Super Mario Odyssey is a strong choice if you want a 3D Mario adventure built around exploration, playful experimentation, and collecting. Its defining twist is Cappy: Mario can throw his hat to take control of enemies and objects, adding new ways to move through its imaginative kingdoms. Nintendo released the game for Nintendo Switch on October 27, 2017, and the available critical reception is strongly positive.
What kind of game is Super Mario Odyssey?
Super Mario Odyssey is a sandbox-style 3D platform adventure for Nintendo Switch. Mario travels between distinct kingdoms with Cappy, his new ally, searching for Power Moons that fuel the Odyssey airship as he follows Bowser’s wedding plans. Nintendo sums up its premise as a “massive, globe-trotting 3D adventure.” Nintendo’s U.S. product page describes the game’s setting and central mechanics.
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How does Cappy change the familiar Mario formula?
Cappy is more than a projectile or a way to hit enemies. Throwing the cap can let Mario capture enemies, animals, and objects, temporarily using their abilities to reach places or interact with the world in different ways. That makes experimentation part of the platforming: progress can come from figuring out what a nearby target can do, not only from timing a jump.
The capture mechanic is the game’s clearest point of distinction from a more straightforward run-and-jump platformer. It should appeal if you enjoy trying different approaches and discovering how a level’s pieces fit together. If you mainly want a linear sequence of familiar jumps with little detouring, the broader emphasis on exploration may be less compelling.
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- Explore 3D kingdoms filled with secrets and surprises, including costumes for Mario and several ways to interact with environments
- Mario's new friend, Cappy, lets you master new moves like cap throw, cap jump and capture
- Visit astonishing new locales, such as the skyscraper-packed New Donk City, and run into familiar friends and foes as you try to save Princess Peach from Bowser's clutches and foil his dastardly wedding plans
- Hand a Joy-Con controller to a friend to enjoy simultaneous multiplayer: Player 1 controls Mario while Player 2 controls Mario’s new ally Cappy
- Unlock even more features with the exclusive new amiibo figures - Mario, Princess Peach and Bowser dressed in their wedding outfits
Is exploring and collecting Power Moons rewarding?
Searching each kingdom for Power Moons and secrets is a central activity, not an optional side system bolted onto the adventure. Moons power the Odyssey, so exploration feeds directly into the journey. The loop suits players who enjoy scanning environments, testing Cappy’s abilities, and finding collectibles tucked away from the obvious route.
That same structure means the experience is less about simply moving from one tightly prescribed course to the next. Its appeal depends on whether you find exploration and repeated discoveries satisfying. Players who prefer a narrowly guided path may find the search-and-collect rhythm less focused.
What are the worlds and presentation like?
Mario’s journey takes him far beyond the Mushroom Kingdom through a variety of kingdoms, giving the adventure a globe-trotting sense of place. Nintendo’s product description emphasizes those unusual destinations, while the available critic commentary praises the game’s inventive design and joyful tone. Those are critical assessments rather than a guarantee that every player will respond the same way.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What do reviews say about Super Mario Odyssey?
The review material available from Metacritic’s critic reviews supports describing the reception as strongly positive. One surfaced critic assessment highlights the combination of nostalgic themes, intuitive gameplay, and inventive design, calling the result joyful and compelling. No stable current aggregate score is established here, so a numeric score would give a false impression of precision.
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Should you buy or play it?
For players looking for a 3D Mario platform adventure with room to explore, experiment with abilities, and collect secrets, Super Mario Odyssey is an easy recommendation. The capture mechanic gives its familiar platforming a distinctive twist, and the Power Moon hunt makes exploration central to the journey. Its 2017 release date does not change the basic decision: choose it for discovery-driven play, not for a strictly linear platformer.
Platform, editions, and compatibility
Nintendo’s U.S. store lists physical and digital editions for Nintendo Switch. Its product information also lists ESRB descriptors Cartoon Violence and Comic Mischief. Nintendo states that the game is supported on Nintendo Switch 2 with behavior consistent with Nintendo Switch, and describes a free Switch 2 update with visual enhancements, HDR support, and GameShare features. Check Nintendo’s current product and update information for the latest compatibility details, since those can change. Physical edition and product details · Digital edition details.
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