The 3D Super Mario series finally returns to the sandbox style of gameplay! While Super Mario 3D World was a fantastic game, many people were disappointed to see the 3D Super Mario series abandon open ended worlds in favour of linear bite sized levels; and the failure of the Wii U probably also reflects that to a certain extent.  

But what exactly does sandbox Mario gameplay mean these days? Open World games are what’s hip and happening right now, but Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine were never quite like that; rather they were relatively small and crafted open areas, not far removed from most 3D Zelda games actually.  So does that mean that Super Mario Odyssey follows in the wake of today’s industry trends? With Breath of the Wild going down this route, it seems only natural for Mario to follow suit surely?  

The answer lies somewhere in-between.  

It’s totally not possession guys!

This game definitely errs most closely in structure to Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine, but unlike those games, the levels here in Super Mario Odyssey are not designed in such a way that they are built around specific stars (moons in this case) that are collected by completing specific challenges, but rather they are open areas that have many different ways of getting around the stage, with LOTS of moons scattered around that can be collected by figuring out how to traverse the environment; think more Banjo Kazooie and less Super Mario 64 and you’re on the right lines.  

What also sets it apart from the first two 3D Super Mario titles is the abundance of mini games and quests, yes quests.  Speak to certain characters and they may ask you to complete different kinds of tasks, be it things like gathering musicians together to form a band, taking over a human to grab a moon by controlling a radio controlled car, or wrangling sheep into a play pen for a plucky mariachi player; hell it might actually be more of a Zelda game than Breath of the Wild was! (Just replace goats with sheep) 

You even get objective markers on the map! Oh and it’s a sweet looking travel guide too

What’s also interesting is that both stages also had lots of areas, hidden or otherwise, that are linear in design and played kind of like the more linear stages of Super Mario Galaxy, leading up to a moon for you to collect.  These made for a nice change of pace and focus that brought more variety to the gameplay; even mixing in some 2D sections that have you turn into a NES style pixel Mario for some retro fun.  

What really stood out for me though is how nuanced the controls are.  Nintendo have clearly gone out of their way to bring back the athleticism that defined the first two 3D Mario titles as his array of moves is noticeably more complex and freeform than the more recent Mario titles.  Full analog movement returns here, as does the long jump, triple jump and the spin jump from Super Mario Sunshine. 

While his movement is slower and not quite as free flowing as that game, or Super Mario 64, Mario sports an extensive moveset here which seems to have potential for exploitation; there’s a particularly nice move that lets you do an air dive by pressing ZR and Y in midair, that you can extend by throwing Cappy and then air diving onto it, allowing you to dive again and extend your jump even further.  Take that Issac Newton! 

Your ever-useful capped companion is surely a genuinely game-changing gimmick.

The nuance also extends to the way that Mario interacts with the environment too.  Almost everything that Mario can possess has several options for refining your control, usually involving shaking one or two Joycons alongside using the analog stick; adding even more depth to the gameplay on offer.  Watching Games Done Quick right now really makes me look forward to seeing what kinds of crazy strategies that speedrunners will come up with!

Super Mario Odyssey sets a fantastic first impression, and I’m hungry for more! It’s not merely a return to the style of gameplay that defined the first two 3D Mario titles, but something that stands out as a unique take on the concept.  It’s familiar, but also brimming with creativity that cleverly combines Mario traditions with modern concepts.  October feels so far away…