I hope you were able to tell that the game I played this weekend was Super Mario Sunshine. If you didn't well shame on you.
This weekend was originally planned to be another Twilight Princess one but instead I went with a new game I got about two weeks ago or so. I'm glad I did considering how much fun I've been having.
--------------------------------

Before anything else let me mention what I love the most about this game: COLOR
Super Mario Sunshine has a lot of great colors and everything is just so bright. It's a welcome change compared to other console games that I've played. Twilight Princess does have color but just not as bright or as varied as Super Mario Sunshine seems to have. Mario himself still manages to stand out with the bright landscapes.
This game got me in the mood for the summer that feels has just started here in sunny California. I mean how can it not with the beach setting and all the tropical areas Mario visits in Sunshine. The ambience of the game is greatly done and the graphics still hold up surprisingly well given that it was released back in 2002. For only $20 it was a great and fun purchase.
If you've ever played Mario 64 on the Nintendo 64 or on the DS (like me) then you're in for a treat. Sunshine takes what Mario 64 did and expands it with better graphics, a sort of water jetpack for Mario used for traveling and fighting, and a great camera that pulls back to give you a great view of Mario's surroundings.
In this game Mario is given a jetpack that uses water to clean up graffiti and also serves as a means of transportation. With a press of a button you can go from hovering around using the jetpack to cleaning the environments bringing them back to their bright and lively luster. Later on you get more nozels for the jetpack that gives you the ability to rocket up into the sky with one strong burst and another to run extremly fast on land and swim quickly in water.
So far the game's levels have also been interesting. Like I mentioned the levels are a lot like those found in Mario 64 but done with new elements and even larger. The areas are all of mix of water and land with the exception of a small number of levels. Such as one that sends you up into the sky on a bird made of sand. Those levels that take place in the sky are also bright and very much fun, and of course just as richly coated in blues and white.
There are also levels that put Mario in what seems to be outerspace with childrens play blocks and levers. Sometimes these levels can be frustratingly hard if you just rush in. There's a bit of a pattern to them and see that then they aren't that hard at all. Even if they can be frustrating at times they are very fun. These levels are also very beautiful in their own way and design. If you take your time to look around you then you'll be able to see drawings of railroad tracks and a handpainted train that travels along it. It's touches like this that give Sunshine a great charm.
I'm probably missing a few things here and there from my little summary but that's pretty much my opinion on the game. Like I mentioned it's a very colorful and pretty game but what it comes down to is that it's a lot of fun.