"Data analysis verifies that the island's inhabitants are indeed troubled by pollution."
As the first sequel to the seminal 'Super Mario 64', it was expected that director Yoshiaki Koizumi and producer Shigeru Miyamoto would craft an enjoyable but safe experience that dare not stray much further than the style and content of the N64 original. After all, 'Super Mario 64' re-enforced Mario and Miyamoto as the staples of the Nintendo brand and proved that 3D platforming not only could be done, but that it could be done with the style and depth expected of a system's flagship title. While continued movement in this established direction would have surely been met with both open arms and open wallets, Miyamoto and Koizumi took a chance and decided to be bold and innovative instead.
For this creative pairing, such a decision was neither unprecedented [Their last collaboration was 'The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask'] nor unsucceeded [They would follow this game with 'The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker' and 'Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat'] and this tendency towards unique and imaginative game design would come to define Nintendo in the Sixth Generation. At this time, the company became more artistically wealthy than ever before, yet never so commercially poor. It's hard to look now at the correlation between the great games and low sales of the GameCube, compared with the underwhelming games and market dominance of the Wii, and not openly weep. Back in 2002, Nintendo dared to be different, dared to play with their own iconography and encouraged gamers to do the same with their technology. This was a time when the creative minds at Nintendo had some fun and tried new ideas.
The two most important elements that make 'Sunshine' stand apart from the series are the tropical setting and the 'F.L.U.D.D.' water pack. Tossing aside the clichéd Ice/Water/Fire worlds of Mario gone by and instead finding a more natural variety in a coherent setting, the resulting sun-soaked landscape of Isle Delfino is the closest I've ever seen a game get to constructing a real atmosphere of tourism. You can spend hours just exploring the colourful theme parks, coral reefs, rural hills, bustling markets and exotic old towns, all assembled in ways you can traverse using the delicate controls developed in 'Mario 64' of various jumps, slides, kicks and ground pounds. There are plenty of coins to collect, enemies to stomp and pipes to hop down in search of secrets just as you'd expect and even Yoshi waiting to be awoken by the aroma of delicious fruit. The jaunty tunes by the legendary composer Koji Kondo all excite and delight while using plenty of fresh instrumentation, such as the accordion, and coupled with the adorable sound design they bring the world of the game to life.
Then there's the water. Water, water everywhere - and every drop is gorgeous. 'Sunshine' is actually a rare example of a modern Nintendo game that pushes graphical technologies to the edge, flooding the levels with an ocean that splashes underfoot and sparkles in the sun. Somehow, Nintendo manages to make water that looks and feels wet. Not only is this an aesthetic achievement, but a key part in the game's major element of new gameplay – the 'F.L.U.D.D.' water pack. Although it's additional nozzles offer little of note, the two core functions of the water pack change how you play dramatically.
For platforming there's the hover nozzle that keeps Mario level in the air while pushing forward for a few moments, allowing him to cross further gaps or amend a bad jump in mid-air. While this does negate much of the original challenge, it also takes away much of the frustration that 3D platforming can entail and is worked into levels in some interesting ways. For those seeking a purer experience there are secret bonus levels that must be completed without the pack, abstract antecedents of the design for 'Super Mario Galaxy'.
The other nozzle is a cannon that you can fire either on the go or aim while standing. In many ways this turns Mario into a third-person shooter, but one with all the strengths of the best 3D platforming ever designed. Unlike a gun though, the water canon cleans dirt, makes paths into slip-n-slides and puts out fires. The game makes good use of this variety and encourages you to play with the tools you are given to find new methods of movement and offence. The only downside to the gameplay is the camera, which can become occasionally trapped or lost behind scenery, but this is nowhere near as bad as say 'Sonic Adventure' or other comparable games and never hinders progress for long.
'Super Mario Sunshine' is known today as the black sheep of the Mario franchise. It's an odd one out, yet what most people don't realise is that Yoshiaki Koizumi never made a game that truly fit in with what came before. His games were all odd ones out and because of this they were all brilliant. Sadly he has not directed a game since 'Super Mario Galaxy' in 2007, the best game on the Wii and his only major work on that platform. Aside from Miyamoto himself, no-one has had a bigger role in crafting the greatest Nintendo games ever made, so his creative absence in recent years is a real shame. 'Super Mario Sunshine' is a joy to experience and one of the best games the GameCube has to offer. Visually and mechanically it stands out from the competition and once again proves that Mario is the king of 3D platforming.
*****
*****
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