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  REVIEWS - Super Mario Sunshine ::

You gotta' love it.
Game Info.
Genre
Action (3D platformer)
Publisher/Developer
Nintendo/Nintendo
Peripherals
  • (none)
    • Release
    8/26/02
    Media
    (none)

    Super Mario Sunshine
    A spectacular Summer adventure.
    Reviewed by Sam - September 2nd, 2002

    Mario and Peach decide to take a vacation on tropical Isle Delfino. Unfortunately, a being taking the shape of our favorite plumber has messed up the island severely, and everyone around thinks Mario's to blame. So, as things always go for him, Mario is forced to clean the place up with a specialized talking robotic waterpack known as FLUDD, while at the same time tracking down this mysterious enemy, who no sooner kidnaps our fair Princess Peach. The culprit shows himself not TOO far into the game, so I'll give it away (highlight to read): it's Bowser's son, Baby Bowser, using a magic veil to look like Mario. I'm puzzled; I always thought Baby Bowser in Yoshi's Island was Bowser as a little kid. It doesn't seem like a very imaginitive storyline. Aside from the introduction of characters like FLUDD and Peach's assistant, Toadsworth, Sunshine doesn't stray as far from the Mario formula as one might expect. Technology is put to use in a very minimalist way. The cutscenes aren't Final Fantasy-esque by any means, but do what they do, no more, no less, in presenting Mario's latest 3D adventure.

    Gameplay
    No game starring Mario, besides Yoshi's Island (but does that count?), has had levels that are this freakin' difficult. Maybe I'm whiney, maybe I'm a sissy, but around half the challenges in this game have taken me hours to get right. Even as we speak and I've beaten the boss battle, there are still levels that I've put off from playing just because I hate them so much. This isn't really a fault of the game mechanics, it's the way in which certain things are presented. Time limits always seem a little short, sometimes there are too many coins to collect, and like in Mario 64, there are a few too many enemies waiting to push me off a catwalk. And what's with the fact that Yoshi can't swim? I don't see the point in that at all. Sometimes you'll even wind up completing the goal, only to fall short because they placed the Shine way up at the top of a giant cliff that you slip off of and die.
    However, the game is overall very very fun, practically each level presenting some kind of new and exciting gameplay. The new fence-climbing in 3D is damn amazing, albeit a little tough to get used to. The altitudes you can reach in this game are mind-boggling, whether you're using the Super Jump water pack nozzle or making your way up an intricate relay of flying trapeze and clifftops. In all, I find the game even more exciting and enjoyable than Mario 64, and flat-out a better platforming experience.
    8/10

    Control
    I can't complain about the fact that these are some of the most involving and complicated controls in any game ever, and that that makes the game twice as hard as it would be without goofy obstacles that require more complex control to get around. But I CAN complain at the less-than-satisfying camera system. While you can move the camera in 360 degrees, often times it takes too much time and way too much concentration away from the game to find even a suitable camera angle. While it's not as insanely hard to control and maneuver with as in Mario 64, there has been little much-needed improvement. Then again, these ARE some of the most complicated levels and worlds in any platformer ever, making it hard to have any sort of camera angle off the bat.
    8/10

    Graphics
    What's funny to notice is that every single screenshot up until the Japanese release this Summer was taken zoomed-in as much as possible to Mario and his immediate surroundings. Nothing prepared you for the sheer vastness of these levels, and the intense level of detail, color, and design spent on them. The water is spectacular and seems very hard to improve upon. Yes, it's even more jaw-dropping than in last year's tech demo-esque Wave Race: Blue Storm. Special effects, such as heat distortion, lens flares, reflections, particle effects, and so forth, have reached their ultimate high with this game, and while the models might not all be rounded to a a clean finish, the overall effect is just beyond description. Rock on, Nintendo. Let's show these X-Box fools just who makes the kiddie games around here, bee-atch. ^_^
    9/10

    Sound
    In what is definitely one of the highest-quality soundtracks I've ever heard in a video game yet, every song is perfectly orchestrated and further presented. Just from this, it seems unlikely that I wouldn't give this score a perfect 10, and I would, if it weren't for that I can and never will forget that god-forsaken Secret Level theme. Oh Jesus, don't even try to get me to like the cheesy MIDI singing. Must find steak knives...
    9/10

    Replay Value
    Of course, as with all well-done difficult games, you may break the controller, kick the television in, or shivver into a fetal position, softly crying for hours, but you'll still want to come back for more once those salt marks dry on your face. I don't know how it's done, but this game just pulls you in. Perhaps it's the fact that I'm always assured there are more than 2 ways around things I can't defeat, as is prevalent throughout Shigeru Miyamoto's games.
    9/10

    Overall
    Last Fall, I first laid my fingers around my own GameCube and beat Luigi's Mansion (in the same week, unfortunately). Here we are, 20 reviews and 9 LONG months later. The past two Mario adventures have been incredible, innovating not only in graphics but in profoundly new and exciting gameplay. However, as many have pointed out, both games do have their flaws that make them lose some appeal with non-Nintendo gamers. Neither one really delivers a "more mature" experience, the way Nintendo has said they would. In Mario Sunshine, more than many levels take unfathomable effort and dedication to complete, whereas Luigi's Mansion can go by without a trace in as little as three days. To me, both are definitely worth purchasing for different reasons and for slightly different tastes. If I had to pick one as being my favorite, I'd have to say now that it's Mario Sunshine, although unlike some, I fully enjoyed Luigi's Mansion, and this opinion could switch in the future.
    While in some ways the series returns to its roots, bringing back gameplay such as Yoshi and fence-climbing, Sunshine boils down to reveal gameplay that's new and exciting on its own. I don't know, for some reason I feel so good when I play this game. Nintendo sure can dish out the magic. I have a feeling there won't be, but if there's a Sunshine sequel before the end of the GameCube's days, I'll be extremely pleased. There are things that must be done, gameplay alterations and such, that I just don't wanna' wait a full generation for. All in all, despite its crazy difficult challenges, I've learned to respect this game immensely. It is, in my opinion, better than Mario 64, more endearing than Luigi's Mansion, and is honestly one of my all-time favorite Mario adventures ever. Bravo, Nintendo.

    FINAL SCORE: 9/10
    =Amazing=

    Send feedback to: sam@ngeb.net