You remember the hype. Everyone was losing their minds over that first glimpse of a "realistic" city with humans who didn't look like Mario at all. It felt surreal. Honestly, the super mario odyssey switch release date wasn't just another day on the calendar; it was the moment the Nintendo Switch proved it wasn't going to be another Wii U.
Nintendo dropped the game on October 27, 2017.
It arrived just in time for the holiday rush. If you were one of the millions who stood in line or refreshed a digital store page at midnight, you know that specific kind of electricity. But there is a lot of revisionist history about how we actually got to that Friday in October. People tend to forget that for a long time, we didn't even have a name for the game. It was just "the new 3D Mario" shown in the background of the initial Switch reveal trailer.
The Long Road to October 27
Development didn't start in 2017. Not even close. The team at Nintendo EPD actually started tinkering with the concepts for Odyssey way back in 2013, right after they finished up Super Mario 3D World. Think about that for a second. While we were all playing the cat suit levels on the Wii U, Yoshiaki Koizumi and his crew were already dreaming up Cappy and the "capture" mechanic.
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They wanted a sandbox.
The "Hakoniwa" (miniature garden) style of design was the goal. They hadn't really done that since Super Mario Sunshine on the GameCube. For over a decade, Mario games had been getting more linear—fun, but restricted. Odyssey was the break-out moment.
When the super mario odyssey switch release date was finally confirmed at E3 2017, the gaming world shifted. Nintendo didn't just show a trailer; they let people play the Sand Kingdom and New Donk City. The feedback was immediate: this was the spiritual successor to Super Mario 64 everyone had been begging for since 1996.
Why the Launch Date Was Genius
Nintendo is tactical. 2017 was arguably one of the best years in gaming history, and it was mostly because of how Nintendo spaced out their big hitters.
- March: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (The system seller)
- April: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (The evergreen multiplayer)
- July: Splatoon 2 (The competitive edge)
- October 27: Super Mario Odyssey (The holiday masterpiece)
By putting the Odyssey release in late October, they ensured the Switch would be the only thing anyone talked about during Black Friday and Christmas. It worked. Within just three days of being on shelves, the game sold over two million copies. In the US and Europe, it became the fastest-selling Super Mario game ever at the time.
Cappy, Dinosaurs, and Global Sales
The game is weird. Let's be real. Seeing Mario possess a T-Rex or a literal tank was a massive departure from the "safe" Mushroom Kingdom tropes. But that weirdness is exactly why it has legs. As of early 2026, Super Mario Odyssey has moved nearly 30 million units.
It is a juggernaut.
Critics basically gave it a standing ovation. Metacritic still lists it at a 97/100. Some reviewers, like the folks at IGN, literally applauded when the credits rolled. Why? Because the game respects your time. You can spend five minutes grabbing a single Power Moon or five hours hunting for every secret in the Luncheon Kingdom. It fits the Switch’s "play anywhere" gimmick perfectly.
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Some people found the motion controls a bit janky. You've probably felt that frustration if you tried to do the spin-throw with a Pro Controller. It's not perfect. The camera can still get stuck behind a polygon if you're platforming in a tight corner. But those are small gripes for a game that redefined what a platformer could be.
What Most People Forget
There was a huge debate about the "Purple Coins." Remember those? Each kingdom had its own currency, and you could only spend it on outfits or souvenirs for that specific area. At the time, some fans thought it was a bit "grindy."
Looking back, it was a brilliant way to force exploration. It made you look at the architecture of the kingdoms instead of just sprinting to the boss.
Is the Super Mario Odyssey Switch Release Date Still Relevant?
You might wonder why we're still talking about a 2017 release in 2026. It’s because the game hasn't aged a day. Unlike many titles from that era that feel sluggish or look "last-gen," Odyssey’s art style and movement physics are still the gold standard.
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Movement is everything.
If you master the Cappy jump—throw, dive, bounce, throw again—you feel like a god. Speedrunners are still finding ways to shave seconds off their times nearly a decade later. That doesn't happen with mediocre games.
If you haven't touched the game since your first playthrough, go back. Seriously. The post-game content is where the real challenge lives. The Darker Side of the Moon is still one of the most brutal platforming gauntlets Nintendo has ever designed.
Actionable Steps for Players in 2026:
- Check your Moon count: Most casual players stop at 200 or 300. There are 880 unique Moons (and 999 total if you buy them). The best content is hidden behind the 500-moon mark.
- Turn off the assist mode: If you played it on "easy" the first time, you missed out on the tension of the platforming.
- Master the Roll: Rolling is actually faster than running in most kingdoms. It changes the way you view the maps.
- Find the 2D segments: They are love letters to the NES era and are tucked away in almost every kingdom.
The super mario odyssey switch release date marked the beginning of a new era for Nintendo. It proved they could still be experimental, bizarre, and incredibly polished all at once. Whether you're a veteran or a newcomer picking up a Switch 2 (which, yes, runs this game beautifully via backwards compatibility), Odyssey remains the quintessential "must-play." It’s a sandbox of pure joy that hasn’t lost its luster.