Spoiler Super Mario Odyssey Thread

[Ninja]

POTENTIAL SPOILERS FOR THE GAME

With the release of this long awaited game, for those of you that have it, what are your thoughts? How’s the game going for you?

I don’t plan on getting a Switch for awhile so I’m excited to see how much some of you are enjoying it.

Feel free to post reviews, thoughts, praise and complaints here.

 

[Spirit]

I put three solid hours into this incredible game last night and my golly gosh what and amazing experience!

I was worried i'd seen too much going in. I'd watched all the trailers and a big chunk of the treehouse, as Zelda fans we know that just watching the trailers can be too much since Nintendo likes to blow their load early.
Thankfully there was a constant stream of things i'd never seen before from kingdoms (i'm not up to Metro Kingdom yet and i've already seen two kingdoms i didnt know existed) to enemies and allies, it was so fresh!

The story isnt shocking or new but it plays out in unexpected ways which i'm enjoying. They've kept the story the same as any other Mario but theyre telling it in a refreshing way.

As for gameplay, wow is it tight. Mario feels a bit fast footed but it takes two minutes to get used to it. I play with the pro controller for every game I have but even with the pro the game still wants me to use motion controls for certain moves like Cappy's spin attack and throwing him upwards, i'd have preferred these actions mapped to buttons but i'm fine either way, we're not in Skyward Sword territory here.

The only real action i have a problem with is Mario's dive in which you have to begin a ground pound in the air with ZL and then press Y. Its not hard but it felt alien enough as a long term Mario player for me to mess me up a few times when i tried to cover large gaps.

The capture mechanic is gold too. Its an attack and possession and it works great. It took me a few attempts to get used to lining up my attacks but once i was used to it was capping enemies like a pro. Capping enemies is a joy too, unlike BotW which threw almost everything out in an attempt to be refreshing, Odyssey goes the other way and brings so much from Mario's past together and then lets you take control of it. Its a truly wonderful moment the first time you cap a Bullet Bill because you 'know' what it is, as a Mario fan you know what they do and now you can use them to your advantage, and in a testament to good game design you'll use them for things you never imagined too and i loved that.

The graphics are incredible. The opening is seemingly crafted to show off the graphics, given the first kingdoms you see, theyre the best i've ever seen in a Mario game, its beautiful to behold and i had to stop a few times to take it in, i know that sounds cliche but i really did.

However i do have a concern; i dont know how many Kingdoms are in this game or if they have large areas i never found that will open up SS style later but i've already collected enough power moons from and defeated the bosses of five kingdoms already, in just three hours. I fear its going by too fast or that i'm not playing it right.

I do know that there is a large post game and the moons seem to be as plentiful as Korok Seeds but still, i fear for the length of the story and how fast i'll see all the kingdoms, i want a constant stream of surprise and i'm worried that the surprises will stop rolling quicker than i'd like.

We'll see though.

 

[the8thark]

A quick note - You have to use the motion controls to get a few of the Power Moons. This only matters to those who want to 100% the game.
I'll post my thoughts on the game after I play it some.

 

[YIGAhim]

Sounds like this game is amazing...

I'm still debating on whether I should buy this or wait for Skyrim

 

[funnier6]

I put three solid hours into this incredible game last night and my golly gosh what and amazing experience!

I was worried i'd seen too much going in. I'd watched all the trailers and a big chunk of the treehouse, as Zelda fans we know that just watching the trailers can be too much since Nintendo likes to blow their load early.
Thankfully there was a constant stream of things i'd never seen before from kingdoms (i'm not up to Metro Kingdom yet and i've already seen two kingdoms i didnt know existed) to enemies and allies, it was so fresh!

The story isnt shocking or new but it plays out in unexpected ways which i'm enjoying. They've kept the story the same as any other Mario but theyre telling it in a refreshing way.

As for gameplay, wow is it tight. Mario feels a bit fast footed but it takes two minutes to get used to it. I play with the pro controller for every game I have but even with the pro the game still wants me to use motion controls for certain moves like Cappy's spin attack and throwing him upwards, i'd have preferred these actions mapped to buttons but i'm fine either way, we're not in Skyward Sword territory here.

The only real action i have a problem with is Mario's dive in which you have to begin a ground pound in the air with ZL and then press Y. Its not hard but it felt alien enough as a long term Mario player for me to mess me up a few times when i tried to cover large gaps.

The capture mechanic is gold too. Its an attack and possession and it works great. It took me a few attempts to get used to lining up my attacks but once i was used to it was capping enemies like a pro. Capping enemies is a joy too, unlike BotW which threw almost everything out in an attempt to be refreshing, Odyssey goes the other way and brings so much from Mario's past together and then lets you take control of it. Its a truly wonderful moment the first time you cap a Bullet Bill because you 'know' what it is, as a Mario fan you know what they do and now you can use them to your advantage, and in a testament to good game design you'll use them for things you never imagined too and i loved that.

The graphics are incredible. The opening is seemingly crafted to show off the graphics, given the first kingdoms you see, theyre the best i've ever seen in a Mario game, its beautiful to behold and i had to stop a few times to take it in, i know that sounds cliche but i really did.

However i do have a concern; i dont know how many Kingdoms are in this game or if they have large areas i never found that will open up SS style later but i've already collected enough power moons from and defeated the bosses of five kingdoms already, in just three hours. I fear its going by too fast or that i'm not playing it right.

I do know that there is a large post game and the moons seem to be as plentiful as Korok Seeds but still, i fear for the length of the story and how fast i'll see all the kingdoms, i want a constant stream of surprise and i'm worried that the surprises will stop rolling quicker than i'd like.

We'll see though.

I could’ve written this myself tbh. Only difference is I used the recommended detached joy con.

It really feels like it’s so good it should’ve already existed, I have a couple nitpicks but I wanna say it’s at least as good if not better than Galaxy. Galaxy being my favorite 3D Mario.

Might be early, but some of things you can do in Odyssey are just outrageously cool.

 

[Spirit]

Spoiler

Okay so ive put seven hours into Odyssey now aaaaaaand i'm up to Bowser's Kingdom. I really hope there's a huge post game and that it has even a little story because while there are 999 moons in the game and i only have just under 200, i'm worried my interest may fall off a cliff, Korok Seed style, when the story is done. The gameplay is wonderful but i need something moving me forward. I'm sure i'll keep enjoying it but it is concerning that i've only sat down to play this game twice and i'm already at what i assume is the story's final boss. Fingers crossed for post game.

 

[A Link In Time]

I am loving this game so far. Super Mario 64 may be topped as my favorite 3D Mario platformer.

The opening cutscene to Super Mario Odyssey was absolutely gorgeous. I swear, Nintendo is finding new ways to make Bowser's shell look better and better in HD. It's probably my second favorite opening after the first Super Mario Galaxy. That said, the very start of the opening cutscene and the cutscenes in general are one of my minor complaints about the game. The white text on the black background feel cheap compared to the high presentation value elsewhere.

I don't have much to say on the controls department. Rolling took me a while to get used to, but I feel comfortable with the controls now. It's just a little annoying that the detached joy cons controls tutorial image pops in whenever you read how to do a new maneuver.

As for my gameplay experience, I've made it to the Wooded Kingdom thus far. I will say that it's such a break from Mario convention to start in what's essentially a ghost area. It's so refreshing not to start in a grassy world. Speaking of grassy worlds, however, I was disappointed with how short the Cascade Kingdom was, though I loved every minute of it. Taking controls of the T-Rex and Chain Chomps was exhilarating. Maybe there is more to do there later on.

The Sand Kingdom is my favorite so far. I loved exploring the Inverted Pyramid, the maze where you needed to use the sunglasses statues to traverse the poison, the icy cavern, and

Spoiler

the Sunshine like part where there were rotating platforms that you had to do without Cappy.

What really blew me away is when I

Spoiler

found a secret passage to a moon in New Donk City.

Some of the minor challenge moons were really fun too, like herding sheep and ground pounding to find a moon where the rumble was strongest. My one minor gripe regarding moons is how you can buy one per world, or so it seems, in the shop. That's no fun.

I also have to give one moment to acknowledge the transition from kingdom to kingdom. It combines the best of both worlds from Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2. There is a cinematic feel as Mario looks through the window of the Odyssey, similar to the transition between domes in Galaxy 1, and Cappy proceeds to read him a tip inside the ship, but it's also as quick as it was in Galaxy 2 with the familiar world map. I think Nintendo has found a real compromise on this one.

Looking forward to playing more of the game. I haven't been this hooked to a title in a very long time.

 

[Ver-go-a-go-go]

Up to the Metro Kingdom, and man, this could be game of the year for me. Unless Xenoblade 2 just really blows me away, it's going to be between Odyssey and Persona 5 for me.

I really did not think Breath of the Wild could possibly be topped during the launch year of the Switch, but Mario is proving again why he's the king of video games. I didn't think it was possible to go any higher after Galaxy, and I may ultimately end up preferring Galaxy due to nostalgia, but Odyssey is the best game on the Switch right now and is a masterpiece.

I'll post my in-depth thoughts later once I've gone through more of the game and I've given it more time.

 

[the8thark]

My two cents on the game.

I think Mario Odyssey is a good game for a rarely talked about issue. Most 3D mario games are all about giving the player a clearly defined objective (usually the name of the star you are going for) and the palyer jsut goes and collects it. The challenge comes in the ever increasing difficulty of getting these stars.

Mario Odyssey on the other hand is very different. The game is not very hard at all, and there's no clearly defined objectives from the outset, apart from find Power Moons. Sure you can use the Parrot to get a Power Moon Name or Toad for directions how to get a Power Moon. These are totally optional though. The challenge here is in exploration in finding the Power Moons (and purple currency as well).

Mario Odyssey does have downsides.
Small Map Sizes
Very limited NPC interactions
Repetative gameplay (Just possessing the enemies and using the ususal Mario tricks to get each Power Moon)
Having to listen to the same gameplay tips during every single world to world loading sceen
Being told at the start of the game to use the joycon. It makes the Joycon feel like the Nintendo is saying it's the best option, not just one of many option. Sakurai does this way better with Smash Bros.
Motion controls not optional to 100% the game though Nintendo clearly saying the motion controls are optional.
Lack of a cohesive theme to tie in the whole game. Sure there is the globe trotting, but musically, graphically, gameplay style, it's all different for every area of the planet. Super Mario Galaxy did this better with it's in space and gravity abusing theme. Even the music was consistent accross the entire game and really brought the whole game together.

The game feels like every other 3D Mario on one hand, but . . .
Apart from the fact the game looks amazing and the programing comprimises made are not that noticable, there is one very important reason why people are liking this game. It's fun. The fun factor here is massive. It almost feels like Iwata is watching over them from above and his fun first mantra is clearly on display here.

Yooka-Laylee is just as fun, in slightly different ways, but it's still a 3D collectathon. I think if Y-L was a Mario game instead, people would have totally loved it. There is a bias towards Mario games. People give them much to much praise at times. Mario Odyssey deserves the praise it gets for one reason, fun. Fun trumps everything else though. We've all played technically flawed games because we found them fun.

I'd give Super Mario Odyssey a 8 or 9 out of 10. Totally worth playing, but the game is not really that boundary pushing. It's just an evolution of the same basic 3D Mario game formula, just this time around the emphasis is placed on fun and not the game difficulty.

I am yet to find out if Mario Odyssey has a grand master level. I really hope Odyssey does not. Grand master levels can go die in a fire.

*****************************

You can unlock all these without using amiibo if you so wish.
The article is not 100% correct so I'll share how it actualy is.

Mario (SSB, SM, 30th) - Classic Cap and Classic Outfit
Dr. Mario (SS - Doctor Headware and Doctor Outfit
Mario - (Gold, Silver)- Gold Mario Cap and Gold Mario Outfit
Diddy Kong (SSB, SM) - Diddy Kong Hat and Diddy Kong Suit
Luigi (SSB, SM) - Luigi Cap and Luigi Suit
Wario (SSB, SM) - Wario Cap and Wario Suit
Waluigi (SM) - Waluigi Cap and Waluigi Suit
Mario (Wedding)- Mario's Top Hat and Mario's Tuxedo
Bowser Wedding Outfit (Wedding) - Bowser's Top Hat and Bowser's Tuxedo
Peach Wedding Outfit (Wedding) - Peach's Veil and Peach's Wedding Dress

 

[Spirit]

Spoiler

okay, so i finished the story (which was very entertaining) totally the most fun i've had with a Mario story. The cutscenes were a lot of fun and the game felt like the right size for what it is. I'm up to the post game now and i'm a little disappointed with the rewards in post game and the objectives. Boss rush and insane killer platforming arent what i want as rewards. So, like Korok seeds in Zelda i'm gonna be collecting things for stuff i dont want. Odyssey is way more fun (but less epic) to play than Zelda since youre always jumping or capping or... well, lots of things, rather than just roaming a large landscape.

I am surprised at how quickly and easily i managed to get to the end (given that this is the first 3D Mario barring 3D world i've actually completed in my life) and it was a lot of fun while it lasted. The kingdoms were way smaller than i expected and Bob-omb Battlefield in Mario 64 feels bigger than a few kingdoms in Odyssey. But they dont outstay their welcome either which is good. At least youre not stuck in a place you dislike for ages.

So yeah. I loved the game. Most fun i've had with a game in quite some time despite how short it felt (nailed it in three 3-4 hour sittings). Still lots to do though and moon hunting is way more interesting than Korok hunting. I do wish there was more than one save file though.

 

[DarkestLink]

Have only made it to the Luncheon Kingdom so far, but this is easily the best platformer I've ever played. It's a holy fusion of SM64 and the BK games, with some of the most enjoyable platforming, the best Mario moveset, and plenty of platforming variety with the capture mechanic. Assuming it doesn't crash and burn postgame, it could easily fit in my Top 5 games. If it weren't for motion controls and a bit of stiff movement, I'd say it was perfect.

 

[A Link In Time]

My thoughts after beating the game are that this is the best Mario game ever made and quite possibly the best game ever made.

 

[Kylo Ken]

Pretty good. Reminds me more like Banjo Kazooie x 3D World than SM64, tho.

 

[Ominethious]

Man, the game is actually VERY hard to 100%.

Not only do you have the hardest set of levels post story, but two of the hardest endgame "Challenges" i've seen in awhile.

Spoiler

Rabbit Ridge on the Dark side of the moon. HOOO GOD. it felt like ripping an arrow out of my back trying to survive that ****. Even after eliminating the 4 Broodals, and the Mechabroodal. All those god damn cap-less challenges had me strangling my switch in frustration.

And then i got 500 Moons..

I did not see the darker side of the moon coming, but god damn it is the embodiment of pain. It takes every scummy little trick from Rabbit Ridge, and amplifies it by 12. A no checkpoint platformer rush of cheap shots and technical terrors. What is gurantee'd from this is that you will NEVER get through it in 1 try.

Now for the rewards for both; The king outfit of Rabbit Ridge was worth it, it's bloody glorious. However the invisible cap, ech... i admire that it's different, but i see that as a tool for the most masochistic individual to then do the Darker Side of the moon AGAIN.

 

[the8thark]

Not only do you have the hardest set of levels post story, but two of the hardest endgame "Challenges" i've seen in awhile.

Harder than that ***** from Super Mario Galaxy 2?