LOOK, MARIO IS BACK AGAIN
Super Odyssey delights
Every time you think Nintendo has exhausted all the tricks available when creating a new “Mario” title, the company proves you wrong.
Super Mario Odyssey is another example of just how the world’s most recognizable video game character can keep up with the times, break new ground and star in a captivating, fun and visually stunning video game that will appeal to fans of all ages.
Mario is back, people. And, dare I say, he’s better than ever.
In this go-round, Mario gives up his famous costumes, which grant him special abilities, in favour of a magic cap called Cappy. Cappy is alive and apparently lives in a world of sentient top hats and bonnets being terrorized by Super Mario villain Bowser. He needs Mario’s help to do away with Bowser. Mario needs Cappy’s help because, well, Cappy is pretty awesome.
The addition of Cappy allowed Nintendo to do away with Mario’s famous mushrooms, suits and other power-ups. Cappy can transform into tools, allow Mario to take over the bodies of other characters (it’s kind of fun to run around as a moustache-clad Goomba) and even pull switches to open doors and activate things.
It’s this dynamic, coupled with the game’s open world, that really makes Odyssey pop. At its heart, it’s a Mario game. But, if the player wants to tour around the desert and explore a Mexican fiesta-themed world full of dancing skeletons, you can.
Similarly, “New Donk City” and its skyscrapers and taxi cabs are visually stunning and there for players to wander through and explore.
Mixed into the game are scenes that require Mario to crawl into a pipe like he’s done thousands of times before. However, once inside the pipe, the game almost flattens out to become a throwback version of early 8-bit Mario titles. Players run, jump, collect items and complete the challenge before returning to Cappy’s wide-open world to continue the adventure. Switching up the gameplay is neat and nostalgic, but it also serves to break things up and keep things interesting.
Game designers have also introduced new, optional controls for the Mario game.
Using the Switch’s wand-like Joycon controllers allows players to launch Cappy by flicking their wrists like they’re throwing a Frisbee. Different movement’s make Cappy do different things and launch different attacks.
While the control scheme is fresh and new, at times it seems a bit like a gimmick.
Most Mario players will find that snapping the Joycons into their “Charging Grip” casing, creating a more traditional controller, is the most comfortable way to play through the title.
At its heart, this Mario game was made for video game fans of all ages. The new open worlds and fancy graphics are there to appeal to younger gamers, while older Mario fans get these fantastic throwback moments where the game switches to 8-bit mayhem, allowing them to showcase decades-old skills.
Cappy’s powers make for some fresh puzzle-solving and a new lineup of supporting bad guys have been added.
Toss in a storyline that is totally bonkers — really all that matters is Bowser has once again kidnapped Princess Peach — and you end up with an Odyssey for the ages.