It has been over five years since Super Mario Odyssey was released on the Nintendo Switch. As a gamer who got my Switch OLED last year (2021), it took me nearly a year to play this game. For the most part, it was because this game was still being sold at its full price of $60. I kept telling myself, it must go on sale soon enough...right? It never did and I, then, reluctantly purchased it at full price.
It was worth every cent. Super Mario Odyssey may not only be one of the best games I have played on the Switch, but one of the best games I have played in a long time. From beautiful art direction to near perfect platforming, Super Mario Odyssey is a triumph that kept me addicted throughout its main storyline.
Story
In case you couldn't guess, Bowser is up to his evil ways once again and kidnaps Princess Peach in the attempt to marry her. The story starts off with Mario running after Bowser to save the damsel in distress but fails in his attempt and loses his iconic cap in the process. Upon awakening from his failure, he meets his new sidekick (and new hat) Cappy who has also lost someone special by Bowser. He agrees to accompany you as you travel from kingdom to kingdom to help those attacked by Bowser and his henchmen with the end goal of rescuing Peach.
It's a typical Mario storyline but it is a fun one for sure. The story is usually the backdrop in Mario games due to the excellent game design but for some reason I was really engaged in this story as I traveled across the planet and beyond.
Gameplay
Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 on the Nintendo Wii redefined the 3D platforming level design for video games. Super Mario Odyssey does not necessarily give us anything we have not seen already. What the game does to is expand and nearly perfect the level design itself. As you travel from kingdom to kingdom and collect moons (not stars!) on your way to your final destination, you will come across expansive levels that is yours to explore. It is not necessarily an open-world game as you need to use your ship, the Odyssey, to travel between kingdoms but it feels like the franchise is one step away from getting there.
Gone are the days of you accepting missions to obtain all of the stars / moons. While there are the main missions in each kingdom, the rest of the moons you can collect are hidden within the levels themselves. The game begs you to explore instead of going through the "linear" progression of completing the main story missions. The best thing is it is not a chore to go out and explore. Every kingdom I visited I fell in love with and wanted to explore and find what hidden treasures were on top of the cliffs or below the ground floor.
You new partner Cappy also adds to the experience. While you can throw Cappy to knock out enemies you encounter, Cappy also has the unique ability to transport Mario into certain enemies and gain their skills to progress through certain areas. It is interesting to see how these enemies can be used for your own advantage as well as how the level is designed to test the limits of said skills and the enemy type you are utilizing.
The one challenge I found is that while Cappy comes with a new assortment of moves for you to use on your enemies and the environment, some of them are specifically tailored to the Switch's motion controls. While they probably work better when the controllers are detached from the screen, I found it almost impossible for the Switch to pick up what move I am trying to use when I am playing in mobile mode (controllers attached). It's a mild complaint that rarely took me out of the experience but something worth mentioning.
Graphics & Audio
As I mentioned briefly, the game looks gorgeous especially on the Switch's OLED screen. Each kingdom you explore is stunning and the cutscenes look amazing. It has been a while since I played a Mario game, but I cannot remember the plumber looking this good. The soundtrack is also fantastic mixing nostalgia as well as brand new tunes that effortlessly blend into the Mario adventure. And the rock soundtrack that encompasses you when you collect your moons never gets old.
Verdict
Super Mario Odyssey is a fantastic adventure from beginning to end. The level design is top notch, the art direction and soundtrack are essential, and the gameplay is nearly perfect. And the fact this game is over five years old at this point, I cannot wait to see where Mario takes us next. (My guess is Peach will need saving yet again). But until then, I will be busy collecting all 880 moons.
Score: 10/10