Charles Martinet Wants More Super Mario Sunshine

In the above video posted to YouTube by user CooperMcHatton (via GoNintendo), we see Charles Martinet say at an autograph signing at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con that he would love to see another Super Mario Sunshine game. And I have to say that I’m of mixed feelings about this.

I think I’ve commented in this space (somewhere, anyway) before that Super Mario Sunshine is just not one of my favorite Mario titles, but I cannot bring myself to completely dislike it, much less hate it. It does a lot of things right, but the things it doesn’t are very difficult– if not impossible– for me to overlook.

I want to like it more, but I just can’t. This pains me, in a manner of speaking, as one who generally loves anything with Mario’s name or face on it (because he’s a badass, remember).

I find that the following video echoes many of my sentiments about the game:

Indeed, it echoes many of my sentiments, though in the end, it would seem that the issues taken with the game hold greater weight with me and some players than with others. As a result, we have a rather divisive game. Plus, the fact that this was the Mario game for an entire hardware generation didn’t help matters any.

More than anything, though, I would like to see Nintendo make right on Super Mario Sunshine, and there are two ways they can do this: Sequel or port.

When Nintendo rolled out the “New Play Control!” line of Wii games which remade GameCube games to work on the Wii, including such titles as Pikmin, Metroid Prime, Metroid Prime 2, and Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, I remember wondering when they would get around to Luigi’s Mansion and Super Mario Sunshine. Granted, I don’t see anything to fix in Luigi’s Mansion, but can imagine a neat use of the controls, actually pulling back on the remote to tug at ghosts.

Super Mario Sunshine, on the other hand, would be a great opportunity to make the game the best it can be. Donkey Kong Jungle Beat has already proven how much a game can be changed in making a “New Play Control!” version, thus allowing Nintendo to fix all of those niggling details, such as the camera, event-based progression, blue coins, and so forth.

Some additions would be nice as well. For example, Mario in 3D just feels wrong without his long jump, especially in the F.L.U.D.D.-less levels, which I found bothersome (not a huge fan of the “everything always moving all the time” design of levels in 3D Mario). And perhaps allow you to hold on to a F.L.U.D.D. attachment after exiting a level, though I suppose that maybe that could break the game at some level… or it might make running around more fun.

The biggest benefit I can think of would be the actual controls and using the Wii Remote to aim F.L.U.D.D.’s nozzle (and shaking the Remote Super Mario Galaxy-style for the water-spraying spin). Not to mention perhaps adding an indicator– a flash, or something– which shows when an enemy is finished. I think I wasted far more water than necessary trying to drown away foes who were already defeated, all because I waited for them to start disappearing before I’d let up. But perhaps that’s just a personal problem.

Speaking of personal problems, though, I love Yoshi, but hate using him in Sunshine. Why? Because he melts away constantly.

Don’t keep him fed? Melts. Get him wet? Melts. I forget what happens when you get hit while riding Yoshi, but I’m pretty sure melting winds up involved. It’s like nightmare fuel of a sort, watching your friendly dinosaur companion simply disintegrate into a colorful puddle of goo… not that it’s ever given me nightmares, but having seen the term slung around in context on several occasions, I’ll bet someone has had them.

Granted, I’ve said a lot against Super Mario Sunshine, but as I said, I don’t hate it… I just want it to be better, the best it can be. Among other things, I love the tropical setting, the graphics and music are great, and even F.L.U.D.D. is kind of fun (just keep it away from my move set in Super Smash Bros., please). The devil is in the details, though, and a lot of the little things can add up.

Not to mention, all of this warm weather lately really has me wanting to play it… yet I know I mustn’t. And still…

Sadly, the era of the Wii has passed, and with the exception of the North America-come-lately release of Pikmin 2, so too has the “New Play Control!” line of games. It’s a shame, too, because I’d have loved to see Super Mario Sunshine, Luigi’s Mansion, and maybe The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker and Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door get the treatment.

On the other hand, there’s the Wii U now… can you imagine if Super Mario Sunshine or these other games were not only remade with Wii controls, but in high definition as well? Let’s just hope that the talk of GameCube games on that system’s Virtual Console doesn’t spoil such possibilities.

And hey, if Luigi’s Mansion can get a sequel on the Nintendo 3DS, then maybe…

David Oxford

David Oxford, or “LBD ‘Nytetrayn’,” as he is sometimes also known, is a freelance writer of many varied interests who resides in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. If you’re interested in hiring him, please drop him a line at david.oxford (at) nyteworks.net.

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