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LTTP: Super Mario Sunshine

#Phonepunk#

Banned
Okay, so last week a friend gave me a Game Cube and I promptly ordered a memory card and several games: Zelda: The Wind Waker, Metroid Prime, and Super Mario Sunshine. I've already played through a bit of MP on emulator and am saving Zelda for later (right now I'm occupied with the Link's Awakening remake) so for now I'm diving into Super Mario Sunshine.

So far, it's pretty cool! The intro cutscene kind of weirded me out for a minute, LOL at the idea of seeing Mario in court/jail, but once the game started, the controls were instantly recognizable and I had a blast knocking out the first few challenges. To be honest I had tried this game before on emulator and found it nearly impossible to catch the shadow Mario at the start and just gave up. But using the real controller, and the light/harder press of the triggers, I can now run and shoot with ease. So right away I'm enjoying it way more! The controls really suit the GC controller.

I like the atmosphere a lot. The new characters are weird and cartoony and I like them too. The theme of cleaning up an island is pretty nice, it is rare that a videogame hero gets to do something that sets a good example. The water gun is a lot of fun and the floating mechanics are pretty rad. Who would have thought to add FPS shooting to Mario? But they did, and it works!

Anyways,

yahooooooo!
 
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-Arcadia-

Banned
It’s a bit of a dark horse for the Mario series, due to the strange themes, and some lack of polish, but I really do have fond memories of this game. It did so much right as well.

For what it’s worth, I actually enjoyed the world exploration more in Sunshine than Odyssey, although both are really good. Probably an argument for quality versus quantity.
 

#Phonepunk#

Banned
is that dreaded mission where you ride yoshi on a boat or whatever required? that's the worst of it from what i hear.

really looking forward to the non-Fludd sections. they are legendary.
 

ROMhack

Member
Ooo yes. Great memories.

Game isn't brilliant but it was interesting the direction Nintendo went in with the setting. Music is top notch.
 

#Phonepunk#

Banned
I think the water still looks fantastic. Those waterfalls in the water park later on, man.



(5:59 for Sunshine. Includes how the effects were done)

DF is OTM. The water looks so good! Impressive even compared to some modern games. The reflection is so lifelike. It is fantastic just to look at the water in this game.

Gameplay is spot on too! Like Mario 64 u have the lineup of jumps and moves that can all flow into one another. You can run then jump and go into a dive then slide and continue doing all this acrobatic stuff w unique animations just gliding through the level like an acrobat. Yet it’s so easy to do because Mario is the Controls God.

Plus they gave Mario a jet pack!

When u just made Mario 64 and have to follow up that game, u can’t be fucking around, u have to throw down. So the crazy bastards gave Mario a jet pack.

Just think about how awesome that is. Goddamnit I love Nintendo.
 
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#Phonepunk#

Banned
The music in the fluddless caves is the best vocal sample based music they’ve ever done.

Also these levels are fun and they are HARD! Dark Souls of Mario.
 
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Scopa

The Tribe Has Spoken
I bought this game at launch and never finished it. Since then it has perennially been on my backlog “to do” list.

I plan on completing it at some point. Kinda been hoping Nintendo release a HD remaster. Knowing my luck, they will announce one the month after I finally play it.
 

Komatsu

Member
I liked it at the time - though I always rented it, never bought it.

The water textures and the smart mip-mapping still make it a gorgeous title, to this day.

I don't know why, but there were a lot of games back in the early 2000s with a beach/summer-y/water theme, across all genres:
  1. Super Mario Sunshine
  2. Final Fantasy X
  3. Chrono Cross
  4. Dead or Alive Xtreme Volleyball
  5. Tropico
 

Ikutachi

Member
Had a taste of it in a game store when it was new and I wasn't sold on it. Bought it used a few years ago to see if I will grow to like it, but nope. Worst 3D Mario as far as I am concerned.
 
Grew up playing new, snes, 64, and GC so Sunshine's "lack of polish" never shone through. If anything it was "just Nintendoland" and left it at that. To me it never seemed more or less polish than other games at that time so all I saw were the same positive things that the OP mentioned.
 

Dthomp

Member
Man, I loved Super Mario Sunshine. Had so much fun with this back in the day. Such an underrated Mario title, puts Odyssey to shame
 

#Phonepunk#

Banned
Just had a crazy violent boss fight w a giant octopus! woah. That was intense.

The hub world mini challenges are a lot of fun.

When you are climbing up the fence walls & ceilings a la SMW it is a lot fun to do. And yes at them putting a yellow submarine in here :)
 

V2Tommy

Member
I don't know why, but there were a lot of games back in the early 2000s with a beach/summer-y/water theme, across all genres:
  1. Super Mario Sunshine
  2. Final Fantasy X
  3. Chrono Cross
  4. Dead or Alive Xtreme Volleyball
  5. Tropico

Ah, yes, the last bastion of the pre 9/11 world. It changed everything.
 
After Mario 64 I was disappointed with Sunshine and every Mario game thereafter. The waterpack mechanic really bothered me. Mario is one of the best platformers around and he doesnt need a waterpack getting in the way. The focus on spraying goop off of levels never got fun for me either. Mario 64's hubworld was cohesive and playing the game got one further through the world. The world expanded with exploration/puzzle solving and it felt like you were really getting to the bottom of some mystery. Every Mario game since then hasn't had the kind of cohesiveness or mystery with the hubworld imo. Bottom line though is the levels in 64 are just so good. Each level was a box of goodies waiting to be found. I have not gotten that sense of fun from exploring levels in any of the subsequent games. They have been too straight forward or easy or go from point a to point b and I miss better exploration. The Mario games these days are basically, "here is an obstacle course. Get to the end of it. Not fun? Too bad because there is nothing else to do."
 

Bakkus

Member
I loved this game when I first played it and while I still think this game is good, it's hard to get used to the physics after being used to the one we find in all 3D Marios released afterwards.
 

T_LVPL

Member
Last Mario game I put significant time into. Got about 2 thirds through it until eventually getting stuck on some level with a ghosthouse and a multicoloured beach type landscape.

What’s annoying is i had the ntsc american version in perfect condition as were all my games, and sold it on ebay 10 years ago or so for peanuts. about £15-20, when it was worthless. it’d be worth a lot, now. one of a huge list of games i feel sick at selling far too soon.
 
Always loved this game. It was much more challenging than Mario 64. Felt like a giant sandbox at the time. And in almost all games, heavy focus on water effects is always one of my favorite themes.

I'd kill for a remake. If they do remake it though, they have to add some new Splatoon-based enemies as an easter egg inking up the island.
 
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NikuNashi

Member
After Mario 64 I was disappointed with Sunshine and every Mario game thereafter. The waterpack mechanic really bothered me. Mario is one of the best platformers around and he doesnt need a waterpack getting in the way. The focus on spraying goop off of levels never got fun for me either. Mario 64's hubworld was cohesive and playing the game got one further through the world. The world expanded with exploration/puzzle solving and it felt like you were really getting to the bottom of some mystery. Every Mario game since then hasn't had the kind of cohesiveness or mystery with the hubworld imo. Bottom line though is the levels in 64 are just so good. Each level was a box of goodies waiting to be found. I have not gotten that sense of fun from exploring levels in any of the subsequent games. They have been too straight forward or easy or go from point a to point b and I miss better exploration. The Mario games these days are basically, "here is an obstacle course. Get to the end of it. Not fun? Too bad because there is nothing else to do."

You just summed up everything I feel but didnt know how to articulate. Excatly what you said, 64 had a hub that is unmatched since. Thing for me was the diversity of level locations also, I loved the snow, loved the ghost castle. These were lacking from Sunshine, it felt more of a mono environment. It lacked mystery.
 
Best mario 3d after mario 64. Wish they make a remaster or remake of this game.

We're due for a 3D Mario in 2020 so I think we'll see something. Sunhine HD seems most plausible., especially after that Nintendo tweet.

The thing with Galaxy is Nintendo would have to figure out what to do with the star (wii-mote) mechanic to collect coins and stuff. On the Nvidia Shield emulated version the star just sits on the screen static and I don't think that would fly with Nintendo. I don't even know how the Shield version handles the sling pods for Galaxy.

I don't think Galaxy 2 is even on the table because how would you replicate Yoshi's tongue aiming with the wii-mote.

Sunshine HD makes the most sense has the fewest hurdles to make a remaster.
 
We're due for a 3D Mario in 2020 so I think we'll see something. Sunhine HD seems most plausible., especially after that Nintendo tweet.

The thing with Galaxy is Nintendo would have to figure out what to do with the star (wii-mote) mechanic to collect coins and stuff. On the Nvidia Shield emulated version the star just sits on the screen static and I don't think that would fly with Nintendo. I don't even know how the Shield version handles the sling pods for Galaxy.

I don't think Galaxy 2 is even on the table because how would you replicate Yoshi's tongue aiming with the wii-mote.

Sunshine HD makes the most sense has the fewest hurdles to make a remaster.
Odyssey 2 is also a huge possibility. Reuse the engine and assets and make a direct sequel like they did with Galaxy, and now Breath of the Wild.
 

Rodolink

Member
Te level design is great and visually very beautiful. I still remember that one with the huge corals and shells.
I loved the game at the time but found the difficulty a little high and frustrating sometimes.
 

JimiNutz

Banned
I've only played very small parts of this game back when it originally came out and really enjoyed it.
I hope Nintendo remake this eventually so that I can play through in full.
 

#Phonepunk#

Banned
Always loved this game. It was much more challenging than Mario 64. Felt like a giant sandbox at the time. And in almost all games, heavy focus on water effects is always one of my favorite themes.

I'd kill for a remake. If they do remake it though, they have to add some new Splatoon-based enemies as an easter egg inking up the island.
yeah just playing through this, it seems pretty obvious that Splatoon is at least largely inspired by this game, no?
 

IKSTUGA

Member
I'm a huge Mario fan, but this one never clicked with me. Maybe it's the water theme or FLUDD, dunno. Game was certainly creative.
 
yeah just playing through this, it seems pretty obvious that Splatoon is at least largely inspired by this game, no?
It wasn't supposedly. The Splatoon team didn't even really remember it existed lol.

But if you're into Splatoon lore, it could be a hell of an easter egg. Since Splatoon is the far, far future of Earth after mankind has died from global warming and squids evolved to inherit the earth, then you could have the first "Adam" proto-Squid Kid show up as a villain in a secret room in Sunshine when mankind was still around. It would be awesome.

Always wanted a Mario Sunshine cameo in Splatoon also, where he can wash away all the ink.
 
Fantastic game, the only issue with it is that it's not a transformative game like most mainline Mario titles. It's simply incredible instead of being a legit contender for best game of all time (3D World endured the same fate). Sunshine absolutely nails its tropical theme and the movement is amazing, especially in the bits where you don't have FLUDD. Not a great game to 100% though and it could have been longer, otherwise it's just pure bliss.
 

#Phonepunk#

Banned
indeed, this is good stuff. tbh i could care less about judging games against one another, i am glad that games turn out so differently, they have many things to offer. Mario 64 was a great proof of concept where half the time was spent nailing the 3D & Mario's controls. IIRC level design was a little smaller due to the memory limitations of non-disc media as well as dev time spent perfecting gameplay. so I am glad they expanded that idea w better technology, more disc space, more visual polish, more options for gameplay. they didn't need to reinvent gameplay this time and that's fine with me. they still stretch the boundaries of what a Mario game can be in many ways.

the translation from 2D to 3D in Mario has always meant a de-emphasis on enemy combat and more of an emphasis on movement and exploration. just the act of jumping on a goomba is far more difficult in 3D vs 2D. this necessitates that less time is spent on linear enemy/platform challenges and more on environmental puzzles. so i like how over the 3D games they continued to give Mario more and more ways to move and interact with the world. it is a constant theme in all the games, culminating in SMO.
 
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#Phonepunk#

Banned
At Gelato Beach right now and loving this! I was swimming through some beautiful coral reefs earlier.

this game has a really nice vibe to it! the beaches and ska music and ships and marine life is cool. the calypso and steel drum is kinda classic Mario.

also I love this song
 
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