Series
Mario art styles
23 games from 1985 to 2025. The series has moved through 3 primary looks: pixel art, low-poly, stylized 3D.
1985
Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros. (1985, Nintendo R&D4) is a 2D pixel art game played from a side-scrolling view. Its look is built from black outlines and flat/unlit shading. The palette is limited and vibrant.
1986
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (1986, Nintendo R&D4) is a 2D pixel art game played from a side-scrolling view. Its look is built from black outlines and flat/unlit shading. The palette is limited and vibrant.
1988
Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988, Nintendo R&D4) is a 2D pixel art game played from a side-scrolling view. Its look is built from black outlines and flat/unlit shading. The palette is limited and vibrant.
1988
Super Mario Bros. 3
Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988, Nintendo R&D4) is a 2D pixel art game played from a side-scrolling view. Its look is built from black outlines, interior lines and flat/unlit shading. The palette is limited and vibrant.
1989
Super Mario Land
Super Mario Land (1989, Nintendo R&D1) is a 2D pixel art game played from a side-scrolling view. Its look is built from black outlines and flat/unlit shading. The palette is monochrome and limited.
1990
Super Mario World
Super Mario World (1990, Nintendo EAD) is a 2D pixel art game played from a side-scrolling / three-quarter view. Its look is built from black outlines, flat/unlit shading and dithered shading. The palette is vibrant.
1992
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (1992, Nintendo R&D1) is a 2D pixel art game played from a side-scrolling view. Its look is built from black outlines, interior lines, flat/unlit shading and dithered shading. The palette is monochrome and limited.
1995
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (1995, Nintendo EAD) is a 2D pixel art and hand-drawn game played from a side-scrolling view. Its look is built from black outlines, sketchy lines, interior lines, hatching shading and dithered shading. The palette is vibrant and pastel. It draws on crayon and pastel and storybook.
1996
Super Mario 64
Super Mario 64 (1996, Nintendo EAD) is a 3D low-poly game played from a third-person view. Its look is built from shapes without outlines, soft gradient shading and low-res textures. The palette is vibrant.
2001
Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2
Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 (2001, Nintendo R&D2) is a 2D pixel art game played from a side-scrolling / three-quarter view. Its look is built from black outlines and flat/unlit shading. The palette is vibrant and pastel.
2002
Super Mario Sunshine
Super Mario Sunshine (2002, Nintendo EAD) is a stylized 3D game played from a third-person view. Its look is built from shapes without outlines, soft gradient shading and low-res textures. The palette is vibrant.
2007
Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy (2007, Nintendo EAD Tokyo) is a stylized 3D game played from a third-person view. Its look is built from shapes without outlines, soft gradient shading and bloom. The palette is vibrant.
2009
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
New Super Mario Bros. Wii (2009, Nintendo EAD) is a 2.5D stylized 3D game played from a side-scrolling / three-quarter view. Its look is built from shapes without outlines and soft gradient shading. The palette is vibrant.
2010
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2010, Nintendo EAD Tokyo) is a stylized 3D game played from a third-person view. Its look is built from shapes without outlines and soft gradient shading. The palette is vibrant.
2012
New Super Mario Bros. 2
New Super Mario Bros. 2 (2012, Nintendo EAD) is a 2.5D stylized 3D game played from a side-scrolling view. Its look is built from shapes without outlines and soft gradient shading. The palette is vibrant.
2012
New Super Mario Bros. U
New Super Mario Bros. U (2012, Nintendo EAD) is a 2.5D stylized 3D game played from a side-scrolling view. Its look is built from shapes without outlines and soft gradient shading. The palette is vibrant.
2013
Super Mario 3D World
Super Mario 3D World (2013, Nintendo EAD Tokyo) is a stylized 3D game played from a third-person / three-quarter view. Its look is built from shapes without outlines and soft gradient shading. The palette is vibrant.
2017
Super Mario Odyssey
Super Mario Odyssey (2017, Nintendo EPD) is a stylized 3D game played from a third-person view. Its look is built from shapes without outlines and soft gradient shading. The palette is vibrant.
2019
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (2019, Nintendo EPD) is a 2.5D stylized 3D and painterly game played from a side-scrolling view. Its look is built from shapes without outlines, soft gradient shading and brush strokes. The palette is vibrant.
2019
Super Mario Maker 2
Super Mario Maker 2 (2019, Nintendo EPD) is a 2D/2.5D pixel art and stylized 3D game played from a side-scrolling view. Its look is built from flat/unlit shading and soft gradient shading. The palette is vibrant, dark, cool and warm. It deliberately imitates the NES and SNES look.
2021
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (2021, Nintendo EPD) is a stylized 3D game played from a third-person / three-quarter view. Its look is built from shapes without outlines, soft gradient shading and bloom. The palette is vibrant and dark.
2023
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023, Nintendo EPD) is a 2.5D stylized 3D game played from a side-scrolling view. Its look is built from shapes without outlines and soft gradient shading. The palette is vibrant.
2025
Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Nintendo Switch)
Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Nintendo Switch) (2025, Nintendo EAD Tokyo) is a stylized 3D game played from a third-person view. Its look is built from shapes without outlines, soft gradient shading, rim lighting and bloom. The palette is vibrant.
