4/5 ★ – johnnyathey's review of Super Mario Sunshine.

I know it’s an unpopular opinion, but this is my favorite 3D Mario game. Am I biased because it’s the one that came out when I was in 2nd grade? Maybe. But this has a lot going for it that I think goes overlooked. This is the most Nintendo has ever committed to world building with the whole game taking place on Delfino Island and man do I love hanging out there. It makes the world and levels feel bigger than they are. I think each location is fully realized despite the cut content. It’s a whole vibe. Fludd might make this game the black sheep of the franchise but I think the mechanic with all of its mods is super dope. Are their a few bullshit levels? Definitely, but not all of them are required and I feel like there’s honestly only a small few that are required and the big 2 of them are in Gelato Beach. The worst level (pachinko) is completely optional. The worst offense of this game is repetition. Every level has a mandatory red coin and shadow Mario mission. Those get old for sure but whatever. The other repetitive mission is the levels that take away Fludd but they have great variety and are a highlight of the game to me. Plus, this game has a whole level based on The Shining. How cool is that?!