Poster Analysis #2 - Mario

My second poster analysis is for the game, Super Mario Galaxy, a platformer released for the Wii home console.This game is aimed at 11-15 year olds, but also older gamers in their 20's who have grown up with the Super Mario games.

The poster has a large logo to draw your eye in. Players of previous Mario games may recognise the font used in the words ‘Super’ and ‘Mario’, creating interest.

The font is made to look 3D, making it stand out from the background, this form of typography is furthermore used for drawing your eye.

The games protagonist, Mario is shown in large, just below the logo, with a couple of characters, and a wisp of stars is trailing behind him, leading to the Mario logo, further used for drawing your eye.

I think the main character, Mario is almost used as an advertising point in itself, as most gamers, and even non-gamers, know or recognise him, and Nintendo draws upon this in their advertisements, using Mario as a semiotic to represent their company and games.

The font used in this advertisement is very easy on your eye, simple and readable. This is done to make it seem approachable as this game is suitable for all ages. If the game was a more violent, 18 rated film, they would most likely use more rough, edgy and less approachable text.

The use of this curvy, easy reading text enforces the genre of the game and will help to appeal to its target audience.

A brief insight into the game, using words to excite the viewer and make them believe that the game is interesting, making them want to play it.

Phrases like ‘Better than ever’ and ‘biggest’ are used to draw previous players back, believing the new game is even better than the games they’ve already played.

The text is used to stand out whilst still applying the colour scheme of blues and blacks. It is a gradient of a lighter blue with a white outline to make it stand out from the background.

The Text used at the bottom of the page, stating the date and console keeps to the theme of the game, Space, as it states ‘In Earth Shops’ giving you the idea that this game is not situated on Earth itself. The gradient light blue text is once again used, with the white outline. This larger font denotes importance to the audience, making them want to read it.

The background of this advertisement is very plain and depicts a planet with space around it. I think this background is made simplistic so that the viewer’s eye is not drawn away from the main points of the poster.

I think that by doing this, not only do they dennotate to the audience what the game is about (Mario and Space), they also make it a lot more interesting than if a simple white background was used. 

I will be analysing one more poster to finally give me an all round insight into what should be expected of a gaming poster.