5 Reasons Why Super Mario Galaxy 2 Is The Best Mario Game (& 5 Why Sunshine Is Even Better)

Super Mario has been a gaming phenomenon since the first installment in the franchise, Super Mario Bros., was released back in 1985 for the Nintendo Entertainment System.

There are now over 200 games in the franchise, including Super Mario Sunshine, which was unveiled as a platform game for the GameCube in 2002, and Super Mario Galaxy 2, which was launched in 2010 for the Wii. Sunshine and the original Galaxy were both revamped and re-released as part of the Super Mario 3D All-Stars package in 2020 – but for many fans, the original versions of these iconic games can’t be beat.

10 Galaxy 2: Creative Power-Ups

Power-ups have been an important part of Super Mario since day one, with the Mega-Mushroom making Mario super-sized and all-powerful. However, some of the power-ups in Super Mario Galaxy 2 are a little more creative.

The Rock Mushroom turns Mario into Rock Mario, allowing him to roll around and attack enemies or pick up items by smashing the crystals which encase them, while the Cloud Flower turns him into Cloud Mario, who can create his temporary cloud platforms to get to difficult to reach places.

9 Sunshine: Actually Has A Good Storyline

Platform games are not always known for having strong storylines; find a way through the level, beat the boss, and progress through the game is about as complex as they usually get. However, Super Mario Sunshine is one of the few Super Mario games that actually has an interesting plot.

Mario and Princess Peach are enjoying a vacation when the villainous Shadow Mario vandalizes the resort. Poor Mario ends up taking the blame and has to clean up the island while trying to defeat his doppelganger.

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8 Galaxy 2: Bigger Role For Luigi

Luigi has always played second fiddle to his more famous brother, aside from the Luigi’s Mansion series which finally gave him top billing. However, Luigi did have a much more significant role in Super Mario Galaxy 2, which at least made the gameplay a little more varied.

Players can choose to play as Luigi in both Galaxy and Galaxy 2 once they’ve collected the requisite number of stars. Luigi can run faster and jump higher than Mario, but he is also a little harder to control.

7 Sunshine: Tough Bosses

Sunshine has also managed to one-up many of the other Super Mario games when it comes to the impressive challenges posed by the various bosses that Mario has to beat on his way to victory.

From the Polluted Piranha off the coast of Mario’s holiday island to the mighty Mecha Bowser (a technological version of the classic Super Mario villain), players have to fight their way past some tough bosses to get to the final level, where they have beat both Bowser and Bowser Jr. at Corona Mountain.

6 Galaxy 2: The Throwback Galaxy

Super Mario has been around for 35 years – or 37 years when including the first arcade game in 1983. Fans have grown up with the game, and there’s nothing they like more than a bit of nostalgia.

The Throwback Galaxy in Super Mario Galaxy 2 was a very popular addition to the 2020 game, as it was based on the layout and design of Whomp’s Fortress from the 1996 game Super Mario 64. Beating the Whomp King is harder in Galaxy 2 – but players should be a bit more practiced after 14 years of gameplay!

5 Sunshine: Iconic Mario Music

Video game music has been an important part of the playing experience since the days of the earliest Space Invaders and Pac-Man arcade games, and Super Mario has always had his theme tune, which appears in various forms throughout his games. Super Mario Sunshine takes that theme and gives it an island vibe to fit with the vacation premise.

The Sunshine game has its musical themes which are tweaked and repeated in different areas of Isle Delfino, giving the soundtrack for this particular game its exclusive sound.

4 Galaxy 2: Double The Stars

The aim of Super Mario games has always been to collect as many stars as possible on the way to beating a series of increasingly difficult bosses before rescuing the princess.

In most games, players can only collect yellow stars, but in Super Mario Galaxy 2 players can also collect green stars, giving everyone more chances to build up their reserves. There are 120 green stars to be collected, but gamers can only start once they have picked up all 120 of the original stars.

3 Sunshine: Bowser Jr Made A Great Villain

Bowser has been the main villain in Super Mario games since the very first video game in 1985. It was Bowser who kidnapped Princess Peach, and he has since become an integral part of the Mario universe.

His son, Bowser Jr., made his debut in Super Mario Sunshine, appearing alongside his father as the main boss at the end of the game. While some fans were less than convinced about the prospect of a baby Bowser, the truth is that the two of them ended up making a pretty good team.

2 Galaxy 2: Yoshi Makes His Super Mario Return

Super Mario Galaxy 2 had some great new features and some interesting new twists, but most fans are in agreement that the game’s finest moment was the return of Yoshi to the Super Mario franchise.

The cute green dinosaur made his first appearance in the 1990’s Super Mario World and was so popular that he soon had his series of games. He has his galaxy in Galaxy 2, where the aim is to defeat a Magikoopa before breaking open the Yoshi egg. From then on, players can even choose Yoshi as a playable character.

1 Sunshine: Stunning Graphics For 2002

Super Mario Sunshine was far from the first 3D game in the Mario universe – that honor goes to Super Mario 64 from 1996 – but it was the first to feature genuinely impressive 3D graphics, especially for a game that was produced almost 20 years ago.

Of course, there were a few glitches, but that is just as true of games made in 2020. In particular, the game’s designers made a great job of the ocean scenes, with the water looking impressively realistic for the time.

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