I can already smell out the response to this .

Yeah , I suppose it . And I already know what the reaction will be ; quite frankly , I do n’t handle . Super Mario Sunshineisthe best Mario game to date and let me tell you precisely why .

F.L.U.D.D. = Sweetheart

I will accommodate straight away that a lot of why I eff Super Mario Sunshine is take root in nostalgia . Like many others , I played it on the GameCube maturate up , spending hours washing paint off walls and terrorizing the Isle Delfino locals by throwing pineapples at their heads . It has a exceptional place in my heart because , as someone who suffered a lot of childhood hurt , it was one of those plot I could play to lam realness for a petty while . But that ’s not the only understanding I lie with it .

First , the characters . straightaway after landing on Isle Delfino with the design of taking a much - deserved break from saving Mushroom Kingdom with Princess Peach and the Toads , Mario is savvy into custody and accused of graffiting over the island . He then encounter F.L.U.D.D. , who is basically a talking water pistol , and produce to work cleaning up someone else ’s mess . This someone else lookssuspiciouslylike Mario .

The moral force between F.L.U.D.D. and Mario is so wizardly . The machine often drop weird niggling quips as you play , and you find yourself getting attached middling quick , especially during the dramatic story beats where it defend Mario ; the lil ’ cat is constantly going to drub for his sidekick . However , this ends up being to your hurt because – spoiler alert – F.L.U.D.D. give way at the destruction . But this just prove my point that Nintendo does a quite a little to flesh out the family relationship because it is truly devastating . I remember first reaching that scene and crying my eye out because the friend I had spend minute and hour with was go . I also cried when I replay it in the Super Mario 3D All - whiz coterie in 2020 .

Screenshot of Mario and Yoshi in Super Mario Sunshine

Isle Delfino is a Ray of Sunshine

Then there ’s Isle Delfino , a mahimahi - shaped island that ’s nothing brusque of a tropical promised land . It houses many location , like Bianco Hills , where you fight Petey Piranha inside a gargantuan wind generator , and Pinna Park , a large amusement park where you literally get to ride drawing card . What ’s almost as fun as drive a rollercoaster in real life ? Riding one in a video secret plan .

Even the “ home ” position of Delfino Plaza is a delight to explore while take a happy chance from pick up Shine faerie throughout Super Mario Sunshine ’s various levels . There ’s a fruit - throwing minigame , sewers you could explore , and even Yoshi eggs you could crack candid if you ’re far enough . A biz where you’re able to ride around on Yoshi and germinate fruit succus at the locals is a win in my book . If you ca n’t recite by now , I like terrorizing mass in games ; it ’s fun watching them squirm .

There are also Easter Eggs scatter throughout Super Mario Sunshine , my favorite of which is Il Piantissimo , a human being dressed up as a Pianta on Gelato Beach . If you played The Legend of Zelda : Ocarina of Time and think of the Hyrule Field Running Man – well , that ’s him . take to Noki Bay , one of the game ’s levels , is also a jumbo Easter Egg , as you must seem up into the Sunday to get there , much like how you get at the underground Tower of the Wing cap level in Super Mario 64 .

Screenshot of Noki Bay entrance in Super Mario Sunshine.

Screenshot by Prima Games

Overall , I just cerebrate Super Mario Sunshine has so much heart , particularly compare to other Mario game . I ’m not suppose they ’re not great ( peculiarly Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Super Mario Odyssey , which I love ) , but there ’s something about Sunshine that have you experience all warm and fuzzy inside as you bring . It truly is a delight to experience and writing this has made me need to do another playthrough . BRB , downloading it on my Nintendo Switch .