'Super Mario Odyssey': PHOTOS, TRAILER

Forget about that 'Super Mario' game on your iPhone — this is the new Mario game you're looking for

Ben Gilbert
Jan. 14, 2017, 12:51 PM
219,926

Nintendo this week unveiled a brand-new Mario game on a brand-new game console: It's called "Super Mario Odyssey," and it's a brand new, 3D Mario game coming to the Nintendo Switch.

Super Mario Odyssey Don't get it twisted: This is "New Donk City," friends.Nintendo

Nintendo debuted "Super Mario Odyssey" in a flashy new trailer on Thursday night, and we've got a breakdown of what to expect from the game below:

View As: One Page Slides

First things first: This is definitely a 3D Super Mario game, in the lineage of "Super Mario 64" and "Super Mario Galaxy." That means it's a "sandbox-style" game. The world is segmented into levels, but the levels are massive and open-ended.

"Super Mario 64" was both the first 3D Mario game and the first Mario game where levels were open-ended. No flagpole, no definitive beginning and end. Instead, you collected stars in any order you wished.

This is "Super Mario 64," from the Nintendo 64 console. A little muddy-looking at this point, but still pretty!Nintendo

In "Super Mario Odyssey," Mario explores a variety of real-world locations. He's got a flying ship for getting from place to place:

Nintendo

Off he goes!

Nintendo

He arrives in a fantastical place:

Nintendo

And immediately disembarks at high speed:

Nintendo

There's apparently a night and day concept in "Super Mario Odyssey," as this is the ice desert pictured at night. Mario's freezing!

Nintendo

Even during the day, you can see Mario shivering in the ice desert. And what's that behind him?

Nintendo

It appears to be a storefront of some form — hats figure in to "Super Mario Odyssey" as power-ups. Perhaps Mario gets new hats from the Crazy Cap store? We'll see!

Nintendo

Mario's hat seems to be outright alive in the new game. Here he is being a creep with it:

Nintendo

It's used to great effect in gameplay. In this instance, Mario throws his hat and it floats in mid-air — thus providing a platform where Mario can bounce to more sturdy footing.

Nintendo

He can also throw it, boomerang-style, as a projectile.

Which he's gonna need, clearly. His ridiculously persistent foe, Bowser, is back in "Super Mario Odyssey."

Nintendo

It seems that he's marrying Princess Peach.

Which Mario is clearly seething about:

Look at those adorable little clenched-fists.Nintendo

Plenty of other staples of the Mario series are also seen in the debut trailer, such as these construction Goombas (and the question mark block in the background):

Nintendo

And these Piranha Plants (and more question mark blocks):

Nintendo

And this Bullet Bill:

Nintendo

And these guys:

That's a Hammer Bro wearing a chef's hat, throwing frying pans. And he's surrounded by Spinys. And the theme of the world appears to be "food." Yep.Nintendo

There's a nice nod to "Super Mario Bros. 2" in here, with Mario carrying a radish above his head. Perhaps he'll throw it at a Spiny? Who can say.

Nintendo

One of the worlds in "Super Mario Odyssey" appears to be "Bizarro Earth." For some reason, people are dressed like it's 1925, yet the cars are modern-ish. Also, Mario is a grown man who looks bizarre next to humanoid creatures.

Nintendo

This is most apparent in this shot, provided by Nintendo. Most alarmingly, neither Mario nor the "human" is freaked out by their counterpart. Meanwhile, here on Earth, we look on in horror.

Nintendo

But this isn't New York City (or even Liberty City), despite the decidedly "Grand Theft Auto" aesthetic here. It's "New Donk City," according to the signs you can see in the background. That's a reference to the one and only Donkey Kong, of course.

BONUS: Super Mario actually got his start as a character in Donkey Kong, as "Jumpman." And no, that Kanye song isn't about Yeezy jumping over Mario. Mario and Michael Jordan share a nickname. Those are actual sound effects from "Street Fighter II" in that song, though.Nintendo

But it gets way weirder. One of the places Mario visits has mysterious robot plants and 1980s boomboxes. It's like something out of "ToeJam and Earl," honestly.

Nintendo

There are new types of enemies here as well, like these robot-like creatures that become super tall.

Nintendo

The concept of Mario being tiny in a massive world has been used in plenty of Super Mario games before, but never in such a realistic setting.

Nintendo

The different art styles lend a really unique look to "Super Mario Odyssey." There are plenty of gorgeous moments in the first trailer, and we're only seeing a small fraction of the overall game.

$The different art styles lend a really unique look to "Super Mario Odyssey." There are plenty of gorgeous moments in the first trailer, and we're only seeing a small fraction of the overall game.$

Nintendo

Personally, "Space Egypt" is my favorite aesthetic. Look at this madness:

Upside-down pyramids! I'm all about it!Nintendo

The coolest thing about Space Egypt (which isn't the official name, but what I'm calling it) is the crazy lion thing Mario rides. No signs of Yoshi in "Super Mario Odyssey," but this sweet lion is a rideable character.

Nintendo

And finally, there's a food world. There's a character who appears to be a...fork? Maybe?

It's basically like that universe in "Rick & Morty" where people are chairs and vice versa.Nintendo

But, as always, Mario takes it in stride. His whole life is a fever dream, basically.

Nintendo

At least one "boss" character is shown in the trailer — this giant robotic spider. Pretty menacing!

Nintendo

But let's not kid ourselves — it's all about Bowser. Outside of the sweet pimp suit, which genuinely looks remarkable, he's clearly holding Peach against her will (literally in his hand).

Nintendo

You're probably ready to check out the full trailer, eh? Well here it is! Enjoy! "Super Mario Odyssey" is planned for launch in "holiday 2017" on the Nintendo Switch (which launches on March 3 for $299).

Dec	JAN	Feb
	14
2016	2017	2018

Tech Insider

Forget about that 'Super Mario' game on your iPhone — this is the new Mario game you're looking for

View As: One Page Slides

First things first: This is definitely a 3D Super Mario game, in the lineage of "Super Mario 64" and "Super Mario Galaxy." That means it's a "sandbox-style" game. The world is segmented into levels, but the levels are massive and open-ended.

"Super Mario 64" was both the first 3D Mario game and the first Mario game where levels were open-ended. No flagpole, no definitive beginning and end. Instead, you collected stars in any order you wished.

In "Super Mario Odyssey," Mario explores a variety of real-world locations. He's got a flying ship for getting from place to place:

Off he goes!

He arrives in a fantastical place:

And immediately disembarks at high speed:

There's apparently a night and day concept in "Super Mario Odyssey," as this is the ice desert pictured at night. Mario's freezing!

Even during the day, you can see Mario shivering in the ice desert. And what's that behind him?

It appears to be a storefront of some form — hats figure in to "Super Mario Odyssey" as power-ups. Perhaps Mario gets new hats from the Crazy Cap store? We'll see!

Mario's hat seems to be outright alive in the new game. Here he is being a creep with it:

It's used to great effect in gameplay. In this instance, Mario throws his hat and it floats in mid-air — thus providing a platform where Mario can bounce to more sturdy footing.

He can also throw it, boomerang-style, as a projectile.

Which he's gonna need, clearly. His ridiculously persistent foe, Bowser, is back in "Super Mario Odyssey."

It seems that he's marrying Princess Peach.

Which Mario is clearly seething about:

Plenty of other staples of the Mario series are also seen in the debut trailer, such as these construction Goombas (and the question mark block in the background):

And these Piranha Plants (and more question mark blocks):

And this Bullet Bill:

And these guys:

There's a nice nod to "Super Mario Bros. 2" in here, with Mario carrying a radish above his head. Perhaps he'll throw it at a Spiny? Who can say.

One of the worlds in "Super Mario Odyssey" appears to be "Bizarro Earth." For some reason, people are dressed like it's 1925, yet the cars are modern-ish. Also, Mario is a grown man who looks bizarre next to humanoid creatures.

This is most apparent in this shot, provided by Nintendo. Most alarmingly, neither Mario nor the "human" is freaked out by their counterpart. Meanwhile, here on Earth, we look on in horror.

But this isn't New York City (or even Liberty City), despite the decidedly "Grand Theft Auto" aesthetic here. It's "New Donk City," according to the signs you can see in the background. That's a reference to the one and only Donkey Kong, of course.

But it gets way weirder. One of the places Mario visits has mysterious robot plants and 1980s boomboxes. It's like something out of "ToeJam and Earl," honestly.

There are new types of enemies here as well, like these robot-like creatures that become super tall.

The concept of Mario being tiny in a massive world has been used in plenty of Super Mario games before, but never in such a realistic setting.

The different art styles lend a really unique look to "Super Mario Odyssey." There are plenty of gorgeous moments in the first trailer, and we're only seeing a small fraction of the overall game.

Personally, "Space Egypt" is my favorite aesthetic. Look at this madness:

The coolest thing about Space Egypt (which isn't the official name, but what I'm calling it) is the crazy lion thing Mario rides. No signs of Yoshi in "Super Mario Odyssey," but this sweet lion is a rideable character.

And finally, there's a food world. There's a character who appears to be a...fork? Maybe?

But, as always, Mario takes it in stride. His whole life is a fever dream, basically.

At least one "boss" character is shown in the trailer — this giant robotic spider. Pretty menacing!

But let's not kid ourselves — it's all about Bowser. Outside of the sweet pimp suit, which genuinely looks remarkable, he's clearly holding Peach against her will (literally in his hand).

You're probably ready to check out the full trailer, eh? Well here it is! Enjoy! "Super Mario Odyssey" is planned for launch in "holiday 2017" on the Nintendo Switch (which launches on March 3 for $299).

SEE ALSO: Here's everything we just learned about Nintendo's new $300 console, the Switch

DON'T MISS: Here are all the games that will launch on the new Nintendo Switch console

Recommended For You Powered by Sailthru

Forget about that 'Super Mario' game on your iPhone — this is the new Mario game you're looking for