Donkey Kong
Though this entry is meant to serve more as a homage, it can be argued that Donkey Kong did influence the entirety of Super Mario Odyssey’s New Donk City. Silly at a glance (is Mario an alien?), the level features everything a sprawling metropolis should, complete with bagel stores on every block and annoying commuter congestion. Pauline sees her return from the classic arcade too, this time no longer a damsel in distress but rather the mayor of the city. Her song “Jump Up, Super Star!” that’s performed towards the end of the level references sound effects used in the arcade version of Donkey Kong, thus bringing everything full circle.
What other games may have influenced Super Mario Odyssey? Let us know in the comment section below and don’t forget to stretch before doing all that jumping.
