Super Mario Sunshine is one of the greatest 3D platformers of all time. According to Metacritics, it is the third, greatest 3D platformer, which I may agree. 64 topped it, followed by Galaxy. The 3D Mario platformers are all in a league of their own, and are all better than all of the other 3D platformers. Honestly, I think I like them all the same, but for different reasons. All three games are really different from each other, so it's not as easy as it may seem, to compare them.
Super Mario Sunshine was a very good game. The graphics were amazing for its time, the music was awesome, and one thing about Sunshine that I liked, more than 64, and Galaxy, was the fact that it was more challenging. The better you get at Sunshine, the more enjoyable it is. FLUDD offered a lot of freedom to Mario but may have eased the challenge a little too much, but, never-the-less, enhanced the game, and made it unique. I liked the level designs, and I did not find anything repetetive. I enjoyed the blue coin hunting, because of the challenge. After a while, it just grows on you. You had more options on where to go, because the levels were far bigger. Also, the secret levels in the game offered some of the purest, 3D platforming ever. And, it was challenging. I also liked the camera more, because I could control it far better, while playing. I also enjoyed the secret levels of Sunshine, more than the platforming of Galaxy. These levels were more challenging, because there was no gravity, but were funner, because they were harder. However, these secret levels make up too little of the game to declare Sunshine a winner over Galaxy.
Super Mario Galaxy was as a very good game. The graphics were better than Sunshine, which is to be expected, but I liked the music the same, even though it was more enchanting. The game was a little bit on the easy side, but parts, definitely felt more like a 2D Mario game, in 3D, because of its linearity, which made the game more enjoyable in that sense. Some parts were literally in 2D, which were fun, but could have been reserved for New Super Mario Bros. 2, if that game ever comes out. As for the camera, it functioned better than Sunshine's, if I did not take control over it, but because the camera was automatic in Galaxy, it took out some freedom. The wiimote definitely enhances the gameplay of Galaxy, much like FLUDD did for Sunshine. Galaxy is packed with more stuff than Sunshine, more power-ups, and other cool things, but the exploration is definitely more limited. In Sunshine, you can platform from all angles, but in Galaxy, your path is set for you. The gravity in the game is a definite bonus, and the entire "space" theme makes the game epic. Also, there wasn't as much collecting, which made the game purer in some areas.
If you took the secret levels from Sunshine, largely expanded it, made it spherical, added gravity, but made it easier, you would get Sunshine. The challenge of Sunshine did make the game funner in some areas, but the game was a little bit flat. You did not need to do a lot of platforming, but the option to do so was there. Also, there have been times when I did not know what to do in Sunshine, which was almost never in Galaxy. I did not like those Delfino dudes in Sunshine. They were fat, and ugly. But, I also did not like Roselina in Galaxy. Why was she there? Peach was good enough. And I hated that stupid story book thing in Galaxy. Both games definitely have these "little things" that bother you, but Galaxy's can be ignored far better than Sunshine's. Both games felt a little bit childish in some areas, but Sunshine definitely had it more. Sunshine had more freedom, and was more puzzling. Galaxy had more platforming, and imaginative. The music in Galaxy was livelier, and purer, but the music in Sunshine was happier.
If I had to choose, Galaxy might have the edge, but it's definitely very close between the two games. I think I like Sunshine, marginally better than 64, but I'm not too sure. Some parts of Sunshine were more "dream-like" than Galaxy, in a way, hard to explain, like being on a bird, made of sand, up in the clouds... Just amazing... But Galaxy, as a whole, was more dream-like. I think it's the mini-games of Sunshine that climaxed the fun, more so than Galaxy, but because the rest of the game was a little bit flat, Galaxy may still have the edge in fun. Galaxy was definitely more addicting, but the item hunting in Sunshine, just gave me more options.
I played more video games when Sunshine was out, than I do now, so it might just seem that Sunshine was funner in certain areas than Galaxy. But both games are definite legends. Sunshine has Yoshi. Galaxy does not. Galaxy has Luigi. Sunshine does not. Galaxy has gravity. Sunshine does not. Sunshine has FLUDD. Galaxy does not. Sunshine is more open. Galaxy is more linear. Sunshine can be played more differently. Galaxy is more imaginative. Seeing how both games are very different from each other, it is kind of hard to compare them. Galaxy probably has the edge, but Sunshine was still a masterpiece. grandmaster192, it seems that you actually "dislike" Galaxy. I don't see how you can dislike the game, seeing how it is almost perfect. Both games are better in different areas, and are enjoyed differently. Both have their negatives, such as those dumb characters in Sunshine (not the enemies. I liked the enemies. Just those stupid characters... The ones you could talk to...), and that stupid book in Galaxy. I mean, why would they do that? It's so childish... No one those Grand Theft Auto fan boys think of Mario so childishly... It's because of little things like that! Also, Galaxy seriously felt a little bit "Disney" at some points.
Now, to all of those Sunshine haters out there:
http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/cube/supermariosunshine?q=mario%20sunshine
http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/n64/supermario64?q=super%20mario%2064
http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/wii/supermariogalaxy?q=super%20mario%20galaxy
Super Mario Sunshine got a score of 92 in Metacritic. Super Mario 64 got a score of 94. Super Mario Galaxy got a score of 98. According to the website, Super Mario Galaxy has twice the gap, between it, and Super Mario 64, than Super Mario 64 does with Super Mario Sunshine. All three games are greater than any other 3D platformer, according to the website, and many others. All three games are definitely "up there," and none should be disliked. Sure, parts of all three games are not good, but as a whole, all three games are masterpieces. Super Mario Sunshine won a lot of awards when it was released, and should be respected as a "true" Mario game.
Super Mario Bros. 2 U.S.A., in my opinion, is the worst Mario platformer, and was 10 times more different from the other Mario games, than Sunshine ever was. I mean, it wasn't even a real Mario game. It was Doki Doki Panic with Mario characters, replacing the original characters. If you want to bash a game, than bash that game, because it's not even a real Mario game.
I think all three Mario games are almost equally the same, but if I must choose, here is my order:
1. Super Mario Galaxy
2. Super Mario Sunshine
3. Super Mario 64.
All of the information in this post is still unconfirmed. I just really don't know what is truly better than what. I still don't know if I really do like Sunshine better than 64. All that is really important is that, Mario is the greatest!
