If you`re a hardcore fan of early Mario games, Super Mario Odyssey has a variety of 2D platforming challenges to complete; and if you loved Super Mario Galaxy or even Sunshine, this new adventures` mechanics and concepts represent those games` most iconic elements. In short, Nintendo`s upcoming Odyssey has something for everybody. In many ways, it feels like a collection of Mario`s best offerings, but it`s also a fundamentally new experience that welcomes you to explore and experiment with the new tools and adventures it provides.During a recent Odyssey demo, I got to play two levels: the Luncheon Kingdom and the Seaside Kingdom. Both were visually distinct, exuding a vibrant and charming aesthetic. From the hard-candy surfaces that comprise the Luncheon Kingdom to the clear ocean waters of the Seaside Kingdom, it was difficult to not be enamored by the splendor of it all.With Mario`s diverse repertoire of jumps and maneuvers, navigating these areas was a joy. Wall jumps, long jumps, and rolls are simple to pull off, but like past 3D Mario games, they demand a high level of skill and precision in order to utilize to the fullest of their capability. The sense of control you have over Mario`s moves and the way they empower you when correctly executed feels satisfying. Moving and jumping feels just as fine-tuned as in Odyssey`s predecessors--if not more so.Amidst the beautiful locales and the minutiae of Mario`s acrobatic jumps, there are a variety of activities to get wrapped up in. Possessing enemies with Mario`s Cap paves the way for a multitude of different adventures. One moment I`m darting across pink lava as a giant Fire collecting a string of music notes, the next I`m smashing up cheese rocks as a frying-pan-wielding Hammer Bro to reveal Moon shards. This variety is commonplace; I`d often run towards an area expecting to do one thing, but end up doing something completely different. Odyssey`s unexpected adventures keep me guessing, even in platforming secti ...
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