When Super Mario 64 hit the scene in 1996, it changed the face of gaming forever. Nintendo showed the rest of the gaming industry exactly how 3D games should be done, a formula that still runs through the veins of 3D platformers today.
Super Mario 64also changed Mario forever; while the 2D side-scrolling games would re-emerge, the 3D games became the dominant game style of the Mario series. Following Super Mario 64 was Super Mario Sunshinewhich was released for the Gamecube in 2002. So the question is, was Super Mario Sunshine a worthy follow up to Super Mario 64? Here are 5 great qualities of each to help you make up your own mind.
10 Super Mario 64 - Long Jump
One thing that Super Mario 64 is gravely lacking is powerups. There is a single power-up in all of Super Mario 64 which we will touch on later, while previous games in the series had a multitude of power-ups from the fire-flower to the super-leaf.
However, in Super Mario 64, instead of getting a large selection of power-ups, you are instead giving a few different acrobatic moves that Mario can perform. While Super Mario Sunshine does have a triple jump and the side summersault, it is missing the Super Mario 64’s long jump which is used to jump across large chasms.
9 Super Mario Sunshine - Bowser Jr. Story
Super Mario Sunshine has a much bigger focus on story than Super Mario 64. When reaching Isle Delfino, Mario has already been framed by a shadow Mario who has gone around and filled the entire town with muck. After giving chase to the shadow Mario you come to realize it is actually Bowser Jr. in disguise.
Bowser Jr. wants to take Princess Peach for himself because he believes that she is his mother - something she doesn’t disagree with, meaning that there is a possibility that Bowser and Peach had a bit too much free time while waiting for Mario to make his way through all 8 worlds.
8 Super Mario 64 - Handheld Remake
While not the most competent remake, the Super Mario 64 remake for the Nintendo DS called Super Mario 64 DS was a great way to show off what the DS could do and also added a lot of features the original game didn’t have.
One of the biggest features Super Mario 64 DS had over the original version was the inclusion of different characters. Wario, Luigi, and Yoshi were all playable and all had different skills that were needed for unlocking different stars within the game, making for much more diverse gameplay.
7 Super Mario Sunshine - Blue Coins
In Super Mario 64, there were 5 hidden coins in each level which would give you a star but in Super Mario Sunshine there are hidden blue coins everywhere that all tally up to one score. There are a total of 240 blue coins hidden throughout the game, both in levels and in the overworld. This gives you even more stuff to do aside from all of the secrets, 120 stars, and all of the mini-games you’ll come across so the game is packed with plenty to do so you’ll be busy with it far longer than you will be with Super Mario 64.
6 Super Mario 64 - Created the 3D Platformer
When Super Mario 64 was released for the Nintendo 64 in 1996 it changed the very foundation of gaming. A new genre was created, the 3D platformer which focuses on jumping around and collecting all of the hidden objects within a large 3D world.
From there many games were made that took direct inspiration like Banjo Kazooie, Conker’s Bad Fur Day, Donkey Kong 64, Crash Bandicoot, and much more. Even after the Nintendo 64 era, the genre remained prominent with games like Jak & Daxter, Ratchet & Clank, and Sly Cooper with some games still taking direct inspiration to this day.
5 Super Mario Sunshine - Isle Delfino
Super Mario Sunshine takes place entirely on Isle Delfino, from the main hub which is in the center of the town, to all of the levels which are different parts of the island like a resort and a theme park. The center of the town is also the way to go from level to level as well as where the first part of the game takes place.
Between levels, you can explore Isle Delfino’s city center and discover many different secrets, test out your acrobatics, and just hang out with the odd blob-like townspeople.
4 Super Mario 64 - Flying Hat
As mentioned previously, Super Mario 64 has very little in the way of power-ups. However, there is one power-up that allows Mario to fly for a short period of time. The flying hat adds two small wings to the sides of Mario’s hat so he can soar through the sky and reach previously unattainable places and collect out of reach coins. This power-up isn’t found very often in the game but when it is, it changes the dynamic of the level it is found in dramatically as any good Mario power-up should.
3 Super Mario Sunshine - Yoshi
While Yoshi does make an appearance in Super Mario 64, you can’t hop onto his back and punch him in the back of the head to make him stick out his tongue. However, in Super Mario Sunshine, you can find Yoshi eggs scattered throughout Isle Delfino that require you to bring a specific fruit in order to make Yoshi hatch. There are many different colors of Yoshis, though unlike Super Mario World, different colored Yoshis don’t have different abilities. Like Super Mario World, once Yoshi is hatched you can bring him into any level.
2 Super Mario 64 - Princess Peach’s Castle
One of the most memorable parts of Super Mario 64 is the castle you explore which works as a hub to all of the levels within the game. The castle is filled with different secrets and is a lot of fun to explore and jump around in.
Whether it is the piano with teeth that jumps out at you, the ‘L is real’ statue in the courtyard, or any of the other many other secrets and easter eggs you’ll find in the castle, it stands as one of gaming most memorable and recognizable gaming overworlds.
1 Super Mario Sunshine - F.L.U.D.D.
The biggest addition to Super Mario Sunshine is F.L.U.D.D. or Flash Liquidizer Ultra Dousing Device. This device doesn’t only talk to you and guide you on your journey but he also gives Mario the ability to shoot out water, float for a short period of time, go incredibly fast, or blast high into the air.
Throughout the game, you will find different boxes that hold different power-ups for F.L.U.D.D. though you can only hold one at a time so you must figure out which power-up is best for the task at hand.
NEXT: Every 3D Super Mario Platformer, Ranked From Worst To Best
