2017 was a crazy year for Nintendo. Not only did the company launch the Switch console, but also two of their biggest games ever in the forms of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey. The latter of the two wasn’t a launch game, but getting new entries from two of Nintendo’s best-selling franchises in the same year is pretty special nonetheless. 

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The previous console, the Wii U, did launch with a Mario title of its own with Super Mario 3D World. It’s back now on Switch as the second core 3D Mario adventure sans the collection from 2020. Of the two though, which one is the better pick?

Updated June 11, 2021, by Tom Bowen: With rumors of a Switch Pro refusing to go away, many are now expecting an announcement about a new version of Nintendo's hybrid console to drop at some point very soon. Whether or not this new console will bring with it the long-awaited sequel to Mario Odyssey remains to be seen. Even if it doesn't though, there's still plenty of enjoyment to be found in the existing mainline Mario games on the system, particularly for those who are yet to play them. While they're both highly enjoyable games, however, each one shines in different areas, meaning that different types of players may find themselves gravitating towards one over the other.

10 Multiplayer: Super Mario 3D World

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury gameplay screenshot

Super Mario Odyssey does have multiplayer functionality, but it leaves an awful lot to be desired. A second player can take control of Cappy, but their controls are incredibly limited when compared to player one. Much like Mario Galaxy, the second player is more like an assistant than a true participant in the gameplay as a result.

Super Mario 3D World, on the other hand, was designed with multiplayer in mind. Not only does the main game support four players at once, but the new addition, Bowser’s Fury, also offers up two-player co-op. It's streets ahead of Odyssey in this respect and is, therefore, the better choice for those looking for an enjoyable couch co-op platformer.

9 Worlds: Super Mario Odyssey

Super Mario Odyssey gameplay screenshot

The places Mario goes in Super Mario Odyssey really do make the game feel like the adventure of a lifetime. It goes far beyond the typical grass land, desert land, ice land formula from the Italian plumber's past, with each world offering something completely unique to help set it apart from the rest.

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The more traditional world designs found in Super Mario 3D World are by no means bad, but they're just nowhere near as well-realized as the ones found in Odyssey. With that in mind, the latter's title is perhaps a lot more fitting than most players will ever realize as it perfectly captures the sheer scale of the adventure that's on offer here.

8 Levels: Super Mario 3D World

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury gameplay screenshot

While the worlds in Super Mario Odyssey comfortably beat out those of its competitor, the individual levels are arguably just that little bit better in 3D World. The open-world designs do work well for Super Mario Odyssey, particularly given how many moons there are to collect, but some areas can perhaps be a little too open at times.

Super Mario 3D World is a lot more inventive with its level design, often sacrificing scale for quality. They are also a lot of fun to go through quickly in smaller, more bite-sized chunks, which some will feel makes them a much better fit for the Switch’s handheld approach to gaming. 

7 Costumes: Super Mario Odyssey

Super Mario Odyssey gameplay screenshot

Along with the themes of its worlds, Mario also gets to dress up in a wide selection of outfits in Super Mario Odyssey. The costumes seemed to be an attempt at fitting him in more with each location. It's too bad, then, that there aren't any sports arenas for Mario to suit up in.

Some of the plumber's costumes also serve as nice throwbacks to his previous adventures, all the way back to his debut outing on the NES. It serves as a celebration of the character, which is fun, even if the costumes don't do anything special or have any impact on the way that Mario controls. 

6 Characters: Super Mario 3D World

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury gameplay screenshot

What Super Mario 3D World lacks in costumes, it more than makes up for with its large cast of playable characters. Being able to control Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Princess Peach is yet another nice little nod to the series' past and, in some ways, serves as a return of sorts to the franchise's 2D roots.

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This dynamic had not been seen since Super Mario Bros. 2 on the NES and is an excellent addition for those hoping to play as somebody other than Mario or Luigi for a change. Seeing Peach and Toad's various costumes is a lot of fun and something that fans will hopefully get to see a lot more of in future Mario games. The unlockable character is also a nice touch.

5 Powers: Super Mario Odyssey

Super Mario Odyssey gameplay screenshot

The Mario power-ups are arguably just as iconic as the character himself. However, even though Super Mario 3D World has a great selection of them, including the hugely popular cat suit, Super Mario Odyssey completely changed the game thanks to the addition of Cappy and the game's capture mechanics.

Possessing enemies was by no means a new gameplay mechanic in 2017, but, like Nintendo often does with things that it borrows, the developer put its own unique spin on it. From becoming a frog to disguising as a manhole cover, the capture powers are all memorable in their own way and feel like a cross between Mario and Kirby in many respects.

4 Collectables: Super Mario 3D World

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury gameplay screenshot

There is a lot to do in Super Mario Odyssey, as one might expect from an open-world game. The amount of collectibles in Super Mario 3D World really puts it to shame, however, with more than 500 things for players to collect throughout the game's many stages. That may seem like a lot to some, but it really does encourage players to explore every last inch of a stage.

There are 100 Cat Shines to collect in total, as well as 380 Green Stars and 85 Stamps. Most are fairly easy to find, although some will require a little bit of digging, while five of the stamps require players to beat every level with all five playable characters. It can be a bit of a chore, but it's arguably worth the effort, as finding everything will grant access to the World Crown bonus level.

3 Music: Super Mario Odyssey

Super Mario Odyssey gameplay screenshot

Both games have excellent soundtracks that are exactly what one might expect to find in a Mario game. While nothing about Super Mario 3D World’s score is bad though, it’s just not that memorable aside from the main theme and one or two of the other tracks. At least not when compared to the Odyssey soundtrack, anyway.

The composers of the score for Super Mario Odyssey play around with different styles of music to great effect. The resulting fusion pieces fit the themes of the game's worlds almost perfectly and really help to make levels feel like they're alive. Plus, “Jump Up Super Star” is a real banger. 

2 Mini-Games: Super Mario 3D World

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury gameplay screenshot

Like the collectibles, there are a lot of things to do in Super Mario Odyssey that could be considered mini-games. For as enjoyable as some of them are though, none of them are so good that they spawned their own spin-off title. The same cannot be said, however, of one of the mini-games found in Super Mario 3D World.

The Captain Toad stages found throughout the game are completely unique and really helped to break up the constant barrage of traditional platforming levels. They were so good, in fact, that Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker was released as a standalone title shortly after 3D World's release and has since been ported over to the Switch.

1 Post Game Content: Super Mario Odyssey

MArio riding a moped in Super Mario Odyssey's New Donk City

While players will find no shortage of things to do in Super Mario 3D World after they've completed the main story, many fans feel that Odyssey offers a far more enjoyable post-game experience. The way that new moons open up after defeating Bowser helps breath new life into old worlds, but that's only a small part of what the game has to offer once the main narrative has been experienced.

Players gain access to the Mushroom Kingdom and can even jump into a few of the paintings in Peach's castle much like they could in Super Mario 64. It's even possible to fly the Odyssey up to the dark side of the moon, where players can then take on a grueling boss rush. Completing this unlocks yet more fun challenges which can help keep the party going that little bit longer.

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