I always thought the Switch was destined to fail, but Super Mario Odyssey convinced me otherwise. I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it, and I cannot wait to keep playing. This new entry to the main series proves to be everything Nintendo stands for, a work of love and dedication that will satisfy even the harshest of critics.
The story starts – unsurprisingly – with Peach getting captured yet again. A twist appears: Bowser has decided to settle this once and for all, and get married to the unwilling princess. Mario, like always, embarks on an adventure to save her.
The new player in this entry is Cappy, a spirit that replaces Mario’s signature hat and takes its form – with two eyes. This hat changes the gameplay completely, and it only adds complexity that still feels natural in the game. It adds variety in a game where you usually play the entire time as an Italian plumber, and now you can transform into more than 50 different things that have different abilities and appearances.
The game is initially very linear, but later the exploration more than makes up for it. The different worlds that you can go to are filled with secrets and opportunities, and guarantee that while the main story could be finished in 10 hours, experiencing everything the game has to offer will take much longer.
The best thing about this game is that it shows Nintendo’s commitment to this new system. When the Switch was announced, I never believed this amount of success could happen. Its high price point and size didn’t appeal to me. Six months later, I couldn’t be any happier with it. The downsides are still there, but the biggest pro any product can have going for it is a dedicated team of developers that have faith and passion for their job.
As I watch Mario cruise the streets of “New York City,” I know Nintendo has ushered in a new Golden Age, and I’m excited for the next few years of innovation and progress in an era where games seem to be more assets than art.
The Switch is here to stay, and Super Mario Odyssey is the reason why.
