What Was So Bad About FLUDD?

[tketle]

For those not familiar, FLUDD is the name of the water-pack/robot that accompanied Mario in Super Mario Sunshine, a device which allowed him to hover for a short time, rocket high into the air, run or swim at turbo speeds, and spray water at stuff.

There lies my confusion though: FLUDD only added to the experience. Most of the platforming elements from Mario 64 returned in Sunshine; all FLUDD did was provide a few more layers of depth, which I couldn't see being a bad thing.

I suppose having to keep it filled with water could be annoying to some, but resource management is nothing uncommon in games and there were usually plenty of places and opportunities in each level to refill.

If you saw FLUDD in a different light, I'd like to hear why.

 

[Ventus]

My problem with FLUDD is that the device made the platforming relied a lot less on quick reflexes and a lot more on holding a button down for an extended period of time. I just prefer quick acrobatics to lengthy processes.

 

[Salem]

My problem with FLUDD is that the device made the platforming relied a lot less on quick reflexes and a lot more on holding a button down for an extended period of time. I just prefer quick acrobatics to lengthy processes.

To add to that, it becomes sort of like a muscle memory for us, even jumps that don't need the FLUDD we tend to use it.

 

[Mercedes]

I wasn't really against FLUDD, it added something to the game I guess, but I didn't feel it was a positive addition. It wasn't something I wanted nor felt improved the experience of Mario. For instance when Mario Galaxy came out, I didn't exactly curse the heavens that the FLUDD was gone! Was happy they'd ditched it and just let me platform!

 

[DarkestLink]

It took away platforming and it's voice made my ears bleed.

 

[Mellow Ezlo]

I feel like one of the few people that actually liked FLUDD. It added quite a bit of depth to the already great game. I have heard people complain that it took away from the formula of typical platformers, but I disagree. Although it did utilize elements and concepts that are different from most other games of the genre (such as hovering), it still utilized the core aspects that people have come to expect from platformers. I really don't get all the hate.

 

[Salem]

I personally liked everything about the FLUDD except for the hovering, it's simply made the platforming boring, it might be fine if we were only given the hover ability on the parts/missions that we absolutely need it. Since we have at all the time(except for the secret areas where Shadow Mario steals it), we will use it all the time, even in parts that we don't need it, as a result, the player doesn't learn the sense of distance between a poor jump and good jump, we'll rely on the hover for most jump, at least that's what happened to me when I was playing.

Except for the Squirt, the Rocket and Turbo nozzles remained under-utilised, it's a shame because they are what I liked about the FLUDD.

One thing I liked about the Galaxy games is they only give you a special ability on specific stages, so that way you don't get to keep them when you go to other stages, so this way the game doesn't get broken, because an ability that's necessary for one stage doesn't mean you'll need it for another.

 

[DarkestLink]

@Sroa Link

But...didn't Mario revert back to his standard hover after he beat the stage anyway?

 

[Salem]

@Sroa Link

But...didn't Mario revert back to his standard hover after he beat the stage anyway?

If you're talking about the secret areas in the levels, yeah, he get's it back, or are you talking about something else?

If you're talking about the Rocket and Turbo nozzles, he does lose them when the stage ends, that's the thing, not enough opportunities to use them.

 

[DarkestLink]

Well actually, I was referring to your comment of Galaxy not letting you keep your powers when you finished the stage. Isn't that the status quo to begin with?

 

[Salem]

Well actually, I was referring to your comment of Galaxy not letting you keep your powers when you finished the stage. Isn't that the status quo to begin with?

Ahhh, yeah. You mentioned the hover, so that confused me there. The same thing happens in Galaxy and Sunshine you lose the extras when you leave the level... yeah I think I understood what you were saying now.

My point was the FLUDD was both underused and overused at the same time, if that makes any sense.

 

[Vaati101]

I loved F.L.U.D.D, I thought it was a nice addition to Super Mario Sunshine. I used F.L.U.D.D more for it's actual purposes then platforming because that what Mario's Spin jump was for. I never relied on F.L.U.D.D to get me to places because of that move. I may use the hover nozzle once in a while but that was purely to get me slightly higher to grab a ledge after perform the Spin Jump.

For what F.L.U.D.D's purpose was for, I think it was done pretty well and I do not think it took away from platforming. I don't really understand why people think that, but it seems to me that people were using F.L.U.D.D for the wrong reasons.

 

[mαrkαsscoρ]

i really can't say anything w/o being biased considering sunshine was one of the first video games i've played [possibly THE first]

the guys above me probably say it best

 

[RegalBryant]

FLUDD was awesome. I do wish the Turbo nozzle was used more, though.

 

[windwaker101]

FLUDD was a great. I found it to bring a very unique concept to the table. The techniques you could execute with it were fulfilling and are what made Mario Sunshine such a cool game in my opinion.