Sandbox Mario is riding up the mountain in Bob-omb Battlefield on a turtle shell.
It's grabbing a box and springing over the sandy dunes of Shifting Sand Land, up the side of a pyramid and crashing into a star.
It's climbing up Tick Tock Clock with obstacles going completely haywire because the player happened to enter the level at a certain time.
It's running, jumping, flipping, diving and wall kicking around a castle courtyard because it's simply fun to slingshot Mario around your screen.
And now, Sandbox Mario is throwing your hat out, landing a jump square on it, and bounding across the level in a way the developers may have never even intended.
But hey, if you just need that linearity I hear the Crash games are being remade.
I am simultaneously confused when people don't see those elements in 64 Sunhine AND when people act like their only in 64 and Sunshine.
As I noted every main line Mario Platformer has heavy playground element which leads to their being far less difference between 2d Mario; 64, Sunshine Mario, Glaxay Mario and the 3d series Mario. To show this let's look at an actual 2d Mario course and point out the playground elements and speculate how easily this course could be converted into any of the existing 3d Mario styles.
I'll be using 2-3 from Super Mario Brothers 3. I choose SMB3 because it's both well regard by almost everyone and in terms of its level design. It's also not one of the Mario games often described as exploratory and this level in particular is pretty straightforward, housing only one secret area.
Here's the level:
http://www.nesmaps.com/maps/SuperMar...os3Map2-3.html
The level in fact looks to be the very linear form of course design that we think of 3d Land having well having nothing in common with 64's course designs, and noted not to empower the player to mess around. But that misses so much. In fact this level is full of places to get expressive.
The course can be divide into three main section, the one-way block pyramids, the two brick block pyramids and the brick block pyramid covering the exit pipe.
The first section is patrolled by fire snakes and Koopa Troopas and three pits separating each the pyramids. The easiest way to handle this section is to run right past it, this section that makes up a good half of the level is almost all about messing about. At the top of each of pyramid are two ? blocks, but they blocked on the bottom by brick blocks. This means a player that enters the course powered up is rewarded with easy prizes. But the first two set of blocks are arranged to be able to broken with a Koopa Troopa Shells easily. The first and last one-way block pyramids give power up so with good play even if you start the course as regular Mario you can power all the way up to Raccoon Mario. In between the two is a Starman, which could easily tempt a player to grab it and run right past the second Super leaf block losing out on the chance to power up. I could keep going on about this one section, but lets move on.
The Second section is patrolled by Brick Goombas and some more Koopa Troopas. Once more the easiest way to handle this section is to run right through it, up the first brick block pyramid, across the wooden blocks and down the second brick block pyramid, and again youd be missing out. The simple fact that they're a bunch of Brick blocks here means a player can just mess around destroying them with a raccoon tail or using the Koopa Troopas here, possible discovering the hidden 1-Up well doing so. Of course the real prize is getting to the hidden platforms in the sky. You can reach them form flying, or by uncovering invisible blocks. If flying your more likely to uncover the higher, more hidden of the platforms which holds a P-switch turns all the brick blocks into coins easily giving you access to the 1-up and tons of coins.
Finally we have the half of a Brick block pyramid blocking a pipe to the exit area. Once more we have a few Koopa Troopas patrolling the area, and this time making use of their shells is mandatory. Well most of this course engaging with way enemies, level element and Mario's actions can all play off one another has been optional now you HAVE to engage with how shells brick blocks and coin blocks interact. It's sort of mandatory playing about to end the course, no real challenge, just a brief bit of watching the game do some pinball with its elements. You do get one final option before the leave though, a 10-coin block rests in the area the Koopa shell will end up bouncing back and forth, giving the option to test your reaction skills to get closer to another life.
Oh boy,I, didn't really cover everything you could say about that course, an early not super special or hard one that you can race through in under 30 seconds. All hiding a mini playground of platforming you can mess around in all sorts of ways other then just moving forward. Lord the level design in SMB3 is great.
Anyways I feel how that translates into 3d Land or World doesnt need to be too elaborated on, 3d versions of those sections arranged in a straight line. So let's move on to the form of Mario that seems most removed from SMB3's level design, 64.
At the most basic all you need to do to make this take the sections put them in an open area, perhaps in a rough circle. Then take each sections and take the optional goals and make some of them power stars. Have to break into one encased at the top of the one-way block pyramids, perhaps you need to grab a power up to do so or triple jump/use a cannon to get into an area on the top of the pyramid. Fly up on to the flouting platforms. Instead of finding a 1-up in the brick block pyramid it's a star, that sort of thing.
Galaxy could work by placing each section on a planet and one of the mission that got you a power star in 64 would create a launch star to send you to the next section.
At heart most Mario games are working form the same building blocks, just provide different focuses on elements that are in all of them. 64's greater playground feel comes from not setting a clear overarching goal, such a single end point. Add one of those and a lot of people will get certain amount of tunnel vision and not notice all the playground elements that exist on the way to end point. Remove it and its like taking blinders off the entire possibility of messing about comes into focus.