Super Mario Sunshine has joined Nintendo Switch Online’s GameCube collection for Switch 2, prompting a reassessment of one of the most divisive Mario games. The article argues that, despite dated camera controls and several frustrating levels, its inventiveness and strong tropical setting make it the Mario title that most clearly embodies the series’ playful willingness to experiment.

Released in 2002, Sunshine was initially acclaimed and became the GameCube’s third best-selling game, but its reputation has since become sharply split. Its FLUDD water backpack changes both cleaning and movement, while levels range from water-controlled casino games and rollercoaster battles to notoriously unpopular challenges such as the Pachinko minigame; the author sees this unevenness as part of its unpredictable charm.