Super Mario Odysseycelebrates its fifth birthday today. While in gaming terms that’s a relatively long time, the platforming adventure is aging brilliantly, and still plays as freshly today as it did on the day of its release for the Nintendo Switch. With its mixture of open-world exploring and challenging platforming sections,Super Mario Odysseyonce again showed that when it comes to platforming titles, nobody does it quite as well as Mario.
Since he came running and jumping onto gamers' screens inthe mid-1980s, Mario has established himself as a household name, and a mascot not just for Nintendo, but for the video game industry itself. In an ever-changing landscape, Mario has been a constant for almost four decades. His red cap and bushy mustache are instantly recognizable by almost anyone on the planet, and he shows no signs of slowing down, with his first feature-length animated movie set to debut next year.
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Super Mario Has a History of High Quality Platformers
Super Mario Odysseyis the latest in a long line ofhigh quality 3D platformersstarring everyone’s favorite plumber. Over the years, Nintendo has strategically used its main attraction to showcase the strength of its consoles regularly. The launch ofSuper Mario 64alongside the Nintendo 64 in 1996 was seen as a flagship moment in the industry, and as a title, the game is highly revered as one of the greatest ever.
This was followed up six years later withSuper Mario Sunshinefor the Nintendo Gamecube, which, although not as universally loved as its predecessor, still garnered strong critical reviews. Following a similar open-world formula toSuper Mario 64, Sunshineintroduced FLUDD, a water device attached to Mario’s back, and was the first example of Mario deviating from his standard array of moves.
Mario’s 3D platforming catalog was further expanded with the arrival ofSuper Mario Galaxy, and its sequelSuper Mario Galaxy 2, released for the Wii in 2007 and 2010 respectively. These titles once again pushed the boundaries of what Mario, and platforming games in general, could do.Super Mario 3D Landfor the Nintendo 3DS took Mario’s 3D antics and moved them to a more linear, level-based approach in 2011. This was further built on inSuper Mario 3D Worldwhich arrived two years later for the Wii U. Then, after four years of relative silence,Super Mario Odysseyburst onto the scene.
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Super Mario Odyssey Showcased the Switch Perfectly
Showcasing all thefeatures of the groundbreaking Nintendo Switch,Super Mario Odysseywas the perfect title to boost the console’s profile. The Switch’s graphical capabilities are used to full effect to create vibrant worlds brimming with life. Mario’s movements are as fluid as ever, and the game intelligently adds in some new mechanics to shake up the usual formula, including making use of the Switch’s revolutionary Joy-Con controllers. Mario’s hat, named ‘Cappy’, is brought to life and given a personality all of its own. It has multiple purposes, all of which can aid him on his quest.
Mario is able to throw Cappyas a weapon, or even to use it as a makeshift platform to jump on. But its most unique ability is the one that enables Mario to possess enemy creatures by throwing Cappy at them, allowing the player to temporarily take control of them. This element adds a whole new dynamic to proceedings, and throughout the game, the player is able to seize control of all manner of creatures, from tiny caterpillar types, to a mighty T- Rex. It’s innovative, exciting, and yet another example of Nintendo knowing precisely how to keep its mascot relevant.
In terms of theworld design,Super Mario Odysseystuck the landingperfectly, with vast, divergent worlds full of things to do, and, with this being a Mario game, there’s also plenty to collect. Mario travels from world to world aboard an airship named the Odyssey. The game’s difficulty curve is perfect, with players of all ages able to play and complete the game, but only highly skilled players able to 100% it and collect everything. Doing this rewards players with a nice little bonus level featuring some of the toughest platforming sections ever seen in a 3D platformer.
In the years sinceSuper Mario Odyssey’s release, fans have anxiously awaited news of a sequel. 2020 saw the release ofSuper Mario 3D All-Starsfor the Switch, which was a compilation ofSuper Mario 64,Sunshine, andGalaxyin one collection. Then in 2021,Super Mario 3D Worldwas re-released for the Switch, with abrand-new expansion titledBowser’s Fury. But while these releases were both great new additions to Mario’s library, they aren’t the next big blockbuster that fans are waiting for.
MainlineSuper Marioentries only come around every couple of years, and this is a testament to Nintendo’s refusal to deviate from the high quality bar that has been set, and raised, with each previous iteration. In direct contrast toother mascots, such as Sega’sSonic The Hedgehog, whose catalog of games is vast and wildly inconsistent in terms of quality,Super Mariois synonymous with critical acclaim, and the series shows no signs of that changing.
Super Mario Odysseyremains the latest entry in Nintendo’s 3DSuper Marioseries. With news of a new entry still absent, fans are hoping that 2023 is a big year for Mario. It will represent six years between releases, which is as long as any gap between all of his other titles. His first animated featurefilm releases on April 7 next year, titledThe Super Mario Bros. Movie, and it could well be that Nintendo is holding off announcing a new game until after the film’s release, to maximize its marketing strategy. Whether the next entry is a direct sequel toOdyssey, or something else entirely, by now it has become perfectly safe to assume that fans are in for another groundbreaking adventure.
Super Mario Odysseyis available now for Nintendo Switch.
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