Super Mario Sunshine
- February 11, 2004 15:56 PM PST
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The pudgy plumber finally has a platformer to call his own again. And we've got thirty screenshots to prove it.
Mario just can't stay out of trouble, can he? After over 20 years of starring in Nintendo games, everyone's favorite cartoon plumber is going on a well-deserved vacation to a tropical island with Princess Peach and her mushroomy friends. The only problem?someone who looks just like Mario is fouling up the island, writing graffiti on the walls and spreading some kind of weird pudding-like sludge all over the place. It's now up to Mario to clear his honorable name and clean up the island for good.Super Mario Sunshine is rapidly approaching its July release date in Japan, and so far it looks like the six years we've all had to wait will be worth it after all. The game will work roughly along the same lines as Super Mario 64, with Mario freely exploring 3D landscapes and hunting down "Shine" pieces to unlock new levels. Mario's main weapon this time is a portable water pump he lugs on his back, which he'll use to spray enemies, clean up messes and solve any platform-style puzzles he runs into. He'll also receive some assistance from Yoshi (finally?we missed him in Mario 64) and the jelly-like people who call the island home.
Although the new Mario doesn't push the GameCube's limits the way Metroid Prime and Star Fox Adventures are trying to, it still looks very impressive visually. All the levels are much more wide open and sprawling than they were in Mario 64, and there are some cute subtle effects here and there (like the aforementioned brown ooze) that look amazing in action. We'll have a hands-on preview for you when the game hits Japan July 19; the U.S. version is coming August 26.
