Mario Artist: Paint Studio

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Mario Artist: Paint Studio
Developer	Nintendo EAD Software Creations
Publisher	Nintendo
Platform(s)	Nintendo 64DD
Release date	Template:Release
Genre	Creative
Rating(s)	CERO: - All ages
Mode(s)	Single player, multiplayer
Input	Nintendo 64: Nintendo 64 Mouse

Mario Artist: Paint Studio (マリオアーティスト　ペイントスタジオ) is a Japan-only game released on December 11, 1999 for the Nintendo 64DD, as part of the Mario Artist series. It was one of the only games released for the system and was never popularized as a result.

Mario Artist: Paint Studio worked like the earlier title, Mario Paint, in that players used different paint tools to draw images. Frequently bundled with the Paint Studio was the Nintendo 64 Mouse controller, which made painting on the game similar to painting on a computer.

Gameplay

The game has four modes, total. The modes are as follows:

• 2D Paint, for traditional painting like in Mario Paint. There is a unique four player drawing mode where four players could collaborate to make one drawing together. Pre-existing pictures of some other Nintendo characters could be used and manipulated on screen, and additional images could be imported from an RCA source using the capture cartridge or a Game Boy Camera. The stock Nintendo-themed graphics include all 151 Red and Blue Pokémon, and various renders from Banjo-Kazooie, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Star Fox 64, Pilotwings 64, Wave Race 64, Diddy Kong Racing, Super Mario 64, Mario Kart 64 and Yoshi's Story. There are much more additional pre-made stock images, such as animals and food.
• Animate, which can be used to create multiple frame animations in a flipbook type format. The max amount of frames for these animations are 35 frames long. It was possible to import animated figures into a player's city as a citizen in SimCity 64.
• 3D World, where players can explore various worlds and interact with it. The player can explore three worlds: Mars, Underwater and Dinosaur Land. The player can travel through these environments and take pictures of the creatures who inhabit it. This feature is similar to Pokémon Snap. In addition, players can edit the environment's textures, adding their own drawings and creations to surfaces. Once a photo is taken of a creature, the player is also given the ability to edit their textures.
• Gallery, acts as a sort of slideshow. The player can create a slideshow of their images with music.

Development

Software Creations was commissioned by Nintendo of America in 1995 to create a sequel to Mario Paint in 3D for the Nintendo 64. It was initially pitched as a 3D "living playground" called Creator where the user edits the attributes of premade models such as dinosaurs—playing with sizes, behaviors, aggression, speed, and texture design. It was then re-named Mario Paint 64 and later to Picture Maker (shown at Nintendo's Space World 1997 trade show in November 1997), with the last working title being Mario Artist & Camera. Nintendo's Japanese departments eventually took control of the project, rejecting many of Software Creations' and Nintendo of America's ideas, before finally releasing the game in December 1999.

Prototype "Gnat Attack"

An early prototype build of Mario Artist: Paint Studio was found and preserved in June 2020. This build of the software features a fly-swatting game, similar to Mario Paint's Gnat Attack; it was completely removed in the final product.

Gallery

Cover and packaging

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  Game cover art

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  Mario Artist: Paint Studio with Nintendo 64 Mouse bundle

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  Game CD case, with bundled Nintendo 64 Mouse

Artwork

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  Mario

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  Wing Mario

Screenshots

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  Title screen

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  Logo

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  Promotional screenshot showing the feature of Character Stamp

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• BKMarioArtist.png
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Transfer Pak

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  Options how to use the Transfer Pak.

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  Reading data off of the Game Boy Camera.

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  Selected one image to import and changing the pallets.

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  Imported and drawing on the image.

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  Using the Game Boy Camera's camera without loading the cartridge. Note the camera is broken and shouldn't display like this.

Pre-release

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  Pre-release Mario Artist: Paint Studio; drawing a picture of Pikachu

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  Pre-release

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  Pre-release

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  Pre-release

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  Pre-release

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  Pre-release

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  Pre-release "Gnat Attack" screenshot

References to other games

• Diddy Kong Racing: Artwork of various playable characters can be utilized as a stamp.
• Mario Paint: As the game began as a Mario Paint sequel, various assets, ideas and concepts are borrowed and reused. A dog's head serves as the "Undo" icon, as a reference to Undodog.
• Mario Kart 64: Various different artwork from the game can be used as a stamp, including all playable characters.
• Super Mario 64: Various artwork from Super Mario 64 (including Mario, Bowser and miscellaneous items) can be used as a stamp, including original artwork of Wing Mario never previously used.
• Yoshi's Story: Various artwork from Yoshi's Story can be used as a stamp.

Staff

Main article: List of Mario Artist: Paint Studio staff

Trivia

• Mario Artist: Paint Studio is the only Nintendo 64DD game to use the Transfer Pak; by using the Game Boy Camera.