Why Super Mario Sunshine... sucks!

[johngamer]

Okay, so maybe it isn't that bad. But compared to Super Mario 64, Sunshine sucks orangutang genetalia.

And here are some reasons I have found for not liking the game so much:

-The "levels" are incredibly tiny... In almost every single stage, you can see all the way across the level. Really confining when compared to 64's huge levels.

-The levels are not diverse enough (with a few exceptions). Yes, I know the game takes place on an island, but how many freaking "beach" levels do we need!? 64 had so much more... (snow levels, a dessert level, etc.).

-The under-water controls are horrible... The control in 64 was almost flawless, but it is atrocious to try and navigate under-water with "FLUDD." Have fun cleaning that eel's teeth!

-The game sometimes feels like it is only a collection of "mini-games." Clean up the goo in a time limit, collect the red coins... in a time limit, etc. Sure 64 had its "mini-games" too, but those were actually fun! It's like when they made Sunshine, they tried to take the best aspects of 64, and duplicate them as quickly as possible.

So, you end up getting nice "slide levels" that are too short, easy, and boring when compared to 64's. And some "race the Piantesemo dude" segments where you run across the tiny level easilly beating him (racing the turtle in 64 was always more enjoyable).

-The levels just aren't designed as well as 64's. I've already covered the "they're too small and similar to each other" topics, but this gos a bit further. With the exception of the fun "without FLUDD" levels, there were no stages that actually challenged me at all. There were many of the later levels in 64 where if you didn't use your "skills" perfectly, you would fall into a bottomless pit (of doom).

You don't really have to put much effort into playing Sunshine at all... Just use the hover nozzle to easily get from place to place.

-There are no real "power-ups," or anything cool to play around with. In 64, you had the various caps (the wing cap being the most fun, as it let you fly), cannons that let you shoot yourself about the levels, turtle shells to surf around on (without a freaking time limit. Well, above water), warp points that transported you arround the levels, a cool castle... etc. Whereas in Sunshine, you had fun fences to climb on (oh boy!) and a dinosaur that dies when it touches water (must be painful). Yoshie really surves no real purpose in this game... Oh wait, I forgot, he can spray the orange goop that mario can't!!!

-The "overworld" is well, boring... I'm sure Nintendo didn't want to make another castle (they didn't want people to think they were emulating 64 now did they?), but the Delfino Plaza is reletivly flat and featureless. 64's castle was expansive, with soooooo many secret areas to explore, but Sunshine only had tiny houses to jump on... fun.

-The "last boss" level was sad... It took no effort whatsoever to jump across the spikey platforms (again, the hover nozzle spoils us), and the "boat" segment was more difficult due to the clunky "boat controls" than it was because of clever level design. Then you "rocket jump" up some clouds, but if you fall, it's okay. You'll always land right back on the platform...

Now actually facing Bowser is more fun than the other bosses in the game, but it is still very easy. Well, assuming you can beat the "bugs." I.e. sometimes when you groundpound the platforms, you will shoot right through them to your death.

That's about all I can point out right now. This "bash Mario Sunshine" thread is a bit late, as the game has been out for a while, but I just now got arround to beating it. And even then, I only kept playing it because it was a Mario game, and not because it was really that engaging.

It is definetly the worst Mario game I have ever played, but it is still a decent platformer. Sure it can't compare with games like Rare's Banjo Kazooie (which in turn cannot compete with Mario 64), but I'm sure I've played worse... That "demo" of Spyro the Dragon I played wasn't as fun as Sunshine!

[BoneStormer]

First, let me welcome you to last year! Though I agree (like 2 others around here) that Sunshine ain't so good. Especially for being Mario. Here's some more fun!

-Tiny? I thought they were bigger, though many parts are 'side areas'.

-The tropical theme is one of the gayest parts of Sunshine.

-Can you name a game that has good underwater controls? And I think its more a camera issue at its core.

-Well the 'best' parts of 64 were the 'mini games' (like the penguine slide) so it would figure they do more. But I dont think they did really. Feels about the same to me. Just the 'cool & new' factor has been lost.

-The sub-stages are the best parts. And yes as a whole Sunshine isnt very hard, but I dont think mario64 was either. Getting all the stars/shines is where it gets harder, in both.

-I cant agree more about there being no real powerups. This is one of my top 3 negatives (along with the island theme and the crappy camera). And yeah, Yoshi is a token apearance.

-while the castle was cooler, Sunshine's overworld actually has more secrets and such.

-I thought the boss battle was pretty lame.

Worst Mario of SMB, SMB2, SMB3, SMW, M64, SMS? Hmm, maybe, though I've personally never really liked SMB2. SMS is a slightly above average platformer.

[nbrid]

Pretty much all has been said so I'll just say that I disagree with a couple things. First of all, the worlds are definately much bigger than the ones in Mario 64. You could see all the way across some of the stages because the tremendous draw distance. Then of course the levels go verticle and you've got some big ass levels on your hand. Also I found the overworld to be pretty fun. Wall jumping is one thing Sunshine has that 64 doesnt. It is a very fun prospect.

I really had a ton of fun with sunshine for the first few days, but after that time I realize it really wasnt what it could and should have been. In any case, its a great platformer, but not quite Mario caliber. I agree with everything else you said to some extent. Yoshi could have been so much more

[ConnDestn]

Personally I like the game, though not better than mario 64 still good, and I wish i didnt trade it in cause at this exact point right now im wanting to play it. Oh well this rpg maker 2 seems to be a pretty good time devouring pieace of software in itself.

[johngamer]

Meh, I wish I could go back and play Mario 64 to see if the levels really were smaller, but I let a cousin borrow it... Guess I could just drive over there.

I guess Sunshine's worlds could be bigger when you factor in that they change slightly depending on which shine you are after...

And I didn't even know RPG Maker 2 was out yet! I need to go get that... My games I made on the 1st version died with a corrupted memory card. Now no one will be able to enjoy Bob's Big Day.

[nbrid]

Remake that game on your computer and then post it here! I was going to start making a game last year but I never got to starting...Yeah I'll make one some day. Sprite making can be fun...cept it can also suck. OH MY GOD I JUST REMEMBERED I USED TO HAVE A BUNCH OF HOMEMADE SPRITES ON MY COMPUTER AND NOW THEY'RE ALL GONE! At least I still have that halfway average mrbot over there...