Super Mario Odyssey: A Weird, Wonderful Adventure

Super Mario Odyssey: A Weird, Wonderful Adventure

Super Mario Odyssey is a wonderfully weird adventure. The author compares its unsettling familiarity to a bizarre Peanuts comic strip featuring out-of-scale adults. Odyssey offers expansive levels, intricate designs, and a challenging gameplay experience.

A Unique Mario Experience

The game’s innovative mechanics, like Mario’s hat-based capture ability, add layers of complexity. You can even create temporary platforms by throwing your hat, adding a unique strategic element. However, the game’s art style is what truly sets it apart.

Unlike previous Mario games with their soft, familiar aesthetics, Odyssey plunges Mario into diverse, sometimes jarring worlds. The Cascade Kingdom, for example, features realistic textures that clash with Mario’s cartoonish design. Even the Metro Kingdom, with its New York City influence and human characters, feels oddly out of place.

A Self-Aware Masterpiece?

The author explores the possibility that Odyssey’s unusual visuals are intentional, reflecting a self-awareness of other game genres. The game’s environments and challenges seem designed to showcase Mario’s adaptability and unique character, even in unconventional settings.

Ultimately, Super Mario Odyssey is a triumph, proving that Mario can thrive in unexpected worlds, maintaining his charm and challenging gameplay while venturing beyond the familiar. It’s a testament to the series’ enduring appeal and the creative vision of its developers.