Everyone has been raving about Mario Odyssey for over two weeks now. Who can blame them? I decided to put in my two cents with my own Super Mario Odyssey review. Mario Odyssey tends to be grand and amazing.
While the game deviates and experiments in ways that other Mario games seem afraid to do. Every New Super Mario Bros games seem like the same as galaxy and sunshine. However, they are all completely different games with completely different feelings.
I’m not hating on the 3D line of games they’re just a little bit more status-quo. Mario Odyssey was first teased last year in the Swift reveal trailer. Those couple of seconds of footage we got in that trailer got me excited.
As much as I’ve loved Sunshine and Galaxy, I’ve had a craving to return to that more classic Mario 64 memories. If there is any game that is been able to bring me back to that magical grandiose adventure filled feeling it’s been Mario Odyssey.
I recommend getting Mario Odyssey (link to Amazon ) because of it all around aspect just fun. It brought back those fun times as a kid playing Mario.
The game is not returning the same content but also a ton of new content and innovate.
The game story is very linear but the journey is not. You’ll encounter a ton of new stuff that it would be odd in the Mario video games. Find out more in the review.
As soon as the game starts, Mario is already fighting Bowser trying to save peach, again. Bowser and Peach are all dressed up getting ready for a wedding. But something tells me that peach is not quite ready for the commitment.
Mario crashes to earth and meets Cappy. A magic hat whose sister was kidnapped to serve as peaches tiara for the wedding. Cappy and Mario travel across the world to track down Bowser.
As he causes havoc around the land to plan for his wedding. As cute and refreshing as the wedding scenario is, I was kind of hoping that peach was done being kidnapped for a while after Mario 3d World. However, there’s a part of me that’s really rooting against Mario here.
I wanted to believe that Peach was willingly going with Bowser in this whole Mario line read at the beginning. It was not one of distress but disappointment and Mario not letting her do what she wants.
Plus like Bowser really cares he brushed her hair. Oh my god, he looks so dapper with his hair brushed with all that jazz.
Mario travels to these other kingdoms across the earth to stop Bowser and Peach’s wedding. I sincerely wish peach would open her eyes to Bowser but until then leave her alone man.
For me, Mario Odyssey is the first sort of magical Mario game since Mario 64. When I say magical, I mean there’s this sense of discovery and childlike wonderment.
I felt like Mario Odyssey isn’t just a game for me to power through. More like for me, a world for me to discover.
Controls
Mario’s controls established in Super Mario 64 are still the driver of the way Mario controls. But every 3D Mario game prior, it continues to be refined and better than the entry before it.
I really want to compliment the HD Rumble for being able to feel different levels and different kinds of vibration. This really makes you feel Mario’s weight.
If you’ve played 3d Mario games Mario Odyssey will feel very natural. And with that pre-built skill set comes new and unique skills.
Cappy Strange & Fun Abilities
Mario Odyssey’s quirk comes with how you use Cappy. Mario can use Cappy as a weapon and additional platform and as a way to find secrets. There is a tiny learning curve to this though.
It is definitely not as easy as Mario’s punching and kicking in 64, but once over the curve, it becomes second nature.
Some of Cappy’s controls actually uses motion controls and when I’m using the pro controller when connected to my TV I have no problem waving it around and it’s not intrusive at all.
But when I’m using the console itself, I’m a little bit more hesitant to do so. I mean why doesn’t Nintendo do not think that some kid will accidentally slam this thing against the wall. Where’s the safety strap Nintendo?
Then there’s Cappy’s ability to Danny Phantom people. Certain enemies and objects in the game can be controlled by copy transferring Mario’s consciousness into them.
These act as the game’s power-ups. Experimenting with what enemies can be controlled is one of the most fun and exciting things to do in the game.
At first, I thought using Cappy to take over people was gonna be a hassle and that would be overused with mechanics that were underdeveloped for each enemy you can take over.
But each and everyone I came across, they offered something unique and fun. You can stack goombas, be an onion, be a t-rex, be a hammer bro, a little fire guy, pretty much any enemy.
On a side note, I really want the T-rex to be a reoccurring Mario character. Having the t-rex be a hidden character and Mario Kart or Mario Party would be hilariously great.
Exploration Style
Mario Odyssey goes back to the more open style of exploration that many classic 3d platformers are known for with lots of exploring and secrets to be found.
Mario Odyssey is by no means an open-world game instead it’s a collection of huge pseudo-open-world stages. They have hidden passages to more linear platforming segments puzzles and sections that you have to transform back into Mario from The Wonder Years.
You can get through the game’s story without seeing 50% of what’s available. I spent hours in the wooded Kingdom gathered tons of power moons and moved on to the next level without ever realizing I never completed the main objective.
I talked about ukulele earlier this year incited its large levels as being a primary problem I had with the game.
Exploring ukulele just wasn’t fun, but for some reason it is. Mario Odyssey, despite having these big worlds, the levels don’t have a lot of empty space.
There are so many ways of moving around that going from point A to point B can be a fun experience in itself.
I got lost so much in ukulele but it didn’t take me long in Mario Odyssey to start noticing specific landmarks and connect in my head how they all fit together.
Figuring out the layout of a level doesn’t mean you find everything to do in it.
Collecting Moons
The game is filled with secrets and interesting locations.
I found something to do in every corner of the game. You will be exploring each level for hours and even hidden areas have moons to collect. There are immediately not obvious so you’ll be exploring and retreading old ground to find what you missed.
By the time you feel like moving on to the next level, you will still have tons to do when coming back. Mario Odyssey’s world demands to be explored and exploring is what’s rewarded in the game.
Moons unlock new locations, outfits, and Kingdom specific coins that are hidden throughout. Each level can unlock all sorts of cool outfits for Mario.
My favorites have to be the mob suit from new dunk city, the explorer’s outfit from dark woods, and above all else Mario’s retro outfit from Mario 64.
I thought I was going to write forever in this Super Mario Odyssey Review. After beating the game and going back to every single world afterward, I didn’t even have 300 moons out of the 800 plus in the game.
To put that in perspective, 120 moons are required to beat the game. 500 moons are required to reach the last level.
Mario Odyssey, of course not every single moon in the game is a challenge, in fact, you can probably go through the whole story without ever really feeling challenged at all. But Mario Odyssey puts the excitement and thrill into the hunt itself.
Exploring the Worlds
Exploring these worlds provides a childlike wonderment. Ukulele and other games with massive world throw you into a fairground but Mario Odyssey puts you in the sort of like Disneyland.
Even waiting in the lines has some type of interactivity. It might take you an hour to complete a primary objective in a level because Mario Odyssey welcomes you to get sidetracked.
You might find 10 moons while looking for one in particular. It’s larger objectives are strung together with a bunch of smaller ones.
I know it is a cliche, but Mario Odyssey isn’t about where you’re going but it’s about the journey.
Everlasting New Content
There have been a ton of Mario games with the world and rules established over 35 plus years. We know how a new super Mario bros game is going to look, so Nintendo surprises you with a much more realistic and detailed world that we’re not used to seeing in Mario.
The rules of Mario’s world still applies and because of that, there are moments of genuine shock and surprise. New dog city is a prime example.
This looks like a regular generic city but you can bounce off of cars, use street lights as coin blocks, bounce off of people’s heads. You are interacting with the real world with Mario’s rules.
Then there are more fantastical moments in Odyssey too. Moments that come to mind that, I would never think to see in a Mario game or the t-rex in that hidden forest.
It is a standout moment because how often do we get a Mario game with a genuine tension of a looming enemy.
We are also so used to seeing silly looking enemies in Mario and towards the end of the game that Bowser unleashes a giant game of Thrones style dragon.
My reaction to this was one of delight and laughter.
Always Displaying Interesting Designs
Most Mario games start with the brightest and most colorful first level ever.
However, Mario Odyssey throws you right into the action with the most monochromatic Tim burton-esque style stage ever.
What I love about many of these levels is that they will take a cliche of level design and make them unique and fun. It is not just a factory it’s not just for the woods it’s a factory in the middle of the woods.
Bowser’s castle is not a volcano or lava themed, it is a Chinese themed castle. There is no real lava Kingdom, but there’s the luncheon Kingdom which substitutes lava for what I can assume is hot soup.
Besides, Mario saving Peach there’s not a lot about Mario Odyssey that screams Mario.
While writing this Super Mario Odyssey Review, I noticed that Mario is always raising the bar higher sometimes marginally sometimes exponentially.
I can only imagine the pressure and challenge that comes with trying to top something that had an equal amount of pressure and challenge to try to top something else.
3D Mario games are just games they’re events. It is not like there’s just gonna be another one next year or even in a few years.
Usually, these are the game of their generation and I feel like each one has been able to grow and expand off of the last one.
Mario Odyssey is completely able to do that. There are moments in this game that will just stand out to me for as long as I play video games.
The tank battle in new donk city, Mario first becoming a frog, that dragon, and Pauline’s concert to name a few.
Pauline’s concert is one of the most fantastic and spectacle-driven moments I’ve ever seen in a game.
You’re playing through a donkey kong inspired 2d section. While Pauline performs jump up superstar all while a fireworks display happens.
Spectacular Ending of the Game
I’m surprised that Mario Odyssey was able to keep surprising me throughout the whole game up until the end.
You beat Bowser and he’s knocked out and for a moment you really don’t know what to do. Until you realize Bowser has the same symbols over his head that the t-rex had early in the game.
You can take over Bowser! You do and some anime style pop song comes up, hilarious.
I feel nostalgic while playing Mario Odyssey but it’s appealed to my nostalgia is more complex than the way most pieces of media try to appeal to yours.
It is actually bringing me back to a time, it’s not just reminding me of it.
This is not Finn finding the chessboard on the Millennium Falcon, this is not classic sonic running through Green Hill Zone, this is not the kid from Jurassic world picking up the goggles.
This is legitimately restoring the same feelings of awe and Wonderment that I felt when I was a little kid playing video games.
Mario Odyssey does use cheaper forms of nostalgia bait but it is not until the end of the game and it serves as a reward, not a tool to cheaply improve the game.
My Final Thoughts
I think when there’s a lot of hype surrounding a game, it’s really hard not to fall into it yourself.
I tried to rate Super Mario Odyssey Review with a clearer head. Even after everybody has already freaked out about how good Mario Odyssey (check price Amazon), it is still a really good game.
Nintendo has the ability to stand out because they are able to sustain interest in the games for a long period of time. The game does not get lost in the mix of everything that’s being thrown at us constantly.
I played Mario obviously the second it came out. Done with it in two days but I really wanted to give time for my feelings about it to settle because I knew how excited I was about it.
Even after returning to it after a few weeks, I still think Mario was able to live up to and exceed the hype.
Top 10 Mario Odyssey Secrets and Easter Eggs
