Character Redesign #3: Mario

Another post, another redesign; this time it's Nintendo's main man, Mario!

We all know Mario. Plumber who jumps on turtles. Eats mushrooms to grow bigger. Regularly rescues a princess from his arch-nemesis Bowser. Everyone knows Mario.
His overall design is particularly noteworthy for many reasons, not least because of how little it as changed over the years. However, by far the most interesting thing is how he was originally conceived; everything about his design was based on the limitations of the Nintendo Entertainment System (his hat was so they didn't have to animate hair, his dungarees were so we could see his arms, mustache was added to highlight his nose etc.), making the jumping plumber a brilliant example of minimalist character design.

Image Source: http://blog.lib.umn.edu/sinkx004/myblog/Pixelated_NES_Mario_by_danny1337.png

Image Source: http://static4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120816162011/mario/images/1/15/MarioNSMB2.png

To be perfectly honest, redesigning this guy was a pain in the arse. There's nothing particularly wrong with his design and there's not a lot you can change without losing the essence of the character. Fortunately, I noticed that Nintendo's mascot is mostly made of rounded shapes and had a large head. So, naturally, I decided to do the opposite.

Design sketches for the Mario Redesign

And here's the final result. As you can see, I went for a bulkier, blockier build with a smaller head. As such, it has been dubbed 'Wreck-It Mario' by my peers, although honestly it was intended as a design for a TeamFortress2-esque reimagining of the famous plumber (hell, that's the TF2 colour palette in the corner). Overall, though, I'm pleased with how it turned out.
Next post will be the fourth redesign, Sonic the Hedgehog

Character Redesign #2: Master Chief

The next redesign is Master Chief from the Halo franchise.
The Chief is an elite supersoldier known as a SPARTAN, created in the far future to battle the Covenant, an alien order of religious zealots hellbent on humanity's destructions. Throughout the series, he also struggles to stop the Halos, massive ringworlds capable of wiping out all civilised life. He is usually accompanied by his AI partner, Cortana.
Despite being a relatively new gaming icon, Chief is instantly recognisable thanks to his distinctive helmet, with its gold visor and cap-like canopy. Combined with his olive green Mjolnir body armour, he certainly has the appearance of a walking tank.

Master Chief's design in Halo 3

Image source: http://static2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100313140004/fanon/images/a/a1/Master_Chief_Halo_3.jpg

Master Chief's design in Halo 4

Image source: http://gamejunkienz.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/halo4_master-chief-01-highres.jpg

However, looking closely at his design, particularly the one in Halo 4, it becomes clear that his 'armour' is really just a skin-tight bodysuit with armour pieces strapped on. This gives him the appearance of just being covered in a jumble of plastic rather than a walking tank. Also the opaque visor makes him come across as a robot rather than a man (your mileage may vary on whether this is appropriate)

Design sketches for the Master Chief redesign

My redesign of Master Chief

I'll admit, at first glance, this one doesn't look too different from the original design. However, if you look closer at the details, you'll see that in my version, the MJOLNIR armour is actually a full suit of powered armour, with fewer exposed areas. Even the black midriff is made up of metal plates. Additionally, the visor is now slightly transparent, allowing a glimpse at Chief's face, which I hoped would add a bit of a human element to the design.

The next redesign is Nintendo's mascot, Mario 

Character Redesign #1: Mega Man

It's been awhile since I posted something. Most of November was spent writing essays, and I spent most of the Christmas holidays with friends and family. Even so, I've managed to get some artwork done for my redesigns. First one up is Mega Man.

Image Source: http://static3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100720141333/megaman/images/a/a6/MM10-MegaMan.png

Mega Man is a classic game icon from the earliest days of gaming, originating from the same era as Mario. He is a robot created by a benevolent scientist who frequently combats the robotic soldiers of the dastardly Dr. Wily. His games are notorious for being incredibly difficult.

In regards to Mega Man's design, his most recognisable features are his helmet and arm cannon, although his enlarged limbs also count to a lesser extent. His blue colour scheme is also pretty identifiable.

Design sketches for the redesigned Mega Man

And here's the redesign itself. As you can see, I decided to make him more robotic than his original design, since he is supposed to be a robot anyway.

Overall, I'd say I've managed to do a pretty good job with this one (if i do say so myself), but most importantly it retains the 'look' of the character.

Next up is Master Chief from Halo.