Super Mario Odyssey

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"Mario Odyssey" redirects here. For the Super Mario Bros. Super Show! episode, see 9001: A Mario Odyssey.
Super Mario Odyssey
Super Mario Odyssey - final box art
North American box art
For alternate box art, see the game's gallery.
Developer Nintendo EPD Tokyo, 1-UP Studio[1]
Publisher Nintendo
Tencent Games (China)
Platform(s) Nintendo Switch
Release date Template:Release[?]
Language(s) English (United States)
French (France)
French (Canada)
German
Spanish (Spain)
Spanish (Latin America)
Italian
Dutch
Russian
Japanese
Simplified Chinese1
Traditional Chinese
Korean

1 - The global and domestic versions have slightly different localizations.
Genre Platformer, action-adventure
Rating(s)
ESRB:E10+ - Everyone 10+
PEGI:7 - Seven years and older
CERO:B - Twelve years and older
ACB:PG - Parental Guidance
USK:6 - Six years and older
RARS:6+ - Six years and older
GRAC:All - All ages
CADPA:8+ - Eight years and older
GSRR:P - Six years and older
FPB:PG - Parental guidance
Gmedia:7 - Seven years and older
NMC:7 - Seven years and older
Mode(s) Single player, two-player co-op
Input
Nintendo Switch:

Super Mario Odyssey is an entry from the Super Mario platforming series for the Nintendo Switch. It was released on October 27, 2017.[2] The game features sandbox-like elements similar to 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.

Story

 
Mario encounters Bowser on the latter's airship.

The story begins in the skies above Peach's Castle, where Mario and Bowser are in the middle of fighting each another 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.

 
Mario meets Cappy.

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. Mario and Cappy 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 informs Mario that they may be able to find a usable airship in the next kingdom, accessible from the 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 confront Bowser in the Nimbus Arena.

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 succesfully 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.

 
Bowser prepares to attack the Odyssey again with the Ruined Dragon.

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 break into the Wedding Hall.

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. Mario uses Cappy 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. However, Peach rejects them both and leaves with Cappy and Tiara. Mario and Bowser get upset, but Peach 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.

 
Mario and Bowser fight for Princess Peach's approval.

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.

Gameplay

Super Mario Odyssey returns to the explorative sandbox-like gameplay seen in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine, where Mario explores various areas in order to collect Power Moons to power the Odyssey airship to fly from kingdom to kingdom. There is no central hub world, as the Odyssey is rather used to move from one location to the others. Mario maintains his moveset from previous 3D titles, including the Triple Jump, the Long Jump, the Side Somersault, the Backwards 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 takes possession of his cap. Mario can throw Cappy as if he were a boomerang for a long-range attack. He can use Cappy as an extra platform to bypass obstacles, use Cappy in conjunction with his dive move to cross large distances, and also use Cappy to "capture" certain objects and enemies to take control of them, replacing the traditional power-up system seen in the previous Super Mario games since Super Mario Galaxy. There are 52 capturable targets in total.[3]

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 Left button, where they gain independent movement, where they act as an animate Cap Throw. 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 Left button again, they will automatically travel back to the first player's head until they press the Left 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 will be pushed towards the first player.

Mario's life meter also returns with three health, similar to in Super Mario Galaxy. Additionally, there are no lives (and, by extension, 1-Up Mushrooms and Game Overs) in the game, making this the only 3D Mario game not to feature them, as Mario instead loses ten coins upon dying. The coins that Mario collects serve as currency. There are two types of coins—global yellow coins, which can be found and used in any kingdom, and purple regional coins, which are different in every kingdom and can be used only in the kingdom they were found in. Mario can spend his coins at the Crazy Cap stores to buy items for the Odyssey and costumes. amiibo support includes Mario, Peach, Bowser, and a new character called Uncle amiibo, which unlocks more costumes, including ones based on Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, and Diddy Kong;[4] others reveal Power Moon locations on the map, though the latter four amiibo also do that before unlocking the costumes. This is also the case for the new "wedding" variants of the former three amiibo.

The game features a "Snapshot Mode," where players can suspend the game with down 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.

Controls

Orientation
Action Single Player Controls
(dual Joy-Con or Pro Controller)
Two Player Controls
(horizontal Joy-Con)
Camera Control rightstick to move,   or   to reset jc-top +   to move, jc-top to reset
First-Person Mode Click rightstick; while in First-Person Mode, tilt rightstick or move Joy-Con (R) or Pro Controller to look around, and press   or   to reset Cannot use First-Person Mode with horizontal Joy-Con.
Ground Movement
Action Single Player Controls
(dual Joy-Con or Pro Controller)
Two Player Controls
(horizontal Joy-Con)
Walk Tilt leftstick slightly Tilt   slightly
Run Tilt leftstick Tilt  
Crouch Hold zl or zr Hold sl or sr
Crouch Walk Hold zl or zr + leftstick Hold sl or sr +  
Roll Hold zl or zr + tap   or   or flick controller Hold sl or sr + tap jc-left or flick Joy-Con
Roll Cancel While rolling, press   or   and   or   at the same time While rolling, press jc-left and jc-bottom or jc-right at the same time
Hops, skips, and jumps
Action Single Player Controls
(dual Joy-Con or Pro Controller)
Two Player Controls
(horizontal Joy-Con)
Jump   or   jc-bottom or jc-right
Double Jump While landing from standard jump, press   or   While landing from standard jump, press jc-bottom or jc-right
Triple Jump While landing from double jump, hold leftstick and press   or   While landing from double jump, hold   and press jc-bottom or jc-right
Backward Somersault Hold zl or zr + press   or   Hold sl or sr + press jc-bottom or jc-right
Side Somersault While running, move leftstick in opposite direction +   or   While running, hold   in opposite direction + jc-bottom or jc-right
Long Jump While running, hold zl or zr + tap   or   While running, hold sl or sr + tap jc-bottom or jc-right
Wall Slide Jump against most vertical surfaces Jump against most vertical surfaces
Wall Jump While Mario is sliding down a wall in midair with his hand planted, press   or   While Mario is sliding down a wall in midair with his hand planted, press jc-bottom or jc-right
Ground Pound In midair, tap zl or zr In midair, tap sl or sr
Ground Pound Jump During ground pound impact, press   or   During ground pound impact, press jc-bottom or jc-right
Dive After initiating ground pound but before impact, press   or   or flick controller After initiating ground pound but before impact, press jc-left or flick Joy-Con
Cappy
Action Single Player Controls
(dual Joy-Con or Pro Controller)
Two Player Controls
(horizontal Joy-Con)
Cap Throw   or   or flick controller jc-left or flick Joy-Con
Spin Throw Tilt both Joy-Con pads or the Pro Controller quickly to the side, or press   or   during spin Tilt horizontal Joy-Con quickly to the side, or press jc-left during spin
Upward Throw Flick both Joy-Con or the Pro Controller upward Flick Joy-Con upward
Downward Throw Flick both Joy-Con downward, or press   or   or flick controller during ground pound impact (Pro Controller) Press jc-left or flick Joy-Con during ground pound impact
Homing Throw Throw cap (any method), then flick controller in desired direction Throw cap (any method), then flick controller in desired direction
Combos
Action Single Player Controls
(dual Joy-Con or Pro Controller)
Two Player Controls
(horizontal Joy-Con)
Cap Jump Throw and hold Cappy, then run into him Throw and hold Cappy, then run into him
Catch Jump Any cap throw, then   or   just after catching Cappy Any cap throw, then jc-bottom or jc-right just after catching Cappy
Twirl Any cap throw, then   or   just after catching Cappy while in midair Any cap throw, then jc-bottom or jc-right just after catching Cappy while in midair
Dive Jump In midair, throw cap, press zl or zr then hold   or   In midair, throw cap, press sl or sr then hold jc-left
Miscellaneous
Action Single Player Controls
(dual Joy-Con or Pro Controller)
Two Player Controls
(horizontal Joy-Con)
Spin Rotate leftstick quickly in two circles Rotate   quickly in two circles
Spin Jump During spin, press   or   During spin, press jc-bottom or jc-right
Quick Drop During spin jump, press zl or zr During spin jump, press sl or sr
Spinning Ground Pound During spin jump, hold zl or zr until impact During spin jump, hold sl or sr until impact
Spinning Ground Pound Jump During spinning ground pound impact, press   or   During spinning ground pound impact, press jc-bottom or jc-right
Hold Item Press   or   near a grabbable object Press jc-left near a grabbable object
Throw Item Press   or   for short throw, flick controller for long throw Press jc-left for short throw, flick Joy-Con for long throw
Swim leftstick while in water   while in water
Descend zl or zr while in water sl or sr while in water
Ascend   or   while in water jc-bottom or jc-right while in water
Quick Swim zl or zr then   or   or flick controller while in water sl or sr then jc-left or flick Joy-Con while in water
Ledge Clinging leftstick left or right to shimmy along handholds, up or   or   to climb up, down to let go and fall   left or right to shimmy along handholds, up or jc-bottom or jc-right to climb up, down to let go and fall
Pole Climbing leftstick up or down to ascend or descend, left or right to rotate around the pole   up or down to ascend or descend, left or right to rotate around the pole

Balloon World

 
Mario hiding a balloon in the Cascade Kingdom
Main article: Balloon World

Balloon World is a 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.

Characters

Playable characters

Character Description
 
Mario
The hero of the Mushroom Kingdom and the game's protagonist. Super Mario Odyssey has Mario going on a world voyage to stop the forced marital union between Princess Peach and Bowser. Considered a return to form, Mario's advanced movement options from Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine return alongside completely new abilities. Many of these involve his new traveling companion, Cappy.
 
Cappy
A white Bonneter that resembles a top hat. He joins Mario on his journey to help rescue his sister Tiara, who was also kidnapped by Bowser. Cappy takes on the form of Mario's cap during the game and can be tossed at characters and objects, allowing Mario to temporarily "capture" their form. In multiplayer, the second player controls Cappy while the first controls Mario directly, somewhat similar to how multiplayer worked with Co-Star Luma in Super Mario Galaxy 2.

Non-playable characters

Character Description Found in Capturable?
 
Princess Peach
The ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom. She is kidnapped by Bowser, in the hopes that he can pressure her into marriage. The game's story revolves around Mario's quest to stop the marriage and save her. After being rescued, Mario and Bowser both attempt to propose to her, but they are rejected. She pursues her own worldwide voyage with Tiara during the postgame. All kingdoms except Dark Side and Darker Side[note 1] No
 
Tiara
Cappy's younger sister. She is kidnapped by Bowser and forced to serve as Peach's headdress for their wedding. She develops a bond with Peach while they are captured, and they decide to travel the world together during the postgame. All kingdoms except Dark Side and Darker Side[note 1] No
 
Bonneters
Ghost-like hat creatures similar to tsukumogami. They reside in Bonneton. Bonneters are shapeshifters and will disguise themselves as other people's hats in order to go sightseeing. Their home was ransacked by Bowser and the Broodals as they kidnapped Tiara. Cap Kingdom
Moon Kingdom
Darker Side
[note 2]
No
 
Frogs
Skittish amphibians native to the Cap Kingdom. They are the first Capturable entity encountered in the game. Cap Kingdom
Moon Kingdom
Darker Side
Yes
 
Uncle amiibo
A squat tracked robot. He can provide Power Moon locations or special costumes when the player scans an amiibo. All kingdoms except Darker Side No
 
Talkatoo
A talking parrot. It provides hints about the locations of Power Moons, but only up to three at a time. All kingdoms except Darker Side No
 
Small Birds
Harmless little animals found within almost every kingdom. They will fly away if approached, but one may choose to roost on Mario's nose if he falls asleep. Each kingdom has a uniquely designed species of bird based on the kingdom's environment. For example, scarlet macaw-like birds live in the Cascade Kingdom, while blue jay-like ones live in the Wooded Kingdom. Butterflies live on the islands of the Lost Kingdom in place of birds. All kingdoms except the Lost Kingdom No
 
 
 
 
Small Animals[5]
Tiny creatures found in most kingdoms. Similar to the small birds, these animals are harmless and will run away from Mario if he gets too close. Chasing down or throwing Cappy at one may produce a Yellow Coin. There are four different varieties: crabs, squirrels, rats, and geckoes. Sand Kingdom
Lake Kingdom
Wooded Kingdom
Metro Kingdom
Seaside Kingdom
Mushroom Kingdom
No
 
Tostarenans
Cheerful, music-loving people that look like candy calaveras. They reside in Tostarena Town, a tourist community. Some individuals host the Slots minigame. The Tostarenans suffer from unnaturally frigid temperatures caused by Bowser and the Broodals when first encountered. They are related to the Chincho enemies that roam the desert at night. Cascade Kingdom[note 3]
Sand Kingdom
Metro Kingdom
Luncheon Kingdom
Moon Kingdom
Mushroom Kingdom
Darker Side
[note 2]
No
 
Sheep
Sombrero-wearing sheep that can be knocked around using Cappy. They appear in various Power Moon challenges, usually requiring Mario to corral them into an enclosure. Sand Kingdom
Wooded Kingdom[note 4]
Mushroom Kingdom
No
 
Moe-Eyes
Stone beings that resemble moai statues. They have inhabited Tostarena since ancient times. Moe-Eyes do not speak and are timid by nature: they will start to flee if approached. Capturing one would allow Mario to see invisible footpaths and platforms in the surrounding area. Sand Kingdom
Moon Kingdom
Yes
 
Sphynx
A large, stone statue that looks like the Great Sphinx of Giza. It hosts quizzes: if its questions are answered correctly, it will grant access to a hidden room that contains a Power Moon. It typically speaks in a dignified tone, but it will snobbishly mock the player if its questions are answered incorrectly. Cascade Kingdom[note 4]
Sand Kingdom
Wooded Kingdom
Seaside Kingdom
Moon Kingdom
Darker Side
No
 
Jaxi
A sphinx-like creature that runs a transportation business in the Sand Kingdom. Once summoned at a Jaxi Stand, Mario can ride him across the desert dunes and even over poisonous ponds. Jaxi is very fast and nearly indestructible, but is very difficult to turn or stop. Sand Kingdom No
 
Glydon
A bespectacled creature that resembles a draco lizard. He is a world-traveler who seeks great heights to glide from. If Captured, Mario can use Glydon to glide and dive across long distances. Sand Kingdom
Wooded Kingdom
Lost Kingdom
Seaside Kingdom
Darker Side
Yes
 
Koopas (Trace-Walking)
Koopa Troopas that host the Trace-Walking minigame. They reward Mario with a Power Moon if he successfully follows the route they layout. Sand Kingdom
Snow Kingdom
Moon Kingdom
No
 
Koopas (Freerunning)
A quartet of Koopa Troopas called the Roving Racers. They host the Freerunning minigame. If spoken to, the Koopas will challenge Mario to a race. If victorious, he will be awarded with a Power Moon. After winning a kingdom's Regular Cup and breaking the kingdom's Moon Rock, the purple Koopa is replaced with a much more challenging gold one for the Master Cup. All kingdoms except Dark Side and Darker Side No
 
Lakitus
Cloud-riding Koopas that have a penchant for fishing. If captured, Mario can fish for Cheep Cheeps and other creatures in bodies of water. Sand Kingdom
Lake Kingdom
Snow Kingdom
Bowser's Kingdom
Yes
 
Goombettes
Female Goombas that wear mushroom hats. They flee and disappear if Mario comes near, but will be affectionate if approached as a Captured Goomba. Doing so awards the player with a Power Moon. Sand Kingdom
Lake Kingdom
Wooded Kingdom
Seaside Kingdom
Luncheon Kingdom
Mushroom Kingdom
No
 
Lochladies
Aquatic, level-headed people that resemble mermaids. They are world-renowned fashion designers that live in Lake Lamode. The Lochlady Dress, one of their national treasures, was stolen by Bowser for his wedding. A trio of beret-wearing Lochladies called the Style Sisters will give Mario a Power Moon if he wears specific costumes for them. Lake Kingdom
Moon Kingdom
Darker Side
[note 2]
No
 
Dorries
Gentle giants that resemble plesiosaurs. A blue, top hat-wearing individual appears in Lake Lamode, outside Peach's Castle, and on Darker Side. Yellow and purple individuals appear in Bubblaine, where they host their own Crazy Cap shops. Lake Kingdom
Seaside Kingdom
Mushroom Kingdom
Darker Side
No
 
Steam Gardeners
Yellow robots that look like watering cans. They live and maintain the plant life in the Steam Gardens. They are burdened by Torkdrift, a robot built by Bowser that is harvesting their Soirée Bouquet for his wedding. There are gray-colored variants that can dispense seeds. Wooded Kingdom
Moon Kingdom
Darker Side
[note 2]
No
 
Rabbits
Top hat-wearing rabbits that can be chased by Mario. They run quickly, but can be slowed down and approached if hit by Cappy. Catching up to them awards the player with a Power Moon. The rabbits that live on the moon do not run away from Mario. All kingdoms except the Lake Kingdom and Darker Side No
 
New Donkers
Drably clothed, artistically realistic businesspeople. They are the residences of New Donk City and are governed by Mayor Pauline. When first encountered, the New Donkers are burdened by Mechawiggler, who is draining the city's energy. A pair of New Donkers host the Jump-Rope Challenge minigame and Captured individuals allow Mario to play the RC Car Challenge minigame. Cascade Kingdom[note 3]
Sand Kingdom
Metro Kingdom
Bowser's Kingdom
Moon Kingdom
Mushroom Kingdom
Darker Side
[note 2]
Yes
 
Pauline
The mayor of New Donk City and the lead singer of a band. After the defeat of Mechawiggler, Mario has the option to help reform her band and put on a rooftop concert to celebrate the city's liberation from Bowser's minions. An old friend of Mario's, she alludes to past trauma where she was abducted by an ape. She is the singer behind the the game's theme "Jump Up, Super Star!" Metro Kingdom
Moon Kingdom
Darker Side
No
 
Band
A five-person band of New Donkers. The members include: Pauline, a Bassist, a Guitarist, a Drummer, and a Trumpeter. Mario can reunite the band members after Mechawiggler is defeated. They put on a concert during the New Donk City Festival. Metro Kingdom
Darker Side
No
 
Shiverians
Spherical, seal-like people that live in Shiveria Town. They have warm dispositions and enjoy baking. Bowser and the Broodals stole their famous Frost-Frosted Cake for the wedding. Some Shiverians compete together as racers in the Bound Bowl Grand Prix. Snow Kingdom
Moon Kingdom
Darker Side
[note 2]
Yes
 
Shiverian Elder
The ruler of the Shiverians, and the only one among them who can bake the Frost-Frosted Cake. He hosts the Bound Bowl Grand Prix. Snow Kingdom No
 
Penguins
Small birds that live in the Snow Kingdom. Though similar to normal penguins, these ones will fly away if approached. Snow Kingdom No
 
Bubblainians
Snail-like people found in Bubblaine. They are known for their carefree nature. When first encountered, the Bubblainians are burdened by Mollusque-Lanceur, who is drinking all of their Sparkle Water. If approached by an enemy, they will retract into their shells. Seaside Kingdom
Moon Kingdom
Darker Side
[note 2]
No
 
Coach
A bronze-colored Bubblainian. He hosts the Beach Volleyball minigame. Seaside Kingdom No
 
Nintendog
A fedora-wearing Shibaken that will play fetch with Cappy and Mario. It only appears in the listed kingdoms after the regional boss is defeated. Sand Kingdom
Metro Kingdom
Seaside Kingdom
Moon Kingdom
Mushroom Kingdom
The Odyssey
No
 
Volbonans
Colorful chefs that resemble dinner forks. They live at the base of Mount Volbono. Volbonans are experts at cooking Stupendous Stew, which was stolen by Bowser and the Broodals for the wedding reception. Captured Volbonans can be used to catapult Mario to great heights. Luncheon Kingdom
Moon Kingdom
Darker Side
[note 2]
Yes
 
Poochy
A caricatured dog-like creature that cameos in Hint Art. It physically appears only in Bowser's Kingdom, swimming in a pond of poison. Bowser's Kingdom No
 
Luigi
Mario's younger twin brother. He was added to the game after its launch on February 21, 2018 as the host of the Balloon World minigame. Cap Kingdom
Cascade Kingdom
Sand Kingdom
Lake Kingdom
Wooded Kingdom
Lost Kingdom
Metro Kingdom
Snow Kingdom
Luncheon Kingdom
Bowser's Kingdom
Moon Kingdom
Mushroom Kingdom
No
 
Toads
Mushroom-like people that live in the Mushroom Kingdom. They are ruled by Princess Peach. Lost Kingdom
Metro Kingdom
Moon Kingdom
Mushroom Kingdom
Dark Side
Darker Side
[note 2]
No
 
Hint Toad
A knowledgeable member of the Toad Brigade. He offers Mario hints on where to find Power Moons in exchange for 50 Yellow Coins by marking their locations on the brochure map. He is always located in close proximity to Uncle amiibo. All kingdoms except Darker Side No
 
Captain Toad
The captain of the Toad Brigade. He is hidden away in most kingdoms and will award Mario a Power Moon if found. Cap Kingdom
Cascade Kingdom
Sand Kingdom
Lake Kingdom
Wooded Kingdom
Lost Kingdom
Metro Kingdom
Seaside Kingdom
Snow Kingdom
Luncheon Kingdom
Bowser's Kingdom
Moon Kingdom
Mushroom Kingdom
Dark Side
No
 
 
Toad Brigade
A six-member team of Toads on a quest to help find Princess Peach. In addition to Captain Toad, Hint Toad, and Toadette, there is a Green Toad who runs a Crazy Cap shop on Rocky Mountain Summit with yellow and purple individuals working as clerks. They travel inside a ship called a Starshroom. Lost Kingdom
Bowser's Kingdom
Moon Kingdom
Mushroom Kingdom
Dark Side
Darker Side
No
 
Archivist Toadette
A member of the Toad Brigade who keeps records inside Princess Peach's Castle. She awards Mario Power Moons for completing various achievements and reaching certain milestones. Mushroom Kingdom No
 
Yoshi
An old friend of Mario's. He is a dinosaur-like creature with a long tongue. Capturing him allows Mario to utilize Yoshi's abilities, such as the Flutter Jump and the ability to eat enemies. Mushroom Kingdom
Dark Side
Darker Side
Yes
 
8-bit Cat Peach
A sprite of Princess Peach with the Cat Suit power-up from Super Mario 3D World. She can be found hidden on walls. If Cappy is tossed at her, she will give Mario a Heart. Cap Kingdom
Cascade Kingdom
Sand Kingdom
Lake Kingdom
Wooded Kingdom
Lost Kingdom
Metro Kingdom
Snow Kingdom
Luncheon Kingdom
Bowser's Kingdom
Moon Kingdom
Mushroom Kingdom
No
 
8-bit Cat Mario
A sprite of Mario with the Cat Suit power-up from Super Mario 3D World. He will occasionally pop out of a disturbed patches of grass or shrubbery. He awards Mario with Yellow Coins when found. Cap Kingdom
Cascade Kingdom
Sand Kingdom
Lake Kingdom
Wooded Kingdom
Lost Kingdom
Metro Kingdom
Snow Kingdom
Luncheon Kingdom
Bowser's Kingdom
Moon Kingdom
Mushroom Kingdom
No
 
8-bit Rosalina
A sprite of the spacefaring princess from Super Mario Galaxy. When interacted with, she will give Mario ten Yellow Coins. Dark Side
Darker Side
No
  1. ^ a b Will not appear until Bowser is defeated and the Toad outside Peach's Castle is spoken to.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i These characters will start to appear in most of the kingdoms after Bowser is defeated.
  3. ^ a b Will only appear here after the "A Tourist in the Metro Kingdom!" Power Moon is obtained.
  4. ^ a b Will only appear here after the kingdom's Moon Rock is shattered.

Enemies

Certain enemies will wear different gear depending on the area they are found in. Enemies whose use is mandatory to advance, such as capturable enemies, respawn shortly after getting defeated or after being captured. De-capturing an enemy leaves it in a short dizzy state, which offers the player another chance to capture it before it disappears and respawns at the place it was first encountered.

New enemies

Enemy Description Found in Capturable?
 
Astro-Lanceur
An airborne alien that circulates above the surface of the Moon. It attacks by shooting spiked seashell-like missiles at Mario, which will explode on contact with him or an object. Astro-Lanceurs can be knocked down with a Ground Pound. Moon Kingdom No
 
Big Poison Piranha Plant
A Poison Piranha Plant with increased proportions. It attacks by spitting large poison balls at Mario, which lead to the creation of broad poison puddles on the ground. Although harmful to step on, these puddles can be cleared away using Cappy. In order to defeat a Big Poison Piranha Plant, the player has to jump-attack its head, a process which can be made easier by having it hold Cappy in its mouth resulting in it lowering its head to jumping height for Mario. Wooded Kingdom, Metro Kingdom, Dark Side No
 
Bitefrost
A big solid monster resembling an animate pillar. Hiding under the ground, it chases and eventually darts out at Mario in an attempt to attack him. Mario can be carried high above the ground as the Bitefrost is rising, but it will soon attempt to chomp Mario with its mandibles. Snow Kingdom, Luncheon Kingdom No
 
Burrbo
A tiny creature covered in bristles. Burrbos naturally dwell under the ground, waiting for Mario's approach to attack him. They come in different colors but nevertheless attack the same by repeatedly lunging towards Mario. They can be simply defeated with a Cap Throw. Cascade Kingdom, Metro Kingdom, Seaside Kingdom, Bowser's Kingdom, Mushroom Kingdom, Dark Side, Darker Side No
 
Chincho
A mummified Tostarenan that is often encountered in dark areas. Chinchos emerge from the ground in large numbers and begin pursuing Mario on sight. If not attacked for a while, Chinchos retreat under the earth. A Cap Throw merely stuns Chinchos for a brief moment, but stomping on them or tussling them with Jaxi can destroy them. Sand Kingdom, Wooded Kingdom, Seaside Kingdom, Ruined Kingdom, Mushroom Kingdom No
 
Gushen
A floating octopus enemy that inhabits a water ball, which it uses as a resource for its surging attack. When captured, Gushens can be used to spray water streams horizontally or vertically, offering powerful boosts of speed. Gushens are also capable of sending multiple water bursts in all directions, damaging surrounding enemies. Their water balls will decrease as more water is used, but they can be recharged by coming into contact with a body of water. Sand Kingdom, Seaside Kingdom, Mushroom Kingdom Yes
 
Komboo
A thin and lanky kelp-like enemy that spawns from the seabed. Komboos are usually highly cohesive and can attack Mario in large groups, though they can be simply destroyed using Cappy. Lake Kingdom, Seaside Kingdom No
 
Magmato
A tomato-looking enemy that attacks Mario by rolling towards him. If attacked, it will turn into a small puddle of steaming fluid, which has the properties of lava. As a Lava Bubble, Mario can plunge into such puddles, which is helpful for traversing large stretches of ground. Luncheon Kingdom, Darker Side No
 
Moonsnake
A form of life originating from the Moon, resembling a bar of spiked balls rotating around an axis. While in general fixed to one spot, some Moonsnakes can move on predetermined paths. They are indestructible. Seaside Kingdom, Moon Kingdom, Dark Side, Darker Side No
 
Poison Piranha Plant
A Piranha Plant that is able to shoot poison balls, which leave small injurious puddles on the ground. These can be cleaned up with Cappy. Throwing Cappy at one Poison Piranha Plant stuffs the mouth of the enemy and blocks it from spitting poison balls for a short time, enabling Mario to simply kick it and destroy it. Chucking a rock at the Poison Piranha Plant has a similar effect, but it also enables Mario to capture the enemy. While captured, it can be used to spit bubbles of poison in any desired direction. Wooded Kingdom, Metro Kingdom, Dark Side Yes
 
Pokio
A stubby enemy that pokes its sharp bill to attack Mario. While captured, Pokios can be used in the same fashion to attack enemies. They can also cling to certain walls with their bills and fling themselves in a direction, which is useful for escalating said walls. Seaside Kingdom, Bowser's Kingdom, Darker Side Yes
 
Sherm
A robotic vehicle that attacks by shooting small projectiles out of its turret. Sherms can be captured and maneuvered to destroy masses of blocks and enemies. They can be defeated with a Ground Pound. Wooded Kingdom, Metro Kingdom, Moon Kingdom, Dark Side Yes
 
Snow Cheep Cheep
A Cheep Cheep that swims around ? Blocks and Brick Blocks. Aside from being flexible swimmers, Snow Cheep Cheeps allow Mario to survive under the freezing waters of the Snow Kingdom when captured. They can be defeated with a Ground Pound. Snow Kingdom Yes
 
Stairface Ogre
A brutish, sturdy enemy carrying a mallet. Stairface Ogres' stiff movements allow them to only sidestep or walk directly forward. They try to catch and crush Mario with their mallets, which are shaped like staircases and can be climbed to reach their top sides. Here, they can receive a Ground Pound to fall asunder. Another way to defeat a Stairface Ogre is by sticking a Pokio's bill into the glowing hole on its forehead. Metro Kingdom, Bowser's Kingdom No
File:T-Rex Icon SMO.png
T-Rex
A dinosaur found in either very dark or sunny areas. Though a few individuals are harmless as they are always sleeping (and can be captured immediately), others roam around a set path, chasing Mario down when they spot him. In order to stun a T-Rex, it has to be lured into a large wall or tree as it charges at Mario, leaving it dizzy and ready to capture. While captured, the T-Rex can be used to effortlessly rampage through fossil blocks and large numbers of enemies. The enemy can only be temporarily used, as Cappy claims it is too large to handle. The only way to defeat a T-Rex is by having it drop into an abyss. Cascade Kingdom, Wooded Kingdom, Metro Kingdom Yes
 
Trapeetle
A mechanical insect that spawns continuously from a spot in the ground. Trapeetles threatfully approach Mario, trying to grab Cappy, which they then use to charge into Mario. Trapeetles explode upon contact with something and can thus be used to bombard cracked rocks that conceal items or block away passages. Lost Kingdom No
 
Tropical Wiggler
A passive, although dangerous, enemy that moves by extending its body from one spot to another. The segments of its body are each topped by one spike, making the enemy impossible to jump on. Capturing a Tropical Wiggler will enable Mario to make use of its stretching abilities, helpful for crossing over to other platforms. Although invincible for the most part, Tropical Wigglers can be killed by having them fall into a pit of poison or by throwing a hammer at them as a Hammer Bro, as it can be seen in the Moon Kingdom. Lost Kingdom, Moon Kingdom Yes
 
Uproot
A malevolent plant with extendable feet. Uproots spawn from dirt manholes and roam around the surrounding area. When they spot Mario, they rush over to him and attack by springing themselves with their feet and assaulting him from above. When captured, Uproots can be used in a similar way to reach high areas and push up impeding platforms, as well as destroy rows of Brick Blocks. Wooded Kingdom, Seaside Kingdom, Darker Side Yes
 
Urban Stingby
An insect enemy that spawns from a larva. Urban Stingbies slowly patrol around a spot, quickly noticing Mario if he is in proximity. When attacking, Urban Stingbies take enough momentum to head violently into Mario, but they explode as they crash into something. The attack can affect other enemies. Urban Stingbies can be defeated one time by any sign of attack, including a jump or a Cap Throw. Metro Kingdom, Darker Side No
 
Urban Stingby Larva
A younger Urban Stingby, which morphs into its mature variant shortly after appearing on-screen. Urban Stingby Larvae are completely inoffensive and can be defeated with a kick. Metro Kingdom No
 
Yoofoe
A large levitating robot that is equipped with a set of two or four spike bars, which it spins continuously around. The enemy drops an indefinite supply of Goombas and Spiked Balls. The Goombas can be captured and be formed into a tower, enabling Mario to reach the top of the Yoofoe and pound it to deal damage. Two hits are necessary to bring a Yoofoe down, giving out a valuable item, such as a Power Moon or Life-Up Heart. Wooded Kingdom, Bowser's Kingdom, Darker Side No

Returning enemies

Enemy Description Found in Capturable?
 
Banzai Bill
A large bullet enemy shot out of a Banzai Bill Cannon. It slowly swerves from its flight path, trying to home in on Mario. It explodes upon contact with any object, and Mario receives damage if hit by a Banzai Bill. However, the enemy can be defeated with a single stomp attack. Capturing a Banzai Bill allows Mario to cross wide pits or stretches of lava and dart effortlessly through series of enemies and breakable objects. However, after a while, the Banzai Bill starts to flash red and eventually self-destructs, dropping Mario off. Wooded Kingdom, Snow Kingdom, Moon Kingdom, Dark Side Yes
  
Bullet Bill
An enemy launched by a Bill Blaster. A Bullet Bill always attempts to chase Mario. Should the Bullet Bill explode on him, Mario will be damaged. Bullet Bills can be lured to destroy cracked blocks that may contain items, such as coins or Power Moons. When captured, the Bullet Bill can be temporarily driven over to platforms located afar. Sand Kingdom, Wooded Kingdom, Cloud Kingdom, Metro Kingdom, Moon Kingdom, Mushroom Kingdom, Dark Side Yes
 
Chain Chomp
A chain-linked enemy that tries to aggress Mario by lunging towards him. While dangerous to stay close to a Chain Chomp, Mario can jump on it safely, though without inflicting any damage. To defeat Chain Chomps, Mario should capture a T-Rex and stomp through them. When Mario captures a Chain Chomp, he can extend the chain, then let go of the enemy to launch it in the opposing direction. This is useful for destroying breakable blocks. Cascade Kingdom Yes
 
Big Chain Chomp
A bigger variation of a Chain Chomp, which behaves and can be used in the same manner. Cascade Kingdom, Moon Kingdom Yes
 
Chargin' Chuck
An enemy wearing football gear. Chargin' Chucks are normally stationary, but upon spotting Mario, they charge into him, trying to damage him. Mario can likewise attack a Chargin' Chuck to remove its helmet, then defeat it with a jump attack or capture it. Capturing a Chargin' Chuck gives Mario the ability to rush into series of obstacles. Ruined Kingdom, Moon Kingdom Yes
 
Cheep Cheep
An underwater enemy that swims on set paths. It can harm Mario upon contact; conversely, it can be defeated with a Ground Pound. When Mario captures a Cheep Cheep, he gains more swimming flexibility and also the ability to attack other enemies with a spin. Sand Kingdom, Lake Kingdom, Seaside Kingdom Yes
 
Coin Coffer
A harmless and bashful enemy that carries many coins. Mario can obtain these coins by capturing the Coin Coffer, automatically yielding them. While captured, Coin Coffers have the ability to attack other enemies by spitting coins from the player's own stash. Sand Kingdom, Wooded Kingdom Yes
 
Donkey Kong
The main antagonist of the Donkey Kong arcade game, the ape appears in his original 8-bit form in the New Donk City Festival, where he throws an endless supply of barrels during the final stretch, and is defeated by hitting all four of the ? Blocks under him. Metro Kingdom, Darker Side No
 
Fire Bro
A Koopa that attacks Mario by tossing fireballs. Fire Bros can be defeated with a stomp, or captured to offer the ability to shoot fireballs also. While in a Fire Bro's form, Mario can also jump higher than usual. Wooded Kingdom, Luncheon Kingdom Yes
 
Fire Piranha Plant
A fire-spitting plant that always shoots in the direction of Mario. It can be defeated with a stomp, or by stuffing its mouth with Cappy and then kicking it. Throwing a stone at a Fire Piranha Plant stuffs its mouth similarly but allows Mario to capture the enemy, gaining the ability to spit fireballs in any direction from a fixed position. Lost Kingdom, Metro Kingdom, Luncheon Kingdom Yes
  
Fuzzy
A thorny black creature that lives in a group. Fuzzies move simultaneously along dotted lines and cannot be defeated in any way. Wooded Kingdom, Cloud Kingdom, Lost Kingdom, Metro Kingdom, Moon Kingdom, Mushroom Kingdom, Darker Side No
  
Goomba
A short enemy that tries to follow and ram into Mario after it notices him. The player can defeat Goombas by squashing them with a jump. They can be captured and then stacked on top of other Goombas in a tower formation. This usually helps Mario reach risen platforms. Cascade Kingdom, Sand Kingdom, Lake Kingdom, Wooded Kingdom, Cloud Kingdom, Metro Kingdom, Snow Kingdom, Seaside Kingdom, Luncheon Kingdom, Bowser's Kingdom, Mushroom Kingdom, Darker Side Yes
  
Hammer Bro
A Koopa that attacks by throwing hard objects, such as hammers and frying pans, at Mario. He gains the ability to throw these too after he captures one of these enemies. Capturing Hammer Bros. is important for breaking hard rock that might conceal valuable items. Cloud Kingdom, Metro Kingdom, Luncheon Kingdom, Moon Kingdom, Dark Side Yes
 
Klepto
A bird that enjoys stealing Cappy from Mario's head and bringing him to a faraway place. Mario cannot continue the journey without Cappy, and so he would have to rescue him from the bird. Klepto always flies away when Mario runs into it, but it positions itself on structures that can be pushed upward with a Ground Pound. This catches the enemy off guard and defeats it, freeing Cappy. Lost Kingdom No
  
  
Koopa Troopa
While generally a peaceful species, Koopa Troopas found in 8-bit murals are hostile. They walk from side to side and can damage Mario upon contact. Mario can jump on an 8-bit Koopa Troopa to make it retreat inside its shell, then kick it to defeat enemies that stand in its way as it slides. Cascade Kingdom, Cloud Kingdom, Metro Kingdom, Seaside Kingdom, Ruined Kingdom, Bowser's Kingdom No
  
Lava Bubble
An incandescent enemy living in the lava. Its behavior manifests by leaping out of the lava at regular intervals. Mario can capture it to gain the ability to swim through lava or other fluids with identical properties. As a Lava Bubble, he can also jump inside cannons, which spray him on long distances to other locations. Cloud Kingdom, Lost Kingdom, Luncheon Kingdom, Mushroom Kingdom, Darker Side Yes
 
Maw-Ray
An ominous enemy that dashes out of its hideout to snatch Mario whenever it spots him. Maw-Rays are indestructible. Seaside Kingdom, Mushroom Kingdom No
 
Mini Goomba
A smaller Goomba found among other members of the same species. Although harmful, it can be defeated with any kind of attack, including a Cap Throw. Mini Goombas are the first enemies encountered in the game. Cap Kingdom, Cascade Kingdom, Sand Kingdom, Lake Kingdom, Wooded Kingdom, Lost Kingdom, Metro Kingdom, Seaside Kingdom, Bowser's Kingdom, Mushroom Kingdom No
 
Parabones
An undead Koopa Troopa with the ability to fly. It is initially found patrolling a spot peacefully, but once it finds Mario in its proximity, it starts chasing him to attack. Parabones will collapse on the ground if stomped, but they revive shortly after—the only way to defeat a Parabones is to collapse it above lava or above an abyss. Parabones can be used to fly Mario over pits of lava that are otherwise difficult to pass. Bowser's Kingdom, Moon Kingdom Yes
 
Paragoomba
A winged Goomba that, similarly to a Parabones, allows Mario to travel above abysses and other such impediments if captured. It can be defeated with a stomp attack. Cap Kingdom, Wooded Kingdom Yes
  
Spiny
A hard-shelled Koopa that follows Mario when he is close, trying to ram its spikes onto him. This enemy cannot be defeated with common attack methods, including a Cap Throw, which merely pushes the enemy backward. However, this way, the Spiny can be brought to a ledge and fall into an abyss or poison. Another way to defeat a Spiny is to poke it as a Pokio or to chuck an object, such as a seed, at it. Spinies behave very similarly to a Bully in this game. Cap Kingdom, Cloud Kingdom, Snow Kingdom, Seaside Kingdom, Luncheon Kingdom, Bowser's Kingdom No
 
Ty-foo
A levitating cloud giant that blows strong gusts of wind at regular intervals. This may push enemies or other objects out of the way. Capturing a Ty-foo results in Mario adopting this ability and also the ability to move freely above wide chasms. Ty-foos cannot be defeated. Cascade Kingdom, Snow Kingdom Yes

Bosses

Broodals

Boss Description Found in Capturable?
 
Topper
The leader of the Broodals, Topper prances around the boss field, occasionally spinning his hats in a circle. To defeat him, Mario must knock all of his hats off using Cappy, then jump on him. After being hit, Topper will enter one of his hats and sends the others whirling around the field. Mario will then have to repeat this process. On later fights, he has many more hats to knock off and takes three hits to defeat. Cap Kingdom, Bowser's Kingdom, Dark Side No
 
Harriet
The only girl among the Broodals, Hariet hops in place, throwing bombs that explode into a puddle of lava. To defeat her, Mario must throw Cappy at the large bomb she throws, sending it to her, knocking off her hat, then jumping on her. After being hit, Harriet will enter her hat and flies around the field dropping bombs. Mario will then have to repeat this process twice. In later fights, she throws two bombs at a time. Sand Kingdom, Bowser's Kingdom, Dark Side No
 
Spewart
Short and stout, Spewart sprays poison in a large ring around him. To defeat him, Mario must clear a path through the poison, knock his hat off, and jump on him. After being hit, Spewart will enter his hat and whirl around the field, leaving poison in his path. Mario will have to repeat this process twice. In later fights, he will spray more poison. Wooded Kingdom, Luncheon Kingdom, Dark Side No
 
Rango
The tallest Broodal, Rango throws his sawblade-like hat in a half circle. To defeat him, Mario must throw Cappy at his hat to flip it over, revealing a Hat Trampoline, and jump on it to boost his jump to his head. After being hit, Rango will enter his hat and bounce around. Mario will have to repeat this process twice. In later fights, Rango will have two hats to throw. Lake Kingdom, Snow Kingdom, Dark Side No

Kingdom bosses

Boss Description Found in Capturable?
 
Madame Broode
The boss of the Broodals, Madame Broode sends her Chain Chompikins at Mario. To defeat her, Mario must knock Chain Chompikins hat off at capture it, avoiding Madame Broode's swipes and sending it rocketing towards her. After being hit, will send Chain Chompikins rocketing towards Mario. Mario will have to repeat this process twice. In later fights, Chain Chompikins will have more hats. Cascade Kingdom, Moon Kingdom No
 
Knucklotec
Knucklotec, the guardian of the Binding Band, slams his fists down to Mario. To defeat him, Mario must lure one of Knucklotec's fists into an icy patch and capture it, avoiding ice crystals and slamming the fist into his own face. After being hit, Knucklotec will send his fists rocketing towards Mario. Mario will have to repeat this process twice. In later fights, Chinchos will be on the field. Sand Kingdom, Mushroom Kingdom Yes (Knucklotec's Fist)
 
Torkdrift
A flower-stealing UFO, Torkdrift fires lasers. To defeat it, Mario must capture an Uproot and break the three flowers incased by blocks by stretching, then doing the same on the now revealed glass dome. After being hit, Torkdrift will fire circular lasers that Mario must stretch over. Mario will have to repeat this process twice. In later fights, there will be Pulse Beams that Torkdrift will target. Wooded Kingdom, Mushroom Kingdom No
 
Bowser
The King of the Koopas himself, Bowser throws his hats at Mario. To defeat him, Mario must throw Cappy at the hat with punching gloves twice and make his way to Bowser, dodging his spiked balls and fire rings, and punching him. Mario will have to repeat this process twice. In the later fights taking place in the Moon Kingdom, Bowser will breathe fire in a large circle after being hit. After those fights, Mario will need to capture Bowser in order to complete the section. Cloud Kingdom, Moon Kingdom, Darker Side Yes (Moon Kingdom and Darker Side only)
 
Mechawiggler
A caterpillar-like robot, Mechawiggler fires energy balls from its pods. To defeat it, Mario must capture a Sherm and fire at all of the pods, rendering Mechawiggler weak to rapid fire. After being hit, it will open portals and charge between them. Mario will have to repeat this process once. In later fights, Mechawiggler will be twice the size. Metro Kingdom, Mushroom Kingdom No
 
Mollusque-Lanceur
The Dauphin of Bubblaine, Brigadier Mollusque-Launceur III, or Mollusque-Launcer, fires spiked bombs and torpedoes. To defeat him, Mario must capture a Gushen and spray water onto his head. After being hit, Mollusque-Launcer spins around extremely fast, rendering himself temporarily invincible. Mario will have to repeat this process twice. In later fights, the arena will have no bottom, meaning Mario will have to constantly fly with the Gushen. Seaside Kingdom, Mushroom Kingdom No
 
Cookatiel
A bird hungry for stew, Cookatiel will cough up vegetables. To defeat it, Mario must capture a Lava Bubble and swim up Cookatiel's barf to reach its head. Mario will have to repeat this process twice. In later fights, there will be Moonsnakes in the stewpot. Luncheon Kingdom, Mushroom Kingdom No
 
Ruined Dragon
The Lord of Lightning, Ruined Dragon will fire electric saws that roll around the field. To defeat him, Mario must dodge rings of lightning, remove all of the stakes from his head, and ground pound where his helmet usually is, all in the short time that the dragon's head is down. Mario will have to repeat this process twice. In later fights, the Ruined Dragon will make more difficult patterns of lightning rings. Ruined Kingdom, Mushroom Kingdom No
 
RoboBrood
The Broodals in a giant mech, the RoboBrood fires bombs and rings as well as stamping its giant feet. To defeat it, Mario must capture a Pokio and poke the bombs back at it, making it fall over. Mario must then climb the robot, then poke at the nearest Broodal-containing dome. After being hit, the RoboBrood will dash across the field with glowing feet. Mario will have to repeat this process three times. In later fights, Mario must capture a Hammer Bro instead of a Pokio. Bowser's Kingdom, Dark Side No

Items and objects

Collectibles

Collectible Description
 
Berry
An object that Yoshi can eat that increases a meter that, when filled, gives the player a Power Moon.
   
Coin, coin ring, and coin pile
Gives the player a varying number of coins when touched or passed through.
 
Golden Turnip
Three Turnips that, when thrown into a pot in Peronza Plaza, turn into Power Moons.
File:SMO Heart.png  
Heart
Restores a wedge of health when collected. If the player is at full HP, they will receive five coins.
 
Key
When a key is collected, it unlocks a locked panel, which contains a Power Moon.
   
Life-Up Heart
Increases the player's health to six (nine in Assist Mode) until their health lowers back to three (six in Assist Mode). If the player is at full HP, they will receive ten coins.
   
Moon Shard
A piece of a Power Moon. When five Moon Shards are collected, they turn into a regular Power Moon.
 
Multi Moon
Three Power Moons collected at once, earned from completing certain story objectives, such as defeating world bosses.
   
Note
A rainbow-colored eighth note. These notes appear when the player touches a rainbow-colored treble clef and disappear after a certain amount of time, and when all of them in a set are collected in that amount of time, they reveal a Power Moon.
   
Power Moon
The game's main collectible that powers the Odyssey.
 
      
Regional coin
A coin that appears in most kingdoms with either 100 or 50 unique coins appearing in each, which can be used to purchase kingdom-exclusive goods at that kingdom's Crazy Cap.
 
Rocket Flower
A flower that allows Mario to temporarily pick up speed and run on walls when collected.
 
Seed
Depending on their size, seeds can be thrown into a small pot, which will grow into a golden bulb that, when hit, reveals a Power Moon, or they can be thrown into an enclosed patch of dirt, growing them into a Beanstalk.
 
Turnip
An object that can be plucked from the ground and used as a projectile to throw at enemies. Additionally, when thrown into a pot in Peronza Plaza, it awards the player coins.

Capturable objects

Object Description
 
Binoculars
An object that, when captured, launches upward, allowing the player to zoom in with the camera. Zooming in on certain objects while capturing a pair of binoculars will make a Power Moon appear.
 
Boulder
A rock that rolls and damages the player if they touch it. It appears as an obstacle in the Moon Kingdom and the Darker Side of the Moon. A large stationary boulder that appears in the Wooded Kingdom can be captured, allowing the player to move it around, allowing access to a hidden area.
 
Bowser Statue
A statue that appears in the Moon Kingdom as a decoration. One can be captured, allowing the player to move it, revealing a hole underneath it containing a Power Moon.
 
Cactus
A plant that damages the player if they touch it. A certain cactus can be captured, allowing the player to move it, revealing a spot that, when ground-pounded, releases a Power Moon.
 
Jizo
A statue that can be captured, allowing the player to move it around. Jizos can break cracked blocks and can weigh down P Switches.
 
Letter
Letters appear in the Metro Kingdom post-game and can be captured, allowing the player to move them, and if the player moves them into slots to correctly spell out "Mario," a Power Moon will appear.
 
Manhole
An object that is located in the Metro Kingdom's streets. A small one and a large one can be captured, allowing the player to move them, allowing access to areas underneath them.
 
Meat
A slab of meat that can be captured, allowing the player to shake off salt covering it, making Cookatiel pick it up with its talons.
 
Mini Rocket
A rocket that can be captured, allowing the player to reach hidden areas when used.
 
Picture Match Part
A two-dimensional part of either a Goomba or Mario that can be captured in the Picture Match minigame, where the player must rotate and align the part to align with the corresponding picture.
 
Pole
A pole that can be captured, allowing the player to pull it backward, sending the player in the opposite direction that the Pole was pulled.
 
Puzzle Part (Lake Kingdom)
A stone block that can be captured, allowing the player to move it around a grid-like area, and if it is correctly moved into a triangular rock, a Lochlady will give the player a Power Moon.
 
Puzzle Part (Metro Kingdom)
A green block that can be captured, allowing the player to move it in a small grid-like area, and if it is correctly moved into a plug, a Power Moon will appear.
 
RC Car
A New Donker can be captured, allowing the player to move his RC Car into a Power Moon in order to collect it. Another New Donker also appears in the RC Car Challenge, where the player must use his RC Car when he is captured to complete three laps in a small track within 35 seconds in order to receive a Power Moon, and later in the post-game, the player must do this again while completing the track within 26 seconds in order to receive another Power Moon.
 
Spark pylon
A pylon that can be captured, allowing the player to travel across a power line when used.
 
Taxi
A vehicle that drives around the Metro Kingdom and can be bounced on as a platform. Certain taxis appear flying in the sky in several kingdoms in the post-game, and zooming in on them with binoculars will make a Power Moon appear. Certain taxis can be captured, allowing the player to drive them automatically, bringing them to a sub-level.
 
Tree
A fir tree that appears in the Deep Woods in the Wooded Kingdom can be captured, allowing the player to move it, revealing a spot that can be ground-pounded, revealing a Power Moon.
 
Zipper
Zippers can be captured, allowing the player to reveal hidden areas when used.

Blocks and platforms

Block or platform Description
 
? Block
A block that releases Hearts, coins, or Life-Up Hearts when ground-pounded, hit with Cappy, or hit by jumping under it. When hit, it turns into a Steel Block.
 
Beanstalk
A plant that grows when a large seed is thrown into an enclosed patch of dirt. The plant can be climbed to get out of the Deep Woods and to reach out-of-reach and hidden areas.
 
Brick Block
A block that, when activated in the same way that a ? Block is activated, releases a coin, Heart, or Life-Up Heart while turning into a Steel Block.
 
Coin Block
A ? Block that contains multiple coins that must be hit multiple times in order to receive all of the coins.
 
Crate
A box that can be broken via a Ground Pound or by throwing Cappy at it, sometimes containing a Power Moon, coins, or Mini Goombas.
 
Flower Road
A road made up of flowers that activates when certain P Switches are pressed. When activated, the Flower Road slowly forms, with the back part of the road disappearing as the road forms. When the Flower Road is nearly at the end of its path, it will automatically form again at the start of its path.
 
Girder
A platform that is sometimes semi-solid, some of which contain coins or Power Moons.
 
Hat Trampoline
A red flower that, when hit with Cappy or rolled into, opens up, allowing the player to step on it, launching them upwards. Certain Hat Trampolines are already opened without interference.
 
Hat trampoline (Cascade Kingdom)
A trampoline that makes the player as Mario bounce lightly when walked on, and launches the player upwards when walked on while capturing a T-Rex.
 
Hidden Block
An invisible block that can be seen either when the player puts on a Moe-Eye's sunglasses or when the player ground-pounds close to one. Hidden Blocks are activated the same way as normal ? Blocks and give similar rewards that said blocks give.
 
Lift
A platform that moves, occasionally on set tracks.
 
Mysterious Cloud
A floating cloud resembling a top hat with a question mark on it that temporarily turns into a square cloud platform when hit by Cappy before turning back into a hat.
 
Push-Block
A block that pushes in and out of platforms.
 
Sand Geyser
A pillar of sand that rises up and submerges back into the sand. When Sand Geysers are out of the sand, the top of the Sand Geysers can be used as a platform, and touching any part of a Sand Geyser when out of the sand that is not its top will make the player rise to the top of the geyser.
 
Steel Block
A ? Block, Brick Block, or Invisible Block after it is activated. Steel Blocks do not contain any items.

Transport

Mean of transportation Description
 
8-Bit Pipe
A Warp Pipe that transports the player between 3D and 2D sections and transports the player to other sections of a level in 2D sections.
 
Lava cannon
A cannon that transports Mario long distances as a captured Lava Bubble.
 
Moon Pipe
A Warp Pipe that appears in a kingdom after its Moon Rock is activated. Moon Pipes transport the player to sub-levels.
 
Motor Scooter
A motorcycle that can be driven, allowing the player to accelerate and dismount the vehicle. The player can jump while driving a Motor Scooter, and if the player correctly parks a Motor Scooter into certain locations in the Metro Kingdom, they will be given a Power Moon.
 
Odyssey
The game's main form of transportation that transports the player to the different kingdoms. During the game, a certain number of Power Moons is required to power up the Odyssey, unlocking the next kingdom with the exception of the Cap Kingdom, the Cascade Kingdom, and the Mushroom Kingdom. The Odyssey can be entered by entering a door, by entering an exhaust pipe like a Warp Pipe on the back of the Odyssey, and by ground-pounding a panel on the top of the Odyssey. Inside the Odyssey is a closet where the player can change their clothes, a chair that the player can sit on, and a bed that the player can nap on. The Odyssey can also be decorated on the inside and outside with decorations and souvenirs that can be bought at Crazy Cap locations. The Odyssey also contains a Checkpoint Flag.
 
Painting
A painting that transports the player to a secret area in the kingdom that is displayed on the painting.
 
Slingshot
A slingshot that, when the player throws Cappy at it, flings them to an adjacent area.
 
Warp Pipe
A pipe that transports the player to another area.

Switches

Switch Description
 
Goomba button
A button that, when stepped on while capturing a Goomba Stack consisting of the number of Goombas indicated by the number printed on it or more, activates an event, revealing a Power Moon.
 
Ground-Pound Switch
A switch that, when ground-pounded, activates an event that varies by switch.
 
Lever Switch
A switch that, when hit with Cappy, activates an event.
 
P Switch
A switch that activates an event when stepped on.
 
Scarecrow
The player can throw Cappy on a Scarecrow to activate an event such as opening a door or activating a Timer Challenge when Cappy is on the Scarecrow. If the player walks away from the Scarecrow or jumps on it, Cappy will fly back to the player, which will deactivate the event activated by the Scarecrow.

Obstacles

Obstacle Description
 
Barrel
An obstacle in the 8-bit sections that continually rolls along solid ground, dealing one hit point of damage if touched.
 
Bomb
An obstacle fired out of turrets that rolls along the ground and explodes after a while. Mario can poke bombs while capturing a Pokio to make them move faster in the direction they were poked, causing them to explode once they hit a solid object on the side.
 
Boulder
An obstacle fired out of holes that rolls along the ground and collapses once it hits a wall. Swiping at it while capturing Bowser can also destroy it.
 
Bowser Statue
A golden Bowser head that shoots hazardous flames.
 
Freezing water
Water that, when swam in, will gradually cover the screen in frost. If the player stays in freezing water for too long, the player will take damage. When capturing a Snow Cheep Cheep or a Gushen, the player will not take damage from frozen water, and frost will not cover the screen.
 
Lava
A hazard that, when touched, causes Mario to lose one hit point and jump up in pain. It can be safely traveled by capturing a Lava Bubble.
 
Lava Geyser
A hazard that damages Mario in the same way as lava. It can be safely jumped on by capturing a Lava Bubble.
 
Oil drum
A stationary hazard in 8-bit sections that damages Mario if touched.
 
Pepper
An obstacle fired out of holes that bounces along the ground and collapses once it hits a wall.
 
Poison
A hazard that, when touched, instantly defeats Mario.
 
Pulse Beam
An object that fires a ring-shaped laser beam when hit with a Cap Throw or a beam from another Pulse Beam.
 
Shell
An obstacle that continually rolls along solid ground, dealing one hit point of damage if touched.
 
Spike Trap
An obstacle that, when touched, causes Mario to lose one hit point.
 
Turret
An object attached to walls that shoots out bombs.
 
Wind
An obstacle that pushes Mario in the direction it blows.

Other objects

Object Description
 
Boombox
An object that plays music. Mario dances when staying idle near a Boombox.
 
Bubble
Refills the player's air meter when the player or Cappy touches it. Bubbles appear underwater. Items can appear inside bubbles. Touching an underwater Checkpoint Flag or hitting one with Cappy spawns a bubble.
 
Checkpoint Flag
Checkpoint Flags appear in most kingdoms and on the Odyssey. Dying brings the player to the last Checkpoint Flag they touched or hit with Cappy. The player can also warp to any Checkpoint Flag they previously touched or hit with Cappy by selecting it on the map. Touching an underwater Checkpoint Flag or hitting one with Cappy spawns a bubble.
 
Gravity field
An area that pulls the player in the direction the field's arrows are pointing.
File:Hat Launcher SMO.jpg
Hat Launcher
When Cappy comes into contact with a Hat Launcher, it launches him in the direction it is facing.
 
Hint Art
A piece of artwork that hints at the location of a Power Moon.
 
Locked panel
A panel that breaks open, revealing a Power Moon when a corresponding Key is collected.
 
Moon Rock
An object that appears in most kingdoms. When Bowser is defeated in the Moon Kingdom and all of the Multi Moons in the kingdom the Moon Rock is in, if any, are collected, the Moon Rock will glow. When glowing, the Moon Rock can be activated by ground-pounding it or hitting it with Cappy. Activating the Moon Rock makes additional Power Moons appear in the kingdom the Moon Rock was activated in.
 
Treasure chest
Can contain various items and can be opened by hitting it with Cappy or ground-pounding it. Certain treasure chests need to be opened in a specific order, and failing to do so will cause them to disappear and cause Chinchos to appear. The treasure chests will reappear once all of the Chinchos are defeated.
 
Yoshi Egg
Can be broken by jumping on it or hitting it with Cappy, releasing Yoshi.

Clothing

Main article: Crazy Cap
Image Name Description Price Availability
  Mario Cap A red hat that has seen its fair share of adventures. Starting hat
  Mario Suit This tried-and-true outfit has weathered many adventures. Starting suit

Kingdoms

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 is after various items in some of these locations, which all tie to his preparations for his wedding.

Image Kingdom and location Summary Story missions
Wedding item Power Moon color Total number of Power Moons Necessary number of Power Moons to power up the Odyssey
  Cap Kingdom
Bonneton
A misty town where many Bonneter home-ships reside. Paragoombas, Mini Goombas, and frogs can be found in the place, and its boss is Topper. 1. Cappy of the Cap Kingdom Tiara   31 None
  Cascade Kingdom
Fossil Falls
A prehistoric tropical mountainous area where Chain Chomps and Burrbos can be found. Madame Broode is fought here. 1. Our First Power Moon
2. Multi Moon Atop the Falls
None   40 5
  Sand Kingdom
Tostarena
A desert turned cold where Bullet Bills and Goombas are common. Mario can move around more quickly by riding Jaxi. The bosses fought here are Hariet and Knucklotec. 1. Atop the Highest Tower
2. Moon Shards in the Sand
3. Showdown on the Inverted Pyramid
4. The Hole in the Desert
Binding Band   89 16
  Lake Kingdom
Lake Lamode
A large lake area with an underwater plaza. Rango is fought in this kingdom. 1. Broodals Over the Lake Lochlady Dress   42 8
  Wooded Kingdom
Steam Gardens
A forest neighboring an iron building in a zone surrounded by mountains and a Geodesic Dome. Many Uproots and Sherms can be found here, and its bosses are Spewart and Torkdrift. 1. Road to Sky Garden
2. Flower Thieves of Sky Garden
3. Path to the Secret Flower Field
4. Defend the Secret Flower Field!
Soirée Bouquet   76 16
  Cloud Kingdom
Nimbus Arena
A small arena on the clouds. Bowser is fought here for the first time. 1. Hat-to-Hat Combat None   9 None
  Lost Kingdom
Forgotten Isle
A tropical jungle-like island. Poisonous areas with Fuzzies and Tropical Wigglers appear. None None   35 10
  Metro Kingdom
New Donk City
A large city area with several skyscrapers. Mechawiggler is fought here. 1. The Scourge on the Skyscraper
2. A Fresh Start for the City
3. A Traditional Festival!
None   81 20
  Snow Kingdom
Shiveria
A snow realm with an underground village and a racetrack. This area has many Ty-foos and Spinies, and Rango is its boss. 1. The Cake Thief's Parting Gift
2. The Bound Bowl Grand Prix
Frost-Frosted Cake   55 10
  Seaside Kingdom
Bubblaine
A coastal area with several giant gold and glass chalices as the main landmarks. Its boss is Mollusque-Lanceur. 1. The Glass Is Half Empty! Sparkle Water   71 10
  Luncheon Kingdom
Mount Volbono
A colorful volcanic area made out of food around a pink lava sea with Lava Bubbles. The bosses fought here are Spewart and Cookatiel. 1. The Broodals Are After Some Cookin'
2. Under the Cheese Rocks
3. Big Pot on the Volcano: Dive In!
4. Climb Up the Cascading Magma
5. Cookatiel Showdown!
Stupendous Stew   68 18
  Ruined Kingdom
Crumbleden
A place with tall buildings reduced to ruins. The boss fought here is the Ruined Dragon. 1. Battle with the Lord of Lightning! None   10 3
  Bowser's Kingdom
Bowser's Castle
An area with large Japanese-style temples and structures surrounded by colorful clouds. The main enemies found here are Pokios and Stairface Ogres. Hariet and Topper are fought firstly, and RoboBrood shows up as the kingdom boss. 1. Infiltrate Bowser's Castle!
2. Smart Bombing
3. Big Broodal Battle
4. Showdown at Bowser's Castle
None   62 8
  Moon Kingdom
Honeylune Ridge
An area on the Moon with low-gravity sections on the surface and lava-themed sections below the ground. Bowser is fought here. 1. Bowser's Moon Wedding None   38 None
  Mushroom Kingdom
Peach's Castle
Peach's Castle. Many elements in this kingdom reference Super Mario 64, including the regular Power Moons, which are shaped like Power Stars. None None   104 None
  Dark Side
Rabbit Ridge
A location on the dark side of the Moon, populated by top hat-wearing rabbit-like creatures and the Broodals. 1. Arrival at Rabbit Ridge! None   24 None
  Darker Side
Culmina Crater
A location on the even darker side of the Moon, acting as a final challenge for Mario and Cappy, having to traverse a harsh lava level. Acts similarly to Champion's Road or the Grandmaster Galaxy from the previous games. 1. Long Journey's End None   1 None

Development

 
Official infographic showing the recognized difference between the progression-oriented and the more sandbox-exploration style of the 3D Super Mario series. Or, as put by Miyamoto, "casual" and "core" games. Super Mario Odyssey is considered to be the latter.

Background

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.[6] 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 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.[7] 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.

Early ideas and prototypes

Development for Super Mario Odyssey began right after Super Mario 3D World was released in late 2013.[8] Miyamoto sought more senior developers and staff teams who had been involved in past 3D Mario titles, in order to really "go back to the roots" of Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario 64.[6] 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.[9] 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.[10]

[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 Mario title, Super Mario Bros. 3,[11] as well as Japanese hakoniwa box gardens that bring rich landscapes to life in a miniaturized form.[12] The sizes of these worlds were often adjusted to ensure that the player can regularly discover an engaging action to perform.[7] 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.[13]

Design decisions

Super Mario Odyssey's theme is highly focused on "surprises" and "travel," and the developers incorporated many of their travel experiences around the world.[10] 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.[14]

 
Kenta Motokura (left) and Yoshiaki Koizumi (right) being interviewed as part of a Nintendo Treehouse segment for E3 2017

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 Mario concepts and completely new ones.[10]

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 Mario game.[10] 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.[15] 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.[10]

To develop the game's camera system, the team looked at previous 3D 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."[6]

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.

Music

Main article: List of Super Mario Odyssey media
 
The official cover of the single "Jump Up, Super Star!"

A unique aspect of this title is a vocal main theme, "Jump Up, Super Star!" sung by Pauline[16][17] (interpreted by Kate Higgins, credited as Kate Davis).[18] 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.[19] 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 also features another song with lyrics, called "Break Free (Lead the Way),"[20] and has a version with Japanese lyrics as well.[21]

On December 21, 2017, Nintendo announced an original soundtrack album for the game, which was released in Japan on February 28, 2018.[22] 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.

Release

Nintendo Switch bundle

A Super Mario Odyssey-themed Nintendo Switch bundle was available on launch day[23] (with the exception of South Korea, which was released on April 26, 2018).[24]

Region Red Joy-Con Odyssey-themed carrying case Super Mario Odyssey game included Odyssey-themed stickers
Japan Yes Yes Physical copy Yes
Americas Yes Yes Digital download code No
Europe and South Africa Yes No Digital download code No
Oceania Yes No Physical copy No
Hong Kong and Taiwan[25] Yes Yes Physical copy Yes
Southeast Asia and Middle East[26] Yes No Physical copy No
South Korea[27] Yes Yes Physical copy No
 
The packaging for the American bundle

Starter pack

 
North American starter pack

A starter pack for Super Mario Odyssey with a strategy guide was released on September 28, 2018, in North America.[28]

Nintendo Labo VR

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 finding a treble clef and collecting all of its 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 clearing 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 clearing 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 clearing 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 clearing 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 beating the main game.

Updates

In order to play online, players must have downloaded the most recent software update.

Ver. 1.0.1

An update was released on October 27, 2017. The following changes were made:

  • Several fixes have been made to enhance the user’s experience.

Ver. 1.1.0

An update was released on November 30, 2017. The following change was made:

  • Added Korean-language support.

Ver. 1.2.0

An update was released on February 21, 2018. The following changes were made:

  • After completing the game, a new mini-game Balloon World will now be playable.
    • Please note that on March 05, 2018, server side adjustments were made to the balloons displayed in the Find It list.
  • Talk to Luigi in any of the kingdoms to start playing.
  • After completing the game, a number of special outfits will be added to the shop.
  • A number of new filters have been added to Snapshot Mode.
  • Jump-Rope Challenge has been adjusted so that there will be a speed change after reaching 110 jumps.
  • World Rankings and Friend Rankings have been reset for Jump-Rope Challenge.
  • Best records will not be reset.
  • Fixed a number of issues to improve the gameplay experience.

Ver. 1.3.0

An update was released on April 25, 2019. The following changes were made:

  • Now supporting Toy-Con VR Goggles from the Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Kit.
    • Go to Playing in VR from menu to start the game.
  • Several issues have been fixed to improve gameplay experience.

Glitches

Main article: List of Super Mario Odyssey glitches

Camera

Talkatoo Camera Lock

If the player performs a Cap Throw at Talkatoo and talks to him at the same time, the camera will lock into place.[29] Additionally, if the player performs a somersault and quickly turns the camera to face Talkatoo, he will be standing in midair. This glitch can be used to cheat the Jump-Rope Challenge in the Metro Kingdom and get a maximum score of 99,999 jumps. The player can return to regular ground by shaking their controller or pressing Y and can end the glitch completely by entering another area such as the Crazy Cap shop or by speaking to someone else. If the player performs this glitch and performs a Cap Throw at a Scarecrow, the screen will move the position as it normally would and freeze there instead. If the player performs this glitch and captures a pair of binoculars or a spark pylon, the screen will not move, and inside the binoculars, the vision is that of what is usually inside a pair of binoculars.[30]

As of the February 21, 2018, update, this glitch has been patched, with the worldwide and friends rankings for the Jump-Rope Challenge having been reset.

Physics

Dog Jumping in Air

If the player bounces off the Nintendog when it is in midair, the Nintendog will remain in midair for a while before jumping again. Consecutively repeating this glitch allows the player to gain immense jump height as long as they keep performing Cap Throws in between to maintain their height. This glitch can be performed in any kingdom where the Nintendog appears.[29]

Take Letters Anywhere

In New Donk City's park, if the player captures the letters in the Metro Kingdom and lines them up so at least one is on the boundary of the park and the "M" is facing towards the Odyssey, they can use a Motor Scooter to push said "M" into the other letter. By doing this, they will be able to capture the letter and take it out of bounds, letting them bring it anywhere they want in the city. This then has various effects throughout the level.

Pre-release and unused content

Main article: List of Super Mario Odyssey pre-release and unused content
The pre-release box art (left) and the final box art (right) of Super Mario Odyssey
 
The pre-release version of the Multi Moon collection screen

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.

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 minus to view the map and plus 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.[31] 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.[32] 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.

Reception

Critical reception

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."[33] 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."[34] Phillip Kollar and Allegra Frank of Polygon also praised the game, scoring it 9.5 out of 10. While Allegra 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."[35] 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."[36] 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.[37] 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.[38] The game currently averages 97% on review aggregate site Metacritic (based on 67 reviews)[39] and 97.42% on GameRankings (based on 58 reviews), making it the third-highest-rated game on the latter website.[40]

Reviews
Release Reviewer, Publication Score Comment
Nintendo Switch Ryan McCaffery,
IGN
10/10 Mario's games have been around for almost as long as game consoles have been a thing, but thankfully, he's always evolving. We rarely get the same Mario twice. Super Mario Odyssey delivers on that ongoing promise of originality and innovation: It distills the venerable series' joyful, irreverent world and characters and best-in-class platforming action, and introduces a steady stream of new and unexpected mechanics. It's all spun together into a generational masterpiece.
Nintendo Switch Phillip Kollar and Allegra Frank,
Polygon
9.5/10 For a character nearing 40 years old, it's amazing that Mario has remained not only a beloved character but one whose games are generally expected to be great. From that perspective, it's no surprise that Super Mario Odyssey is, yes, a great game. But more than that, it's a fantastic, even fundamental addition to Mario's legacy. From a plumber to a doctor to a tennis star to, uh, a Goomba, Mario has endured. No, this will not be the last Mario game, but it is almost certain to be lauded as one of his best.
Nintendo Switch Andrew Webster,
The Verge
N/A It's a testament to the sheer creativity underlying Odyssey that, even after watching the credits roll and playing for more than 24 hours, I still regularly come across things I haven't seen before. (The game opens up significantly after you complete the story.) There are coins and moons to collect and tucked-away nooks to discover. There are many moments in Odyssey where it doesn't necessarily look like a Mario game, but more like the squat plumber has been transported into some other virtual realm. But it always feels like Mario — because it never stops surprising you.
Nintendo Switch Peter Brown,
GameSpot
10/10 Odyssey is sustained beyond its major milestones not only through colorful worlds and hidden challenges, but through the sheer joy of controlling Mario, who's never felt more responsive or dynamic in action. Even with everything new that's been introduced, Nintendo's forward-thinking platformer retains the series' classic handcrafted appeal, which is even more impressive when you realize how densely packed each kingdom is. Mario's latest outing is big, bold, and bursting with new ideas, and like Breath of the Wild, is another instance of Nintendo going above and beyond to redefine our expectations. It's a shining example of refined creativity, and another crown jewel for Switch that is without equal.
Nintendo Switch Dave Thier,
Forbes
9.5/10 Super Mario Odyssey is a wide-open challenge that never stops changing, even dozens of hours in. It's of a kind with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which offered a similar sense of scope to Nintendo's other headlining single-player franchise. It's a world that feels huge at first, then small as you get to know it, and then huge again as you realize how fantastically dense it is with secrets and challenges. It gives you a simple set of tools and then asks you to do something different with them every ten minutes. Super Mario Odyssey is a fun game, an unoriginal observation that feels nonetheless vital in the modern gaming landscape. It is a game that tasks you with finding joy, and then lets you point yourself in the right direction. It is a game you should play.
Aggregators
Compiler Template:Nowrap
Metacritic 97
GameRankings 97.42%

Awards and acknowledgements

Super Mario Odyssey was nominated for six awards at The Game Awards 2017, winning one, in the following categories:

Sales

By December 31, 2017, Super Mario Odyssey had sold 9.07 million copies worldwide. By March 31, 2018, it reached 10.41 million copies, making it the best-selling game for the Nintendo Switch.[42] As of January 31, 2019, 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.[43]

By March 31, 2021, the game had sold 20.83 million copies, making it the best-selling 3D Mario game.[44] By March 31, 2022, the game had sold 23.50 million copies.[45]

Artbook

Main article: The Art of Super Mario Odyssey

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 Comics and released in Japan on September 28, 2018, and in English-speaking countries on October 22, 2019.

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Super Mario Odyssey.

Media

For this subject's sound test, see Super Mario Odyssey sound test.
  Jump Up, Super Star! - The theme song of Super Mario Odyssey, as heard in the E3 2017 Spotlight.
File infoMedia:SMO Theme - Jump Up Super Star.oga
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  Jump Up, Super Star! (Short Version) - Final sections from the short version of "Jump Up, Super Star!", available through the Super Mario Odyssey website. The ending follows the "Odyssey, ya see" bridge in this version.
File infoMedia:SMO Jump Up Super Star Short Version.oga
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Help:MediaHaving trouble playing?

Staff

Main article: List of Super Mario Odyssey staff

Producers

Director

References to other games

  • 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), as well as 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 Donkey Kong.
  • 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, Moe-Eye sometimes hums the first few notes of the overworld 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 overworld theme and the underground theme. The 1-Up jingle can be heard in two separate parts when one pauses and un-pauses the game.
  • Family Computer Golf: U.S. Course: Mario's Stars and Stripes outfit originates from this game.
  • Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally: The Mechanic Suit and Mechanic Cap outfit originates 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 the minigame music from this game. The sound effect that plays when using a Rocket Flower 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.
  • 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 originates from this game.
  • Super Mario World: A piano arrangement of this game's overworld and underwater themes can be heard on radios in New Donk City. When controlled by Mario, 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.
  • NES Open Tournament Golf: Mario's Stars and Stripes outfit is iconically used in this game.
  • Mario Paint: Mario's Painter's outfit, Black Tuxedo outfit, and Conductor outfit from this game's artwork appear.
  • Super Mario Kart: A cover of the music that plays in 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.
  • Yoshi's Cookie: One of Mario's Chef Outfits originates 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 the Rhino, Expresso the Ostrich, Squawks the Parrot, and King K. Rool. Diddy Kong 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 first introduced utilizing caps as power-ups. The number on Mario's football jersey and baseball uniform is "64." There is a minigame involving foot-racing 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.[46] 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 in the Ocean Cave" Power Star in Jolly Roger Bay. The jingle that plays when collecting a non-plot-specific Power Moon is similar to the "Course Clear" jingle from this game, while the original jingle plays when collecting 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, will 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 snags Cappy just like how he snags Mario's cap in this game. A scene of Mario fighting Bowser in this game and the music that plays when fighting Bowser play when Mario 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 red, bouncy 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 Bob-omb Battlefield.[47] Torkdrift is also a notable Spindrift. Bowser being fought in the Cloud Kingdom may reference Bowser in the Sky. Finally, the post-credits ending screen reuses Mario's dialogue line "Thank you so much for-a playing my game!"
  • Super Mario Sunshine: Super Mario Odyssey is the first 3D main series 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 move 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 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.[48][49] 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 got from the sunglasses vendor.
  • New Super Mario Bros.: When Mario ground pounds after performing the 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 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 sound clip of Mario when he touches lava is reused from these games, as is one of his sound clips when he jumps, the latter of which is used in the ending, just before Mario jumps on Bowser. The currency in the Moon Kingdom resembles Star Bits and is described as such. Peach's voice clip when she calls out to Mario is reused in a higher pitch after he is knocked off of Bowser's airship in the opening cutscene. It is also heard occasionally in a normal pitch on radios in kingdoms before fighting Bowser. 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, Moe-Eye sometimes hums Gusty Garden Galaxy's music from this game. 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.
  • Super Mario 3D Land: The Tail Tree appears in the Mushroom Kingdom. The invincibility theme, heard when tapping any Mario amiibo, is the World 2-3 theme from this game. Bowser attacks by stomping to create fire rings and swinging his tail, similar to 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 controlling the Jizos.
  • Mario Kart 7: Some of Lakitu's voice clips are reused from this game.
  • New Super Mario Bros. 2: Gold Mario appears as an unlockable outfit.
  • Super Mario 3D World: The game runs on a similar, albeit more detailed, graphical engine to the game. Some of the elements, voice clips, and sound effects are reused in this game. Many of Mario's voice clips are also reused. 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 in 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. Rainbow Run's music 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 used 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 games

  • 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. Her voice clips are also reused.
  • 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. Also, some of Luigi's voice clips are reused.
  • 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 same 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 tux costume. New Donk City Hall appears as a new stage, where Pauline and the band are visible in the background. 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 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.[50]
  • Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020: The Mushroom Kingdom and the Odyssey appear in the Dream Karate Dream Event.
  • 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, Lost, and Ruined Kingdom stories.
  • Mario Golf: Super Rush: A course based on New Donk City appears in this game.

Names in other languages

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese スーパーマリオ オデッセイ[?]
Sūpā Mario Odessei
Super Mario Odyssey
Chinese (simplified) 超级马力欧 奥德赛[?]
Chāojí Mǎlìōu Àodésài
Super Mario Odyssey
Chinese (traditional) 超級瑪利歐 奧德賽[?]
Chāojí Mǎlìōu Àodésài
Super Mario Odyssey
Korean 슈퍼 마리오 오디세이[?]
Syupeo Mario Odisei
Super Mario Odyssey

Trivia

  • Super Mario Odyssey is the first-ever Mario series title to receive a B rating by the CERO in Japan. All other titles released prior have been rated at A. Similarly, Super Mario Odyssey is the first Super Mario series 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.[51]
  • A browser game was released in 2017 on the Play Nintendo website called Super Mario Odyssey Fun Trivia Quiz.
  • 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".[52]
    • English names on the world maps were removed, including coordinate numbers and letters. This change applies to the maps both in-game[53] and on the cartridge[54] and download cards.[55]

External links

Websites
Twitter Pages

References

  1. ^ 2018 guide to 1-UP Studio. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
  2. ^ http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/06/13/e3-2017-super-mario-odyssey-release-date-announced?utm_source=zergnet&utm_medium=Web&utm_campaign=Zergnet_1782972
  3. ^ https://m.imgur.com/kvntP40
  4. ^ https://www.nintendo.co.jp/hardware/amiibo/chart/index.html
  5. ^ Kazuya Sakai (ed.). The Art of Super Mario Odyssey. First English Edition. Translated by TransPerfect. Milwaukie: Dark Horse, 2019. ISBN: 978-1-50671-375-5.
  6. ^ a b c NinEverything. (January 13, 2017). Miyamoto on Super Mario Odyssey - Nintendo Treehouse Live with Nintendo Switch. YouTube. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
  7. ^ a b Super Mario Odyssey interview with Yoshiaki Koizumi and Kenta Motokura – ‘Please look forward to it!’ Metro. Retrieved September 27, 2017.
  8. ^ I played 30 minutes of Super Mario Odyssey and it sure is impressive. Kotaku. Retrieved September 24, 2017.
  9. ^ How Shigeru Miyamoto Influenced Mario Odyssey’s Development. Gameinformer. Retrieved September 27, 2017.
  10. ^ a b c d e Mario Party Legacy. (June 19, 2017). 2 Hours of Super Mario Odyssey Gameplay (E3 2017, Direct). YouTube. Retrieved September 24, 2017.
  11. ^ MacDonald, Keza (September 14, 2020). Super Mario at 35: Mario's makers on Nintendo's most enduring mascot. The Guardian. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  12. ^ What's in a Box?. Nintendo Treehouse Log, Tumblr. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
  13. ^ Nintendo Finally Answers: Is Mario Human?. Vice. Retrieved September 26, 2017
  14. ^ Nintendo UK. (August 23, 2017). Super Mario Odyssey - Luncheon Kingdom showcase with Yoshiaki Koizumi (Nintendo Switch). YouTube. Retrieved September 24, 2017.
  15. ^ Hi, I’m Mr. Koizumi, Producer of Super Mario Odyssey. AMA!. Reddit. Retrieved September 27, 2017.
  16. ^ Nintendo Treehouse E3 2017. (June 13, 2017). Super Mario Odyssey gameplay - Nintendo Treehouse Live with Nintendo Switch. Twitch. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
  17. ^ Super Mario Odyssey producer explains why Pauline has returned Polygon. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
  18. ^ The metadata of this mp3 file: https://www.nintendo.co.jp/switch/aaaca/common/hen3frereqax/emachebru5hn.mp3
  19. ^ The official Japanese page of "Jump Up, Super Star!". Retrieved October 11, 2017.
  20. ^ WesUniverse (October 27, 2017). Honeylune Ridge: Escape (Official Super Mario Odyssey OST). YouTube. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
  21. ^ Crunchii [Music Extensions] (October 26, 2017). Honeylune Ridge: Escape (Japanese) - Super Mario Odyssey - Music Extended. YouTube. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
  22. ^ Official Japanese Super Mario Odyssey Twitter (soundtrack album announcement)
  23. ^ https://twitter.com/pixelpar/status/908319143920881669
  24. ^ http://www.nintendo.co.kr/news/view.php?idx=111
  25. ^ http://overseas.weico.cc/share/10373580.html?weibo_id=4177181082731648
  26. ^ https://nintendosoup.com/asia-super-mario-odyssey-edition-nintendo-switch-coming-october-27/
  27. ^ http://www.nintendo.co.kr/news/view.php?idx=111
  28. ^ (August 28, 2018). New Nintendo bundles, games and controllers open up holiday shopping possibilities. Nintendo. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  29. ^ a b Scykoh. (November 18, 2017) Super Mario Odyssey - Glitchfest. YouTube. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  30. ^ https://twitter.com/Raltseye/status/948563348269903872
  31. ^ https://twitter.com/game4brains/status/946182614653681664
  32. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bixxb8jSxSg
  33. ^ EDGE issue showed up in stores
  34. ^ http://au.ign.com/articles/2017/10/26/super-mario-odyssey-review
  35. ^ https://www.polygon.com/2017/10/26/16551724/super-mario-odyssey-review
  36. ^ https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/26/16552118/super-mario-odyssey-review-nintendo-switch
  37. ^ https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/super-mario-odyssey-review/1900-6416795/
  38. ^ https://www.forbes.com/sites/games/2017/11/02/super-mario-odyssey-review-a-perfect-game-with-a-problem/#25c565b21e48
  39. ^ http://www.metacritic.com/game/switch/super-mario-odyssey
  40. ^ http://www.gamerankings.com/switch/200275-super-mario-odyssey/index.html
  41. ^ a b c d e f Awards - The Game Awards 2017. The Game Awards. Retrieved December 9, 2017.
  42. ^ IR Information : Sales Data - Top Selling Title Sales Units. Nintendo. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  43. ^ [1]
  44. ^ https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2021/210506_3e.pdf
  45. ^ Nintendo (May 10, 2022) Top Selling Title Sales Unites. Nintendo Japan. Retrieved February 3, 2022. Archived from the original on May 10, 2022.
  46. ^ [2]
  47. ^ [3]
  48. ^ [4]
  49. ^ [5]
  50. ^ Template:Media link
  51. ^ Entertainment Software Rating Board's rating for Super Mario Odyssey. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
  52. ^ https://twitter.com/chinesenintendo/status/1258526341198000129?s=20
  53. ^ https://twitter.com/chinesenintendo/status/1258525046114447361?s=20
  54. ^ https://twitter.com/chinesenintendo/status/1259755144796712961?s=20
  55. ^ https://twitter.com/chinesenintendo/status/1259770285227565056?s=20

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