'Super Mario Odyssey' Is Already One Of The Best Reviewed Games Ever

Super Mario Odyssey.

To do this once in a year would be an incredible feat. To do it twice is unheard of. But that’s what Nintendo appears to have done by following up the universally praised The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild with Super Mario Odyssey, both of which now stand among the best-reviewed games of all time. Reviews for Odyssey went live today, and the game is ticking off an absurd number of perfect scores from outlets across the blogosphere. We’d already heard from Edge and Famitsu, but now I’m seeing 10/10s from places like Gamespot, IGN, EGM, GamesBeat and more. There are some that are lower, of course, with a number somewhere between 9.5 and 10, as well as a single outlier down in the 70s. But overall, Super Mario Odyssey’s Metascore stands at 97, a lofty score that only five games have ever bested, and some of those did so under what I would call a more favorable reviewing climate. It’s tied with, you guessed it, Breath of the Wild.

Super Mario Odyssey is a sandbox 3D platformer in the vein of Super Mraio Galaxy, Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario 64, with the added twist that Mario can now possess enemies and friends alike by hurling his sentient hat onto their heads. That little twist, combined with an expansive suite of worlds, challenges and quirky sidequests, appear to have taken the classic Mario formula and injected it with just enough strange joy to turn it into one of the plumber’s best outings ever. Here’s what the critics are saying:

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.”
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.”

Super Mario Odyssey.

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.”

Eurogamer, “Essential:” “There is nothing like a new Super Mario to remind you that there is no other studio that can make games like this. Jump on a tomato in the Luncheon Kingdom and watch how it splats out into a sizzling hot pool of sauce; ride a Jaxi, a stone steed as fast as a rocket, and watch the way it scrabbles frantically at the ground as you try to rein in its boundless speed. Then release it – whee! The happy revelry that has gone into the making of this nonsensical world is infectious, while the return to the open design of Super Mario 64 has freed all that gleeful energy in a sloppily explosive burst. To many people, Mario is video games. To play Super Mario Odyssey is to remember why that is.”

Gamesbeat, 10/10:“Super Mario Odyssey captures the best parts of Mario’s past 3D adventures. It has Super Mario 64’s open design while matching Super Mario Galaxy’s sense of awe. But the capture mechanic gives it a creative edge. It’s a huge game. Even once you finish the Odyssey’s final boss, you’ll want to go back to levels to keep exploring and collecting Moons. Thanks to the sharp controls, large worlds, and creative quests, boredom feels like an impossibility. This is another Mario all-time classic that we’ll be remembering and celebrating for decades to come.”