It’s wild to think that in eight years of the Nintendo Switch we’ve only had one brand-new 3D Mario game. Sure we’ve had remasters, a flurry of spinoffs, and new 2D Mario games like Wonder — but 3D fans have been left feeling a bit peckish. Super Mario Odyssey is undoubtedly one of the Switch’s best games, but in some ways, recent games like Astro Bot and Split Fiction feel more innovative for platformers. Mario games are unanimously great, they’re always well-designed and strong in terms of sheer gameplay, but if Mario wants to be truly innovative again, Nintendo needs to look at the series’ most divisive entry — Super Mario Sunshine.
Released on the Nintendo GameCube in 2002, Sunshine has what might be the most jaw-dropping opening of any Mario game. In the midst of a tropical vacation on Delfino Isle with Princess Peach, Mario suddenly finds himself accused of painting graffiti across the island, and he’s thrown in jail. Yes, Mario is literally thrown in jail.
