Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've got on their minds. Today, the overabundance of sunshine from the current heatwave has clearly got the better of Ollie, as he makes wild declarations concerning Super Mario's GameCube entry...
Super Mario Sunshine’s reputation has taken a bit of a beating over the years. It’s no surprise, either; Nintendo’s prowess in creating exceptional 3D Mario games has only increased with each iteration, leading to perhaps its strongest entry yet with Super Mario Odyssey. As only the second outing after Super Mario 64, Mario Sunshine represented a franchise that was still, even following its stellar 3D debut, very much finding its feet in the world of 3D gaming, and coupled with a rushed development cycle, it suffered from multiple gameplay frustrations that have only been exacerbated by the passage of time.
I have a bit of a confession to make, though: Mario Sunshine is my absolute favourite of the 3D Mario titles. I adored playing it on the GameCube back in 2002 and I adore playing it on the Switch now. It’s one of those comfort games that I fall back on whenever I can’t decide what to play.
Is it nostalgia? Well, yes and no… 2002 was undoubtedly a fantastic year for Nintendo gamers, with the one-two punch of Metroid Prime and Metroid Fusion, the incredibly unique survival horror Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem, and a remake of the iconic Resident Evil all playing their part to make it a year to remember. It was also a wonderful time in my own life; I had settled into high school and had a group of friends that shared my passion for gaming and Nintendo. It made for countless feverish discussions as we waited for each subsequent game release with bated breath.
I still remember the launch day for Mario Sunshine like it was yesterday. My best friend at school managed to get a hold of it before me (and I’m still not quite sure how, *grumbles…), so I spent whatever time we had together grilling him on what it was like, how it played, how far he had gotten with it. I knew that the game would likely be waiting for me by the time I’d get home that afternoon, but I didn’t care; I had to know as much as possible.
playing Mario Sunshine now doesn’t make me yearn for the past. I simply get lost in its world just like I did 20 years back; that’s not nostalgia, that’s simply the sign of a great game.
So of course, when I finally got home and sat down in front of my TV, the little Mario Sunshine disc sitting snug inside my GameCube, the outside world melted away as I stepped out onto that sun-drenched airport runway in Isle Delfino. And here's the thing: despite the seemingly perfect circumstances surrounding the initial release back in 2002, playing Mario Sunshine now as a 32-year-old father with a full-time job doesn’t make me yearn for the past. Instead, I simply get lost in its world just like I did 20 years back; that’s not nostalgia, folks, that’s simply the sign of a great game.
I know there are probably quite a few of you out there who are reading this and turning your nose up in disgust. There are many folks who have revisited and reevaluated Mario Sunshine in the years since its release and — perhaps quite rightly — determined that the controls are nowhere as refined as they might have seemed back in 2002. But to me, they remain just as intuitive now as they did back then. The spin jump, the F.L.U.D.D’s hover nozzle, the side jump… It all works wonderfully and, arguably, better than the vast majority of 3D platformers on the market.
“But what about the long jump?”, I hear you cry. Well yeah, it’s gone, I guess. But Mario Sunshine lets you string together moves in such a beautiful way that you can implement your own long jump by simply leaping into the air and immediately diving forwards; easy. Couple that with the option to spray water onto the ground in front of you and suddenly you’re sliding around Ricco Harbour as flawlessly as a John Candy-coached bobsled team.
Show me another game from 2002 that boasts better water effects than Mario Sunshine. Go on, I'll wait.
The point is, yes Mario Sunshine can feel a bit haphazard, and yes, the camera is absolute cack at times, but once you master its controls (which doesn’t take long, I promise you), then Mario Sunshine is truly one of the greatest platformers of all time. It holds up far better than its N64 predecessor and visually still looks absolutely stunning, particularly with the resolution upgrade provided by the Super Mario 3D All-Stars release. Show me another game from 2002 that boasts better water effects than Mario Sunshine. Go on, I'll wait.
All of this and I haven't even mentioned what, in my opinion, remains the most unique and delightful story in any 3D Mario title. Taking place on the tropical island of Isle Delfino, Mario finds himself jailed and subsequently tasked with cleaning up the environment after it's revealed that a mischievous lookalike has been destroying the island with deadly paint.
Eventually, yes, Peach gets kidnapped just like always, but those initial moments indicated that this would be a Mario adventure quite unlike any other, and the unique setting and characters really shine (ha!) right through to the end credits.
All things considered, if you're not a fan of Mario Sunshine, then there's little I can say that will change your mind. I am, however, speaking to those who have yet to dive into the game. I implore you to give it a chance; whether you manage to pick up a copy for the GameCube or via the All-Stars package on Switch (good luck doing that digitally, although physical copies can still be found relatively painlessly), ignore the naysayers and settle in for one of the most unique adventures on any platform.
It's my favourite 3D Mario game and I am absolutely willing to die on this hill.
Comments 166
The best? Nah.
A very very good game? Oh yeah.
This is bait and I took it. It’s not a bad game but it’s one of the worst 3D Marios as the other games are so much more enjoyable
I definitely appreciated it more when replaying it on 3D All-Stars, it was easily the most improved of the three titles. My favorite 3D Mario game is still either Mario 64, Galaxy 2 or Odyssey.
There is like 120 blue coins that collectively disagree with this op-ed.
The best? Absolutely not as 64 and odissey are nearly perfect games. But I played it for the first time in 2019 and it is good. The third best sandbox Mario.
Lol let’s not get hyperbolic. Fun game in its own right to splish splash through though ; )
I'll defend Mario Sunshine to the death, but personally I think it's far from the best 3D Mario.
That award goes to Odyssey IMO (which may itself be the best 3D platformer of all time).
100% agree. Played mario 64, sunshine and galaxy for the Mario All Stars collection recently.
Mario 64 didn't age very well, and galaxy was boringly easy and linear for me. Sunshine was the only reasonably challenging one, while still fun and beautiful. I get people love Galaxy from their childhoods... but it was still a sequence of 120 very linear and easy missions to me
No it's not the best 3D Mario game. Imagine doing clickbait like this to create content.
Always on the lower tier side for me. Didn't like the locations and the FLUDD thing was more annoying than exciting to me.
Galaxy will always be my favorite followed by 3 and then 64.
Odyssey was a bit of a disappointment although it did have some fun sections.
It’s fun, but also the only Mario game I’ve clipped through the floor in.
I think it's one of the worse, I can not stomach to play it anymore. The controls, camera and overall level design is a constant chore and I did not enjoy myself.
I can confirm this is the best Mario game, period.
I think Odyssey might push ahead now, but for the longest time Shunshine was my favourite as well. It's pretty polarizing to say, but instead of bashing people that love Sunshine, let's just let people have their opinions.
I absolutely haaaaaaated it, and still do.
Sunshine has my favorite OST and setting of any 3d Mario game. Unfortunately, the controls and camera angles can make finishing a level frustrating.
Love Sunshine — definitely underrated — but it's Odyssey and 64 for me at the top (and I can't pick).
I would not say it is the best but it is very good, much better than alot of people give it credit for and for me a large part of that is the way Mario controls. In that game he controls so precise, it just feels great to perform tricks to get around the levels which in a game where there is a lot of verticality in some of them that is a big deal, it is half the fun really.
I liked Sunshine more than I will ever like the Galaxy games just because of how Mario feels.
Very cool game, and perfectly understandable that it can be a fave. I played through Odyssey and didn't enjoy it that much, even granting it's creativity - maybe because I played the entire time in handheld. Sunshine offers a different experience.
Loved it at the time,
but playing it again in the 3D Collection,
some of it is absolutely appalling.
I had little to do with this game at launch as I had no GC console. But I remember being underwhelmed by it being the second game in the Super Mario series
It's not even the best 3D platformer on the GameCube 😄
Great game? Absolutely. Best 3D Mario ever? Absolutely not.
not the best. I say that title goes to Galaxy 1 - with Odyssey being a close second. But Sunshine would be third and I have a high opinion of it despite how much people disliked it.
I play it in Dolphin at 4K/60 + Widescreen.
I remember enjoying it when it launched on the Gamecube, but there were definitely moments of frustration.
When I revisited it in the 3D All Stars it was a really horrid experience... many more moments of frustration!
My conclusion was not that I am worse at videogames, or more irritable in older age... no, it's that the Gamecube controller was much better than the Switch Pro Controller!
There are 3 things that bother me with Sunshine:
Beyond those issues, it's a good game with enough originality to stand out in the long list of Mario platformers. I replay the game from time to time but oooh boy... I would never try to 100% it again.
It's funny to think that this was my first (official) mainline Mario game I ever played, 15 years ago on a friend's GameCube during a trip in Vienna. It felt nice, mainly due to GC's controller, but with joycons it's just off. Also, I wish the 3D All-Stars version was 60 fps, like the 2001 Spaceworld demo teased
I absolutely adore Sunshine. Whilst it isn't my absolute favourite (Galaxy isn't losing that crown any time soon), it does something for me that not many games can do: take me back to better days. Playing it for the first time through 3D All Stars was like playing games when I was really young, back when I didn't care about public perception or other such things and I just enjoyed playing games.
Sunshine is hands down the most inspired Mario game I've ever played. The cohesion set up in Isle Delfino gives it such a unique flair and it truly does feel like a lived-in world (helped out exponentially by the brilliant residents in the Piantas), some of the ideas it throws out are incredibly interesting and engaging (maybe not fun at times but interesting all the same) and the music is iconic as all hell.
AND THE MOVEMENT. OH MY GOD THE MOVEMENT. Everything feels so snappy in Sunshine, making each and every jump feel like an exciting event that fills you with just the right amount of dopamine whenever you pull off a spin jump, backflip or triple jump so that you'll constantly find ways to integrate them into your regular movement. And that's before you even factor in the genius that is FLUDD, allowing on the fly course correction and even more movement options than what Mario's base moveset brings. It's, no joke, genuinely one of the reasons I always find time to replay it, it's that incredible.
Sunshine is a game I always come back to and I doubt that'll change in the future, this game is a broken disaster and I love it for that very reason.
Also, the fact that a game like Sunshine is now 20 years old makes me extremely concerned for the passage of time.
Sunshine was actually the first Mario game I regretted buying. Up to that point, I didn’t think it possible. It was downhill from that point onward, for me!
I’d probably say it was my favourite one, even if it’s also probably the messiest one. 64 is good but bloody annoying, Galaxy is fantastic atmosphere wise but the planets didn’t feel as alive as the areas in Sunshine. Odyssey comes the closest.
It's a pretty good Mario game but I think the random difficulty spike halfway through the game is tough.
One thing I like about Odyssey is that you can really choose the difficulty level based on what moons you challenge yourself to collect.
...but I'm still a Mario 64 for lifer.
Super Mario Sunshine is certainly my favourite. Whilst I was engrossed enough in Mario 64 at the time, Mario Galaxy 1 & 2 held my attention and Odyssey was about as good as I could ask for, there's just something special about Mario Sunshine.
To me, it was to do with having a very defined theme, being a clear generational jump from 64 and being tailor-made for a new controller. I think I recall Shigeru Miyamoto saying he wanted people to feel like they were on holiday, and that's what I needed at the time. I still remember not properly understanding the analogue triggers, and it was very satisfying when I finally understood. Even though they haven't been kept up since, to me it felt like true evolution rather than a gimmick.
Nope. Odyssey takes the crown. Surprised we haven't had a sequel to it with the Switch life span.
I did enjoy it back in 2002 with the gamecube controller. Tried it recently through 3D All Stars and only lasted an hour.
This article should be grounds for termination of employment
Galaxy 2 for me. All the more painful it didn’t get an HD remaster as well.
Sit down, Ollie, the heat has got to you. Sunshine is far from the best 3D Mario game...but then 3D Mario games are in a league of their own anyway, so that's nothing to be worried about.
Agree. 100% finished it on the gamecube one or two years ago. And beat it again when I got 3D All Stars. Challenging but fun. The best part for me, is the setting and atmosphere. Music is also awesome.
So far every 3D Mario game was great for me.
No.
It looks stunning and has a wonderful sense of place, but I still think it’s hands down the worst 3d Super Mario for two reasons.
Firstly, its structure is terrible. It has 50 mandatory shines, and the other 70 are utterly pointless unless you’re going for 100% (which is painful and not worth it).
Second, it’s the only 3d Super Mario with sections that are just full on broken and horrendous to play. The sand bird, red coin squid race and water bottle shines are just a few mandatory examples.
I love Mario sunshine and I don’t have a nostalgic bias playing it in 3D all stars really did show me how good the game is it’s not perfect(most 3D Mario games have flaws 64 bad controls, sunshine difficulty and low level count, galaxy more linear levels, galaxy 2 worst story, oddessy way too much filler) I still like 3D land and 3D world better because of nostalgia but sunshine despite its flaws is still pretty great.
The tropical themes and FLUDD mechanics were great, but Sunshine is hands-down the glitchiest and least polished 3D Mario game ever created. No amount of clickbait or falseflagging will ever change that.
I was thinking it came out in August, at least in my country. I was in high school as well and can remember setting in Spanish class daydreaming of getting it after school. I feel like September of 02 animal crossing came out as well.
@maulinks then play galaxy 2, Galaxy 2 is my favorite so far cause is less linear and more difficult than the first one and keeps also the innovation and the fun of the first one.
Never been a favorite of mine. I enjoy all Mario games, but when I start thinking about my favorites, that one drops down on my list quick.
It has the least use of the 3 on Mario Allstars with 4 of us who play.
I respect your opinion, but if I’m being honest, I’d put Sunshine in the WORST 3D Mario game spot without hesitation. I liked the premise and art style, but the controls, voice acting, and level design felt so tacky, especially for a Mario game. I couldn’t even make it through the whole thing.
Plus, even if I did like the game, I can guarantee you that I’d still like Galaxy 1/2 and Odyssey much more.
I have great memories playing this with my younger sister (who now has two daughters of her own), and I later bought her a used Gamecube with all of the great games we used to play together. A while back she told me she got it again for the Switch.
I loved the game, still do, but when it DOESN'T work, it is an ABSOLUTE mess (I thought I'd be more forgiving revisiting it, but the camera in close environments is REALLY bad, I'm thinking of a specific level in the amusement park)
Other than that, yeah, it's been surpassed in many ways by Galaxy and Odyssey, but retained its own value as well, like many Gamecube games in Nintendo series.
It's okay to be wrong!
I remember playing it back when it was new on the GameCube and wasn't overly impressed with it. At the time far too many of the levels had me thinking to myself "thank goodness that's over with". So in essence almost felt like a chore.
Saying that I did play it again with Mario 3D allstars and to be fair really enjoyed it.
I guess the advantages of this day and age are if you're struggling in how to complete a level you can quickly look it up on you tube (I should add I only ever do this as a last resort with any game)
Back in the early noughtys the you tube thing and internet at your fingertips wasn't really an option
SMG
SMG 2
Odyssey
Sunshine
M64
SM3DW doesn't count, too linear. Bowser's Fury would count if it was a full game and not SM3DW DLC, probably after Odyssey but still before Sunshine.
how many consonants can I add to "nah" before it constitutes a comment
That is a statement 😂 I would say it’s the worst 3D Mario it’s a chore to play Odyssey is in a different league to sunshine
I respectfully disagree with that
Its not the best one but still pretty fun.
20 years later Sunshine is still the WORST 3D Mario. Fixed it for you. Mind, even the worst 3D Mario is still miles better than most non Mario 3D platformers, but yeah.
I’m never convinced this game even needs to defend itself, it’s a quality game and from what I see most can see that.
Great game that's middle of the pack for me. I like it more than 64, 3D Land, and Galaxy 2, but less than Odyssey, 3D World, and Galaxy.
Mario games tend to be good and this one is good too but far down in the list, even if we include games like Super Mario 3D Land and 3d World, which follow a formula that's somewhat different. Ah, yeah, I prefer Super Mario 64 to Sunshine. That being said, it takes last place on my list but it's still a good game. I replayed it when the 2020 collection came out. Some of its ideas are really good but it's a really painful one to 100%. Haaaaaaard!
Thats a "No from me son"
Dude must be tripping!!
Certainly Ollie Reynolds has never played Mario Odyssey.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Up until 3D All Stars, I hadn't played Sunshine since 2002. I think I found it okay back then and probably looked more favorably on it than it needed. Or maybe I looked favorably on it just because I yearned for another 3D Mario after 64.
Having had played it again, I remembered it's my least favorite Mario game.
@Paraka
You're not forced to collect the blue coins.
?
Couldn't disagree more.
Not being able to do a crouch then a high jump was a big disappointment that took away from the ease of exploration.
...then there was the water backpack - it made movement so much harder than any other Mario game.
It's ok, but dead last of the 3D games and doesn't measure up to Mario standards in my opinion.
...but then if this is the first Mario game you played it would probably stand out...
This Mario game I just couldn’t get into back in the day. I still haven’t bothered to play it when it was rereleased on Switch.
This is my favorite 3D Mario, warts and all!
I've never really understood the criticism that Sunshine has gotten, and haven't had a problem with any of the perceived issues that it's gotten flack for. It still plays and looks great to me!
Is the BEST 3D Mario game? Probably not, objectively. But it's definitely my favorite!
@cyrus_zuo "Not being able to do a crouch then a high jump was a big disappointment that took away from the ease of exploration"
...just backflip then? Backflips, plus wall jumps and FLUDD if you're still struggling. Or spin jump, do that from a Yoshi and you can reach tremendous heights.
Not my favorite (my heart forever belongs to Galaxy) but it's a fun game and I love the tropical setting and soundtrack.
@Cia - You want all the content?
You get the blue coins.
Clickbait title! LOL it is a great game, but Super Mario Odyssey and Super Mario Galaxy easily outshines sunshine.
Overall, Super Mario Sunshine is the best Mario 3D game. Super Mario Odyssey is the most boring and the two Galaxy games are great but more focused on linear action. 3D Land and 3D World are fine but slower and linear and Super Mario 64 is one of the best early 3D games. The few issues that Sunshine has can't change everything.
It's not because it has way too many flaws. But the game has an amazing ambience that almost no other game matches.
sorry, but its by far the worst 3d mario out there, that must be the hardest of illusions to call it the best
the only 3d mario i couldnt beat 100%, and after playing 3d all stars and having to use guides i know why
worst and most unstable physics/movement, dumbest hidden collectibles and so many pure frustration moments
20 years later and I still can't beat that janky boat part of Corona Mountain. And don't get me started on completing the game 100% and that garbage reward...
Galaxy and Odyssey just nukes Sunshine out of existence.
Pff, Odyssey has rendered all 3D Mario's obsolete, change my mind.
@JokerCK Bro it's literally an opinion. That's not clickbait you absolute faff. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and just because it's in an article doesn't mean it's fact?? Everyone has been overusing the world "clickbait" as a catch-all and it's exhausting
Very good game, but in my opinion galaxy is miles ahead sunshine.
The best? Absolutely not even close.
Fun? Yes despite its jank, low amount of content, godawful voice acting and often poorly aged BS its fun.
Good game? Definitely.
Best game? No.
Definitely the worst, but the worst 3D Mario is still better than most other 3D platformers. I don’t even know how you can debate this, it’s the least polished/most rushed 3D Mario with the most inconsistent quality in level design. I have very fond memories of playing it on the Gamecube, but 3D All Stars really forced me to take off my nostalgia goggles and look at Sunshine as an adult with a critical eye. It controls better than 64, but that’s really the only advantage it has over that game. Galaxy 1, 2, and Odyssey are much better games. More polished and much better level design which is crucial to any good 3D platformer.
All that said, I’m more of a 2D Mario fan. Guess I’m just old.
Excuse me what about Galaxy 2?
Damn…I was 13?
I remember when it releases. I walked to the bank. Withdrew the money. Walked to GameStop…and bought it.
My parents were pissed at me. I faked a stomach ache to get out of going to my aunt’s pool party that afternoon, with thee plan of purchasing Sunshine.
…
As an adult I just realized I’m still a sneaky SOB and will fake being sick to get out of going places so I can play video games.
Sunshine is good time, but what kind of delusional do you got to be to think it’s the best 3D Mario game?
I think that Super Mario Sunshine has a lot going for it, but it is also bogged down by many issues that shouldn’t even be there (such as the lack of an episode-based counter for blue coins). More than any other Mario game I think that Sunshine deserves a remaster, because of just how much potential it has when a few frustrating issues are taken care of.
I liked it enough but haven't put any time into it with the allstars cart.
I remember the music/water effects the best really.
Galaxy 2 for me. By far.
@VancouverVelocityFan You have found the correct answer.
Tried to played again in the Marios 3D all Stars on the Switch...
Hated again. Hated F.L.U,D.D, hated the enviroment, the theme...
I dont really know what it is. But is like trying to play an early og playstation half baked platform game. Never felt very Mario... or even very Nintendo to me. Its falls very very low comparing it with Mario 64 or Mario Galaxy...
My vote was for a sharpened pitchfork, which sounds like it would offer more fun than I had with Mario Sunshine.
The best ?
I don't think so.
I don't like with the FLUDD control at all.
It was really hard to aim the target properly.
I thought Ratchet & Clank games on PS2 was way much better than Mario Sunshine.
i will play any game where mario runs around in a 3d space, but they ruined this one with the stupid water gun. it also started the trend of Nintendo thinking that "cleaning up" and or covering areas with spray is a fun game idea. its not.
its a shame, as mario needs so LITTLE to be good.
Fludd adds a lot of gameplay variety. Same when it's taken away from you. I also love the level locations. Too bad some of the stars are jank af like the pachinko machine and the leaf one. Blue coins are also unfun.
I did the pachinko thing in about 10 tries, but the "Yoshi wait and test your patience" to then play on the poor lilypad controls, now that's the real nightmare.
I had this game around the same time as Sonic Heroes and have no problem admitting Heroes was the more enjoyable 3D action/platformer, it even does 60fps.
A fantastic game? One of the best on GC? Holds up well for a 3D game of its age? Points for taking a risk? Gets too much hate? Yes to all!
Still the worst 3D Mario? Also yes! That says a lot about the Mario series. Probably the only 3D Mario that’s a 9 instead of a 10, in my book, and there aren’t a lot of games that I would award a 9!
Fantastic game, but for me personally Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 are my favourites in the 3D space. Super Mario world Snes, Super Mario 3 nes 2D.
Also, “holds up better than its N64 predecessor”??? How ……. DARE you sah!
If this game was my first 3D Mario, it would've been my last.
Even back then, I was extremely dissapointed with Sunshine, after 64 and taking acount of the huge leap in power with the Game Cube, I was waiting for something huge, something miles away from 64, and it was the contrary
Best LOL? You mean the worst. The frustration and rage i felt while playing it or the stupid blue coins i had to find to get 100% is not what i call a good time. Sure it looks pretty but i found everything else about it pretty annoying.
Honestly, I dont like it at all. The level design is simply terrible, being confined to a single theme really held the game back creatively (unlike mario galaxy) and you know what, I don't even like delfino square. Overall it's by far my least favorite mario game
I would agree if Sunshine was the only 3D Mario game but there’s 7 more and they’re all better than it
A man after my own heart. I love Sunshine for the layered 3D level design, their willingness to actually stick with the tropical theme and make the different areas feel connected instead of just throwing in a random mishmash of environments on floating platforms, the music, the goofy characters, and all the cool ideas and twists they managed to fit into it. And while I'll admit the camera hits the occasional snag, I'd still gladly take that over the fixed camera and linear levels we had to deal with up until Odyssey.
@Deepdoop Congratulations. You're officially my opposite.
I enjoyed the theme and the mechanics, but the physics killed it for me. It all felt like it needed some more time in development. Even Yoshi's animations felt underdeveloped.
Playing it on 3D All Stars gave me some appreciation for the evolution of the 3D Mario games. Mario 64 was rough but it was their first attempt at 3D platforming. Sunshine just felt frustrating not knowing when something would bug out. Galaxy was a breath of fresh air and everything just felt so fluid.
@Banjo-
In contrary, I have finished Mario Odyssey since4 years ago but I have sold Mario 3D All Stars due to terrible control of FLUDD from Mario Sunshine.
I rather enjoy this game quite a bit. Nothing can top Super Mario 64 as my favourite 3D entry, but Sunshine is pretty up there for me.
Good Lord no. It wasn’t that great at the 6 years waiting for the follow up to the seminal Super Mario 64 and it was inferior. Not only that, vastly inferior to Jak and Daxter on the PS2 released a few months earlier.
Further, it has aged like sour milk. It’s reappearance on All Stars did more to highlight its weaknesses than strengths. All the issues are harder to ignore now there are so many better platformers out there.
Rarely have I seen clickbait more blatant.
I tried it in the 3D Collection. And it's my second least favorite 3D Mario game. And honestly every 3D Mario that came after it was better.
There are things I like a lot about it, and I think if you stick to the main 50 Shine Sprites it's largely very good, but the whole thing just has this broken, clunky half-finished feel to it when you start really digging into the side content.
@Buizel Ratchet and Clank?
I'm a chuckster!
http://youtu.be/5E9svMa42lw
Best Mario Ever, and I've finished them all (including lost levels).
@tseliot Fantastic series, but never reaches the pure platforming bliss of Mario Odyssey IMO.
Honestly I think most of the 3D Mario games haven't aged as well as the 2D games. Sunshine is both flawed and showing age. I would rank 3D world first because it takes the best of 2D Mario and 3D-ifies it and Odyssey second just because it is basically Mario 64 but modern and equally well done for it's time. Mario 64 gets 3rd for me because it is heavily aging but extremely well designed. Sunshine on the other hand is a 'let's experiment with the Mario formula ' game and it's..ok; not a bad game but neither the best as a Mario game nor the best as a 3D platformer.
Clearly what we really need is more new Mario games.
I agree so much!
Mario Sunshine is incredibly easy to get lost in its world- my brother pointed out how small the levels were and that surprised me but I guess they packed a LOT into what they had because every single level oozes charm.
The platforming is also so pleasing and I enjoyed the little story cues with Peach and Toadsworth (pls bring him back btw).
Honestly. Between Sunshine and Luigis Mansion; the gamecube era was peak Mario Brothers and I doubt we'll ever have such such a charming and enjoyable era for that franchise again.
@Gitface I wouldn't say a very very good game just a very good game. 😁
Super Mario galaxy is my favourite
While the game is not as great, I could see this game crossing over to Splatoon in a way. Imagine Mario with F.L.U.D.D. against the inklings, the cleaner the battlefield means Mario wins, the dirtier and more paints the area is the inkling wins. They could call it, Super Sunshine Splatoon or they could make a Super Mario Sunshine 2 with the inklings as the villains and market it as a prequel to Splatoon.
It's not the best 3D Mario game but if you compare 3D Mario games to a bag of Revels, there are no orange or coffee ones to be found. I don't like those flavours just for clarity, feel free to chop and change the flavours for your preferences in my terrible analogy.
Happy to see many of you have a firm grasp on the concept of opinions! I know it's not a popular one, but this game is very special to me, even if it isn't quite as technically proficient as Galaxy or Odyssey. It's still my favourite.
Definitely a good game, but it’s waaaay jankier than the other 3D Mario games…
When playing through it on all stars, I got so many deaths that were because something didn’t work as well as it should. I even recorded some of them.
Wall jumping into oblivion, slipping off platforms for no reason, those chucking piantas who ignored me pressing the A button when they were lined up properly, but responded the second they were facing the wrong way… I can’t remember being so frustrated at a Mario game.
I’m sure it’s most avid fans have learnt how to counteract the jack in the 20 years since it’s release, which is fine. It’s still a great game.
But for someone who hasn’t, good lord it’s frustrating.
I like FLUDD by the way. Had no problem with that.
Sunshine probably has the highest highs and the lowest lows of any 3D Mario game. At its best, it's the most fun Mario has ever felt to control. A great sense of speed, and some incredibly neat level ideas. At its worst, it's very frustrating, and the mechanics are pretty broken by Nintendo's standards. Very much a rushed game that lacked polish.
I've still never played Sunshine.
I had a Gamecube on release night and skipped Sunshine by the way it looked compared to 64.
I also bought the 3D all-stars collection and have yet to even play any game on there despite absolutely loving 64 and Galaxy. I'm not saying I won't ever play it because I will, but I haven't really found a reason yet........ that is...... until this article.
You know what.... I might pop it in tonight finally. It stares at me every time I open my game card case and I always skip right by it. Not tonight, folks. I'm about to test this F.L.U.D.D. thing out finally. :: puts in Luigi's Mansion 3 ::
Saying that Super Mario Sunshine is the best Mario game is a very respectable opinion. There are days when I definitely feel like Sunshine is my favorite. Some days it'll be Galaxy or even 64.
I'm surprised how polarizing this seems to be in the comments. I get that people have different opinions about the setting, story, and gameplay, but controls-wise, Sunshine is the best one!
Mario Sunshine was my favourite 3D Mario until Odyssey came along.
Galaxy was fine but it never really hooked me in the same way the above games did.
The game does a similar thing for Mario as Wind Waker does for Zelda: how do we make the N64 title again, but different?
it's probably my fave 3D Mario, but I wouldn't argue it's the best - it's refining elements of 64, but it's not truly innovating on them. it's giving a twist on them. N64 is clunky around the edges, but was groundbreaking. And like Zelda again, it wouldn't be until 2017 that Mario truly innovated past the installation gimmicks to provide something completely new for the series.
No. Just no.
What is up with GameCube fanboys always overrating that mediocre library?
@maulinks "I get people love Galaxy from their childhoods"
So it's only possible to like a game with a 97% rating if you played it as a child? ok.
"2002 was undoubtedly a fantastic year for Nintendo gamers, with the one-two punch of Metroid Prime and Metroid Fusion, the incredibly unique survival horror Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem, and a remake of the iconic Resident Evil all playing their part to make it a year to remember"
And out of all these games, only the non-Nintendo title can be bought on the eShop.
Listen, I don’t have this game. Comparatively to other 3D platformers it is very good… but compared to other 3D Mario games, it’s pretty rough.
Galaxy and Odyssey are the best, Sunshine is easily my least favourite 3D Mario game.
Was hoping this was a satire article... Cmon, you're trying WAY too hard to be edgy and different. No one who hasn't had 20 shots of tequila or several sniffs of yeyo could possibly believe Sunshine is even in the top 3 of 3d Mario games.
Obviously everyone's entitled to their opinion, however..
You say that you were able to get absorbed into the game just like 20 years ago but that it wasn't nostalgia, it was just the sign of a great game, but then you immediately follow them up with saying that others have revisited it and found the controls to be worse than they previously seemed and you admit that this is rightly so, yet you say this: "But to me, they remain just as intuitive now as they did back then". That right there is the absolute, irrefutable, exact definition of nostalgia goggles. Facts be damned, it's my favorite!
Now, honestly.. I didn't like Sunshine when it released. It was a big disappointment to me. But I went back through it several years ago and it grew on me. I think it's a really solid game (with a few critical flaws that detract from the fun) and I can totally understand someone thinking it's the best one, though there's no reality where it hasn't aged some in a bad way.
My counter argument to this being the best game
-It has the least amount of levels of any 3D Mario Game
-Too many filler Shines
-Bad voice acting
-Not very memorable cast
-Everything done here has been improved in subsequent outings
When I heard they were going to put the Mario games back out, I wanted only 1 thing: a new physics engine for Sunshine.
So sad.
I demand an apology!
No, 64 is still the best one.
I had to pick the one where it aged like milk. After the solid controls of Galaxy and Odyssey I just couldn't stick with Sunshine for very long. It seriously has some of the worst controls from any 3D platformer ever. I admit back in 2002 I enjoyed it though.
It was my favourite 3D platformer of all time, as I really enjoyed the game mechanics, the setting, the fact that there’s a little story in the game, and probably because of nostalgia.
Odyssey took that crown now though. Most fun game I’ve ever played. And it doesn’t have a pinball level.
It's funny so many comments are arguing someone's preferences as if there is empirical objective truth to liking something. It's kind of like arguing that there is a best flavor of ice cream. But I guess the proof is in the pudding; this article has over a hundred opinionated comments and counting.
For the record, I really connected with Galaxy 1. Not sure why, I just did. Odyssey I played all the way, it was brilliant from design standpoint, it just felt "lonely" to me for some reason. Never connected with 64, I tried so many times. Sunshine was fine, I just didn't enjoy the feeling of being a janitor...
Alright that you like it and have good memories. But I don't think not having long jumps or the bad camera ranks very high up on players gripes with the game
How about the extremely small number of levels. Blue Coins. Repeated missions and bosses in conjuction with no freedom in which Shnes you obtain to beat the game
Going from Mario 64 where very few stars were mandatory (e.g your first couple have to be from Bob-Omb Battlefield before the game opens up) and any collected Star could open the door to the final boss to Sunshine where only the 1st 7 Shines of each level counted towards facing the final boss.
It only made Sunshine feel rigid and routine even by the 2nd playthrough, that there's only 1 route through the main story. A non-100% of 64, Galaxy, Odyssey, 3DLand or 3DWorld could have any combination of Stars/Moons/Coins collected each playthrough or two different players could have a very different experience. A non-100% of Sunshine always involves the same missions so your experience would very largely overlap with mine.
If Sunshine was the best you'd need to argue why its positives outweighs its biggest flaws not its smallest ones.
@eaglesfly76 I have. That and the original Galaxy are my favourite 3D Mario games.
I used to love it like you do but revisiting it was a bit of a bummer. Sometimes controls work like a charm and sometimes they don‘t. Some missions are just not worth completing to me. Like waiting an eternity to reach the sh**iest bonus level in the history of mankind. Or the watermelon mission when you f it up in the last two meters. And don‘t even get me started on the blue coins they‘re simply not worth collecting but they are mandatory if you want 120 stars.
Don’t get me wrong, the game will always hold a special place in my heart and there are countless enjoyable moments in it. But playing it for a short time on Switch made me think that I would rather keep it in the past as a good childhood memory.
It wasn't even the best when it came out... Mario 64 is better and that isn't even considering all the other games since then.
Ok, maybe its just because I didn't grow up with this game, so dont have the nostalgia, but I finally got around to playing it when it came out on the switch, sorry but one of the worst 3D Mario games I ever played.
Just dont get the Fludd and some of the level layouts are awful
Easily my favourite Mario game ever made. For years I've been saying I enjoy Mario sunshine more than 64 or galaxy, and since the all stars pack came out - I have only grown in my beliefs that it is the best out there. Reading the comment section, I'm surprised to find that I'm part of the minority of players that actually loved using FLUDD, despite it not being perfect - in part because it is so different, and imo mostly fun to use, and partly because it makes the game far more forgiving.
Galaxy was a let down for me when it first came out, it has a few great locations - but is just lacking something that makes it special for me (I have grown it on since it first came out, but it's still missing something). Galaxy 2 was a game I hated, although I'd happily give it another go if it comes to switch.
I rarely side with others for the most enjoyable games in a series, but I think that's the great thing about games (really is something for everyone, and places like this allow for compare/contrast for differing perspectives).
Trying to replay it in the 3D collection at the moment, and getting reminded of its biggest flaw in my opinion: The worlds’ settings are all too similar. It was a mistake to base the whole game around “summer”, hard to even tell the stages apart. Compare “Fire, Ice, Jungle, Cave, Hell, Moon, Clouds, …” to “Sunny beach, sunny harbor, sunny park, sunny island, sunny town”.
I love this game so much, always preferred the sandbox style Mario games to the more linear ones
My brother got this game when he got a GameCube and I got a guitar, and we both absolutely played the crap outta mario sunshine..... one thing tho how were you in highschool in 2002 and 32 now? I'm 33 now and didnt start highschool until 2003 unless you're talking about British schools or something
Some people defend garbage. They are free to do so.
The rest of us just put the garbage in the trash heap so it does not stink up our house.
For 3D (not the 3ds or Wii U ones and havnt played bowers fury yet)
1. Odyssey
2. Galaxy 2
3. Galaxy
3. 64
4. Sunshine
5. 64 DS
Fludd makes the game. Sorry not sorry. Mario feels the best to play here than any other 3D Mario. His controls are snappy and quick, which I can't say for the other 3D Marios.
Isle Delfino might be the best hubworld out of all of them, too.
I completely disagree on the best 3D Mario being Sunshine but it's such a charming game I can see why it's so endearing
My least favorite Mario game. Actually I didn't care for much after the N64. Nintendo just doesn't have the same creativity that they use to.
Removed - inappropriate
No way,Oddysey was a masterpiece. It was so good. After Oddysey u have both galaxy games and my fave of all time is Mario world from the SNES. To each its own.
Funny, 20 years later and I still think it's the worst 3D Mario. It's the only one I've experienced to have a janky camera, collision bugs, and honestly the least engaging and unique content. It's a great game, I'm talking like an A- rather than the A I would give to all other 3D Mario games, but it really just isn't as good or polished as any of the others.
I mean, it's not bad, but it's also not great. I don't like the progression structure, I don't like that the moment-to-moment freedom from 64 (the fact that nearly every star in the level is available from the get-go) isn't there anymore, I don't like the occasionally unpredictable jankiness (as opposed to 64's more predictable jankiness), and I don't like the level design (which sometimes approaches good, but usually feels too large for the specific objective you need to complete for each sprite, a problem that wasn't there with 64's compact, more open-ended design).
Anyway, I'm not a fan of Sunshine or Odyssey, for different reasons. Having played all 3D Marios within the past two years, I can say my favorite is 64 followed closely by Galaxy.
Am I the only one curious about how Ollie was apparently already in high school at twelve years old?
I love it, reminds me of playing it at my grandma's as a kid.
I think I can thank this game for my love of anything tropical(that and the fact that I'm from a tropical island).
Some of the movements can be annoying however and I'm not even gonna mention the blue coins shudder.
If you look past those two issues and just go for a casual playthrough then you'll have a blast with this game.
I've said for years it was the best. I'll gladly trade back the long jump for the ability to chain belly flop to jump to belly flop etc back. But the true reason is the setting. No hub since had the personality of Delfino. There are secrets everywhere, from one ups to blue coins (used to get shines/stars), to hidden shines, to entire hidden levels. It's why I still to this day grumble over Galaxy. The hub is boring as ***** and the only real secret are one ups which....woo? Game over hasn't meant jack since 64. The island had character, and rewarded you for exploring or figuring out how to get something you could see but wasn't evident how to obtain. The stages are no slouch either; I can't think of one I dread, which I can't say of any of the others. Odysee somewhat recaptured that feel but no Mario before or since has sucked me in the way Sunshine did. It was a ginormous step forward from 64 (which unlike Galaxy, I do love. Again see: hub had personality). With Galaxy they took a big backwards long jump and haven't really yet recovered their footing, in my eye. The controls aren't intuitive...at first. But as article pointed out, if you give it a short amount of time (or better yet, play around a bit once the game turns you loose on the island) it becomes a quicker study. Then, once you've got them down they're the best controls I've had in a Mario game. Now if I could just ever get 120 (one shine has always eluded me: that damn 8 red coins on poisoned, insta-death rapids obtained by carrying Yoshi on a roundabout trip on Isle Delfino itself. That's literally the only thing I hate in the game: one single, solitary shine)
I was so bored with Sunshine that I traded it in unfinished a couple of weeks after buying it for my GameCube.
That said, I'm willing to give it another shot in 3D All-Stars (which has been in my backlog for a while). Maybe I'll gain a new appreciation for it.
I didn't like Sunshine--I sold my copy of the game decades ago (something I almost never do) and I would never even put it above Mario 64 (even though Mario 64 is showing its age much more in countless ways).
I wasn't a fan of FLUDD, the world design was just bland to me, and the entire island theme (both the artwork and the music) got so annoying and repetitive I literally just gave up and stopped playing the game. The game just has no variety whatsoever. Oh, and those weird-looking island residents... I couldn't stand those characters either, and they wore out their welcome just as quickly as the annoying tropical music and bright island colors. Overall, Sunshine was just not a very good game in my opinion, and as a Mario game, it was even less impressive.
If I could sum up the game in four words, it would be bland, boring, annoying and repetitive.
But... the game did have one redeeming value: Its platforming mini-games. Honestly, I would probably play a game consisting of just those bonus levels before I would want to try to play Mario Sunshine as a whole again. While in my opinion being the highlights of the game, even those bonus stages couldn't save this one.
Lmao. No. It's a great game, but it's horribly flawed and unfinished. The cutscenes are fun, but they're too long and should be skippable, the progression and mission structures are pretty bad, and the movement feels pretty bad, even though it has a lot of great ideas. Sunshine's saving graces are that the game looks absolutely gorgeous and that the level design is generally good.
I always said it was the best. I could never understand the negative opinions. I can clearly remember playing it when it came out on GameCube and it is was the best feeling.
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