Credit:@Pulseeffects
Since the last installment in the Mario Bros. franchise, everyone was wondering how Nintendo was going to top their last game “Super Mario 3D World.” The release of the new Nintendo Switch game “Super Mario Odyssey,” doesn’t disappoint fans of the Mario universe, as the Italian plumber is back for another adventure. With a new gimmick lined up and new colorful and unique kingdoms to explore, this game has got gamers loving every second of it.
The story starts with Mario trying to stop Bowser/ King Koopa from kidnapping Princess Peach to marry. However, he is knocked off of Bowser’s airship by a new side team of enemies called the Broodals. Mario awakes to find that he is in a new kingdom, the Hat Kingdom, and it’s there that he meets a new companion named Cappy, a sentient hat. He tells Mario that Bowser has also captured his sister Tiara and that he is more than likely taking anything related to the wedding Bowser has planned. The two then take off to find a machine that can help them tail Bowser as he travels these new kingdoms, called the Odyssey. Once found, it is now up to Mario to stop Bowser and the Broodals and save the Princess Peach from marrying the Koopa King.
The gameplay in “Super Mario Odyssey” is much like any other Mario game, with the exception of Cappy. Being worn on Mario’s head, Cappy can be thrown to catch coins, attack, and most importantly let Mario take possession of anything it is capable of landing on. When this possession occurs, Mario can then use unique abilities solely designed for that specific possession. For example, one of the most popular and fun possessions is when Mario takes control of a T-Rex, which allows the player to stomp large rocks and pretty much be an unstoppable T-Rex. This mechanic works well due to its list of potential attachments, such as many enemies and objects.
One of the more known topics about the game is that finally human models have been put into the game. In the kingdom New Donk City, humans are the primary community, as the city looks very much like New York City. While Mario is technically human, these models are taller and look less cartoonish and more like real people. While some fans might be at odds with it, others are excited to see how Mario would act with the populous if he was real.
The soundtrack for this game is fantastic as with a full-on orchestra making the tunes. One of the most notable songs is also from New Donk City, called “Jump Up, Super Star!” where the orchestra and a singer bring an almost nostalgic song to the player.
The levels and backgrounds for “Super Mario Odyssey” also come to life with vibrant colors and fluid character animations. If there is one thing that could be said against this game is that the character animations can be a little weird and the game’s camera can be a little problematic if the player wants to sometimes land a jump just right to a platform.
With these small minor issues, “Super Mario Odyssey” has become one of the best games this year, and it shows by how inventive and fun it can be. This installment in the franchise is sure to be becoming some peoples favorite, and it is definitely worth checking out if you’re a gamer of any kind or a fan of the red-hatted hero.
