Super Mario Sunshine

 GameCube
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1033 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 843 out of 1033
  2. Mixed: 126 out of 1033
  3. Negative: 64 out of 1033
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  1. RyanM.
    Aug 30, 2002
    7
    I don't know. Shoot me or something. I didn't get it. It was a weezy, jumbled up premise with nothing addictive about the gameplay. And the water pack is just plain frustrating. Sorry mario, you've lost your touch.
  2. ArkonBlade
    Mar 24, 2011
    7
    basically mario 64 with a giant squirt gun and some of the fun yanked away. it just doesnt have the greatness that SM64 had. its fun sure but also kinda frustrating at times and it was so much nicer when you could just skip stars and not have to clear out every level like in this one you have to and have to do them in order which i found even more annoying . it does look very nice andbasically mario 64 with a giant squirt gun and some of the fun yanked away. it just doesnt have the greatness that SM64 had. its fun sure but also kinda frustrating at times and it was so much nicer when you could just skip stars and not have to clear out every level like in this one you have to and have to do them in order which i found even more annoying . it does look very nice and controls pretty damn good now that we dont have that monstousity N64 controllor to deal with . the camera was ok didnt find it improved or worse and SM64 but usable . its a decent mario game worth your time atleast.… Expand
  3. KendylKlownfish
    May 5, 2011
    7
    It lacks the innovation of Mario 64, truth be told -- especially when it's compared to NGC masterpieces like Resident Evil 4 and Super Smash Bros. Melee. However, it's packed with enough flourishing colors and wacky gameplay to enthrall children and Mario fans of all ages. Pros: Rich, colorful visuals; beautifully structured environments; the gameplay is solid Mario platforming with a fewIt lacks the innovation of Mario 64, truth be told -- especially when it's compared to NGC masterpieces like Resident Evil 4 and Super Smash Bros. Melee. However, it's packed with enough flourishing colors and wacky gameplay to enthrall children and Mario fans of all ages. Pros: Rich, colorful visuals; beautifully structured environments; the gameplay is solid Mario platforming with a few new kicks. Cons: The worst controls and camera in a Mario game; lack of stages and some repetitious level design; the final boss battle is a bit too easy.… Expand
  4. AndrewG.
    Dec 17, 2006
    6
    The game looks beautiful, especially the water effects. But the bottom line is that I didn't want to continue playing it. I wasn't hooked like I was with Super Mario 64.
  5. ApocalypseB.
    Nov 30, 2007
    7
    An excellent experience as Mario always is, but only married by almost mind-numbing boredom after a few hours or so. Simple, well crafted, decent graphics, fun gadgets but all too familiar stuff. Now for Mario galaxy.
  6. MeleeMaster
    Dec 18, 2002
    7
    While it is not as enjoyable as say Super Mario 64, this game does have it's moments. Still though, Mario needs to get back to roots in the Mushroom Kingdom stomping on goombas and kicking Bowser's butt.
  7. PaulW
    Nov 16, 2008
    7
    I have been playing videogames for 25+ years. Most critics reviewing Super Mario Sunshine stated that, whilst it was not as good as Super Mario 64, it was not far off. Well, that might not necessarily be untrue because I think that Super Mario 64 was bettered by Rare's N64 platformers, but Super Mario Sunshine is not close to the sense of fun, invention and level design found in, say I have been playing videogames for 25+ years. Most critics reviewing Super Mario Sunshine stated that, whilst it was not as good as Super Mario 64, it was not far off. Well, that might not necessarily be untrue because I think that Super Mario 64 was bettered by Rare's N64 platformers, but Super Mario Sunshine is not close to the sense of fun, invention and level design found in, say Banjo Kazooie. I didn't realise this at the time as I actully bought an N64 (brand new) AFTER I'd bought a Cube. At the time, Super Mario Sunshine was actually the first 3D platformer that I'd played to any extent so, naturally, I was rather impressed with it and would have given it 9/10. But ever since I've played Banjo Kazooie, or Rare's other 3D platformers, I've concluded that SMS, which Miyamoto did not spend a lot of time on himself in favour of concentrating on The Wind Waker, is a curiously empty experience. Some parts are great- Isle Defino itself is bouncy, bright and sun kissed, Noki Bay is a tantalising puzzle of a level and the levels with building blocks are like a precursor to Super Mario Galaxy. I didn't mind using FLUDD, if only the abilities it gives you- eg to shoot up like a rocket or off like a jet ski, could have been utliised in levels as intriguing as anything in Banjo Kazooie. But, no, instead you bounce along on washing lines connecting different windmills, leading to pretty much nothing except Shines. Or you hang from wire frames leading to pretty much nothing except Shines. It's all just like a big construction site at the end of the day, a holiday that you quite liked at the time but now realise really wasn't anywhere near as exciting as it could have been. The game strenously sticks to the holiday theme so much that it lacks varierty and yet there are all other kinds of ideas that could have been implemented- Mario at a water park for instance. Don't get me wrong, it's still much better than the vast majority of dully violent, cliched videoegames but, to me, Luigi's Mansion was the best game featuring Mario on the Gamecube (yes, Mario Kart- Double Dash!!, which I have also reviewed today, also had some disappointments).… Expand
  8. PeterW.
    Feb 7, 2005
    7
    A good game, not a great game. At it's current "Player's Choice" price, I would recommend it, but don't expect it to change the way you play video games. I actually find the game to be very much like Mario 64, perhaps even a bit better. For it's time, Mario 64 was incredible but compared to what came after it definetly wasn't the best the system had to offer. Now A good game, not a great game. At it's current "Player's Choice" price, I would recommend it, but don't expect it to change the way you play video games. I actually find the game to be very much like Mario 64, perhaps even a bit better. For it's time, Mario 64 was incredible but compared to what came after it definetly wasn't the best the system had to offer. Now the same controls have basically been reused, minus punching and with the new projectiles. That's fine, as anyone who enjoyed Mario 64 can pick it up and play it. In fact, the only really terrible thing about this game is the camera. It hasn't evolved at all since Mario 64 and though the option to move the camera manually was great at the time, other innovations have been made since that could have been well implemented. As such, compared to more recent platformers, the camera is quite clunky and takes away from the enjoyment of the game. Still, if you've got $30 Canadian too much and some time to kill, I'd recomend it, if only because the Mario games released since (Power Tennis, Double Dash, Etc.) make reference to it and are quite confusing without. I spent my time with them asking "What the **** are these fat palm tree things?" and now that I've played sunshine, I understand it all that much better.… Expand
  9. andrefray
    Feb 25, 2014
    7
    Personally, I think the Mario games from the Game-cube era were the best of all time. I love Super Mario Sunshine, Paper Mario Thousand Year Door, Mario Power Tennis, Mario Kart Double Dash, Mario Party 4, etc. etc. even more than the N64 counterparts that I grew up with. I love the N64 ones of course, but the Game cube sequels brought so much innovation and creativity they were ultimatelyPersonally, I think the Mario games from the Game-cube era were the best of all time. I love Super Mario Sunshine, Paper Mario Thousand Year Door, Mario Power Tennis, Mario Kart Double Dash, Mario Party 4, etc. etc. even more than the N64 counterparts that I grew up with. I love the N64 ones of course, but the Game cube sequels brought so much innovation and creativity they were ultimately very enjoyable games. Although Luigi's Mansion had no N64 counterpart, it is also a prime example of an innovative Gamecube Game. Great Review :)… Expand
  10. Nerocz1
    Sep 25, 2020
    6
    Iam not the smartest, not the most patient gamer in the world, but I find really hard to love this game. I just never know what to do. And no, i don´t need arrows and pointers in games, I loved Zelda games, but to me Super Mario Sunshine was just going in cirles forever until i luckily found what to do. That made in bored in about 3 hours. I do see what people like about this game, but itIam not the smartest, not the most patient gamer in the world, but I find really hard to love this game. I just never know what to do. And no, i don´t need arrows and pointers in games, I loved Zelda games, but to me Super Mario Sunshine was just going in cirles forever until i luckily found what to do. That made in bored in about 3 hours. I do see what people like about this game, but it is not for me.… Expand
  11. Daze072401
    Apr 1, 2018
    6
    Behind the gorgeous visuals and fantastic controls lies the result of a rushed development cycle. The horrendous collision detection and occasionally insufferable missions hold this otherwise brilliant game ransom. Approach with caution.
  12. Shadow1
    Apr 18, 2016
    7
    This is very average game . Very good graphics for 2002 , but terrible storyline . Gameplay is normal . In this game Mario has got water gun . In this game is interesting bosses . This game is not one of the best game on Nintendo GayClub . Normal game . 5/10 , but thanks graphics and bosses .
  13. weskergamer
    Nov 11, 2020
    5
    I didn't like this game, it looks good and the story is fun but the gameplay is awful imo. The back jump sucks and the FLUDD mechanic is really annoying sometimes. Also the Delfino Island is fun for a while but it becomes borring after a while
  14. MikoSanaya
    Dec 9, 2017
    5
    This game is ruined by the terrible inverted controls for aiming and shooting water and for looking around. I even played this game on my computer and was not able to reconfigure the inversion for the aim and shoot because it uses the same buttons as moving around.. only inverted. I tried playing this game many years ago but couldn't remember why I never finished. I realize why now.This game is ruined by the terrible inverted controls for aiming and shooting water and for looking around. I even played this game on my computer and was not able to reconfigure the inversion for the aim and shoot because it uses the same buttons as moving around.. only inverted. I tried playing this game many years ago but couldn't remember why I never finished. I realize why now. This game is just highly frustrating to play simply because of the terrible controls.… Expand
  15. Sylictic
    Jul 8, 2023
    7
    Fantastic spiritual successor to super mario 64. Controls and camera angles clunky at times but overall a fantastic mario experience.
  16. Meta1234
    Apr 20, 2018
    7
    First, Nintendo games tend to get high scores even when they are not perfect or bad. It is like a do not judge the authority review process.

    I give this game a 7, no way for a 10. The 2nd entry in the main 3D series Mario and the typical 3D platformer from the iconic series and all... but there are a few problems. Controlling Mario was very annoying considering the sudden changes in    First, Nintendo games tend to get high scores even when they are not perfect or bad. It is like a do not judge the authority review process.

    I give this game a 7, no way for a 10. The 2nd entry in the main 3D series Mario and the typical 3D platformer from the iconic series and all... but there are a few problems.

    Controlling Mario was very annoying considering the sudden changes in walking direction and momentum. Coupled with the imprecision of the Gamecube stick it made some levels extremely difficult.
    Some missions were impossibly hard to complete. There was either rushed or bad game design. There was lots of frustration there.

    About the story? Well there was no story ever in Mario games, only some short ever-reused cinematics Mariooooooo-style.

    No disrespect but no more than 7.    … Expand
  17. Benniexotic123
    Apr 1, 2018
    7
    Super Mario Sunshine, the direct sequel to the critically acclaimed Super Mario 64, met with both praise and criticizm. And that is understandable. The game suffered from being really darn glitchy, and the blue coin missions and locations were unfair and cryptic. But, from another point of view, this game had stellar, near-perfect controls, thanks to the splashy, talky, watery backpackSuper Mario Sunshine, the direct sequel to the critically acclaimed Super Mario 64, met with both praise and criticizm. And that is understandable. The game suffered from being really darn glitchy, and the blue coin missions and locations were unfair and cryptic. But, from another point of view, this game had stellar, near-perfect controls, thanks to the splashy, talky, watery backpack known as F.L.U.D.D. F.L.U.U.D.D. added new elements and mechanics to this game, as he had countless abilities which were all useful in their own way. The game was hard, but beatable, the game was stunning, but vague. The game introduced Bowser's offspring to the midst, making him the primary antagonist, and from there creating sort of a triangle in this game, between the titular hero and the evil villain. It was still perfect to move in a free environment and the music is magnificent.… Expand
  18. B-Bog
    Jun 20, 2020
    6
    I was inspired by dunkey's recent review to dig up this game, that I thought of as a classic up until now. Back when it came out, I was 12 years old and totally enthralled with the tropical setting and the advancements in theming, atmosphere, 3D graphics and platforming from SM 64.

    Playing it now, sadly, I have to say it doesn't really hold up that well (neither does SM64 IMO).    I was inspired by dunkey's recent review to dig up this game, that I thought of as a classic up until now. Back when it came out, I was 12 years old and totally enthralled with the tropical setting and the advancements in theming, atmosphere, 3D graphics and platforming from SM 64.

    Playing it now, sadly, I have to say it doesn't really hold up that well (neither does SM64 IMO).

    Controls can be PRETTY clunky, e.g. getting Mario to do a sideways flip. Camera is super-problematic as well, especially in levels where you need to zoom out to stay aware of the action, like the Mario Morgana chases. It does this early-2000s thing where it actually behaves like a physical camera that cannot move past objects in the game world and so gets stuck super-often, which is reeeaaally irritating nowadays.

    In general, I would say that the game starts out great. Scoring early shines isn't that difficult MOST of the time, and opening up new levels, unlocking FLUDD nozzles and Yoshi, moving along what little of a story there is, exploring all the nooks and crannies of Delfino Plaza and getting it to be bathed in sunlight again is really motivating. The tropical setting, as I said, is really cool and Isle Delfino really feels like an inter-connected world with real inhabitants that are super-charming and that you can actually talk to, a stark contrast to the very "video-gamey" SM64 where you've got the typical lava world, ice world etc.

    But as you get to the mid-game of SMS, it very quickly loses steam. There aren't as many levels as in SM64 and you have to complete 7 out of 8 shines in EVERY level to be able to get to the final boss. And let me tell you, not all of these shines are what I would call "inspired". Many are pretty fun, a few are even great (The Mystery of the Hotel comes to mind, possibly the highlight of the game), but many are really dull and repetitive. Piranha Plant and Blooper fights (the exact same ones every time mind you), Red Coins, Morgana Mario chases... There's a ton of content getting recycled over and over again. Some shines, though, are downright INFURIATING, sometimes because of a totally broken physics engine (Pachinko is the worst example here), some because the design of the mission is just a**.

    Take for example, the eighth shine in the harbour level. You have to ride on Yoshi to complete it. To get him out of his egg, you need to feed him a certain fruit. Can you just get it from a stand like in the hub world? Noooo, far too easy! You have to do ground pounds, alternating between two buttons on top of a giant fruit vending machine. You have no choice over what type of fruit comes out. But the kicker is: Should you not get the desired fruit, then you'll have to go down where it came out and remove it, because the next fruit that appears will otherwise bounce off of it, down a ledge and you won't be able to get it to Yoshi. So for every wrong fruit you have to ground pound, jump down, pick up the fruit, throw it away, do a side-ways jump into a wall-jump and hover to get back onto the platform, and then repeat this until the RNG gods decide to have mercy on you and give you the fruit that you actually need. Who in the hell thought that this was going to be fun??? Well then, moving on, you've got the right fruit, you can give it to Yoshi. With his help, you can turn jumping fish into moving platforms (don't ask, I know it doesn't make any sense) which which you can access steel platforms far away from the shore. The thing is, you have to hit the jumping fish on the exact right height, otherwise you won't be able to make the jump to the next steel platform. And you can't fall back down onto the fish platform if you realize you don't have enough height, either, because it immediately STARTS MOVING AWAY. Should you fall into the water, guess what? Yoshi dissolves, you have to find a way back to shore (btw, Mario swims incredibly slowly in a game that is FULL OF WATER) and then you get to REPEAT THE WHOLE PROCESS OVER AGAIN STARTING WITH THE GOD-DAMN FRUIT MACHINE!!? WTF??? That's just straight-up trolling and that shine alone probably takes the rating down one point for me, even if it's optional.

    Then we have the blue coins...I don't think there's much more to say about this topic. There are 240 of them in the game. For every 10, you get a shine, which means that they make up 20% of all the shines you can get. This fact, together with the many repetitive and uninspired mission shines (and quite a lot of muddy textures) makes me think that the game was rushed and they just somehow needed there to be 120 shines, because SM 64 had 120 stars. The absolute worst thing about the Blue Coins, however, is the fact that many of them are mission-specific, which pretty much ensures that you're going to need a guide to be able to complete the game.

    All in all, SMS has plenty of positive qualities, but they cannot distract from its unpolished, repetitive and sometimes infuriating nature.    … Expand
  19. edxtan
    Oct 5, 2022
    6
    Super Mario Sunshine is full of fun surprises in a fun setting, but the main mechanic is cumbersome.
  20. OmegaChase1002
    Sep 18, 2020
    7
    It's insanely fun, but it has 2 really, REALLY major flaws.

    1. The game has a set list of Shines to collect to make any real progress. - In Super Mario 64, it did not matter which Stars you got, what order you got them in, or how you got them. All that mattered was you were able to collect enough Stars to open that next door. And because Sunshine is a direct sequel to Super Mario 64,    It's insanely fun, but it has 2 really, REALLY major flaws.

    1. The game has a set list of Shines to collect to make any real progress.

    - In Super Mario 64, it did not matter which Stars you got, what order you got them in, or how you got them. All that mattered was you were able to collect enough Stars to open that next door. And because Sunshine is a direct sequel to Super Mario 64, every first-time player is going to instantly assume that the same rules apply here. But this isn't true. You have to do episodes 1 to 7 in every stage to unlock the final level, nothing more and nothing less. So of course every first-time player is going to waste tons of time collecting all the other side-level Shine Sprites and wondering why they're suddenly not making progress anymore. If you play the game a second time with this information in mind, of course you're gonna have fun. But that first run, you're gonna waste a lot of time and get really bored.

    2. None of the side-missions are any fun.

    - The pachinko table is bugged, the poison river lilly pad never goes where you want it to, moving that giant watermelon is stupidly tedious, some of the Shine Sprites are insanely cryptic, getting all the Blue Coins is an unlikeable chore, etc. So on top of wasting time and wondering why you aren't making progress, you're getting frustrated while you do it too.

    If the game simply TOLD the player something like "look sport, ya can't play this the same way ya played 64" at the beginning, then these wouldn't even be issues. Even though I now enjoy this game and can play it correctly, that still doesn't change the fact that these two little problems soured a LOT of people's first-time experiences.    … Expand
  21. Azuris
    Oct 1, 2020
    7
    I really really tried to like this Game more, but it has to many annoying Points.
    - The inverted Camera is terrible
    - There are so many annoying Stages - In the other Hand it is not as easy to gain Health or Lifes as in Mario 64 - To have to use the Watergun often breaks the Flow of the Game The Music and the Style of the Game have such a great Vibe to it, but the Game has just to    I really really tried to like this Game more, but it has to many annoying Points.
    - The inverted Camera is terrible
    - There are so many annoying Stages
    - In the other Hand it is not as easy to gain Health or Lifes as in Mario 64
    - To have to use the Watergun often breaks the Flow of the Game

    The Music and the Style of the Game have such a great Vibe to it, but the Game has just to many annoying Points.
    Rather play Mario 64 or Galaxy if you want a pure 3D Mario Title.    … Expand
  22. Jjdm11
    Mar 23, 2020
    7
    Super Mario sunshine is proof of what happened when developers get lazy.The control and story are good but everything else is not great especially the level design huge difficulty ups and downs and for the majority of levels it’s a boring open field with good graphics ,good for it’s time .overall the worst 3d mario
  23. Denvers
    Jul 5, 2020
    7
    Super Mario Sunshine is filled with so much character and an actually somewhat interesting plot, especially for a Mario game. The game has aged fine, but doesn't feel particular smooth to play. I felt like there wasn't enough to keep my attention even though it's a well polished experience. Overall, it's not a bad game, but it's pretty mediocre for a 3d Mario.

    Final Verdict : 7 (Good)
  24. Keitan
    Nov 29, 2020
    7
    Super Mario Sunshine es la oveja negra de los juegos de Mario en 3D y esto queda mas que evidenciado con el cambio tan radical de mecanicas, controles y jugabilidad que tuvo de Super Mario 64 a Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario Sunshine es un juego bueno, del que se puede disfrutar pero que en la mayor parte de las veces pide mas al jugador de lo que el jugador puede hacer con losSuper Mario Sunshine es la oveja negra de los juegos de Mario en 3D y esto queda mas que evidenciado con el cambio tan radical de mecanicas, controles y jugabilidad que tuvo de Super Mario 64 a Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario Sunshine es un juego bueno, del que se puede disfrutar pero que en la mayor parte de las veces pide mas al jugador de lo que el jugador puede hacer con los controles que se le otorgan, mismos controles que son demasiado "toscos" y nada pulidos a diferencia de Super Mario 64, el diseño de niveles aunque nada malo, no termina de ser lo suficientemente bueno para guiar al jugador a traves de ciertos niveles, donde a pesar de tener el nombre del nivel para guiarnos y algunos "Tips" de nuestro amigo F.L.U.D.D, no queda claro el objetivo del nivel, en general todos los niveles llegan a ser mucho mas tardados por este mismo problema, lo cual no supondria un problema de no ser Mario de quien hablamos, al igual que Castlevania 2 (NES), Super Mario Sunshine no seria un problema de no ser que hablamos del mismisimo Mario, reitero en que el juego es disfrutable pero si llega a ser bastante tedioso buscar que hacer en los niveles y mejor ni hablar de los niveles donde se nos quita a F.L.U.D., mas que desafiantes, son los niveles mas frustrantes del juego, serian disfrutables y desafiantes de no ser por el hecho de que los controles no estan bien pulidos, no es un Must-Play, pero si llegas a jugarlo tampoco lo lamentaras... del todo.… Expand
  25. Gerbityblah
    Aug 2, 2020
    7
    Very high highs, very, very low lows.

    The game isn't perfect, but It's fun when it wants to be. The game has pretty tight controls, a bit too how to say- heavy? But that's why F.L.O.O.D. is here, to make Mario control better. The game when it's at its best when it is interpreting the formula of 64, so a fun 3D platformer at its heart. The problems start to come in when F.L.O.O.D. is    Very high highs, very, very low lows.

    The game isn't perfect, but It's fun when it wants to be.
    The game has pretty tight controls, a bit too how to say- heavy? But that's why F.L.O.O.D. is here, to make Mario control better. The game when it's at its best when it is interpreting the formula of 64, so a fun 3D platformer at its heart. The problems start to come in when F.L.O.O.D. is taken away from Mario, the lack of it puts a light on how bad Mario feels here. This among many, many ridiculous, un-fun gimmicks the game throws at you makes the game a Mario game that I wouldn't introduce to someone as their first Mario game personally. The game is also stupid to 100% so don't do that (Who the hell decided to add Blue Coins?) but nonetheless the game is fine, I'd just have difficulty suggesting it to someone over Super Mario 64 or Super Mario Galaxy.

    7/10 Games not bad, but it's a third-rate Mario.    … Expand
  26. Zethor
    Aug 17, 2020
    7
    Super Mario Sunshine's beautiful soundtrack and art bring together a wonderful world, controlled through the most technical, tightest controls the platforming genre has ever seen. The game's 50 required missions are mostly solid, and serve as a strong experience from beginning to end, making this game a joy to replay again and again.

    However, these required missions do not make up the    Super Mario Sunshine's beautiful soundtrack and art bring together a wonderful world, controlled through the most technical, tightest controls the platforming genre has ever seen. The game's 50 required missions are mostly solid, and serve as a strong experience from beginning to end, making this game a joy to replay again and again.

    However, these required missions do not make up the majority of the game's content, with 70 of the game's shine sprites only describable as padding, with most of them sitting at a much lower standard of quality that does not incentivize 100% completion, neither through the quality of the missions themselves nor the paltry reward one obtains for doing so. As long as one is aware not to bother with these optional missions, then Super Mario Sunshine stands as one of the strongest entries in the series, but if one is not then the quality of the game drops drastically. Since these optional missions are still a part of the experience, however, I have rated the game as a whole, not just the required part.    … Expand
  27. neojotic
    Aug 26, 2020
    7
    Mario Sunshine was not your standard Mario release - No, it did not see launch day and in fact for the first time ever the green hat overshadowed the red one. In this game itself Mario borrows it's innovation from Luigi (thanks to Professor E Gadd and his inventions). However, putting Gamecube politics aside, this was a step in the right direction for the series and a step above MarioMario Sunshine was not your standard Mario release - No, it did not see launch day and in fact for the first time ever the green hat overshadowed the red one. In this game itself Mario borrows it's innovation from Luigi (thanks to Professor E Gadd and his inventions). However, putting Gamecube politics aside, this was a step in the right direction for the series and a step above Mario 64... but not by much.

    Pros:
    -Nintendo takes a risk by introducing Fludd, moving towards a more original story and changing scenery away from traditional Mario levels
    -Utilizies Gamecube hardware for great graphics and sound for that time.
    -Fun story that's light and doesn't take away from the gameplay.

    Cons:
    -Controls and camera angles can add to the difficulty and hinder the experience of the game. Fludd isn't as smooth as the Poltergeist.
    -One of the least traditional Mario games. Hardcore fans may find the innovation to take away from the Mario and experience they know and love.
    -Mario Sunshine can fail to captivate some gamers after the first few hours. It has been criticizing for not providing enough incentive for the gamer to reach the end.

    I wasn't huge on Mario 64 and I was definitely open-minded and excited for this game. I do think that this is a good game but it's nothing more or less. It's a must have for any Gamecube or Nintendo collector but for a gamer there's more reward from Luigi's Mansion or Sonic Adventure 1+2 as there was more reward from the Rare games on 64 than Mario 64. This was just standard.    … Expand
  28. ItsDaDoc
    Jan 29, 2021
    6
    The main thing preventing Super Mario Sunshine from being as good as it can be is the frustration that comes out of playing it. I am not exaggerating at all that this game can be VERY frustrating to play at times, with issues judging where you're going to land, and those darned Stus that seemingly spawn out of nowhere at times. And, don't get me started on the secret courses like theThe main thing preventing Super Mario Sunshine from being as good as it can be is the frustration that comes out of playing it. I am not exaggerating at all that this game can be VERY frustrating to play at times, with issues judging where you're going to land, and those darned Stus that seemingly spawn out of nowhere at times. And, don't get me started on the secret courses like the Lillypad ride and Pachinco machine. I do have to give credit to the fact that all of the beach themed maps are creative, and the FLUDD pack is very enjoyable to use too.… Expand
  29. deycd
    Aug 13, 2021
    7
    La música es de las mejores en un Mario, no supera a las de Mario Galaxy o las de odisey. Pero entre los otro juegos destaca muy bien. La historia también es bastante buena, incluso mejor que la de Mario 64 y odissey. Pero pierde mucho por las físicas y mecánicas del juego, que aparte de ser más difícil controlar a Mario, el juego es bastante más lento que los otros.
  30. NCL209
    Dec 3, 2020
    6
    Don't get me wrong, this is a good game and I do respect it, but the F.L.U.D.D. pack is pretty awkward to control and the game just isn't as fun as Mario 64 or Galaxy and Galaxy 2.
  31. EliTheCritic
    Dec 27, 2020
    7
    It's good, but the game has a lot of glaring problems. First off, the camera is terrible. Even after getting 7+ shines, I still had trouble controlling Mario. Second off, this game feels way harder than it should be. Maybe I'm just bad at the game, but this game feels like every level is rainbow Ride from Mario 64. Besides that, everything else is great! This game looks pretty goodIt's good, but the game has a lot of glaring problems. First off, the camera is terrible. Even after getting 7+ shines, I still had trouble controlling Mario. Second off, this game feels way harder than it should be. Maybe I'm just bad at the game, but this game feels like every level is rainbow Ride from Mario 64. Besides that, everything else is great! This game looks pretty good compared to most GameCube games. And I really love the music in this game, probably the best in Mario games besides Odyssey!… Expand
  32. BritishGuy54
    Jan 13, 2021
    5
    Personally, this game is one of my lesser favourite Mario Games. While I loved 64, I really enjoyed Galaxy 1 & 2, liked 3D World and Odyssey, I just feel dissatisfied about Sunshine. The removal of the Long Jump really aggravates me. FLUDD’s nozzles are really annoying, as you have to unlock the for each level. I understand if you like this game, but personally, it is a bit of a stepPersonally, this game is one of my lesser favourite Mario Games. While I loved 64, I really enjoyed Galaxy 1 & 2, liked 3D World and Odyssey, I just feel dissatisfied about Sunshine. The removal of the Long Jump really aggravates me. FLUDD’s nozzles are really annoying, as you have to unlock the for each level. I understand if you like this game, but personally, it is a bit of a step down for me. The resort setting gets stale after a while which leaves the levels to feel the same. How 100 coin shines work is bad compared to 64. You get kicked out of the level for EVERY shine you get. That is annoying. And some level’s episodes, you can’t even get all 100 coins! I appreciate Sunshine, but it feels like a step down from 64.… Expand
  33. Idk2006
    Jan 31, 2021
    7
    Mario sunshine is the black sheep of the Mario cannon mainly because of its unfair nature and subpar controls, but on the whole it’s a fun experience that’s worth checking out at least once.
  34. Invasious
    Mar 31, 2021
    5
    The game has its highs, and the game absolutely has its lows. I had some fun with it when the game worked as intended, but the wonky camera, terrible physics and all round awful depth perception made this game really hard to play, which ruins the immersion and the experience a lot. Some of the fludd less levels were the bane of my existence due to Mario's very lacklustre moveset and lackThe game has its highs, and the game absolutely has its lows. I had some fun with it when the game worked as intended, but the wonky camera, terrible physics and all round awful depth perception made this game really hard to play, which ruins the immersion and the experience a lot. Some of the fludd less levels were the bane of my existence due to Mario's very lacklustre moveset and lack of control. I am yet to finish the game, but with 50 shines collected I think I have had a reasonable degree of playtime. It might be worth your time, it wasn't worth mine and I will not be going back to it again.

    Pros: Good design, fun visuals, levels that work properly are a treat to play

    Cons: Levels that don't work are a nightmare, clunky camera, bad physics, very punishing for mistakes, whether it is your fault or not    … Expand
  35. MaddoxWhite
    Apr 24, 2021
    7
    I mean, it's a Mario game. You jump and stuff.

    I'd just rather play any other 3D Mario.
  36. ntBagel
    Apr 23, 2022
    7
    Mario sunshine a fresh entry in the 3D Mario series. Starting off wit the visuals it looks pretty good and holds up but is nothing amazing. the controls feel very good with the help of flood making up for minor problems in movement allowing you to adjust your horizontal and vertical movement. The biggest problem with the game is the level design many of the levels are unrememberable,Mario sunshine a fresh entry in the 3D Mario series. Starting off wit the visuals it looks pretty good and holds up but is nothing amazing. the controls feel very good with the help of flood making up for minor problems in movement allowing you to adjust your horizontal and vertical movement. The biggest problem with the game is the level design many of the levels are unrememberable, tedious boring and unfair. this game would have surely been a 9/ 10 if the levels were more enjoyable to play. I collected every shine and some were just a chore to play though. Overall, this game was very enjoyable to play and holds up to today I just don't think it can compare to many of the other big 3D Mario games. 7/10 (great)… Expand
  37. XxMicManxX
    Aug 24, 2021
    7
    While the island theming gives this game charm, the frustrating level design and awful camera controls make Sunshine the worst 3D Mario game by far.
  38. TSNintendogamer
    Apr 15, 2022
    7
    I say this game can be fun at times. I like the water gimmick but it's not as good as the spin mechanic in the mario galaxy games. While the flood mechanic can be fun, it also is intrusive because sometimes you get confused on how to aim when you aren't in hover mode. I wish they would use the turbo nozzle more. As for the level design, it's a mixed bag. While levels likeI say this game can be fun at times. I like the water gimmick but it's not as good as the spin mechanic in the mario galaxy games. While the flood mechanic can be fun, it also is intrusive because sometimes you get confused on how to aim when you aren't in hover mode. I wish they would use the turbo nozzle more. As for the level design, it's a mixed bag. While levels like blonco hills is fun, then there are levels where the game really shows it's problems... especially in it's secret levels. Like the alex kidd remake, the levels are very unpolished. Like you slip off the platforms easily. It also doesn't help that sometimes the camera messes you up too like the area cant have alot of stuff by you because otherwise the things like the walls will block your view. I also hate how hard the game in general is like especially the watermelon level. Other levels are hard too like some of the later secret levels, the sand bird, and the surfing level where you have to jump to get the shine sprite. The game is a mario game for god's sake and I'm not saying that mario games can't have challenge as I grew up with games like the nes mario games and world. The difficulty is nght and day between this and new super mario bros. It's like Nintendo knew they messed up. I wanted the game as a kid but I bet if I got it, the gamecube would've been broken from rage lol. However with that being said, I also like how the game had a good story for a mario game as the last two mario games was litterally just "bowser kidnaps peach and does a few other minor things." This game actually introduces one of my favorite mario characters, bowser jr and sit was funny how he seemed to be similar to shadow from the sonic series with everyone mistaking him for mario but he turned out to be a childish incompetent antagonist. I never beat the game without help on some levels but overall, it's my least favorite mario game but it's decent as a game itself.… Expand
  39. Banjo_Reviewie
    Nov 18, 2021
    7
    this game can be infuriating, but the gameplay is still fun and the setting is unique for a mario game.
  40. FireBroFilms
    Aug 15, 2022
    7
    ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎
  41. ZeIdaFan
    Oct 5, 2022
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Finde es ist schlechter als die anderen Mario Hauptspiele, Odyssey ist fasst perfekt!(durch cappy perfektes movement und schöne Grafik), in Galaxy wird das movement auch etwas verbessert und Mario 64 gilt sowieso als unkritisierbar!
    Die düse ist nicht so interessant ,das movement wird nicht sehr verbessert!



    Trotzdem als Shooter geeignet!!! : ]    … Expand
  42. aHard
    Jul 24, 2023
    5
    The game is very repetitive. The camera is not great, it can frequently get lost behind objects. The worst part is being kicked out of levels and having to travel all the way back to them, not just start the level again, when you lose a life. There are also some parts of the game that are far to difficult to be any fun. I will not be recommending it, nor ever playing it again.

Awards & Rankings

5
#5 Best GameCube Game of 2002
2
#2 Most Discussed GameCube Game of 2002
2
#2 Most Shared GameCube Game of 2002

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
92

Universal acclaim - based on 61 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 60 out of 61
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 61
  3. Negative: 0 out of 61
  1. Inside Gamer Online
    76
    The FLUDD system is used throughout the game and can either be why the game is so great or why the game is so mediocre.
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  2. GameCritics
    60
    To say that the camera in this game is atrocious is like saying being kicked in the teeth kinda hurts-it gives the person an idea about how bad it is, but it doesn't even begin to describe the agony in detail.
    Read full review
  3. GamePro
    100
    A masterpiece of superior game design, infinite gameplay variety, creativity, and life-and it's got a water cannon…and a damn brilliant one at that.
    Read full review
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