Taxis in the city of New Donk show the number 1981 on their license plates, not by chance. That was the date Mario started jumping, and since then Miyamoto set himself an ambitious goal: that no one do it better than him. Super Mario Odyssey picks up his wish and transforms it into the great leap that not only the plumber needed, but Nintendo itself. Analysis.
Of the many moments that I have lived with Super Mario Odyssey , there is one that does not go out of my head. You will have seen it through the many trailers that Nintendo has published. In a kind of nostalgic sections, Mario runs in two dimensions, hitting pixelated blocks and collecting coins with the corresponding eight-bit sound. Suddenly it pops out of the side and into its current 3D shape. That moment, in which the plumber crosses a pipe and gains volume, represents the passage of more than 30 years of history .
Far from being a banal matter, it is the key to everything. This moment could be interpreted as a source of nostalgia. It is. But reading between pixels, it is the way in which we are welcomed to Mario’s great leap . Their odyssey through different regions throughout the world is the excuse to tell us that they do not forget their past, but that they are not afraid to face the future either. There are many strokes of nostalgia, but also of novelty and evolution. And the surprising thing is that all this knows how to combine without falling into the easy tear or the most disrespectful insult against tradition.
That a saga grows at this rate is not explained by the charisma of a character, but rather that he has been treated well for several decades. This video game proves it. He is aware of his responsibility, but far from being self-satisfied, he improves himself to surprising levels. For this he puts on the fun cap , not only metaphorically, but also adding a layer of innovation to each of the systems that make up the title. Control, mechanics, structure, technology, art, music … The dedication is commendable, the great talent and the irreproachable work. We cannot say it clearer in its analysis: Nintendo Switch receives a platform with the potential to end up elevated to the category of masterpiece.
Video Analysis
Super Mario Odyssey: Video Analysis
Repeating history, making historyThe anecdote that gave rise to Super Mario 64 is well known: a test of the plumber chasing a rabbit. “Make it fun,” Miyamoto insisted. The adjustment in terms of control, key in the jump to 3D, was fundamental in the development. Twenty years later, we continue to chase that little animal called MIPS in one of the countless tests that Super Mario Odyssey contains, not located here as a mere nod to the past. The best confirmation that the game works exemplary, is that the simple mechanic of chasing said rabbit is still fun today.
Defeat Bowser and rescue Princess Peach? Well yes, it was easy to guess. The story has the same weight as in other Mario games, although the Cappy cap is very good company … and there is something else that will surprise you.
There are many aspects of the game that are transparent when you take the controls, but that explain its success. We assume that when you move or jump, you will end up where you want, but then few video games achieve such a basic mission. On this occasion, with 60 frames per second behind him, it is more important than ever that Mario responds, and not only that he does it well, but that he does it perfectly.
The catalog of shares , recovered and enhanced with respect to previous deliveries, explains half of the success. The other half is held by the camera , which is positioned in all possible ways to ensure your comfort. All this exempts the developers from poor Mario’s misfortunes. It was something they learned from Gunpei Yokoi: “A video game is fun when, if you fail, you blame yourself, not the video game.”
It is a platform with the potential to end up elevated to the category of masterpieceIt is possible to manually reorient the perspective, although it is not strictly necessary, just as it is not essential to master the new actions introduced. The reason is that Nintendo is aware that there are users of all kinds. This is when we must talk about something fundamental: layered design . At its most superficial, Super Mario Odyssey is a video game easy in difficulty and simple to handle. At its deepest, getting all the crescents (hundreds) requires the utmost skill, becoming what gives the title its name: an odyssey.
Semilunas, the fuel of your odysseyThe game structure itself is an unequivocal manifestation of the proposal. Each world is conceived as a concentrated “sandbox” environment in which the crescents (necessary to pass the stage) pose a challenge of different magnitude. There are the simple, the challenging, the complex, and the nearly impossible. You could meet them on the way, or spend several minutes with just one of them.
Mario increases the quality and number of his movements. There are some maneuvers especially suitable for the most skilled users.
Different layers of play for different types of users. A decentralized but at the same time compact approach: chaos within the order so that each player achieves the greatest satisfaction. Nintendo has been working on it for a long time. Specifically, from Super Mario 64 and Sunshine through the star system. The logic starts from there, but it is modified so that each crescent is a little challenge, so that the action continues immediately in the same place where you get them. It is a joy to say that this is the most accurate attempt to date .
The feeling has reminded me of Zelda: Breath of the Wild . He knew where he started to play, but not where he ended. The free will dynamic intervention , in which you decide where to go, explains the success of Super Mario Odyssey. No two games are the same. The developers have a main objective for you, but there are so many things to entertain yourself that you could get the necessary crescents to get through the world without completing the main mission.
The designs are funny and detailed to the fullestStill, the flow is insurmountable, the addiction brutal, and the hours go by without you noticing, thanks to the worlds being extremely dense and varied . You always feel like you are doing something new and amazing. It’s the “Russian doll” effect. It seems that what you see is what there is, but going into its recesses you realize that there are many hidden possibilities.
If you have played previous Mario titles, you will know that developers usually place coins or an invisible block at that end of the phase that only a few explore. Miyamoto has always considered this an incentive, that detail that rewards the player for doing what is outside the script. Super Mario Odyssey delves into that appreciation and reward that you explore to the farthest corners of the stage . It is probably the video game of the franchise that most affects this mechanic, becoming another of those invisible but surprising aspects that contribute to enrich the result.
Once again, Mario puts into practice the logic of the “thousand genres” with mini-games for all tastes, which contribute to increase the variety
The more he played, the more he saw the breaking of certain conventions, such as that Mario does not win or lose lives . Instead, there is a coin penalty every time he takes serious damage or falls flat. With this a double objective is pursued. On the one hand, that less skilled users are not outmatched. On the other hand, that the most hardened take risks as they have never done before. Works. The solution adopted offers a balance based more on the reward than on the punishment.
In the end, the playable logic is perfectly cohesive. The crescents are used to progress and the coins to buy new uniforms in the stores. Each world also has exclusive items, an aspect that makes for a truly round game. For all these reasons, the rate of progression may vary from one user to another. I’ve gotten over it in about 8-10 hours , but the post-game content allows you to spend more than double. It is a strategy followed by the EAD team from Tokyo in previous Mario titles. The first round is about learning; the second domain.
Nintendo styleTo get you to stay that long, one of the priorities has been the visuals. It doesn’t seem like a coincidence that Kenta Motokura is the director of the game. Having served as a character designer on various Mario titles, it stands to reason that he would strongly support the art team. The result is great, a true festival of color and know-how . The designs are funny and detailed to the fullest. He moved the good old plumber and made him jump just to see how his huge nose was deformed. I marveled when he came out of the water and his model glowed while dropping droplets around him. All with a stable image rate 99.9% of the time.
It’s not that the bosses are overly numerous and challenging, but there are some really nifty ones.
Few times has Nintendo been seen to experiment so much in a video gameThe belief that Nintendo video games do not bet on graphics is quite widespread. That’s because the talented use of the color palette is neglected . That’s because neat animations are not considered . That’s because the cute character design is not appreciated enough : goombas, toads, little fish Cheep Cheep … Everything in Super Mario Odyssey seems to be taken from a fantastic fairy tale in which you would not mind going to live for a few days.
I have been completely amazed as I entered each world and saw how they were rendered. Sometimes betting on horizontality ; others due to verticality … and most due to an extraordinary combination of both. There is a kingdom of vegetables and vegetables with forks as protagonists, a desert in which the first to greet me are some colorful Mexican skulls or a beach in which some goombas dressed as pirates chase me.
Playing on Switch through its portable mode offers an indescribable feeling. Having such a great game in your hands, and that it also works so well, is worthy of applause. The fluidity is optimal and the slowdowns minimal.
The parade of ideas is so cleverly humorous that it is another reason for wanting to discover new territories. Rarely had Nintendo been seen to experiment so much in a video game, to the point of introducing aspects of the real world . An Egyptian sphinx? A moai? A Tyrannosaurus Rex? The city of New Donk is the pinnacle of the video game, with Mario wandering among office workers, running in front of taxis and jumping over skyscrapers, with the classic question blocks functioning as traffic lights.
The magnificent thing is that everything has been known to combine to create a solid, unique, genuine and frankly unrepeatable game. Basically it is as if the Mario universe invades our planet in an artistic way. The way it is rendered is sensational, as demonstrated by the fantastic photo mode . It has the basics: framing, angle and zoom, but the results are spectacular thanks to different filters, including one that emulates the Game Boy. After using it, I think there will be many who are encouraged to share their journey through social networks.
Odyssey goes beyond what we understand as a platform gameAnd it is that even in this the video game is consistent with the tourist theme . Each stage has its viewpoint, so you can take a look at what is there. The map of each world is a fold-out brochure with the places of interest and, among the things that we can buy, there are souvenirs that end up being part of the decoration of the Odyssey ship. Getting them all is another reason to have a good vacation in the video game.
The details do not end, and they also touch the sound plane. There are more than 50 songs that walk between calm, tension, joyful and rhythmic. The approach is similar to that of other Mario adventures, although then there are things as unusual as the presence of songs performed out loud. It is surprising that most of the worlds have a retro theme, corresponding to the sections in which Mario moves between his 2D eight-bit version and the current 3D. It is nostalgia, but not forced, but inserted within a logic that puts evolution before mere senseless homage.
To take off the capThis is why Super Mario Odyssey is so great. For that reason, and for the cap that crowns everything already mentioned. It is the last layer, the one in charge of endowing this adventure with a singular magic: that of becoming whatever the game has been programmed for. The cast is extensive, and you can basically navigate difficulties on land, sea, and air that you couldn’t in Mario’s original state.
Swim without drowning in the depths with Cheep Cheep. Slam into rocks and enemies with a Chain Chomp. Throw pans at the skin of a Koopa Troopa. Variety rises exponentially with this powerful transform mechanic. And the surprising thing is that each one is taken care of to the maximum , making Odyssey go beyond what we understand as a platform game. It is almost a shame that some of the transformations are only used in a specific part of the adventure, but there is the magic of making a situation become unrepeatable and remain in the memory.
There are specific moments – in addition to mini-games – that depend exclusively on the possibilities that Cappy opens up for us. In many of them, the developers demonstrate tremendous ability to surprise us, with not only varied approaches, but fun and challenging. In other words, the cap is a fundamental element in the success of Super Mario Odyssey . It is his greatest innovation, although not the only one. It may not even be the most important thing.
Perhaps the key is in what I pointed out before, the elements that go unnoticed when you play, but that are there to ensure a great experience. There’s so much work behind it, it’s hard to do it justice. At the end of the day, we are facing a title that does not start from scratch, but gathers many years of experience. Here you will see references to Super Mario 64, Sunshine, Galaxy … and other works such as Donkey Kong, Mario Kart or Splatoon himself. The pieces of the puzzle about the history of the franchise are perfectly assembled in the video game. It is a true festival , but one that does not fall into the nonsense of continually staring at the navel.
A pipe to the past, but also to the futureYou will agree that we live in years when nostalgia has become fashionable. Nintendo is no stranger to it. You will notice it in many situations, the more the more you have played Mario’s adventures. However, the nostalgic serves as another of the layers of the video game, without gaining all the prominence . 2D scenes are developed on 3D spaces, as if to say that we do not lose perspective, that this is good for a while, the memory that brings out the tear. But before it falls down your cheek, you are already throwing the cap again to transform into a goomba.
Collecting coins acquires an unusual importance in this adventure, since it allows us to obtain different uniforms, which give access to certain secrets.
Super Mario Odyssey puts one pipe to the past, but appreciating the other that leads to the future. It means re-gazing into open worlds with the passion and determination of a young development team. While you play you perceive things never seen in a Mario title , which are a mix between the courage that youth brings and the lucidity that experience gives. Throwing oneself into the unknown but without forgetting everything learned is what explains the success of this development.
In the process they have been extremely cautious so that ambition does not hinder the result. The benefits of amiibos can also be achieved via playable. The gyroscopes are used for special maneuvers, without being essential. The cooperative allows a second user manage Cappy, but does not provide an advantage over solo play.
The photo mode is absolutely incredible and brings out the extraordinary art of the video game.
Together with Breath of the Wild, it confirms that the Big N returns to the red, to its best timeAll this does not mean that they experiment with online and new fashions . There are numerous mini-games and quizzes that have scores (we anticipate madness records). The photo mode is so well integrated that sharing your work via Facebook and Twitter is very convenient. The very high number of crescents and the extreme difficulty of some will make the function of recording and sharing online the last 30 seconds of game really useful. That is not to mention the bizarre plays or secrets that will be discovered about the game. Oddities that, as in the case of Super Mario 64, were not known until decades later .
It is as if Nintendo had launched the Cappy cap on the advances and trends of the industry, but without losing that which makes them unique and recognizable. It could also be understood as if a cap were thrown on all the invisible elements (control, structure, difficulty …) that I have insisted so much on and that are the key to success. Or it could also be understood as if Mario threw Cappy on planet Earth itself, something that would explain why this odyssey is still an extraordinary fusion between fantasy and reality.
Youth and experience unitedOne of the aspects that Miyamoto pointed out the most about this project is that the youngest developers were left free to contribute their ideas. In a move similar to that of Breath of the Wild: the developers had more voice than before. And there is something important. Kenta Motokura is the director. His “background” as an artist would explain that we have seen the fusion of fantastic and real elements, like Mario walking the streets of a city that emulates New York in a suit.
Although I have to be honest. I don’t know if I’ve played more taking off my cap… or my hat. Miyamoto once said that since Donkey Kong (1981) his primary goal was to prevent someone from doing better. Today Super Mario Odyssey shows us that the mustachioed continues to be a vehicle of innovation and excellence , that character that for more than 30 years has inspired a number of developers at Nintendo.
He is not the most handsome, nor the tallest, nor the strongest, nor the most intelligent … but his creators always believed in him. The growth process of a character is not explained by his charisma, but by video games like this one . A title that, along with Breath of the Wild, confirms that the Big N returns to the red, to its best time, the one in which it proposed not only quality, but things that had never been seen in the industry. In its own way, Odyssey is once again one surprise after another, in the form of a platform where creation and creators jump in unison. Because this is not only Mario’s great leap, but Nintendo’s great leap as a developer.
“Unforgettable”
Super mario odyssey
9.3
Readers
(63)
A great platform jump that covers more than 30 years of history, looking to the past, but also throwing a cap of innovation towards the future. Super Mario Odyssey expresses Nintendo’s intention to evolve, putting its feet in the present but without forgetting its style. The video game is a spectacle of variety, talent and fun. One of those titles that justify the purchase of a console and that you will not be able to get out of your head until the developers themselves come up with something better to do with the plumber … or his cap.
- Open structure in levels, density and variety, with challenges for all audiences
- Flawless Mario and Camera Control – A Joy to Play
- Go through more than 30 years of Mario’s history without falling into tearful nostalgia
- Minigames, quizzes, secrets … Replayability is more than half the game
- Extraordinary on an artistic level, talented, friendly and overflowing with color
- Optimal performance technically, 60 images per second very stable
- Musically varied and surprising, with themes to remember
- It is another great leap within the franchise, at the height of great classics
