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Super
Mario Sunshine

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Play OverviewPlay Overview

Super Mario Sunshine (2002) is a running, jumping and water-shooting game. It follows Super Mario 64 as the second 3D Mario game. You play Mario, who is marooned on Isle Delfin, convicted of vandalism and graphite. You explore the island to visit other locations, complete levels and bring your dark alter ego to justice.

The novelty of this Mario game is the use of a waterjet companion. This can be used to spray enemies, wash away graffiti as well as hover and launch yourself into the sky. As you progress you collect Shine Sprites (as well as different coloured coins) that open other areas. Later on you can hatch your Yoshi side-kick that enables you to attack by spitting juice and clear certain obstacles that water cannot.

Although the game may seem dated to newer players and was not as critically acclaimed as Super Mario Galaxy or Super Mario Odyssey, it has a charm all its own. The narrative is more involved than newer Mario games, and the world is not so overwhelmingly large. It's from an era where the design and intricacy of these spaces were as important as visual fidelity.

It's a great game for younger players to enjoy and explore. They can team up with more experienced players for some of the harder traversal and tougher levels. Get past the initial acclimatisation for a different kind of Mario game and you find a real gem full of things to discover and achievements to complete.

You can play Super Mario Sunshine on the Wii, as this included support for Gamecube games. It was also re-released on the Switch as part of the Super Mario 3D All-Stars pack.

Our examiner, Andy Robertson, first checked Super Mario Sunshine 2 years ago. It was re-examined by Ben Kendall and updated 8 months ago.
Too complex for your family? There are lots of games similar to Super Mario Sunshine. Here are some easier younger-rated games:

Play StylePlay Style

This is an Action and Platform game with Puzzle, Simulation and Traversal elements. This is a single-player game.

DurationDuration

Play Time: This game will take between 16 hours and 20 hours to complete. There are at least another 10 hours of gameplay to discover everything in the game.

Age RatingsAge Ratings

Content Rating

This game has been rated PEGI 3.

Skill Level

11+ year-olds usually have the required skill to enjoy this game.

CostsCosts

Super Mario Sunshine usually costs £49.99.
 
You can only play this on older systems (Nintendo Wii) but can usually find it second hand on eBay.

Super Mario 3D All-Stars

Switch Store Switch £49.99
There are no additional in-game purchases, loot boxes, adverts or subscription costs.

DetailsGame Details

Release Date: 26/08/2002, updated in 2020

Out Now: Switch and Wii

Skill Rating: 11+ year-olds

Players: 1

Genres: Action, Platform (Puzzle, Simulation and Traversal)

Accessibility: 0 features documented (Tweet Developer )

Components: 3D Third-Person, Cartoon and Open World

Developer: Nintendo (@Nintendo)


Taming Gaming Book Written by parents for parents, the database complements the in-depth discussion about video game addiction, violence, spending and online safety in the Taming Gaming book. We are an editorially independent, free resource without adverts that is supported by partnerships.

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