There’s no denying that Super Mario 64 is one of the most influential video games of all time. It defined 3D platforming, introduced open-world level design, and set a new standard for how movement in a 3D space should feel. But just because a game is important doesn’t mean it’s the best. When Super Mario Sunshine was released on the GameCube, it took everything Mario 64 did and improved upon it in almost every way. From better movement to a more immersive world, Sunshine is the superior experience.
1. FLUDD Makes Mario’s Movement More Dynamic
One of the biggest differences between Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine is Mario’s movement, and this is where Sunshine completely outshines its predecessor. In Mario 64, once you committed to a jump, you had very little control over adjusting in mid-air. This made platforming mistakes feel frustrating, as a misstep often meant restarting an entire section.
In Sunshine, FLUDD (Flash Liquidizer Ultra Dousing Device) completely revolutionized movement by adding more control and creativity. The Hover Nozzle allowed players to adjust jumps, recover from mistakes, and reach places that wouldn’t be possible in previous Mario games. The Turbo Nozzle let Mario zoom at high speeds across land and water, while the Rocket Nozzle gave him incredible vertical movement. These additions didn’t just make platforming more forgiving—they expanded what Mario was capable of, making Sunshine feel more fluid, precise, and satisfying to control.
2. Delfino Plaza is the Best Hub World in Mario History
While Peach’s Castle in Mario 64 is iconic, it serves mostly as a fancy level select screen with a few secrets sprinkled in. Delfino Plaza, on the other hand, is a fully explorable, living world that feels like a real place. NPCs roam the streets, react to Mario’s presence, and offer small pieces of lore about Isle Delfino.
Instead of just jumping into paintings, players could interact with the environment in meaningful ways. You could clean up graffiti to reveal hidden Shine Sprites, bounce across rooftops, explore underground tunnels, or take a boat ride to secret locations. Delfino Plaza didn’t feel like a transition zone—it felt like a core part of the game, something that no other Mario hub world has replicated as well.
3. The Tropical Theme Gives Sunshine a Unique Identity
While Mario 64 had a diverse range of levels, they felt like a random collection of platforming environments rather than a cohesive world. There’s a grass world, a lava world, a snow world, a sky world—all classic level types, but none of them really feel connected.
Sunshine took a completely different approach. Every level fits into the tropical vacation theme, making the entire game feel like one continuous world rather than a bunch of disconnected locations. Rico Harbour feels like a bustling port city, Noki Bay is a peaceful coastal retreat, and Pinna Park is an amusement park filled with rides and attractions. Because of this, the world feels immersive, and exploration feels like an adventure rather than just a series of platforming challenges.
This commitment to world-building makes Sunshine stand out. Unlike Mario 64, which feels like a collection of levels, Sunshine feels like a real journey through a living, breathing world.
4. The Platforming Challenges Are More Rewarding
In Mario 64, much of the difficulty comes from the game’s controls and camera, which can feel clunky and unresponsive by today’s standards. While Sunshine still has some camera issues, its platforming challenges feel much more intentional and refined.
One of the best parts of Sunshine is its Secret Stages, where Mario loses FLUDD and must complete tricky platforming sections using only his basic jumps and movement. These levels are some of the most satisfying and well-designed challenges in the entire franchise. Unlike Mario 64, which sometimes feels like you’re fighting the controls, Sunshine’s movement and platforming feel like a test of actual skill rather than patience.
The game also rewards players for exploring and mastering its mechanics. Blue Coins, while controversial for 100% completionists, encouraged players to really dig into every level and uncover hidden secrets. Collecting Shines in Sunshine felt like earning them, rather than just running through familiar Mario platforming tropes.
5. The Graphics and Animation Hold Up Better
It’s easy to understand why Super Mario Sunshine looks so much better than Super Mario 64—there’s a six-year gap between the two games, and the jump from the Nintendo 64 to the GameCube was massive. The improved hardware allowed for smoother animations, better textures, and more detailed environments.
But what’s truly impressive is how well Sunshine has aged even compared to modern games. Unlike Mario 64, which now looks blocky and dated, Sunshine still feels visually appealing and vibrant today. The lighting, water effects, and character animations were ahead of their time, and even when played on the Switch in HD, it doesn’t feel outdated.
This is a testament to the game’s art direction and polish. While Mario 64 now requires players to look past its aging visuals, Sunshine remains a visually stunning and immersive experience that holds up nearly two decades later.
6. The Boss Fights Are More Fun and Varied
In Mario 64, boss fights usually boil down to throwing Bowser into bombs three times or jumping on a big enemy’s head a few times. While fun, they’re not particularly creative.
Sunshine introduces way more exciting and dynamic boss battles. Fighting Mecha Bowser while riding a rollercoaster in Pinna Park is a spectacle, and Gooper Blooper requires players to interact with the environment by ripping off its tentacles before launching it away. Even Petey Piranha, one of the game’s earliest bosses, has a fun mechanic where players have to spray water into its mouth before jumping on its belly.
These fights aren’t just rinse-and-repeat patterns—they’re interactive and engaging, making them some of the best battles in any Mario game.
7. Sunshine Took More Risks Than Mario 64
While Mario 64 was revolutionary, it was still a safe game for Nintendo—a 3D adaptation of the classic Mario formula. Sunshine, on the other hand, took risks.
Instead of traditional Mario power-ups, players had to master FLUDD’s water-based mechanics. Instead of a random collection of levels, Sunshine delivered a thematic, fully realized world. Instead of just sticking to the standard Mario formula, the game introduced new mechanics and ideas that expanded what a Mario game could be.
Not all of Sunshine’s risks paid off—its voice acting, for example, was hit-or-miss—but it dared to evolve the franchise rather than just sticking to what worked before.
8. Nintendo Went Back to Mario 64’s Formula Instead of Expanding on Sunshine
Despite all the improvements and unique ideas in Sunshine, Nintendo never followed up with another game in its style. Instead, when they made Super Mario Galaxy, they went back to the traditional platforming style of Mario 64, abandoning many of the innovations introduced in Sunshine.
While Galaxy is an incredible game in its own right, it lacks the open-ended exploration and world-building that made Sunshine special. It feels more like a return to structured, goal-based levels, rather than letting players roam freely in an immersive world.
Nintendo hasn’t made another game like Sunshine since. Super Mario Odyssey brought back some elements of exploration, but it still leaned more toward Mario 64’s style, with structured platforming challenges rather than the seamless world and interactive hub that made Sunshine stand out. It’s as if Nintendo was too afraid to build on what Sunshine started, despite the fact that many fans consider it one of the most unique and rewarding Mario games.
Final Verdict: Super Mario Sunshine Is the Better Game
While Mario 64 was groundbreaking, Sunshine refined the 3D Mario formula and delivered a more immersive, fluid, and rewarding experience. With its enhanced movement, engaging hub world, and more creative level design, Sunshine stands as the superior 3D Mario game.
So why doesn’t Sunshine get as much love? Maybe because it was different, and players weren’t ready for a Mario game that strayed from tradition. But looking back, it’s clear—Super Mario Sunshine is the best Mario game made to date!
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