Mario Paint

"Traveling in the world of my creation..."

Imagination is one of the greatest aspects of the human mind. It lets us wonder about our existence, our futures, and our dreams. It has given us our philosophies, literature, entertainment, and innovation. Using your imagination is the ultimate form of self-expression; there is nothing limiting you from at least having goals and aspirations for your life. Some choose to write epic novels about faraway adventures. Others make movies that appear to stretch just beyond the realm of everyday life. And although it is no longer as appreciated, many have taken up art as outlet for expressing what's going on in their minds. Yes, we all know about the likes of Michelangelo and Monet, but what has happened to the contemporary artists? Were Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol the last of their kind? While we may never see paintings on par with older works, we can at least spend some time on our own painting programs and goofing off with a wide variety drawing and painting options. But before Microsoft Paint took center stage as the basic paint program, Mario Paint let young gamers sit down and draw whatever their young minds could muster.

Once you start the program, you're given a screen full of white. From that point onward, it's up to you what you want to do with it. You could always scribble around using a felt-tipped marker, or you could use a wide variety of stamps to create intricate designs. You can draw shapes, hills, buildings, figurines, whatever comes to mind. As the saying goes, the sky's the limit. You can even create short animations featuring Mario, Yoshi, and a few other video game characters. While none of these short movies will ever win an Academy Award, it's still fun to watch as your creations come to life before your very eyes. Since this is the only game that makes exclusive use of the SNES Mouse controller, you're allowed to fine tune your drawings by the slightest touch of your hand. While this kind of sensitivity can rarely produce some stellar works of art, the average person could end up with countless aggravating screw-ups. Thankfully, the program comes complete with a decent selection of deletion methods. You could always erase everything using some onscreen whiteout, or you could always eliminate the mess with a fade out. Once you've perfected your masterpiece, you can proudly sit back and admire your handiwork, no matter how it may have turned out.

However, painting can get old quickly once you've run out of ideas. Thankfully, Mario Paint comes with a few other features to keep your busy mind entertained. If you press a certain icon in the menu, you'll be whisked away to a makeshift music recording studio. You can listen to improvised songs, like “Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star.” However, you can also come up with your own music mixes. You're allowed to choose from a wide variety of Mario game items and place them on the music track. Each item has its own unique musical sound, like the drum of the Super Mushroom or the tinkle of the Starman. At each beat of the song, the recorder will roll over these items, thus making the items work in harmony to create a track of music. It's up to you to figure out how to implement the items and to make something that at least resembles a song. And if all else fails, you could always try to imitate songs that you already know.

But if being a master maestro isn't your thing, you can always check out the bug swatting mini game. You'll leave the paint studio behind, only to be forced into a small kitchen that's being overrun with insects. You'll have to take every single one of the critters before heading to the next level. You'll have to face gnats, wasps, one nasty queen before you can rightfully claim victory. But unlike real life, killing bugs isn't a casual affair. You'll have to master the Mouse controller if you hope to make any progress against this hive of scum and villainy. Since the Nintendo Mouse tends to be a little more cumbersome than a standard PC mouse, chances are that you'll have a difficult time being pest control. Once you've proven your mettle and defeated the insect horde, you can go back and try to beat your record all over again.

It's this triple threat of drawing, music, and bug swatting that makes for an enjoyable experience. Surprisingly enough, Mario Paint is on par with the current Microsoft Paint program. While it's no Photoshop, this game offers a decent array of graphics. Many of the character portraits found in this game are taken directly from their Super Mario World counterparts. Considering that Mario Paint was released in the SNES's infancy, the amount of detail and design is impressive. Also, many of the Mario sound effects have made their way into the program, like Yoshi's signature battle cry. However, the game's soundtrack is a horrendous blend of mellow and upbeat music. While you may enjoy the default soundtrack from the start, the repetitive music will leave your eyes watering after a few hours. It's up to you to use your own music to make your experience more enjoyable.

I'm horrible at drawing with a mouse. Maybe it's shaky hands or frayed nerves, but I can never get the same quality of drawing that I get from a pencil and paper. However, Mario Paint still holds a special place in memories of childhood. While the computers come with a standard paint system, this game makes drawing just a tad more fun. Not only do you get to draw anything that your twisted mind can come up with, but you can also compose music and become obsessed with killing insects. Many older folks may be turned off by the game's charm, but it is definitely beneficial for children. There's nothing wrong with using your imagination every once in a while; Mario Paint clearly demonstrates that fun is in the mind of the beholder.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 01/03/05