The Basic Elements - Mario Game Box Covers

1) Super Mario - Dimension

Even though it's very simple and not the entire design, this cover shows a very good example of dimension in the blocks that Mario is breaking through. These blocks pop out/appear to be more 3D than the rest of the cover, simply because of the way they are placed upon another block, offset, and set to different transparencies. The way it's designed, it's set up for the white/light blue part of the block to be the front, while the dark blue/light blue part is the back of the block. This gives the blocks the illusion of dimension.

2) Super Mario 3 - Direction

This cover design for the Super Mario 3 game shows a good example of the use of direction in two ways. Both use a diagonal line, directing the eye from the bottom left of the design, to the top right. The most obvious one would be the way Mario is positioned, and how he has his arms open as if he was flying. Your eye is lead from his feet, up to the tips of his fingers. Also, the title "Super Mario 3" is at a diagonal slant, leading your eye once again from left to right.

3) Super Mario Allstars (Wii) - Shape

Last, this more recent cover for Super Mario All Stars (Wii), shows a good example of the use of shape. I was able to find about twelve different circles throughout this design, including the "o" in Super Mario. First in the top left corner, showing that it's Mario's 25th anniversary. Next there is the large circle with a golden Mario in it, which has about nine circles within that circle. The 6 little circles with the stars, the circle around gold mario, the two "o"s in the design, and the blue circle that's holding the rest of the circles. This design is a good example of shape, because it uses the shape of a circle to support the entire design.