I actually think it's great that we have such a variety of types of 3D Mario games, and I like them all for what they bring to the table. The downside is that only one style can be your favorite and if a sequel isn't that style you're gonna be disappointed.
A little while after 64 came out, despite its massive accomplishments I found myself wishing it had not replaced the format of a linear platforming game full of levels. Especially since it had so many imitators resulting in the collectathon platformer era. I also wished it had multiplayer and Luigi. So 64 was outstanding, but it delivered a very different experience from prior Mario games which I didn't think, at the time, should be relegated to old systems and handhelds.
Nintendo apparently agreed, and we eventually got both NSMB and Galaxy on Wii. Galaxy was more linear in level design than open 64, in a unique gravity-devying, planet-hopping way to play to the Wii's hardware ability. This was really the dawn of the mash up of 3D with 2D style linearity, likely sparked by nothing but Wii's limitations. Suffice to say though that you won't like this game just because you like 2D, but it was the first time they started looking backwards to go forwards.
When we got 3D Land I thought it was great. It was, at last, a classic 2D style Mario game with linear levels, a flagpole at the end, exploration and power-ups, but in 3D. The sequel gave us all that on the TV and multiplayer. The downside is dealing with smaller moveset and fixed camera. To me, this is a sequel to Super Mario World. In comparison, Mario 64 is like a game in a different franchise doing it's own thing very successfully.
If you absolutely hate the idea of these "3D style sequels to 2D Mario games" and love 64, then Sunshine is going to stand on top of a lot of future games. I personally like them all, but also think Sunshine is the most rough around the edges in what it set out to do, without even comparing it to another game. When I played it, I was pissed off it was the 1 game with a tropical and water theme yet had such bad swimming controls I never wanted to go into the water (after we swam in the 64 courtyard just to gawk). FLUDD was weird and my favorite part were the warp stages where he took it off. I wanted an entire game of warp stages. I still liked it and finished the game, other than blue coins, but it's the rare oddity of a rushed and strangely conceived mainline Mario. If you want a full 3D movable camera big moveset collectathon though it's flaws will seem tiny compared to say 3D World where they simply made the wrong game for you.
