GAME · 2017 · JAPAN
Super Mario Odyssey
- Developer
- Nintendo
- Publisher
- Nintendo
31 archived facts 5 topics 2 sources Last reviewed Nov 2026
31 Interesting Facts About Super Mario Odyssey
Interesting Facts (10)
- #001
Super Mario Odyssey is the first Super Mario game in which the player does not lose a life upon dying. Instead, the player loses 10 coins.
- #002
Super Mario Odyssey is the first game in the Super Mario series to feature a vocal theme song, "Jump Up, Super Star!"
- #003
Mario and Peach were originally going to get married.
- #004
The Sand Kingdom level was inspired by Mexico. Director Kenta Motokura based the inspiration on a trip he took to the country.
- #005
Princess Rosalina was planned to appear in the game as a street musician specializing in playing the acoustic guitar, in addition to a miniature version of her as an 8-bit sprite. According to concept art, she wore a black shirt and jeans.
- #006
Super Mario Odyssey is the last main 3D Mario game in which Mario is voiced by Charles Martinet.
- #007
Some of Mario's voice lines from Super Mario Galaxy (2007) were recycled and reused in Super Mario Odyssey.
- #008
Super Mario Odyssey is the only 3D Mario game in which Luigi is involved but does not appear as a playable character.
- #009
In the post-game on the Moon, Princess Peach is dressed similarly to Maetel from the Galaxy Express 999 anime.
- #010
It is the only 3D Mario game in which Luigi appears but is not playable. Luigi takes on a supporting role in the game.
Production Story (12)
- #011
Shigeru Miyamoto returned to his self-described role of "Creative Fellow" on Super Mario Odyssey, receiving concepts from the developers and providing feedback.
- #012
According to Yoshiaki Koizumi, Shigeru Miyamoto "left us to our own devices quite a lot" during the development of Super Mario Odyssey.
- #013
The first concept for Super Mario Odyssey came from Koizumi's use of motion controls, picturing Joy-Con motion actions whose most natural fit was throwing an object; Mario's own hat was chosen as that object to create a sense of connection to the gimmick.
- #014
Super Mario Odyssey's early concepts included travel between kingdoms and the collection of Power Moons, while Cappy was created in the first prototype and motion controls were built from it.
- #015
Kenta Motokura said in an interview at E3 that Super Mario Odyssey could be played either by following a set storyline or by finding power moons through exploration, and that each platforming stage had numerous ways of completion.
- #016
During the design of Super Mario Odyssey's gameplay, elements from Minecraft were considered. The team initially believed that camera movement comparable to Minecraft would be difficult for children, but later decided it was sufficient given Minecraft's popularity among children.
- #017
Super Mario Odyssey's developers began by building prototypes of gameplay gimmicks or platforming stages, then discussed which setting or theme suited each prototype, and constructed the locations second.
- #018
Cappy became a character in Super Mario Odyssey shortly after the hat-throwing mechanic was introduced, as the developers wanted a buddy to accompany Mario on his journey.
- #019
When choosing which environments to represent in Super Mario Odyssey, the developers gave priority to the city setting.
- #020
"Jump Up Super Star!" is a swing music-inspired song composed for Super Mario Odyssey by the game's lead composer, Naoto Kubo, with vocals by Kate Higgins.
- #021
The chorus of "Jump Up Super Star!" was kept simple so it would be memorable and easy to sing along to.
- #022
Nobuyoshi Suzuki wrote the Japanese lyrics for "Jump Up Super Star!" and Rob Heiret translated them into English; the theme song "Break Free (Lead the Way)" followed a similar process.
Behind the Scenes (4)
- #023
Super Mario Odyssey gave locations such as New Donk City a more realistic look with humans, a choice intended to stress the feeling of a new place unlike what players expected.
- #024
Super Mario Odyssey's kingdoms include purchasable souvenirs intended to make them more relatable and easier to connect to, and each kingdom was based on the designers' personal experiences.
- #025
Because Super Mario Odyssey's kingdoms were open-world areas, the developers filled them with diversity and small details to create a sense of empathy and connection for the player, and the team considered in-game screenshots a natural fit.
- #026
The Super Mario Odyssey soundtrack discs also include commentary from some of the development staff.
Characters & Cast (2)
- #027
The developers of Super Mario Odyssey selected Pauline, a character who first appeared alongside Mario in Donkey Kong, to serve as mayor of New Donk City, aiming to anchor players in the new setting with a familiar series element.
- #028
Super Mario Odyssey's developers gave Pauline an interest in jazz music, which led to her becoming a singer and to the inclusion of the song "Jump Up Super Star!"
Deeper Meaning (3)
- #029
The musicians who performed the "Peronza Plaza" music used kitchen utensils such as kitchen knives and ladles to match the level's cooking theme. (source: DYKG).
- #030
"Jaxis" was inspired by the Japanese lion-dog statues known as Komainu. (source: DYKG).
- #031
Super Mario Odyssey served as the inspiration for the Switch's "HD Rumble" feature for the Joy-Con controllers. (source: DYKG).
Sources & editorial notes
Sources for the entries on this page
- Wikipedia Super Mario Odyssey — Wikipedia
Information from external sources is independently selected, consolidated and edited by Arka Evren. Sources are listed for verification and further reading. Encyclopedia text is used under its licence (CC BY-SA). How we work