Palette swap
A palette swap, also known as a color swap, alternate palette, and alternate color is a mechanic whereby a video game graphic retains its usual design, although the colors are different for the rendered graphic. In most Mario-related games, various characters, enemies, and other resources have other colors and forms.
Games
Mario Bros.
In Mario Bros., including the arcade version, Shellcreepers, Sidesteppers, and Fireballs have different colors.
Super Mario series
Super Mario Bros.
In Super Mario Bros., enemies, including a Goomba, Koopa Troopa, Paratroopa, Piranha Plants, a Hammer Bro, a Buzzy Beetle, a Bullet Bill, some fish and a Bill Blaster have have different colors, depending if the level takes place overworld, underground, underwater, or inside a castle. For example, a Goomba is brown overworld, teal underground, and silver inside a castle. Koopas and Paratroopas are green and red, but underground, green ones turn to teal. Piranha Plants are green overworld and teal underground. Buzzy Beetles are black overworld, teal underground, and silver in a castle. Fish are red and green. A Hammer Bro is green overworld and teal underground. Bullet Bills and their cannons are black overworld, teal underground, and silver inside a castle.
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
In Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, more enemies have alternate color palettes, including a Blooper, a Lakitu, and Bowser. A Blooper's sprite is pink overworld and white in a castle. Several enemies turn silver underwater, including a Koopa, Paratroopa, Hammer Bro, Piranha Plant, and Lakitu. A fake Bowser in World 8-4 and World D-4 is teal, which turns out to be Bowser's Brother. Non-enemy objects include a Springboard, a Brick Block, a mushroom, and a horsehair plant. Springboard are red and green, where the green ones give the user a higher jump for a few seconds. Brick Blocks are brown overworld, teal underground, and silver in a castle. A Poison Mushroom is brown with black spots overworld, teal underground, and silver in a castle. A horsehair plant can be green, orange, or white depending on the season.
All Night Nippon: Super Mario Bros.
In All Night Nippon: Super Mario Bros., some enemies have been replaced by other known sprites, including an Okapī and Pakkun Okapī. An Okapī is pink overworld and cyan underground, while a Pakkun Okapī is green overworld and teal underground. From World A-1 and later, a Pakkun Okapī is red after lurking from upside down pipes.
Super Mario Bros. 2
In Super Mario Bros. 2, a few enemies, including a Shy Guy, a Beezo, a Panser, a Snifit, Mouser, and Birdo. Shy Guys are red and pink. Beezos are red, green, and gray. Pansers are red, gray, pink, and green. Snifits are red, pink, and green. Mouser is gray, while its side colors are green in World 1 and pink in World 3. The white sprite went unused but was found in its original port Doki Doki Panic.
