10 Things You Didn't Know About Super Mario Odyssey

This might come as a surprise given the lack of a lives system and how easy it is to burn through Odyssey's core story line, but the game's developers initially intended Super Mario Odyssey to be for core Mario fans -- a distinct departure from the focus on casual gameplay seen in the much more linear Super Mario Galaxy 2, and 3D World/Land titles.

Much like its cousin Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey is an open-world(ish) sandbox game. Though all the Moons needed to complete Odyssey's story can be found without much setback in the space of ten hours (or, as per the last entry, one hour for those who are brave enough), don't be fooled into thinking the game can't get hard as nails at times.

If all the game's callbacks to previous entries in the series aren't enough to convince you that this is a game designed for long-term Mario lovers, some of the game's later stages definitely will be.

Though Odyssey is very accessible to casual players, its core appeal for long-term Mario fans is the hunt for all its Power Moons and other collectables. Some of the extra Moons unveiled after the end credits are seriously well hidden, while others require the completion of platforming set-pieces which are intense enough to challenge even the most seasoned Mario veteran. Good luck collecting thousands upon thousands of coins to purchase all the in-game collectables too: completionists have to acknowledge they'll be in this for the long haul.

The innovative 2D platforming sections can prove quite challenging and stimulating at times in the game's final Kingdoms too, especially when Odyssey presents a perfect marriage of old and new as the classic 8-bit style of the first Super Mario Bros game on the NES is fused with the competing gravitational pulls of Super Mario Galaxy. Yheeesh.