Tuxedo/Top Hat Outfit
First appearance: Super Mario All-Stars (1993)
How to acquire: Purchase with 15 purple coins from the Cap Kingdom.
This is one of the outfits that you would think originated in Odyssey, but it is actually a reference to one thing specifically: the Super Mario All-Stars box art. The collection of 2D Mario games showcases a rather dapper Mario wearing a top hat, a tuxedo and holding a magic wand. No magic wand in Odyssey, unfortunately.
Scientist Outfit
First appearance: Super Game Boy commercial (1994)
How to acquire: Purchase with 45 purple coins from the Wooded Kingdom.
No, this outfit is not based off of Doc Brown or Doctor Wily. It is a reference to an old commercial for the Super Game Boy – an add-on for the Super Nintendo that allows you to play Game Boy games. Presumably, the narrative of the commercial is of Mario showing Donkey Kong his wonderful new invention.
Explorer Outfit
First appearance: Mario’s Picross (1995)
How to acquire: Purchase with 15 purple coins from the Wooded Kingdom.
Mario’s explorer outfit comes from the Mario’s Picross series where he plays an architect. In this puzzle game, he chisels away at priceless artifacts to make fun shapes, destroying history in the process. He’d make Nathan Drake proud.
Diddy Kong Outfit
First appearance: Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest (1995)
How to acquire: Purchase with 300 gold coins after gaining 320 moons, or tap the Diddy Kong amiibo.
Although Diddy Kong’s first appearance was in the first Donkey Kong Country as DK’s partner, it’s his Donkey Kong Country 2 costume that has been used in Odyssey. It’s no surprise, as this version of Diddy Kong is all that we’ve seen going forward. The only difference is the two stars on his shirt, which have definitely become synonymous with Diddy Kong. That, and his cool Nintendo hat.
Mario 64 Outfit
First appearance: Super Mario 64 (1996)
How to acquire: Purchase with 35 purple coins from the Mushroom Kingdom.
Moving into the 3D era, the Mario 64 outfit isn’t really an outfit per se. It’s Mario’s regular attire but in 64-bit form. It’s the only outfit in the game that changes the appearance of Mario’s face, giving it a more polygonal look.
Invisibility Cap
First appearance: Super Mario 64 (1996)
How to acquire: Gain the multi-moon from Darker Side.
The invisibility cap is your reward for completing the hardest challenge in the game. It completely changes Mario’s form, leaving him as a mere shadow. Passing by an NPC will result in a suspicious “???” from them. In Super Mario 64, the vanish cap cause Mario to become immaterial and allows him to pass through certain walls and fences.
