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Is Mario Sunshine the worst mainline Mario game?

Astral Dog

Member
I know I'm in the minority with this, but where Sunshine immediate clicked with me, I had no such luck with Galaxy. Probably doesn't help that I fucking hated the Wii as well as motion controls, but having to point the wiimote at the screen for all kinds of little things kept being an issue during my entire playthrough, as was the camera on all the small spherical levels. They just didn't click with me and prevented me from loving Galaxy.

Meanwhile, I've never had any issues with the camera in 64 or Sunshine. Those just... immediate clicked for me? I mean, I know a lot of people hate the camera in Super Mario 64 but from the very first second that stuff just felt completely natural to me. I can easily adjust it even while doing difficult jumps without any issue.



Yeah, a lot of people seem to feel like that, I know I'm in the minority. Sucks for me, because it always feels like I'm missing something but yeah, just never really clicked with me.

Just for the record, I don't think Galaxy is a bad game or anything, it's just one of my least favorite 3D mario games to date and the motion controls make it feel like a chore to play.
I find Galaxy 1 to be a little overrated, the presentation and music is amazing, but low difficulty and simple controls/levels made it less than it could be

Galaxy 2 is a real gem however, and takes it to the next level probably the best 3D platformer imo

Its not flawless since the motion controls can be an issue ,it depends on the player, personally they add something to the experience, the 'Action button' for example but there are certain levels were its clunky i remember some ball with a star inside so annoying 😵
 

Business

Member
Most definitely the worst.

Also, people dunking on 3D World are tripping, for starters it shouldn’t even be pitted with 3D Marios as it’s more of a 3D 2D hybrid. The game is so full of ideas and they are executed so well at times it’s just showing off, the multiplayer is god tier and it should have become the template for modern “2D Mario”.
 

Nicktendo86

Member
Sunshine feels like it suffers from the same issues I have with Wind Waker, both feel rushed as Nintendo needed the games out for the GameCube. Both good games but they could have both been really great had they both been given an extra year of development.
 

AV

We ain't outta here in ten minutes, we won't need no rocket to fly through space
It's the worst 3D mario by some way.

Ask anyone who ranks it highly if they played it at or near release and they'll almost certainly say yes. Rose tinted goggles aside, it's not a particularly good game at all.
 

Hugare

Member
I would say Mario 3D land or 3D world.

Galaxy started this dumb trend of fixing camera perspectives and then 3D land/world took that trend and ran with it.
It made sense back then cause the Switch only had one analog stick. And 3D Land was limited by the hardware. Stages were really simple and bland.

No excuses for 3D world tho
 

Punished Miku

Human Rights Subscription Service
Most definitely the worst.

Also, people dunking on 3D World are tripping, for starters it shouldn’t even be pitted with 3D Marios as it’s more of a 3D 2D hybrid. The game is so full of ideas and they are executed so well at times it’s just showing off, the multiplayer is god tier and it should have become the template for modern “2D Mario”.
"Shouldnt even be pitted" means its clearly the worst 3D entry. It is a 3D entry with limited moveset and nearly locked camera. Its the Kirby of Mario games.
 

E-Cat

Member
I know I'm in the minority with this, but where Sunshine immediate clicked with me, I had no such luck with Galaxy. Probably doesn't help that I fucking hated the Wii as well as motion controls, but having to point the wiimote at the screen for all kinds of little things kept being an issue during my entire playthrough, as was the camera on all the small spherical levels. They just didn't click with me and prevented me from loving Galaxy.

Meanwhile, I've never had any issues with the camera in 64 or Sunshine. Those just... immediate clicked for me? I mean, I know a lot of people hate the camera in Super Mario 64 but from the very first second that stuff just felt completely natural to me. I can easily adjust it even while doing difficult jumps without any issue.



Yeah, a lot of people seem to feel like that, I know I'm in the minority. Sucks for me, because it always feels like I'm missing something but yeah, just never really clicked with me.

Just for the record, I don't think Galaxy is a bad game or anything, it's just one of my least favorite 3D mario games to date and the motion controls make it feel like a chore to play.
Regarding the camera in Mario 64 and Sunshine, I can relate. Not only did I never have a single problem with the camera controls, but it didn't even occur to me that it was possible to be unsatisfied with them in principle -- it was just instantly intuitive and worked flawlessly, like walking or jumping.
 

Crayon

Member
I don't know about the worst, but I often find myself thinking that it was pretty good and got a bad rap. Then I go back and play it and remember that this game has some problems. Mostly due to being rough around the edges. Still better than most platformers.
 
The best 3D platformer from other companies still is such a huge step/leap/freefall down from the worst mainline 3D Mario platformer, just appreciate them all.

I dunno man, maybe nowadays that most big devs have abandoned the genre but I'd take all the PS2 first party platformer games (Sly Cooper, Jak 1, Ratchet) over Super Mario Sunshine by a lot.
 

Alexios

Cores, shaders and BIOS oh my!
I dunno man
I do know though, as said. I mean, there's no account for taste if I should put it kindly, a person earlier was praising A Hat in Time over post-64 Marios and what not, Poi and Skylar & Plux are better than that thing turned out for all its crazy hype over looking like Wind Waker with Mario's moves 🤷‍♂️

Hope Skylar & Plux resurfaces, it's a good PS2-like indie 3D platform game but delisted, I think I read they were remastering/rebuilding it which I don't think it needed though extra content would be nice (I only thought one cute race model in the game seemed hillariously off compared to the rest).
 
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Hohenheim

Member
Haven't played since it was new, but it's been my favourite 3D Mario from then and up to Odyssey.
Never played the Galaxy ones.
 

AngelMuffin

Member
I suppose so if we were forced to rank them, but it’s still a pretty good game & fun to play. I guess it’s the Dark Souls 2 of 3D Mario games.
 
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Pelao

Member
The only 3D Mario I've never finished.
I've started it a bunch of times and always end up dropping it after a few hours of giving it an honest attempt. I just find it extremely inferior to the rest.
 

Kliptik81

Neo Member
I ran through Mario 64 in the Switch collection and wanted to replay Sunshine before playing Galaxy for the first time. Sunshine stopped me dead in my tracks. I hate the stupid backpack gimmick. The best levels are the ones where the backpack gets stolen.
I haven't play Sunshine in years, and I remember liking it, but I completely agree with you, the best levels were when your water pack was stolen.
 

AV

We ain't outta here in ten minutes, we won't need no rocket to fly through space
1. 64
2. Odyssey
3. Galaxy 2
4. Galaxy
5. 3D Land
6. 3D World
7. Sunshine

Played none of them as a kid. As much as I have no fond memories of it, Sunshine is fine. The rest all range from great to all-timer. It's been a long while since I touched a few of these though, and I might revisit some, but even only playing it for the first time in university, I've finished 64 like 5 times since and could go play it right now.
 
Even back during the release of Sunshine -with limited context- we knew it was lacking. I just can't get behind the revisionist history about the Gamecube library that everyone seems to have bought into lately.
 
I really enjoyed Sunshine. Felt terrible on the Switch when I tried it but I'm sure I'd still enjoy it on the GCN. As much as I dislike the GCN controller, it was amazing for first-party games.
 
3D World was such a massive let down after the Galaxy games. I find it hard to judge because of that. Oddly enough, I love 3D Land.
It's been a while since I've played it, but I thought 3D Land was really excellent back when, especially compared to NSMB style games. I'll have to go back and give it a shot to see how I feel about it today. 3D World however, I skipped and only recently picked up on Switch but wasn't as impressed and haven't bothered to finish it yet.
 

Panajev2001a

GAF's Pleasant Genius
I really enjoyed Sunshine. Felt terrible on the Switch when I tried it but I'm sure I'd still enjoy it on the GCN. As much as I dislike the GCN controller, it was amazing for first-party games.
The game was create around the controller and vice-versa. Same thing as playing SM64 with the N64 controller on Switch, it is another thing…
 

IDKFA

I am Become Bilbo Baggins
It's 100% the worst in my opinion. It just doesn't feel like a Mario game. It's almost like it started life as a concept for another game, but then had the Mario skin slapped on last minute.

The GC library was probably the worst for Nintendo first party games as well.

Worst mainline Mario
Worst Mario Kart
Visually the worst Zelda (I've never played it so can't be sure about gameplay)

Metroid Prime was okay I guess? That's it.

Yeah, but Mario Sunshine was a mess. I can't believe Nintendo went from Mario 64 to that.
 
I have very fond memories of Sunshine, it's a game with flaws but I still loved playing it. I don't have any fond memories of both Galaxy games which I found both very uninspired and formulaic. And lost levels was bad while Super Mario Bros 2 was awesome.
 
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It's 100% the worst in my opinion. It just doesn't feel like a Mario game. It's almost like it started life as a concept for another game, but then had the Mario skin slapped on last minute.

The GC library was probably the worst for Nintendo first party games as well.

Worst mainline Mario
Worst Mario Kart
Visually the worst Zelda (I've never played it so can't be sure about gameplay)

Metroid Prime was okay I guess? That's it.

Yeah, but Mario Sunshine was a mess. I can't believe Nintendo went from Mario 64 to that.
Daniel Day Lewis Fight GIF by MIRAMAX
:messenger_grinning_sweat:

Well done, absolute combo breaker. I honestly can't remember the last time I outright defended Nintendo on Gaf, lol. They've been dead to me for years.
 

6502

Member
No. It was a good game. Following up one of the best games ever was always going to put it in an impossible position.

It felt rushed, had too few levels and way too many bugs (like falling through the damn pirate ship). The fludd made it too easy for some but the block levels gave some good challenge.

I could only be bothered with 20mins of Odyssey so for me that is the worst (though that is not enough to judge properly).

Galaxy was amazing and a great return to form after Sunshine.
 
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IDKFA

I am Become Bilbo Baggins
Daniel Day Lewis Fight GIF by MIRAMAX
:messenger_grinning_sweat:

Well done, absolute combo breaker. I honestly can't remember the last time I outright defended Nintendo on Gaf, lol. They've been dead to me for years.

WlbcCs.gif


Double Dash was awful. The gimmick of two riders per Kart got old in seconds and the tracks were average. Thankfully, Nintendo returned to form with MK Wii. Same goes for Mario Galaxy, which is probably the greatest game Nintendo has ever made and infinitely better than Sunshine.

I'm not talking about TP, but WW and the cartoon, cell shaded graphics. Really couldn't get into that art style and it actually causes me stress. TP looks fantastic visually, but again never played it.
 
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