SUPER MARIO ODYSSEY

Mario has got up to some weird old shenanigans in his 30-year existence. He’s been a doctor, Olympic athlete and graffiti removal expert – but those dalliances will never rival the madness of Super Mario Odyssey. In this new adventure Mario can assume the form of a fire hydrant, a flagpole or even a dinosaur by flinging his hat at them.

An open-world platformer that’s every bit as ambitious as Zelda: Breath of the Wild, it tasks you with traversing various worlds, each with its own unique art style and challenges. And rather than sticking to the usual formula, Nintendo has done its utmost to break conventions.

The weakest Marios of the past have been content to rely on a cocktail of nostalgia and formula. Odyssey sees such attitudes as an affront to fun: it’s big, risky and creative. Even if that doesn’t all add up to a great game in the end, we have to applaud Nintendo’s intentions. due 27 Oct