You can’t think of Nintendo without also thinking of Mario, the platforming plumber who makes an appearance at least once on every Nintendo system.
In honor of the recently passed Mario day, let's go back a couple of decades to the Nintendo GameCube and another gorgeous Mario game: Super Mario Sunshine. Released in 2002, Sunshine marked the franchise's second foray into 3D platformers. It too is one of the top-selling games on its respective console and boasted unique gameplay. But it also released nearly two decades ago, and the last system it could be played on was the early models of the Nintendo Wii. Those who played Sunshine back in the day and new gamers alike deserve a remake of this bright and brilliant game.
The Setting
Compared to other Super Mario games, Super Mario Sunshine’s world, Isle Delfino, is fairly uniform. Every location adheres to one overarching theme: Vacation island. Of course, that doesn’t mean every location is the same. From the amusement-park setting of Pinna Park to the vertical cliffs of Noki Bay to the boiling volcano of Corona Mountain, Sunshine offers unique locations that require players to use different tactics in order to advance. The world of Sunshine has a dynamic relationship to player progression, going from dark and dreary to bright and sunny the more Shines you collect. And let’s not forget the music which is as bright and sunny as the world it plays in.
The Story
While it does stray into the standard “Princess Peach is kidnapped by Bowser” formula, Super Mario Sunshine did go where no Mario game had gone before: on vacation. After arriving at their vacation spot, Mario immediately lands in hot water when a doppelgänger defaces Delfino, and he is charged with cleaning the island up. It’s enough of a variation to make the story notable. The story takes Mario to new locales, and it's oddly satisfying when locals stop reacting with hostility and refreshing when the player comes across those (like in Noki Bay) who harbor no ill opinion of Mario.
The Gameplay
What really sets Super Mario Sunshine apart from other Mario games is the inclusion of F.L.U.D.D., a water-powered device that allowed for a unique mode of transportation and an easy way to clean the island. Some players criticized the inclusion of the F.L.U.D.D. device, but for those whose first introduction to Mario was through this game, F.L.U.D.D. worked as a safety net. It gave player the ability to catch themselves before going too far and falling to their doom. For fans of classical platforming, there are special levels where players have to navigate moving terrain with endless drops without the use of F.L.U.D.D.
The Switch already has a fresh take on the Mario platforming in Super Mario Odyssey in the form of Cappy, Mario’s hat-shaped friend that allows him to reach new heights, grab things at a distance and become a variety of creatures. Given the warm reception to Cappy's unique mechanics, another terrain-traversing ally would certainly be welcome.
The Camera
Super Mario Sunshine's biggest and most persistent issue was the camera. This is not unique to this game, since nearly every 3D game in the early 2000s had camera issues. At the time, 3D platformers were still a new format with all sorts of issues that 2D games simply didn’t have to deal with. Nevertheless, the camera in this game rendered some levels almost completely unplayable.
But now, 3D games have refined camera controls making gameplay enjoyable with little fussing on the player's part. With improved camera control, Sunshine's more complicated levels would go from frustrating to manageable.
Higher-Defino
Super Mario Sunshine is a gorgeous and bright game, but the graphics are nearly 20 years old. A side-by-side comparison between Sunshine and Odyssey show how much graphical quality has improved in that time. Consoles today are capable of far sharper visuals and higher frame rates, and Sunshine would definitely benefit from a glow-up.
Though a Super Mario Sunshine remake has not been announced, Nintendo has released images that show Mario in vacation gear on a beach. It could be a tease related to a potential Odyssey follow-up or another project, but, regardless, Mario should absolutely revisit Isle Delfino sometime soon.