Super Mario Odyssey is a 3D action-adventure platformer for the Nintendo Switch. It is the eighth 3D title of the Super Mario series; the first 3D Super Mario title for a hybrid console, being the sixth 3D Super Mario title on a home console after Super Mario 3D World; and the third 3D Super Mario title on a handheld console after Super Mario 64 DS and Super Mario 3D Land. In 2020, it was recognized as the the twentieth entry in the Super Mario series.[12] As of 2024, it is recognized as the twenty-first on Mario Portal.[13] It was first teased in the Switch's announcement video on October 20, 2016, and was formally announced as part of the Nintendo Switch presentation on January 13, 2017. The game was released in select regions on October 27, 2017;[14] in South Korea and Taiwan on December 1, 2017;[8][9] and in China on March 16, 2020.[10] The game features sandbox-like elements similar to those in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine and revolves around Mario exploring Earth-based settings with his new partner, Cappy. Unique to this game, Mario is able to throw Cappy onto certain enemies and objects, allowing Mario to take control of them and use their abilities. Mario can also dress in different costumes, several being based on the previous games. The game supports two-player co-op, allowing a second player to use a single Joy-Con or Pro Controller to control Cappy independently from Mario. The game also has online functionality, which allows players to compare their times/scores in certain events. In addition, amiibo can be used to unlock certain costumes early as well as obtain free hints toward the locations of Power Moons and regional coins. The Mario (Wedding Outfit), Peach (Wedding Outfit), and Bowser (Wedding Outfit) amiibo have designs based on this game and were released on the same day as Super Mario Odyssey. The story begins in the skies above Peach's Castle, where Mario and Bowser are in the middle of fighting each other on Bowser's Airship, with Princess Peach on board as well, witnessing the battle. Bowser punches the ground as Mario jumps backward. Bowser then jumps at Mario and shoots fire at him, missing. Bowser then throws his hat at Mario, which misses while knocking Mario's cap off his head, then turns around, hitting Mario and sending him flying. Bowser then takes his airship toward the skies, as he prepares a forced marriage to Peach. He leaves Mario's cap adrift into the ship's back propellers, shredding it in the process. A piece is obtained by a Bonneter named Cappy, who eventually finds Mario in Bonneton, located in the Cap Kingdom. Cappy begins nudging Mario to awaken him. Mario wakes up, startling Cappy, who attempts to flee. Upon being calmed down, Cappy introduces himself and explains to Mario that Bowser not only had attacked their kingdom, destroying its airship armada, but had also kidnapped Tiara, Cappy's sister, to use her as Peach's wedding headdress. Together, the two decide to team up to stop Bowser's plans and save both Peach and Tiara, and using the piece he collected, Cappy transforms into Mario's cap, allowing Mario to use his abilities. Cappy then informs Mario that they may be able to find a usable airship in the next kingdom, accessible from Top-Hat Tower. While exploring the tower, Mario captures a frog, first learning of this being Cappy's main ability. Upon reaching the top, they encounter the Broodals, who were hired by Bowser as his wedding planners. After defeating one of the Broodals, named Topper, Mario and Cappy use a spark pylon to travel to Fossil Falls of the Cascade Kingdom, where they find the airship, named the Odyssey, which uses Power Moons as energy to travel. Soon after, Mario and Cappy find and defeat Madame Broode, who is the boss of the Broodals, and her Chain Chomp. Using the power of the Multi Moon obtained from Madame Broode, the Odyssey becomes functional once more, and Mario and Cappy use it to chase after Bowser and the Broodals. Mario and Cappy travel through several kingdoms. They begin with Tostarena of the Sand Kingdom, in which they must discover the source of an unusually cold desert before battling and defeating Hariet and Knucklotec, respectively. However, it is revealed that Bowser had already successfully stolen the Binding Band to use as a wedding ring for his bride, this being the cause of the desert's temperature. However, once the ring's guardian is defeated, heat is restored to the desert. After this, Mario and Cappy travel to and explore Lake Lamode of the Lake Kingdom and the Steam Gardens of the Wooded Kingdom, where Bowser has stolen the Lochlady Dress and the Soirée Bouquet, respectively. After this, while the two travel to New Donk City of the Metro Kingdom, they are halted by Bowser on his airship. After a battle commences in the Nimbus Arena of the Cloud Kingdom, Mario emerges victorious. Regardless, after he is knocked onto his airship, Bowser fires at the Odyssey, causing it to crash and land in the Forgotten Isle of the Lost Kingdom. After Mario rescues Cappy from a Klepto and collects more Power Moons to restore the Odyssey, they travel through New Donk City of the Metro Kingdom, Shiveria of the Snow Kingdom, Bubblaine of the Seaside Kingdom, and Mount Volbono of the Luncheon Kingdom. They then attempt to enter Bowser's Castle in Bowser's Kingdom; however, they are encountered by Bowser before they get there. Instead of fighting Mario and Cappy, Bowser orders the Ruined Dragon to attack the Odyssey. This causes the ship to fall to Crumbleden of the Ruined Kingdom, where Mario and Cappy directly fight and defeat the Ruined Dragon. After restoring the Odyssey again, they finally go to Bowser's Castle and find Bowser with Peach. Bowser reveals that he plans to hold his wedding on the moon, and leaves Mario and Cappy to fight the Broodals in the RoboBrood. Mario and Cappy destroy the RoboBrood, sending the Broodals flying as they recover another Multi Moon. They then head off to Honeylune Ridge of the Moon Kingdom to stop the marriage between Bowser and Peach. They interrupt the wedding as Bowser is attempting to put the Binding Band that was previously stolen from Tostarena on Peach. Bowser then stomps the floor, revealing a trapdoor under Mario and Cappy. Cappy grabs Mario by the fingers and tries to pull him out of the trapdoor, but his hands slip, causing him to drop Mario and fall into it himself. Bowser jumps in after them and engages them in battle, but he is defeated. Mario, Cappy, Peach, and Tiara are reunited but soon discover that the area they are in is collapsing, causing Mario to capture an unconscious Bowser and escape, with all of them eventually returning to the moon. Mario and Bowser then simultaneously propose to marry Peach, with Mario offering a Rocket Flower and Bowser offering a Soirée Bouquet. Peach, overwhelmed by their fighting and arguing over her, rejects them both and leaves with Cappy and Tiara, making Mario and Bowser dejected. She then calls from the Odyssey, saying, "Let's go home!" As the ship takes off, Mario and Bowser run after it. While Mario successfully jumps onto it, he stomps on Bowser, leaving him stuck on the moon. After the credits, the Odyssey lands in the Mushroom Kingdom near Peach's Castle, where Cappy says that he enjoyed the adventure and wishes to continue traveling with Mario to collect more Power Moons. They do so, going through the Mushroom Kingdom, as well as Rabbit Ridge of the dark side of the moon and Culmina Crater of the darker side of the moon in the process. Meanwhile, Peach and Tiara travel the kingdoms on Peach's "own terms," while finding Power Moons themselves that they give to Mario when he meets up with them. Super Mario Odyssey returns to the explorative sandbox-like gameplay seen in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. Mario explores various large areas in order to collect Power Moons. Collecting Power Moons increases the power of the Odyssey so it can move on to the next area, each of which is accessed in a mostly linear order. There is no central hub world, unlike in the aforementioned games. The game instead has a map screen from where locations are selected. Mario maintains his moveset from previous 3D titles, including the Triple Jump, the Long Jump, the Side Somersault, the Backward Somersault, the Roll, the Ground Pound, the Ground Pound Jump, the Spin Jump, and the returning dive. In addition, a new character called Cappy allies with Mario and turns into Mario's cap. He grants Mario access to the Cap Throw, a move where Mario throws Cappy as if he were a boomerang for a long-range attack. Cappy can interact with many of the game's objects, or be used as an extra platform. Cappy can also "capture" certain objects and enemies so Mario can take control of them. Each of those objects gives Mario new abilities. This makes capturing a key element, as it replaces the traditional power-up system seen in the previous Super Mario games since Super Mario Galaxy. There are 52 capturable targets in total.[15] The game also features a co-op mode. During this mode, the second player as Cappy automatically hovers over the first player's head until they press the button, where they gain independent movement. While moving, Cappy acts as though he was thrown. When the second player is hovering over the first player's head, they can move the stick on their Joy-Con to move Cappy 360 degrees. When the second player is hovering over the first player's head, the first player can still perform all actions with Cappy as in normal gameplay; however, they cannot perform these actions when the second player is not hovering above them. If the second player, while being independent of the first player, presses the button again, they will automatically travel back to the first player's head until they press the button again. The camera follows the first player in this mode, and due to this, the second player can fly only a certain distance away from the first player until they are stopped by an invisible wall. When the first player walks a certain distance away from the second player, the second player is pushed towards the first player. One recurring object found in the game is coins. There are two types. Yellow coins return from older games. These coins are scattered across the game and are rewarded for interacting with many objects. Additionally, there are new purple regional coins, which are different in every kingdom. These serve as a minor collectable. While some are out in the open, many are hidden away. Coins are a currency in the game, and they are spendable at Crazy Cap stores to buy items for the Odyssey and costumes. Regional coins can be used only in the same kingdom they were found in. Character customization consists of two portions: a outfit for Mario and a hat for Cappy. The player can mix-and-match any of the options they have unlocked. All of them are entirely cosmetic. Mario has a life meter with three health wedges, a returning feature from games such as Super Mario Galaxy. Taking damage reduces health, and if Mario runs out, he has to restart from a Checkpoint Flag. However, this game does not have lives, nor 1-Up Mushrooms or Game Overs. Each time Mario is defeated, he loses 10 coins before returning to the level. This is the first 3D game of the Super Mario series not to feature lives. If the player is having trouble finding a Power Moon, the game has two different hint systems to help them. The new character Talkatoo gives the player the name of a Power Moon, which may hint at its location or at a method used to obtain it. Hint Toad, a recurring character given a name for the first time, reveals the location of a Power Moon on the map screen at a cost of 50 yellow coins. While Super Mario Odyssey is primarily a three-dimensional game, certain sections switch the game into a sidescrolling mode. These are visually based on the game Super Mario Bros., making use of that game's 8-bit graphics and general gameplay. This further means that Mario cannot use moves introduced later in the series in these sections, such as the Triple Jump and the Cap Throw. However, Mario's health is shared between normal gameplay and these sections. These sections are usually entered through 8-bit pipes, and they allow Mario to move across the surface of various walls in the game. While earlier sections mostly hew to a normal side perspective, later areas project these sections onto objects of varying shapes, such as cylinders and cubes. Many of the game's songs have chiptune renditions that play while Mario is in these areas. The game makes use of several of the new functions available in Nintendo's Joy-Con and Pro Controller. Motion controls are a major part of the game. Nearly every action done with the or button can instead be done by shaking the controller, sometimes with a stronger effect than just pressing the button. In addition, certain moves are entirely exclusive to using motion controls. This is especially true of the game's capturable characters and objects. HD Rumble is used to indicate hidden places where Mario can ground-pound to find items. Hint Art consists of pictures found in the game that cryptically hint at the locations of Power Moons. These make use of the Nintendo Switch's capture function, enabling the player to store a screenshot of the picture in the system's album for reference as they look for the Power Moon in the game. Super Mario Odyssey supports amiibo, primarily tying the functions to the new character Uncle amiibo. With either controller's NFC touchpoint, the player can scan amiibo for a number of effects. Many amiibo are referred to by name, even if the game does not give them an effect specific to the character. A number of Super Mario-franchise characters have costumes in the game, including Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, and Diddy Kong. Their amiibo unlock these costumes earlier than normal.[16] Any amiibo can be used to reveal the location of a Power Moon on the map. The button allows the player to scan amiibo at any time for different benefits than the ones listed before, with dedicated effects for most Mario, Peach, and Bowser amiibo. Mario amiibo make the player temporarily invincible, Peach amiibo increase the player's maximum health, and Bowser amiibo show the player where regional coins are. Other amiibo provide basic items such as coins and Hearts. An Assist Mode is available. This mode makes the game easier by introducing a number of additional features. The player has six health wedges instead of three, and standing still for long enough refills Mario's health one wedge at a time. If the player touches lava or poison or falls down a pit, they are returned to a safe location by a bubble while losing only one health wedge. All of those hazards are normally very dangerous. Swimming no longer has an air meter. Arrows that point the player to the objective appear on the ground. Sometimes, they move along walls, point across the air, or point upward. In certain cases involving prolonged air movement, if Mario is on certain detours, or if the goal is to return to the Odyssey, an arrow hovers over Mario and points to the destination or back to the main path. If all objectives in a kingdom are completed and the player still needs more Power Moons to advance to the next kingdom, Assist Mode points the player to Hint Toad, then to the location of the closest Power Moon revealed on the map. Switching modes from Regular Mode to Assist Mode or vice versa can be done through the Options menu. This resets the player's position to a prior save point, but Power Moons are kept. Super Mario Odyssey contains a number of minigames spread across the game world. Some of these require going into a specific menu to access, while others start when Mario enters them on the game's main map. These usually make use of Mario's existing movement options, instead of having minigame-only controls. Each of them can be played to obtain Power Moons. In addition, scores in each minigame can be uploaded to the internet, and players can view the scores of all players or ones from players on their Friend List. The game features a "Snapshot Mode," where players can suspend the game with and take screenshots. Players are also able to alter the shot by zooming in and out, tilting the camera for a vertical shot, or applying one of several filters, such as blurring the surroundings, adding a sepia tone, changing the camera to a fisheye lens, or applying an NES-, Game Boy-, or SNES-styled color scheme. Super Mario Odyssey is playable in 13 languages: English, European French, Canadian French, German, European Spanish, Latin American Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Russian, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Korean. Balloon World is a major minigame similar to hide-and-seek that was added to Super Mario Odyssey in a free update released on February 21, 2018. In order to play, Mario must find Luigi in a kingdom and talk to him to begin. Mario is given a balloon that he can hide in spots around the kingdom for other players to find. Mario can also find balloons that other players around the world have already hidden. There is a time limit for placing and finding the balloons. Players can share codes so that their friends can specifically look for their balloons. There are seventeen named locations that Mario can explore, most of which are in what the game calls "kingdoms." Each location has a specific theme, some being similar to themes seen in previous Super Mario titles, others being original themes. Some locations are based on a real-world location (e.g., Metro Kingdom's main area, New Donk City, is based on New York City). Bowser steals an item from some of these locations, which all tie to his preparations for his wedding. Progression is based around collecting Power Moons from each kingdom. Each one increases the power of the Odyssey, and a differing amount per kingdom are required to gain the ability to move on to the next kingdom. Power Moons are hidden everywhere, in a large number of different ways. There are always more Power Moons available than needed to move on, so the player can pick which ones to find, or aim to locate them all. Most kingdoms in Super Mario Odyssey have a number of objectives. These are tied to a storyline for the kingdom, and often are completed by collecting the Power Moon at the end. Some objectives instead reward Multi Moons, which are worth three Power Moons. As the storyline advances, new areas open up, new characters appear and more Power Moons become available. Some events may block off access to certain Power Moons, but the completion of each final objective opens up the kingdom fully. After completing the game, a number of additional changes occur. These add extra activities and have non-player characters from each kingdom appear in the other kingdoms. As the player progresses, they encounter two split paths, one for the Wooded Kingdom and the Lake Kingdom, and the other for the Snow Kingdom and the Seaside Kingdom. The player has to go to all kingdoms in the game, so this choice is for choosing one kingdom to access first, permanently putting that kingdom ahead of the other one in the game's linear order. While overall a minor distinction, warp holes in the game are affected by this order. Most of the kingdoms are inhabited by people that are suited to their land's geography. Outside of dialogue, the culture, history, and nature of these people is reviewable on their respective kingdom's brochure. In the kingdoms ransacked by Bowser, the stolen wedding article is usually a national treasure and the theft makes the people distressed. Many are forced to attend Bowser's wedding in the Moon Kingdom. After Princess Peach is rescued and the wedding articles are returned to their respective lands, many of these people can be found outside of their kingdoms, exploring the world. Generally, if a character is wearing a hat, it cannot be captured, but a few species include both hatted and hatless individuals. Unlike enemies, Mario can jump on characters without harming them, and the ones wearing hats twirl when struck by Cappy. Many characters have dialogue that appears in a box on screen when Mario gets close to them. Certain characters have more elaborate lines, and Mario can start talking to them by pressing the button while close to them. These characters have small speech bubbles with ellipses above their heads, which turns into a prompt for the button. Some of characters instead have blue exclamation marks in their speech bubbles, indicating that their dialogue is especially relevant to the events of the game. Talking to most non-playable characters is optional and is not required to reaching the end of the game. However, interacting with non-playable characters often rewards Mario with Power Moons. Most non-playable character cower in fear when an enemy is near and this prevents ones with longer lines of dialogue from being spoken to, but they are not harmed. Some characters have unique lines of dialogue when enemies are near. Mario cannot enter conversations while capturing anything. Super Mario Odyssey is the first Super Mario game to include more than ten different non-playable characters since Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2010), and most of them are wholly new. In addition to the characters listed below, an 8-bit character of Rosalina is in Honeylune Ridge and Rabbit Ridge. There are outfits sold at the Crazy Cap based on Waluigi, Diddy Kong, and Wario. Several shops and streets in New Donk City are named after characters from the Donkey Kong Country series. Mr. Game & Watch appears on the minigame icons. Super Mario Odyssey incorporates a fewer number of enemies than Super Mario 3D World, which contains ~66. This game has ~47. About half of all enemies are capturable, and their placement and integration in the game's kingdoms promote use of the ability. Defeating all of the enemies in most small areas does not permanently remove them. Most reappear in a purplish, pulsating cloud after a few seconds, ensuring the capture remains accessible for the player. Some capturable enemies are analogous to power-ups and give Mario comparable abilities. For instance, a captured Fire Bro allows Mario to throw fireballs as projectiles, similarly to Fire Mario. Approaching most non-playable characters causes them to cower in fear, but they cannot be harmed. During the main game, most enemies – particularly wholly new ones – are restricted to one or two kingdoms. However, some begin to appear in other kingdoms as Mario completes story-related objectives and breaks Moon Rocks. Most of the new enemies incorporate design elements tied to the kingdom they are first encountered and compliment the overarching color scheme of the environment. Some capturable enemies wear hats that prevent them from being captured when initially struck by Cappy. A Cap Throw instead causes the hat to fall away, necessitating a second throw. With the exception of Chargin' Chuck, most enemies vulnerable to stomps can still be defeated while hatted. For enemies that can be stomped but take no damage, the stomp instead removes the hat. In some cases, enemies that typically wear hats occur without them, which moves the challenge away from contending with the enemy and toward utilizing them in the surrounding area. Some of the returning enemies appear in 2D areas, retaining their behaviors and appearances from 2D pixel-based games, mostly from Super Mario Bros. A few of these enemies are only encounterable in 2D areas. In certain cases, enemies can move into and out of 2D areas. No enemy wears a hats in 2D areas. Otherwise absent, a Boo cameos as the kamikazari in Princess Peach's Bowser's Castle Outfit. A number of enemies appear in concept art that are not in the final game, including Spike, Galoomba, Boo Guy, Ghost Goomba, and Spike Eel, but most of these seem to be from an early, synthetic period of the game's development and do not necessarily represent intent of use. Some seemed to have been temporary placeholders for yet to be determined final designs, such as in the Seaside Kingdom where Maw-Rays from Super Mario 64 ultimately appear instead of Spike Eels. There are thirteen bosses in Super Mario Odyssey, most of which release a Multi Moon upon defeat. The most recurring bosses are the Broodals. They are subordinates of the wedding planner Madame Broode and help carryout Bowser's wedding plans, often actively pilfering articles of interest on his behalf. They travel across the world on an airship. A battle against a Broodal emphasizes utilization of throwing moves with Cappy. He is needed to knock away projectiles, clear hazards, end attacks early, and make the boss open to being stomped. Each Broodal is fought twice during the main story, with the second battle being harder than the first. They are visually similar to the Koopalings,[20] and are narratively comparable to Bowser Jr. in Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2. The fact that each of them physically recede into their hats during battle is a potential allusion to a magician's hat-trick. Large bosses[21] emphasize the utilization of a captured form introduced within the same kingdom. For example, the Sand Kingdom is the first area to include Bullet Bills. During the fight with Knucklotec, his fists are capturable and control just like them. For the largest kingdoms, they are usually the second boss battle, following one with a Broodal. Large bosses are aesthetically tied to the regional topography and narratively important to the active conflict. With two exceptions, all bosses need to be attacked three times to be defeated. One hit causes a boss to execute a powerful attack that covers a large radius. The large bosses cannot receive damage in this state and must be avoided, but the Broodals can. While this does not reduce their health, it does end their attack early. Unlike prior Super Mario games that have levels or missions that can be revisited, most of the completed boss battles cannot be repeated once cleared and there are stretches of the game where they are inaccessible. Scenarios where Mario can fight most of the bosses again are presented after completing the final objective of the main story, "Bowser's Moon Wedding", and these ones can be replayed. The Broodals and RoboBrood are fought on the Dark Side of the moon. Most of the large bosses can be found sealed inside paintings in the Mushroom Kingdom. They are hung inside towers near Peach's Castle. Both of these scenarios are comparable to Boss Blitz Galaxy from Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Boss Blitz from Super Mario 3D World. Madame Broode can be battled again in the Underground Moon Caverns. Upon revisit, a painting appears in the Wedding Hall that brings Mario to a rematch with Bowser and a chance to replay the end of the main campaign. All of these battles are more challenging than the ones from the main campaign. Most of the bosses have an explicit or implied relationship with the moon. While normal rabbits live on Mario's world, Madame Broode and the Broodals are of a "rabbitish" species that live on the Dark Side. They are conceptually derived from the moon rabbits of Japanese folklore.[22] Torkdrift looks like a flying saucer and closely resembles the small UFO found on Honeylune Ridge.[23] Though described as the Dauphin of Bubblaine, the local Bubblainians do not talk about Mollusque-Lanceur as if they recognize him. His resemblance to the Astro-Lanceurs of Honeylune Ridge suggests he too may come form the moon or at least descend from an ancestor that did.[24] Mario can obtain a number of outfits and hats over the course of the game by purchasing them from Crazy Cap stores. Some items are instead provided during the game's story. Some of them are based on characters that have amiibo, and these can be unlocked early by using an amiibo of that character. Each costume consists of a suit for Mario and a cap for Cappy, which can be mixed and matched. In addition to changing Cappy's appearance, each hat uses different sound effects when Cappy is thrown into a wall and when Mario uses the Cap Jump based on their material. For example, hats made from metal use "clanging" sounds. When Cappy does anything more complex than being thrown, hitting an object or performing the Cap Jump, he uses the appearance of the Mario Cap regardless of what hat he is set to. Examples of this include pulling posts or capturing things. The majority of items come in matching pairs. Using a matching pair changes Mario's sprite in the game's two dimensional sections to match the costume. Many NPCs request that Mario use specific pairs when talking to them, in order to open doors to certain areas or just to receive a Power Moon. If Mario wears certain clothes or pairs of clothes when he talks to Luigi or Bowser (for the final battle), their dialogue is slightly changed to acknowledge the clothing. Mario can change what he is wearing by using a wardrobe closet. Almost every Crazy Cap store has a closet, and the Odyssey also has one. It addition, Mario can use a closet to select Random, which picks random items for himself and Cappy to wear and switches to different items every time Mario dies. Cutscenes that give Mario new items change Mario into the relevant cap and/or suit automatically, though no such instance involves only a suit. While the game does not include hats or suits as part of the lists viewable while pausing the game, the running total is still being tracked and can be checked at any wardrobe closet. Multiple updates to Super Mario Odyssey following its release add "special outfits". They only appear in Crazy Cap stores after the game is completed. These items are noted with a burst icon in the upper left corner of their icons. In Crazy Cap, the burst icon is large and has "SPECIAL" printed in it. In a closet, this icon is small and has no text. These items are purchased exclusively using normal coins, not regional coins. The total number of hats and outfits in the closet is marked as complete irrespective of the player obtaining special outfits. A unique aspect of this game is a vocal main theme, "Jump Up, Super Star!", which has both English and Japanese versions. It is sung by Pauline,[37][38] portrayed by Kate Higgins (credited as Kate Davis) in English[39] and Aimi Mukohara in Japanese. The song is big-band jazz style and details an adventure across the worlds from this game, with Pauline referring to herself as Mario's "1-Up Girl". It was released worldwide on October 20, 2017, on the iTunes Store, while the short version was downloadable for free until January 2018.[40] The song's lyrics are also printed inside both the Western and Japanese packaging on the paper part of the cover. Super Mario Odyssey's ending sequence also features another song with lyrics, called "Break Free (Lead the Way)",[41] with the same English and Japanese singers as "Jump Up, Super Star!".[42] On December 21, 2017, Nintendo announced an original soundtrack album for the game, which was released in Japan on February 28, 2018.[43] The album contains four discs with 136 tracks in total, as well as two stickers and a booklet containing concept art of Pauline and comments from the staff. Additionally, the Super Mario Odyssey Sound Selection containing 12 tracks was released worldwide on the iTunes Store on December 22, 2017. On the weekend of September 15–16, 2018, the Super Mario Orchestra Concert took place, where music from Super Mario Odyssey was played as well as tracks from other games such as Yoshi's Story and Super Mario 64. The Nintendo Music application has featured the Super Mario Odyssey soundtrack since its launch on October 30, 2024, containing 136 tracks. When asked about "coming home" to the Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine style of gameplay, Shigeru Miyamoto explained that when he was developing Super Mario 64 with Yoshiaki Koizumi, they realized that the title would be more directed towards the "core gamer," rather than the casual, pick-up-and-go gamer.[44] After Super Mario Sunshine, their focus reshifted to more accessible, casual gamers, hence encouraging them to make Super Mario Galaxy with more progression-oriented gameplay corridors. Then in recent years, we made Super Mario 3D World and even though that's a 3D game, it's a little more accessible to everybody. [...] So when we thought about making a Super Mario for Switch, we wanted to make it [...] something a little bit more on the core side, that people who like action games can really get into. As Super Mario Odyssey was developed alongside the Switch hardware, Yoshiaki Koizumi encouraged the game's developers to share their requirements and suggestions with the hardware development team.[45] This directly led to the inclusion of the two motion-sensitive controllers and the HD rumble feature on the Nintendo Switch hardware, which became a prominent part of Super Mario Odyssey gameplay. Development for Super Mario Odyssey began right after Super Mario 3D World was released in late 2013.[46] Miyamoto sought more senior developers and staff teams who had been involved in past 3D Super Mario titles, in order to really "go back to the roots" of Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario 64.[44] As a result, Yoshiaki Koizumi was made the game's producer, and Super Mario 3D World director Kenta Motokura again took on the role of director. Miyamoto remained with a consultative role throughout development, and although he contributed a lot of feedback, he was also very accepting of the development team's ideas.[47] Motokura revealed that early stages of development involved creating a "huge" number of gameplay prototypes with numerous ideas, and the capture ability was one of them.[48] [The capture ability] was just one of the ideas that came up, but we worked on it for two or three days, and it just instantly turned into something that was really fun, and we decided [that it should be] the center of this game. Many of the other different prototype ideas were still included, providing for the diversity in-game mechanics throughout the game's stages, known as "kingdoms." These "fully realized worlds" were influenced by the kingdoms from Motokura's favorite Super Mario title, Super Mario Bros. 3,[49] as well as Japanese hakoniwa box gardens that bring rich landscapes to life in a miniaturized form.[50] The sizes of these worlds were often adjusted to ensure that the player can regularly discover an engaging action to perform.[45] This was also intended to allow handheld players to still accomplish a Power Moon mission, even if they have only a few minutes to play.[51] Super Mario Odyssey's theme is highly focused on "surprises" and "travel," and the developers incorporated many of their travel experiences around the world.[48] For instance, elements of the Sand Kingdom were derived from Kenta Motokura's experiences during a trip to Mexico, and the Luncheon Kingdom's food aesthetics was inspired by Italy and other European countries.[52] The developers recognized that when people travel to foreign countries, something that really has an impact is the different currencies. Therefore, they wanted to have Mario collect and use different regional coins in each kingdom. Since the player travels outside the Mushroom Kingdom, the diverse art style between all the different kingdoms aimed to recreate the feelings of surprise and discovery when visiting foreign lands. It was also noted that a lot of time was spent in getting the right balance between familiar Super Mario concepts and completely new ones.[48] An example was the realistic T-Rex that is able to be captured by Mario. The developers looked back for inspiration from familiar Super Mario World elements in Dinosaur Land, although they wanted to use a design that was "unseen" in a Super Mario game.[48] Familiar gameplay elements include the "8-bit" side-scrolling areas of the kingdoms, reminiscent to Super Mario Bros. in which progress is more "confined" and "precise." This was intended to be an engaging contrast to the 3D sandbox environments. The developers knew that they wanted to have a city environment in the game that would resonate with players. As Donkey Kong-inspired elements in the city came about, Pauline's presence in the series inspired the team to have her be the mayor of New Donk City. Some character development for Pauline was required in her transition from a damsel in distress to a major character, and it was decided that she would have an interest in jazz.[53] This led to the composition of the game's theme song shown in the E3 2017 trailer, titled "Jump Up, Super Star!" which was made to give the game energy and help get the audience excited.[48] To develop the game's camera system, the team looked at previous 3D Super Mario games. Miyamoto discussed how the 3D camera in Super Mario 64 worked very well, as it had the joystick as well as the C buttons to adjust the automatic camera. Super Mario Sunshine had the C stick in order to control the camera freely, although they received feedback that the camera control was "a little bit difficult." With later 3D titles such as Super Mario Galaxy, the minimal control of the camera also attracted some negative feedback. Miyamoto added that it is "very difficult to find the right balance."[44] With Super Mario Odyssey, we made sure that the camera controls are really really smooth and easy to use, and the Switch controllers can really serve to that. [We] really made a sandbox-style game that's really easy and feels good to control. The pre-release box art of the game featured Mario wearing a sombrero and poncho in the Sand Kingdom. The final box art was changed to him being in the Lake Kingdom due to supposed criticisms about the appearance of a "Mexican Mario" on the box art and being described as a negative stereotype of the Mexican people. Despite the image's removal from the box art, the outfit itself was not removed and remains available in-game. During the E3 playthrough of this game, certain items had different names. Multi Moons were originally called "Grand Moons," and the Binding Band was simply referred to as the "Wedding Ring," which were literally transliterated and translated, respectively, from the Japanese original. The regional coins of the Sand Kingdom and Metro Kingdom were called "Pyramid Coins" and "City Coins," respectively, but they are not used in the final game. Additionally, the mission Showdown on the Inverted Pyramid was named "Inverted Pyramid Showdown." During the Nintendo Switch Presentation trailer, Cappy was not shown with eyes. Similarly, during the Switch Presentation and E3 trailers, Peach's tiara is shown as a regular tiara rather than Tiara herself. Both were most likely done to avoid revealing the characters too soon. Also during the Switch Presentation trailer, the electronic billboard for Steam Gardens found in New Donk City showed that the location was originally named "Kogwald." There were also minor details that were changed, such as the hat on the door of the Odyssey being much smaller, and the Metro Kingdom's Power Moons being more bronze than brown. Several of the quotes uttered by NPCs are different than in the final game, such as the RC Car driver in New Donk City originally saying, "Is there a better way to spend free time? Nope," before it was changed to "How are my kids so good at this?" The HUD during the E3 demo did not feature the instructions to press to view the map and for the menu, or the compass underneath the Health Meter. When there is only one hit point left, the Health Meter flashes differently than in the final game. When the player acquired a Life-Up Heart, the extra health meter was colored green alongside the first one instead of light blue. In New Donk City, there are signs present in certain areas that are not in the final game, and the Mayor Pauline Commemorative Park has a rocket ship taking the player to a bonus area. In the final game, the player must first find a hidden room inside a building and reach the pipe at the end, and they will be taken to a hidden area with said rocket. The rooftop pool beside the top of city hall was significantly deeper in the E3 demo, with the water level being just over Mario's head; in the final game, the water level approximately reaches Mario's neck.[54] It is likely that this change was due to the original water level leaving Mario susceptible to drowning, as demonstrated in a YouTube video uploaded by gaming news site Polygon during E3.[55] Additionally, an unused sprite of an 8-bit Metro Kingdom regional coin exists in the game's files, but it was left unused in the final game due to the minimal presence of 8-bit sections in that kingdom. Through the version 1.3.0 update that was released on April 25, 2019, Super Mario Odyssey features compatibility with the Nintendo Labo's Toy-Con VR Goggles in the mode "Playing in VR," which allows players to experience a small variation of the game in virtual reality. The experience includes three mini-missions set in the Cap Kingdom, Seaside Kingdom, and Luncheon Kingdom; another New Donk City Festival performance; and two cutscenes. The player can choose not to use the Toy-Con VR Goggles and instead play the mode with the normal view. In each mission, Mario must find all three musical instruments and deliver them to the correct musicians in the area. Each instrument is revealed after Mario collects a string of notes. The objective is marked complete if all three musicians have been recruited and Mario has collected at least 100 coins. Like in Assist Mode, Mario cannot be defeated, and if he falls into a hazard or goes out of bounds, he is encased in a bubble and brought back to stable ground. Find Band Members in the Cap Kingdom!: This objective is set in the Central Plaza. It is unlocked after the player clears the Cap Kingdom in the main game. Find Band Members in the Seaside Kingdom!: This objective is set on the kingdom's beach in the daytime. It is unlocked after the player clears the Seaside Kingdom in the main game. Find Band Members in the Luncheon Kingdom!: This objective is set in Peronza Plaza. It is unlocked after the player clears the Luncheon Kingdom in the main game. Concert Hall: Pauline and the band, as well as the musicians recruited in the previous objectives, perform "Jump Up, Super Star!" at the New Donk City Hall Auditorium. This option is unlocked after the player clears all three missions. Theater: Opening: The game's opening cutscene but without the "In the skies above Peach's castle..." text. Theater: Ending: The game's ending cutscene. It is unlocked after the player beats the main game. Super Mario Cereal was released on December 11, 2017.[64] The cereal is based on this game, and the box is an amiibo that works with the game. Super Mario Odyssey was also one of the first styles added to Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo, and its soundtrack was one of the first to be made available on the Nintendo Music application. A book full of concept artwork and insight into the development of the characters and locales of the game, titled The Art of Super Mario Odyssey, was published by Dark Horse Books and released in Japan on September 28, 2018, and in English-speaking countries on October 22, 2019. Super Mario Odyssey has received widespread critical acclaim. Prior to its release, EDGE Magazine gave Super Mario Odyssey a perfect score of 10, praising the game for "taking big risks with an established formula and having them all pay off handsomely."[65] Ryan McCaffery of IGN had a similar view, also giving the game a perfect score of 10. Despite criticizing the camera controls, McCaffery was ultimately very impressed with the game, saying that it "is a brilliant adventure and love letter to the series that made Nintendo a household name."[66] Phillip Kollar and Allegra Frank of Polygon also praised the game, scoring it 9.5 out of 10. While Frank somewhat criticized the boss battles, the two reviewers ended with "Super Mario Odyssey is almost certain to be counted among the best games in Nintendo's star series."[67] Andrew Webster of The Verge called the game "A weird, wild world bursting with ideas," praising how the game was always surprising, saying, "Because each world is so different from the last, I found myself constantly discovering things I didn't expect or hadn't seen before."[68] Peter Brown of GameSpot praised the game for its variety of platforming challenges and puzzles and how "The opportunities introduced by possessing others isn't just an easy source of laughs, but also works hand in hand with Odyssey's ever-present challenges," while criticizing how some of Cappy's actions require motion controls. He gave the game a 10/10.[69] Dave Thier of Forbes praised how unique the game was, saying, "Super Mario Odyssey is a wide-open challenge that never stops changing, even dozens of hours in," while heavily criticizing the game's motion controls. He gave the game a 9.5/10.[70] The game currently averages a score of 97 on review aggregate site Metacritic (based on 67 reviews);[71] 97.42% on GameRankings (based on 58 reviews), making it the third-highest-rated game on the website;[72] and 97, with a 98% recommendation rating, on OpenCritic. Super Mario Odyssey was nominated for six awards at The Game Awards 2017, winning one, in the following categories: "Game of the Year" (Nominated). Lost to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.[73] "Best Game Direction" (Nominated). Lost to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.[73] "Best Score/Music" (Nominated). Lost to NieR: Automata.[73] "Best Audio Design" (Nominated). Lost to Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice.[73] "Best Action/Adventure Game" (Nominated). Lost to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.[73] "Best Family Game" (Won). Other nominees were Splatoon 2, Sonic Mania, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.[73] As of December 31, 2017, Super Mario Odyssey had sold 9.07 million copies worldwide. As of March 31, 2018, it reached 10.41 million copies, making it the best-selling game for the Nintendo Switch.[74] As of December 31, 2018, it reached 13.76 million copies, although Mario Kart 8 Deluxe sold 15.02 million copies worldwide, lowering Super Mario Odyssey to the second-best-selling first-party game for the Nintendo Switch.[75] As of March 31, 2021, the game had sold 20.83 million copies, making it the best-selling 3D Super Mario game.[76] As of December 31, 2024, the game has sold 29.04 million copies.[77] References to other games[edit] Game & Watch series: The silhouette of a hat-wearing Mr. Game & Watch appears on minigame icons. Donkey Kong: The location New Donk City is a throwback to Mario's early origins. There are steel girders that resemble the ones seen in this game, and the taxicabs have license plates reading "1981-ND," referencing the year Mario and Donkey Kong made their debut. The name New Donk City is also a reference to Donkey Kong himself. Pauline can also be found here, and she originated from this game. The melody from the 25m theme can be heard halfway through "Jump Up, Super Star!" as well as during the ending cutscene variation of "Break Free (Lead the Way)." The bassist can also be heard playing the 25m theme when Mario first finds him. Also, the sound effect played when Mario jumps over a barrel in the game can be heard at the end of the aforementioned riff in "Jump Up, Super Star!" During the New Donk City festival, if the player does not talk with Pauline, she will at one point dance by thrusting her hips back and forth, mirroring her sprite animation from the original arcade game. In an 8-bit segment using sprites from this game in New Donk City, Mario must dodge barrels while climbing girders. Oil drums also appear, along with coins spelling out "DK." Pauline's original design (she was then known as Lady) and Donkey Kong's original design also make cameos as graffiti art on a building. Pauline's purple sun hat in her standard attire may be a reference to Pauline's lost items from the game. In addition, the lost items were twice referenced in the side mission Personal Request for the Mayor, one in regards to selecting a parasol, a hat, and a purse regarding her treasured items, while the other is hunting down Pauline's gift, with all options being the aforementioned items. In addition, in the same sidequest, one of her questions mentions what had happened in her past involved being abducted by a giant ape, referring to the plot of Donkey Kong. The Classic Cap and Classic Suit outfit is based on Mario's classic outfit in this game. Super Mario Bros.: Several parts of the game allow Mario to walk within walls from a 2D perspective, using sprites and sound effects from this game, as well as altering the stage music to an 8-bit variation. A scene of Mario fighting Bowser from this game, accompanied by the castle theme, is visible when Mario captures Bowser. With its sunglasses on, a Moe-Eye sometimes hums the first few notes of the Ground Theme as well as the ending theme from this game while walking around. A replica of Super Mario Bros. can be played at New Donk City where Mario traverses through World 1-1, including an arrangement of the Ground Theme and the Underground Theme. The 1-Up jingle can be heard in two separate parts when one pauses and un-pauses the game. Golf: U.S. Course: Mario's Golf Cap and Outfit originate from this game. Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally: The Mechanic Cap and Mechanic Outfit originate from this game. Super Mario Bros. 2: Mario holds and throws vegetables found in the Luncheon Kingdom the same way as he does in this game. Rocket Ships, now known as Mini Rockets, are reused from this game. Super Mario Bros. 3: The music that plays in the Slots minigame room and the Picture Match areas is an arrangement of "Spinning Slots" from this game. The sound effect that plays when a Rocket Flower is used is the sound effect that plays when the Power Meter is full in this game. A scene of Mario fighting Bowser from this game, accompanied by the final boss theme, is visible when Mario captures Bowser. Jizos in Bowser's Kingdom resemble the original design of Statue Mario. The concept of traveling to different kingdoms originated from this game, with the Seaside Kingdom sharing the same Japanese name as Water Land. One of Bowser's animations for slamming into the ground is based on an attack from this game. Qix: The Sombrero and Poncho originate from the Game Boy version of this game. Super Mario Land: Moe-Eyes are similar to the Moai statues and enemies found in the Easton Kingdom. Dr. Mario: Mario's Doctor Outfit and Doctor Headwear originate from this game. Super Mario World: A piano arrangement of this game's overworld theme and underwater theme can be heard on radios in New Donk City. When controlled by Mario, a Moe-Eye sometimes hums the game's ending theme while walking around with its sunglasses on. Sprites of Fuzzies from this game are used when Fuzzies appear in 8-bit segments. An arrangement of the music that plays in this game during the bonus areas plays in some of the challenge areas. A scene depicting Mario fighting Bowser from this game, accompanied by the final boss theme, is visible when Mario captures Bowser. Yoshi's House is set up in the same way as it is in this game (with a fireplace and three trees acting as shelter), with the notice even starting with the words "Hello! Sorry I'm not home, but I've gone to..." This reference was kept in the German and Spanish localizations but not the French. The sound effect that plays when a Chargin' Chuck is stomped is the same one that would play in Super Mario World. NES Open Tournament Golf: Mario's Golf Cap and Outfit are notably used in this game. Mario Paint: Mario's Painter Outfit, Black Tuxedo, and Conductor Wig and Outfit from this game's artwork appear. Super Mario Kart: A cover of the music that plays on the Mario Circuit courses from this game plays during the RC Car Challenge in New Donk City. Super Mario All-Stars: Mario's black top hat originates from this game's box art without the "M" emblem. Yoshi's Cookie: The Chef Hat and Chef Suit originate from the NES version of this game. Donkey Kong Country series: In addition to New Donk City being named after Donkey Kong, characters' names from this series appear as street signs, such as Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong, Tiny Kong, Cranky Kong, Candy Kong, Rambi, Expresso, Squawks, and King K. Rool. Diddy is also the basis of an outfit and cap that Mario can wear. Mario's Picross: The Explorer Hat and Explorer Outfit originate from this game. Super Mario 64: Super Mario Odyssey is considered a spiritual successor to both this game and Super Mario Sunshine. The structure of the kingdoms carries over what was established in this game, such as the lack of a time limit and having areas change each time the player visits them, based on what the player has previously completed. This game also introduced utilizing caps as power-ups. The number on Mario's football jersey and baseball uniform is "64." There is a minigame involving a footrace with Koopa Troopas, much like with Koopa the Quick. Mario can jump into some paintings in specific kingdoms to get to other kingdoms. In the Mushroom Kingdom, the music that plays after Mario jumps into a painting and the two different actions of how Mario exits the paintings reflecting on if he won or lost are used. Mario's idle animation is similar to the one in this game, in which he falls asleep and begins to mutter about various kinds of pasta.[78] Treasure chests that need to be opened in a certain order to obtain a Power Moon return. In the Seaside Kingdom, the "Treasure Trap Hidden in the Inlet" Power Moon has the same order to open the treasure chests as the "Treasure of the Ocean Cave" Power Star in Jolly Roger Bay. The jingle that plays when Mario collects a non-plot-specific Power Moon is an arrangement of the Power Star jingle from this game, while the original jingle plays when Mario collects a Power Star in the Mushroom Kingdom. The regional coins in the Mushroom Kingdom have the design of the coins from this game. There is an outfit and cap, aptly named "Mario 64 Suit" and "Mario 64 Cap," respectively, that, when equipped, change Mario's clothes and face to the polygon-like texture used in this game. Another outfit and cap, called "Metal Mario Suit" and "Metal Mario Cap," respectively, changes Mario into his metal form from this game and similarly changes his texture. Yoshi can be found on the rooftop of Peach's Castle in the Mushroom Kingdom just like in this game. Klepto grabs Cappy just like how he grabs Mario's cap in this game. A scene of Mario fighting Bowser in this game and the music that plays when he fights Bowser play when he captures Bowser, and the music can also be heard during a part of "Break Free (Lead the Way)." Mario can perform this game's variation of the Spin Jump when he jumps off one of the bouncy red flowers found in-game. The backyard in Peach's Castle from this game returns, and it and the castle proper are set to an arrangement of the location's original music cue, "Inside the Castle Walls." The jingle that plays when the player has triggered an event returns. The water surrounding Peach's Castle can be drained like in this game. The Power Moon obtained from looking up to the ceiling in Peach's Castle is similar to how Mario looks up to the ceiling to access the course Tower of the Wing Cap. The map that Hint Toad consults is a map of the Bob-omb Battlefield.[79] Torkdrift is also a notable Spindrift. Finally, the post-credits ending has Mario exclaim, "Thank you so much for playing my game!" Mario Artist: The Painter's Cap originates from Mario's outfit in this series' box art. Super Mario Sunshine: Super Mario Odyssey is the first 3D Super Mario game since Super Mario Sunshine to feature open sandbox-style levels. Additionally, Mario can once again slide while grabbing on a ledge. Mario retains this game's version of the Spin Jump as well. Some areas feature platforming challenges without the aid of Cappy, similarly to some of the secret courses in this game requiring completion without the aid of FLUDD. The Gushen enemy capture grants Mario abilities very similar to FLUDD's various nozzles, including cleaning burning goop in the Seaside Kingdom, being propelled forward upon the surface of a body of water, and providing a method of defeating Mollusque-Lanceur that is very similar to how numerous bosses in Super Mario Sunshine are defeated (dousing in water by hovering from above). Isle Delfino, the main setting of this game, is visually referenced on the world atlas present on a Japanese billboard advertisement for Super Mario Odyssey.[80][81] When Mario stands in smoke or the poison spat out by Poison Piranha Plants, he gets covered in soot or the poison, resembling him being covered in goop from this game. Through an update released on February 21, 2018, Mario can receive the outfit and sunglasses like he received from the sunglasses vendor in this game. Super Mario 64 DS: The hedge maze outside Peach's Castle found in this game reappears. New Super Mario Bros.: When Mario ground-pounds after performing a Spin Jump, he performs the Drill Spin from this game. Super Mario Galaxy / Super Mario Galaxy 2: The animation of Mario and Cappy getting a Multi Moon is similar to the animation of Mario getting a Grand Star in these games. The low health buzzer sound also plays when Mario is low on health. Ground-Pound Switches also reappear. Captain Toad and the Toad Brigade, together with the Toad Brigade theme, appear in the game. The Life-Up Heart functions exactly like the Life Mushroom from these games. Mario's idle animation of falling asleep and animation of freezing to death are similar to the ones in these games. The currency in the Moon Kingdom resembles Star Bits and is described as such. The skeleton costume in this game resembles Mario's skeleton model from when he gets electrocuted. The jingle that plays when the Odyssey is restored is reused from the jingle that plays when Mario collects a new power-up in these games. A few of Yoshi's sound clips are reused from Super Mario Galaxy 2, as well as being able to find him in eggs. With its sunglasses on, a Moe-Eye sometimes hums "Gusty Garden Galaxy" from this game. As in the underground levels in Super Mario 3D Land and Super Mario 3D World, a cover of the Super Mario Bros. underground theme based on the rendition from Super Mario Galaxy's Flipswitch Galaxy plays in some underground areas. Also, there is a musical Easter egg in the pause menu, where it plays one of few different notes; if one selects the right options, the player will hear the Comet Observatory theme from this game. The "Ruins" theme sounds similar to Flip Swap Galaxy's theme. Super Mario 3D Land: The Tail Tree appears in the Mushroom Kingdom. The invincibility theme, heard when the player taps any Mario amiibo, is the World 2-3 theme from this game. Bowser attacks by stomping to create fire rings and swinging his tail, like in this game. The regional coins of the Lost Kingdom look similar to how the Super Leaves look in this game. Statue Mario's design appears when the Jizos are controlled. New Super Mario Bros. 2: Gold Mario appears as an unlockable outfit. Wearing this outfit scares Bowser, referencing Gold Mario's ability to defeat Bowser with a single fireball. Super Mario 3D World: The game runs on a similar, albeit more detailed, graphical engine to the game. Cat Mario and Cat Peach's Costume Mario sprites from Super Mario Maker can be seen on walls in many kingdoms. Captain Toad retains his design from this game. When the Broodals are defeated together, the fireworks of their faces explode in the sky, similar to how Bowser turns into a firework of his face when he is defeated in the final battle. Ty-foos and Parabones reappear as enemies. The bonus areas on the Dark Side are harder or alternate versions of previously visited bonus areas, similar to the levels in World Mushroom and World Flower from this game. The music played in Rainbow Run is reused when Mario becomes invincible after any Mario amiibo is used. Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: Mario's Mechanic and Racing Outfits feature some logos of sponsors appearing in the game, including Bowser Oil. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U: The description for the Luigi Cap reads "The 'L' stands for 'winner,'" which is also mentioned in the Palutena's Guidance conversation for Luigi. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker: Some bonus areas, such as the Jaxi maze in Tostarena, use the same arrangement of the Super Mario Bros. Underground Theme from this game. Toadette returns and retains her outfit from this game. When the player encounters Captain Toad in the Lost Kingdom, he mentions he was dropped by a giant bird (Klepto) but a different bird than usual (Wingo). Super Mario Maker: The Builder Helmet and Builder Outfit originate from this game. Sprites of Cat Mario and Cat Peach can be found in hidden areas of most of the kingdoms, as well as a sprite of Rosalina on the Dark Side, all from this game. Koopa Shells retain their spinning animation from this game's Super Mario Bros. style. An arrangement of the Super Mario Bros.-style airship theme plays during cutscenes with Bowser (where his airship flies away). The sprite for Bowser in the 2D sections is the same as the sprite used when Bowser is seen when Mario collects a Big Mushroom in this game. References in other media[edit] Super Mario Run: An event was held in this game, featuring Super Mario Odyssey-themed statues for the Kingdom Builder mode. Mario Tennis Aces: Pauline summons a platform resembling New Donk City Hall, as well as several New Donkers, for her Special Shot. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker: The Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS versions of this game include stages inspired by several kingdoms, such as Uptown, Downtown being based on the Metro Kingdom. Super Mario Party: The gameplay of the minigame Making Faces has a similar premise to the Picture Match game. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: Aesthetically, Mario's cap has been replaced by Cappy. One of Mario's new taunts has him spin Cappy around, which references Mario's Cap Throw action, as well as the Spin Throw. Mario's Super Jump Punch has a chance of producing regional coins from the Metro Kingdom, which reuse the sound effect when they are collected in Super Mario Odyssey. When this occurs, Cappy's eyes peek out from Mario's hat. One of Mario's new costumes is his wedding tuxedo. New Donk City Hall appears as a new stage, where Pauline and the band are visible in the background. Songs from Super Mario Odyssey, including "Jump Up, Super Star!", are also present. Mario (Wedding), The Odyssey, Cappy, Bowser (Wedding), Peach (Wedding), and Pauline (using her appearance from Super Mario Odyssey) also appear as spirits. Bowser's "Congratulations!" screen possibly parodies the events of the game, while Peach's "Congratulations!" screen references the early ending concept where Mario and Peach get married. Mario Kart Tour: Some of Pauline's voice clips make references to verses of "Jump Up, Super Star!" and her status as mayor of New Donk City is indirectly referenced by her association with the New York Minute courses. In addition, Peach (Vacation), Peach (Wintertime), and Peach (Explorer) each wear an outfit derived from the one she wears in the Metro Kingdom, Cap Kingdom, and Cascade Kingdom, respectively, in the post-game, while Peach (Wedding) wears the same wedding outfit Peach wears prior to the post-game. Peach (Yukata) wears the yukata outfit that she wears in Bowser's Kingdom, albeit with a heart pattern instead of a Fire Flower pattern. Additionally, several of Mario's outfits during certain tours, such as the Musician, Happi, Racing, and Santa outfits, are based on his Crazy Cap outfits. Mario (Tuxedo) wears the top hat and tuxedo that is obtained when the player arrives at the Moon Kingdom. Official artwork for this game uses a globe design based on that of official artwork for Super Mario Odyssey.[82] Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020: The Mushroom Kingdom and the Odyssey appear in the Dream Event called Dream Karate. Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit: Many outfits from this game reappear as unlockable content. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury: Snapshot Mode returns in this game. Additionally, Mario's animation when he collects a Cat Shine resembles the animation when he collects a non-story-related Power Moon in Super Mario Odyssey. Saving and loading games work the same way as in Super Mario Odyssey, as do ground-pounding and rolling into Warp Pipes to go through them quicker, with the sped-up warp noise being reused. The way Mario can roll in midair is similar to the dive. The manner that the player has to unearth Mario by jumping at the beginning of Bowser's Fury is similar to how they have to jump to wake him from his unconsciousness at the beginning of the Cap Kingdom, Lost Kingdom, and Ruined Kingdom stories. Mario Golf: Super Rush: A course based on New Donk City appears in this game. "Jump Up, Super Star!" plays during Pauline's Special Shot. Mario Strikers: Battle League: "Jump Up, Super Star!" is used as a leitmotif in Pauline's theme. The Super Mario Bros. Movie: A Crazy Cap store appears. Patches designed after the Fossil Falls, Tostarena, and Peach's Castle stickers from this game appear on Toad's backpack. The Sand Kingdom is actually visited in the film. "Fossil Falls" is arranged in the track "Welcome to the Mushroom Kingdom," while "Mount Volbono: Town" is arranged in the track "The Mushroom Council." Bowser wears his wedding attire from Super Mario Odyssey when he attempts to marry Peach. He also uses a triple Piranha Plant bouquet. Super Mario Bros. Wonder: The distinction between generic gold coins and purple, location-themed variants (in this case, flower coins) returns. The player can skip the Warp Pipe-entering animation by performing a Ground Pound like in Super Mario Odyssey. Super Mario RPG: One of Bowser's laughs from Super Mario Odyssey is reused in a cutscene. Princess Peach: Showtime!: The design of Peach's Castle is based on its design in Super Mario Odyssey. Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo: A clock face theme featuring Mario and Cappy in his Mario Cap form, as well as eight alarms themed after various kingdoms, are included. Super Mario Party Jamboree: Pauline's win animation has her perform a similar dance to one she does in Super Mario Odyssey, where she thrusts her hips back and forth. Mario & Luigi: Brothership: The Mushroom Kingdom appears to be somewhat modeled after its depiction in Super Mario Odyssey. Notes[edit] Super Mario Odyssey is the first-ever Super Mario title to receive a B rating by the CERO in Japan. All other titles released prior have been rated A. Similarly, Super Mario Odyssey is the first Super Mario title to receive "Everyone 10+" by the ESRB in North America. All other titles released prior have been rated E. According to the ESRB, this is because of the following content contained in the game: the ways the enemies are defeated, the capture of a cartoony military tank (the enemy Sherm) to fire large cannonballs at Mechawiggler and the large explosion that occurs upon the defeat of the latter, the various punches landed at Bowser during his fights, and the pink liquid trails that Cookatiel spits out towards Mario during its boss fight.[83] A browser game called Super Mario Odyssey Fun Trivia Quiz was released in 2017 on the Play Nintendo website. To comply with the video game regulations in China, the Tencent Nintendo Switch release of the game features many changes or censorships. The skull and eye patch were removed from the Pirate Outfit, which was renamed along with the Pirate Hat to "Noble Outfit" and "Noble Hat."[84] English names on the world maps were removed, including coordinate numbers and letters. This change applies to the maps both in-game[85] and on the cartridge[86] and download cards.[87]