16-Bit Dreamscape of Your City

Have you ever wanted to see your hometown reimagined as a level from a classic Super Mario game? Now you can! This simple guide will walk you through using AI to generate a beautiful, nostalgic poster of your city in the iconic 16-bit style. Let’s get started.

Step 1: Choose Your AI Art Generator

First, you need to pick a tool. I recommend using OpenAI’s ChatGPT for this task, as it understands the “Mario style” very well and tends to produce great results.

Simply go to: https://chatgpt.com

Alternative Options: If you encounter issues, you can also try Microsoft’s Copilot or other image generators. However, as you noted, some filters might be stricter than others.

Step 2: Select and Copy Your Favorite Prompt

I have prepared three different prompt variations for you. Each will give a slightly different result. Read them and choose the one you like the most.

Prompt 1: The Standard Poster👇

Generate a 16-bit Super Mario Bros. style scene in a [x:y] aspect ratio. The setting is the city of [city], reimagined with the vibrant 16-bit color palette, pixel-art aesthetic, and graphical elements (like platforms, blocks, and pipes) characteristic of the classic Mario games. Ensure the entire composition looks like a direct screenshot from a hypothetical 16-bit Mario game set in this urban environment.

Prompt 2: With a Pixel-Art Title👇

Generate a 16-bit Super Mario Bros. style scene in a [x:y] aspect ratio. The setting is the city of [city], reimagined with the vibrant 16-bit color palette, pixel-art aesthetic, and graphical elements (like platforms, blocks, and pipes) characteristic of the classic Mario games. Ensure the entire composition looks like a direct screenshot from a hypothetical 16-bit Mario game set in this urban environment, and incorporate the name '[city]' as large, pixel-art text that is seamlessly integrated into the landscape, such as being formed by blocks, terrain, or architecture.

Prompt 3: With a National Flag👇

Generate a 16-bit Super Mario Bros. style scene in a [x:y] aspect ratio. The setting is the city of [city], reimagined with the vibrant 16-bit color palette, pixel-art aesthetic, and graphical elements (like platforms, blocks, and pipes) characteristic of the classic Mario games. Ensure the entire composition looks like a direct screenshot from a hypothetical 16-bit Mario game set in this urban environment and organically integrate the flag of the city's country into a green pipe in the foreground.

Step 3: Replace the Words in Brackets

This is where you make it your own! Take the prompt you copied and change the parts inside the brackets [ ].
[x:y] → aspect ratio (e.g., 1:1, 16:9, 4:3, etc.)
[city] → v (e.g., Paris, London, B, etc.)

Step 4: Generate Your Image

Press Enter or click Send. The AI will now start creating your unique poster. This usually takes about 30 seconds.

Step 5: Troubleshooting (If Needed)

Sometimes, AI image generators have strict filters to avoid creating content based on certain copyrighted characters. You might see an error like: “I can’t generate this image due to copyright restrictions.”

Don’t worry! This is a common hurdle, not a dead end. Here’s what to do:

• Try a Different AI: As you discovered, if it fails in Copilot, try ChatGPT, or vice versa. Each platform has slightly different filters.
• Slightly Alter the Prompt: You can try making the prompt a little more “generic” while keeping the style. For example, change “Super Mario World” to “a classic 16-bit platformer game” or “a 90s SNES game.”
• Be Persistent: Sometimes, just regenerating the image or rephrasing the prompt slightly can work.

And that’s it! In just a few minutes, you can create a stunning piece of personalized video game art. We’d love to see what you create