A game that I really like is Super Mario Odyssey from Nintendo. This game combines a few aesthetics to create the dynamics and experience that make it fun.
Here are some of the aesthetics I have identified in Super Mario Odyssey:
- Sensation: The new thing in this game, compared to some similar games such as Mario Galaxy, is that it incorporated the Switch’s controllers’ motion sensors very well in the game. You can control Mario’s hat in many different ways by flicking the controllers in different directions. The game cannot be played well without using the motion control. Being able to do a backflip or a jump dive by coordinating your hand movements is just really fun and feels good.
- Fantasy: Another new thing in this game is how you can become different creatures in the Mario world by throwing the hat at them. It is exciting to be able to play with so many characters I grew up with like the Goombas and Yoshi, as well as the new characters introduced in the game. Super Mario Odyssey almost had no NPC due to this feature.
- Challenge: As with any Mario game, to unlock more of each world and gain more moons, you must solve challenging puzzles. It is what everyone expects from a Mario game and it is what traditionally makes them so fun and addicting.
- Discovery: Super Mario Odyssey introduced a very interesting discovery mechanic. Unlike other discovery games such as Zelda BOTW where you have one giant map that you keep discovering as you travel further, Mario Odyssey introduces a travel ship. Using a travel ship that feeds on moons you can unlock completely new worlds that look totally different. Also, as you explore more of each world, you collect more moons and find cool places. They designed the Discovery aspect of the game really well and made it a core part of the game.
