※本書は『Casa BRUTUS』2025年12月号の特集『スーパーマリオブラザーズとデザイン』を英訳したものです。

SUPER MARIO BROS. AND DESIGN

Celebrating 40 Years of Super Mario Bros.! The Design Secrets of a 40KB Masterpiece

Released on September 13, 1985, Super Mario Bros. marks its 40th anniversary this year. Selling around 40 million copies worldwide, it became the best-selling game of its time and sparked an unprecedented global phenomenon. As new hardware emerged, Mario continued to evolve, with the series surpassing 450 million copies sold to date - ushering in a golden age of gaming and turning Mario into one of the world’s most iconic characters. What is the story behind his creation? We sit down for an in-depth interview with Shigeru Miyamoto, Nintendo’s Representative Director and Executive Fellow, and the creator of Mario. From the secrets of pixel-art design born from a mere 40KB of ROM capacity, to rare development materials and the evolution of the series, this feature dissects the world of Mario through the lens of design.


NINTENDO MUSEUM
A Visit to the Nintendo Museum With
Mario’s Creator, Shigeru Miyamoto

STAGES
A World-by-World Review
- How Subtraction Shaped the Courses

PIXEL ART
Mario’s Design, Born From
Constraints and Function

PLANNING
From Background Specs to Early Concepts:
the Blueprints of Super Mario Bros.

PROLOGUE
From Mr. Video to Mario:
On the Eve of Super Mario Bros.

EVOLUTION
Mario’s Evolution Alongside
New Gaming Consoles

[CHARACTERS]
The Evolution of Characters in Mario’s Worlds

[ITEMS & OBJECTS]
The Evolution of Items and Objects That Shape the World

TIMELINE
A Journey Through Mario’s
Adventures Across 24 Games

SUPER NINTENDO WORLD
Super Nintendo World in Florida
Surveying a Multilayered, Mario-Inspired
Architecture That Merges 2D and 3D Elements

3D FIGURES
Beautiful From Every Angle!
A Visual Guide to the 3D Characters

MOVIE
Mario Takes the Leap From
Game to Screen and Beyond