10 Most Nostalgic Video Game Secrets

With such a long and storied career, there are few characters more primed for retro references than Nintendo’s mascot. Super Mario Odyssey moves the series forwards whilst maintaining homages to the past with sections that temporarily turn the moustachioed hero back into his tiny 8-bit former self dotted through the game.

After finishing the main story, an entirely new area of Odyssey unlocks called the “Mushroom Kingdom”. Rather than reflect the entirety of Peach’s domain however, it’s a quaint return to the castle grounds first seen in Super Mario 64. Whilst the layout has drastically changed, there’s still plenty of references to find.

For one, the level doesn’t contain the game’s typical Power Moons and instead it’s a return to 1996’s Power Stars, complete with the traditional fanfare. On the castle’s roof, you’ll find Yoshi just like in the Nintendo 64 title whom, of course, you can now take control of.

The pièce de résistance of the whole affair is the secret area that players can only enter if they’re wearing Mario's retro costume that changes his modern design back to the pixelated glory of yesteryear. Beyond this door is the castle courtyard, looking exactly as you remember it from 1996.

These aren't nostalgic tears in my eyes, it’s just been raining in the studio today.