It is no overstatement to suggest that Mario has defined and elevated the industry to new heights during the last 30 years with unparalleled endurance. Super Mario 64 was the first game to get a 3D camera right, and placed so much importance on it that the camera is an actual character in the game. Super Mario Sunshine, my personal favorite, gave Mario a set of tools far beyond the jumping we had grown used to for so many years. Super Mario Galaxy was the most innovative platformer of its time, taking full advantage of gravity and perspective to enhance the gameplay. Super Mario 3D World brought co-op to the mainline games and proved that pure, old school platforming in 3D was still fun. Even so, Super Mario Odyssey is something special. Previous Mario titles have continually redefined 3D platformers, but Super Mario Odyssey has perfected them.
When Mario finds out that Bowser has kidnapped Princess Peach and arranged a wedding, he sets out on a quest to track down the King Koopa and stop this most unholy of matrimonies. He teams up with Cappy, the magical hat demon, and they set off to rescue both Princess Peach and Cappy’s sister, Tiara.
Cappy at first seems like a simple mechanic. At first glance it appears that Mario can throw the hat at enemies and defeat them. Cappy has so much more to offer though, that is perhaps not on display just from the ads. He can be tossed directly upwards, in a rolling motion along the ground, in an ascending spiral around Mario, or even in a vertical circle from the air. He can be tossed and held in place in to create a platform, or if you’re looking for the advanced stuff he can utilize the dash jump to extend Mario’s jump length tenfold. Cappy’s wide swath of abilities provide the player freedom to try and play however they’d like.
Cappy’s main ability is possession — throwing him onto enemies and objects around the world let’s Mario take control of them. Every one of Mario’s age old enemies, from Goombas to Koopas to Chain-Chomps, is controllable in this game. You can finally be the Bullet Bill you always wanted to be! Cappy additionally can be played by a second player, and working together on a co-op experience in a sandbox Mario game is a dream come true. Don’t expect the co-op to make the game easier, though.
The game so cleverly sets up puzzles in its sandbox world to be solved by utilizing the abilities of some foe while not making it obvious. Children can play this game with a little help, but some of the puzzles can stump even adults. The puzzles and environment tie in so closely with the possession mechanics, yet maintain an air or nonchalance; there are often more clever ways to make it past obstacles than the game would have you think.
Super Mario Odyssey’s theme of world travel is never forgotten or thrown to the wayside. Travel to Mexico, New York City, an underwater kingdom, the deep forest, the moon, the second moon, and even a world a little too similar to Dark Souls. I don’t want to spoil the adventure for you, but the 16+ worlds, some larger even than their Super Mario 64 predecessors, have nothing to offer but beauty, excitement, variety, and an impossible number of challenges.
That brings me to the Moons, the objects you’ll be collecting to power your ship, the Odyssey, and chase down Bowser. First I’ll commend the cleverness of choosing Moons — after all, this is the spiritual successor to Super Mario 64 (in which you collected stars) and Super Mario Sunshine (where you collected suns). Moons are much more plentiful than either of those, and over a hundred can be found in each of the larger worlds. The challenge difficulty of obtaining a moon can be anywhere on a scale of Animal Crossing to Bloodborne, so you’ll always feel that you’re both working towards something and earning something along the way.
Super Mario Odyssey has built on the backs of its predecessors to create an unparalleled 3D platforming experience. The pacing of collecting moons, variety of worlds, Cappy’s distinct platforming abilities, and general attention to fun make Super Mario Odyssey the best 3D platformer ever created. Cappy feels like a natural companion to Mario and I weep at the thought of setting sail on the next adventure without him. Nintendo has proven once again that concentrating on pure, unadulterated fun is what makes Mario games so perpetually strong. No bells, no whistles, just smiles on faces of every age.
When Mario finds out that Bowser has kidnapped Princess Peach and arranged a wedding, he sets out on a quest to track down the King Koopa and stop this most unholy of matrimonies. He teams up with Cappy, the magical hat demon, and they set off to rescue both Princess Peach and Cappy’s sister, Tiara.
Cappy at first seems like a simple mechanic. At first glance it appears that Mario can throw the hat at enemies and defeat them. Cappy has so much more to offer though, that is perhaps not on display just from the ads. He can be tossed directly upwards, in a rolling motion along the ground, in an ascending spiral around Mario, or even in a vertical circle from the air. He can be tossed and held in place in to create a platform, or if you’re looking for the advanced stuff he can utilize the dash jump to extend Mario’s jump length tenfold. Cappy’s wide swath of abilities provide the player freedom to try and play however they’d like.
Cappy’s main ability is possession — throwing him onto enemies and objects around the world let’s Mario take control of them. Every one of Mario’s age old enemies, from Goombas to Koopas to Chain-Chomps, is controllable in this game. You can finally be the Bullet Bill you always wanted to be! Cappy additionally can be played by a second player, and working together on a co-op experience in a sandbox Mario game is a dream come true. Don’t expect the co-op to make the game easier, though.
The game so cleverly sets up puzzles in its sandbox world to be solved by utilizing the abilities of some foe while not making it obvious. Children can play this game with a little help, but some of the puzzles can stump even adults. The puzzles and environment tie in so closely with the possession mechanics, yet maintain an air or nonchalance; there are often more clever ways to make it past obstacles than the game would have you think.
Super Mario Odyssey’s theme of world travel is never forgotten or thrown to the wayside. Travel to Mexico, New York City, an underwater kingdom, the deep forest, the moon, the second moon, and even a world a little too similar to Dark Souls. I don’t want to spoil the adventure for you, but the 16+ worlds, some larger even than their Super Mario 64 predecessors, have nothing to offer but beauty, excitement, variety, and an impossible number of challenges.
That brings me to the Moons, the objects you’ll be collecting to power your ship, the Odyssey, and chase down Bowser. First I’ll commend the cleverness of choosing Moons — after all, this is the spiritual successor to Super Mario 64 (in which you collected stars) and Super Mario Sunshine (where you collected suns). Moons are much more plentiful than either of those, and over a hundred can be found in each of the larger worlds. The challenge difficulty of obtaining a moon can be anywhere on a scale of Animal Crossing to Bloodborne, so you’ll always feel that you’re both working towards something and earning something along the way.
Super Mario Odyssey has built on the backs of its predecessors to create an unparalleled 3D platforming experience. The pacing of collecting moons, variety of worlds, Cappy’s distinct platforming abilities, and general attention to fun make Super Mario Odyssey the best 3D platformer ever created. Cappy feels like a natural companion to Mario and I weep at the thought of setting sail on the next adventure without him. Nintendo has proven once again that concentrating on pure, unadulterated fun is what makes Mario games so perpetually strong. No bells, no whistles, just smiles on faces of every age.