Take that, Toad, in your big stupid face. Super Mario Odyssey’s real genius comes from the addition of Cappy, Mario’s new hat friend who is more useful than Toad ever was. It also helped that Nintendo liked to hide coins, Moons and other goodies absolutely everywhere, encouraging that exploration even further. The levels themselves provide some of the most memorable moments of the entire game, with New Donk City’s Jump Up Superstar/Festival level being Super Mario Odyssey’s unmistakable highlight, but the decision to have Moons obtainable through random exploration and mini-games made every moment feel rewarding. 3D World, but Super Mario Odyssey strikes a nice balance between varied levels and genuine exploration. Nintendo might have upped the open world ante even further with Bowser’s Fury, the campaign expansion for the Switch port of Super Mario Bros.

Part of the magic of Super Mario Odyssey is its increased scope, offering larger levels to explore filled with objectives and secrets to find, all in the pursuit of those all important Moons. This is Nintendo at the peak of their powers, showcasing the best that Mario has ever been, while hopefully pointing towards a future for the Italian plumber that’s even brighter than it ever has been. Mario’s first foray on the Nintendo Switch, Super Mario Odyssey felt like a huge flex from Nintendo, delivering an adventure that’s still a must-have title over six years later.

While some might prefer the older entries in the franchise, such as Super Mario World and the like, or underappreciated 3D titles like Super Mario Sunshine on the also underappreciated GameCube, there’s one game in the whole franchise that deserves to be played above all else: Super Mario Odyssey. Mario platformers have been an integral part of video gaming for decades now, to the point where pretty much everyone who has a passing interest in games has likely played at least one or two Mario titles over the years.

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