This is the weirdest Mario game yet and I couldn't be happier.

Super Mario Odyssey is easily one of the best Mario games ever made and its mere existence is a rarely seen acknowledgement by Nintendo of the evolving video game landscape. The Nintendo Switch ( ) tandem of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and now Odyssey display a precise threading of the needle, expertly balancing the delicate nuances of Nintendo's legacy and modern gameplay archetypes.

Simultaneously, Nintendo has evolved Mario into an open-world experience that extends far beyond platforming or action-adventure -- all while honoring the character's 30-plus year journey by nodding at so many cornerstones along the way.

Nintendo/Screenshot by Jeff Bakalar/CNET

Super Mario Odyssey works so well because it takes chances and rarely plays it safe. It's the progression of Mario you've always wanted but could never put into words. The openness of Mario 64 matched with the creativity and surprise of Super Mario Galaxy are on display here, which result in something that genuinely feels fresh.

Nearly everything about Odyssey, from the tiny expressions on Mario's face to the infectious music throughout the entire game, all feels like a meticulously handcrafted work of art. Its painstaking attention to detail can be found right in front of you or hidden away for only a select few to ever find.

Check out GameSpot's Super Mario Odyssey review and additional coverage

In the game players will take control of Mario as he chases Bowser from kingdom to kingdom in a search for Power Moons, the fuel that propels his ship, the Odyssey. After an initial encounter, Mario's hat is destroyed and resurrected by Cappy, a hat-like-creature-thing that is able to morph into various hats Mario can wear.

Nintendo/Screenshot by Jeff Bakalar/CNET

Cappy lets Mario toss his hat at enemies and items, and more interestingly, "capture" stuff as well. There are so many things I did in Odyssey that I never thought I'd ever see Mario do. I became a T. rex, a zipper, a tank -- it just goes on and on.