It may not be as revolutionary as Super Mario 64 but that doesn't stop it from being a charming and joyful platformer.
User Rating: 8.5 | Super Mario Sunshine GC
I feel sorry for Super Mario Sunshine. When it first came out, everyone immediately compared it to Super Mario 64 and ultimately found Sunshine disappointing since it was not as good as it's predecessor. However Sunshine does not need to be and those who judged it on its own merits, would realise its a terrific platformer filled with plenty of variety, great boss fights and some truly fun classic platforming. Sunshine tries to have more of a story but its unfortunately executed poorly with cheap FMV's and terrible voice acting. Although once you gain control of Mario and are allowed to get up to your own devices, Sunshine truly 'shines' (excuse the pun). The new addition of FLUDD brings a new dimension to the gameplay such as cleaning up goop or hovering over danger and the varied mission structure means you'll never grow bored. On top of that, the game includes some truly epic and remember able boss fights (such as the paper manta ray) and the game offers some sublime platforming moments that will truly make you happy and angry at the same time. Visually the game looks nice, with bright, bold colours that make each world unique and different however some blurry textures ruin some of the games graphical appeal. The soundtrack is also nice but it isn't as catchy as it should be. Unfortunately there are a few more problems that hinder this game from perfection. Firstly, the camera can sometimes become problematic as you have to keep moving it but its better then most cameras in other platformers. Finally some of the games challenges are truly frustrating and the problem lies not with the player but with poor game design. Overall though, Super Mario Sunshine is a fantastic platformer and a must buy.
