PixlBit

 JUMP UP, SUPER STAR!

                          There's no power-up like dancing so turn up your volume

Hello everyone, how are you? Yes I know I finished posting something yesterday but today is the 1st anniversary of the amazing Super Mario Odyssey! And if you know me, there is no way I was going to pass this up. As with any game with an anniversary, I like to use these posts to give my thoughts and share my memories on a game be it 5, 10, 15, or 20 years old. So as long I have played said game. It's funny because this game is barely a year old so this is probably the shortest span I have ever had to write on one of these posts. For this one I made an exception. I also wrote some brief thoughts on Super Mario Odyssey in my thoughts on one year of the Nintendo Switch if you prefer to read that instead.

You don't need any bags, or a pass, say the word and I'll be there in a flash, you could say my hat is off to you. Get ready as we can zoom all the way to the moon from this great wide wacky world. Jump with me, grab coins with me as we take a look at Super Mario Odyssey...

As you all know, Super Mario Odyssey made its debut on the First Look at Nintendo Switch video back in 2016. It was such a great first look at the rumored system. But what caught my attention was the new Mario game playing in the background. I mean I know I was already getting a Nintendo Switch since I always get Nintendo's platforms first or as soon as I can, but as soon as I saw that new Mario game I knew I needed it. You see, when I get Nintendo hardware, I get it for a variety of reasons. Pokemon is the main reason I get Nintendo handhelds. But Mario is the reason I get Nintendo consoles. Plus I know all my favorite games are going to be on those platforms anyway. But those are my top reasons for getting their hardware. It always has been that way.

It was an untitled Mario game at the time till we finally got our first actual look and the official name which was known as Super Mario Odyssey. My brother at first thought that this was Super Mario Galaxy 3. It kinda did but I knew it wasn't Galaxy 3. I know the Galaxy games better than most people and this was not Galaxy 3, something different but just as fun. The trailer was amazing but it left us with more questions than answers. But the name Odyssey did give you a clue on what the game was going to be about. There was a globe on the name and Mario's hat might be a main focus or perhaps a new gameplay mechanic. We did see Mario doing various stunts with it, but we didn't know it was sentient till after the trailer. Then we got an even better look when E3 came along.

                          

                                           I cried when I saw this. It was so beautiful...

 I. COULD. NOT. BE. MORE. EXCITED. That song was beautiful. It was hard waiting but it paid off. October 27 came by and any other game that month and year didn't exists as far as I was concerned. This was the game I have been waiting for all year. I popped it in my Switch and played all day. It was incredible.

The game starts off as standard Mario stuff. Bowser has kidnapped the Princess (again) except this time Mario and Bowser are locked into a battle at the way beginning. But this time it's different. Bowser is forcing Princess Peach to get married with him and Mario is having none of that. This isn't the first time Bowser has attempted to get married with Peach as he has tried in Super Paper Mario and various non-gaming media as well. Unfortunately Mario loses the fight and is knocked out of Bowser's airship. Mario falls and lands on the Cap Kingdom. Mario meets Cappy and both their goals align with what they are doing so he joins Mario on his Odyssey to stop Bowser.

                                                             Game and Watch

The game starts you off in Bonneton the land of haberdashed dreams, an area located in the Cap Kingdom. While not quite the true first kingdom you visit, it's basically a tutorial that serves a great place to get used to the controls and what the game has to offer. You'll get to see how to use Cappy and what he can do. Trust me, Cappy is one of the best parts of the game. He might be Mario's most versatile partner yet adding to Mario's own moveset. From here on out, you venture to Fossil Falls, the last holdout of History located in the Cascade Kingdom and this is where your journey truly begins.Your main objective here is to find Power Moons to power up your ship, known as the Odyssey and that is what you'll be using to travel from Kingdom to Kingdom.

Collectibles in this game are called Power Moons and that's what you'll be collecting in the game. And trust me, there is a ton of them. You get Power Moons by doing various things like completing an objective, solving a puzzle and more. However unlike previous games, you don't exit the level when you collect a Power Moon. Think of it like in Donkey Kong 64 when you collected a Golden Banana and you could keep exploring.

There are more collectibles here too. You'll be collecting coins here like in all Mario games and that serves as the main currency in the game. There are shops in the game and using coins you can buy stuff. Also there are no lives in this game, but as long as you have 10 coins on you you will come back should you lose all your health of fall off or whatever. Exclusive to each Kingdom is their own set of Purple Coins in their own unique design and shape. Think of it like the currency in different countries. You use these to buy exclusive costumes that you can only get in each Kingdom as well as souvenirs that you can use to decorate the Odyssey.

                                                        Salvaging in the Cloud Sea.

The Kingdoms themselves are really big and each have their own objectives to do. On one Kingdom you have to win a race. On another you get a band back together for a huge celebration. On another you have to take control of a tank. And another one has you playing with a dog. You'll doing various things in the game. Though there are some tasks that just hand out Power Moons. There are also these special warp pipes you can enter to enter 2D sections inspired by the original Super Mario Bros. And yes, you'll still be wearing an 8-bit version of whatever costume you happen to be wearing.

The game encourages you to explore and experiment with Cappy. Cappy can take control of many enemies and objects and you'll be surprised at all the things Cappy can capture. I had a ton of fun just experimenting and pushing what the game allowed me to do with Cappy. There's a ton of remarkable feats you can pull of with Cappy and Mario's combined moveset. You can also pause the game at any moment and take photos of the game using various filters that they give you. It's really cool too and most of the images used here were taken by me using the photo mode.

The music is really great as well like in any Mario game. The music always helps with the experience in games and that is true here as well. Each Kingdom has its own style of music if I'm making sense. Each song matches the theme of the Kingdom you're in. Definitely up there among the best songs in the series. And as I've mentioned, Jump Up, Super Star! is one of the best, if not, the best song in the game. It is so upbeat and catchy. This also marks the first time the series has gotten a vocal song.

The game is packed with references and homages to different Mario games. Almost all the costumes themselves are references to other Mario games and other Mario related media. It's really cool seeing old favorite looks that Mario has had throughout his life. Plus all of New Donk City itself. Another thing that many haven't noticed is the getures Mario does with his hands when he collects a Power Moon. When Mario does a Victory pose, that's a reference to how he collected a Power Star in Super Mario 64. When it is an open palm, that's when he collected a Shine Sprite in Sunshine. And the closed fist is when he collects a Power Star in Galaxy. It's all these little subtle nods that are hidden in plain sight.

Nintendo even continues to support the game via free updates. One of the big updates added Luigi's Balloon World which is a sort of mini game you can play in different Kingdoms. Here you can hide a balloon for others to find or you can find and pop the balloons other players have hidden. Nintendo also adds new costumes to the game as well which is great. But be prepared to pay a hefty sum of coins for them. They even add new photo mode filters too which is really cool.

                                                    Isle Delfino Kingdom when Nintendo?

Final thoughts: This game is just incredible. I knew Odyssey would be special ever since they first showed it off. The game feels more like a true successor to Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine than a successor to the Galaxy games. It ran with that formula and it improved upon it in every way.

The Kingdoms are really big with tons of things to see and do. There are a ton of Power Moons hidden in every corner. The Kingdoms are really well made each with their own theme as well as its own residents and currency. The music in them is just incredible like in many Mario games. Especially the main theme, Jump Up, Super Star!, is so catchy and upbeat that it will make you want to get up up and dance and sing along. I know all the lyrics to it and sometimes sing it from time to time. That was the song of 2017 and you know it.

It's a game Nintendo continues to support with free updates like the mentioned Luigi's Balloon World and free costumes. It's stuff Nintendo could of put out as paid dlc, which I think it might not be worth paying, but glad it's free of charge. You just have to put in some effort on your part for the costumes. Plus those neat camera filters.

Overall I had a ton of fun with the game. I pretty much have done everything in the game. I've beaten every single challenge the game has thrown at me and have collected everything. Honestly it isn't as good as the Galaxy games, but Super Mario Odyssey is a fantastic game in it's own right. It took the foundation of Super Mario 64 and tweaked and improved it in every way. I would honestly love Galaxy 3 but I would not say no to an Odyssey 2. I feel there is so much untapped potential here for a sequel.

The Mario series has always been about the gameplay, like the mechanics, the platforming, and fun. That design philosophy is shown splendidly here. Cappy is so much fun to use. Think of Cappy as F.L.U.D.D. from Sunshine. You can use him in a variety of different ways in the game from springing you up in the air to acting as a midair platform to possesing objects. Plus throwing Cappy to capture and allow you to control various enemies in the game. Plus you can add him to Mario's very versatile moveset and this opens many possibilities in the game. I feel that they haven't even scratched the surface with him. I hope that they will go crazy with him in an eventual Odyssey 2

                                        It was a long but satisfying end to this journey

In many ways, this game is a culmination of everything about the series and everything that is Mario. You can tell thanks to all the references to all the past Mario games, be it mainline Mario games and/or spin-off titles. Especially in the various costumes and hats Mario can obtain and wear. Plus Pauline, a character that hasn't had significant spotlight in a very long time plays a big role in the game and is a more fleshed out character. That and pretty much all of New Donk City pays tribute to the whole series. It's a game that embraces everything about the series legacy, it's past and the future of the series and it's not afraid to show it.

This game signifies both a beginning, the end, and a new start. All of us grew up with Mario one way or another. Every gamer out there has played a Mario game at least once. Maybe you grew up with the original Super Mario Bros. Perhaps Super Mario World. Maybe even Super Mario 64. Or maybe even Mario Kart or any other Mario spin-off. No matter what, Mario has been with us from the very beginning as much as we have been there with him. We've been with him since the journey starts and till the journey ends. There is a reason why Mario is the most recognized character and video game series in the world. He is the face of gaming. He is called Mr. Video Game after all.

Think about Mario's journey in this game, think about the theme of the game. Many believed that this would of been the very last Mario game and yeah, you may be right due to all the teasers we got prior to the release of the game. Many believed it would be the end of Mario's journey. But what really happens at the end of the game? I can't say or I'll spoil it. But think of it as a new beginning. A new start. Not just for Mario or for the series or gaming, but rather ourselves as gamers. But no matter what, Mario will be our Super Star. Now listen all you boys and girls  All around the world Don't be afraid to get up and move You know that we're all superstars We're the ones who made it this far Put a smile on that face There's no time to waste So, let's do the odyssey

So those are my thoughts on Super Mario Odyssey 1 Year later. So what did you think of Super Mario Odyssey? Have you played it? If not then stop what you're doing and go get yourself a copy of the game. I can assure you that you will have a fun time with the game and will guarantee to make you smile. That's all for now, thanks for reading and Happy 1 Year Anniversary Super Mario Odyssey!

 

 

 

 

 

 

*All images with my name were taken by me, courtesy of Super Mario Odyssey and my Nintendo Switch*