Super Mario Sunshine (スーパーマリオサンシャイン, Sūpā Mario Sanshain) is a 2002 video game made by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube. It was the first platform game starring Mario that was not a launch title – it was not released when the Nintendo console debuted. Instead, it was released about nine months after the GameCube had come out. To compare, other consoles like the NES, SNES, and Nintendo 64 had been accompanied by a Mario game.
| Super Mario Sunshine | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Nintendo EAD |
| Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
| Director(s) | Yoshiaki Koizumi  |
| Producer(s) | Shigeru Miyamoto |
| Designer(s) | Shigeru Miyamoto (producer) Takashi Tezuka (producer) Yoshiaki Koizumi (director) Kenta Usui (director) Koichi Hayashida (programmer) |
| Composer(s) | Kōji Kondō |
| Series | Mario |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo GameCube |
| Release | Original release: Player's Choice: |
| Genre(s) | Platformer |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Mario and his friends arrive in Isle Delfino for a vacation. However, the police on the island arrest Mario. Someone who looks like him has been making the island dirty. A judge tells Mario to clean up the island. He is given a device called F.L.U.D.D. (Flash Liquidizer Ultra Dousing Device), which Mario straps on his back. F.L.U.D.D. is a powerful water device that can clean up the mess that the fake Mario has caused. Mario learns that Bowser Jr., Bowser's son, was the one who changed the island and kidnapped Princess Peach. Mario sets out to find them.
Like Super Mario 64, there are many worlds and each world has several goals to meet. Instead of stars, Mario captures Shine Sprites that will help restore the island. Each world has a boss to defeat. As Mario clears each world, he unlocks others.
Mario must clean up lots of sludge and filth that is on the island. F.L.U.D.D. allows him to do this. F.L.U.D.D. can only hold a little bit of water and Mario must jump into a pool of water after the water runs out to refill it. F.L.U.D.D. can also do several other things. If Mario aims the nozzles down, Mario can float for a few seconds until the water pressure runs out. There are also areas where Mario takes F.L.U.D.D. off and jumps around himself without assistance.
Nintendo had been working on a sequel to Super Mario 64 for many years; the cancelled video games Super Mario 64 2 and Super Mario 128 were some ideas Nintendo had for a direct sequel.[1] Super Mario Sunshine was first shown at Nintendo Space World 2001.[2] The game was later shown again at E3 2002.[3]
Work on the game began with the idea of gameplay involving a water pump.[4] However, at first the developers thought that the world was too daringly out of character with Mario. Therefore, they tried using a man-type character, but thought this was too odd and that "if there was a man next to Mario, there is a sense of incongruity."[4] There were ten candidates for possible water nozzles, and FLUDD was chosen because of fitting in the game's setting, despite it not being one of the favorites. Some preliminary gun-like water nozzles were removed due to all the controversy in the United States.[4] They also said that several Yoshi features were taken out, such as Yoshi vomiting juice fed to him.[4]
Koji Kondo and Shinobu Tanaka composed the musical score to Super Mario Sunshine.[5] The soundtrack features various arrangements of classic Mario tunes, including the underground music and the main stage music from the original Super Mario Bros.[6] Super Mario Sunshine featured many of the usual voice actors for the various Nintendo characters. This is the only Mario game which features full English voice acting in cut-scenes. The voice cast consisted of Charles Martinet as Mario and Toadsworth, Jen Taylor as Princess Peach and Toad, Scott Burns as Bowser, and Dolores Rogers as Bowser Jr.[7] Other voice actors included Kit Harris.[8]
Super Mario Sunshine sold well, having sold 5.5 million copies as of June 2006.[20] In 2002, Super Mario Sunshine was the tenth best-selling game in the United States, according to the NPD Group.[21] It was released again in 2003 as part of the Player's Choice line, a selection of games with high sales sold for a reduced price.[22]
Super Mario Sunshine received positive reviews from game reviewers. IGN liked the addition of the water backpack for improving the gameplay,[18] and GameSpy commented on the "wide variety of moves and the beautifully [made] environments".[17] The game received a perfect score from Nintendo Power, who commended the "superb graphics, excellent music, clever layouts, funny cinema scenes and [clever] puzzles".[19] GamePro also gave Super Mario Sunshine a perfect score, stating that the game was "a masterpiece of superior game design, infinite gameplay variety, creativity, and life."[23] Game Informer said that the game is arguably "the best Mario game to date."[15] ComputerAndVideoGames.com also mentioned the game is "better than Super Mario 64."[12] The game placed 46th in Official Nintendo Magazine's 100 greatest Nintendo games of all time.[24]
Despite it's positive reviews, some reviewers didn't like the game. GameSpot didn't like the various additions, including the water backpack and Yoshi, calling them "mere gimmicks." They also didn't like the virtual camera system, and noted that the game seemed somewhat unpolished and rushed.[16] They also didn't like the voices, stating that "Super Mario Sunshine's FMV also houses some of the lousiest voice-over work to be found on the GameCube. None of the voices fit particularly well. Princess Peach sounds too ditzy, Mario is limited to grunts and other nonverbal communications, and the game's bad guys are completely miscast and downright disappointing."[16] Matt Wales accused the game of having a "distinct lack of polish."[25]
Super Mario Sunshine has introduced many elements which were carried over to newer Mario titles. This was the first game in the Mario series to introduce the Shine Sprites. These Shine Sprites have appeared in later Mario titles games like Mario Kart DS. This was the first game in the Mario series which included Bowser Jr;[26] he has since appeared in New Super Mario Bros., New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2,[27][28] and in Mario sports games such as the Mario Kart series since Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and Mario Kart Wii.[29] Also, Toadsworth appeared for the first time on the game.[30] He has later appeared on various Mario games such as Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and Super Princess Peach.[source?] The recurring character Petey Piranha, known as Boss Packun (ボスパックン) in Japan, was also introduced.[31] He also appears in New Super Mario Bros., Super Princess Peach and several spin-off games.[31]
This game was the first Mario platformer game to be released for the Nintendo GameCube. It was also the first 3D Mario platformer which included the ability to ride Yoshi and to have him change colors.[32] This feature reappeared in the Wii 3D platformer Super Mario Galaxy 2.[33]
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