Super Mario Odyssey is out, and the plumber’s globetrotting, body-stealing adventures seem to have distilled that platforming joy that the series is known for once again. With a new more forgiving lives system, a barrage of new locales and play mechanics, delightful nods to the series’ long history, and an emphasis on fun for all ages and skill levels, Nintendo EPD has created a charming experience that is drawing in longtime fans and new players alike.

With so many people and developers buzzing about the game and its constant array of new mechanics, Gamasutra reached out to several developers to see just what struck them about Mario’s newest outing. Many are playing the game and revelling in every aspect of its design. (Look no further than Chris Wade's epic tech art Twitter thread for proof.)

Below are responses we received from 25 different devs. We got some insightful analysis, some in-depth design critiques, some measured criticisms, and a whole lot of unrestrained gushing. 

Cliff Bleszinski (Lawbreakers)

It’s as if Nintendo found a way to distill Pure Joy into game format. I “finished” it last night, however, the game re-opens itself back up splendidly with dozens of hours more gameplay to be had. It’s a master class in a game and genre that Nintendo has been making for decades. Mood, difficulty, controls, all are an absolute pleasure to experience start to (sort of) finish. Also, that doge – I about died.

Lauren Davidson (Thimbleweed Park)

It's a love letter to platforming. Every element is so well crafted, and with Assist Mode, it's a perfect intro for younger kids & newbies with no gatekeeping to the bliss, while still offering a challenge to the git gud crowd. Mario Odyssey is concentrated joy. It's cold pressed rainbows, blended with starshine and the headbutts of a cat who is pleased to see you.

James Earl Cox III (You Must Be 18 Or Older To Enter)

Beyond the basic game, what I'm impressed with is the Assist Mode. Adding guidance arrows and minimizing fall punishments, it's exciting to see mainstream games open their arms to new players and say "we want this to be fun for you too."

Fisher Wagg (BRKÖUT)

Most people assume Assist Mode is only for very small children, but I've found that it's also great for older folks who haven't played many games before.

My mom hadn't embraced gaming until quite recently in her life. She has a lot of trouble picking up on cues for what to do and where to go, so the guiding arrows allow for her to explore the game and simultaneously make progress at her own pace. She's easily frustrated by navigating in 3D space in most games and she has a really hard time figuring out how to use a controller.

She is taking time to explore the extra areas as well. The arrows on the floor don't hinder her exploratory notions in the slightest. She even goes places I hadn't thought to. I would even go as far to say that the arrows enable her to explore, this way she feels more confident in her location in 3D space. She doesn't get lost (unlike her experience with BOTW).

I'm watching my mom tumble through Bowser's Castle now and it's a very interesting experience that is helping me to become more aware of certain accessibility issues in games. I highly recommend level designers watch someone with little gaming experience play through a level in Assist Mode, as you notice some obvious pitfalls (ie, just about every mechanic on Mount Volbono) that would prove extremely treacherous to a new player without assistance.

Anthony Swinnich (Shutshimi)

What boggles my mind the most is the sheer variety they’ve packed in. It feels like every level on its own could be an entire game’s worth of systems, yet somehow each new level offers several unique elements that seamlessly slide into the formula. It’s equally inspiring and intimidating to see how naturally they continue to throw new mechanics at the player without even a hint of confusion. When I can pick my jaw up off the floor, I’ll try to figure out how they did it.

Dennis Zopfi (Horizon: Zero Dawn)

I’ve always been a huge fan of the Italian plumber, and this outing is perfectly captures what the Mario games have always been about: momentum, timing and speed.

What inspired me the most from the 3D Marios (and really, all Nintendo games) is the ability to cater to any type of player, casual and hardcore and everything in between, as with Mario’s athletic moves, it's easy and hard at the same time. Anyone can run around with Mario and do its basic move sets, but when you see people pull off the combinations and linking all of its gymnastic moves, it’s like magic. (I can’t wait to see speed runs!) And when you can pull it off yourself, it's immensely satisfying. The underlying message of the mechanics being: challenge yourself!

That athletic creativity always inspired me, as it creates such a fun way of pushing yourself to become better. Especially when I was working on the last project, I referenced that feeling of direct control of your character, being able to do combinations you might not think of immediately which can give you an edge.

The overall game design and its direction, the laid back feeling of do it on your own pace, go for the easy moons or go for those that demand more control over the little mustachioed ninja - It’s all up to the player what experience you want, whenever, which makes coming back to that world such a joy. Jump around mindlessly for 5 minutes or spend half an hour figuring out that perfect combination of moves.

Greg Buchanan (No Man’s Sky)

I came into Super Mario Odyssey with zero attachment to the characters or series beyond owning a Switch. The game is fantastically charming: from the way Mario runs with his hands up in the air to the almost ridiculous range of art styles, everything about it brought a smile to my face until my partner stole my Switch and forced me to get back to work while she played it instead. It works really well in its own right, even without any nostalgic attachment to the series, so I can only imagine what playing Odyssey must be like if you’re a long-time fan.

Jennifer Raye (Boa Retina) 

One of the things that really pleasantly surprised me with Odyssey was the complete disregard for keeping a consistent visual style. It got weird! One minute you were in a dinosaur world, another you were at a realistic metro city, then a low-poly food world... you felt like you were REALLY traveling to far off worlds that feel distinct from each other. It really gets you excited to see what the next strange world will be to explore!

There was a lot of nicer quieter moments... if you were feeling stressed from the hunt for Moons, you could just chill at the rooftop pool party in New Donk City, fall asleep and let birds land on you, or watch the sunset in Bubblaine... not a lot of controller input or "game" elements to wrangle with - just enjoy the view and take a nice break from the overarching objectives. Oh, and I'm always a big fan of a good Photography mode.

Emma Koch  (Hand of Fate 2) 

It's evoked a great sense of nostalgia for me for games I played a ton of in my youth like Banjo Kazooie/Mario 64. But, at the same time, it's also made me long for those previous era games in a way that the new Odyssey hasn't quite captivated me. I can't figure out whether this is my child's mind holding those old games in much higher regard compared to my adult self playi