Super Mario is one of the most storied video game franchises in history. In fact, when it comes to recognition Super Mario is sitting at the table amongst legends like Pac-Man and Lara Croft. It’s been over 35 years since Mario first appeared as a supporting character called “Jumpman” in the 1981 arcade game “Donkey Kong.” Super Mario became an instant celebrity from that point forward. And even though the franchise has spanned several generations it shows no signs of fading into the sands of time. With the release of Mario Odyssey, we are preparing to embark on a new adventure with this legendary character.
Here are 5 things you should know about this latest installment
1. Super Mario Odyssey is the 21st addition to the main Super Mario series
The Super Mario franchise birthed more than a few spinoffs. There’s Yoshi’s Island, Super Mario All-Stars, and Super Mario Advance to name a few. With the release of Super Mario Odyssey, gamers are being reintroduced to Super Mario’s world. The game puts you in the role of Mario as he journeys across world’s on his hat shaped ship “The Odyssey.” What’s the goal? To save Princess from Bowser of course. Sound familiar? Well, don’t think you’re in for the same-old-same-old.Because all is not the same… The gameplay has one major distinction from previous releases.
2. Super Mario Odyssey has some really advanced 3D graphics
Sure, there have been a couple 3D versions of Super Mario introduced to gamers since the release of the original 3D Mario game “Super Mario 3D Land.” But none of the 3D graphics on previous titles come close to the graphics on Super Mario Odyssey, and that’s due to one primary reason…
3. The game has been in development since 2013
The creators of the game wanted to be creative and take Mario’s world and gameplay to the next level. So they took their time creating Super Mario Odyssey. Under director Kenta Motokura, development began immediately after the release of “Super Mario 3D World” in 2013. The team experimented with new concepts and prototypes that have led to a unique and intuitive level of gameplay in Mario Odyssey.
4. Super Mario Odyssey is the first Mario title for Nintendo’s new console “Nintendo Switch.”
Nintendo Switch takes gaming to the next level and definitely does Super Mario’s world and gameplay justice. There’s free-roaming exploration, unique designs, photo-realistic cities, and fantasy-based worlds. Released in October 2016 the console allows you to switch from playing your favorite games on your television and take your gameplay with you while you’re on the move. This is possible because the Nintendo Switch is a “hybrid console.” Designed primarily as a home gaming console, with the main unit inserted into a docking station to connect to your television. The thing that makes it a hybrid is that you can remove it from the docking station to use it similarly to a tablet computer through it’s LCD touch screen. Or you can turn it to landscape mode and place it on a table top for multiple players. The design is undoubtedly next level.
Check out the video below to see what I’m talking about.
5. The game was designed for Super Mario’s core audience
According to Super Mario Odyssey creator Shigeru Miyamoto, the game is more on the “core side” similar to older games in the Super Mario series. Which is a departure from the series’ recent focus on casual gamers. It seems like it has paid off as the game received widespread critical acclaim when it was shown at the 2017 Electronic Entertainment Expo.
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