Super Mario Odyssey
- "Mario Odyssey" redirects here. For the Super Mario Bros. Super Show! episode, see 9001: A Mario Odyssey.
Super Mario Odyssey | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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 | October 27, 2017[2] October 27, 2017[3] October 27, 2017[4] October 27, 2017[5] October 27, 2017[6] October 27, 2017[7] December 1, 2017[8] December 1, 2017[9] March 16, 2020[10] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 | 3D platformer, action-adventure | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rating(s) |
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Mode(s) | Single player, two-player co-op | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Format | Nintendo Switch: Game Card Digital download
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Input | Nintendo Switch: Joy-Con (horizontal)
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Serial code(s) | HAC-AAACA-JPN HAC-P-AAACA-USA |
Super Mario Odyssey is a 3D action-adventure platformer for the Nintendo Switch. It is the eighth 3D title of the Super Mario series; the first 3D Super Mario title for a hybrid console, being the sixth 3D Super Mario title on a home console after Super Mario 3D World; and the third 3D Super Mario title on a handheld console after Super Mario 64 DS and Super Mario 3D Land. In 2020, it was recognized as the the twentieth entry in the Super Mario series.[11]. As of 2024, it is recognized as the twenty-first on Mario Portal.[12] It was first teased in the Switch's announcement video on October 20, 2016, and was formally announced as part of the Nintendo Switch presentation on January 13, 2017. The game was released in select regions on October 27, 2017;[13] in South Korea and Taiwan on December 1, 2017;[8][9] and in China on March 16, 2020.[10] The game features sandbox-like elements similar to those in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine and revolves around Mario exploring Earth-based settings with his new partner, Cappy.
Unique to this game, Mario is able to throw Cappy onto certain enemies and objects, allowing Mario to take control of them and use their abilities. Mario can also dress in different costumes, several being based on the previous games. The game supports two-player co-op, allowing a second player to use a single Joy-Con or Pro Controller to control Cappy independently from Mario. The game also has online functionality, which allows players to compare their times/scores in certain events. In addition, amiibo can be used to unlock certain costumes early as well as obtain free hints toward the locations of Power Moons and regional coins.
The Mario (Wedding Outfit), Peach (Wedding Outfit), and Bowser (Wedding Outfit) amiibo have designs based on this game and were released on the same day as Super Mario Odyssey. Additionally, Super Mario Cereal was released on December 11, 2017.[14] The cereal is based on this game, and the box is an amiibo that works with the game. Super Mario Odyssey is also one of the first styles added to Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo.
Story
The story begins in the skies above Peach's Castle, where Mario and Bowser are in the middle of fighting each other on Bowser's Airship, with Princess Peach on board as well, witnessing the battle. Bowser punches the ground as Mario jumps backward. Bowser then jumps at Mario and shoots fire at him, missing. Bowser then throws his hat at Mario, which misses while knocking Mario's cap off his head, then turns around, hitting Mario and sending him flying. Bowser then takes his airship toward the skies, as he prepares a forced marriage to Peach. He leaves Mario's cap adrift into the ship's back propellers, shredding it in the process. A piece is obtained by a Bonneter named Cappy, who eventually finds Mario in Bonneton, located in the Cap Kingdom.
Cappy begins nudging Mario to awaken him. Mario wakes up, startling Cappy, who attempts to flee. Upon being calmed down, Cappy introduces himself and explains to Mario that Bowser not only had attacked their kingdom, destroying its airship armada, but had also kidnapped Tiara, Cappy's sister, to use her as Peach's wedding headdress. Together, the two decide to team up to stop Bowser's plans and save both Peach and Tiara, and using the piece he collected, Cappy transforms into Mario's cap, allowing Mario to use his abilities. Cappy then informs Mario that they may be able to find a usable airship in the next kingdom, accessible from Top-Hat Tower. While exploring the tower, Mario captures a frog, first learning of this being Cappy's main ability. Upon reaching the top, they encounter the Broodals, who were hired by Bowser as his wedding planners. After defeating one of the Broodals, named Topper, Mario and Cappy use a spark pylon to travel to Fossil Falls of the Cascade Kingdom, where they find the airship, named the Odyssey, which uses Power Moons as energy to travel. Soon after, Mario and Cappy find and defeat Madame Broode, who is the boss of the Broodals, and her Chain Chomp. Using the power of the Multi Moon obtained from Madame Broode, the Odyssey becomes functional once more, and Mario and Cappy use it to chase after Bowser and the Broodals.
Mario and Cappy travel through several kingdoms. They begin with Tostarena of the Sand Kingdom, in which they must discover the source of an unusually cold desert before battling and defeating Hariet and Knucklotec, respectively. However, it is revealed that Bowser had already successfully stolen the Binding Band to use as a wedding ring for his bride, this being the cause of the desert's temperature. However, once the ring's guardian is defeated, heat is restored to the desert. After this, Mario and Cappy travel to and explore Lake Lamode of the Lake Kingdom and the Steam Gardens of the Wooded Kingdom, where Bowser has stolen the Lochlady Dress and the Soirée Bouquet, respectively. After this, while the two travel to New Donk City of the Metro Kingdom, they are halted by Bowser on his airship. After a battle commences in the Nimbus Arena of the Cloud Kingdom, Mario emerges victorious. Regardless, after he is knocked onto his airship, Bowser fires at the Odyssey, causing it to crash and land in the Forgotten Isle of the Lost Kingdom.
After Mario rescues Cappy from a Klepto and collects more Power Moons to restore the Odyssey, they travel through New Donk City of the Metro Kingdom, Shiveria of the Snow Kingdom, Bubblaine of the Seaside Kingdom, and Mount Volbono of the Luncheon Kingdom. They then attempt to enter Bowser's Castle in Bowser's Kingdom; however, they are encountered by Bowser before they get there. Instead of fighting Mario and Cappy, Bowser orders the Ruined Dragon to attack the Odyssey. This causes the ship to fall to Crumbleden of the Ruined Kingdom, where Mario and Cappy directly fight and defeat the Ruined Dragon. After restoring the Odyssey again, they finally go to Bowser's Castle and find Bowser with Peach. Bowser reveals that he plans to hold his wedding on the moon, and leaves Mario and Cappy to fight the Broodals in the RoboBrood.
Mario and Cappy destroy the RoboBrood, sending the Broodals flying as they recover another Multi Moon. They then head off to Honeylune Ridge of the Moon Kingdom to stop the marriage between Bowser and Peach. They interrupt the wedding as Bowser is attempting to put the Binding Band that was previously stolen from Tostarena on Peach. Bowser then stomps the floor, revealing a trapdoor under Mario and Cappy. Cappy grabs Mario by the fingers and tries to pull him out of the trapdoor, but his hands slip, causing him to drop Mario and fall into it himself. Bowser jumps in after them and engages them in battle, but he is defeated. Mario, Cappy, Peach, and Tiara are reunited but soon discover that the area they are in is collapsing, causing Mario to capture an unconscious Bowser and escape, with all of them eventually returning to the moon. Mario and Bowser then simultaneously propose to marry Peach, with Mario offering a Rocket Flower and Bowser offering a Soirée Bouquet. Peach, overwhelmed by their fighting and arguing over her, rejects them both and leaves with Cappy and Tiara, making Mario and Bowser dejected. She then calls from the Odyssey, saying, "Let's go home!" As the ship takes off, Mario and Bowser run after it. While Mario successfully jumps onto it, he stomps on Bowser, leaving him stuck on the moon.
After the credits, the Odyssey lands in the Mushroom Kingdom near Peach's Castle, where Cappy says that he enjoyed the adventure and wishes to continue traveling with Mario to collect more Power Moons. They do so, going through the Mushroom Kingdom, as well as Rabbit Ridge of the dark side of the moon and Culmina Crater of the darker side of the moon in the process. Meanwhile, Peach and Tiara travel the kingdoms on Peach's "own terms," while finding Power Moons themselves that they give to Mario when he meets up with them.
Gameplay
Super Mario Odyssey returns to the explorative sandbox-like gameplay seen in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. Mario explores various large areas in order to collect Power Moons. Collecting Power Moons increases the power of the Odyssey so it can move on to the next area, each of which is accessed in a mostly linear order. There is no central hub world, unlike in the aforementioned games. The game instead has a map screen from where locations are selected.
Mario maintains his moveset from previous 3D titles, including the Triple Jump, the Long Jump, the Side Somersault, the Backward Somersault, the Roll, the Ground Pound, the Ground Pound Jump, the Spin Jump, and the returning dive. In addition, a new character called Cappy allies with Mario and turns into Mario's cap. He grants Mario access to the Cap Throw, a move where Mario throws Cappy as if he were a boomerang for a long-range attack. Cappy can interact with many of the game's objects, or be used as an extra platform. Cappy can also "capture" certain objects and enemies so Mario can take control of them. Each of those objects gives Mario new abilities. This makes capturing a key element, as it replaces the traditional power-up system seen in the previous Super Mario games since Super Mario Galaxy. There are 52 capturable targets in total.[15]
The game also features a co-op mode. During this mode, the second player as Cappy automatically hovers over the first player's head until they press the button, where they gain independent movement. While moving, Cappy acts as though he was thrown. When the second player is hovering over the first player's head, they can move the stick on their Joy-Con to move Cappy 360 degrees. When the second player is hovering over the first player's head, the first player can still perform all actions with Cappy as in normal gameplay; however, they cannot perform these actions when the second player is not hovering above them. If the second player, while being independent of the first player, presses the button again, they will automatically travel back to the first player's head until they press the button again. The camera follows the first player in this mode, and due to this, the second player can fly only a certain distance away from the first player until they are stopped by an invisible wall. When the first player walks a certain distance away from the second player, the second player is pushed towards the first player.
One recurring object found in the game is coins. There are two types. Yellow coins return from older games. These coins are scattered across the game and are rewarded for interacting with many objects. Additionally, there are new purple regional coins, which are different in every kingdom. These serve as a minor collectable. While some are out in the open, many are hidden away. Coins are a currency in the game, and they are spendable at Crazy Cap stores to buy items for the Odyssey and costumes. Regional coins can be used only in the same kingdom they were found in. Character customization consists of two portions: a outfit for Mario and a hat for Cappy. The player can mix-and-match any of the options they have unlocked. All of them are entirely cosmetic.
Mario has a life meter with three health wedges, a returning feature from games such as Super Mario Galaxy. Taking damage reduces health, and if Mario runs out, he has to restart from a Checkpoint Flag. However, this game does not have lives, nor 1-Up Mushrooms or Game Overs. Each time Mario is defeated, he loses 10 coins before returning to the level. This is the first 3D game of the Super Mario series not to feature lives.
If the player is having trouble finding a Power Moon, the game has two different hint systems to help them. The new character Talkatoo gives the player the name of a Power Moon, which may hint at its location or at a method used to obtain it. Hint Toad, a recurring character given a name for the first time, reveals the location of a Power Moon on the map screen at a cost of 50 yellow coins.
While Super Mario Odyssey is primarily a three-dimensional game, certain sections switch the game into a sidescrolling mode. These are visually based on the game Super Mario Bros., making use of that game's 8-bit graphics and general gameplay. This further means that Mario cannot use moves introduced later in the series in these sections, such as the Triple Jump and the Cap Throw. However, Mario's health is shared between normal gameplay and these sections. These sections are usually entered through 8-bit pipes, and they allow Mario to move across the surface of various walls in the game. While earlier sections mostly hew to a normal side perspective, later areas project these sections onto objects of varying shapes, such as cylinders and cubes. Many of the game's songs have chiptune renditions that play while Mario is in these areas.
The game makes use of several of the new functions available in Nintendo's Joy-Con and Pro Controller. Motion controls are a major part of the game. Nearly every action done with the or button can instead be done by shaking the controller, sometimes with a stronger effect than just pressing the button. In addition, certain moves are entirely exclusive to using motion controls. This is especially true of the game's capturable characters and objects. HD Rumble is used to indicate hidden places where Mario can ground-pound to find items. Hint Art consists of pictures found in the game that cryptically hint at the locations of Power Moons. These make use of the Nintendo Switch's capture function, enabling the player to store a screenshot of the picture in the system's album for reference as they look for the Power Moon in the game. Super Mario Odyssey supports amiibo, primarily tying the functions to the new character Uncle amiibo. With either controller's NFC touchpoint, the player can scan amiibo for a number of effects. Many amiibo are referred to by name, even if the game does not give them an effect specific to the character. A number of Super Mario-franchise characters have costumes in the game, including Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, and Diddy Kong. Their amiibo unlock these costumes earlier than normal.[16] Any amiibo can be used to reveal the location of a Power Moon on the map. The button allows the player to scan amiibo at any time for different benefits than the ones listed before, with dedicated effects for most Mario, Peach, and Bowser amiibo. Mario amiibo make the player temporarily invincible, Peach amiibo increase the player's maximum health, and Bowser amiibo show the player where regional coins are. Other amiibo provide basic items such as coins and Hearts.
An Assist Mode is available. This mode makes the game easier by introducing a number of additional features. The player has six health wedges instead of three, and standing still for long enough refills Mario's health one wedge at a time. If the player touches lava or poison or falls down a pit, they are returned to a safe location by a bubble while losing only one health wedge. All of those hazards are normally very dangerous. Swimming no longer has an air meter. Arrows that point the player to the objective appear on the ground. Sometimes, they move along walls, point across the air, or point upward. In certain cases involving prolonged air movement, if Mario is on certain detours, or if the goal is to return to the Odyssey, an arrow hovers over Mario and points to the destination or back to the main path. If all objectives in a kingdom are completed and the player still needs more Power Moons to advance to the next kingdom, Assist Mode points the player to Hint Toad, then to the location of the closest Power Moon revealed on the map. Switching modes from Regular Mode to Assist Mode or vice versa can be done through the Options menu. This resets the player's position to a prior save point, but Power Moons are kept.
Super Mario Odyssey contains a number of minigames spread across the game world. Some of these require going into a specific menu to access, while others start when Mario enters them on the game's main map. These usually make use of Mario's existing movement options, instead of having minigame-only controls. Each of them can be played to obtain Power Moons. In addition, scores in each minigame can be uploaded to the internet, and players can view the scores of all players or ones from players on their Friend List.
The game features a "Snapshot Mode," where players can suspend the game with and take screenshots. Players are also able to alter the shot by zooming in and out, tilting the camera for a vertical shot, or applying one of several filters, such as blurring the surroundings, adding a sepia tone, changing the camera to a fisheye lens, or applying an NES-, Game Boy-, or SNES-styled color scheme.
Super Mario Odyssey is playable in 13 languages: English, European French, Canadian French, German, European Spanish, Latin American Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Russian, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Korean.
Balloon World
- Main article: Balloon World
Balloon World is a major minigame similar to hide-and-seek that was added to Super Mario Odyssey in a free update released on February 21, 2018. In order to play, Mario must find Luigi in a kingdom and talk to him to begin. Mario is given a balloon that he can hide in spots around the kingdom for other players to find. Mario can also find balloons that other players around the world have already hidden. There is a time limit for placing and finding the balloons. Players can share codes so that their friends can specifically look for their balloons.
Controls
Action(s) | Input(s) | |
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Dual Joy-Con or Pro Controller | Horizontal Joy-Con (Two-player only) | |
Orientation | ||
Camera control | to move, or to reset | + to move, to reset |
First-Person Mode | ; while in First-Person Mode, tilt or move Joy-Con (R) or Pro Controller to look around, and press or to reset. (Cannot use First-Person Mode in two-player mode) | Cannot use First-Person Mode in two-player mode |
Ground movement | ||
Walk | Tilt slightly | Tilt slightly |
Run | Tilt | Tilt |
Crouch | Hold or | Hold or |
Crouch Walk | Hold or + | Hold or + |
Roll | Hold or + tap or or flick controller | Hold or + tap or flick Joy-Con |
Roll Cancel | While rolling, press or and or at the same time | While rolling, press and or at the same time |
Spin | Rotate quickly in two circles | Rotate quickly in two circles |
Hops, skips, and jumps | ||
Jump | or | or |
Double Jump | While landing from standard jump, press or | While landing from standard jump, press or |
Triple Jump | While landing from Double Jump, hold and press or | While landing from Double Jump, hold and press or |
Backward Somersault | Hold or + press or | Hold or + press or |
Side Somersault | While running, move in opposite direction + or | While running, hold in opposite direction + or |
Long Jump | While running, hold or + tap or | While running, hold or + tap or |
Wall Slide | Jump against most vertical surfaces | Jump against most vertical surfaces |
Wall Jump | While Mario is sliding down a wall, press or | While Mario is sliding down a wall, press or |
Ground Pound | In midair or in water, tap or | In midair or in water, tap or |
Ground Pound Jump | During Ground Pound impact, press or | During Ground Pound impact, press or |
Dive | After initiating Ground Pound but before impact, press or or flick controller | After initiating Ground Pound but before impact, press or flick Joy-Con |
Spin Jump | During spin, press or | During spin, press or |
Quick Drop | During Spin Jump, press or | During Spin Jump, press or |
Spinning Ground Pound | During Spin Jump, hold or until impact | During Spin Jump, hold or until impact |
Spinning Ground Pound Jump | During Spinning Ground Pound impact, press or | During Spinning Ground Pound impact, press or |
Cappy | ||
Cap Throw | or or flick controller | 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 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 or flick Joy-Con during Ground Pound impact |
Cap Throw and Hold | Throw cap (any method except Spin Throw), then hold or | Throw cap (any method except Spin Throw), then hold |
Homing Cap Throw | Throw cap (any method except Spin Throw), then flick controller in desired direction | Throw cap (any method except Spin Throw), then flick controller in desired direction |
Combos | ||
Cap Jump | Cap Throw & Hold, then run into or land on Cappy | Cap Throw & Hold, then run into or land on Cappy |
Catch Jump | Any Cap Throw, then or just after catching Cappy | Any Cap Throw, then or just after catching Cappy |
Twirl | Any Cap Throw, then or just after catching Cappy while in midair | Any Cap Throw, then or just after catching Cappy while in midair |
Dive Jump | In midair, throw cap, press or , and then hold or | In midair, throw cap, press or , and then hold |
Water only | ||
Swim | while in water | while in water |
Ascend | or while in water | or while in water |
Quick Swim | After initiating Ground Pound but before ending, press or , or flick controller while in water | After initiating Ground Pound but before ending, press , or flick Joy-Con while in water |
8-bit | ||
Jump | or or flick controller | or or flick controller |
Dash | Hold or and use | Hold and use |
Crouch | Press or , or push down | Press or , or push down |
Miscellaneous | ||
Talk | near certain NPCs | near certain NPCs |
Hold item | Press or near a grabbable object | Press near a grabbable object |
Throw item | Press or for short throw; flick controller for long throw | Press for short throw; flick Joy-Con for long throw |
Ledge-clinging | left or right to shimmy along handholds; up, , or to climb up; down to let go and fall. Hold or to move faster. | left or right to shimmy along handholds; up, , or to climb up; down to let go and fall. Hold to move faster. |
Pole-climbing | up or down to ascend or descend, left or right to rotate around the pole. Hold or to climb faster, shake controller to climb even faster | up or down to ascend or descend, left or right to rotate around the pole. Hold to climb faster, shake controller to climb even faster |
View map | or | |
Pause Menu | ||
amiibo Button | (Unavailable in 2 player mode) | Unavailable in 2 player mode |
Cappy (Two-player)
Action(s) | Input(s) | |
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Dual Joy-Con or Pro Controller | Horizontal Joy-Con (Two-player only) | |
Camera control | to move | + to move |
Cap Jump (for Mario) | or | or |
Jump out | or | |
Move | after Jump out | after Jump out |
Jump | or , after Jump Out | or , after Jump out |
Ground Pound | or , after Jump Out | or , after Jump Out |
Return | or after Jump out | after Jump out |
Float (8-bit only) | or | or |
Pause Menu | ||
View map | or |
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 steals an item from some of these locations, which all tie to his preparations for his wedding.
Progression is based around collecting Power Moons from each kingdom. Each one increases the power of the Odyssey, and a differing amount per kingdom are required to gain the ability to move on to the next kingdom. Power Moons are hidden everywhere, in a large number of different ways. There are always more Power Moons available than needed to move on, so the player can pick which ones to find, or aim to locate them all.
Most kingdoms in Super Mario Odyssey have a number of objectives. These are tied to a storyline for the kingdom, and often are completed by collecting the Power Moon at the end. Some objectives instead reward Multi Moons, which are worth three Power Moons. As the storyline advances, new areas open up, new characters appear and more Power Moons become available. Some events may block off access to certain Power Moons, but the completion of each final objective opens up the kingdom fully. After completing the game, a number of additional changes occur. These add extra activities and have non-player characters from each kingdom appear in the other kingdoms.
As the player progresses, they encounter two split paths, one for the Wooded Kingdom and the Lake Kingdom, and the other for the Snow Kingdom and the Seaside Kingdom. The player has to go to all kingdoms in the game, so this choice is for choosing one kingdom to access first, permanently putting that kingdom ahead of the other one in the game's linear order. While overall a minor distinction, warp holes in the game are affected by this order.
Kingdoms | ||
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Main game | ||
01. Cap Kingdom (Bonneton) ×31 ×50 ×3 ×1 |
Objectives and Power Moons | |
Cappy of the Cap Kingdom | To the Top of Top-Hat Tower | |
The Kingdom Next Door | Frog-Jumping Above the Fog | |
Frog-Jumping from the Top Deck | Cap Kingdom Timer Challenge 1 | |
Good Evening, Captain Toad! | Shopping in Bonneton | |
Skimming the Poison Tide | Click here for the remaining moons... | |
Home of Cappy and the Bonneters. It is dotted with rolling hills and shrouded in fog. Areas are connected by arched bridges. The interior of Top-Hat Tower is navigable by native frogs, and contains pools of water and sinking platforms. Unlock criteria: begin a new save file (first visit); collect 5 Power Moons in the Cascade Kingdom (revisit) | ||
02. Cascade Kingdom (Fossil Falls) ×42 ×50 ×6 ×1 |
Objectives and Power Moons | |
Our First Power Moon | Multi Moon Atop the Falls | |
Chomp Through the Rocks | Behind the Waterfall | |
On Top of the Rubble | Treasure of the Waterfall Basin | |
Above a High Cliff | Across the Floating Isles | |
Cascade Kingdom Timer Challenge 1 | Click here for the remaining moons... | |
A lush, grassy area surrounded by rapid waterfalls. The Odyssey is uncovered in this kingdom. The stones in Fossil Falls are embedded with fossils, and it is one of the last places in the world where dinosaurs still live. Unlock criterion: complete "The Kingdom Next Door" | ||
03. Sand Kingdom (Tostarena) ×93 ×100 ×10 ×2 |
Objectives and Power Moons | |
Atop the Highest Tower | Moon Shards in the Sand | |
Showdown on the Inverted Pyramid | The Hole in the Desert | |
Overlooking the Desert Town | Alcove in the Ruins | |
On the Leaning Pillar | Hidden Room in the Flowing Sands | |
Secret of the Mural | Click here for the remaining moons... | |
A hot desert turned cold when the Binding Band was taken. Tostarena Town is towards the south, and the ancient Tostarena Ruins occurs near the center. Below the Inverted Pyramid lies a frigid Underground Temple that chilled the surface. Unlock criterion: collect 5 Power Moons in the Cascade Kingdom | ||
04. or 05. Lake Kingdom (Lake Lamode) ×44 ×50 ×7 ×1 |
Objectives and Power Moons | |
Broodals Over the Lake | Dorrie-Back Rider | |
Cheep Cheep Crossing | End of the Hidden Passage | |
What's in the Box? | On the Lakeshore | |
From the Broken Pillar | Treasure in the Spiky Waterway | |
Lake Gardening: Spiky Passage Seed | Click here for the remaining moons... | |
Lake Lamode is at the base of a small canyon with glistening walls. The domed Water Plaza that occurs on the lakebed is home to the Lochladies and houses the Lochlady Dress stolen by the Broodals. Hidden areas are concealed by zippers. Unlock criterion: collect 16 Power Moons in the Sand Kingdom or Wooded Kingdom | ||
04. or 05. Wooded Kingdom (Steam Gardens) ×80 ×100 ×10 ×2 |
Objectives and Power Moons | |
Road to Sky Garden | Flower Thieves of Sky Garden | |
Path to the Secret Flower Field | Defend the Secret Flower Field! | |
Behind the Rock Wall | Back Way Up the Mountain | |
Rolling Rock in the Woods | Caught Hopping in the Forest! | |
Thanks for the Charge! | Click here for the remaining moons... | |
Flower fields and large trees that grow amongst ancient technology. Many platforms are still operable or can be manually shifted. Flower Roads connect distant areas. The Steam Gardens are insulated from the surrounding mountains by a geodesic dome, and overhang the dense Deep Woods. Unlock criterion: collect 16 Power Moons in the Sand Kingdom or 8 in the Lake Kingdom | ||
06. Cloud Kingdom (Nimbus Arena) ×9 ×1 ×1 |
Objectives and Power Moons | |
Hat-to-Hat Combat | Picture Match: Basically a Goomba | |
Peach in the Cloud Kingdom | Digging in the...Cloud? | |
High, High Above the Clouds | Crossing the Cloud Sea | |
Taking Notes: Up and Down | Picture Match: A Stellar Goomba! | |
King of the Cube! | The Sixth Face | |
Nimbus Arena is where Mario has his first showdown with Bowser. It was occupied by a moon-worshipping people long ago, and is apparently the source of the Mysterious Clouds found throughout the other kingdoms. Unlock criterion: collect 8 Power Moons in the Lake Kingdom and 16 in the Wooded Kingdom | ||
07. Lost Kingdom (Forgotten Isle) ×35 ×50 ×4 |
Power Moons | |
Atop a Propeller Pillar | Below the Cliff's Edge | |
Inside the Stone Cage | On a Tree in the Swamp | |
Over the Fuzzies, Above the Swamp | Avoiding Fuzzies Inside the Wall | |
Inside the Rising Stone Pillar | Enjoying the View of Forgotten Isle | |
On the Mountain Road | Click here for the remaining moons... | |
Tropical islands inhabited by unusual flora and large insects, surrounded by a poisonous sea. The ruins here rotate and can be physically shifted. The Odyssey is grounded here by Bowser's airship. Klepto makes a habit of stealing Cappy. Unlock criterion: complete "Hat-to-Hat Combat" | ||
08. Metro Kingdom (New Donk City) ×85 ×100 ×12 ×1 |
Objectives and Power Moons | |
The Scourge on the Skyscraper | Drummer on Board! | |
Guitarist on Board! | Bassist on Board! | |
Trumpeter on Board! | Powering Up the Station | |
A Traditional Festival! | Inside an Iron Girder | |
Swaying in the Breeze | Click here for the remaining moons... | |
"The Big Banana" — a concrete jungle from Mario's past. Traversing New Donk City entails vertical platforming between and within skyscrapers. Bouncy taxis drive around the streets, and New Donkers walk the sidewalks. They host the Jump-Rope and RC Car Challenges here. A manhole blocks access to the Underground Power Plant. Unlock criterion: collect 10 Power Moons in the Lost Kingdom | ||
09. or 10. Snow Kingdom (Shiveria) ×57 ×50 ×4 ×1 |
Objectives and Power Moons | |
The Icicle Barrier | The Ice Wall Barrier | |
The Gusty Barrier | The Snowy Mountain Barrier | |
The Bound Bowl Grand Prix | Entrance to Shiveria | |
Behind Snowy Mountain | Shining in the Snow in Town | |
Atop a Blustery Arch | Click here for the remaining moons... | |
A glacial canyon filled with freezing water. Blizzards are common here. Shiverians have established a town under the ice, where they compete in the Bound Bowl Grand Prix. Unlock criterion: collect 20 Power Moons in the Metro Kingdom or 10 in the Seaside Kingdom | ||
09. or 10. Seaside Kingdom (Bubblaine) ×73 ×100 ×10 ×1 |
Objectives and Power Moons | |
The Stone Pillar Seal | The Lighthouse Seal | |
The Hot Spring Seal | The Seal Above the Canyon | |
The Glass Is Half Full! | On the Cliff Overlooking the Beach | |
Ride the Jetstream | Ocean-Bottom Maze: Treasure | |
Ocean-Bottom Maze: Hidden Room | Click here for the remaining moons... | |
Bubblaine is a resort town surrounded by a carbonated sea. The Rolling Canyon extends deep into the surrounding cliffs. The reefs are cavernous and inhabited by Maw-Rays. Bubblainians host Beach Volleyball here. Unlock criterion: collect 20 Power Moons in the Metro Kingdom or 10 in the Snow Kingdom | ||
11. Luncheon Kingdom (Mount Volbono) ×72 ×100 ×10 ×2 |
Objectives and Power Moons | |
The Broodals Are After Some Cookin' | Under the Cheese Rocks | |
Big Pot on the Volcano: Dive In! | Climb Up the Cascading Magma | |
Cookatiel Showdown! | Piled on the Salt | |
Lurking in the Pillar's Shadow | Atop the Jutting Crag | |
Is This an Ingredient Too?! | Click here for the remaining moons... | |
Mount Volbono is an active volcano in a lava sea. Large vegetables sit at the base of the mountain near Peronza Plaza, home of the Volbonans. Full traversal necessitates capturing a Lava Bubble, as many platforms are separated by lava flows. Stupendous Stew is cooked at the mountain peak. Unlock criterion: collect 10 Power Moons in the Snow Kingdom and 10 Power Moons in the Seaside Kingdom | ||
12. Ruined Kingdom (Crumbleden) ×12 ×1 ×1 |
Objectives and Power Moons | |
Battle with the Lord of Lightning! | In the Ancient Treasure Chest | |
Roulette Tower: Climbed | Roulette Tower: Stopped | |
Peach in the Ruined Kingdom | Caught on a Big Horn | |
Upon the Broken Arch | Rolling Rock on the Battlefield | |
Charging Through an Army | The Mummy Army's Curse | |
The arena where Mario fights the Ruined Dragon, made up of stone towers that has fallen to ruin. Crumbleden was once a thriving civilization, and is implied to have been abandoned due to an attack from the dragon. Unlock criterion: collect 18 Power Moons in the Luncheon Kingdom | ||
13. Bowser's Kingdom (Bowser's Castle) ×64 ×100 ×12 ×3 |
Objectives and Power Moons | |
Infiltrate Bowser's Castle! | Smart Bombing | |
Big Broodal Battle | Showdown at Bowser's Castle | |
Behind the Big Wall | Treasure Inside the Turret | |
From the Side Above the Castle Gate | Sunken Treasure in the Moat | |
Past the Moving Wall | Click here for the remaining moons... | |
Bowser's domain, emulating Japanese castles and enshrouded by colorful storm clouds. Sections are separated by spark pylons. The castle walls are made of plaster that Pokios can use to climb. Bomb-firing turrets line narrow walkways, and poison ponds occur near the top of some buildings. Unlock criterion: complete "Battle with the Lord of Lightning!" | ||
14. Moon Kingdom (Honeylune Ridge) ×38 ×50 ×5 ×2 |
Objectives and Power Moons | |
Bowser's Moon Wedding | Shining Above the Moon | |
Along the Cliff Face | The Tip of a White Spire | |
Rolling Rock on the Moon | Caught Hopping on the Moon! | |
Cliffside Treasure Chest | Moon Kingdom Timer Challenge 1 | |
Taking Notes: On the Moon's Surface | Click here for the remaining moons... | |
The largest kingdom on the moon, where Bowser intends to marry Princess Peach. Gravity is weaker on the surface, allowing Mario to jump across wide gaps. It behaves normally in the Underground Moon Caverns, which is filled with magma and obstacle courses. Unlock criterion: collect 8 Power Moons in Bowser's Kingdom | ||
The Odyssey Continues... | ||
15. Mushroom Kingdom (Peach's Castle) ×116 ×100 ×5 ×6 |
Power Moons | |
Perched on the Castle Roof | Pops Out of the Tail | |
Caught Hopping at Peach's Castle! | Gardening for Toad: Garden Seed | |
Gardening for Toad: Field Seed | Gardening for Toad: Pasture Seed | |
Gardening for Toad: Lake Seed | Grow a Flower Garden | |
Mushroom Kingdom Timer Challenge | Click here for the remaining moons... | |
The Castle Grounds around Peach's Castle. It is based heavily on the castle seen in Super Mario 64. Inside the castle, Archivist Toadette records Mario's feats. Yoshi can be found inside his egg on the castle's roof. The towers across the grounds contain paintings of the large bosses, which the player can enter for rematches. Unlock criterion: complete "Bowser's Moon Wedding" | ||
16. Dark Side (Rabbit Ridge) ×26 ×1 ×5 |
Objectives and Power Moons | |
Arrival at Rabbit Ridge! | Captain Toad on the Dark Side! | |
Breakdown Road: Hurry! | Breakdown Road: Final Challenge! | |
Invisible Road: Rush! | Invisible Road: Secret! | |
Vanishing Road Rush | Vanishing Road Challenge | |
Yoshi Under Siege | Click here for the remaining moons... | |
Home of the Broodals and white rabbits. The Broodals can be refought inside Rabbit Ridge Tower. Hint Art is hung on the vegetable-shaped moon rocks. Unlock criteria: complete "Bowser's Moon Wedding" and accumulate 250 Power Moons | ||
17. Darker Side (Culmina Crater) ×3 ×1 |
Objective | |
Long Journey's End | ||
The farthest reaches of the moon, containing difficult platforming challenges derived from prior kingdoms. Non-playable characters congregate near the entrance to cheer Mario on. Unlock criteria: complete "Bowser's Moon Wedding" and accumulate 500 Power Moons |
Characters
Playable characters
Name | 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. 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 them and use their abilites. In multiplayer, the second player controls Cappy while the first controls Mario, somewhat similar to how multiplayer worked with the Co-Star Luma in Super Mario Galaxy 2. |
Non-playable characters
Most of the kingdoms are inhabited by people that are suited to their land's geography. Outside of dialogue, the culture, history, and nature of these people is reviewable on their respective kingdom's brochure. In the kingdoms ransacked by Bowser, the stolen wedding article is usually a national treasure and the theft makes the people distressed. Many are forced to attend Bowser's wedding in the Moon Kingdom. After Princess Peach is rescued and the wedding articles are returned to their respective lands, many of these people can be found outside of their kingdoms, exploring the world. Generally, if a character is wearing a hat, it cannot be captured, but a few species include both hatted and hatless individuals. Unlike enemies, Mario can jump on characters without harming them, and the ones wearing hats twirl when struck by Cappy.
Many characters have dialogue that appears in a box on screen when Mario gets close to them. Certain characters have more elaborate lines, and Mario can start talking to them by pressing the button while close to them. These characters have small speech bubbles with ellipses above their heads, which turns into a prompt for the button. Some of characters instead have blue exclamation marks in their speech bubbles, indicating that their dialogue is especially relevant to the events of the game. Talking to most non-playable characters is optional and is not required to reaching the end of the game. However, interacting with non-playable characters often rewards Mario with Power Moons. Most non-playable character cower in fear when an enemy is near and this prevents ones with longer lines of dialogue from being spoken to, but they are not harmed. Some characters have unique lines of dialogue when enemies are near. Mario cannot enter conversations while capturing anything.
Super Mario Odyssey is the first Super Mario game to include more than ten different non-playable characters since Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2010), and most of them are wholly new. In addition to the characters listed below, an 8-bit character of Rosalina is in Honeylune Ridge and Rabbit Ridge. There are outfits sold at the Crazy Cap based on Waluigi, Diddy Kong, and Wario. Several shops and streets in New Donk City are named after characters from the Donkey Kong Country series. Mr. Game & Watch appears on the minigame icons.
Name | Description | Locations |
---|---|---|
Princess Peach |
The ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom. She is kidnapped by Bowser who aims to force her into marriage. The game's story revolves around Mario's quest to stop the marriage and save her. The two are very close. Once rescued, Mario attempts to propose to her himself before being interrupted by Bowser, leading to both being rejected. After returning home, she gifts hats to all of her subjects and pursues her own worldwide voyage with Tiara. She can be found in revisited kingdoms, and gives Mario a Power Moon once spoken to. | All kingdoms except the Dark Side and Darker Side |
Tiara |
Cappy's younger sister. She is kidnapped by Bowser and forced to serve as Peach's bridal veil. She develops a bond with Peach while captured, and they decide to travel the world together once rescued. | All kingdoms except the Dark Side and Darker Side |
Bonneters |
The dapper people of Bonneton. Much of their home is ransacked by Bowser while he was looking for an appropriate bridal veil. Bonneters are capable of controlling other beings and at least one takes interest in the physiology of other creatures. They can transform into hats and will use this ability to hide on other people's heads. Bonneters are otherwise known for building and living in hat-shaped airships. They are similar to tsukumogami. | Cap Kingdom, Moon Kingdom, Darker SideA |
Frogs |
Frogs are fast swimmers and capable of reaching great heights by jumping. They wear hats as part of their defense strategy, which must be knocked-off to be captured. The sole frog found on Honeylune Ridge was brought to the moon by the first moonwalkers. | Cap Kingdom, Moon Kingdom, Darker Side |
Hint Toad |
The bespectacled member of the Toad Brigade. If given 50 coins, Hint Toad marks the location of an uncollected Power Moon on the Travel Map. He is always located near the Odyssey's landing site within a kingdom, in close proximity to Uncle amiibo. | All kingdoms except the Darker Side |
Uncle amiibo |
Uncle amiibo is a robot that responds to scanned amiibo. For most figures, he will send them out into a kingdom to track down the location of an uncollected Power Moon. Some instead cause Uncle amiibo to gift him clothing based on the figure. Unlike most characters, Uncle amiibo can be stood on like a platform. He calls Mario "sport." | All kingdoms except the Darker Side |
Talkatoo |
A talking parrot. It tells Mario the names of Power Moons he does not have, but only up to three at a time. | All kingdoms except the Darker Side |
Tostarenans |
The music-loving people of Tostarena. Bowser indirectly burdens them with a cold snap when he steals their Binding Band. Tostarenans look like calaveras and wear sombreros to keep the sun out of their eyes, which they also sell to tourists. Some dance to the rhythm of nearby music, shaking their maracas. Slots are ran by Tosterenans across several kingdoms. They are related to the Chincho enemies that roam the desert at night. The Desert Wanderer is a Tostarenan. | Cascade Kingdom,B Sand Kingdom, Metro Kingdom, Luncheon Kingdom, Moon Kingdom, Mushroom Kingdom, Darker SideA |
Sheep |
Sheep try to flee when approached. Striking one causes it to bounce into the air and direct it towards a desired direction. Mario occasionally encounters herders that have lost their sheep. They award him a Power Moon for retrieving them all. | Sand Kingdom, Wooded Kingdom,C Mushroom Kingdom |
Moe-Eyes |
Fleet-footed beings that resemble moai statues. They have inhabited Tostarena since ancient times. Moe-Eyes do not speak and are timid by nature. They run away if approached. Pressing draws the sunglasses over the eyes of a captured Moe-Eye, allowing Mario to see invisible footpaths and platforms. However, it moves very slowly in this state. | Sand Kingdom, Moon Kingdom |
Sphynx |
The Sphynx is an obstructive figure who gives a quiz when prompted. If all of its questions are answered correctly, it grants Mario access to a hidden room. Typically reserved and posh, the Sphynx becomes progressively snarky as Mario answers questions correctly and will mock him when incorrect. Completing every quiz unlocks the final one of Culmina Crater, in which it is revealed the Sphynx asks questions because it enjoys Mario and Cappy's company. | Cascade Kingdom,C Sand Kingdom, Wooded Kingdom, Seaside Kingdom, Moon Kingdom, Darker Side |
Jaxi |
A cat-like beast that can be ridden across Tostarena. It allows Mario to ride it after paying a one-time fee of 30 coins. The Jaxi is very fast and nearly indestructible, but it is difficult to turn or stop. It can run across poison and send enemies flying. It is implied that the statues around Tostarena Ruins are Jaxis themselves in an immobile state, and that Jaxis can shift between these states at will. | Sand Kingdom |
Glydon |
Glydon is a world traveler similar to a draco lizard, seeking great heights to glide from. When captured, Glydon can be used like a paraglider to glide across great distances. Shaking the controller keeps him airborne longer. He does not sink into quicksand. | Sand Kingdom, Wooded Kingdom, Lost Kingdom, Seaside Kingdom, Darker Side |
Koopas (Trace-Walking) |
Koopas are turtle-like creatures. Some host a game called Trace-Walking. They reward Mario with a Power Moon if he successfully follows the disappearing route they lay out on the surrounding ground. Each Trace-Walking host is a different color and wears a hat tied to the visited kingdom. Though members of the Koopa family, they are harmless and seem to be unaffiliated with Bowser. | Sand Kingdom, Snow Kingdom, Moon Kingdom |
Koopas (Freerunning) |
A quartet of Koopas called the Roving Racers that challenge Mario to races in each kingdom If victorious, he is awarded a Power Moon. Each Koopa is a different color and takes different routes. Their abilities are identical to Mario, but instead of capturing enemies or driving vechicles their movement in such states is represented by a spinning shell. This means Mario can still capture the enemy or use the vehicle. After Mario wins a kingdom's Regular Cup and breaks the kingdom's Moon Rock, the slowest purple Koopa is replaced with a much more challenging gold one for a Master Cup race. | All kingdoms except the Dark Side and Darker Side |
Lakitus |
Cloud-riding Koopas that like fishing. Capturing one allows Mario to fish for Cheep Cheeps and other creatures in bodies of water. | Sand Kingdom, Lake Kingdom, Snow Kingdom, Bowser's Kingdom |
Goombettes |
Pink Goombas in mushroom hats. They flee if Mario comes near, but are affectionate if approached as a captured Goomba. Doing so awards Mario with a Power Moon. | Sand Kingdom, Lake Kingdom, Wooded Kingdom, Seaside Kingdom, Luncheon Kingdom, Mushroom Kingdom |
Lochladies |
Merfolk that live in Lake Lamode. They are world-renowned fashion designers. Their treasured Lochlady Dress is stolen by Bowser. Lochladies are of a gentle nature. Many can be can found swimming underwater. A trio of beret-wearing Lochladies called the Style Sisters give Mario Power Moons when he wears specific outfits for them. | Lake Kingdom, Moon Kingdom, Darker SideA |
Dorries |
Gentle giants that resemble plesiosaurs. In most contexts, Dorries swim with their backs above the water and can be stood on like platforms. Most Dorries are blue, but there are yellow and purple individuals in Bubblaine that bear the kingdom's Crazy Cap shops. Dorries speak in a distinct language that sounds similar to whale songs. | Lake Kingdom, Seaside Kingdom, Mushroom Kingdom, Darker Side |
Steam Gardeners |
Robots that tend to the flowers of the Steam Gardens. Their Soirée Bouquets are harvested by Torkdrift for Bowser's wedding. Most Steam Gardeners are yellow and spray water, but a few are silver and dispense giant seeds when struck. Despite being robots, Steam Gardeners are emotive, can function underwater, and are sensitive to the cold. Small birds often roost on their heads. They rely on moon-fueld charging stations for energy and their exhaust comes out as harmless water vapor. | Wooded Kingdom, Moon Kingdom, Darker SideA |
Rabbits |
Rabbits run away from Mario, but they can be slowed down and approached if hit by Cappy. They give Mario a Power Moon if he catches up to them. Only the gray-colored, earthbound rabbits run from Mario. The many white-colored ones of Rabbit Ridge do not. | All kingdoms except the Lake Kingdom and Darker Side |
New Donkers |
The denizens of New Donk City. A Mechawiggler is draining their city of its power when first encountered, causing a citywide blackout. New Donkers are business-oriented and drably clothed, contributing to the perception that they are too serious. However, New Donkers are kind when spoken to and known to throw festivals. A pair host the Jump-Rope Challenge, and the hatless blonde ones can be captured to play with an RC Car. The Crazy Cap franchise was established by New Donkers. | Cascade Kingdom,B Sand Kingdom, Metro Kingdom, Bowser's Kingdom, Moon Kingdom, Mushroom Kingdom, Darker SideA |
Mayor Pauline |
The mayor of New Donk City and an old friend of Mario's. After defeating the Mechawiggler, she puts on a rooftop concert in commemoration of his heroism. Pauline is passionate about music and is the singer behind "Jump Up, Super Star!" She is a popular figure in New Donk City, with her profile etched into the city's regional coin and likeness displayed around the city. A park is named after her. Women wear a hat designed after her own.[17] During "A Request from the Mayor", Pauline speaks of her traumatic encounter with Donkey Kong, and how the experience made her who she is today. | Metro Kingdom, Moon Kingdom, Darker Side |
Band |
Mayor Pauline and the four backup musicians recruited by Mario for the New Donk City Festival. These musicians are a bassist, a guitarist, a drummer, and a trumpeter. Each band member awards Mario a Power Star when initially encountered. | Metro Kingdom, Darker Side |
Shiverians |
The seal-like people of Shiveria. Bowser has stolen their famous Frost-Frosted Cake for his wedding. They have warm dispositions and enjoy baking. Some affectionately refer to Mario as "mustache man." Despite being of a cold-adapted arctic species, Shiverians visit other kingdoms without issue once Peach has been rescued, including Tostarena. | Snow Kingdom, Moon Kingdom, Darker SideA |
Shiverian Racers |
These Shiverians compete in the Bound Bowl Grand Prix, a race where they bound along a circuit. Most Shiverian Racers are capped, but one self-doubting individual is not and can be captured. This allows Mario to compete in the grand prix. There are six competing Shiverian Racers, each one a different color and speed. | Sand Kingdom,D Snow Kingdom |
Shiverian Elder |
The patriarch of Shiveria, and the ultimate judge of the Bound Bowl Grand Prix. He is the one who awards the winner. In Shiverian culture, the Shiverian Elder is the only one permitted to make the Frost-Frosted Cake. | Snow Kingdom |
Bubblainians |
Snail-like people that run a seaside resort in Bubblaine. When first encountered, the boss Mollusque-Lanceur is drinking all of their Sparkle Water, much to their dismay. Bubblainians are carefree and enjoy relaxation. They retract into their shells when jumped on or approached by an enemy. They can be encountered "breathing" freshwater, and can extend their eyestalks like scopes. | Seaside Kingdom, Moon Kingdom, Darker SideA |
Coach |
The Beach Volleyball coach of Bubblaine. He encourages Mario to play when he approaches the court, and awards him Power Moons for keeping pace with him. Unlike other Bubblainians, the coach does not retract into his shell when Mario jumps on him, instead serving him like a volleyball. He calls Mario "volley bro." | Seaside Kingdom |
Dog |
The dog only appears in a visited kingdom when its boss has been defeated. It leads Mario to glowing spots and sniffs out Power Moons for him. It otherwise follows Mario and barks for him if he crosses a barrier that it cannot, such as a body of water. It cannot be harmed by enemies. The dog can play fetch with Mario, catching and returning Cappy after a Cap Throw, and occasionally appears inside the Odyssey. It resembles a Shiba Inu. | Sand Kingdom, Metro Kingdom, Seaside Kingdom, Moon Kingdom, Mushroom Kingdom, Odyssey |
Volbonans |
Fork people that live at the base of Mount Volbono. They are world-renowned for their cooking, which is made out of the giant vegetables, salts, and meats that surround the volcano. Their most important dish, the Stupendous Stew, is appropriated by Bowser and monopolized by Cookatiel. It is the main fixture of their annual Cooking Carnival, during which people from around the world are invited to try their stew. Most Volbonans sleep embedded into walls, suspended above ground. They can be captured in this state, and used to fling Mario across great distances like poles. Some actively encourage Mario to do this. Volbonans apparently have ears.[18] | Luncheon Kingdom, Moon Kingdom, Darker SideA |
Poochy |
A spotted creature from Yoshi's Island. Poochy largely only appears in Hint Art, pictured near glowing spots. He makes a physical appearance swimming in the poisonous pond of Bowser's Castle. Fishing him up as a captured Lakitu awards Mario a Power Moon. | Bowser's Kingdom |
Captain Toad |
The captain of the Toad Brigade. Captain Toad is traveling the world concurrently with Mario, so he can be found in most kingdoms. He is usually hidden and gifts Mario a Power Moon when 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 |
Toads |
Denizens of the Mushroom Kingdom that come in a variety of colors. Most Toads only appear in other kingdoms after Princess Peach has been rescued. The exception is the Toad Brigade, who makes recurring appearances beforehand. They run a Crazy Cap inside their Starshroom. Hint Toad, Captain Toad, and Toadette are members of this team. Jammin' Toad gives Mario a Power Moon if he plays a specific piece from the Music List. | Lost Kingdom, Metro Kingdom, Bowser's Kingdom, Moon Kingdom, Mushroom Kingdom, Dark Side, Darker SideA |
Archivist Toadette |
The newest member of the Toad Brigade. She keeps records of Mario's feats inside Peach's Castle, and enthusiastically gifts him Power Moons for reaching specific milestones. Most of the listed Power Moons in the Mushroom Kingdom are only obtainable from Toadette. | Mushroom Kingdom |
Yoshi |
Yoshi is a dinosaur-like creature with a long tongue. He is found inside of an egg on the roof of Peach's Castle. Capturing him grants Mario access to the most moves of any capture, including the Flutter Jump and ability to swallow enemies. Unlike most captures, Yoshi plays mostly like Mario, though without access to several of of his jumping moves. He has a house on the outskirts of Peach's Castle. | Mushroom Kingdom, Dark Side, Darker Side |
Luigi |
Mario's younger twin brother and the host of Balloon World. Luigi initially appears in the Mushroom Kingdom after Princess Peach has been rescued, where he explains the premise of Balloon World when prompted. The more points Mario accumulates in Balloon World, the more balloons show up fastened to Luigi. His opening dialouge to Mario is different depending on the outfit Mario wears. If Mario is wearing a wedding outfit, Luigi mistakenly believes that he had recently gotten married and expresses dismay that he was not told. | Cap Kingdom, Cascade Kingdom, Sand Kingdom, Lake Kingdom, Wooded Kingdom, Lost Kingdom, Metro Kingdom, Snow Kingdom, Luncheon Kingdom, Bowser's Kingdom, Moon Kingdom, Mushroom KingdomE |
Enemies and obstacles
Enemies
Super Mario Odyssey incorporates a fewer number of enemies than Super Mario 3D World, which contains ~66. This game has ~47. About half of all enemies are capturable, and their placement and integration in the game's kingdoms promote use of the ability. Defeating all of the enemies in most small areas does not permanently remove them. Most reappear in a purplish, pulsating cloud after a few seconds, ensuring the capture remains accessible for the player. Some capturable enemies are analogous to power-ups and give Mario comparable abilities. For instance, a captured Fire Bro allows Mario to throw fireballs as projectiles, similarly to Fire Mario. Approaching most non-playable characters causes them to cower in fear, but they cannot be harmed. During the main game, most enemies – particularly wholly new ones – are restricted to one or two kingdoms. However, some begin to appear in other kingdoms as Mario completes story-related objectives and breaks Moon Rocks. Most of the new enemies incorporate design elements tied to the kingdom they are first encountered and compliment the overarching color scheme of the environment.
Some capturable enemies wear hats that prevent them from being captured when initially struck by Cappy. A Cap Throw instead causes the hat to fall away, necessitating a second throw. With the exception of Chargin' Chuck, most enemies vulnerable to stomps can still be defeated while hatted. For enemies that can be stomped but take no damage, the stomp instead removes the hat. In some cases, enemies that typically wear hats occur without them, which moves the challenge away from contending with the enemy and toward utilizing them in the surrounding area.
Some of the returning enemies appear in 2D areas, retaining their behaviors and appearances from 2D pixel-based games, mostly from Super Mario Bros. A few of these enemies are only encounterable in 2D areas. In certain cases, enemies can move into and out of 2D areas. No enemy wears a hats in 2D areas. Otherwise absent, a Boo cameos as the kamikazari in Princess Peach's Bowser's Castle Outfit. A number of enemies appear in concept art that are not in the final game, including Spike, Galoomba, Boo Guy, Ghost Goomba, and Spike Eel, but most of these seem to be from an early, synthetic period of the game's development and do not necessarily represent intent of use. Some seemed to have been temporary placeholders for yet to be determined final designs, such as in the Seaside Kingdom where Maw-Rays from Super Mario 64 ultimately appear instead of Spike Eels.
Sorting the "kingdom" columns organizes them by occurrence in-game, not alphabetically.
Name | Description | Kingdoms | Spoils | Cap. | New | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First | Last | |||||
Goomba |
Squat mushroom creatures that chase Mario when he is in their line of sight. Goombas are defeated when stomped. A captured Goomba can stack on top of another one to make a Goomba Tower. Control is shifted to whichever Goomba is on the bottom. The tower can be used to reach high platforms and press Goomba buttons. A captured Goomba remains sure-footed on ice, and can receive Power Moons from Goombettes. Most Goombas are members of Bowser's army, but the ones in Goomba Woods are apparently unaffiliated. | Cascade Kingdom | Darker Side | ×1 | — | |
Paragoomba |
Winged Goombas that fly back and forth in set paths. They are defeated when stomped. A captured Paragoomba can fly. Rapidly pressing makes it flap its wings. | Cap Kingdom | Wooded Kingdom | ×1 | — | |
Mini Goomba |
Little Goombas. Like normal-sized ones, they charge towards Mario when near. Mini Goombas are usually in groups of eight. In some kingdoms, Mini Goombas are the only type of Goomba present upon first visit. They are replaced by normal Goombas when certain story-related objectives are completed. Mini Goombas otherwise occur underground in glowing spots and inside crates. They are defeated when stomped by Mario or struck by Cappy. | Cap Kingdom | Mushroom Kingdom | ×1 | — | — |
Chain Chomp |
Metal enemies with snapping jaws. Chain Chomps are fastened to the ground and lunge towards Mario when near. Jumping on one briefly stuns it, but does not inflict damage. Chain Chomps can only be defeated by a captured T-Rex. A captured Chain Chomp is similar to a slingshot. Pulling the Chain Chomp until its chain is stretched out and letting go sends it flying in the opposite direction. This can be used to destroy stone walls, strike bull's-eyes, and unseal hidden areas. Letting go also forces Mario out of the Chain Chomp without flying off with it. | Cascade Kingdom | None | — | ||
Big Chain Chomp |
The Big Chain Chomp behaves identically to the normal-sized one, but it is harder to jump on. It is not close enough to any target to directly interact with it, but it can be launched into normal-sized Chain Chomps. | Cascade Kingdom | None | — | ||
Broode's Chain Chomp |
Madame Broode's pet, a golden Big Chain Chomp named Chain Chompikins. It snaps at Mario and pulls Madame Broode forward as it does. She launches it at Mario like a yo-yo. Capturing Broode's Chain Chomp and stretching the leash by running away allows Mario to fling the Chain Chomp back into into Madame Broode. This is the only way to damage her. | Cascade Kingdom | Moon Kingdom | None | ||
Burrbo |
Colorful chestnut creatures. They pop out of the ground when Mario is near and lunge at him. Burrbos damage Mario on contact, but are defeated when struck by Cappy. They usually occur in groups, and endlessly emerge from the earth if Mario is near. | Cascade Kingdom | Darker Side | ×1 | — | |
Burrbo (Crumbleden) |
These Burrbos are embedded into the Ruined Dragon's head. They emerge to defend him from Mario. | Ruined Kingdom | Mushroom Kingdom | ×1 | — | |
T-Rex |
Powerful dinosaurs that have lived into the modern era. Most T-Rexes are encountered sleeping. This is a harmless state, in which Mario can stand on one's body with no ill effect. However, some T-Rexes are awake. Drawing near a patrolling T-Rex causes it to stop and sniff the ground. If Mario does not move away or hide, it turns to face him, roars, and gives chase with snapping jaws. Running into a wall or large obstacle temporarily dazes it and leaves it open to being captured. A captured T-Rex is indestructible and launches other enemies on contact. Holding makes the T-Rex dash, and makes it bite. Unlike all other captures, Cappy can only hold onto a T-Rex for thirty seconds due to its size. Releasing the capture and reclaiming it before the time runs out allows the player to circumvent this limitation. | Cascade Kingdom | Metro Kingdom | None | ||
Koopa (Green) |
Green-shelled turtle enemies only found in 2D areas. Stomping a Koopa makes it retract into its shell, which can be used as a sliding projectile. Green Koopas walk off the sides of platforms. The Koopas that appear in 3D areas are harmless non-playable characters. | Cascade Kingdom | Ruined Kingdom | ×1 | — | — |
Koopa (Red) |
Red-shelled Koopas turn around when they reach the edge of a platform. | Cloud Kingdom | Bowser's Kingdom | ×1 | — | — |
Parabones |
Winged Dry Bones. They pursue Mario on sight, but they cannot ascend or descend, so they can easily be obstructed. Parabones crumble into a pile of bones when stomped, but reassemble after a few seconds. They are only defeated if they crumble above a bottomless pit or lava. A captured Parabones flies like a Paragoomba. | Bowser's Kingdom | Moon Kingdom | None | — | |
Fire Bro |
Helmeted Koopas that toss fireballs and leap long distances between volleys. Fire Bros are defeated when stomped. Shaking the controller as a captured Fire Bro makes it toss fireballs that can light lanterns and defeat enemies. A captured Fire Bro also reaches greater heights than Mario when it jumps. | Wooded Kingdom | Luncheon Kingdom | ×1 | — | |
Hammer Bro |
Helmeted Koopas that toss hammers. They otherwise behave like Fire Bros. A captured Hammer Bro can throw hammers to defeat enemies and break cheese rocks. Hammer Bros in the Luncheon Kingdom toss frying pans instead of hammers and wear chef hats. | Cloud Kingdom | Dark Side | ×1 | — | |
Chargin' Chuck |
Burly Koopas in football gear. Chargin' Chucks remain still until Mario is near, who they try to charge through. Knocking-off their helmet leaves them vulnerable to a stomp. Unlike other hatted enemies, the helmet prevents a Chargin' Chuck from being defeated when stomped, but it does knock it away. A captured Chargin' Chuck can bash through obstacles and enemies without flinching or receiving damage. One appears in a Crumbleden once its Moon Rock has been struck, in a sub-area. | Ruined Kingdom | Moon Kingdom | ×3 | — | |
Spiny |
Squat, spiked Koopas. They chase Mario when he is near. Spinies are briefly stunned and shoved backwards when struck by Cappy, and they damage Mario when jumped on. Spinies are only defeated when knocked off the edge of a platform or when struck by a thrown item, like a seed. | Cap Kingdom | Bowser's Kingdom | ×1 | — | — |
Bullet Bill |
Missiles fired from Bill Blaster. Bullet Bills directly target Mario when he is in close proximity. Mario can lure them towards cages and blocks to destroy them. In 2D areas, Bullet Bills maintain straight trajectories. Ins some areas like the Inverted Pyramid, these Bullet Bills become 3D when they reach the end of the wall-bound 2D area. A captured Bullet Bill can be used to reach distant areas. Shaking the controller causes it to pickup speed, but it detonates sooner. Knucklotec's fists function like Bullet Bills when captured. | Sand Kingdom | Dark Side | ×1 | — | |
Banzai Bill |
Large missile. Banzai Bills slowly swerve off their initial trajectory to home-in on Mario. They are defeated when stomped. Capturing a Banzai Bill enables Mario to cross wide gaps and blast through obstacles with . Shaking the controller causes it to accelerate. A captured Banzai Bill eventually flashes red and self-destructs, forcing Mario out of the capture. | Wooded Kingdom | Dark Side | ×6 | — | |
Pulse Beam |
Spiked mechs that discharge shockwaves. Pulse Beams are inert by default, but they discharge when struck by Cappy or another Pulse Beam's shockwave, causing a feedback loop. This can be used to clear obstacles, but makes an area more dangerous to traverse. Jumping on a Pulse Beam damages Mario. | Sand Kingdom | Darker Side | — | — | |
Chincho |
Undead Tostarenans encountered at night and in dimly lit areas. Chinchos emerge from the ground and pursue Mario on sight. If left unattacked, they retreat back into the ground. Failing treasure chest puzzles causes Chinchos to appear. Tossing Cappy at a Chincho briefly stuns it, but it can only be defeated when a stomp. The Jaxi can defeat hoards of them instantly. | Sand Kingdom | Mushroom Kingdom | ×1 ×1 |
— | |
Cheep Cheep |
Pudgy red fish. Some swim in circles, while others swim back and forth in set paths. Cheep Cheeps damage Mario on contact. They can be defeated with a ground pound or jump. A captured Cheep Cheep swims faster and is more versatile underwater than Mario, but it flails weakly if brought to land. Lakitus fish for Cheep Cheeps, the largest of which hold Power Moons. There is a Lochlady who finds Cheep Cheeps adorable. | Sand Kingdom | Seaside Kingdom | ×1 ×1 |
— | |
Snow Cheep Cheep |
Purple Cheep Cheeps adapted to live in freezing water. Capturing one is the only way Mario can safely swim in it. They otherwise behave like normal Cheep Cheeps. | Snow Kingdom | ×1 | |||
Komboo |
Underwater kelp creatures that rise from the floor of waterbodies. They pursue Mario when he is near. Though defeated when struck by Cappy, Komboos are highly cohesive in most areas and endlessly emerge from the ground, making it easy to be overwhelmed. | Lake Kingdom | Seaside Kingdom | ×1 | — | |
Poison Piranha Plant |
Piranha Plants that spit poison. Their heads flash purple before firing. The shot poison pools into puddles that makes the immediate area hazardous. Cappy clears the poisons when tossed. Stomping on a Poison Piranha Plant defeats it. One traps Cappy in its mouth if he is thrown at it. Knocking a rock into a Poison Piranha Plant's mouth beforehand is the only way to capture it. While captured, it can spit poison in any 360° radius from a fixed position. | Wooded Kingdom | Dark Side | ×1 | ||
Big Poison Piranha Plant |
Big Piranha Plants the spit poison. The poison pools on the nearby earth like a puddle. Throwing Cappy directly at a Big Poison Piranha Plant traps him in its mouth, but weighs its head down, leaving it vulnerable to being stomped. | Wooded Kingdom | Dark Side | ×6 ×1 |
— | |
Fire Piranha Plant |
Piranha Plants that spit fireballs. Their heads flash orange before firing. A Fire Piranha Plant is defeated when stomped, or when kicked with Cappy trapped in its mouth. Fire Piranha Plants automatically engulf Cappy when he makes contact, and this prevents them from being captured. It only becomes capturable when a rock is knocked into its mouth first. A captured Fire Piranha Plant spits fireballs in a 360° radius from a fixed position. The fireballs can defeat enemies and light lanterns. | Lost Kingdom | Luncheon Kingdom | ×1 | — | |
Uproot |
Bulbs that walk on a pair of extendable feet-like stalks. Uproots emerge from holes of soil with flowerpots covering their bodies. One directs itself towards Mario when he is near, extending itself into the air to drop on him. Striking an Uproot with Cappy breaks the pot and leaves it open to being stomped or captured. A captured Uproot extends its stalks when is held, and can walk around as if on stilts. Letting go of makes the stalks rapidly recede and the Uproot hop. A captured Uproot can reach tall platforms, break Brick Blocks, and shift movable covers. However, the extended stalks are part of the hitbox, so Mario receives damage if they are hit by a projectile or enemy. Captured Uproots are necessary in the fight against Torkdrift. | Wooded Kingdom | Darker Side | ×1 | ||
Sherm |
Tank enemies that fire damaging bullets. Most wear top hats similar to that of Uncle Sam. Knocking it away leaves Sherms open to being captured or ground-pounded. A captured Sherm aims its cannon by shifting and fires with . The bullets can defeat enemies, empty blocks, break cages, and destroy rock walls. Maneuvering the Sherm emulates tank controls. Capturing one is required to damage Mechawigglers. | Wooded Kingdom | Dark Side | ×1 | ||
Coin Coffer |
Purse-like creatures filled with coins. Coin Coffers are nonconfrontational and usually invisible. One becomes exposed when it is bumped into. Jumping on a Coin Coffer makes it spit out one coin, and jumping on it sequentially makes it spit out as many as eight before being defeated. Ground-pounding one makes it release eight all at once. A captured Coin Coffer can fire coins as projectiles, but this depletes Mario's own coin count. Shaking the controller makes it rapidly fire coins in 360°. | Sand Kingdom | Wooded Kingdom | ×8 | — | |
Fuzzy |
Prickly creatures that move back and forth along dotted tracks. In some areas, these tracks bring Fuzzies from 2D areas into 3D ones and back. Fuzzies are usually found in groups. They damage Mario on contact. They cannot be defeated. | Wooded Kingdom | Darker Side | — | — | |
Yoofoe |
Mysterious flying objects that appear in kingdoms after their Moon Rocks burst. A Yoofoe hovers above ground with spiked bars spinning around its body. It drops Goombas and spiked balls from the hatch on its underside. Capturing a Goomba and forming a tower allows Mario to reach its damageable head. It takes two hits to defeat, and the Goomba Tower formed is usually defeated after inflicting the first hit. | Wooded Kingdom | Darker Side | ×1 ×1 |
— | |
Klepto |
A condor that steals hats. Klepto kidnaps Cappy when encountered, depriving Mario of his abilities. It flies away from Mario when he draws near, but periodically stops to roost on a Rising Stone Pillar. Mario must ground-pound it to knock Klepto out and save Cappy. | Lost Kingdom | ×1 | — | — | |
Trapeetle |
Iridescent beetles. They emerge from little holes in the ground and walk towards Mario with grasping hands. Trapeetles are largely impervious; the spike the abdomen damages Mario and prevents it from being stomped. A Trapeetle grips Cappy if he is tossed at it and uses him to launch itself into Mario, exploding on contact. This can be manipulated to make Trapeetles destroy blocks. | Lost Kingdom | None | — | ||
Tropical Wiggler |
Concertinaing Wigglers in tulip hats. They move in set paths, sometimes stretching over disconnected platforms. The spikes on their body segments damage Mario on contact. Knocking the hat off of one leaves it open to being captured. Holding and moving as a captured Tropical Wiggler stretches its body like an accordian. If the first body segment is on solid ground, letting go of propels the rest of the body towards it. The reverse is true if over empty space. A Tropical Wiggler's body can destroy Brick Blocks and reach areas otherwise too distant for Mario. | Lost Kingdom | Moon Kingdom | None | ||
Urban Stingby |
Mosquito-like Stingbies. They often occur in groups, slowly flying in circles slightly above ground. When Mario is near, an Urban Stingby locks onto and rapidly launches at him with a straight trajectory. It can defeat other enemies in their path, and explodes upon colliding with a wall or obstacle. Urban Stingbies are defeated when stomped or struck by Cappy. | Metro Kingdom | Darker Side | ×1 | — | |
Urban Stingby Larva |
Larval forms of Urban Stingbies. They rapidly metamorphosize when Mario comes close. Until that happens, they are slow and harmless. They can be knocked away with Cappy, a stomp, or a kick. | Metro Kingdom | ×1 | — | ||
Donkey Kong |
A great ape that tosses projectile barrels down girders. He first appears in the final 2D section of the New Donk City Festival, an area similar to 25m. Donkey Kong is defeated when all four of the ? Blocks he is on are struck. Donkey Kong kidnapped Mayor Pauline many years ago, something she reflects on during "A Request from the Mayor". | Metro Kingdom | Darker Side | None | — | — |
Bitefrost |
Icy predators that hide underground and snake their way between raised earth. A silhouette of their face appears below the surface and can be tracked. One rises from the earth and snaps its jaw shut if Mario is standing above its silhouette. Only the bite damages Mario; a Bitefrost can otherwise be stood on like a platform. The ones in the Luncheon Kingdom appear pink from having embedded their bodies with salt instead of snow. | Snow Kingdom | Luncheon Kingdom | — | ||
Ty-foo |
Giant Foo-like enemies that blow strong winds at consistent intervals. The gusts blow enemies, items, Cappy, and Mario himself off of platforms. There are hidden areas in the Snow Kingdom where Ty-foos blow wooden blocks along stretches of ice that can be used as platforms. A captured Ty-foo can blow wind itself with and safely float above hazards. Shaking the controller strengthens the power of the wind. | Cascade Kingdom | Snow Kingdom | — | ||
Gushen |
Small octopuses enveloped in water balls of their own making. Gushens fire projectile streams of water when Mario is near, depleting their reserves. A captured Gushen can use the stream as a projectile to hit distant enemies and objects by pressing . This also propels it forward at a great speed. Pressing brings the Gushen into the air. Spraying water reduces the size of the ball, and ultimately leaves the Gushen sickly and weak. Touching a greater body of water restores the water ball. | Sand Kingdom | Mushroom Kingdom | ×1 | ||
Maw-Ray |
Giant moray eel enemies that dwell in underwater caves. They quickly lunge towards Mario when he is near. | Seaside Kingdom | Mushroom Kingdom | — | — | |
Lava Bubble |
Incandescent drops of lava. Contact burns Mario. They leap vertically from lava and through Wire Net Platforms. A captured Lava Bubble can traverse through lava and use lava cannons. Shaking the controller causes it to horizontally leap through the air, twirling. Making contact with solid ground makes the Lava Bubble disappear and forces Mario out of the capture. A captured Lava Bubble can also light lanterns and is used during the battle with Cookatiel. | Cloud Kingdom | Darker Side | None | — | |
Magmato |
Rolling tomato enemies that home-in on Mario. Defeating a Magmato causes it to fall apart into a puddle of molten pulp. A captured Lava Bubble can swim in these puddles, enabling it to cross large stretches of terrain it normally could not. The puddle otherwise damages Mario on contact. | Luncheon Kingdom | Darker Side | ×1 | — | |
Pokio |
Green pheasant enemies with protractible beaks. Mario is damaged if struck by one. Pokios can be lured to Coin Blocks and jab at them, and can shatter rocks with one hit. Pokios wear spiked jingasa that damage Mario if he tries to jump on them. Hitting one with Cappy knocks the jingasa away, leaving it open to being stomped or captured. A Pokio will reappear on a flat stone in an area where they have all been defeated after a few seconds. A captured Pokio can use its beak to strike enemies, blocks, firework bombs, and flames. Jabbing into a soft wall and flicking launches it upward, allowing Mario to access areas otherwise disconnected. Shaking the controller makes a captured Pokio spin. Performing this in the air delays its fall. | Seaside Kingdom | Darker Side | ×1 | ||
Stairface Ogre |
Large oni-like beings that carry mallets. Stairface Ogres actively pursue Mario, but they cannot move perpendicularly, only side-to-side or up-and-down. If in front of a Stairface Ogre, it swings its mallet down to crush him. Contact causes Mario to lose one health point. If avoided, the mallet can be climbed like a staircase to reach the top of the Stairface Ogre's head, now exposed. Ground-pounding it defeats the enemy. Stairface Ogres are made of wood and can be ascended as a captured Pokio. Jabbing the glowing hole on its forehead also defeats it. | Metro Kingdom | Bowser's Kingdom | ×6 | — | |
Astro-Lanceur |
Octopus enemies found on the moon. Astro-Lanceurs float above the surface and fire projectile shells from their siphons. Ground-pounding the starburst-shaped symbol on one's helmet defeats it. Astro-Lanceurs have an implicit relationship with Mollusque-Lanceur. | Moon Kingdom | ×8 | — | ||
Moonsnake |
Fixed, geometric axes with arms of rolling rocks. Though moving together as if single bars, the rocks are disconnected from one another, hugging the surface of terrain. The arms of some Moonsnakes are small, while others are long and have a radius that nearly covers the entire area. Both the axis and rocks of a Moonsnake damage Mario when touched. Despite their rocky appearance, Moonsnakes are basal extraterrestrial lifeforms. | Seaside Kingdom | Darker Side | — |
Obstacles
Name | Description | Kingdoms | |
---|---|---|---|
First | Last | ||
Banzai Bill Cannon |
Giant cannons that shoot Banzai Bills. Within the Wooded Kingdom, there is a Banzai Bill Cannon in a subarea that is triggered when Mario collects a nearby key. | Wooded Kingdom | Dark Side |
Barrel |
Rolling projectiles tossed down girders by Donkey Kong. Contact damages Mario. | Metro Kingdom | Darker Side |
Bill Blaster |
Cannons that shoot Bullet Bills. | Sand Kingdom | Dark Side |
Boulder / Shell / Pepper |
Rolling rocks that damage Mario on contact. They break when they collide with a wall. Bowser and Chargin' Chucks can break them while captured. Some boulders release a heart when broken. Equivalent obstacles appear in some kingdoms that match the regional topography, such as shells and peppers. | Cloud Kingdom | Darker Side |
Freezing water |
Water so frigid that it gradually depletes Mario's life meter if he tries to swim through it. The boarder of the screen gradually becomes encroached with ice the longer Mario stays in the water, obscuring the player's view. A captured Snow Cheep Cheep can swim in freezing water without being damaged. | Snow Kingdom | |
Ice |
Ice reduces Mario's traction and causes him to slide. A captured Goomba remains sure-footed on ice. | Sand Kingdom | Snow Kingdom |
Lava |
Molten rock. Direct contact burns Mario and makes him bounce into the air with his hands on his rear. A captured Lava Bubble can swim through lava. | Lost Kingdom | Darker Side |
Lava Geyser |
Lava Geysers rise and fall in set intervals that can be timed. A rise is always proceeded by rapid bubbling on the lava's surface. In some areas, they rise through Wire Net Platforms. A captured Lava Bubble can utilize Lava Geysers as platforms that brings it to a higher area, similar to Sand Geysers. | Luncheon Kingdom | Darker Side |
Oil drum |
Touching an oil drum damages Mario. They only appear in 2D areas. | Metro Kingdom | Darker Side |
Poison |
Touching poison immediately causes Mario to lose a life. The Jaxi can harmlessly run across it. In a subarea, poison moves in waves. | Cap Kingdom | Bowser's Kingdom |
Quicksand |
Mario rapidly sinks while on quicksand. Jumping keeps him above the surface. In most areas, sinking all the way through quicksand causes Mario to lose a life, but there is a hidden area in Tostarena Ruins only accessible by sinking through the sand. Glydon is incapable of sinking through quicksand. | Sand Kingdom | |
Rotating defense mechanism |
A cannon above the Secret Flower Field Entrance that fires rolling cannonballs. Striking each of its panels as a captured Sherm destroys it. | Wooded Kingdom | |
Spike Trap |
Spike Traps generally appear attached to terrain and shifting objects. Their spikes damage Mario on contact. Some Spike Traps protract their spikes in set intervals that can be timed. A captured Jizo can travel across beds of spikes without being damaged. | Lake Kingdom | Bowser's Kingdom |
Turret |
Embronzed cannons around Bowser's Castle. They perpetually launch firework bombs that roll along the ground. These bombs can be knocked into breakable objects by a captured Pokio. Firework bombs otherwise damage Mario on contact. | Seaside Kingdom | Bowser's Kingdom |
Wind |
Billows of wind push Mario or carry him into the air, depending on the orientation of its source. Tossing Cappy into a billow carries him a great distance, sometimes into an otherwise unreachable switch. Posts seal wind underground in the Snow Kingdom. It is otherwise expelled by Ty-foos and blocky towers in set increments. | Cascade Kingdom | Darker Side |
Bosses
There are thirteen bosses in Super Mario Odyssey, most of which release a Multi Moon upon defeat. The most recurring bosses are the Broodals. They are subordinates of the wedding planner Madame Broode and help carryout Bowser's wedding plans, often actively pilfering articles of interest on his behalf. They travel across the world on an airship. A battle against a Broodal emphasizes utilization of throwing moves with Cappy. He is needed to knock away projectiles, clear hazards, end attacks early, and make the boss open to being stomped. Each Broodal is fought twice during the main story, with the second battle being harder than the first. They are visually similar to the Koopalings,[19] and are narratively comparable to Bowser Jr. in Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2. The fact that each of them physically recede into their hats during battle is a potential allusion to a magician's hat-trick.
Large bosses[20] emphasize the utilization of a captured form introduced within the same kingdom. For example, the Sand Kingdom is the first area to include Bullet Bills. During the fight with Knucklotec, his fists are capturable and control just like them. For the largest kingdoms, they are usually the second boss battle, following one with a Broodal. Large bosses are aesthetically tied to the regional topography and narratively important to the active conflict. With two exceptions, all bosses need to be attacked three times to be defeated. One hit causes a boss to execute a powerful attack that covers a large radius. The large bosses cannot receive damage in this state and must be avoided, but the Broodals can. While this does not reduce their health, it does end their attack early.
Unlike prior Super Mario games that have levels or missions that can be revisited, most of the completed boss battles cannot be repeated once cleared and there are stretches of the game where they are inaccessible. Scenarios where Mario can fight most of the bosses again are presented after completing the final objective of the main story, "Bowser's Moon Wedding", and these ones can be replayed. The Broodals and RoboBrood are fought on the Dark Side of the moon. Most of the large bosses can be found sealed inside paintings in the Mushroom Kingdom. They are hung inside towers near Peach's Castle. Both of these scenarios are comparable to Boss Blitz Galaxy from Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Boss Blitz from Super Mario 3D World. Madame Broode can be battled again in the Underground Moon Caverns. Upon revisit, a painting appears in the Wedding Hall that brings Mario to a rematch with Bowser and a chance to replay the end of the main campaign. All of these battles are more challenging than the ones from the main campaign.
Most of the bosses have an explicit or implied relationship with the moon. While normal rabbits live on Mario's world, Madame Broode and the Broodals are of a "rabbitish" species that live on the Dark Side. They are conceptually derived from the moon rabbits of Japanese folklore.[21] Torkdrift looks like a flying saucer and closely resembles the small UFO found on Honeylune Ridge.[22] Though described as the Dauphin of Bubblaine, the local Bubblainians do not talk about Mollusque-Lanceur as if they recognize him. His resemblance to the Astro-Lanceurs of Honeylune Ridge suggests he too may come form the moon or at least descend from an ancestor that did.[23]
Bosses are listed below in the order that they are first encountered within their respective categories.
Name | Description | Kingdoms | Cap. |
---|---|---|---|
The Broodals | |||
Topper |
The leader of the Broodals. Topper wears a stack of top hats during battle. He occasionally lies on the ground to whirl in a circle, with the range dependent on his remaining hats. Hitting him makes one hat fall off his head and slowly spin across the battlefield as a hazard. Knocking away all of Topper's hats leaves his head exposed for a stomp. Once struck, Topper hides in a hat, conjures many extra hats and releases them all across the field. Striking the one with Topper inside causes all of the hats on the field to disappear, but they all look identical. The only "tell" is that Topper can be heard mumbling to himself when Mario draws near the hat he is hidden within. Topper is the first boss in the game, and during the initial battle he is defeated after hitting him two times instead of the normal three. Topper is considered a ruthless and relentless figure. In the English localization, he speaks in a Brooklyn accent. | Cap Kingdom, Bowser's Kingdom, Dark Side | — |
Hariet |
Hariet is the "pyrotechnician" of the Broodals. She flings explosive bombs from her braids. The bombs leave pools of lava after detonating, making the battlefield harder to navigate. Tossing Cappy at a thrown bomb tosses it back at her, knocking off her metal sun hat and leaving her open to a stomp. She recedes into her hat when struck and flies erratically across the battlefield like a UFO, dropping bombs. Striking one of these with Cappy knocks it back into Hariet, ending the onslaught early. Hariet apparently crafted the hat she uses herself,[24] and is considered the most erratic member of the Broodals. | Sand Kingdom, Bowser's Kingdom, Dark Side | — |
Spewart |
The heavyset Spewart spins and spews poison across the battlefield. Cappy clears it when thrown through it. Unlike his compatriots, hitting Spewart with Cappy does not make him flinch, but it does knock away his hat. Once hit, Spewart enters his hat and whirls around the field, leaving poison in his wake. Each hit removes all of the poison, but Spewart refills the field for each phase. | Wooded Kingdom, Luncheon Kingdom, Dark Side | — |
Rango |
Rango is the tallest of the Broodals. He tosses his serrated straw hat like a boomerang. Striking the hat flips it over, revealing it contains a Hat Trampoline that can be used to Spin Jump high into the air and stomp him. He is too tall to stomp on with a normal jump. Hitting Rango causes him to enter his hat, up to his waist, and tromp around the battlefield in an unpredictable manner. Rango is apparently prone to zoning out. He speaks with a southern drawl in the English localization. | Lake Kingdom, Snow Kingdom, Dark Side | — |
Large bosses | |||
Madame Broode |
The true boss of the Broodals, and the architect of Bowser's wedding. Madame Broode is encountered alongside her pet Chain Chomp, Chain Chompikins. It lunges at Mario, incrementally pulling Madame Broode with it. Capturing Broode's Chain Chomp and launching it back at her is the only way to damage her. However, she attempts to force Mario out from her Chain Chomp by swiping at him. Madame Broode becomes enraged as the battle progresses and actively launches Chain Chompikins like a yo-yo to strike Mario. | Cascade Kingdom, Moon Kingdom | — |
Knucklotec |
The stone guardian of the Binding Band. Knucklotec slams his disembodied hands into the battlefield to hit Mario and actively tracks his position. He periodically causes big icicles to fall from the ceiling, which leave hexagonal panels of ice on the ground. Tricking Knucklotec into punching a panel stuns his fist and leaves it open to being captured. A captured Knucklotec's fist controls like a Bullet Bill, and is used to punch the boss's face. This is the only way to damage him. In the subsequent fight with Knucklotec, Chinchos are on the field. Knucklotec was worshiped as a god in ancient Tostarena, and his likeness is depicted throughout the kingdom on stones and ruins. | Sand Kingdom, Mushroom Kingdom | — |
Torkdrift |
A mechanical Spindrift with googly eyes. Mario can only damage the boss as a captured Uproot, striking its three flower-like extensions to flip it over before getting the chance to attack its glass dome. Torkdrift overwise discharges circular shockwaves that damage Mario on contact. Bowser created Torkdrift himself,[22] and it collects Soirée Bouquets for his wedding. | Wooded Kingdom, Mushroom Kingdom | — |
Bowser |
The fire-breathing king of Koopas. Bowser can throw his top hat to attack, similarly to Mario. This hat contains mechanical punching fists. It can be flipped over with Cappy, allowing Mario to temporarily wear it. With the hat, Mario can repeatedly punch Bowser to inflict damage. No other methods can harm Bowser. Without his hat, Bowser leaps across the arena, generating damaging shockwaves on impact, and conjures stones to hurl at Mario. Bowser gains the ability to break the punch combo by blocking, then swinging with his tail, but if Bowser misses he can be punched again. During the second encounter with Bowser, he uses an offensive attack where he spews fire. After defeating him in the Moon Kingdom, Mario must capture him to escape the collapsing underground with Princess Peach. Capturing Bowser allows Mario to swipe his claws with and breathe fire by shaking the controller. Bowser is Mario's perennial foe, and he considers himself to be a legitimate rival for Peach's affection.[25] | Cloud Kingdom, Moon Kingdom, Darker Side | |
Mechawiggler |
Giant, robotic Wigglers that scuttle across the sides of skyscrapers. One discharges balls of energy from its body that home-in towards Mario. He can only damage a Mechawiggler as a captured Sherm, with the goal being to to knock out each of its glowing body segments. Doing so causes the Mechawiggler to vanish and remerge from a portal, aiming to quickly bulldoze through Mario before refastening itself to the surrounding walls. A Mechawiggler is initially encountered leeching energy from New Donk City and causing a blackout. In the second battle, two Mechawigglers appear. | Metro Kingdom, Mushroom Kingdom | — |
Mollusque-Lanceur |
The Dauphin of Bubblaine, Brigadier Mollusque-Launceur III. He flies through the air, spitting shells at Mario. Shooting water at Mollusque-Launceur's bulbous head as a captured Gushen is the best way to damage him, though he is also damaged when ground-pounded. Mollusque-Lauceur rapidly spins once struck, rendering himself temporarily invincible. Mario is damaged when hit by an arm. As the battle progresses, Mollusque-Launceur becomes enraged and secretes a lava-like goop on his head that can only be cleared away as a captured Gushen. Mollusque-Launceur is first encountered in the Seaside Kingdom, where he is hoarding Sparkle Water. | Seaside Kingdom, Mushroom Kingdom | — |
Cookatiel |
A big, gluttonous bird that flutters in the air. Cookatiel upchucks projectile vegetables and lava in battle. Mario can only reach and damage it as a captured Lava Bubble, traveling up the stream of lava it spits to land on its head. It is first fought above the giant pot of Stupendous Stew at the top of Mount Volbono, where it has appropriated the local food. | Luncheon Kingdom, Mushroom Kingdom | — |
Ruined Dragon |
The Lord of Lightning — an enormous dragon under the control of Bowser. The Ruined Dragon launches wheel-like electrical projectiles that roll across the battlefield. He lays his head on the field after a barrage, exhausted. This grants Mario access to the kabuto staked to the dragon's head by swords. Throwing Cappy at each of the swords makes the kabuto fall away, and grants Mario access to the strikable glowing bump. Ground-pounding it damages the Ruined Dragon. Bowser uses the dragon to down the Odyssey in Crumbleden. It is implied that an attack from the Ruined Dragon is what lead the kingdom to ruin. Once defeated, the Ruined Dragon rests his head upon the arena, murmuring about being exhausted. | Ruined Kingdom, Mushroom Kingdom | — |
RoboBrood |
A giant firework-launching mech controlled by the Broodals. RoboBrood fires bombs and other projectile fireworks onto the arena. It walks around with heavy steps that knock-out Mario on contact. Defeating RoboBrood entails striking each one of its four cockpits, launching the Broodal it contained. The easiest way to reach the cockpit is as a captured Pokio, which can ascend RoboBrood's wooden body. After the strike, the RoboBrood runs across the field with energized feet. In the second battle on Rabbit Ridge, Hammer Bros appear in place of Pokios. Their hammers can damage the legs and their jumps can reach the cockpits. | Bowser's Kingdom, Dark Side | — |
Items and objects
Items
These are collectibles, pickups, and health-restoring objects.
Name | Description |
---|---|
Power Moons |
Objects that power the Odyssey. Power Moons are scattered throughout the world, sometimes buried, concealed in objects, or lurking underground. Some are tied to story-specific objectives that are completed upon being collected. Accumulating Power Moons expand the Odyssey's sail and enables it to reach new kingdoms. Power Moons are a source of energy throughout the world, and are of implied cultural significance across multiple cultures. It is implied that the Power Stars of prior games are the same object, just differently shaped. |
Multi Moons |
Multi Moons represent three Power Moons and are collected by completing certain story events. Most of them are held by bosses. In addition to rescuing Princess Peach, Mario needs to collect all Multi Moons from a kingdom for that kingdom's Moon Rock to start glowing. |
Moon Shards |
Moon Shards represent one-fifth of a Power Moon. Collecting all five in an area causes them to merge into a collectible Power Moon. |
Coins |
Coins can be used to buy items, Power Moons, and outfits at the Crazy Cap. They are accepted across all kingdoms. Mario loses ten coins when he loses a life, and experiences a Game Over if he has no coins on hand. In Balloon World, collecting coins extends the timer, and Mario is rewarded a large sum whenever he increases his rank. Coins sometimes occur in stacks or are invisible. |
Regional coins |
Purple coins that are only useable in the kingdom they occur in. They are used to purchase souvenirs and outfits in the local Crazy Cap. Unlike normal coins, there is a set amount of regional coins in a kingdom that can only be collected once. Regional coins have different designs depending on the kingdom they are used in. |
Notes |
Touching a large note causes a string of small notes to appear in the immediate area for a limited period of time. Collecting all of them rewards Mario with a Power Moon. |
Hearts |
Collecting a heart restores one wedge in Mario's Health Meter. If the Health Meter is full, he receives five coins instead. |
Life-Up Hearts |
Large hearts that increase Mario's Health Meter from three to six. In Assist Mode, a Life-Up Heart increases Mario's health to nine. If Mario is already under the effect of a Life-Up Heart and is at full health, touching one awards him ten coins. |
Bubbles |
Air bubbles appear underwater, released by bubblers or Checkpoint Flags. Some items are encapsulated by bubbles. Touching one refills Mario's air meter. In Assist Mode, Mario is protected inside a bubble and returned to safety when he falls near a hazard. |
Keys |
Collecting a key opens a nearby Keyhole Pedestal, releasing a Power Moon. |
Seeds |
Acorn-like seeds with yellow caps. Tossing a seed into a flowerpot causes a sunflower-like plant to grow and release a Power Moon. The seeds are usually scattered across a visited kingdom, distant from their corresponding flowerpots. |
Giant seeds |
Large, brown-capped seeds dispensed by silver Steam Gardeners. A giant seed grows into a beanstalk when tossed into an enclosed patch of dirt. |
Turnips |
Vegetables that can be plucked from the ground. When tossed into Stupendous Stew, Mario is rewarded with coins. The Golden Turnips release Power Moons when thrown in. |
Rock |
Most rocks break when kicked or thrown, releasing coins. Some of them require more than one attack to break. Glowing rocks contain Power Moons and are more durable. Tossing a rock into the mouth of a Fire Piranha Plant or Poison Piranha Plant render them capturable. This same action makes Big Poison Piranha Plants unable to attack, but they cannot be captured. |
Rocket Flowers |
Tossing Cappy at a Rocket Flower fastens it to Mario's back, propelling him with a burst of speed. He is fast enough to ascend slopes and run across water. Collecting multiple Rocket Flowers makes him run even faster. They disappear over time, but go away all at once if Mario collides with a wall. He can make them disappear early with a ground pound. |
Pauline's lost items |
Mayor Pauline's original hat, parasol, and handbag. They are hidden in New Donk City. Each one can be brought to Pauline as a potential birthday present, but the only one she accepts is the handbag. |
Yoshi's Egg |
The egg that holds Yoshi. Striking it releases him. If Yoshi is in a dangerous situation or left uncaptured for a brief period of time, he reseals himself inside the egg. Yoshi's Egg can then be found in the original spot it was found. |
Fruits |
Yoshi's favorite food. He can eat them while captured, which fills up a corresponding fruit meter. Filling the meter completely rewards Mario with a Power Moon. Fruits can only be consumed once. |
Balloons |
The targets of Balloon World. In the Hide It mode, Mario must place his own balloon somewhere within the visited kingdom. During Find It, he must locate the balloon hidden by another player within a limited period of time. |
Instruments |
In the Playing in VR mode, collecting all notes causes a musical instrument to appear in the visited area. It must be carried and returned to the local non-playable character to complete the objective. The recoverable instruments include a grand piano, trombones, microphones, saxophones, and a keyboard. |
Clothing
- Main article: Crazy Cap § Clothing
Mario can obtain a number of outfits and hats over the course of the game by purchasing them from Crazy Cap stores. Some items are instead provided during the game's story. Some of them are based on characters that have amiibo, and these can be unlocked early by using an amiibo of that character. Each costume consists of a suit for Mario and a cap for Cappy, which can be mixed and matched. In addition to changing Cappy's appearance, each hat uses different sound effects when Cappy is thrown into a wall and when Mario uses the Cap Jump based on their material. For example, hats made from metal use "clanging" sounds. When Cappy does anything more complex than being thrown, hitting an object or performing the Cap Jump, he uses the appearance of the Mario Cap regardless of what hat he is set to. Examples of this include pulling posts or capturing things.
The majority of items come in matching pairs. Using a matching pair changes Mario's sprite in the game's two dimensional sections to match the costume. Many NPCs request that Mario use specific pairs when talking to them, in order to open doors to certain areas or just to receive a Power Moon. If Mario wears certain clothes or pairs of clothes when he talks to Luigi or Bowser (for the final battle), their dialogue is slightly changed to acknowledge the clothing.
Mario can change what he is wearing by using a closet. Almost every Crazy Cap store has a closet, and the Odyssey also has one. It addition, Mario can use a closet to select Random, which picks random items for himself and Cappy to wear and switches to different items every time Mario dies.
Article | Outfit | In-game description | Availability | Price |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mario Cap |
Mario Outfit |
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 | — | |
Explorer Hat |
Explorer Outfit |
Just because the territory is uncharted doesn’t mean your head should be uncovered. | After reaching the Wooded Kingdom. | 5 |
Explorer Outfit |
Clothes that keep you comfortable even in the deepest heart of the wilderness. | After reaching the Wooded Kingdom. | 10 |
Objects
Objects are interactable elements of the environment that cannot be picked up or collected by Mario. For objects that primarily function as obstructions or hazards, see above.
Name | Description | |
---|---|---|
Trigger objects | ||
Bowser statue (gold) |
One of these two Bowser statues is destroyed when its corresponding Broodal is defeated. Destroying both opens the door to the final courtyard of Bowser's Castle. These statues are representations of Bowser's dominion over this land. The one on the left is modeled after Raijin. The one on the right is modeled after Fūjin. | |
Coin ring |
Passing through a coin ring rewards Mario with three coins. Their placement sometimes convey the ideal trajectory for Mario to take. | |
Goomba button |
Goomba buttons release Power Moons when triggered. One requires a certain number of Goombas in a captured tower to be pressed. | |
Ground-Pound Switch |
Buttons that trigger nearby changes in the environment when ground-pounded. The starburst symbol on the button also appears on Astro-Lanceurs, Stairface Ogres, and the Odyssey. | |
Hat Launcher |
Throwing Cappy into a Hat Launcher fires him in the direction it is facing, increasing the range of a Cap Throw. Hat Launchers are generally needed to solve puzzles and access distant switches. | |
Hole |
Indentations in soft walls. Some of them release a Power Moon or item when jabbed by a captured Pokio's beak. They apparently were used by archers at some point in the history of Bowser's Castle. | |
Keyhole Pedestal |
The pedestal breaks open and releases a Power Moon when a nearby key is collected. | |
Lever Switch |
Levers that physically change the surrounding area, usually by granting Mario access to a new area by making a door or bridge appear. It is pulled when struck by Cappy. | |
Moon Rock |
A Moon Rock appears in most of the kingdoms. Once Princess Peach has been rescued and all Multi Moons from a kingdom have been collected, its Moon Rock begins to glow and shift. Striking it sends it skyward, where it bursts into a multitude of new Power Moons to collect. The locations of those Power Moons are revealed automatically. | |
P Switch |
Stepping on a P Switch changes an element in the immediate environment. | |
Scarecrow |
Throwing Cappy on a scarecrow allows him to spin it, activating a switch. In most overworld cases, scarecrows trigger brief Timer Challenge with temporary platforms. Scarecrows can open certain special areas, usually through a gate or door. As long as Cappy is using a scarecrow, Mario cannot use Cappy's abilities. If the timer runs out, Cappy returns automatically. Otherwise, jumping on the scarecrow or leaving its area returns Cappy. | |
Climbable objects | ||
Bar |
Horizontal bars embedded into the side of terrain. Mario can swing from them to reach distant areas. | |
Beanstalk |
A beanstalk grows when a giant seed is thrown into an enclosed patch of dirt. The plant can be clung to like a pole to reach higher areas. Most beanstalks need to be replanted when Mario returns to a previously visited area, but some remain permanent. Some plants lead to bonus areas. Growing and climbing a beanstalk is the only way Mario can leave the Deep Woods. | |
Pole |
Mario clings to a pole by jumping onto it. He can ascend, descend, and change which face of the pole he is on by moving . Pressing makes Mario jump from whichever face he is on. Poles vary widely in design, length, and shape. Cappy can twirl at the top of most poles, similar to other knob-like structures, and this sometimes produces a coin. Cables are sometimes strung between poles that Mario can ride along as a captured spark pylon. He can destroy poles as a captured T-Rex. | |
Soft wall |
The soft walls of Bowser's Castle can be pierced by a Pokio's beak and used to cross distant areas. They can be made of plaster, wood, or soft metal. Some moving sections look like rotating dials and swinging pendulums. | |
Strikable objects | ||
8-bit characters |
Animated sprites that are hidden in 3D areas. Striking the ones found on walls causes them to release items. The most recurring sprites are Pixel Cat Marios and 8-bit Cat Peaches, which release 10 coins and a heart, respectively. 8-bit Rosalina only appears on the Dark Side and Darker Side, releasing 10 coins just like Cat Mario. Pixel Cat Marios are also hidden in bushes on the general overworld. Pixel Luigis appear too, hidden underground. Finding one awards Mario with 200 coins. They were replaced with Pixel Captain Toads for limited period of time. | |
Boombox |
Boomboxes play music within their immediate vicinity. During the main game, striking one briefly interrupts the music with the sound of Bowser laughing. After Princess Peach is rescued, striking a boombox instead makes it play "Jump Up, Super Star!" with Japanese lyrics. | |
Flower (Cap Throw) |
Low-growing flowers that grow in rings. Tossing Cappy causes them to bloom briefly before closing again. Having all of the flowers bloom simultaneously rewards Mario with an item. Because most of these flowers grow in rings, the most effective way to cause concurrent blooming is to have Mario stand in the center and perform a Spin Throw. | |
Glowing spot |
In most kingdoms, there are glowing protrusions on the ground that rumble under Mario's feet. Ground-pounding one flattens it with the surrounding terrain and forces an item or Mini Goombas to the surface. Some glowing spots are more subtle, being flat with the surrounding ground or underneath another object. Glowing spots are what are most often hinted at on Hint Art, and the dog will Mario to ones nearby. Small birds sometimes congregate around glowing spots. | |
Hat Trampoline |
Hat Trampolines send Mario twirling into the sky and gently descend. Most of them are closed when encountered, but striking the red flower with Cappy or an attack from Mario causes it to open for a moment. | |
Kickable objects |
Light objects in the environment that are sent flying when kicked or struck by Cappy, sometimes rewarding Mario with a coin. Most kingdoms have at least one iteration of this kind of object. Examples include: cardboard boxes, tires, construction barrels, garbage bags, a gridiron football, tin cans, beans, and small mushrooms. Some of these have unique properties to themselves. For example, carboard boxes are only launched when hit by Cappy, a Wall Jump or another attack such as a roll. They can be stood on like platforms and flattened with a ground pound. Knocking garbage into a dumpster releases an item, and knocking a bean into Stupendous Stew awards Mario with a coin. | |
Knob-like structures |
Protrusions in the environment. Striking one with Cappy gets him hooked to the top and swing around it as if it were a hatstand until the player lets go of . Doing this often rewards Mario with a coin. If the knob-like structure is glowing, it releases a Power Moon once spun on. Each kingdom has multiple knob-like structures that match the surrounding topography. Examples include: lampposts, walkway lights, airships, horns, fountains, Jaxi Statues, parking meters, fire hydrants, pumpkins, iron fences, spires, and the Tail Tree. Some structures have secondary behaviors. For example, an iron fence spews fire when Cappy spins on its top. Most climbable trees and poles have dual purposes as knob-like structures. The latter can be found on the Starshroom and the Odyssey. | |
Koopa Shell |
Stomping on a Koopa makes it recede into its shell, which can then be sent sliding on contact. A Koopa Shell bounces back when it collides with a wall, which can hurt Mario. | |
Lantern |
Striking a lantern's flame extinguishes it and sometimes releases an item. Lighting the lanterns around Mount Volbono is needed to obtain some Power Moons and gain access to certain areas. | |
Post |
Ground-pounding a post embeds it into the earth and sometimes releases a coin. Striking one with Cappy pulls it from the ground, and sometimes causes more coins to appear. Dislodging posts sometimes causes more substantial changes in the area. | |
Rock wall / Cheese rock |
These walls are chipped away when struck by a projectile, such as a Hammer Bro's frying pan or a Sherm's bullets. The walls sometimes obscure pipes and Power Moons. | |
Rockable objects |
Objects that rock slightly when struck by Cappy or jumped on, but are not sent flying and fall back into place. Hitting one sometimes releases a coin. Most kingdoms have an iteration of this object that matches the topography. Examples include: potted succulents, construction barriers, Trash Cans, tables, barrels, and easels. | |
Slots |
A game hosted by Tostarenans in several kingdoms. Individual slots cycle between three images of an item. Striking the image projected by a single slot causes it to stop. Getting all slots to stop on the same image rewards Mario with the item. | |
Snow |
The deep snow in Shiveria is cleared when Cappy is thrown through it. Some snow conceals doors and objects of interest. | |
Stone wall |
The stone walls in Fossil Falls break apart when struck by a Chain Chomp or rammed by a T-Rex. Doing so grants access to other areas or exposes secrets. The stone spire is held upright by stone walls and collapses when struck by a captured Chain Chomp. Stone walls are embedded with fossils and some are shaped like dinosaur vertebrae. | |
Sword |
The swords in Crumbelden are buried to the hilt. Like a post, Cappy pulls one from the ground when he is thrown at it, sometimes rewarding Mario with a coin. Some of these swords are used to hold a giant kabuto to the Ruined Dragon's head. Pulling all of the swords causes the kabuto to fall off, exposing the dragon's weak point. | |
Wedding announcement poster |
Posters promoting Bowser's Moon Wedding, splayed on the walls of the surrounding area. Striking one makes it fall away and rewards Mario with a coin. The posters advertising the Cooking Carnival in Peronza Plaza behave the same way. | |
Yellow turnstile |
Yellow turnstiles occur in areas accessed by Moon Pipes. Striking one of its walls makes it rotate 90°. | |
Capturable objects | ||
Binoculars |
Green, telescopic devices. Capturing one causes the head-like unit to launch into the sky like a rocket and give Mario a distant, adjustable view. Zooming in on certain targets makes a Power Moon appear. | |
Boulder |
A giant rock in the Deep Woods. Capturing the boulder allows Mario to move it, granting access to a hidden alcove. | |
Bowser statue |
Only one of the stone Bowser statues in the Underground Moon Cavern is capturable. Shifting it exposes a hole containing a Power Moon. | |
Cactus |
Desert plants that damage Mario on contact, leaving needles embedded in his nose. Most cactuses are squat and round. Striking one of them with Cappy knocks it away and releases a coin. Knocking one into another cactus can cause a chain reaction, where the last cactus drops eight coins. Tall cactuses also appear that are only knocked away when struck by the Jaxi. One near the Desert Oasis is covered with small birds and can be captured. Moving it exposes a glowing spot. | |
Jizo |
Most Jizo are found near the Souvenir Shop. Mario is invincible as a captured Jizo and resembles his Statue form from previous games. It is heavy enough to trigger P Switches, but can only move in short hops. | |
Letter |
Five letter statues appear in Squawks Park after Princess Peach has been rescued. Capturing each one and arranging them to spell "M-A-R-I-O" rewards Mario with a Power Moon. | |
Manhole |
Some manholes block access to underground areas in New Donk City. Capturing one enables Mario to move it out of the way. The big green manhole blocks access to the Underground Power Plant. | |
Meat |
A piece of meat sits at the top of the Meat Plateau, encrusted with salt. Capturing it enables Mario to shake the salt off and attract Cookatiel. This is the only capture that can only be captured once. It is not present in subsequent revisits to Mount Volbono. | |
Mini Rocket |
Holding launches the Mini Rocket and brings Mario to a distant subarea. | |
Picture Match Part |
The capturable puzzle pieces in Picture Match. The player can rotate and shift the piece before letting go to align with the silhouette. Two puzzles are in the game: one resembles a Goomba, the other Mario. | |
Pole |
Roadside bollards. Capturing one and flicking backward with flings Mario in the opposite direction. If along the ground, he can maintain momentum and go into another move like the roll. Poles appear fastened to the side of walls in some areas. Captured Volbonans behave similarly. | |
Puzzle Part |
Puzzle Parts are restricted to 3×3 grids. Capturing one allows Mario to roll it by turning it on its faces. Landing it in the slot adjacent to the grid on the correct face solves the puzzle and rewards Mario with a Power Moon. | |
RC Car |
Toy taxis used in the Metro Kingdom. Capturing a blonde, hatless New Donker allows Mario to control an RC Car. The controls match those of a real RC car, with the accelerating and the steering. RC Cars are restricted to toy circuits. The RC Car Challenge minigame has Mario use one on a circuit course. Lapping the circuit within a certain amount of time rewards Mario with a Power Moon. This time is recorded by the Rankings Board. | |
Spark pylon |
Mario becomes a ball of electric energy when he captures a spark pylon. The ball can travel along powerlines. Shaking the controller or pressing the or buttons causes him to briefly go off course to collect nearby coins. | |
Taxi |
Taxis are driven along the roads in New Donk City and stop if Mario is in their way. Taxis launch Mario into the air like Springboards when he jumps on them. One parked taxi is capturable. Propelling it with the brings Mario to a hidden, stormy area. | |
Tree |
In most areas, trees are immobile and can be climbed like poles. The design and species of tree varies by kingdom. A cartoonish tree in the Deep Woods, incongruent with the realistic conifers of the same kingdom, can be captured and moved, exposing a glowing spot. The palm trees in Tostarena have broad fronds that can be stood on like platforms. | |
Zipper |
Zippers seal hidden alcoves and doorways in the terrain. Capturing one allows Mario to unzip the area. In Lake Lamode, unzipping certain areas makes the wall fall away, but remain useable as a flat platform. | |
Transportation objects | ||
8-bit pipe |
Blocky pipes. Entering one transforms Mario into an 8-bit sprite and brings him a flat, 2D area. Usually such areas are on walls perpendicular to the pipe. Exiting an 8-bit pipe returns him to normal, but Mario can also walk outside of the area to revert to 3D. | |
Lava cannon |
Lava cannons sit in lava. One launches a captured Lava Bubble to distant pools, often circumventing solid terrain that Lava Bubbles cannot traverse otherwise. | |
Moon Pipe |
Moon Pipes only appear once the Moon Rock of the visited kingdom is struck. They bring Mario to surreal, otherworldly subareas with their own Power Moons to collect. | |
Motor scooter |
An old-fashioned motor scooter that can be ridden by Mario. Pressing makes the scooter accelerate, and makes Mario jump with it. The motor scooter is faster than Mario can be used to avoid speedy hazards. Bringing it to a rooftop parking lot awards Mario with a Power Moon. | |
Pipe |
Entering a pipe brings Mario to a new area. Mario can circumvent the entrance animation with a ground pound or roll. | |
Red door |
These doors fling open when struck by Cappy. They lead to subareas with Power Moons to collect. There are similar blue doors that only open when a nearby scarecrow is struck. | |
Slingshot |
Striking a slingshot with Cappy flings Mario over distant areas. | |
Warp hole |
A small painting. It warps Mario to the location in the frame, often a kingdom he has yet to visit. The destination of a warp hole can vary depending on the order the player assigns to kingdoms. There is one hidden in ten of the kingdoms. Large paintings are locked away into towers around Peach's Castle. These paintings lead to rematches against the large bosses. | |
Blocks and containers | ||
? Block |
Floating blocks that contain items. It expels its contents when struck by Mario or Cappy. They become Steel Blocks when their content is exhausted. Some ? Blocks can be struck in rapid succession to release up to ten coins. Some are hidden and become visible when struck or when viewed as a captured Moe-Eye. The ones in New Donk City look like traffic signals and are fastened to poles. | |
Block |
Grounded blocks made of stone or metal that cannot be broken by Mario under normal circumstances. Glowing ones contain Power Moons. Only strong enemies like Bullet Bills, Banzai Bills, Sherms, and Stairface Ogres can break these blocks. Pokios can knock firework bombs into them to break them. Their design varies by kingdom. In two subareas, the blocks are suspended in the air. | |
Brick Block |
Some Brick Blocks are Coin Blocks that release up to ten coins when struck in rapid succession like ? Blocks. Others are empty and fall apart when struck. Brick Blocks are used by the boss Torkdrift to protect its weak points. | |
Crate |
Crates sometimes contain items, Power Moons, Mini Goombas, or flocks of small birds. They take two strikes to fully break. Crates are sometimes stacked on top of another. | |
Dumpster |
Knocking garbage into some open dumpsters makes it release a Life-Up Heart or Power Moon. This also closes the lid. | |
Moon Cage |
These cloche-like domes encapsulate Ground-Pound Switches, Moon Pedestals, and Power Moons. They open when a nearby task is completed. | |
Nut |
Walnut-like fruits found throughout the Steam Gardens, rooted to the sides of walls and the ground. Cracking open a nut reveals it contained a Power Moon. Several nuts can only be reached as a captured Uproot. | |
Steel Block |
Blocks that contain nothing and cannot be broken. Coin Blocks and ? Blocks become these when their contents are exhausted. | |
Treasure chest |
Wooden chests contain items and fling open when struck. In some areas, treasure chests need to be open in a specific order to obtain a Power Moon. Failing to do so makes the treasure chests disappear an Chincos emerge from the ground. They reappear once all Chincos are defeated. | |
Platforms | ||
Falling Platform |
Platforms that break once stood on and slowly descend before disappearing. The vanishing platforms that appear in a Timer Challenge and the giant moon platforms in the Underground Moon Caverns function like Falling Platforms. | |
Floating corn |
Corncobs floating in lava. Standing on one end of floating corn causes it to roll in that direction. | |
Flower Road |
Pressing a P Switch causes a Flower Road to form a bridge across bottomless pits. As it extends forward, the back end fades away, so Mario has to continue walking to avoid falling. | |
Giant Swing |
Pendulous blocks that swing across empty space. They are difficult to stand on as they swing, and they can push Mario off platforms. They become parallel with the ground at the fullest arch of the swing, which makes them easier to land on. | |
Girder |
Iron girders extend over bottomless pits and create narrow gaps between which Mario can Wall Jump. Some girders are hollow and can be entered, while others are Swinging Scaffoldings suspended by chains. In 2D areas, Donkey Kong tosses barrels down girders. | |
Hill |
Metal columns carried by a lava flow. They come in three sizes, which appear one after the other. They dissapear into the lava at the end of their path and reappear at the start. | |
Hip Drop Move Lift |
A circular lift in the Cloud Kingdom. Ground-pounding its center launches it skyward. | |
Lift |
Moving platforms. Their design and context for moving are generally informed by the environment. Some are fastened to tracks. | |
Moon Pedestal |
Moon Pedestals are flush with the ground. Power Moons appear above them, either by completing a nearby task or just inherently in the environment. | |
Movable cover |
Platforms that can be vertically raised by a captured Uproot. | |
Mushroom Platform |
Platforms rising above poison in a 2D area. They appear in pairs. Standing on one Mushroom Platform causes it to sink under Mario's weight and the other to rise. They return to their original positions when he jumps off. | |
Mysterious Cloud |
Striking a Mysterious Cloud with Cappy temporarily transforms it into a broad, cloud platform. It only lasts for a few seconds before returning to its original state. | |
Propeller Pillar |
Rotating ruin platforms on climbable poles in the Forgotten Isle. They rotate clockwise in set intervals. Similar platforms called Gears appear in the Luncheon Kingdom. | |
Push-Block |
Protrusions that shift in and out of walls. | |
Rising Stone Pillar |
Stair-like pillar platforms. One's position shifts when the elevated pillar is ground-pounded. | |
Rotating platform |
Oblong platforms in the Underground Power Plant. One lights up and rotates around its pivot point for a brief period of time when struck by Cappy. It slows down before stopping completely. | |
Sand Geyser |
Sand Geysers rise and fall out of quicksand around Tostarena Ruins. A fully risen geyser can be used as a platform. An actively rising Sand Geyser carries Mario to its top, potentially keeping him from sinking into the quicksand. | |
Seesaw |
Lifts that tilt under Mario's weight. They only appear during a Timer Challenge. | |
Spinning saucepan |
Rotating platforms attached to the side of Mount Volbono. One side of a spinning saucepan is lava, the other solid earth. They rotate in set intervals that can be timed. | |
Swing |
Lifts that sway back and forth like pendulums. | |
Tapering platform |
Platforms that submerge in lava in set intervals, then rise back up. Only the center of the platform is consistently above lava. | |
Trampoline |
Trampolines bounce Mario high into the air. Ground-pounding the surface makes him jump higher. There are variants of trampoline in most kingdoms that match the surround environment. Examples include parasols, awnings, taxis, and big mushrooms. | |
Transparent Platform |
Invisible platforms and lifts that can only be seen as a captured Moe-Eye. Some Transparent Platforms outpace Moe-Eye with drawn shades, necessitating traversal without the platforms being visible. | |
Wire Net Platform |
Chain-link lifts that appear above lava. Some Wire Net Platforms are attached to tracks that bring them through lava directly. Fiery hazards and Lava Bubbles can phase through them. | |
Wildlife | ||
Bird |
Hawks found soaring above Tostarena. They carry Power Moons and release them when struck. These birds fly in consistent patterns that can be tracked. | |
Butterfly |
A giant butterfly in the Forgotten Isle that releases a Power Moon when struck. It is potentially an imaginal Tropical Wiggler. Smaller butterflies with more realistic designs appear in other kingdoms. | |
Penguin |
Small birds of Shiveria. They are skittish and take flight when approached. One carries a Power Moon. | |
Small animal |
Ground animals that quickly runaway when approached. Doggedly pursuing one eventually makes it disappear, leaving behind a coin. There are four species of small animal: chipmunks, rats, geckos, and crabs. Which animals appear where depends on the environment of the visited kingdom. No small animals occur in the lunar kingdoms, and crabs are the only ones that occur underwater. | |
Small bird |
Little birds that fly away when approached, but may land on Mario's nose when he sleeps. Small birds congregate around objects of interest, some of which are otherwise cryptically hidden. A few carry Power Moons and release them when struck. There is a unique species of small bird found in most of the kingdoms, some of which resemble real-world species such as scarlet macaws, blue jays, and Eurasian tree sparrows. Doves, pigeons, penguins, and seagulls serve the same role as small birds within their respective kingdoms. | |
Small UFO |
The small UFO appears in the Moon Kingdom once its Moon Rock has been struck. It behaves like the earthbound small birds. The small UFO is similar to Torkdrift, but their relationship is not clear. | |
Wedding articles | ||
Binding Band |
An ancient ring beneath the Inverted Pyramid, worn by Knucklotec. After being stolen by Bowser, the pyramid rises from the dunes and sends the Sand Kingdom into a cold snap. The returned article can be ground-pounded for a Power Moon. | |
Frost-Frosted Cake |
The traditional reward for the Bound Bowl Grand Prix, baked by the Shiverian Elder. It appears in the background of the Snowline Circuit once returned. | |
Lochlady Dress |
The national treasure of Lake Lamode, worn by Princess Peach for most of the game. Its theft leaves the Lochladies despaired. Once returned, the dress is put back on display. Its mannequin is a glowing knob-like structure that releases a Power Moon. | |
Soirée Bouquet |
Flowers cultivated by Steam Gardeners on the Sky Garden Tower and in the Secret Flower Field. Most of the flowers are stolen by the Broodals and Torkdrift for Bowser's wedding, and they are incorporated into Peach's bouquet. They recolonize these areas once each of their's respective boss is defeated. | |
Sparkle Water |
Water from the carbonated sea of Bubblaine. Mollusque-Lanceur inhibits the fountains and keeps locals from using the water. Defeating the boss makes the fountains flow again and the Sparkle Water accessible to everyone again. | |
Stupendous Stew |
The national dish of the Volbonans, served in Peronza Plaza for the Cooking Carnival. The stew is as hot as lava, burning Mario. Putting items into Stupendous Stew releases coins, and golden Turnips release Power Moons. Lava Bubbles can be used to heat up the stew for other Power Moons. It is briefly apprehended by Cookatiel and is served at Bowser's wedding. | |
Other objects | ||
Arrow Sign |
Signs that direct players towards the intended path of an area. Arrow Signs spin when struck by Cappy. | |
Bubbler |
Creates air bubbles. | |
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. | |
Flower / Bush |
Flora that rustles when Mario walks through it or strikes it with Cappy. Disturbed vegetation sometimes discharges items such as coin stacks. The species of flowers and bushes in a kingdom are unique from one another, reflecting each one's unique environment. The bushes in the Cap Kingdom can be flattened with a ground-pound, releasing a coin. | |
Hint Art |
Artwork that cryptically hints at the locality of a Power Moon. The kingdom depicted in a piece of Hint Art never correlates with kingdom the piece occurs in. | |
Jaxi Stand |
Jaxi Stands summon the Jaxi when prompted. Cappy can swing on the top of one like a knob-like structures. Jaxi Stands express fear when an enemy is near, suggesting they may be alive. | |
Rankings Board |
The Rankings Board tracks the player's World Ranking and Friend Ranking in most minigames, namely the Jump-Rope Challenge, Beach Volleyball, RC Car Challenge, Bound Bowl Grand Prix, and Koopa Freerunning. Mario can view this ranks by prompting it. The Rankings Board tracks Mario's movements when near and can be jumped on like a non-playable character. It appears in every kingdom except for the Dark Side and Darker Side, normally near the green Roving Racer. | |
Souvenirs |
Souvenirs are sold in Crazy Cap stores and can only be purchased with regional coins. Once purchased, the souvenir appears inside the Odyssey. | |
Stickers |
Stickers are also sold in Crazy Cap stores and purchased with regional coins. One is placed on the exterior of the Odyssey when purchased. | |
Travel Tip |
Signs that contain information on actions. Some are fastened to walls, while others are staked into the ground. Like Arrow Signs, staked Travel Tips spin when struck by Cappy. |
Development
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.[26] After Super Mario Sunshine, their focus reshifted to more accessible, casual gamers, hence encouraging them to make Super Mario Galaxy with more progression-oriented gameplay corridors.
Then in recent years, we made Super Mario 3D World and even though that's a 3D game, it's a little more accessible to everybody. [...] So when we thought about making a Super Mario for Switch, we wanted to make it [...] something a little bit more on the core side, that people who like action games can really get into.
As Super Mario Odyssey was developed alongside the Switch hardware, Yoshiaki Koizumi encouraged the game's developers to share their requirements and suggestions with the hardware development team.[27] 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.[28] Miyamoto sought more senior developers and staff teams who had been involved in past 3D Super Mario titles, in order to really "go back to the roots" of Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario 64.[26] 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.[29] 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.[30]
[The capture ability] was just one of the ideas that came up, but we worked on it for two or three days, and it just instantly turned into something that was really fun, and we decided [that it should be] the center of this game.
Many of the other different prototype ideas were still included, providing for the diversity in-game mechanics throughout the game's stages, known as "kingdoms." These "fully realized worlds" were influenced by the kingdoms from Motokura's favorite Super Mario title, Super Mario Bros. 3,[31] as well as Japanese hakoniwa box gardens that bring rich landscapes to life in a miniaturized form.[32] The sizes of these worlds were often adjusted to ensure that the player can regularly discover an engaging action to perform.[27] 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.[33]
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.[30] 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.[34]
The developers recognized that when people travel to foreign countries, something that really has an impact is the different currencies. Therefore, they wanted to have Mario collect and use different regional coins in each kingdom. Since the player travels outside the Mushroom Kingdom, the diverse art style between all the different kingdoms aimed to recreate the feelings of surprise and discovery when visiting foreign lands. It was also noted that a lot of time was spent in getting the right balance between familiar Super Mario concepts and completely new ones.[30]
An example was the realistic T-Rex that is able to be captured by Mario. The developers looked back for inspiration from familiar Super Mario World elements in Dinosaur Land, although they wanted to use a design that was "unseen" in a Super Mario game.[30] 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.[35] 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.[30]
To develop the game's camera system, the team looked at previous 3D Super Mario games. Miyamoto discussed how the 3D camera in Super Mario 64 worked very well, as it had the joystick as well as the C buttons to adjust the automatic camera. Super Mario Sunshine had the C stick in order to control the camera freely, although they received feedback that the camera control was "a little bit difficult." With later 3D titles such as Super Mario Galaxy, the minimal control of the camera also attracted some negative feedback. Miyamoto added that it is "very difficult to find the right balance."[26]
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
A unique aspect of this title is a vocal main theme, "Jump Up, Super Star!" sung by Pauline[36][37] (interpreted by Kate Higgins, credited as Kate Davis).[38] 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.[39] 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),"[40] and has a version with Japanese lyrics as well.[41]
On December 21, 2017, Nintendo announced an original soundtrack album for the game, which was released in Japan on February 28, 2018.[42] 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[43] (with the exception of South Korea, which was released on April 26, 2018).[44]
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[45] | Yes | Yes | Physical copy | Yes |
Southeast Asia and Middle East[46] | Yes | No | Physical copy | No |
South Korea[47] | Yes | Yes | Physical copy | No |
Starter pack
A starter pack for Super Mario Odyssey with a strategy guide was released on September 28, 2018, in North America.[48]
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 Mario collects a string of notes. The objective is marked complete if all three musicians have been recruited and Mario has collected at least 100 coins. Like in Assist Mode, Mario cannot be defeated, and if he falls into a hazard or goes out of bounds, he is encased in a bubble and brought back to stable ground.
- Find Band Members in the Cap Kingdom!: This objective is set in the Central Plaza. It is unlocked after the player clears the Cap Kingdom in the main game.
- Find Band Members in the Seaside Kingdom!: This objective is set on the kingdom's beach in the daytime. It is unlocked after the player clears the Seaside Kingdom in the main game.
- Find Band Members in the Luncheon Kingdom!: This objective is set in Peronza Plaza. It is unlocked after the player clears the Luncheon Kingdom in the main game.
- Concert Hall: Pauline and the band, as well as the musicians recruited in the previous objectives, perform "Jump Up, Super Star!" at the New Donk City Hall Auditorium. This option is unlocked after the player clears all three missions.
- Theater: Opening: The game's opening cutscene but without the "In the skies above Peach's castle..." text.
- Theater: Ending: The game's ending cutscene. It is unlocked after the player beats the main game.
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.[49] 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 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.[50]
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
Nintendog jumping in midair
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.[49]
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
The pre-release box art of the game featured Mario wearing a sombrero and poncho in the Sand Kingdom. The final box art was changed to him being in the Lake Kingdom due to supposed criticisms about the appearance of a "Mexican Mario" on the box art and being described as a negative stereotype of the Mexican people. Despite the image's removal from the box art, the outfit itself was not removed and remains available in-game.
During the E3 playthrough of this game, certain items had different names. Multi Moons were originally called "Grand Moons," and the Binding Band was simply referred to as the "Wedding Ring," which were literally transliterated and translated, respectively, from the Japanese original. The regional coins of the Sand Kingdom and Metro Kingdom were called "Pyramid Coins" and "City Coins," respectively, but they are not used in the final game. Additionally, the mission Showdown on the Inverted Pyramid was named "Inverted Pyramid Showdown."
During the Nintendo Switch Presentation trailer, Cappy was not shown with eyes. Similarly, during the Switch Presentation and E3 trailers, Peach's tiara is shown as a regular tiara rather than Tiara herself. Both were most likely done to avoid revealing the characters too soon. Also during the Switch Presentation trailer, the electronic billboard for Steam Gardens found in New Donk City showed that the location was originally named "Kogwald."
There were also minor details that were changed, such as the hat on the door of the Odyssey being much smaller, and the Metro Kingdom's Power Moons being more bronze than brown. Several of the quotes uttered by NPCs are different than in the final game, such as the RC Car driver in New Donk City originally saying, "Is there a better way to spend free time? Nope," before it was changed to "How are my kids so good at this?" The HUD during the E3 demo did not feature the instructions to press to view the map and for the menu, or the compass underneath the Health Meter. When there is only one hit point left, the Health Meter flashes differently than in the final game. When the player acquired a Life-Up Heart, the extra health meter was colored green alongside the first one instead of light blue.
In New Donk City, there are signs present in certain areas that are not in the final game, and the Mayor Pauline Commemorative Park has a rocket ship taking the player to a bonus area. In the final game, the player must first find a hidden room inside a building and reach the pipe at the end, and they will be taken to a hidden area with said rocket. The rooftop pool beside the top of city hall was significantly deeper in the E3 demo, with the water level being just over Mario's head; in the final game, the water level approximately reaches Mario's neck.[51] 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.[52] 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."[53] 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."[54] 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."[55] 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."[56] 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.[57] 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.[58] The game currently averages a score of 97 on review aggregate site Metacritic (based on 67 reviews);[59] 97.42% on GameRankings (based on 58 reviews), making it the third-highest-rated game on the website;[60] and 97, with a 98% recommendation rating, on OpenCritic.
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 | Score | ||
Metacritic | 97 | ||
GameRankings | 97.42% | ||
OpenCritic | 97 |
Awards and acknowledgements
Super Mario Odyssey was nominated for six awards at The Game Awards 2017, winning one, in the following categories:
- "Game of the Year" (Nominated). Lost to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.[61]
- "Best Game Direction" (Nominated). Lost to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.[61]
- "Best Score/Music" (Nominated). Lost to NieR: Automata.[61]
- "Best Audio Design" (Nominated). Lost to Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice.[61]
- "Best Action/Adventure Game" (Nominated). Lost to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.[61]
- "Best Family Game" (Won). Other nominees were Splatoon 2, Sonic Mania, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.[61]
Sales
As of December 31, 2017, Super Mario Odyssey had sold 9.07 million copies worldwide. As of March 31, 2018, it reached 10.41 million copies, making it the best-selling game for the Nintendo Switch.[62] 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.[63]
As of March 31, 2021, the game had sold 20.83 million copies, making it the best-selling 3D Super Mario game.[64] As of June 30, 2024, the game has sold 28.21 million copies.[65]
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.
Mario, Cappy, and Pauline
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 info 0:30 |
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 info 0:28 |
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) and Donkey Kong's original design also make cameos as graffiti art on a building. Pauline's purple sun hat in her standard attire may be a reference to Pauline's lost items from the game. In addition, the lost items were twice referenced in the side mission Personal Request for the Mayor, one in regards to selecting a parasol, a hat, and a purse regarding her treasured items, while the other is hunting down Pauline's gift, with all options being the aforementioned items. In addition, in the same sidequest, one of her questions mentions what had happened in her past involved being abducted by a giant ape, referring to the plot of Donkey Kong. The Classic Cap and Classic Suit outfit is based on Mario's classic outfit in this game.
- Super Mario Bros.: Several parts of the game allow Mario to walk within walls from a 2D perspective, using sprites and sound effects from this game, as well as altering the stage music to an 8-bit variation. A scene of Mario fighting Bowser from this game, accompanied by the castle theme, is visible when Mario captures Bowser. With its sunglasses on, a Moe-Eye sometimes hums the first few notes of the Ground Theme as well as the ending theme from this game while walking around. A replica of Super Mario Bros. can be played at New Donk City where Mario traverses through World 1-1, including an arrangement of the Ground Theme and the Underground Theme. The 1-Up jingle can be heard in two separate parts when one pauses and un-pauses the game.
- Golf: U.S. Course: Mario's Golf Cap and Outfit originate from this game.
- Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally: The Mechanic Cap and Mechanic Outfit originate from this game.
- Super Mario Bros. 2: Mario holds and throws vegetables found in the Luncheon Kingdom the same way as he does in this game. Rocket Ships, now known as Mini Rockets, are reused from this game.
- Super Mario Bros. 3: The music that plays in the Slots minigame room and the Picture Match areas is an arrangement of "Spinning Slots" from this game. The sound effect that plays when a Rocket Flower is used is the sound effect that plays when the Power Meter is full in this game. A scene of Mario fighting Bowser from this game, accompanied by the final boss theme, is visible when Mario captures Bowser. Jizos in Bowser's Kingdom resemble the original design of Statue Mario. The concept of traveling to different kingdoms originated from this game, with the Seaside Kingdom sharing the same Japanese name as Water Land. One of Bowser's animations for slamming into the ground is based on an attack from this game.
- Qix: The Sombrero and Poncho originate from the Game Boy version of this game.
- Super Mario Land: Moe-Eyes are similar to the Moai statues and enemies found in the Easton Kingdom.
- Dr. Mario: Mario's Doctor Outfit and Doctor Headwear originate from this game.
- Super Mario World: A piano arrangement of this game's overworld theme and underwater theme can be heard on radios in New Donk City. When controlled by Mario, a Moe-Eye sometimes hums the game's ending theme while walking around with its sunglasses on. Sprites of Fuzzies from this game are used when Fuzzies appear in 8-bit segments. An arrangement of the music that plays in this game during the bonus areas plays in some of the challenge areas. A scene depicting Mario fighting Bowser from this game, accompanied by the final boss theme, is visible when Mario captures Bowser. Yoshi's House is set up in the same way as it is in this game (with a fireplace and three trees acting as shelter), with the notice even starting with the words "Hello! Sorry I'm not home, but I've gone to..." This reference was kept in the German and Spanish localizations but not the French. The sound effect that plays when a Chargin' Chuck is stomped is the same one that would play in Super Mario World.
- NES Open Tournament Golf: Mario's Golf Cap and Outfit are notably used in this game.
- Mario Paint: Mario's Painter Outfit, Black Tuxedo, and Conductor Wig and Outfit from this game's artwork appear.
- Super Mario Kart: A cover of the music that plays on the Mario Circuit courses from this game plays during the RC Car Challenge in New Donk City.
- Super Mario All-Stars: Mario's black top hat originates from this game's box art without the "M" emblem.
- Yoshi's Cookie: The Chef Hat and Chef Suit originate from the NES version of this game.
- Donkey Kong Country series: In addition to New Donk City being named after Donkey Kong, characters' names from this series appear as street signs, such as Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong, Tiny Kong, Cranky Kong, Candy Kong, Rambi, Expresso, Squawks, and King K. Rool. Diddy is also the basis of an outfit and cap that Mario can wear.
- Mario's Picross: The Explorer Hat and Explorer Outfit originate from this game.
- Super Mario 64: Super Mario Odyssey is considered a spiritual successor to both this game and Super Mario Sunshine. The structure of the kingdoms carries over what was established in this game, such as the lack of a time limit and having areas change each time the player visits them, based on what the player has previously completed. This game also introduced utilizing caps as power-ups. The number on Mario's football jersey and baseball uniform is "64." There is a minigame involving a footrace with Koopa Troopas, much like with Koopa the Quick. Mario can jump into some paintings in specific kingdoms to get to other kingdoms. In the Mushroom Kingdom, the music that plays after Mario jumps into a painting and the two different actions of how Mario exits the paintings reflecting on if he won or lost are used. Mario's idle animation is similar to the one in this game, in which he falls asleep and begins to mutter about various kinds of pasta.[66] Treasure chests that need to be opened in a certain order to obtain a Power Moon return. In the Seaside Kingdom, the "Treasure Trap Hidden in the Inlet" Power Moon has the same order to open the treasure chests as the "Treasure of the Ocean Cave" Power Star in Jolly Roger Bay. The jingle that plays when Mario collects a non-plot-specific Power Moon is an arrangement of the Power Star jingle from this game, while the original jingle plays when Mario collects a Power Star in the Mushroom Kingdom. The regional coins in the Mushroom Kingdom have the design of the coins from this game. There is an outfit and cap, aptly named "Mario 64 Suit" and "Mario 64 Cap," respectively, that, when equipped, change Mario's clothes and face to the polygon-like texture used in this game. Another outfit and cap, called "Metal Mario Suit" and "Metal Mario Cap," respectively, changes Mario into his metal form from this game and similarly changes his texture. Yoshi can be found on the rooftop of Peach's Castle in the Mushroom Kingdom just like in this game. Klepto grabs Cappy just like how he grabs Mario's cap in this game. A scene of Mario fighting Bowser in this game and the music that plays when he fights Bowser play when he captures Bowser, and the music can also be heard during a part of "Break Free (Lead the Way)." Mario can perform this game's variation of the Spin Jump when he jumps off one of the bouncy red flowers found in-game. The backyard in Peach's Castle from this game returns, and it and the castle proper are set to an arrangement of the location's original music cue, "Inside the Castle Walls." The jingle that plays when the player has triggered an event returns. The water surrounding Peach's Castle can be drained like in this game. The Power Moon obtained from looking up to the ceiling in Peach's Castle is similar to how Mario looks up to the ceiling to access the course Tower of the Wing Cap. The map that Hint Toad consults is a map of the Bob-omb Battlefield.[67] Torkdrift is also a notable Spindrift. Finally, the post-credits ending has Mario exclaim, "Thank you so much for playing my game!"'
- Mario Artist: The Painter's Cap originates from Mario's outfit in this series' box art.
- Super Mario Sunshine: Super Mario Odyssey is the first 3D Super Mario game since Super Mario Sunshine to feature open sandbox-style levels. Additionally, Mario can once again slide while grabbing on a ledge. Mario retains this game's version of the Spin Jump as well. Some areas feature platforming challenges without the aid of Cappy, similarly to some of the secret courses in this game requiring completion without the aid of FLUDD. The Gushen enemy capture grants Mario abilities very similar to FLUDD's various nozzles, including cleaning burning goop in the Seaside Kingdom, being propelled forward upon the surface of a body of water, and providing a method of defeating Mollusque-Lanceur that is very similar to how numerous bosses in Super Mario Sunshine are defeated (dousing in water by hovering from above). Isle Delfino, the main setting of this game, is visually referenced on the world atlas present on a Japanese billboard advertisement for Super Mario Odyssey.[68][69] When Mario stands in smoke or the poison spat out by Poison Piranha Plants, he gets covered in soot or the poison, resembling him being covered in goop from this game. Through an update released on February 21, 2018, Mario can receive the outfit and sunglasses like he received from the sunglasses vendor in this game.
- Super Mario 64 DS: The hedge maze outside Peach's Castle found in this game reappears.
- New Super Mario Bros.: When Mario ground-pounds after performing a Spin Jump, he performs the Drill Spin from this game.
- Super Mario Galaxy / Super Mario Galaxy 2: The animation of Mario and Cappy getting a Multi Moon is similar to the animation of Mario getting a Grand Star in these games. The low health buzzer sound also plays when Mario is low on health. Ground-Pound Switches also reappear. Captain Toad and the Toad Brigade, together with the Toad Brigade theme, appear in the game. The Life-Up Heart functions exactly like the Life Mushroom from these games. Mario's idle animation of falling asleep and animation of freezing to death are similar to the ones in these games. Some of Mario's voice clips, such as the sound clip of Mario when he touches lava, are 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 Bowser's Airship in the opening cutscene. It is also heard occasionally in a normal pitch on radios in kingdoms before Mario fights 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, a Moe-Eye sometimes hums "Gusty Garden Galaxy" from this game. As in the underground levels in Super Mario 3D Land and Super Mario 3D World, a cover of the Super Mario Bros. underground theme based on the rendition from Super Mario Galaxy's Flipswitch Galaxy plays in some underground areas. Also, there is a musical Easter egg in the pause menu, where it plays one of few different notes; if one selects the right options, the player will hear the Comet Observatory theme from this game. The "Ruins" theme sounds similar to Flip Swap Galaxy's theme.
- Super Mario 3D Land: The Tail Tree appears in the Mushroom Kingdom. The invincibility theme, heard when the player taps any Mario amiibo, is the World 2-3 theme from this game. Bowser attacks by stomping to create fire rings and swinging his tail, like in this game. The regional coins of the Lost Kingdom look similar to how the Super Leaves look in this game. Statue Mario's design appears when the Jizos are controlled.
- 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. Wearing this outfit scares Bowser, referencing Gold Mario's ability to defeat Bowser with a single fireball.
- Super Mario 3D World: The game runs on a similar, albeit more detailed, graphical engine to the game. Some of the elements; voice clips, specifically Mario's; and sound effects are reused in this game. Cat Mario and Cat Peach's Costume Mario sprites from Super Mario Maker can be seen on walls in many kingdoms. Captain Toad retains his design from this game. When the Broodals are defeated together, the fireworks of their faces explode in the sky, similar to how Bowser turns into a firework of his face when he is defeated in the final battle. Ty-foos and Parabones reappear as enemies. The bonus areas on the Dark Side are harder or alternate versions of previously visited bonus areas, similar to the levels in World Mushroom and World Flower from this game. The music played in Rainbow Run is reused when Mario becomes invincible after any Mario amiibo is used.
- Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: Mario's Mechanic and Racing Outfits feature some logos of sponsors appearing in the game, including Bowser Oil.
- Super Smash Bros. for Wii U: The description for the Luigi Cap reads "The 'L' stands for 'winner,'" which is also 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 media
- 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 sound effect when they are collected in Super Mario Odyssey. When this occurs, Cappy's eyes peek out from Mario's hat. One of Mario's new costumes is his wedding tuxedo. New Donk City Hall appears as a new stage, where Pauline and the band are visible in the background. Songs from Super Mario Odyssey, including "Jump Up, Super Star!", are also present. Mario (Wedding), The Odyssey, Cappy, Bowser (Wedding), Peach (Wedding), and Pauline (using her appearance from Super Mario Odyssey) also appear as spirits. Bowser's "Congratulations!" screen possibly parodies the events of the game, while Peach's "Congratulations!" screen references the early ending concept where Mario and Peach get married.
- Super Mario Maker 2: Some Mario's voice clips are reused in this game.
- 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.[70]
- Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020: The Mushroom Kingdom and the Odyssey appear in the Dream Event called Dream Karate.
- Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit: Many outfits from this game reappear as unlockable content.
- Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury: Snapshot Mode returns in this game. Additionally, Mario's animation when he collects a Cat Shine resembles the animation when he collects a non-story-related Power Moon in Super Mario Odyssey. Saving and loading games work the same way as in Super Mario Odyssey, as do ground-pounding and rolling into Warp Pipes to go through them quicker, with the sped-up warp noise being reused. The way Mario can roll in midair is similar to the dive. The manner that the player has to unearth Mario by jumping at the beginning of Bowser's Fury is similar to how they have to jump to wake him from his unconsciousness at the beginning of the Cap Kingdom, Lost Kingdom, and Ruined Kingdom stories.
- Mario Golf: Super Rush: A course based on New Donk City appears in this game. "Jump Up, Super Star!" plays during Pauline's Special Shot.
- Mario Strikers: Battle League: "Jump Up, Super Star!" is used as a leitmotif in Pauline's theme.
- The Super Mario Bros. Movie: A Crazy Cap store appears. Patches designed after the Fossil Falls, Tostarena, and Peach's Castle stickers from this game appear on Toad's backpack. The Sand Kingdom is actually visited in the film. "Fossil Falls" is arranged in the track "Welcome to the Mushroom Kingdom," while "Mount Volbono: Town" is arranged in the track "The Mushroom Council." Bowser wears his wedding attire from Super Mario Odyssey when he attempts to marry Peach. He also uses a triple Piranha Plant bouquet.
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder: The distinction between generic gold coins and purple, location-themed variants (in this case, flower coins) returns. The player can skip the Warp Pipe-entering animation by performing a Ground Pound like in Super Mario Odyssey.
- Super Mario RPG: One of Bowser's laughs from Super Mario Odyssey is reused in a cutscene.
- Princess Peach: Showtime!: The design of Peach's Castle is based on its design in Super Mario Odyssey.
- Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo: A clock face theme featuring Mario and Cappy in his Mario Cap form, as well as eight alarms themed after various kingdoms are included.
- Super Mario Party Jamboree: Pauline's win animation has her perform a similar dance to one she does in Super Mario Odyssey, where she thrusts her hips back and forth.
- Mario & Luigi: Brothership: The Mushroom Kingdom appears to be somewhat modeled after its depiction in Super Mario Odyssey.
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 Super Mario title to receive a B rating by the CERO in Japan. All other titles released prior have been rated A. Similarly, Super Mario Odyssey is the first Super Mario title to receive "Everyone 10+" by the ESRB in North America. All other titles released prior have been rated E. According to the ESRB, this is because of the following content contained in the game: the ways the enemies are defeated, the capture of a cartoony military tank (the enemy Sherm) to fire large cannonballs at Mechawiggler and the large explosion that occurs upon the defeat of the latter, the various punches landed at Bowser during his fights, and the pink liquid trails that Cookatiel spits out towards Mario during its boss fight.[71]
- A browser game called Super Mario Odyssey Fun Trivia Quiz was released in 2017 on the Play Nintendo website.
- To comply with the video game regulations in China, the Tencent Nintendo Switch release of the game features many changes or censorships.
- The skull and eye patch were removed from the Pirate Outfit, which was renamed along with the Pirate Hat to "Noble Outfit" and "Noble Hat."[72]
- English names on the world maps were removed, including coordinate numbers and letters. This change applies to the maps both in-game[73] and on the cartridge[74] and download cards.[75]
References
Notes
A - Starts to appear in most of the kingdoms after Bowser's Moon Wedding is completed.
B - Appears here after A Tourist in the Metro Kingdom! is completed.
C - Appears here only after the kingdom's Moon Rock is shattered.
D - Appears here only after Bowser's Moon Wedding is completed.
E - Added in Ver. 1.2.0 on February 21, 2018.
Citations
- ^ 2018 guide to 1-UP Studio. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
- ^ http://www.nintendo.com.au/the-nintendo-switch-journey-comes-to-e3-to-reveal-new-worlds-for-marios-odyssey
- ^ https://www.nintendo.co.jp/switch/aaaca/sp/index.html
- ^ Super Mario Odyssey HK release announcement. Nintendo.co.hk. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
- ^ https://www.nintendo.co.uk/News/2017/June/The-Nintendo-Switch-journey-comes-to-E3-to-reveal-new-worlds-for-Mario-s-odyssey-1233791.html
- ^ https://www.nintendo.com/es_LA/games/detail/super-mario-odyssey-switch/
- ^ Nintendo (June 13, 2017). Super Mario Odyssey - Game Trailer - Nintendo E3 2017. YouTube. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
- ^ a b Official Nintendo website (Korea). Retrieved September 19, 2017.
- ^ a b Official Nintendo website (Taiwan). Retrieved September 19, 2017.
- ^ a b Tencent Nintendo Switch website
- ^ スーパーマリオブラザーズ35周年. "1985-2020年「今日の思い出マリオ」と題して、本日から少しずつ35年間のマリオタイトルを振り返っていきます。ハッシュタグの #思い出マリオ が目印です。どうぞお楽しみに。" (Japanese text). Twitter. Published 03 Sept 2020. Accessed 13 Apr 2023.
- ^ Nintendo Co., Ltd. HISTORY → Series → Super Mario. Mario Portal. Retrieved 6 Nov. 2024. (Archived October 3, 2024, 11:52:39 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^ 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
- ^ McWhertor, Michael (November 29, 2017). "Nintendo’s new Super Mario breakfast cereal is also an amiibo". Polygon. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
- ^ https://m.imgur.com/kvntP40
- ^ https://www.nintendo.co.jp/hardware/amiibo/chart/index.html
- ^ "Isn't my hat just fabulous?! I model my style after Mayor Pauline!" – New Donker in the Metro Kingdom (2017). Super Mario Odyssey by Nintendo EPD (North American Localization). Nintendo of America.
- ^ "That brook is sweet on the ears." – Volbonan in the Mushroom Kingdom (2017). Super Mario Odyssey by Nintendo EPD (North American Localization). Nintendo of America.
- ^ Sakai, Kazuya, kikai, Rachel Roberts, and Jenny Blenk, editors (2019). The Art of Super Mario Odyssey (First English Edition). Milwaukie: Dark Horse. Page 73, 147.
- ^ Murata, Sho (2019). "Designer's Note" in "Cascade Kingdom". The Art of Super Mario Odyssey (First English Edition). Milwaukie: Dark Horse. Page 87.
- ^ ---- (2019). The Art of Super Mario Odyssey (First English Edition). Milwaukie: Dark Horse. Page 73, 315.
- ^ a b ---- (2019). "Wooded Kingdom". The Art of Super Mario Odyssey (First English Edition). Milwaukie: Dark Horse. Page 149.
- ^ ---- (2019). "Moon Kingdom". The Art of Super Mario Odyssey (First English Edition). Milwaukie: Dark Horse. Page 283.
- ^ ---- (2019). "Sand Kingdom". The Art of Super Mario Odyssey (First English Edition). Milwaukie: Dark Horse. Page 119.
- ^ ---- (2019). The Art of Super Mario Odyssey (First English Edition). Milwaukie: Dark Horse. Page 28, 29, 156, 157, 295.
- ^ a b c NinEverything. (January 13, 2017). Miyamoto on Super Mario Odyssey - Nintendo Treehouse Live with Nintendo Switch. YouTube. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
- ^ a b Super Mario Odyssey interview with Yoshiaki Koizumi and Kenta Motokura – ‘Please look forward to it!’ Metro. Retrieved September 27, 2017.
- ^ I played 30 minutes of Super Mario Odyssey and it sure is impressive. Kotaku. Retrieved September 24, 2017.
- ^ How Shigeru Miyamoto Influenced Mario Odyssey’s Development. Gameinformer. Retrieved September 27, 2017.
- ^ 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.
- ^ MacDonald, Keza (September 14, 2020). Super Mario at 35: Mario's makers on Nintendo's most enduring mascot. The Guardian. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
- ^ What's in a Box?. Nintendo Treehouse Log, Tumblr. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
- ^ Nintendo Finally Answers: Is Mario Human?. Vice. Retrieved September 26, 2017
- ^ Nintendo UK. (August 23, 2017). Super Mario Odyssey - Luncheon Kingdom showcase with Yoshiaki Koizumi (Nintendo Switch). YouTube. Retrieved September 24, 2017.
- ^ Hi, I’m Mr. Koizumi, Producer of Super Mario Odyssey. AMA!. Reddit. Retrieved September 27, 2017.
- ^ Nintendo Treehouse E3 2017. (June 13, 2017). Super Mario Odyssey gameplay - Nintendo Treehouse Live with Nintendo Switch. Twitch. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
- ^ Super Mario Odyssey producer explains why Pauline has returned Polygon. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
- ^ The metadata of this mp3 file: https://www.nintendo.co.jp/switch/aaaca/common/hen3frereqax/emachebru5hn.mp3
- ^ The official Japanese page of "Jump Up, Super Star!". Retrieved October 11, 2017.
- ^ WesUniverse (October 27, 2017). Honeylune Ridge: Escape (Official Super Mario Odyssey OST). YouTube. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ Crunchii [Music Extensions] (October 26, 2017). Honeylune Ridge: Escape (Japanese) - Super Mario Odyssey - Music Extended. YouTube. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ Official Japanese Super Mario Odyssey Twitter (soundtrack album announcement)
- ^ https://twitter.com/pixelpar/status/908319143920881669
- ^ http://www.nintendo.co.kr/news/view.php?idx=111
- ^ http://overseas.weico.cc/share/10373580.html?weibo_id=4177181082731648
- ^ https://nintendosoup.com/asia-super-mario-odyssey-edition-nintendo-switch-coming-october-27/
- ^ http://www.nintendo.co.kr/news/view.php?idx=111
- ^ (August 28, 2018). New Nintendo bundles, games and controllers open up holiday shopping possibilities. Nintendo. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
- ^ a b Scykoh. (November 18, 2017) Super Mario Odyssey - Glitchfest. YouTube. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
- ^ https://twitter.com/Raltseye/status/948563348269903872
- ^ https://twitter.com/game4brains/status/946182614653681664
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bixxb8jSxSg
- ^ EDGE issue showed up in stores
- ^ http://au.ign.com/articles/2017/10/26/super-mario-odyssey-review
- ^ https://www.polygon.com/2017/10/26/16551724/super-mario-odyssey-review
- ^ https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/26/16552118/super-mario-odyssey-review-nintendo-switch
- ^ https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/super-mario-odyssey-review/1900-6416795/
- ^ https://www.forbes.com/sites/games/2017/11/02/super-mario-odyssey-review-a-perfect-game-with-a-problem/#25c565b21e48
- ^ http://www.metacritic.com/game/switch/super-mario-odyssey
- ^ http://www.gamerankings.com/switch/200275-super-mario-odyssey/index.html
- ^ a b c d e f Awards - The Game Awards 2017. The Game Awards. Retrieved December 9, 2017.
- ^ IR Information : Sales Data - Top Selling Title Sales Units. Nintendo. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
- ^ [1]
- ^ https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2021/210506_3e.pdf
- ^ Nintendo (August 2, 2024) Top Selling Title Sales Unites. Nintendo Japan. Retrieved August 2, 2024. Archived from the original on August 2, 2024.
- ^ Looygi Bros (August 15, 2019). What is Mario saying in his sleep? - Super Mario Odyssey. YouTube. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
- ^ @Frying_Pants. (November 5, 2017). "The map that Hint Toad consults in Odyssey is a map of Bob-Omb Battlefield from Mario 64." Twitter. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
- ^ [2]
- ^ [3]
- ^ File:MKT vs SMO Coastline.png
- ^ Entertainment Software Rating Board's rating for Super Mario Odyssey. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
- ^ https://twitter.com/chinesenintendo/status/1258526341198000129?s=20
- ^ https://twitter.com/chinesenintendo/status/1258525046114447361?s=20
- ^ https://twitter.com/chinesenintendo/status/1259755144796712961?s=20
- ^ https://twitter.com/chinesenintendo/status/1259770285227565056?s=20
External links
- Websites
- Mario Portal Game Archive (EN)
- Mario Portal Game Archive (JP)
- noclip.website (Experimental)
- Japanese website
- American website
- American website (game details)
- European website
- Oceanian website
- Korean website
- Chinese (Hong Kong) website
- Chinese (Taiwan) website
- Chinese (Mainland) website
- Twitter Pages