Super Mario Odysseyy is one of the most entertaining 3D Mario games. Flourishes like allowing Mario to ride a moped around a place called New Donk City, or the fact that you can turn into an actual dinosaur and scavenge worlds, make it stand out even from the stiff competition of other Mario games. It’s always been good, but now a group of content creators are playing it in a whole new way by turning its colorful world into a giant hide-and-seek playground.
In a video titled “Mario Odyssey Hide and Seek is now CLASSIC”, YouTuber and streamer Cjya, a creator known for speedruns and challenge runs of Mario games, teamed up for a lighthearted stream where he played a modified version of the game with five other streamers: SmallAnt, Fir, GrandPooBear, EazySpeezy, and CraftyBoss925.
The group is a chaotic mix of gamers with high technical skills who enjoy putting unique twists on streaming Nintendo games. GrandPooBear became known for his ability to beat super-difficult Mario ROM hacks and his completion of a marathon of expert levels in Super Mario Maker 2. SmallAnt became popular for modified content and challenges in Pokémon. Everyone finds ways to put their own spin on classic games, making them the perfect group for a game of hide and seek.
Super Mario OdysseyIt contains countless nooks and crannies in which to hide the game’s many Power Moons, virtual collectibles that Mario must find in the game. These now represent the best hiding places. The seekers count, the other players hide, and then it’s up to the seekers to find and catch the other players to win the round.
In one notable moment, Cjya chases SmallAnt through the Cascade Kingdom, resulting in a high-speed hat-carrying chase where at one point SmallAnt narrowly escapes via a perfectly timed roll.
Being able to hear everyone at once makes it feel like hanging out with friends. Additionally, viewers can switch between streams, so if one person is looking for something, viewers can see where the others are hiding.
“I love Smant and Fir as Goombas because on each other’s screens, Smant looks like he’s taking a relaxed stroll through the air, while Fir is a graceful flying angel Mario coming down to take out Crafty,” BabygirlCupid said in the YouTube comments.
Play hide and seek in Super Mario Bros. is a time-honored tradition that has existed for years in this particular group. SmallAnt commissioned the mod from CraftyBoss and the two have released a mod that added online multiplayer to the game in 2022. Since then, this type of content has become a staple for Mario-focused content creators. In another version of the game, some of the group “Prop hunting”, which allows players to disguise themselves as random objects in the environment, providing an additional challenge.
Given the current lull in releases, there’s never been a better time to find new ways to enjoy old games. Not everyone will want to go to the trouble of installing modded games on their Nintendo Switch, but that’s OK. Streams and videos like these don’t require downloads and can provide the perfect combination of clumsy antics fit for a break-time playground and watching highly skilled players.
