SUPER MARIO ODYSSEY REVIEW

  During my many hours of playing - and I hope that I still have countless more, Sonic Mania I'm sorry - I could not get rid of Super Mario Odyssey. The fact that he could carry the Switch everywhere helped. Do you know that game that we can not stop exploring, discovering hidden secrets, solving the most insane puzzles of how yummy it is? Yes, the latest Nintendo console has this incredible title. The number of sales will not let me lie.

  It had been a long time since a game had captivated me so much, it had not caught me and made me feel challenged. Yeah, Nintendo hit their main character and it's going to be hard to come up with some platform game so far to beat the ex-plumber's odyssey. Super Mario Odyssey is the new Super Mario 64: it will be remembered for generations as a game of the most spectacular, a class of game design, development, finishing. It's the best example of what a video game is these days.

-> Around the World

  The journey around the globe, traversing its more than 16 worlds with its unique and beautiful cities, is a work of art and exquisite design, a lesson that Nintendo has been giving for decades. Now, with fresh heads in the direction, the company manages to expand the creation of Shigeru Miyamoto far beyond what we imagine. All this while showing a special care with Mario, its essence and all the features that make a Super Mario game a Super Mario game.

  There are numerous challenges and puzzles that are simple but often forces us to break our heads to perform the necessary commands to reach certain parts and get the necessary items - in this case, the moons. Already in the secrets question to unveil, one of the best surprises that the games of the series provide us, Odyssey also has the hills. It is a great satisfaction to find moons at all times, solve puzzles and find one secret location behind the other.

  Moons are the items you need to make you advance in the game and open up new worlds. They are the fuel of Odyssey, the hat-shaped ship that carries the hero through the universe, and are scattered everywhere. And it is in the way you will find them that we observe such a "quality Nintendo seal". Odyssey, unlike other franchise games, features traditional tutorials just to explain what you can do with the joy-cons. Besides, you learn by playing alone. The level of difficulty is increasing, with moons that can be acquired by giving "bundadas" on the ground in specific places, others that require a certain juggling and some that only appear after the confrontation with a boss. Of course you can go back to all the stages and collect those that were missing, especially after you get the hang of playing with Mario. What I mean is that the level of difficulty increases with each new world we visit.

Each kingdom presents its peculiarity and challenge, and they were made with superhuman technical care. There is nothing out of place, no blemish that leaps out into the eyes. Everything is beautiful and well taken care of, with an incredible charisma, that makes you want to live inside. My favorite is Metro Kingdom with its already famous New Donk City, but I was captivated by the characters from Tostarena in Sand Kingdom. There is also the Moon Kingdom, in which Mario has a challenge of lack of gravity - remembering his times of Super Mario Galaxy - and a big surprise for the end of everything. By the way, the closing of the history of New Donk City is to enter into the history of videogames - as well as the end of the game, totally unexpected for me.

  It's amazing how Nintendo has been able to create new worlds that seem instantly familiar to us. Everything that is there has a purpose and believe me, you will invest much more time after finishing the game, exploring every corner and discovering the secrets to find the much needed moons.

  Okay, so we're talking about an open world Mario game very similar to what we saw in Super Mario 64 - many say he's a successor, or a direct sequel to that classic - which allows full exploitation of different sizes and styles. What they all have in common is that they will, in some way, require you to utilize all the hero's abilities, be it with triple jumps, distance jumps, mortals, somersaults, and of course using the new companion Cappy.

-> Cappy is partner

   A great Odyssey tribute to the history of the Super Mario franchise comes at a time when the big mustache goes through a barrel and goes back to the pixelated look of its original 1985 debut. At this point, even the music of the new game can be heard in 8- bit (and Mario and his new clothes enter the same boat).

   About Cappy, you should know that it allows Mario to "own" certain beings and objects, something that changes the dynamics of the franchise. There are times when you will be required to use certain classic animals and enemies of the series to cross an obstacle or solve a puzzle. But in many others, you are free to own or use the character's skills any way you want to get to the desired point. The sandbox structure created the right way allows this freedom and instigates us to want to play more. Not to mention that Cappy has a super charismatic personality - I even wanted him to be my friend.

  Already in the early stages, you'll own a sympathetic frog (to jump high), a furious tyrannosaurus rex in realistic graphics (to destroy everything), moody Goombas (can make a tall stack of them), Bullet-Bills explosives crossing distances and breaking blocks) and more. The wide range of possibilities will make you test everything and even be slightly disappointed when you can not transform into something. And it's worth saying again, there's a big surprise at the end of the story. Please play the game until the end to see this.

  We already understand very well how to play with Mario and we know what to expect from his skills since his first game, launched for Famicom / Nintendinho more than 30 years ago. In Odyssey, we have the total evolution of these abilities through precise controls and also by Cappy. When he is not possessing other beings and objects, he creates platforms for the mustachioed friend to reach further. For the more skilful, it is possible to create a combination of jumps, use the Cappy platform and then take more leaps to cross great distances without having to use elements of scenery or transformations.

-> The Peak of the Franchise

  Super Mario Odyssey is a game as fun and intense as it is beautiful from beginning to end. The game runs at 60 frames per second locked and, on the TV screen, is in its best shape. You lose a little bit of quality while playing Switch's portable mode, but it has no frame rate loss, which makes it a perfect game to play everywhere, though unlike Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Mario Kart 8, I'd rather play it exclusively on TV to enjoy all its beauty.

  Changing the life-losing scheme to that of losing coins is welcome to the younger players, who will not be so frustrated as to miss and die repeatedly. It's also good for veterans who will be able to test skills and resources to explore the worlds without worrying about accumulating lives. Was he wrong and dead? You lose 10 coins. Although it is an example of a perfect game, the Odyssey camera sometimes gets in the way, just like in Super Mario 64, but in a smaller amount and in a way that does not detract from the experience.

  The clothes that Mario can wear, although they are mostly cosmetic, bring an air of fun, exploration and travel through the infinite globe where Super Mario Odyssey makes us travel. I felt "obliged" to get as many coins as possible, without any waste, to buy all the costumes and mix hats and garments. Although most clothes only serve to change the look of the hero, there are some that bring effects: with that of diver, Mario nothing a little faster and more secure the air; with his cold clothes, he stops trembling in the snow, and so on.

  With all that Super Mario Odyssey provides and all the absurd challenges the game offers us, I just want to be able to live longer in it. A lot more.

-> The Verdict

  Nintendo is far from dying and shows that it is alive and smart with Super Mario Odyssey. The game is a game design class, an open-world, sandbox-styled title that retains the essence of the series and instigates us to explore and discover much more. In addition to being visually stunning, precise controls and the right challenge make this one of the best games in the Super Mario franchise since its debut in 1985. It is a game that will be remembered for decades, just as Super Mario 64 is still. The intense attention to detail and fresh gameplay insights show that Nintendo can still revamp the series and its characters for both old and newcomers. Whether you play with traditional or motion controls, on TV or on the laptop, Nintendo shows that you know very well what you're doing, even though it sometimes takes a while to show it to us. In my opinion, Super Mario Odyssey is not only the "game of the year": it is the best game of the last 20 years, and one of the best of all time.