John Paul M. Joaquin Games 10.17.2022 22:Oct PM EDT

[RETRO GAMING] Do You Remember Super Mario Sunshine on the Nintendo GameCube?

The Gamecube was Nintendo's answer to Sony's PlayStation 2 and Microsoft's Xbox gaming consoles, but it lacked the features that made the two consoles popular.

In the end, it was deemed a failed product in Nintendo's eyes, per How Stuff Works and Video Games Chronicle.

However, the console did become the host to many great games exclusive to it, such as the remake of the first Resident Evil game, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventure, and Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes.

Among these Gamecube exclusive games is Super Mario Sunshine, the game that succeeded the iconic Super Mario 64 for the Nintendo 64. The game became a hit with Mario fans the world over due to the new features it comes with.

Here's what you need to know for you to understand why Super Mario Sunshine succeeded despite being released in a failed gaming console:

Super Mario Sunshine - A Quick History and Gameplay Summary

Super Mario Sunshine is an action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Gamecube in mid-2002. According to the Mario Wiki, Nintendo released the game in the US on Aug. 26, 2022, a month later than the game's release in Japan.

The game focuses on Mario's vacation with Princess Peach at Isle Delfino, but the island's ooze pollution and the efforts of an imposter Mario ruined the carefree atmosphere the island has, per IMDb. Worse, Mario is thought to be the culprit behind the pollution.

To make amends for the "crimes" he supposedly committed, Mario has to clean the island while returning power to its Sun Gate, the source of the island's power.

Similar to Super Mario 64, players will have to control and navigate Mario in an open environment to reach and interact with objects. To help with this crucial task and clean Isle Delfino, Mario comes equipped with a FLUDD device that comes with a spray that can be used to hover, jump higher, and even sprint on land and water faster.

Mario won't be alone in his ordeal as he can ride Yoshis to aid in his navigation of Isle Delfino, which he'll need as he needs to collect Shine Sprite to power up the Sun gate in place of Stars.

Yoshi's present on the island can be used to consume various enemies and the local fauna to produce red, blue, and gold coins, with ten blue coins giving players one Shine Sprite when exchanged at Delfino Plaza, the game's central hub.

Reception, Community Divide, And Modern Day Revival

Super Mario Sunshine may be a pretty successor to Super Mario 64, but its release divided the Mario community due to the game feeling rushed and unpolished, per CNET. Fans also found it to have clumsy platforming, which dimmed its star somewhat as a platforming game, and had bad voice acting and cutscenes.

However, some fans found the game enjoyable despite these qualities. Nintendo Life wrote that while the game's controls may take some time to get used to thanks to the Gamecube's controller, mastering it will make players believe that the game is one of the greatest platformers in history.

Super Mario Sunshine was previously available on the Nintendo Switch through the purchase of Super Mario 3D All-Stars, a video game bundle that comes with Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy.

However, the bundle is only a limited-time collection as part of the Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary. As such, Nintendo eventually removed the game from its online store on March 31, 2021.

There is no word about the game becoming playable again on the Switch.