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 ofThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildandSuper 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 aMariotitle of its own withSuper Mario 3D World. It’s back now on Switch as the second core 3DMarioadventure sans the collection from 2020. Of the two though, which one is the better pick?
Updated August 06, 2025, 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 itthe long-awaited sequel to Mario Odysseyremains 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.
10Multiplayer: Super Mario 3D World
Super Mario Odysseydoes 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 likeMario 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, wasdesigned 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 ofOdysseyin this respect and is, therefore, the better choice for those looking foran enjoyable couch co-op platformer.
9Worlds: Super Mario Odyssey
The places Mario goes inSuper Mario Odysseyreally 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 inSuper Mario 3D Worldare by no means bad, but they’re just nowhere near as well-realized as the ones found inOdyssey. 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.
8Levels: Super Mario 3D World
While the worlds inSuper Mario Odysseycomfortably beat out those of its competitor, the individual levels are arguably just that little bit better in3D World. The open-world designs do work well forSuper 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 Worldis 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.
7Costumes: Super Mario Odyssey
Along with the themes of its worlds, Mario also gets to dress up in a wide selection of outfits inSuper 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’tany sports arenas for Marioto 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.
6Characters: Super Mario 3D World
WhatSuper Mario 3D Worldlacks in costumes, it more than makes up for with its large cast of playable characters.Being able to control Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Princess Peachis 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 sinceSuper Mario Bros. 2on 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 futureMariogames. The unlockable character is also a nice touch.
5Powers: Super Mario Odyssey
TheMario power-upsare arguably just as iconic as the character himself. However, even thoughSuper Mario 3D Worldhas a great selection of them, including the hugely popular cat suit,Super Mario Odysseycompletely 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 wayand feel like a cross betweenMarioandKirbyin many respects.
4Collectables: Super Mario 3D World
There is a lot to do inSuper Mario Odyssey, as one might expectfrom an open-world game. The amount of collectibles inSuper Mario 3D Worldreally 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 and85 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 tothe World Crown bonus level.
3Music: Super Mario Odyssey
Both games have excellent soundtracks that are exactly what one might expect to find in aMariogame. While nothing aboutSuper Mario 3D World’sscore 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 theOdysseysoundtrack, anyway.
The composers of the score forSuperMario Odysseyplay 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.
2Mini-Games: Super Mario 3D World
Like the collectibles, there are a lot of things to do inSuper Mario Odysseythat 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 inSuper 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 Trackerwas released as a standalone title shortly after3D World’s release andhas since been ported over to the Switch.
1Post Game Content: Super Mario Odyssey
While players will find no shortage of things to do inSuper Mario 3D Worldafter they’ve completed the main story, many fans feel thatOdysseyoffers 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 inSuper Mario 64. It’s even possible to fly the Odyssey up to the dark side of the moon, where players can then take ona 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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