Super Mario Galaxy or Super Mario Sunshine?

[Koosholts]

Super Mario Sunshine is pretty much the black sheep in the Mario series. There's less platforming but more emphasis on exploration IMO. I actually think this is the better way to go, and despite what people here have said, I think they did an excellent job in utilizing the exploration aspect in levels. The levels that were platforming based, mainly the levels without FLUDD, were pulled off excellently.

Like I said, if we were comparing Sunshine to Galaxy 2 than I'd choose Galaxy 2 over Sunshine. I just don't feel Galaxy was better than Sunshine.

 

[Beeker]

While I grew up with Sunshine, I have to say Galaxy. Everything about that game is beautiful- the music, the graphics, the level design(most importantly). I definitely agree with Hanyou about the game's music. It is one of my favourite soundtracks from any game, and it gives so much feeling to the levels. Yeah, there were a few bugs with the gravity, but there are very few. I'm actually playing Sunshine right now and it can be quite glitchy at times.

Saying Sunshine is better than Galaxy is like saying Phantom Hourglass is better than Ocarina of Time or Majora's Mask.

I wouldn't say that. I actually think of Majora's Mask and Sunshine as parallels for their respected series. Both games are pretty underrated, as well as broke away from their typical formulas/paths and did something unique. And they're both great games!

I do enjoy Sunshine a lot, and it is definitely not a bad game. But, both Galaxy 1 and 2 still shall remain my favourite Mario games.

 

[A Link In Time]

A few levels are based off of previous mario games, including Sunshine. Of course Galaxy was a natural successor. If it weren't one, this thread would be pointless.

In a nutshell, both Sunshine and Galaxy were both particularly well built around their respective hardware and it was only logical to release the games in the order they were. Also, I'm not arguing Galaxy as a successor ot Super Mario 64 but as a more natural follow-up than Sunshine.

 

[JuicieJ]

I wouldn't say that. I actually think of Majora's Mask and Sunshine as parallels for their respected series. Both games are pretty underrated, as well as broke away from their typical formulas/paths and did something unique. And they're both great games!

Thing is, Majora's Mask achieved a much higher status of greatness than Sunshine did. Sunshine is one of Mario's weaker games. Majora's Mask is one of Zelda's strongest.

 

[windwaker101]

In a nutshell, both Sunshine and Galaxy were both particularly well built around their respective hardware and it was only logical to release the games in the order they were. Also, I'm not arguing Galaxy as a successor ot Super Mario 64 but as a more natural follow-up than Sunshine.

Excuse me, what? I can't understand what your saying about order they were. Before this tread is led off topic, which do future posters prefer, Sunshine of Galaxy?

 

[A Link In Time]

Thing is, Majora's Mask achieved a much higher status of greatness than Sunshine did. Sunshine is one of Mario's weaker games. Majora's Mask is one of Zelda's strongest.

Both Sunshine and Majora's Mask were some of the most acclaimed and best selling games on their respective systems. In fact, I'd argue that Majora's Mask is a much more polarizing and radical title for Zelda than Sunshine was for Mario.

Excuse me, what? I can't understand what you're saying about order they were.

I'm saying that both titles were a natural fit for the systems they released on.

 

[JuicieJ]

Both Sunshine and Majora's Mask were some of the most acclaimed and best selling games on their respective systems. In fact, I'd argue that Majora's Mask is a much more polarizing and radical title for Zelda than Sunshine was for Mario.

It's true, they were both highly praised by critics, and they also share the fate of many fans not liking them very well at first. Difference is, it's basically the same situation with Sunshine today as it was back when it was released. MM has become the Da Vinci of the Zelda series, as it's become insanely popular over the recent years. That says something.

 

[windwaker101]

I wish to add on to my previous post. I particularly don't like how Bowser appeared as a last-minute character in sunshine. It's like TP how Ganon is the surprise final boss. I like games where your final boss is set early on so your hate can pour onto that character throughout the game. It makes the final boss fight far more enjoyable. Similar to WW where ganon indirectly captures your sister, attempts to kill you and Tetra multiple times, creates deadly monsters for you to defeat (Including a giant sand worm that sounds like a donkey with awesome theme music.), etc.. I loved Galaxy's concept of making Bowser create ships, takes away your ultimate goal when your an inch away from victory, and causes a giant starship to lose 100% of it's power with a magical lady and starving lumas' on it. Sunshine and Galaxy also both had heart touching scenes near the end. Like F.L.U.U.D.'s supposed death in sunshine. Galaxy's near-ending scene made me cry.

 

[Koosholts]

It's true, they were both highly praised by critics, and they also share the fate of many fans not liking them very well at first. Difference is, it's basically the same situation with Sunshine today as it was back when it was released. MM has become the Da Vinci of the Zelda series, as it's become insanely popular over the recent years. That says something.

I'm confused on your post. You stated that Sunshine was highly praised by critics and then go onto say that Sunshine is in the same situation as it was "back then." You stated it was highly praised so are you saying that it still is highly praised? That's contradictory to your argument.

Also, since when has anyone ever not liked Sunshine? I understand not enjoying it as much as the other Mario games but I've never heard anyone say it was flat out a bad game. People have always bashed Majoras Mask for being bad, and while it's true that it has gained much praise over the past year, there are still people who don't like it, me included.

 

[Kupsacker]

I honestly can't stand sunshine at all. Galaxy, on the other hand, I find seriously cool. I should probably finish that game sometime.

 

[JuicieJ]

I'm confused on your post. You stated that Sunshine was highly praised by critics and then go onto say that Sunshine is in the same situation as it was "back then." You stated it was highly praised so are you saying that it still is highly praised? That's contradictory to your argument.

When I said in the same situation, I meant with the fans. Sunshine hasn't gained popularity like MM has, which just happened to be living in the shadow of OoT upon release, which didn't help its cause. It's not contradictory at all. Games can be praised by critics but not greeted well by fans.

Also, since when has anyone ever not liked Sunshine? I understand not enjoying it as much as the other Mario games but I've never heard anyone say it was flat out a bad game. People have always bashed Majoras Mask for being bad, and while it's true that it has gained much praise over the past year, there are still people who don't like it, me included.

Just look at the comments. Many people have said Sunshine is either the worst Mario game (while not meaning a bad Mario game) or one of the worst. Now, I mentioned something crucial there. These people aren't saying Sunshine is a bad game, and they're not saying they don't like it (for the most part). Most fans don't dislike Sunshine, they just don't consider it as good as most of the other Mario games (which is where I stand). There's a major difference between something not being as good as something else and it being bad.

 

[MW7]

Thing is, Majora's Mask achieved a much higher status of greatness than Sunshine did. Sunshine is one of Mario's weaker games. Majora's Mask is one of Zelda's strongest.

That really depends on your definition of weak and strong. Based on sales and initial critical reception both games are among the weakest of their respective series. Within console releases Majora's Mask is the second worst selling Zelda game beating only Four Swords Adventures, and critically I believe it was the worst reviewed 3d game in the series (although its metacritic score is significantly higher than its gamerankings score so it's ahead of Skyward Sword on metacritic).

Sunshine is the worst selling main series console Mario besides Yoshi's Island and among the worst reviewed I believe. If I was trying to draw parallels between Mario and Zelda since Mario 64 I'd say: Super Mario 64 = Ocarina of Time, Sunshine= Majora's Mask or Wind Waker (two most nonconventional 3d games), Galaxy = Twilight Princess, and Galaxy 2 = Skyward Sword. Obviously there are some serious flaws in this but that's as close as I can get.

It's true, they were both highly praised by critics, and they also share the fate of many fans not liking them very well at first. Difference is, it's basically the same situation with Sunshine today as it was back when it was released. MM has become the Da Vinci of the Zelda series, as it's become insanely popular over the recent years. That says something.

Now I get what you're saying I think. The cult following that Majora's Mask has built up recently definitely seemed much larger than Sunshine's from my experience. The close vote on this thread might change my mind though.

Edit: well I guess I should have refreshed the page before posting since you just covered what I was confused about.

 

[SinkingBadges]

My childhood was filled to the brim with Sunshine.

Puns aside, I now feel like I'd go for Galaxy since it has all the things people have mentioned so far: beautiful artistic and level design, that awesome soundtrack and all that jazz. I also felt like it had that "grand adventure" sort of atmosphere it gained from the merging of all those aspects and how that lead to an atmosphere of... well, grandeur and adventure that was a change from the whimsical and lighthearted tones the other Mario games offered without really getting rid of it altogether; definitely too big a deal to ignore. And as Beeker said, Sunshine broke away from some series traditions; which I think is the opposite of what Galaxy did by getting back to a more linear-centric approach to level design (without really going full-on linear). Also, I found the ending in Galaxy pretty touching, like WW101 did.

That said, Sunshine was my favorite for a long time before, and there are a few things I missed in Galaxy (moslty that FLUDD was a lot of fun to just mess around with and how well the stages lent themeselves to that), I also think the gravity mechanics could've been polished in a couple of places. To be honest, I think Galaxy was about as flawed as Sunshine in different areas, but where it did well, it really shined.

I'm not even gonna bother mentioning Galaxy 2, that would be too unfair for the other two guys.

 

[unknown]

I love SMG (not sub machine-gun, super mario galaxy). I think that it is cool there are so many extras and how the levels are built that make it so the game doesn't get boring ever. That was one of the problems I have had with many other mario games in the past. That comets that can alter the level to make it harder are a really cool idea. It also had somewhat more of a compelling story than other games, even though it already happened. The slow revealing make you want to complete that world.

 

[PhantomTriforce]

I liked Super Mario Galaxy more than Super Mario Sunshine. I like the two Galaxies about the same, and they both beat Super Mario Sunshine. Super Mario Sunshine was a good game, but it is just that Super Mario Galaxy trumped Sunshine in almost every aspect. The graphics and soundtrack the Galaxies were amazing, and the Galaxies are probably the best 3D platformers out there. While I didn't like the more linear feel of Galaxy 2 compared to Galaxy 1, the galaxies themselves made up for this. Several galaxies also had the right setting and atmosphere, which I feel is important too, and both the Galaxies did this well. After I played Sunshine, I didn't need a Sunshine 2. But after Galaxy 1 and 2, I feel like I need a Galaxy 3.