Ian Caronia:

...Or maybe it's a metaphor for the folks in the Mario department at Nintendo being lazy asses.
"We need box art that looks exciting..."
*picks ear* "Meh Just show him about to die in a lava pit, since danger is exciting, and put some 4th grade speed lines behind him to make him look like he's going fast, since fast is exciting."

Well, I don't think it was that far off.

They chose a random lava pit and Mario shooting a fire ball, framed that it gives the appearance that Mario is in front of the wall and lava (his foot is in the wall), because THAT is exciting.

They weren't intentionally putting him to death, at least that is what I theorize.

Holy crap!
I won't ever be able to un-see that now.

This reminds me of the many mmorpgs that have intentional suicides in their tutorials to "prepare player for whats coming". nintendo was always known for taking it too far.

Why is everyone so freaked out? He's obviously got an extra life, so he'll only have to restart the level.

RollForInitiative:

John Funk:

Boy, that's kind of morbid, huh? Not many other videogames have the gall to show their hero - and the player's avatar - in the throes of death on the box art. In fact, I can't think of a single one.

The cover of the limited edition of Demon's Souls depicted the player essentially propped up dead in a corner. =)

Yeah, that was a scene replicated many, maaaany times during my limited time playing that game. :(

I never noticed that before... how funny that something gets pointed out like this and everyone goes "OMG REALLY?" even though it's been 25 years.

The Dead Space box art shows Isaac's dismembered hand, and it can only be seen like that in only one of the death animations, but I forget which. So Mario isn't the only person about to die, or dead, on the box art.

V TheSystem V:
The Dead Space box art shows Isaac's dismembered hand, and it can only be seen like that in only one of the death animations, but I forget which. So Mario isn't the only person about to die, or dead, on the box art.

He's just the first, isn't he?

All I can say is: Yay! It's about time someone took him out.

That's Nintrolling right there. They promise a hero, but give you DEATH and PAIN! >:D aaaahahahahaha!

I'm never gonna be able to unsee this now. Just like that article on Cracked on Hidden Easter Eggs in Art, now whenever I see this cover I'm gonna see Mario dying. Although it might bring back some nostalgia of how many times I died while playing that game. I just hope they don't force up any memories of Ninja Gaiden...

Eye too detail much, though I don't think the dev's really intended it that way. They just went with what looked pretty.

Guess he's clinging to the side of the pit, it's like a cliffhanger.

Well, the cover has to remind us of something familiar in the game.

Or it was a collage put together by Nintendo for the purposes of box art and nobody really thought much about it at the time, and this story exists solely for the sake of generating hits and ad revenue rather than to actually contribute to any sort of meaningful discourse.

Alphavillain:

RollForInitiative:

John Funk:

Boy, that's kind of morbid, huh? Not many other videogames have the gall to show their hero - and the player's avatar - in the throes of death on the box art. In fact, I can't think of a single one.

The cover of the limited edition of Demon's Souls depicted the player essentially propped up dead in a corner. =)

Yeah, that was a scene replicated many, maaaany times during my limited time playing that game. :(

You intentionally jump into walls often?

Wait, no one's going to do the painfully obvious? Ok then...

John the Gamer:
I never played this game(born 1992), but I find this incredibly funny.

How were you born in 92 and have never played this game? My cousins born in 94 have still played it.

John the Gamer:
I never played this game(born 1992), but I find this incredibly funny.

you lack childhood. 1995 for me and it was wonderful.

Actually, that screenshot does not translate to the box art, because in the screenshot he's not at a five degree angle.

John the Gamer:
I never played this game(born 1992), but I find this incredibly funny.

rly? i was born in '94 and i've beaten the game tons of times. i have it for GBC and SNES

wall jumping was the least morbid explanation I could come up with and it looks like a bunch of others seem to agree with that idea

John Funk:
On the other hand, this could have been Nintendo's warning to children who had no idea what they were in for. After all, you can't say Nintendo didn't warn you that you would be spending hours leading Mario to his death if it was right there on the cover.

My feeling exactly. Considering the nature of the game, it is very appropriate.

John Funk:
snip

What's the big deal? He's just comin' right back!

I gotta say, as much as I love the Mario Galaxy games (like more than Mario 64 love) (< piss-poor English. Early. Off my back with you now), it really bothers me that when you "lose a life" in those games, you hear Mario do an akward moan (OK, that wouldn't be the first) and plastered across the screen are the words "Too bad!" When you run out of lives in Galaxy 2, your chubby purple star friend tells you "You should rest awhile." When did we stop calling Dying Dying in video games. Seriously, did Shigeru Miyamoto have kids and get all George Lucas on us? Is that what this is?

If anyone wants to diagram my sentences, I'd be much obliged. Emoticon with my tongue sticking out of my head.

Wormwood/absynth doesn't do shit for you. Trent Reznor, fuckin' liar.

Why is this still being discussed? I thought I already debunked this theory! ...not that anyone was paying attention.

Bonelord:

dogstile:

ChaoticKraus:
Kind of weird that nobody noticed until now. Maybe the best way to hide something is in plain sight.

Actually, its been pointed out a fair few times, its just never really been newsworthy

Still isn't newsworthy, must be a slow day :P

It's always a slow day when the editors start browsing reddit for news :P

AbsoluteVirtue18:
Why is everyone so freaked out? He's obviously got an extra life, so he'll only have to restart the level.

Yeah, but... Mario loses his fireball ability. That's still not good.

Also... Wait a second, the wall on the box art is NOT the right color! That wall is a very light blue, while the corresponding wall in the actual game is definitely gray. The game doesn't actually have very light blue walls, does it?

He's jumping on the 16th pixel

Maraveno:
M-M-M-MIND IS BLOWN!

I'm allowed to do that for this one right?

No...