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[havoc00]

It's not a bad game, but it just feels like it could and should have been so much more. There's not as many levels as Super Mario 64. Level design is a bit of a step back from Super Mario 64. The blue coins are pure padding. The voice acting feels cheap. That final boss was a joke.

I like it, but it feels so lackluster compared to other Mario games. At least Lost Levels is pretty straightforward about what it tries to be, and does feel rewarding when you beat it.

 

[Adam_802]

No its one of the best. Liked it way more than the linear small levels in galaxy. One of the best settings in any Nintendo game ever too.

 

[Punished Miku]

1. Mario 64
2. Mario Odyssey
3. Mario Sunshine
4. Mario Galaxy
5. Mario Galaxy 2
6. Mario 3D Land
7. Mario 3D World

You can't even move the camera in 3D World since it's mostly built off a template for a 3DS game (and it worked much better with the 3D screen). Any actual real 3D adventure is going to be better than the ones that are more on rails. They're all good, but no, Sunshine is not even close to the worst one.

 

[Saber]

I guess yes?
Aways tried to get back playing this game, but aways give up playing after a short time, just like Sonic Rush. It gets pretty boring after sometime, something that doesn't happen in other Mario games.

 

[Shake Your Rump]

Most definitely. It’s the only one I couldn’t bring myself to finish.

Top 2 are a tie between Galaxy and Galaxy 2. Third is Mario 64.

 

[SmokedMeat]

I’d say Super Mario Bros 2, but Sunshine wasn’t so great either.

 

[ReBurn]

I mostly enjoyed Sunshine. I thought it was a pretty good platformer. The camera is ass, though.

 

[Werewolf Jones]

I still gotta replay it but in my mind Odyssey goes from a 9 to a 7 within mere hours.

 

[linko9]

Hell no, love sunshine. Amazing movement, the Galaxy games were a huge step back in that department.

 

[MrMephistoX]

It’s still pretty great honestly Nintendo should have just made it a new IP without Mario and the backlash wouldn’t have been as severe.

 

[NeverYouMind]

It is the only 3D Mario game I can stomache. Never completed any of the others as I just got bored. Water cannon jetpack and beach resort motif are a fun combination.

 

[Come On Tars]

Super Mario 3d world is way worse. Sunshine is great

 

[Omnipunctual Godot]

I ran through Mario 64 in the Switch collection and wanted to replay Sunshine before playing Galaxy for the first time. Sunshine stopped me dead in my tracks. I hate the stupid backpack gimmick. The best levels are the ones where the backpack gets stolen.

 

[JohnnyFootball]

1. Super Mario World
2. Super Mario 64
3. Super Mario Brothers 3
4. Everything else.

 

[nikos]

Yup, even when it came out I remember not liking it. Same with Galaxy.

Gave them another chance in the Switch collection and still didn't play them much.

 

[darrylgorn]

I would say Mario 3D land or 3D world.

Galaxy started this dumb trend of fixing camera perspectives and then 3D land/world took that trend and ran with it.

 

[Punished Miku]

I would say Mario 3D land or 3D world.

Galaxy started this dumb trend of fixing camera perspectives and then 3D land/world took that trend and ran with it.

And not just fixing the camera, but also limiting the moves. There's really only 3 games with a broad move list and a movable camera.

 

[Tarnpanzer]

burn this *ucker alive

 

[PaintTinJr]

It's not a bad game, but it just feels like it could and should have been so much more. There's not as many levels as Super Mario 64. Level design is a bit of a step back from Super Mario 64. The blue coins are pure padding. The voice acting feels cheap. That final boss was a joke.

I like it, but it feels so lackluster compared to other Mario games. At least Lost Levels is pretty straightforward about what it tries to be, and does feel rewarding when you beat it.

Worst take ever IMO,

Best platforming gameplay requiring expert camera skills from the player, best mechanics, best visuals, best story and locations for visuals, and possibly the best ever soundtrack from any Nintendo game, even edging Mario 64.

The soulless Galaxy 2 and even worse, Odyssey and by the numbers Wonder Mario knockoff all feel like Ubisoft made a Mario game - probably because those games aren't designed by Miyamoto, although Galaxy 2 is a derivative of one.

 

[Robb]

No, out of the 3D titles I’d rate 3D World as the worst one personally.

Sunshine is by no means my favorite though. It’s definitely closer to the the bottom than the top.

 

[Alexios]

The best 3D platformer from other companies still is such a huge step/leap/freefall down from the worst mainline 3D Mario platformer, just appreciate them all.

 

[Space Runaway]

Yes, bar far. If it wasn't a Mario game I wouldn't have pushed myself to finish it. Also Hotel Delfino is the worst "world" in any Mario game.

 

[EverythingsOverrated]

Sunshine's problem is the game was most likely rushed down the stretch. The highs are very high but there's a lot of filler/mediocre content and not enough polish. Compare Ricco Harbor or Noki Bay to Sirena beach and it's almost like 2 different games.

Still a really fun game to play, probably my favorite controlling 3D Mario.

 

[Paltheos]

No, Odyssey's probably the worst. As a general rule of thumb, the 3D Mario games have gotten worse over time (with maybe the exception of 3D Land; I haven't played 3D World).

For a while I thought it might have been me not liking Mario or something, but last year's Mario Wonder is really good. Definitely not me changing tastes and not liking 3D platformers anymore either as A Hat in Time is spectacular and came out the same year as Odyssey. Nintendo just haven't been shooting for the stars (ironically, given you literally shoot through stars in Galaxy).

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

 

[AJUMP23]

The Block levels in Sunshine are amazing. Other than that the game is good.

 

[cinnamonandgravy]

sunshine just doesnt click for some reason.
it's like all the pieces are there... but it doesnt come together.

too much emphasis on the water gun i guess.
it's like a one-level idea for me, not an entire game.

 

[Moses85]

 

[TropicanaTwista]

It's still a good game, but it's easily the worst of Mario 3D platforms.

 

[Chastten]

I agree that the blue coins were terrible and that's why I never even got close to getting all 120 stars, but otherwise I really loved Sunshine. The levels, while less in number and variety, were all pretty great in their own right and gave a perfect summer vibe.

I personally always thought Galaxy was a huge stepback from 64 and Sunshine. The tiny ass levels did very little for me, and the camera on the sphere levels was way worse than anything 64 or Sunshine threw at you. Also, I hate pointing at the TV to get the little shards, Galaxy would've been a much better game with a tradional controller. I've never understood the extreme love for Galaxy in the media. Godtier music though, easily one of the best in the series, possibly even better than 64.

 

[Gamer_By_Proxy]

Yes, but it's still better than the best Sonic game. haha! Come at me bro!

 

[Urban]

For me it is. Its the only 3D Mario that ive not beaten. It just didnt click.

 

[Mowcno]

If NSMB games count then one of those would be the worst imo. Probably the 3DS one as I remember feeling ripped off after finishing it lol.

Not sure if I'd put 3D Land ahead of Sunshine or not either.

Sunshine is low on the list but still a good game I feel gets too much hate.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

The FLUDD was not a good mechanic and is pretty much the opposite of what a Mario game should be about

 

[Jeff Spicoli]

The atmosphere Is fantastic.
I prefer Sunshine over Odissey.

 

[Codes 208]

Yes, but even the “worst” 3D mario game is a 7/10 so its still pretty good

Which yes, im also including the 3d land and world games which i would rather go through again than deal with trying, frustratingly, to play through the pachinko or sand bird levels again

 

[Kilau]

Galaxy 1 and 2 are much worse.

 

[amigastar]

Never been a big fan of Super Mario Sunshine, the first levels are great but the quality is not on point through the whole game.

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

I've never understood the extreme love for Galaxy in the media.

Galaxy is pure gameplay bliss. It shouldn’t play so well considering its premises, yet it does.

On the other hand, everything in Sunshine feels like they deliberately made it a chore to do.
Sunshine betrays the very foundation of Nintendo games: the learning curve is steep and horrendous. It’s hard to master the basics, and the controls constantly fight against what you want to do, together with the camera. Sunshine is never fun to play. Half of the missions are the antithesis of fun. The simplest tasks, when they’re not mundane and boring, feel like they’re meant to be pro-level challenges.
Sunshine is deeply flawed in its very foundations. It’s an unpolished, trend-chasing game that fails spectacularly every time it tries to awe. An incoherent, throw-everything-at-the-wall-and-see-what-sticks mess of a game which is unfortunately so typical of Nintendo’s GameCube era.

 

[Azelover]

Yeah I think so.. like you said it's a good game, but it has a few points in it that were anything but fun..maybe I shouldnt pass judgement because I didn't finish. It's the only Mario game I didn't get to end of. And it wasnt because it was hard, it's because it was frustrating in a bad way. I even finished The Lost Levels without much trouble.

 

[freefornow]

It seems to always be the most devisive 3D mario. I have always loved it since day one. Flaws and all (part of the charm).

 

[Magic Carpet]

I'm slowly suffering my way through the remake of Mario RPG, I think this is down there for Mario games.

 

[Holammer]

I get why people don't like it, but I played it quite a bit with Dolphin recently, with a 60fps patch and I had a great time.
Would I enjoy Galaxy 2 more? Probably.

 

[ResurrectedContrarian]

I personally always thought Galaxy was a huge stepback from 64 and Sunshine. The tiny ass levels did very little for me, and the camera on the sphere levels was way worse than anything 64 or Sunshine threw at you. Also, I hate pointing at the TV to get the little shards, Galaxy would've been a much better game with a tradional controller. I've never understood the extreme love for Galaxy in the media. Godtier music though, easily one of the best in the series, possibly even better than 64.

Galaxy 1 is my favorite Mario since the SNES... and I was one of the original generation of kids who got the NES on its debut Christmas in the 80s.

Galaxy 1 captures the core Mario spirit so well, I don't think it will ever be topped.

 

[Astral Dog]

I haven't played it since the GameCube days when i borrowed it for a few weeks and i was a dumb kid so i barely remember it

Hearing the 'fans' however, i always assumed it was a 'bad' Mario game and had an 80 Metacritic(low 80s),i remember hate about the FLUD system and the VA my memory was wrong when i realized it has 90

i can't say what makes Sunshine good or bad, if i were to guess without playing it properly it seems like a very well crafted game but experimental, it tried things that the Mario fanbase wasn't very fond of ,next to universally acclaimed games like Galaxy,Odyssey or 64

 

[Chastten]

Galaxy is pure gameplay bliss. It shouldn’t play so well considering its premises, yet it does.

I know I'm in the minority with this, but where Sunshine immediate clicked with me, I had no such luck with Galaxy. Probably doesn't help that I fucking hated the Wii as well as motion controls, but having to point the wiimote at the screen for all kinds of little things kept being an issue during my entire playthrough, as was the camera on all the small spherical levels. They just didn't click with me and prevented me from loving Galaxy.

Meanwhile, I've never had any issues with the camera in 64 or Sunshine. Those just... immediate clicked for me? I mean, I know a lot of people hate the camera in Super Mario 64 but from the very first second that stuff just felt completely natural to me. I can easily adjust it even while doing difficult jumps without any issue.

Galaxy 1 is my favorite Mario since the SNES... and I was one of the original generation of kids who got the NES on its debut Christmas in the 80s.

Galaxy 1 captures the core Mario spirit so well, I don't think it will ever be topped.

Yeah, a lot of people seem to feel like that, I know I'm in the minority. Sucks for me, because it always feels like I'm missing something but yeah, just never really clicked with me.

Just for the record, I don't think Galaxy is a bad game or anything, it's just one of my least favorite 3D mario games to date and the motion controls make it feel like a chore to play.

 

[DownLikeBCPowder]

Definitely not.. if we're talking ALL Mario, then NSMB is way up there of poor offerings IMO. If just 3D, I'd pick Odyssey as my least favorite.

 

[kunonabi]

It's close between sunshine and odyssey.

 

[DownLikeBCPowder]

The Block levels in Sunshine are amazing. Other than that the game is good.

Truly. I wish we got a whole game just like the no fludd, secret levels. Galaxy is probably the closest thing to that, but it's still not it.

 

[Dacvak]

It’s certainly not the worst, but it’s arguably the most bullshit. I usually play through every mainline Mario game once every two years, and last year I played through Sunshine (on the Switch collection), I realized just how absolutely bullshit that game can be. It’s very unforgiving and tedious at parts, and you’ll have SO many deaths that don’t feel like they’re your fault.

It’s still a great game, but it feels very un-Mario to me. The game design concepts are all great, but about a third of them feel unpolished, usually to the player’s detriment.