Not to be confused withvaporware, which refers to a commercial product that presumably started development but never got released, orinternal tests, which are not meant for public viewing and are strictly for use inside Nintendo.

"Tech demo" is a computer and video game industry term referring to short applications designed to gauge interest in an upcoming product and/or to demonstrate hardware-specific features. Tech demos have various levels of interactivity, ranging from real-time videos to short but fully playable demonstrations. Tech demos are rarely intended to be turned into fully fledged commercial products, though their ideas and concepts are sometimes reused. TheSuper Mario franchise has been the subject of or has been featured in many tech demos.

List ofSuper Mario-related tech demos[edit]

Game	System	Image	Description
Game Boy Color Promotional Demo	Game Boy Color		An animated sequence showcasing the Game Boy Color's colorized graphics and increased power, for use in various store kiosks selling the console.[1] Prominently featuresWario Land II, alongside sequences using graphics fromSuper Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins.
Super Mario 128	Nintendo GameCube		A series of experiments originally intended to be a sequel toSuper Mario 64. Concepts from this demo were used in other projects, such asPikmin andSuper Mario Galaxy.[2]
Luigi's Mansion			Luigi's Mansion was originally shown off at Space World 2000 as a tech demo designed to show off the graphical capabilities of the Nintendo GameCube.[3][4]
Mario Kart for Nintendo GameCube			A seven-second clip featuringMario andLuigi drivingkarts usingSuper Smash Bros. Melee models. It was most likely reworked intoMario Kart: Double Dash!!.
Balloon Trip	Nintendo DS		ASuper Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island-themedminigame making use of theNintendo DS's touchscreen and dual screen setup. It ended up forming the basis ofYoshi Touch & Go.[5]
Mario's Face			A tech demo featuring Mario andWario's heads that could be squeezed or stretched in various ways, similar to the title screen forSuper Mario 64.[6]
DSpeak			A tech demo featured at E3 2005 which showcased the DS's wireless communication and microphone capabilities. Each DS system displayed Mario's or Wario's head on the top screen. Their mouths were synchronized to the input of the opposing DS.[7]
DS Wireless Internet Tech Demo			A tech demo at E3 2005 which showcased the DS's wireless communication capabilities through the internet, which featured bothMario Kart DS andAnimal Crossing: Wild World.[8]
Carving			A tech demo showing the Nintendo DS' 3D-rendering capabilities and touchscreen controls, which features bothMario andYoshi as potential objects to carve.[9]
Classic Collection	Nintendo 3DS		A tech demo developed byArika for E3 2010 featuring a series of dioramas based on Nintendo Entertainment System and Super Nintendo Entertainment System games with stereoscopic 3D, includingMario Bros.,Super Mario Bros.,NES Open Tournament Golf,Super Mario World, andSuper Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. This would later serve as the basis for the3D Classics series.[10][11]:9:56
Nintendo 3DS Demo			A tech demo at E3 2010 featuring a sequence of 3D stock videos and Nintendo-themed dioramas, including one featuring Mario, Luigi, andBowser. The dioramas would later be reused for Puzzle Swap inStreetPass Mii Plaza.[11]:24:52
New Super Mario Bros. Mii	Wii U		An experience tech demo loosely based onNew Super Mario Bros. Wii appearing atE3 2011. The demo's primary purpose was to show off the "Off-TV Play" function of the Wii U. It served as the basis forNew Super Mario Bros. U.
Chase Mii			A minigame featuringMiis inSuper Mario-themed costumes playing a game similar to tag. A refined version of this demo appears inNintendo Land under the nameMario Chase.
Shield Pose			A rhythm-based minigame in which the player moves the GamePad around to block attacks. Initially developed as pre-installed software for the console,[12] the demo's scope was expanded and it was reworked as theGame & Wario minigamePirates.
Measure Up			A minigame in which the player is instructed to draw geometrical shapes. It was released as theGame & Wario minigameDesign.
Zapper tech demo			A minigame in which the player moves the GamePad to shootMiis.[13] It ended up being the basis of theGame & Wario minigameShutter.
Mario vs. Donkey KongWii U demo			Developed withNintendo Web Framework (adevelopment environment based onWebKit), theMario vs. Donkey Kong Wii U demo was shown atGDC 2014, used as a sample to show the potential of Nintendo Web Framework. Like previous installments in the series, the goal of each level is to guide theMini Marios to the exit, creating paths through the positioning of platforms and other interactions with the setting made through the touch screen of the. The first stage shows some of the basic features of Nintendo Web Framework, and then after this stage is a bigger stage, which brings more complex lighting effects and animations.[14][15] This title was reworked intoMario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars.

References[edit]

• Tech demos
• Games
• Terms