Super Mario Odyssey Easter Eggs & Hidden References
Super Mario Odyssey Easter Eggs & Hidden References
Nintendo’s attention to detail is second to none. This statement is self-evident when taking a look at the latest addition to the Super Mario universe – Super Mario Odyssey – which may surpass even The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in the easter egg department. Since the October 27th release of Super Mario Odyssey, players have been discovering a wealth of hidden details and references to the days of Super Mario Bros. passed – take a look at what we’ve found so far.
Mario’s Extensive New Wardrobe
Super Mario Odyssey puts front and centre the wonderfully bizarre ability to possess almost any object or enemy in the game. However, we absolutely must mention Mario’s new, extensive wardrobe which seems to have become the series’ biggest feature. Mario acquires these outfits from retail outlets littered throughout Odyssey’s worlds and the outfits award new abilities and unlock new paths. If this wasn’t exciting enough, many of these costume changes are direct references to games in Mario’s past.
For example, the safari gear Mario dons in Super Mario Odyssey dates back to the mid-90s Mario’s Picross games, released in 1995 and 1996, which never gained much traction outside of Japan, but both feature Mario in the same safari gear. There is also the chef’s outfit from 1992’s Yoshi’s Cookie, as well as the sombrero that Mario has worn on at least two occasions in the past.
New Donk City
True fans have already poured through Odyssey’s most popular levels in search of – and finding – tons of easter eggs throughout the world of New Donk City. The name itself sounds like a game you may come across when online gambling casino, and many have suggested that New Donk City (NDC) has ties to the Donkey Kong Family and their evidence makes it hard to deny. Street signs such as ‘Diddy’s Mart’ and ‘Dixie Street’ are clear references to Diddy Kong and Dixie Kong, and the ‘Cranky’ and ‘Krool’ street signs without a doubt refers to Cranky Kong and little-seen King K. Rool.
The detail that absolutely seals this theory is the car that is seen driving over the camera really quickly in the first Odyssey trailer with the license plate ‘1981-ND New Donk City’. Which year was the original Donkey Kong released? In 1981 of course!
Mario’s Penchant for Napping
If you’re managed to tear yourself away from your Nintendo Switch for anything more than a couple of seconds, you may have noticed that Mario takes a nap if you’ve been idle for too long. An awesome little detail is that a napping Mario is seemingly irresistible to birds, and they quickly make his substantial nose their new perch. It’s a fantastic touch from Nintendo who are world-renowned for their attention to animation, art design, and storytelling.
However, what makes these little details even more amazing is that the kingdoms of Super Mario Odyssey each have varying themes – each with their own wildlife. As such, depending on where Mario dozes off, the bird that sits on Mario’s nose will be a different species. Sleeping in New Donk City will result in a pigeon taking a perch, the familiar Mario 64 penguin makes an appearance perching on Mario’s nose in Snow Kingdom, parrots in Cascade Kingdom, and hat-wearing birds in the Cap Kingdom, and so on and so forth. It’s the little things that make up highly successful games!