito Hatakeyama, one of the designer for WarioWare D.I.Y., cites Mario Paints drawing and music creation tools as inspiration for the drawing and music creation tools in D.I.Y., while several staff members of the development team cited it as the game that taught them the joy of developing video games. One of the sound staff from Mario Paint, Hirokazu Tanaka
, later went on to work on EarthBound
. Some sound effects and musical instruments were used in both games.
broadcast. This version was modified such that the SNES mouse
peripheral was no longer required.
In 1999, a series of games were released exclusively in Japan for the Nintendo 64DD
under the title Mario Artist
. The initial game was a launch title for the 64DD and was packaged with a mouse for the Nintendo 64
. Throughout the series, the games featured ways for the user to create 3D polygonal models, insert images onto 3D models via a Nintendo 64 Capture Cartridge, and even share whose artwork via an online Communication Kit.
While no official sequel has been released in North America, Mario Paint makes a cameo appearance in WarioWare: Touched!
as "Wario Paint," allowing the player to use the stylus to color various characters in the game. Also, you can listen to the Mario Paint Song with the toy "Turntable" in the "Toy Room". The fly-swatting game makes an additional appearance in the preceding game, WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$. The Wii
Photo Channel features similar editing to Mario Paint, and even includes several of the special erasers.
The Nintendo DSi
utilizes a similar music composing program.
WarioWare D.I.Y. allows players to record notes via the DS microphone, and apply noises and animals sounds to them, similar to Mario Paints music creation. WarioWare D.I.Y. also uses a paint program similar to Mario Paint when the player makes a comic or graphics for their custom microgame. Also, when "Mario Paint" is entered as the name for a microgame or comic, the Mario Paint theme will play.
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
for use with the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
, and was released along with the SNES Mouse
SNES Mouse
The Super NES Mouse is a peripheral released by Nintendo in 1992 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System . Originally designed for use with the game Mario Paint, the SNES Mouse was sold in a bundle with the game and included a plastic mouse pad...
peripheral device. The game's package was a larger than normal size in order to accommodate a plastic mouse pad which was included along with the SNES mouse.
Gameplay
Aside from being a basic drawing utility, Mario Paint allowed the user to make custom stamps pixelPixel
In digital imaging, a pixel, or pel, is a single point in a raster image, or the smallest addressable screen element in a display device; it is the smallest unit of picture that can be represented or controlled....
-by-pixel. Several publications, such as Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
, released how-to guides on how to create iconic Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
related stamps for use within Mario Paint. Besides just creating static pictures, a user could also make simple looping animations which could then be set to music created in the music generator. These animations painted by the user could only be viewed on a television screen, and while instructions were provided to users on how to record these to a video cassette recorder, there was no other way to export any of the work done in Mario Paint.
In addition, standard features consist of:
- 60 different textures and patterns
- 75 different stamps
- 15 customizable stamps
- Battery back-up capability for saving certain aspects of the game
- Nine different special erasers: Fade Erase, Water Erase (the picture becomes a grayscaleGrayscaleIn photography and computing, a grayscale or greyscale digital image is an image in which the value of each pixel is a single sample, that is, it carries only intensity information...
and then disappears), Timed Erase, Rain Erase, Split Image Erase, Pixelated Erase, Blinds Erase, Rocket Erase, Abrupt Erase.
Mini-games
Mario Paint also contains a fly-swatting mini-game, known as "Coffee Break" or "Gnat Attack," which is a fast-paced action game that takes full advantage of the Super NESSuper Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
mouse. The player controls a gloved hand (similar to the one seen on the title screen) holding a flyswatter, which must swat flying insects on the screen, before the insect stings the player's hand in one way or another. There are three levels, each with 100 insects and a boss. When you win the last boss it takes you back to level one and adds a small icon in the top left corner of the screen. There is no final level or reward, as the game will loop endlessly.
The title screen for Mario Paint proved to be a mini-game of sorts. The user was able to click each letter in the title to trigger a certain action. Certain letters would cause the music to change, have Yoshi
Yoshi
, is a fictional dragon-like character who appears in video games published by Nintendo. His debut was in Super Mario World on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as Mario and Luigi's sidekick , and he later established his own series with several platform and puzzle games, including Super...
run by on screen, make Mario shrink and grow, and even allow the user to temporarily paint the background. Also, occasionally, a star would fly across the screen very quickly which the user could click on and make it rain down lots of stars and change the music for the duration of this.
Totaka's Song in Mario Paint
Kazumi Totaka's SongKazumi Totaka
is a Japanese video game composer and voice actor who composed many major Nintendo games, including Mario Paint and Animal Crossing. He occasionally also does voice acting for Nintendo games, including Yoshi from the Mario and Yoshi series. He is also one of the various composers who worked on the...
is a 19-note song that appears in many Nintendo games. In Mario Paint, the song is an Easter egg
Easter egg (media)
Image:Carl Oswald Rostosky - Zwei Kaninchen und ein Igel 1861.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Example of Easter egg hidden within imagerect 467 383 539 434 desc none...
, found on the front screen when a user clicks the O in "Mario Paint." Although it has been referred to as the "Mario Paint song", its first appearance was in a Japanese-only Game Boy Game, X
X (Game Boy game)
, is an early three-dimensional first-person shooter-type video game software released for the Game Boy only in Japan on May 29, 1992. The game was published by Nintendo and was developed by Argonaut Software .X was followed by an internationally released DSiWare exclusive sequel,...
.
Reception and legacy
Mario Paint was rated the 162nd best game made on a Nintendo System in Nintendo PowerNintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
's Top 200 Games list.
The first cartoon (although not Flash like the rest of the series) of Homestar Runner
Homestar Runner
Homestar Runner is a Flash animated Internet cartoon. It mixes surreal humor with references to retro pop culture, notably video games, classic television, and popular music.The cartoons are nominally centered on the title character, Homestar Runner...
was animated using Mario Paint. A primitive Mario Paint made introduction video can be found in the museum of the site.
Mario Paint has been inspirational for developers. Masahito Hatakeyama, one of the designer for WarioWare D.I.Y., cites Mario Paints drawing and music creation tools as inspiration for the drawing and music creation tools in D.I.Y., while several staff members of the development team cited it as the game that taught them the joy of developing video games. One of the sound staff from Mario Paint, Hirokazu Tanaka
Hirokazu Tanaka
is a Japanese composer and musician, best known for his scores for various video games produced by Nintendo. He is also the current President of Creatures, Inc.-Video game soundtracks:*Radar Scope *Space Firebird...
, later went on to work on EarthBound
EarthBound
EarthBound, also known as EarthBound: The War Against Giygas! and released as in Japan, is a role-playing video game co-developed by Ape and HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console...
. Some sound effects and musical instruments were used in both games.
Sequels
In 1997 a remake entitled BS Mario Paint: Yuu Shou Naizou Ban was released to Japanese markets via SatellaviewSatellaview
The is a satellite modem add-on for Nintendo's Super Famicom system that was released in Japan in 1995. Available for pre-release orders as early as February 13, 1995, the Satellaview retailed for between ¥14,000 and 18,000 and came bundled with the BS-X Game Pak and an 8M Memory Pak.The...
broadcast. This version was modified such that the SNES mouse
SNES Mouse
The Super NES Mouse is a peripheral released by Nintendo in 1992 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System . Originally designed for use with the game Mario Paint, the SNES Mouse was sold in a bundle with the game and included a plastic mouse pad...
peripheral was no longer required.
In 1999, a series of games were released exclusively in Japan for the Nintendo 64DD
Nintendo 64DD
The is a peripheral for the Nintendo 64 game console. It plugged into the N64 through the EXTension Port on the Nintendo 64's underside, and allowed the N64 to use proprietary 64 MB magneto-optical discs for expanded data storage...
under the title Mario Artist
Mario Artist
Mario Artist is a set of programs that was partnered for sale with the Nintendo 64DD for its exclusive release in Japan. It was developed by Nintendo EAD.-Paint Studio:...
. The initial game was a launch title for the 64DD and was packaged with a mouse for the Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
. Throughout the series, the games featured ways for the user to create 3D polygonal models, insert images onto 3D models via a Nintendo 64 Capture Cartridge, and even share whose artwork via an online Communication Kit.
While no official sequel has been released in North America, Mario Paint makes a cameo appearance in WarioWare: Touched!
WarioWare: Touched!
WarioWare: Touched!, known in Japan as , is a video game for the Nintendo DS. It has been regarded by game journalists as one of the games which best utilizes the features of the Nintendo DS, alongside others such as Kirby: Canvas Curse, Nintendogs, and Metroid Prime Hunters.-Gameplay:The gameplay...
as "Wario Paint," allowing the player to use the stylus to color various characters in the game. Also, you can listen to the Mario Paint Song with the toy "Turntable" in the "Toy Room". The fly-swatting game makes an additional appearance in the preceding game, WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$. The Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
Photo Channel features similar editing to Mario Paint, and even includes several of the special erasers.
The Nintendo DSi
Nintendo DSi
The is a handheld game system created by Nintendo and launched in 2008 and 2009 in Japan, North America, PAL territories, and other regions. It is the third iteration of the Nintendo DS, and its primary market rival is Sony's PlayStation Portable...
utilizes a similar music composing program.
WarioWare D.I.Y. allows players to record notes via the DS microphone, and apply noises and animals sounds to them, similar to Mario Paints music creation. WarioWare D.I.Y. also uses a paint program similar to Mario Paint when the player makes a comic or graphics for their custom microgame. Also, when "Mario Paint" is entered as the name for a microgame or comic, the Mario Paint theme will play.