Super Mario Sunshine starts as a regular first-party nintendo game, easy and charming. But if one looks deeper...
The missions and story line start out interesting. Well, the whole premise of the story is actually quite lame. 'A shadow in the shape of Mario vandalizes, Mario forced to do community service, and Peach kidnapped by Bowser who happens to be on vacation too.' Really? The missions are like any other Mario platformer, mundane in their premise but fun to play. At first. The missions quickly become a drag, and many are just doing the same as another mission. Some later missions also become increasingly difficult, but not in an enjoyable way, only frustrating. The 'extra shines' especially will piss you off. You must understand that I have all of the shines, so I do not say this out of spite that I could not get some, they just are not fun. The story completely drops off halfway through the game (with the sludge), and you find yourself wondering what you are achieving.
Overall, Sunshine starts as an enjoyable entry to the series, but quickly becomes a frustration grind to finish something that will not give you a sense of accomplishment.