Super Mario Odyssey is a fantastic, creative voyage across a world filled with crazy kingdoms. We loved it. It asks an important question: who are you? Well, you’re Mario. And Mario can be a frog, picture piece, tank, fork, woodpecker, or anything else, depending on the kingdom. Here we’ve listed all 52 things you can capture in Super Mario Odyssey. Some are unique, some are exactly like four other captures. But they’re all Mario possessing something with a sentient hat. What’s not to love?
Naturally, this entire article is full of spoilers. So, uh… don’t read it if you don’t want half the game spoiled for you. Enjoy!
Bottom of the Barrel
48, 49, 50, 51 & 52 – Manhole/Boulder/Cactus/Tree/Bowser Statue
These five objects available for capture are all silly, and they’re all essentially the same. Sure, the first time you capture a cactus and shimmy a couple feet to the side to reveal a Power Moon, it’s kind of entertaining. By the time you do the same with a Bowser Statue towards the end of the game, it’s more tedious than anything.
47 – Meat
Okay, sure: meat controls exactly like the lowest entries on this list. However, the way it twitches out of its salty coating and attracts the attention of the Luncheon Kingdom’s awesome boss puts it just a touch above the rest.
46 – RC Car
Technically, Mario’s actually capturing (*cough* possessing *cough*) the Metro Kingdom citizen who’s controlling the RC Car. But Nintendo listed the capture as the car itself, and that’s far less interesting. Add in the fact that the car controls like the track is slathered in extra virgin olive oil, and it gets close to bottom billing.
45 – Letter
Here we’ve got another inanimate object that Mario can capture and just make hop around a bit. It’s more interesting than some, however, because it’s part of a puzzle. Sure, the puzzle is just rearranging the letters so they spell “MARIO,” but it’s a puzzle nonetheless.
43 & 44 – Picture Match Part (Goomba)/Picture Match Part (Mario)
Oh, you thought we were out of the inanimate objects woods? Think again. These two puzzles are mechanically identical, where Mario captures each feature of a large Goomba or Mario picture, and has to try and recreate the face by memory. It’s surprisingly difficult to pull off, and the results are often hilariously out of proportion. these inanimate objects get bonus points for sheer embarrassing comedy.
42 – Jizo 
This Bodhisattva statue is a Japanese take on Buddhist art… and it’s also totally a throwback to Tanooki Mario. It’s mostly just useful for standing in place with other Jizo statues and getting Mario a Power Moon, but it’s also capable of hopping about a foot at a time and stomping on mounds of earth hiding goodies for our Italian hero. Interesting history, not a super interesting capture.
40 & 41 – Puzzle Part (Metro Kingdom)/Puzzle Part (Lake Kingdom)
In both the Metro and Lake Kingdoms, Mario can come across 3D puzzels that necessitate him rolling around as a cubic piece of the puzzle and put it back in its rightful place. They’re simple puzzles, but they’re just tricky enough to make an impact.
You Have to Admit, It’s Getting Better
38 & 39 – Taxi & Mini Rocket
Though they are visually incredibly different, the Taxi and Mini Rocket both function the same. After they’re captured, they transport Mario to different areas in the world that allow him to tackle new challenges. The taxi is unique to the Metro Kingdom, while the Mini Rocket shows up all over the place. And, of course, it’s always fun to see inanimate objects with a moustache plastered on them.
37 – Lakitu 
Oh Lakitu – how you’ve changed. Back in the original Super Mario Bros., Lakitu would chuck dangerous enemies down upon Mario from his cloud perched in the heavens. Now he just likes to fish in peace. If that’s not character development, I don’t know what is. But in Odyssey, Mario can capture him and… just fish. Some fish yield coins, others net Mario Power Moons. It’s a quick little distraction to capture this old foe, but there are far more exciting captures out there.
36 – Binoculars
The Binoculars operate differently from every capture available to Mario. After taking control, the binoculars shoot up into the sky and allow Mario to survey the entire Kingdom from a new vantage point. This makes tracking down hard to find Power Moons and Purple Coins a breeze. Nintendo even made it so certain items were much easier to find this way, just to keep things interesting.
35 – Coin Coffer
We can all agree that any item, weapon, etc. in video games that costs money to operate kind of sucks (I’m looking at you, Yojimbo). But the Coin Coffer is just cute enough to spend money on. And, just before you waste coins by shooting them out its mouth, it actually gives you a healthy amount of coins upon capture, so you’re really not wasting much money anyway.
34 – Frog
You never forget your first capture. The frog is a blast to control, allowing Jump Man to jump like he never has before. Leap, even. And on the moon, there’s a special frog that, combined with the Moon’s unique gravity, can jump insanely high. Sure, basically all the frog can do is jump, but it’s a damn good jump. Mad hops.
32 & 33 – Pole/ Volbonan [fork]
The Poles, mostly scattered around the Metro Kingdom, and the Volbonan that are plunged into the candy mountain walls in the Luncheon Kingdom, are essentially the same thing. Mario can capture them, fling himself upwards, then capture another. It’s a fun mechanic that doesn’t grow old, and unlike many captures, can be sustained across multiple worlds.
31 – Knucklotec’s Fist
The definition of a one-off capture. You can only capture Knucklotec’s Fist when you’re fighting, you guessed it, Knucklotec. Still, it’s great fun to take his own fist and rocket it back into Knucklotec’s big, stone face.
Moustache Worthy
30 – Moe-Eye
The Moe-Eye are peaceful, sunglass wearing, Easter Island statues with an affinity for the unknown. Capture one, and Mario can see the unseeable. Sure, Moe-Eyes are slow, but they know something we don’t. They can take invisible platforms to Power Moons, and without them, Mario is doomed to failure.
29 – Ty-Foo
Ty-Foo do two things: float over toxic ooze and blow. Hard. Both are very useful to our red hero. Capture one, and Mario can knock enemies into the purple stuff, and glide breezily over danger. Their abilities are limited, but there’s little that’s more satisfying than taking down dozens of enemies with breath.
26, 27 & 28 – Chain Chomp/Big Chain Chomp/Broode’s Chain Chomp
Okay, so these captures are all exactly the same, just in different sizes. Capturing a Chain Chomp turns Mario into a wrecking ball, and hitting other Chain Chomps turn them into ricocheting wrecking balls. Broode’s Chain Chomp can only be used during a single boss battle, but it’s gold. Gold. Must make those other Chomps jealous.
25 – Poison Piranha Plant
Those darn Piranha Plants keeps trying to swallow Cappy. Don’t they know where he’s been? Luckily, they’re so distracted with Cappy fighting the good fight inside of them, Mario gets the opportunity to uproot them. Then it can be captured. When it is, it can spew globs of poison this way and that. It’s a nice change of pace to have an enemy fight against a capture.
24 – Goomba
Who ever thought the boring old Goomba would ever make it this far? Or, rather, this high? Yes, Goombas can stack once captured, and it’s awesome. The fact that there’s a lady Goomba out there who only falls for tall guys makes this even better. And, oh yeah, they don’t slip on the ice. That’s nice too.
27 – Zipper
Okay, capturing a zipper and going along a set path doesn’t sound fun, but it totally is. In fact, it sounds exactly like a zipper. And with HD rumble, it feels like a zipper too. But what’s most fun about the zippers laced across the Lake Kingdom is their ability to reveal secrets, and create new pathways. It’s a Hobby Lobby wet dream.
22 – Uproot
The Uproot is just so fun. New to Odyssey, the Uproot stretches up, then flings forward, allowing Mario to literally reach new heights. They’re even integral to a core bossfight, and stretching over lasers is indescribably whimsical. Long live Uproot.
21 – Fire Piranha Plant
Yes, sure, the Fire Piranha Plant is basically the same as the Poison Piranha Plant. But it spits fire.
Hats Off
19 & 20 – Cheep Cheep/Cheep Cheep (Snow Kingdom)
Cheep Cheep function identically in the Lake Kingdom and Snow Kingdom, except the snow ones can handle the cold. Allowing Mario to swim around indefinitely is a feat of its own, and though Mario often has to ditch a Cheep Cheep for a second to tackle obstacles, he hops right back into one and just keeps swimming.
18 – Glydon
The Glydon can be found at the highest areas of most Kingdoms, just psyched to get the chance to glide to his heart’s content. Once Mario takes over, that Power Moon that’s been eluding you is suddenly available to you. That feeling of finally getting that high-up moon is wonderful. We can’t thank Mr. Glydon enough.
17 – Hammer Bro
Ah yes – the Hammer Bro. My greatest enemy as a kid, I never could get past these things in the original Super Mario Bros. without getting hit. But oh how the tables have turned. Now I get to throw those hammers (or, rather, frying pans) and hop as I see fit. I’m the captain now.
16 – Fire Bro
We’ve already established that fire just makes everything better. Next!
15 – Shiverian Racer
There’s an entire racing game tucked away in the Snow Kingdom, and it sure is weird. The Shiverian Racers are pros at bouncing around snow banks and rolling to the finish line. They aren’t widely available, but piloting one just feels right.
13 & 14 – Paragoomba/Parabones
Both these enemies will keep flying at a restricted height as long as you just keep bashing the fly button. And though Glydon is great, it can’t actually fly. But these Para-creatures can, and they take us places we’d never be able to go before. Shining, shimmering, splendid.
12 – Bullet Bill
Oh, Bullet Bill. One of you is alright, but a barrage of Bullet Bills can make life a living hell. But taking control of one is downright awesome. You can zoom off to new platforms, ramping up speed as you see fit. Just make sure to hop out of the capture before you blow up above a lava pit.
11 – Chargin’ Chuck
Who expected Chargin’ Chuck to show up in the 11th hour, just before the campaign’s final boss? This football-pad-wearing enemy was damn-near invincible in Super Mario World, but just give him some new headwear and he’s all yours. He can run through bricks and enemies not as swol as himself, and turning those tables never felt so good.
God Tier Capture
10 – Lava Bubble
The Lava Bubble has been around since the beginning. He likes to hop in your way, threatening to set Mario on fire any chance he gets. But now he’s all Mario’s, and he’s super useful. He can now swim through and hop out of lava as he sees fit, and if he hops right onto a Magmato, BAM – new surface for Lava Bubble Mario to traverse. It’s magic.
9 – Tropical Wiggler
Stretching is good for the body. Stretching as a Wiggler is good for the soul. With the Tropical Wiggler, Mario can stretch from platform to platform, bridging gaps with ease and whimsy. You never feel that sense of panic when a jump doesn’t quite make it to a new platform, because the wiggler just goes back to his normal position if he’s not long enough. Thanks, buddy.
8 – Spark Pylon
The Spark Pylon is pretty simple, but that’s what’s beautiful about it. Mario transforming into raw electricity allows him to traverse power lines across Kingdoms, and if there are some coins or a Power Moon hanging out around the line, Mario just juts out and grabs them – no biggie!
7 – Banzai Bill
Yes, Banzai Bill is just a big Bullet Bill. But it can crash through objects, travel farther, and doesn’t explode upon enemy contact. In fact, it just mows over Bullet Bills like it totally isn’t murdering its whole family. He’s hardcore.
6 – Pokio
This new creature is an absolute joy to capture. Not only does its woodpecker beak poke out and stab enemies, it can puncture most surfaces and fling itself upwards to its hearts content. Unlike the poles or forks, the Poko can reattatch to the wall after flinging, so now Mario can climb Bowser’s Japanese fortress like it’s no big deal.
5 – Sherm [tank]
It’s a tank. Next!
4 – Gushen
The Gushen live in these cute orbs of water, jetting themselves upwards or forwards until the water runs out. When Mario gets a hold of one, he can basically fly around until he’s dehydrated. Considering these abilities allow him to topple the boss of the Seaside Kingdom across the entire Kingdom, he’s much more than meets the Moe-eye.
3 – T-Rex
Yes, it’s a T-Rex, and that automatically gets it in the top 5. But it gets the third spot because it can smash through stone and crush enemies under its mighty chicken feet. It can also use trampolines to jump to new ledges, and seeing such a massive creature nimbly fly through the air is mesmerizing. Long live the king of Jurassic Park.
2 – Yoshi
Going to the Mushroom Kingdom after beating the campaign is cool enough, but going on top of Peach’s Castle to find Super Mario 64′s final secret waiting for you is downright awesome. Then, unlike in 64, you actually get to become Yoshi. His little flutter and grunts are as jovial as ever, and even though this capture is basically just pure fan service, it’s perfect fan service.
1 – Bowser
Okay, so we’ve been able to play as Bowser in Mario spinoffs before, but this is the first time we’ve been able to really let loose as King Koopa. He can slash, breath fire, and when he goes 2D, he becomes classic Super Mario Bros. Bowser. He can even breath fire there too. It’s absolute satisfaction to crash through the final moments of Super Mario Odyssey’s campaign this way. It’s the cherry on top of an already delicious sundae. Oh, and a new song plays too. It’s too joyful for the real world to handle.
So that’s that! Agree with our ranking? Think twitching around as a tree should have gotten number one? Then sound off in the comments! For all your gaming news, reviews, and more, stay tuned to The Game Fanatics.
