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Super Mario Odyssey

Review · Arcade · Nintendo Switch

Super Mario Odyssey

Reviewed: 13 May 2026

Nintendo Switch

Nintendo · 2017

Ludograph rating

B

Good

58 /100

Super Mario Odyssey is a platformer that builds spatial awareness and adaptive challenge as kids explore vibrant worlds and solve puzzles.

06010030BenefitLow riskB 43 · R 12
The Ludograph reading, plotted from the published benefit and risk sub-scores.

Growth (BDS)

43

Risk (RIS)

12

Daily limit

120min

Age guidance

10+

Developmental benefits

B1Cognitive
0.68
B2Social-emotional
0.40
B3Motor
0.55

Super Mario Odyssey is a vibrant and engaging 3D platformer that encourages exploration and problem-solving. Players will develop spatial awareness as they navigate diverse kingdoms and utilize Mario's new hat-throwing mechanic to possess enemies and overcome obstacles. The game fosters adaptive challenge with its varied objectives and hidden secrets, promoting persistence and critical thinking.

Design risks

R1Compulsion-loop pressure
0.13
R2Monetization
0.00
R3Social risk
0.00

Super Mario Odyssey presents minimal risks. While there are elements of variable rewards with moon collection, these are not designed to be exploitative. The game has no in-app purchases or social risks, making it a safe and wholesome experience for children.

Content (not in risk score)

R4.1Violence Level
0.00
R4.2Sexual Content
0.00
R4.3Language
0.00
R4.4Substance References
0.00
R4.5Fear / Horror
0.00

Content risk is displayed separately and does not affect the time recommendation.

Regulatory design checks · DSAAssessed: meets criteria·GDPR-KAssessed: meets criteria·ODDSAssessed: meets criteria

  • DSA:What Ludograph checks: whether the game's design gives minors the transparency the EU Digital Services Act expects: plain terms, honest defaults, and clear reporting routes.: Estimated from review data. No dark pattern or child-targeting concerns found.
  • GDPR-K:What Ludograph checks: whether age assurance and consent flows are designed for under-16s, in the spirit of GDPR Article 8.: Estimated from review data. No privacy or child-targeting concerns found.
  • ODDS:What Ludograph checks: whether paid random-reward drop rates are disclosed, as required in China, Japan and South Korea.: Estimated from review data. No paid random-reward mechanics found, so drop-rate disclosure requirements do not apply.

These reflect Ludograph's assessment of the game's design practices against each framework's criteria, not a legal compliance determination.

Parents ask…

Is Super Mario Odyssey safe for kids?

Ludograph gives Super Mario Odyssey a rating of 58/100. It offers solid benefits but needs parental guidance on the risks.

How long should kids play Super Mario Odyssey?

Our session recommendation for Super Mario Odyssey is up to 120 minutes per day. It is derived from the game's own structure (natural stopping points, compulsion-loop design, monetization pressure, and social dynamics), not from a universal screen-time dose.

Session recommendations are design-based heuristics. Evidence linking specific daily durations to child outcomes is limited, and context matters as much as time; treat this as a starting point for household rules, not a clinical threshold.

What are the main risks of Super Mario Odyssey?

Super Mario Odyssey presents minimal risks. While there are elements of variable rewards with moon collection, these are not designed to be exploitative. The game has no in-app purchases or social risks, making it a safe and wholesome experience for children.