Last time we covered the 5 reasons why Super Mario Sunshine was awful. But, it would be unfair if we took a dump on Super Mario Sunshine without singing its praises. The fact is SMS was a hit with players for good reasons. Super Mario Sunshine was definitely cutting edge for its time and we’re going to elaborate on those reasons. These are the top 5 reasons Super Mario Sunshine is awesome.

5. The Graphics:

Bright and colorful Super Mario Sunshine is gorgeous. I remember starting this game and being wowed by the beautiful water surrounding the airport just before the first boss battle. The color palate in SMS game was terrifically chosen and suited the theme of living in an island paradise. Mario and Peach looked amazing and stood out amongst the crowd of Piantas. Needless to say Super Mario Sunshine was extremely pleasant to see in the GameCube.

4. Isle Delfino:

It doesn’t matter where they are in Isle Delfino the players are almost guaranteed to find a spot that they will absolutely adore. From the beaches to the haunted hotel and even a village in the mountains Isle Delfino had something to offer for everyone who played this game. I spent a ton of hours playing exploring the main hub trying to discover what secrets awaited my discovery. Thanks to the graphics mentioned earlier Isle Delfino looked amazing and had a plethora of wonder and joy inside every locale. Isle Delfino has to be considered amongst the best hub worlds in the Super Mario series and will forever always have a special place in my heart.

3. The Controls:

Helping you explore these beautiful locations was the fact that Super Mario Sunshine had some tight controls. At times the only problems I saw with the controls were in the levels without F.L.U.D.D. and only because it crippled Mario’s moveset. But, besides these levels Mario controlled amazingly. Mario could pull off some amazing stunts if you knew how to control him, but it was only because of the precision provided by Nintendo’s great programming. The player simply had to know how to use the mechanics to their advantage and for the most part anytime I lost a life it felt as if I had made mistake and not the designers.

2. F.L.U.D.D.

I spent last article speaking about how F.L.U.D.D. was a gimmicky item in Super Mario Sunshine. But, I have to give credit where it’s due and say that F.L.U.D.D. gave some awesome depth to the game. Since Super Mario Sunshine was based around the concept of F.L.U.D.D. Nintendo had a lot of fun developing the stunts you could perform with it. From running in the water to shooting into the heavens and or drowning a plant, F.L.U.D.D. was incredibly fun. I still remember going around the roller coaster shooting rockets which were also vulnerable to water (I don’t get it either) and it was awesome. From spewing water in the floor and sliding around to reaching the top of the lighthouse it provided some moments of pure glee and for that F.L.U.D.D. deserves a spot in this list!

1. The Missions:

There is no denying that Super Mario Sunshine had some of the most enjoyable missions in the series. Mario could do anything from racing atop a colored squid, to pulling all the tentacles out of a gigantic one. In Super Mario Sunshine you could race a man in a Pianta costume who turned out to be the post man from Ocarina of Time (and not even the islanders liked him). You could play dentist or take care of some feverish Chain Chomps who needed a bath. There was so much variety in Super Mario Sunshine that just made it a joy to play. I never finished 100% Super Mario Sunshine, but I replayed missions often trying to find the blue coins and other times simply trying to explore the changes in each location. I loved this facet of the game, and it will remain in my heart as one of the most varied Mario games in Nintendo’s history (nowhere near my favorite one though).

I can understand why history has been kind to Super Mario Sunshine. SMS was a fun game, but it wasn’t for everyone (such as me). I will still have fond memories of Super Mario Sunshine though, as the so bad it’s good month has taught us, no game goes without its merits. While it might be my least favorite Mario I can certainly say it rocks!

Dash The Bomber

Dash The Bomber is a sailor is his 20's with a penchant for goofy, yet deep thoughts. An avid gamer for generations he has played everything from the Atari 2600 to the PC in which he writes his work on. He currently lives in the middle of the ocean and appreciates donations in order to buy goodies from Amazon while deployed (makes his life slightly better). You can help the guy out by donating here: paypal.me/dashthebomber.