GameCenter - July/August 2018 - 31

THINKING OUTSIDE
THE CONTROLLER
Nintendo wants the Switch to innovate at
every turn. It's a home console that can
be used as a tabletop portable or a handheld. It offers local multiplayer by linking
multiple systems together and is about
to debut an all-new online service (see
"Going Online"). You can even make new
Switch-controlled toys out of cardboard
thanks to Nintendo Labo.
None of this prepared us for what
we saw at E3 2018, though. Super Mario
Party will feature "Toad's Rec Room," a
new feature that allows the player to pair
up two Nintendo Switch systems for an
unexpected tabletop mode.
You won't need two Switch systems
to enjoy most of what the game has to
offer, with 80 new minigames that use the

While the rerelease of Mario Kart 8 didn't
offer much innovation, the other games did.
Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle features
deep real-time strategy gameplay akin to the
much-lauded XCOM series, while Mario Tennis
Aces offers redemption from its lackluster Wii U
predecessor.
All of these are fantastic games that players
have embraced, but none can hold a candle to
Super Mario Odyssey
Odyssey.
The Super Mario series has remained a
staple since the original NES, which saw three
installments during its lifespan. And though
most of these offer high-quality fun, a few of
them really elevate the series. Super Mario
Bros. 3 is often cited as the best of the 2D
games, while Super Mario 64 and Super Mario
Galaxy headline the 3D offerings.
Super Mario Odyssey takes its cues from the
latter, most notably in its tendency toward innovative and novel gameplay scenarios. In Odyssey, Mario travels from kingdom to kingdom
yssey
aboard a massive airship. While he's ventured

Joy-Con controllers in a bunch of different ways, but if you have a buddy with a
Switch, be sure to get together and see
what this new mode has to offer.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of GameCenter - July/August 2018