Back when Super Mario Sunshine was released in 2002, signs were everywhere that Nintendo had finally, unequivocally lost its freaking mind: Link's recently revealed Wind Waker makeover; Metroid Prime's apparent reinvention as some sort of first-person shooter; Mario's weird water cannon and sudden tree-hugging tendencies. Years later it's much easier to peg Sunshine for what it actually is: one of the most entertaining, satisfying, and solid 3D platformers ever made.
The plot is simple: Some ...