Super Mario Sunshine 2 is one of the most hotly requested sequels in Nintendo’s history, and for good reason.
Super Mario Sunshine 2 is a game that I don’t just want, but need. I’ve waited patiently since the 2002 release of Mario Sunshine for the Nintendo Gamecube, and there has been nary a word about a sequel, with Nintendo seemingly forgetting about one the greatest platformers they’ve ever made. Still, the state of Super Mario Sunshine 2 in 2019 remains hopeful, as fervor surrounding a Switch release for the sequel maintains hype.
There have been references to Mario Sunshine in games like Super Smash Bros. and WarioWare Gold, and they always feel like such tantalizing teases. Will we get a Super Mario Sunshine 2 Switch sequel?
While we wait for word of a Super Mario Sunshine 2 release date, we should take a moment to recognize what made the first game so much fun to play.
With a triple jump and a bit of luck, it may just be that Nintendo finally listens to our plea to get Mario back on Delfino Island to spray goo and take down Bowser Jr. once more.
Back to basics
We need an HD remake of Super Mario Sunshine for Switch. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker and Twilight Princess both got one for the Nintendo Wii U, but the Mario classic Sunshine was surprisingly left out of the HD remake lineup.
Bringing Sunshine back into modern-day pop culture is a must if we’re to eventually get a sequel. It’s already a gorgeous game for the Gamecube, and has stood the test of time. Heck, even Mario 64 got a remake for the Nintendo DS in 2004. With a game as vibrant and fun as Sunshine, it only makes sense that Sunshine HD is announced for the Switch sometime soon. Whether or not we see a Super Mario Sunshine 2 release date, bringing the original to the Switch is a no-brainer.
Galaxies and odysseys
Super Mario Galaxy got a sequel, and boy did that feel like a slap in the face of every Sunshine superfan. Sure, some would say that the Galaxy games are some of the best games on the Wii, let alone the best out of every game ever, but for me, they were never as fun as Sunshine. There’s a feeling in Delfino Plaza with the chill tropical music and cute locale that wasn’t present in Galaxy 1‘s hub world.
Super Mario Odyssey was an epic title, and a great way to start off the Switch with a bang. This game is amazing, and has some great physics, but still hasn’t satiated the thirst I have for a Sunshine sequel. I really hope that Nintendo thinks to make Super Mario Sunshine 2 before they make another Mario Odyssey. Sure, that’s a bit selfish, but hey, the heart wants what it wants.
Physics like none other
FLUDD is an amazing tool, and no, it does not make Sunshine‘s platforming too easy. On the contrary, I find that the challenge is to extend your jumps out as far as you can, with great airtime being aptly rewarded with delicious collectibles or mission objectives.
There has yet to be another Mario platformer with physics even somewhat close to Sunshine‘s. I want to explore the world using a water jet pack, because it feels like an awesome mix between being James Bond with a jetpack and a Waterbender from Avatar: The Last Airbender. The level designs compliment FLUDD so well that I’m still finding myself enjoying the game just as much as I did when it first released.
For Super Mario Sunshine 2 Switch, one could only hope that the FLUDD mechanics remain intact, even without the pressure-sensor shoulder buttons for the Gamecube controller. Perhaps we will be able to play Super Mario Sunshine 2 Switch using the Gamecube controller adaptor, ala Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Sequel frenzy
It’s not unheard of for games in the modern age to see seemingly random sequels. Nintendo Wii M-rated title No More Heroes saw a 2019 release in Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes. That’s a niche game, and is a lot more so than one of the most popular games for the Nintendo Gamecube in Sunshine.
Hell, even Psychonauts 2 was announced at the 2018 Game Awards. There is a market for bringing back long-lost series in the modern age. Give us the Mario Sunshine sequel that we want Nintendo, and we promise to buy it. I personally would be lined up at midnight at a local GameStop to get my copy of Super Mario Sunshine 2.
Nintendo brought back the Metroid Prime series from the dead, with the FPS series skipping the Wii U altogether, but landing a fourth title in the Prime series, now in development for the Switch. The drive to make Mario Sunshine is there, as is the audience. You can feel this sort of excitement in the air, and now the ball’s in Nintendo’s court.
‘Super Mario Sunshine’ Nintendo Switch release date
The Super Mario series has paid homage to the Mario Sunshine universe from time to time, giving fans of the unique platformer Easter Eggs and treats to keep them satisfied. There’s a thread of interest here that Nintendo is maintaining, proving to some that a Super Mario Sunshine 2 release date isn’t far off.
Here are some of the significant references to Mario Sunshine in the Super Mario series.
‘WarioWare Gold’
A minigame for Mario Sunshine puts players in control of Mario as he guides FLUDD up and down the side of a goo-covered Delfina Plaza building in Delfino Plaza. The micogame runs for only a couple of seconds, but it’s very addicting. While there was a similar microgame for the Nintendo Wii game WarioWare: Smooth Moves, this microgame felt like it was more at the heart of what makes Mario Sunshine so special.
The sound effects and music instantly transport players back to their time with Mario Sunshine, as FLUDD’s nozzle spray and the plucking Delfino Plaza theme joyfully play out whilst cleaning off the pollution. It was a tasty treat, and is one of the most recent threads of hope for a Super Mario Sunshine 2 release date.
‘Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’
This is one of the more well-known references to Mario Sunshine because the Smash Bros. games are some of the most popular on their respective Nintendo consoles. The reference here is not only in Mario’s usage of FLUDD for his down-special move, but also in an entire stage dedicated to the beauty that is Delfino Plaza.
The Delfino Plaza stage makes for a semi-competitive battleground, but also works for general free-for-alls. The swimming segments add a unique twist to the Smash Bros. stage formula, as do the dynamic stage transformations. Traveling past recognizable and iconic locations in all of the Delfino Plaza is fun, yet somehow not too distracting from the battle. It’s a love letter to fans waiting for Super Mario Sunshine 2, and Nintendo has earned my love with this prose.
‘Mario Kart DS’
Just as there is in the Smash Bros. series, a stage dedicated to the world of Mario Sunshine exists in the Mario Kart series. The Mario Kart DS level zooms players through a dynamic and fast-paced race wherein drivers are cheered on by the Pianta locals.
The map gives us a different look at the Delfino Plaza, as one of the main features of the track is that of a giant drawbridge. Players can take a neat shortcut in the middle of the marketplace, giving this level a mysterious feel. Perhaps this stage will serve as an inspiration for an addition to the Delfino Plaza in the Super Mario Sunshine sequel?
‘Super Mario Odyssey’
As Super Mario Odyssey is in the same line of 3D open-ish world platformers in the Super Mario series, it should come as no surprise that the game pays homage in a fairly significant way to Super Mario Sunshine.
In the Seaside Kingdom, Mario defeats a giant octopus boss by utilizing the powers of the Gushen enemy. The Gushen operate a lot like FLUDD does, in that the creature can not only hover by using a water stream, but also jets around on the water’s surface, not unlike how the turbo nozzle operates in Mario Sunshine. Gushens rely on water to navigate around, and when they run out, they’re left helpless, much like Mario is when FLUDD runs dry.