Graphics
The graphics in the game are truly some of the most breathtaking in gaming history. The entire game is bathed in a wide array of tropical colours. This use of one basic colour scheme helps give the game an identity all its own. While the other Mario games features the same basic look, only with a palette swap, this game gives each and every world a look all its own. Effectively, giving each world it’s own personality. The bright colors help accent the lush textures that are used to coat each and every little thing in this game with details. Things such as the puddles left by water after using the FLUDD, and the refined textures on the many structures throughout Isle Delfino add quite a bit to the overall look of the game. The graphics maintain the ''less is more'' philosophy that has been prevalent since the inception of the Mario series. Although, it's to a lesser extent in this game. The Mario games have never really relied on little graphical tricks to look impressive. They have always focused on the principle graphic elements. Nice looking characters, nice looking environments, etc. I believe it is this philosophy that has enabled the Mario games to always look good no matter how much they age. Because they don't rely on ''flash in the pan'' graphical techniques to reel you into the visuals, they have more substance to them.
Sound
The sound in the game, much like the graphics, has been refined to the point of near-perfection. As per usual, Nintendo included some classic Mario tunes to enhance the ''classic'' vibe to the game. They also put in some classic sound effects to enhance this vibe. I feel that the new tunes retain the qualities that made the classic ones so memorable. Like the classic music, some of the newer stuff is catchy, it's stuff you can hum easily, and it's stuff that sticks with you long after you've played the game. The sound effects for Mario games have always had their roots about as far removed from reality as possible, and this game continues that grand tradition. When you are playing a Mario game, you're looking for some escapism, and the sound effects help you out in this respect. However, not all is well with the sound in this game. Nintendo has seen fit to give the main characters in the game voices for the first time ever. Now, this could be a great thing in theory. Finally giving a voice to the most recognizable gaming character of all time. Unfortunately, things don’t quite work out as well in execution as they seem in theory. Part of the fun in the Mario games has been using your imagination to voice the characters. Mario is an everyman, while Peach is the damsel in distress. Letting the player come up with voices for the characters gives them yet another reason to love the Mario games. Too bad the voice acting takes away that need for imagination. Mario sounds a bit too much like a doofus; while Princess Peach (Toadstool in the older Mario games) sounds like a complete ditz. And FLUDD sounds like a hydraulic version of HAL, which is really freaky if you think about it for a second or two. Considering the pristine level of everything else in the game, it really is a shame that the voice acting couldn’t be up to par. Placing voices on Mario characters is the modern-day equivalent of putting voices in Charlie Chaplin flicks, you can do it, but since it would take away something that makes the source material so endearing, why would you want to? The voice acting really strips some of the player’s imagination away. All in all though, the sound is great. If it wasn’t for the voice acting, they’d be about as perfect as could be.
Gameplay
The gameplay of Super Mario Sunshine most resembles that of Super Mario 64, with a couple of exceptions. First off, Mario has a cool, versatile water pack called FLUDD which he can use to do any number of tasks. This one tool can kill baddies, bring flowers back to life, clean gunk off of townsfolk, and help you get across seemingly impossible jumps. That’s one versatile water pack right there. However, with this water pack comes great responsibility. You only have so much to use in this bad boy, and if you run out, you need to either get an ever-so-convenient water bottle, or find some body of water to dive into, in order to replenish your H2o supply. If you find yourself without water, you can still jump on baddies to beat them if worse comes to ware. However, the punching abilities that Mario gained in Mario 64 have gone by the wayside in this game, giving you one less offensive attack strategy in the game. All that tennis and golf must have given Mario some Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. He just can’t catch a break…
Story
Mario and company go to take a vacation, but find out that their little island retreat (known as Isle Delfino) has been recently sullied with graffiti from a guy that more, or less, fits Mario’s description. Now I find it amazing that the ONE island they want to go to has a witch hunt out for anything remotely resembling Mario, but I digress. That guy just doesn’t have lady luck on his side, poor fella. This Mario-ish dude has been putting all kinds of goop on everything, causing the Shines to leave (Shines are the island’s source of sunlight, so you can imagine that they would REALLY like to get those bad boys back ASAP.) Without the Shines, the island is in dire peril, yadda, yadda, yadda. It is your job to clear your name, destroy a whole slew of nogoodnicks, and clean the island up, while at the same time collecting the many Shines that have been shrewn about the game.
