Super Mario Sunshine recently celebrated its 20th anniversary and made news at this year's SGDQ. A speedrun rarity occurred, causing speedrunner SB-runs to reset their playthrough 46 minutes into the run. Super Mario Sunshine isn't the only Mario game favored in the speedrunning community, and it's not surprising. The franchise features and showcases its excellent level design, allowing players to get creative when tackling them.
Top 10 Super Mario Levels Of All Time <h3>Top 10 Mario Levels of All Time</h3>After 36 years, there have been a lot of Mario games, with hundreds of levels between them -- and, dare I say it, most of them are pretty great. So we decided it was time to comb through the treasure trove of stages and poll our entire staff to find out which levels have stood the test of time better than all the rest. Please note, while certain members of the staff championed to include wonderful levels from games like Paper Mario, and even Super Mario World 2 (which is undoubtedly part of the Yoshi series), we opted to stick with games from the main series. These are IGN’s picks for the best Mario levels ever.<br> <h3>10. Bowser's Fury - Super Mario 3D World</h3>Yes, it's a very new addition to the series to be included on this list, but there's no denying that Bowser's Fury is something really special. One part new school, 3D-exploration based Mario adventure, and one part old school Mario platforming charm dropped onto one giant map where you seamlessly migrate between levels and challenges. It feels like the "next big thing" for Mario, and while it’s true that games like Sunshine, Odyssey, and even 64 have been described as open-world , this is on a whole new level. See what we did there?<br> <h3>9. Donut Plains 1 - Super Mario World</h3>When we think of the Mario franchise, the first thing that comes to mind is Donut Plains 1. Grabbing that first feather and realizing that the cape would let you FLY was nothing short of revelatory, and turned everything we thought we knew about Mario on its ear. Mix this with the catchy steel drums and tuba soundtrack, secret exits, and bonus block puzzles and you've got a template for not only the rest of Super Mario World, but a great evolution of the structure of a Mario level. There are more complex levels in Super Mario World, for sure, but Donut Plains One is a shining example of a game teaching you its own rules and how to break them. Perfection.<br> <h3>8. Sunken Ghost Ship - Super Mario World</h3>Another from Super Mario World, the Sunken Ghost Ship is no normal level by any means. Sitting isolated in the waters at the center of Dinosaur Island, the stage combines the foreboding atmosphere of Super Mario World’s ghost houses with clever references to Super Mario Bros. 3’s airships - which have been noticeably absent in this world. Though somewhat short, its vast hordes of underwater Boos that literally fill the screen make for a lasting impact, as does the subtle storytelling of falling down a seemingly bottomless void with no traditional goal post in sight to raise the gaping jaws of a giant stone bowser up from the depths. You’d be hard pressed to find a better introduction to a final boss’s secret lair.<br> <h3>7. Giant Land - Super Mario Bros. 3</h3>The levels in Super Mario Bros. 3 are full of clever ideas and fun surprises. Perhaps the biggest surprise (pun intended) occurs the moment you enter world 4-1. In this level, the enemies, blocks, pipes, and clouds are just enormous, about four times bigger than usual. You're still regular-sized Mario, but the world you've entered is shockingly huge. The first time you play this level, you probably had no idea the game could even do this. What's great about Giant Land, though, is the strength of all great Mario levels: it offers a perfect combination of surprise and delight. It has the same precise and satisfying Mario gameplay, but in a creative new package that can make even the most veteran players crack a smile.<br> <h3>6. Bianco Hills - Super Mario Sunshine</h3>Super Mario Sunshine, unlike so many other Mario games, made a daring choice with its setting: a tropical island divided into individually themed biomes, all centered around a relaxing vacation gone wrong. Bianco Hills is easily the most iconic of these, especially as it’s the first level you visit. This believable, pleasant little Pianta town invites the player to test out their new FLUDD capabilities throughout its multiple layers. There's a town side and a lake side, ground areas, water, and arial bouncing wires that allow you to just climb and climb and climb. What's more, its topography changes from episode to episode as different structures, paint splats, and enemies re-shape the village. Its clever architecture, attention to detail, and sheer personality makes Bianco Hills a wonderful summation of everything that made Mario Sunshine such a brave and delightful adventure.<br> Welcome back for another edition of Let's Talk About. Today's topic is Mario. What's your favorite Mario game? Are you a fan of Super Mario Sunshine? Which Mario character is your favorite? What level from the franchise do you consider to be the best or most memorable? Are you interested or excited about the upcoming Mario movie? What would you like to see Mario do next? Let us know in the comments.
Jada Griffin is IGN's Community Lead. If she's not engaging with users here, chances are she's developing her own games, maxing the Luck stat in her favorite games, or challenging her D&D players with Intense combat or masterful puzzles. You can follow her on Twitter @Jada_Rina .