Super Mario Odyssey

Super Mario Odyssey is 3D platforming at its most joyful and inventive. Cappy's capture mechanic turns every kingdom into a playground of possibilities, one moment you're a lumbering T-Rex, the next a tiny electrified Goomba solving a puzzle no human character could. The sandbox kingdoms reward curiosity generously, hundreds of Power Moons mean progress rarely stalls, and speedrunners are still finding new movement tech years later, a testament to how much depth hides beneath the surface charm. Presentation is vibrant and confident, each kingdom has a distinct visual identity that never feels repetitive. The story is featherweight, existing mainly to string kingdoms together, and a handful of moons lean on tedious collectible-hunting rather than clever design. Those are minor blemishes on an otherwise close-to-flawless platformer. Nearly a decade later, Odyssey still stands as one of the finest 3D platformers ever made, and it's easy to see why.