John S. TroutmanI was thinking this morning about how interesting it is that Mario Odyssey really builds upon Mario lore, in a way that previous games never have.
Most Mario games tend to take place in more or less a vacuum, but in Mario Odyssey, the past matters.
New Donk City is literally named after the ape that kidnapped Mayor Pauline. She holds an annual festival to celebrate her victory over said kidnapping.
Bowser's latest kidnapping of Peach isn't just another incident, it's the escalation of every incident to date, determined such as he is to straight-up marry her this time.
Mario as a hero has become borderline legendary. His reputation proceeds him. It all just builds and builds and builds.
Even smaller elements, like the continuing adventures of Captain Toad and the Toad Brigade, lend the game a sense of continuity it's only flirted with before.
It's a good game, is what I'm saying.