Mario Paint
Reviewed by Dr. Mabuse
When you buy Mario Paint, you also get the Super Nintendo Mouse,
which is about as useful as the Nintendo Robot. My best friend
wrecked the friction pads on my mouse by rolling it on a record
cover. So, I won't be reviewing the mouse itself.
Mario Paint offers three main creative outlets. First, you
have the standard picture drawing program. Also, there is
an animation studio and a music studio. This way, you can
make a background for your animation and some music to
go along with it. For all the good it does, there is only room to
save one picture and one animation and one song. Oh yeah, there
is also a small video game to build your mouse skills.
Graphics
There is a wide palate of stamps available for your use, as well
as a selection of characters out of Super Mario World. You also
have room for about 10 personalized stamps that you can design
yourself.
As far as image editors go, Mario Paint is sort of disagreeable,
but this is probably only because you don't have a keyboard or
any shortcut keys. It's hard editing detail with the mouse, especially
after your friend wore out the bottom of the mouse.
Music and Sound
The actual music programmed into the game is kind of annoying,
and the sound effects of the tools are unnecessary.
In the music studio, there are three preprogrammed songs, Twinkle
Twinkle Little Star, the Mario Brothers theme song, and some other
goofy number.
You as a video game player won't be able to make music half that
good. The worst problem with the music editor is that the notes
can only play for a single beat, which makes most forms of
songwriting impossible. Of all the functions in Mario Paint, the music
editor is probably the weakest. And I hate watching my friend dabble
for hours on end trying to make his own homemade techno.
Game Challenge 5 out of 10
Let's talk about the video game included with the program. It's
meant to improve mouse dexterity. Your cursor is a flyswatter
and you have to swat bugs. That's pretty well all there is to it.
Sometimes it can be a good change of pace, but you won't get
addicted to it.
Game Play-Fun 7 out of 10
This game can be fun sometimes. Once me and my friends dug it
up and put it in, and each of us made our own animations. We
already had the stamps made, so my friend made a strip act,
and I made a bear mauling Mario. Using the stamps that come
with the game, I was able to make Mario's head fall off. We did
this all in about half an hour, and if it took any longer we probably
would have left it. It's not fun to watch someone play it, and it's
not exceptionally fun to play, but the end product is usually worth it.
Frustration
The music studio is worthless. You can't zoom in on the drawings
or manipulate pictures pixel by pixel, unless you're willing to make
a stamp. You can only save one drawing/animation/song at a time.
Replayability 6 out of 10
Sure, it's replay able. But only if you take it in small doses.
Game Value 4 out of 10
Considering you buy the mouse along with it, it's not worth the
original price. The mouse isn't useful for many other games,
and Mario Paint isn't worth much once you've had your laughs
with seeing Mario taking off his pants or getting ripped apart by a bear.
Overall 6 out of 10
Mario Paint is different from all other video games, as this review
makes clear. There are no bad guys, and there is no ending, and
nothing you do is either right or wrong. I personally have a lot
more fun photo-editing, and I'd imagine programming in Flash is
a lot more rewarding than Mario animation. I have to admit,
despite giving this game a grade over the 50% mark, there are
some things Nintendo should not try to do. Stick with your PC.