RTTP Super Mario Sunshine -- not the worst 3D Mario

[unicornKnight]

I really wanted to like Sunshine but for every fun Shine there was another one that was torture. Some were bad design and boring, others were just broken and others felt like they wanted to punish me for something bad I did.

This isn't a game that needs a few fixes here and there like for example DK64. This needs to go through long QA and half of the game needs probably redesign. The levels for the most part work well as they are but the individual challenges need a lot of tweaking.

I am impressed by people who 100% it. I barely made it to the basic ending.

It is definitely the worst Mario, my honest rating would be 6/10.

 

[eXistor]

I do think it's the worst 3D Mario, but I still like it; I loved FLUDD and most importantly: the setting. But it's definitely uncharacteristically unpolished and has some of the worst level designs 3D Mario has seen (Odyssey tried though). The camera also doesn't help. Still despite all that I'd still recommend it. I'd love a Sunshine sequel with all its problems fixed.

 

[CyberMonkey]

It's my favorite 3D Mario game and I actually like the blue coin hunt and how unfair some of the levels are (yes, nostalgia is a big part of it). It might be the "worst" in terms of polish, but there is a lot to love.

 

[joffocakes]

I thought this thread was gonna be about the existence of some obscure 3D Mario game I'd never heard of.

 

[Kolibri]

Sunshine has some of the highest high and lowest lows of any 3D Mario imo.
If you're talking about doing a complete playthrough, I can understand calling this the worst one - it's very clearly very rushed, and that shows most in the second half of the game.
Still, I would put Sunshine above Galaxy 1 & 2 any day of the week. The acrobatic moveset just makes it a joy to play.

If there was ever a Mario game that needed/deserved a remake... yeah, it's definitely Sunshine.
It has the potential to be a 10/10.

 

[Custódio]

The thread title begs the question: So, what is the worst 3D Mario?

 

[Dr PeterVenkman]

i enjoyed my time with it when it first came out, but for all the youngsters in here...I cannot express to you the level of disappointment this game was when it was release. it was the follow up to one of the GOATs and revolutionary game that defined a generation. they took mario and threw him on a tropical island with a water gun.

you know how mario galaxy 2 and mario odyssey introduce brand new mechanics in every level and some of them are gimmicky, but it's ok because the whole game isn't built around that? mario sunshine is like some fever dream alt-reality game where one of those bespoke mechanics was made into a whole-ass game. I still cannot believe it exists.

 

[nogoodnamesleft]

I prefer this over odyssey and considerably so

But it's still my second last favourite 3d Mario game. Still enjoyed it though

 

[Huey]

The thread title begs the question: So, what is the worst 3D Mario?

Click to shrink...

There's just not an objective worst one - for some it's Sunshine, others it's Odyssey, others its 3D World (I have a feeling the Galaxy games would come up the least frequently as the worst, but that's gut vibes). Nintendo has done a good job of diversifying the series gameplay to cater to multiple audiences. I like Odyssey the least, but for others it's the best *shrug*

They're all still excellent games, so it comes down to preference

 

[1-D_FE]

I really wanted to like Sunshine but for every fun Shine there was another one that was torture. Some were bad design and boring, others were just broken and others felt like they wanted to punish me for something bad I did.

This isn't a game that needs a few fixes here and there like for example DK64. This needs to go through long QA and half of the game needs probably redesign. The levels for the most part work well as they are but the individual challenges need a lot of tweaking.

I am impressed by people who 100% it. I barely made it to the basic ending.

It is definitely the worst Mario, my honest rating would be 6/10.

Click to shrink...

To me it's easily the worst 3D Mario game. And I don't even disagree with much of what you said. But to me, DK64 isn't a game that can be redeemed by anything. It's just an awful game. Super Mario Sunshine, on the other hand, is still one of the best 3D platformers ever made. Even if it was broken, rushed, and the worst 3D Mario title ever released.

 

[LV-0504]

Honestly it's my second favourite after Mario 64. As much as I love odyssey it's my least favourite of the full 3D Mario's

 

[No Depth]

Disliked it way back in 2002 at launch, quitting after only about half of the shines collected, but after revisiting it on the Switch Collection, I became super positive on it! Ended up getting 100% and couldn't put it down.

A few shines were indeed frustrating and borderline terrible, but a vast majority of the game was extremely joyful and very well devised. The QoL changes in the remaster also helped make it a more palatable play. Mario moves so fluidly and the environments have a lot of great platforming challenges and verticality.

It shot up from my worst 3D pick to possibly one of my favorites too. Only let down by a few errant shines that were kind of a bullshit. Everyone knows which.

 

[generic_orb]

i'm not a big mario fan but it's my favourite mario game and the only one i've returned to play as an adult.

i tried galaxy around when it came out but i just wasn't into the tiny planets as levels gimmick. haven't really been back since.

 

[Chemo]

Sunshine is my favourite 3D Mario by a WIDE margin. Underrated and underappreciated classic.

 

[Soapbox Killer]

It might be the worst, it's not the best but that's arguing between Porsche , Lamborghini and Ferrari.