Super Mario Odyssey (2017)

Spoilers.

Imagine playing Mario since you were a very young child and continued the franchise all the way to modern day. Now imagine they put almost all elements of previous Mario games into one.

Not only did they bring back old characters that were previously thought to be lost and forgotten, but they've acknowledged and brought in old designs that make new players go "Wow that's how they looked like back then?"

This is an incredible introduction for new players looking to get into the series, I highly recommend.

Throughout my gameplay there was only one thing on my mind that I had been looking forward to. Each new world was like riding a car towards long travels while yelling and pointing "HORSES!" every time you saw them. I'd go "OMG it's that character from [x mario game]" Or "Hey it's this character from [x mario game]" The funniest part for me was somehow accidentally running into Captain Toad... every time. I wouldn't even be actively looking for him, yet he's there...

I loved the cute outfits that were curated and provided through each world (underwear FTW.) But alas, it wasn't enough to quench my thirst, they added almost every element of all the amazing Mario games but one... or so I thought? I definitely had least and favorite worlds to explore on but they were all unique, they had different vibes to them, different puzzles, music, unique characters, and lovely side quest. But still, something was missing, was I asking for too much?

Finally, after beating Bowser and saving the Princess and the end credits begin to roll, I think to myself man... I wish we had a world where we explore the castle like in Mario 64, jump in the pictures, meet yoshi, and so on... GUYS! the icing on the cake that I'd long for, the very thing I'd been looking for this entire time!!! I was ecstatic, my childhood of my all-time favorite game! There it was! I went immediately into the clothing shop to see if they had the O.G Mario skin. There he was!! He was perfect. Hard-edge corners, Polygon, and low rendered, it was beautiful. I rushed to get what was now stars instead of moons to snag this skin. It was all there; my search was over. The game would've been 4/5 stars had they not added this, because the entire game was all about reminiscing the old days of Mario and it's features. How could they not have added it? Truly a modern success.

Nintendo despite how strict you are with giving out cease and desist fan-made creations, throwing DMCA strikes at creators making 0 profit off your work, and somehow still selling decade old games for 30$... They make phenomenal games. As much as I hate to admit lol.

Here we go, off the rails, don't you know it's time to raise our sails? It's freedom like you never knew. Don't need bags or a pass—say the word, I'll be there in a flash. You could say my hat is off to you.

Oh we can zoom all the way to the moon from this great wide wacky world. Jump with me, grab coins with me, oh yeah. It's time to jump up in the air. Jump up, don't be scared. Jump up and your cares will soar away. And if the dark clouds start to swirl, don't fear, don't shed a tear 'cause I'll be your 1-UP girl.

So let's all jump up super high, high up in the sky. There's no power-up like dancing. You know that you're my super star. No one else can take me this far. I'm flipping the switch. Get ready for this. Oh, let's do the Odyssey.

A Series of My Favorite Video Game Songs with Lyrics

5. Jump Up Superstar

Watching the E3 trailer that features this song was the moment I wanted way more video game songs with lyrics in them. It is so celebratory and triumphant in a way the game is- in the way that Mario is to all gaming. The song just captures a magic unique to video games. I love it.

This game constantly put a big, goofy smile on my dumb face -- especially when it came to New Donk City.

Super Mario Odyssey is not a hard game. Up until the credits roll, it's a fairly linear and forgiving game. But it was just so damn fun & happy.

I'm not sure, though, that I'm down to grind more Moons from the levels I've already played. My 200ish Moons I got up to after messing around in the Mushroom Kingdom for an hour might be the end of it for me.

I will start by stating it would be a crime to not give this game a 5/5. Odyssey is in my opinion easily the best Mario game out there.

Everything just works. The music is at times very different than in any older Mario ranging from original Mario-style tracks to almost pop-hit-style bangers. The worlds are big and you are somewhat free to explore them as you wish. There is always something new to find in every world and even when revisiting them later on there could be something different to explore.

Mechanically the game works flawlessly. Steady framerate, responsive controls and new interesting gameplay mechanic in the form of a hat-companion makes the game so much fun to play. Basic controls are easy to master, but there are some trickier maneuvers for those who want to try to make things a little bit more interesting (and find secrets you wouldn't otherwise find!)

Story-wise... Well, let's just make it clear that Mario-games have never really shined on that part. It works, flows and has a beginning with an ending. Nice right?

The only negative thing I can think about is the difficulty level of the boss fights. I enjoy a good challenging fight and unfortunately couldn't find those while I was on my +35 hour playthrough. It has to be mentioned though, that the challenge in this game comes with platforming especially in the last levels if you decide to go that far for extra collectables.

There is so much to do in the game and it's just a lot of fun every time. Super Mario Odyssey made it to my top 5 of 2021 on 5th place.

From playing the first Mario game to now playing this one, the evolution of video games is just astounding. The worlds are beautiful and so unique. You can find freedom in every corner when it comes to combat, puzzles, and traversal. If you like collecting everything in a game, this one will keep you busy and satisfied. I totally get the hype behind this game and can see why Mario is still the mascot of Nintendo. Where they go from here is a mystery, but then again they constantly raise the bar with this franchise.

The last 3D Mario game I played was Sunshine, and I was still pretty young at the time. (I am not counting 3D World)

This game had great music (especially the steam gardens), a good variety in the theme of the worlds, and the controls always felt pretty natural. I was also having enough fun playing and exploring that I never felt the urge to look up how to get any power moons. (This is a habit I am trying to break to become more immersed and less anxious in most games.) I am not a blind supporter of anything Mario, but having completed the main story of the game, I would like to go back and 100% it when I have cut down my ridiculous backlog.

Super Mario Odyssey is SO CLOSE to being my favorite Mario game. Mario Galaxy may still be my favorite in the franchise, but this game is still breathtakingly stunning.

Super Mario Odyssey was the first 3D Mario game since 3D World and the first HUGE scale 3D Mario game since Galaxy 2. Promoted as a true sequel to both Mario 64 and Mario Sunshine, it really shows in how the game presents itself. Launching a few months after the release of the Nintendo Switch, it blew everyone away and become one of the highest-selling games Nintendo ever put out.

The gameplay is centered around the use of your companion, Cappy, a sentient hat of sorts. You throw your hat for better aerial and ground movement and introduces the idea of capturing 52 unique enemies. This works wonders for the game because controlling Mario has never been so satisfying and capturing an enemy is basically the equivalent to playing as a new character which adds a lot of variety to the gameplay.

The objective of the game is going around different kingdoms collecting Power Moons to power your Odyssey to stop Bowser from marrying Princess Peach. Standard Mario Story. But what makes it so fun is the many kingdoms to explore and the Power Moons to collect.

A huge complaint with older 3D Mario games is that when you collected a Star or Shine Sprite, you were booted out of the level which really disturbed the pace of the games in a lot of ways. With Odyssey, gone are the days where you are booted out after collecting a Star. When you collect a Power Moon in this game, it will show a quick animation, and you are back in the action. This works amazingly well with the pacing which is pretty great.

Some of the Power Moons are pretty easy to collect, but there are some that just blow your mind and when you think the game can't get any more nuts, it does over and over again. The kingdoms are amazing too. Not every kingdom is equal in quality, but all of them look beautiful, have amazing Power Moons, and can be vast in size at times. Each kingdom has regional coins which can be used to buy things in the game shop. Coins finally have a viable use. And for the first time ever in a 3D Mario game, Mario is customizable. There are over 40 different outfits for Mario to wear and you will definitely have a favorite

This brings me to the music. Damn it's good. REALLY GOOD. There's not one song in this game that feels out of place or weird. It is all just a blast listening to. Especially Jump Up, Super Star! which is one of the best Mario songs I've ever heard

Super Mario Odyssey is a challenging and extremely addictive Mario game and I can't wait to see what Nintendo will do next with 3D and our Italian Plumber

Would Recommend

5/5

The idea of Mario has been leading up to this one game. 36 years after his debut appearance in Donkey Kong and we got one of the best games of all time coming out along with other all time best games that year. 2017 is the best year for games ever with some of the greatest games of all time and Super Mario Odyssey is one of them.

The game starts with Mario ending up in Cap Kingdom, defeated by Bowser and this kingdom takes inspiration from Super Mario 64 by being a place to make the player get accustomed to the controls and wide moveset of the game, and what Mario can do to anything. There are hills to roll on, puddles to swim in, poles to climb up, stakes to pull, boxes to break, frogs to capture, you can jump from the tower to learn that there is no fall damage. Everthing you need to know is taught in this first level and the moves you learn later on are helpful tools for style.

The best thing about Odyssey is the main companion of the game: Cappy. Cappy is the core mechanic of the game and he strikes that perfect balance between being a mechanic for platforming, combat, and variety. For the hand of platforming, Cappy is used to be thrown to get a little bit of hangtime in the air and to be bounced off of for more height. Cutting Mario's momentum before diving was a genius idea so that the player would consistently land on Cappy unless if you move the joystick in a different direction. Throwing Cappy and bouncing off of him are the main things that can make you do over-the-top insane skips like this one.

Glydon is for boys, Cappy is for men.

The platforming is at gaming's peak, with a diverse set of moves and level design that compliments it make it the best in any game. The game is filled with many skips, and with moons like the Koopa racing ones and Luigi's Balloon World, the game incentivizes you to be creative with your traversing and moveset. Cappy complimenting you for doing a sick jump is the positive reinforcement that can give you the incentive. There are no oversights in levels, making you want to search every nook and cranny and just when you think there's an oversight, you're rewarded for your curiosity.

The selling point of Super Mario Odyssey is Cappy's capture mechanic. He can capture enemies old and new like Goombas, Hammer Bros., Pokios. and Uproots. Where the game peaks is at the point where you can be a tree, obviously. The captures work well for both puzzle solving and skipping platforming sections.They add another layer to the platforming of the game. You're not forced to leave the enemy, there is no time limit, but the level design subtly tells you when the enemy has worn out their reason for now, making them nonabusable. Every capture's potential has been cranked out in this game, each mechanic has more than 1 time to shine while not overstaying their welcome. What I really like about the enemy captures is that they control really well for what they do. You get some sort of appreciation for each capture's quirks. Each one is different, but not better than the other would be the message I got out of the captures. Odyssey loves its ideas to the moon and back and sets them on the table for you to gawk at. The story is handled the best out of the mainline Mario games. Mario doesn't go to kingdoms because he goes there. He goes there because Bowser is always taking something for his wedding. You see what Bowser did to the inhabitants and their place, giving you more of a reason to stop Bowser. The story doesn't stop at the intro, it keeps chugging along. The game feels like a journey and a half with you going all over the world. Even though the Galaxy games make you travel across galaxies, you don't really feel the scope of them as much as you do in Odyssey. You even have a brochure for each kingdom, giving you their own stories, their points of interest. The game really makes you feel like an explorer; like you're finding the X marking the spot. The ending is one of gaming's most satisfying moments due to its relationship between you and Mario. Celebrating the adventures you had with Mario throughout your life with this one pop rock song, leaving a huge smile on your face as the credits roll. After beating the game, you see other kinds of characters travel to places and you get to see how they interact with the world around them.

While Nintendo put Odyssey in the Sandbox Exploration side, the game still has room for small linear levels like in Galaxy. You get the best of both worlds. In both types of levels, the level design philosophy is taken from 3D World where you're introduced to a gimmick in someplace safe and then as you progress, the stakes keep rising and rising, mixing other mechanics with seamless execution. Like in Cascade Kingdom where Chain Chomps are the mechanic of the game. The first moon you collect there can only be broken by a Chain Chomp. Later, there are 3 Chomps that can bounce off each other, then it ends with a boss fight where you use what you know about the Chain Chomp against the boss.

This game is a joy to play through. It's a game that makes you appreciate the wonders of the world like in the Jammin moons with Toad, you can get an appreciation for the types of music. In Peach's moons, you see her appreciation for each kingdom's quirks. Almost every time you see Mario, he's always in a happy mood, thanking you for bringing him on the journeys you had with him. He is the video game definition of joy incarnate and that has been building up to this game.

Super Mario Odyssey is more than just an excellent Mario game. It is a celebration of gaming's most iconic character and the players' journeys with him since 1981. It is a game that has been built up for 36 years with a huge payoff that knocks it out of the park. This is my favorite Mario game since Super Mario Galaxy 2, the only Mario game I consider to be a masterpiece up until playing Odyssey. This is my favorite Mario game. My favorite Nintendo game. My favorite platformer. My 2nd favorite game of all time. If you're going to get a Switch, then this is THE system seller to make your purchase worth it. And now that I have 100%ed the game, I'd say it's time for me to take a rest from this game until next time.

FINAL RATING: 10/10

Happy March 10th, aka Mar10 day.

I got this game two Christmases ago and I'm finally getting around to playing it 😂

So far I'm loving it. I'm not very far, but it seems more like a cross with Zelda than traditional 3D Mario games. I'm liking the lack of a time limit and the open world feel. I'll probably be playing this one for MANY more hours, since I intend to get all the moons.

Damn, it's rare you get a game that maintains such a high level of pure enjoyment throughout but this is bloody fantastic, even for Mario's high standards. Each area you explore is diverse with immaculate visuals, a soundtrack I won't forget anytime soon and a familiar yet still engaging storyline. The gameplay is pure joy, Cappy is a versatile ally and plays a huge part in the way Mario gets around, there are also a number of boss fights and though not particularly tough, there no less fun. Replay value is plentiful ensuring even after the main story is conquered there are hundreds more moons to discover and dozens more collectibles waiting for you to acquire. Gaming royalty.

Salta, super estrella, es el título de la canción que encapsula el sentimiento de todo un juego en unos compases alegres y una voz emocionada. Mario es parte de la vida de todo videojugador, es un personaje que pasa barreras de plataformas, ya seas de Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, en algún momento de tu vida te has sentado a jugar con este bigotón, te has reído con sus aventuras y te desentiendes de esas barreras que se hace el ser humano.

Mario Odissey cumple dos funciones, englobar todo lo que representa Mario, como concepto, personaje e icono popular y segundo, busca aportar un nuevo paradigma. Mario tiene ya más de 30 años, ha viajado desde el reino champiñón hasta a las estrellas, pasando por las costas caribeñas, porque de eso se trata, viajar y enfrentarte a nuevos retos y sentirte apabullado por los secretos de un mundo más feliz que el propio.

Mario Odissey dice de que va a tratar desde su nada sutil título, hacerte vivir una aventura equiparable a la que nos relató Homero, viajas por varios mundos, cada uno con su propio carisma, pueblo y retos por descubrir, Mario Odissey no es un juego de mundo abierto convencional, pero satisface a la perfección el deseo de explorar sin sentirte obligado, es un deseo de conocer más, deseo que huye de los mundos abiertos genéricos que te hacen explorar por una barra más de poder, no, aquí la aventura es tu combustible durante las 15 horas que dura la historia principal, cada mundo incorpora mecánicas que se sienten con cohesión en el mundo y las aprovecha para crear nuevos retos, a nivel de diseño de niveles es impresionante ver como han combinado tantos ingredientes en un solo juego sin darle más importancia a una que a otra.

La jugabilidad es divertida, dar saltos con Mario siempre es un placer: hay fases de plataformas puro y duro, saltos imposibles que das para llegar a un lugar secreto que te recompensa con una Luna o muchas monedas, y creo es algo valioso que el juego recompense la habilidad del jugador incitándolo a seguir disfrutando de la experiencia.

Pero, no todo es perfecto, siendo objetivos Mario Odissey sufre de problemas que puede hacer a muchos renegar, se puede llegar a antojar repetitivo después de terminar su trama dado que la mayoría de mundos cumplen las mismas misiones secundarias de cajón. La dificultad/complejidad de sus bosses es bastante baja comparándola con otros Mario (Aunque hay un par excepcionales), pero, son errores nimios de un videojuego que se identifica como un mensaje de amor a la franquicia.

Pero; sin motivación alguna de recoger Lunas, ¿Seguirá divirtiendo?