doodlytime
2023
I am willing to risk my reviewers integrity in order to say this game is ####.
Probably not acctually 0.5 stars, but leaves a bitter feeling whenever I think about the game. As someone whom played the first and enjoyed it, I feel justifed in leaving this score
Probably not acctually 0.5 stars, but leaves a bitter feeling whenever I think about the game. As someone whom played the first and enjoyed it, I feel justifed in leaving this score
2002
A very creative and fun game with amazing movement potential, but suffered due to its slightly rushed development in areas of the game (anyone who has played will 100% know where these areas are). It also suffered due to its more linear design, chucking you into multiple levels that you would never want to play in a million years required to beat the main story.
To start of, the movement in this game is super fun to control and the main stand out point for the game. FLUDD is such a creative tool of movement and allows for a lot of control while helping opening up areas for exploring. Other mechanics beside FLUDD are very fun too, such as being able to slide down hills or just bounce on various objects, the movement has a lot to offer. Although the movement is not perfect, for excample the jumping isn't as tight as in other 3D mario games such as Galaxy or Odyssey. But the main problems come from the level unique movement options, such as the chucksters, blooper racers or the lilypad/boat. Nearly all the level unique movement options end up being hard to control and not fun to use.
Another very mixed part of the game is the game is the level design, while all the locations are very fun to explore and help boost the tropical theme setting (bianco hills, defino plaza and pinna park being my favourites to explore), but some of the level objectives that occur in the levels are not very fun at all to say the least, but most are bearable apart from the chucksters level which made me singlehandedly quit the game for 3 months. And the design overall suffers from outdated game design such as lack of direction or random difficulty spikes. But there is still a certain fun to be had overcoming the challenges presented, since there is no time limit and the settings in which the levels take place in are very welcoming and fun to explore. So you're welcome to overcome the challanges at your own pace.
Other things of note that I enjoyed are the graphics, the soundtrack and the overall setting and hubworld of super mario sunshine. Which help set it out completely from every other mario game. The bright and colourful graphics still hold up to this day and is enhanced by the 3D all stars port with its sharper textures and 16:9 ratio, and while I normally prefer to play in origional resolution and ratio. The changes makes it much easier to immerse yourself in the setting of the game. Also the soundtrack is full of amazing and iconic songs which help boost the game and its setting. And the hubword of Delphino Plaza is a perfect hubworld. Capturing the feeling of homely and safe felling for a hubworld while still feeling lively and adventurous. And it is clever in how it gives you some of the game's most enjoyable mechanics to play around with after you unlock them.
Though most of my other problems with the game are only notable if your going for completion. Except from the ending of the game, which felt a little anti-climatic and rushed even for mario standards. My main other problem with 100%ing the game is the blue coins, their locations are random and sometimes very well hidden and to add onto the problems there is no way to track which ones you have collected, the only way to logicaly collect them all is to use a guide and to follow it thoroughly. And this problem isn't fixed in the rerelease either.
Overall even after 21 years of being released it still stands out compared other games, and remains one of the gems of the Gamecube. Worth checking out if you enjoy the mario games or if you are intrested in the history of games or just the gamecube era of games. Despite a few of its flaws, it is still 100% worth playing it to at least the end, maybe not fully completing it.
To start of, the movement in this game is super fun to control and the main stand out point for the game. FLUDD is such a creative tool of movement and allows for a lot of control while helping opening up areas for exploring. Other mechanics beside FLUDD are very fun too, such as being able to slide down hills or just bounce on various objects, the movement has a lot to offer. Although the movement is not perfect, for excample the jumping isn't as tight as in other 3D mario games such as Galaxy or Odyssey. But the main problems come from the level unique movement options, such as the chucksters, blooper racers or the lilypad/boat. Nearly all the level unique movement options end up being hard to control and not fun to use.
Another very mixed part of the game is the game is the level design, while all the locations are very fun to explore and help boost the tropical theme setting (bianco hills, defino plaza and pinna park being my favourites to explore), but some of the level objectives that occur in the levels are not very fun at all to say the least, but most are bearable apart from the chucksters level which made me singlehandedly quit the game for 3 months. And the design overall suffers from outdated game design such as lack of direction or random difficulty spikes. But there is still a certain fun to be had overcoming the challenges presented, since there is no time limit and the settings in which the levels take place in are very welcoming and fun to explore. So you're welcome to overcome the challanges at your own pace.
Other things of note that I enjoyed are the graphics, the soundtrack and the overall setting and hubworld of super mario sunshine. Which help set it out completely from every other mario game. The bright and colourful graphics still hold up to this day and is enhanced by the 3D all stars port with its sharper textures and 16:9 ratio, and while I normally prefer to play in origional resolution and ratio. The changes makes it much easier to immerse yourself in the setting of the game. Also the soundtrack is full of amazing and iconic songs which help boost the game and its setting. And the hubword of Delphino Plaza is a perfect hubworld. Capturing the feeling of homely and safe felling for a hubworld while still feeling lively and adventurous. And it is clever in how it gives you some of the game's most enjoyable mechanics to play around with after you unlock them.
Though most of my other problems with the game are only notable if your going for completion. Except from the ending of the game, which felt a little anti-climatic and rushed even for mario standards. My main other problem with 100%ing the game is the blue coins, their locations are random and sometimes very well hidden and to add onto the problems there is no way to track which ones you have collected, the only way to logicaly collect them all is to use a guide and to follow it thoroughly. And this problem isn't fixed in the rerelease either.
Overall even after 21 years of being released it still stands out compared other games, and remains one of the gems of the Gamecube. Worth checking out if you enjoy the mario games or if you are intrested in the history of games or just the gamecube era of games. Despite a few of its flaws, it is still 100% worth playing it to at least the end, maybe not fully completing it.
A perfect and easily accessible collection of 3 of the great games of all time. The first (PW:AT) and the third (PW:AT TAT) are must plays, the second one (PW:AT JFA) is also good but overshadowed by the others. While you'll sometimes need to refer to a guide to continue in more complicated areas, that is my only major problem with the games. And it by far makes up in its unique and gripping storys, its stellar soundtrack and its amazing characters (the third game having my favourite antagonist in all of media i have experianced in my lifetime).
A reccomend on any console, and one of my favourite games of all time
A reccomend on any console, and one of my favourite games of all time