Late 1980s / Early 1990s Memphis Style in NES Games

[Ben Boldt]

I find it strange how few NES games use Memphis style. I remember this style being very popular at the time and the excessive use of geometric patterns, sloppy swoops, and blocky shaped stuff certainly seems to lend itself well to limited graphics of the NES.

Sonic the Hedgehog series had this nailed, also Toejam and Earl had some but that's not NES. The only example I can think of is Super Mario Bros. 3. The zig-zag pattern to black at the end of each level is BIG-TIME Memphis, also the 16x16 icons randomly sprinkled around in the sky, etc, they are getting there. Did we ever have a game that took this any farther than that?

Examples:

Memphis seamless pattern.jpg (41.37 KiB) Viewed 657 times

[Ben Boldt]

I realize now that Klax is an NES game in this style, at least the box/label art. Can you think of any others?

[tokumaru]

The cartridge label for the Famicom game "Armadillo" comes to mind.

[Ben Boldt]

Oh wow look at that, I never knew about that one!

[Bavi_H]

Parts of M.C. Kids might sort of qualify.

The early levels feature bright colors and repeating shapes in the grass and columns:

• Map of the first level (from The Cutting Room Floor M.C. Kids Prototype - Level Changes)

The text screens (used for the game over message, the bonus game title card, and the end credits) have a bright color background with spinning shapes falling diagonally:

• Game Over (preview frame from YouTube video Game Over: McKids)
• End Credits (from Video Game Music Preservation Foundation Credits screenshots for games beginning with an M)

[Ben Boldt]

Yes very good points and I agree that M.C. Kids does use that style.

[M_Tee]

I used it for the Action 53 Vol. 3 packaging design, and Broke Studios uses it in their webdesign and branding.

[Drag]

I love this style, and I like those Mac skins. If only we could figure out a way to include some Roland D50 samples in an NES game, because that's the only thing that'd be missing.

[Ben Boldt]

The more I think about it, Toejam and Earl is the one that nailed this style. I think Sonic is pulling more from some other 80s/90s style, but I am not sure what that would be or if that has a name. Sonic is doing something a lot more industrial and I think that's why FM synth works so well for Sonic.

Definitely some sound expansion is needed with Memphis style. I wanted to say that FM synth / VRC7 would be a good fit but I am second-guessing that now. I am not sure what sound goes well with this style. I am thinking little strange sampled audio snips could do something, I just don't know though. Maybe a lack of music with more emphasis on sound effects works. The strange artsy lady from the movie Beetlejuice comes to mind... She might have some ideas for us, though her style maybe predates Memphis a little bit.

It is hard to envision this style very far on NES, but it MAKES SENSE. The choppy animations, geometric patterns, and diverse but limited pastel and bold color schemes all seem like a can-do for the NES. Objects tend to be intentionally large, askew, and sometimes curved which might be more of a graphical challenge.

[tokumaru]

The Japanese boxes for the Mega Drive Sonic games definitely have a lot of this style, but the games themselves don't, as far as I can tell.

[Ben Boldt]

You're right, I was way off, though your box art does show it. Sonic might have a few things here and there in-game like SMB3 but not much.

[Dwedit]

Does this count?

chuchu-0.png (3.98 KiB) Viewed 449 times

[Ben Boldt]

I would say it has some influence, what game is that?

Edit: I see it is Chu Chu Rocket.

[Memblers]

I couldn't find better pics, and it's just the packaging instead of a game, but there's definitely some of that going on here:

RARE-Nintendo-NES-Datel-Pro-Action-Replay-game.jpg (32.32 KiB) Viewed 412 times

[dougeff]

The package art for Double Dare.

Also, since you list Rocko's Modern Life... they made a SNES game for that show.