MANILA, Philippines – Nintendo at their Nintendo Switch press conference held on Friday, Jan 13, formally announced their newest Super Mario game, Super Mario Odyssey. (Read: Nintendo Switch pricing, games, release date detailed)

The game was first teased in October, appearing in the reveal trailer for the Switch.

The open-world sandbox title – in the same vein as Super Mario 64, Super Mario Galaxy, and Super Mario Sunshine – is scheduled for the holiday season of 2017.

Game producer Yoshiaki Koizumi touted that the game will put Mario in new places, saying that it will be a “journey to an unknown world.” Indeed, the trailer showed a few scenes where Mario found himself in an urban location populated with buildings – a setting not usually seen in the Mushroom Kingdom. 

Koizumi also mentioned Mario’s new accessory: a mysterious cap with eyes on it, which he said will offer a unique Nintendo Switch experience.

It’s slightly disappointing to Nintendo fans that it’s not a launch title as a Super Mario game at the launch of a new console has been somewhat of a tradition for the company.

Fans can take solace, however, in the fact that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, will be a launch title for the Switch and will also be launched for the Wii U on the same day: March 3. – Rappler.com