Super Mario Odyssey | Switch | Review

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There's undoubtedly something special about a series which can recycle the same exact main plot thread over and over again while remaining charming, fresh and popular. Perhaps it's some sort of hypnotic magic cooked up by Nintendo, but every time you start a Mario title and Peach is whisked away you merely roll your eyes and think “Oh Peach, here we go again…”

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 by James
 Michael
​ Parry

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@James_Parry

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Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Platforms: Nintendo
Switch
Players: 1

This time around Bowser has decided forced marriage is his best plan, and all he needs is a series of increasingly tenuous ingredients to craft the perfect day (a dress and a cake, sure, but a boiling pot of broth?!). It's up to Mario to give chase, but - oh no - not only has Bowser destroyed his hat, he’s also stranded Mario in an unknown kingdom.

It's here you meet Cappy, equal parts headwear and ghost with the power of possession, who quickly becomes the central game mechanic. Throwing him onto enemies or objects sees them sprout Mario’s signature moustache and lets you take control of them - posing a deeper moral question the more humanoid the object becomes - and gain their abilities. While this does feel gimmicky at first, you quickly grow used to throwing your hat liberally enough to be at risk of being recruited by Auric Goldfinger.

Mario still has his other abilities too, whether it's wall jumping, triple jumping, or some other variety of jump - he likes to jump, what can we say - but in completing the main game we found ourselves hardly using a lot of the more advanced platforming skills which were essential in past titles. The barrier to entry is so low in fact that you seldom need to make use of one of Cappy’s coolest features, that being the ability to serve as a makeshift platform to cover greater distances. ​

So, is the game too easy? Some may find the Power Moons, this game's interpretation of the series’ collectible Stars, are given out too liberally. With reportedly over 800 to collect and the main story only requiring under 200, choosing to collect them all is where much of the challenge comes into play. The emphasis isn't a relentless difficulty curve, but enjoying the journey - hence Odyssey.

However difficult the Power Moon you’re currently targeting might prove to be, the game barely penalises you for making mistakes, each death only costing you a measly ten coins and popping you back to a recent checkpoint. Mario has three pie segments of life that can be topped up with hearts, or doubled ahead of most boss fights, with these encounters being a fun and rewarding part of the game.

A relaxed approach to failure is an important design choice, making it feel like you’re always progressing and having fun. It also makes this iteration one of the most accessible Mario titles to date, possibly excluding his recent team up with the Rabbids.

The Odyssey itself - the hat-shaped ship you may have spotted in the trailers - is a charming, yet functional, device which marks your progress through the game satisfyingly.

Super Mario Odyssey is everything you could want from a Mario title, and will no doubt go down in history as one of the best in a superlative series.

Previously, in Sunshine for example, you might have needed to load up one of six or seven iterations of a level to gain access to all of its treasures, but here levels gradually unfurl as you collect their Multi-Moons (which are what they sound like) and/or significant Moons with cutscenes pointing you towards them. This makes progression feel natural, and rarely did we come up against a Moon we couldn't get to yet, which is a relief for completionists.

Levels themselves are intricately designed, offering variety emphasised by whatever local lifeforms are pottering about for you to possess. Not only do levels play brilliantly, but they also look stunning and run without a hitch in either of the Switch’s configurations.

Neat touches and charming moments are everywhere here, whether it's the sight of a huge, cartoonish slab of meat twitching as you try to get a hungry bird’s attention, or the 2D sections which have Mario return to his pixelated roots after heading through a warp pipe.

​The trip to New Donk City, the New York-themed location most flaunted in Nintendo’s marketing of the game, is charming and doesn't outstay it's welcome despite us having already seen so much of it. A particular highlight is the snowy world, which is inhabited by cuddly polar bears shaped like Pokémon's Spheal - they even have their own Mario Kart-esque mini game.

Odyssey’s soundtrack is suitably upbeat, with a jazzy feel that fits the aesthetic perfectly, though an original song towards the end does stick out a little, while still raising a smile.

In terms of negatives, there are but an insignificant few. Stacking goombas is a treat when it works properly, but it's inconsistent as to when you've successfully jumped on one of your pals or not quite done enough and end up taking damage. The biggest irritation is that Mario's stylish costumes, featuring everything from a snowsuit to a samurai outfit, generally require a level-specific second currency to purchase.

While it might not sound like a big deal, this means that by the time you've naturally come across enough you’re generally ready to move on to the next level. As a result, there’s little to no time to enjoy playing an explorer in the jungle level, for example, instead you end up with an odd mixture of chef's hat and snow gear as you reach a cutscene that’s robbed of any drama as a result.

Of course, it's all in aid of fun and entertainment. This game is silly (it's about hat ghosts, after all) and absolutely more wonderful for it. Rarely is it convenient to play a game relentlessly with the many inconveniences of life getting in the way, but the Switch’s unique form factor combined with Odyssey’s moreishness make playing when and wherever effortless.

Super Mario Odyssey is everything you could want from a Mario title, and will no doubt go down in history as one of the best in a superlative series. If you own a Switch then this is an essential purchase; one packed with hours of enjoyment, even after Bowser (spoiler alert if you’ve been living under a rock your whole life...) is eventually defeated.

Pros

• Captivating, beautiful worlds
• ​Accessible and varied gameplay
• Entertainment in its purest form

Cons

• May be too easy for some
• ​Mario lets his hat do a lot of the heavy lifting
• Let us buy costumes and live out our Gordon Ramsey fantasies from the beginning of the level

10/10