Are darker themes out Of place in mario

[Dowhat?]

since Halloween is coming, I thought I’d make a darker thread than I normally do but I have a serious question. Do dark themes belong in mario? I’ve seen another thread about this for Kirby but my Kirby’s environment is drastically different than mario. Mario’s audience is generally younger as compared to something like Zelda so it’s obviously gonna be a lot milder in theme, but this makes it a lot worse for people like me as they sneak stuff in with eastereggs. Mario 3D lands creepy thing, or the people in mario galaxy 2 little details like this makes it a lot more unerving than say redeads( you can compare this to being afraid of the dark) Or even as seen in some of the spin offs serious stuff like the freakin river twgyz bed in super paper mario or Luigi being dead in Luigi’s mansion. I didn’t like any of this when I was younger and it still freaked me out. Compare this to say stuff like the piano and unagi(unagi never scared me though but old chomping piano did) and I think that’s should be in not creepy crap. And don’t get me started on “who are you running from?”

 

[luigiFTW]

I think the paper mario games did a great job showing how mario can be a little darker. Having something dark in the middle of a clearly not dark game is weird

 

[Duffy]

I think the paper mario games did a great job showing how mario can be a little darker. Having something dark in the middle of a clearly not dark game is weird

Yeah I completely agree with this. To an extent I think they seem kind of weird and out of place but if you have ever played Paper Mario The Thousand Year Door you will know there are some darker themes in that game (the hub world literally has a noose in a gallows in the middle of town), yet it still seems like a normal mario game. It sort uses it's quirky humor to mask the darks tones, and it works. Now I don't know if it would work in a platformer... but to be honest if anyone could make it work, it's Nintendo.

 

[Shiny]

I loved the River Twygz Bed from Super Paper Mario! It was extremely weird and just kinda creepy.

 

[Samster]

Sometimes it fits, sometimes it doesn’t. For example, if Luigi’s Mansion was scary, it would fit right in, because that game was made to be dark. Now, if we’re talking about a game like Mario Kart or Mario RPG games, then that is a little weird. Although, I don’t mind having them there at all, tbh. Makes the game unexpected and shows another side of the story.

 

[eonia]

I loved the River Twygz Bed from Super Paper Mario! It was extremely weird and just kinda creepy.

i was scared when i was there, i didnt wanted to go there , but i had to go there to continue the game, glad it wasnt too much long

Sometimes it fits, sometimes it doesn’t. For example, if Luigi’s Mansion was scary, it would fit right in, because that game was made to be dark. Now, if we’re talking about a game like Mario Kart or Mario RPG games, then that is a little weird. Although, I don’t mind having them there at all, tbh. Makes the game unexpected and shows another side of the story.

well, i would say luigi mansion is a horror game...for luigi, for the players, is more funny than scary

 

[luigiFTW]

Sometimes it fits, sometimes it doesn’t. For example, if Luigi’s Mansion was scary, it would fit right in, because that game was made to be dark.

I think you mean “when” and “Is”
Sure, none of the jumpscares ever work (because luigi is yelling about it) but having to be in a room with a ghost for awhile with the spooky atmosphere when you dunno how to beat it gives me the chills. That nutcracker ghost got me stuck for so long the song haunted my dreams..
Also, don’t leave the title screen on all night. Its scary.
Dark moon isn’t as scary though. Ghosts are too goofy and easy to catch.

 

[Dowhat?]

I think you mean “when” and “Is”
Sure, none of the jumpscares ever work (because luigi is yelling about it) but having to be in a room with a ghost for awhile with the spooky atmosphere when you dunno how to beat it gives me the chills. That nutcracker ghost got me stuck for so long the song haunted my dreams..
Also, don’t leave the title screen on all night. Its scary.
Dark moon isn’t as scary though. Ghosts are too goofy and easy to catch.

Dark moon is more suttle in I’m it’s scariness. The whole clock work mansion is supposed to be haunted by people who died in accidents, and don’t get me started on the rumpus room