Super Mario Expedition

Super Mario Expedition is a 3D platformer in the Super Mario series developed by Ghostrealm Studios and published by Nintendo as a launch title for the GhostDrive. It intends to challenge the conventions of the Mario series thematically while building upon the gameplay of Super Mario Excursion.
==Story==
===Opening===
Mario receives a letter from an individual whose initials are simply "Z.N.T.". In said letter, the individual invites Mario to the distant Kaliente Kingdom for a celebratory vacation due to his prior adventure. Mario decides to travel to the kingdom, but doesn't go alone. L.K., Timid Guy, and Trumbone also tag along, wanting to join Mario in his journey.
To reach the Kaliente Kingdom, Mario brings out an old friend: the Sky Pop, a plane he used in Sarasaland. The group takes the plane to the continent, arriving in the harbor town known as Tentacle Harbor. Here, various species from across the world, ranging from Tostarenans, to Eight-Bitters, to Piantas, inhabit the town. As Mario arrives, a small octupus-like creature waves at him with his tentacle. Identifying himself as Zaliente, he tells Mario that he was the one who sent the letter, and seeks his help in defeating House Kaliente, the nefarious group that controls the continent. To this extent, he presents Mario with a device he calls S.T.E.A.M.: the Super Temperature Examiner and Modifier, developed by Gadd Science Inc.. This device is capable of shooting fire or ice, and is similar in nature to F.L.U.D.D.. As Mario equips the device, the two heads of the device begin to bicker and argue as Mario puts his hands over their muzzles and smirks.
However, once Mario equips S.T.E.A.M., a horde of Octoombas and Brolders storm the harbor, but with the help of S.T.E.A.M., Mario repels them. However, he does manage to stumble upon a strange portal of sorts, which he then leaps into alongside his allies.
===Collecting Sun Gems===
When Mario arrives through the portal, he finds himself in a beach-like area full of broken ships and a large Kremling population. As he explores, he finds himself picking up mysterious orange crystals, which Zaliente identifies as Sun Gems. He tells Mario about how Kaliente's forces have been trying to excavate the gems ever since they started showing up on the continent. Mario makes his way through Crocodile Shore, and eventually stumbles upon the KremKo Oil Rig, where he confronts King Kaliente's son, Prince Pikante. The prince battles Mario, but is defeated, leaving behind a Solar Gem in the process.
After collecting more Sun Gems, Mario eventually gains access to the Hammer Module, which he can then use to bust down a pile of rocks hiding a pipe to Kelp Jungle. From there, he can keep on collecting Sun Gems until he unlocks the Ball Module, which can then be used to melt the ice surrounding a pipe to Lunar Falls.
===Discovery in Lunar Falls===
When Mario reaches Lunar Falls, he's immediately captured by the natives: a tribe of Underworlders. Unlike the ones he encountered in the past, these ones seem far more hostile. Mario is taken to Tsukai Village, their home, where an Underworlder known as Sapphire confronts him. The leader of the village, he tells Mario that ever since his son went missing, he's been weary of outsiders. Mario however manages to escape the village, and enters the mysterious Equinox Cavern. There, he manages to rescue Sapphire's son, known as Platinum. He's relatively scared, but seems to be happy once Mario arrives.
When Mario returns the boy home, Sapphire thanks the plumber and tells him a story. Several years ago, a tragedy befell his people, but he led some of them to this land, where they remained in hiding. Sapphire specifically mourned for his sister, who he feared had been killed in the chaos. Yet, he remained focused on leading the small ragtag band of survivors in Lunar Falls. He offers his aid to Mario, as House Kaliente has begun to strip Lunar Falls of its resources.
After Mario collects enough Sun Gems, a boat opens up to Fintendo Park.
===Fintendo Park Attack===
When Mario arrives in Fintendo Park, it's in chaos. A giant mechanical dragon of some sort is wreaking havoc throughout the park, and it's up to Mario to stop it. After a pitched battle, the beast is defeated, but is revealed to just be a poorly made mech of sorts manned by Octoombas. From that point on, Mario is free to roam the park.
After enough Sun Gems are collected, a bus opens up that leads to the Law-Ridden Highway.
===Arrested on the Highway===
When Mario arrives at the Law-Ridden Highway, he's almost instantaneously apprehended by Octoomba police officers, who strip him of S.T.E.A.M. and throw him into the Lockdown Penitentiary. However, Mario not only manages to rescue S.T.E.A.M., but also escapes the prison.
Prince Pikante eventually visits the prison in a new hovercraft vehicle, but Mario manages to defeat him. Once more Sun Gems are collected, a rockslide reveals a pipe to the Dehydrated Wastes.
===Naval Attack===
Mario eventually returns to Tentacle Harbor after collecting more Sun Gems from the Dehydrated Wastes, finding the harbor in chaos. A fleet of warships seem to be bombarding the area from afar, with giant Octopuses on the ships firing huge fireballs. Mario uses the Hover Module to get to the ships, and from there, a platforming segment begins where you'll hop from ship to ship.
Eventually, Mario reaches the flagship, where a giant Kremling known simply as General Klump is standing idle, watching the Octopuses firing on the harbor. He then jumps in shock upon seeing Mario, grabbing a giant wooden gun. From there, he fires a barrage of oranges into the air, which explode upon hitting the ground. After defeating General Klump and retrieving a Solar Gem, the ship begins to explode due to the oranges fired off in the battle, forcing Mario to escape within a certain timeframe. Yet, after returning to Tentacle Harbor, Mario notices that one of the areas a fireball from earlier hit seemed to have created a portal, similar to the one used to reach Crocodile Shore.
This portal takes him to Ectopolis, an abandoned city full of ghosts. After collecting more Sun Gems, Mario gains the Rocket Module, which allows him to reach a pipe to Diceroll Isle up on top of a building in Tentacle Harbor. After even more collecting, Windy Ridge opens up.
===The Savannah Crisis===
After exploring Windy Ridge, Mario manages to obtain the Glide Module and open up access to the Sunny Savannah. Here, House Kaliente's troops have set up camp across the plains, conducting an operation of some sort. In fact, a lot of cannons are present in their war camps.
Eventually, Mario reaches the Tree of Paradise, heading inside. It seems to be quite empty save for Octoombas, until Mario reaches a Bully coated in fire known as the Inferno Bully. After a long, ardous battle, the Inferno Bully is defeated, albeit the worst has come: outside the tree, countless Octoomba soldiers and their weapons begin firing on the tree. While Mario escapes, the entire savannah's skies are lit aflame and the once tranquil land is thrown into chaos.
After collecting more Sun Gems, Gigantica opens up due to the unlocking of the Cart Module, which lets Mario bust open access to the area. After that, the unlocking of the Scuba Module after collecting more Sun Gems lets Mario reach an underwater pipe leading to the Scorching Tundra.
===The Final Stretch===
Finally, after exploring areas and collecting more Sun Gems, Mario unlocks S.T.E.A.M.'s final module: the Glide Module. At this point, Zaliente informs him that now would be the best time to begin the trek to the Kal'ent Fortress, the stronghold of House Kaliente. The voyage begins with Mario using the Glide Module to access a pipe to the Fortified Harbor. There, it's revealed that House Kaliente is amassing weapons and constructing a fleet of airships to use in some sort of military operation. Atop the Vigilant Lighthouse, Mario even does battle with one of their airships, leaving it to crash into the nearby ocean.
After more Sun Gem collecting, Mario manages to open up access to Yunshoom Valley in an attempt to snag a train to the Kal'ent Fortress, but fails to reach it in time. As he returns to Tentacle Harbor in defeat, he finds that Prince Pikante is leading an attack on the harbor, and goes off to confront him. After Pikante's defeat, he flies off in his airship, leaving Mario to give chase in the Sky Pop.
===The Lord of Ice and Fire===
Mario, Zaliente, L.K., Trumbone, and Timid Guy eventually arrive at the Kal'ent Fortress via the Sky Pop, though the plane is shot down by cannonfire from the fortress. Strangely, both fire and ice projectiles are fired, unlike past weaponry utilized by House Kaliente. As Mario navigates the grounds of the fortress, he finds out information about the history of the area, and seems to discover that the local propaganda is condemning Bowser of all people as a monster who ruthlessly forced their people into a war they didn't want to fight. Mario eventually also finds
The descent down the sanctum is long and arduous, but Mario eventually reaches King Kaliente's central court. Here, the king himself rises out of the lava, recognizing Mario, and especially noticing S.T.E.A.M. on his back. He asks Mario when he managed to steal a device KremKo was making for his troops, to which Mario stares at Zaliente on his shoulder. The small octopus admits to Mario in a fuss that he was actually due to be using S.T.E.A.M. as a soldier of Kaliente, but went rogue due to his own beliefs. Kaliente also remarks about how his people had been forced into coming to Mario's world by Bowser, back when he sought to build his own galaxy. As part of that, he had pillaged Kaliente's homeworld and forced his people into a war. Viewing Mario as the catalyst of all of this, Kaliente engages in battle with the plumber, a battle Mario wins.
Or so it seems.
After Mario manages to defeat Kaliente, the enraged king begins to draw energy from the lava, before his body turns to a brownish orange color. At that point, he also begins to spew ice from his mouth, as if he controls both elements. He then exclaims to Mario that once he's done with him, he'll be consuming the Mushroom Kingdom next. Battle breaks out once again, with Mario engaging King Kaliente over a constantly-shifting battlefield of lava and ice, before landing the final blow to him. At that point, the king begins to explode in a blast of fire and ice as he screams Mario's name. Mario and his allies rush out of the sanctum in a hurry as it collapses in on itself, only barely making it out. From there, an explosion of fire and ice consumes the night sky of the Kaliente Kingdom, with citizens from all over the continent seeing it and cheering.
===Ending===
Mario and his allies return to Tentacle Harbor to find that a festival has begun to celebrate Kaliente's defeat. As him and his friends devour the free food and take in the festivities, they decide that they deserve a long vacation after everything they've been through. The game's credits then proceed, showing shots of Mario and his friends taking in the sights of the kingdom and enjoying their vacation, much like the ending of Super Mario Sunshine.
After the credits, a post-credits scene occurs that depicts Mario standing before a repaired Sky Pop, with Zaliente standing before him. In the background, L.K., Trumbone, and Timid Guy can be seen speaking with Sapphire and his son Platinum. Zaliente remarks to Mario that he's glad to have had the pleasure to adventure alongside him, and thanks him for his help in liberating the kingdom. Mario smirks as he takes S.T.E.A.M. off of his back, handing it to Zaliente as if he doesn't need it anymore. Zaliente responds with a salute, telling Mario that he'll treasure the device, but will return it to him at any point. He then hugs Mario's leg (due to his small size preventing a true hug), as Mario chuckles.
Meanwhile, Platinum is remarking to L.K., Trumbone, and Timid Guy that he can't wait to see what their home is like, as well as finding out more in regards to his adventures in space. L.K. chuckles before saying he reminds him of another Underworlder he knows. At that point, Sapphire intervenes and says that he thought he was leading the last remaining group of them, to which Timid Guy interjects and says that there's others. Sapphire then asks who leads them, but before the others can answer, Mario calls for the others to come to the Sky Pop. L.K. quickly answers and says that they're led by a queen who defeated her evil sister, to which Sapphire shows a face of shock. As the trio departs, Platinum asks his dad why he was so curious about the other Underworlders, to which Sapphire responds by saying that he'll be meeting with his sister soon.
==Characters==
Mario 	The hero plumber himself, Mario is the main character of the game. With S.T.E.A.M. at his side, he's ready to take on whatever lies in the Kaliente Kingdom.
(credit to S.T.E.A.M.	A new device developed by , the Super Temperature Examiner and Modifier, or S.T.E.A.M. for short, is a multi-purpose device capable of shooting out fire or ice in a myriad of forms, thanks to its various Modules. Its two heads often bicker and argue, with the fire head, known as Scorchie, having a fiery temper, whereas the ice head, Freeza, is more calm and collected.
(placeholder)Zaliente	The impatient little octopus known as Zaliente is eager to overthrow King Kaliente's regime, even if it means calling upon a foreign land's hero. While he initially regards Mario as a tool of sorts, he warms up to him over time.
L.K. 	Mario's trusty Lakitu cameraman is back in action, ready to film the locales of the Kaliente Kingdom! He controls the camera and Snapshot Mode.
Timid Guy 	An old friend of Mario's is back in action and ready to see what's out there! Timid Guy can be found in various locations, often getting into sticky situations. When rescued, he'll reward you with a Sun Gem.
Trumbone 	This Dry Bones musician has come to the Kaliente Kingdom alongside Mario for a new adventure! Trumbone is capable of paying out Sun Gems in exchange for Blue Coins.
(credit to )Sapphire 	The ruler of Lunar Falls's Underworlder population, Sapphire is a man weary of outsiders. Yet, the arrival of both Mario and House Kaliente is forcing him to pick a side.
(credit to )Platinum 	Sapphire's son and a recurring character. He loves to study the moon rocks of Lunar Falls and is eager to see what else lies in the Kaliente Kingdom.
==Gameplay==
Super Mario Expedition builds on the formula first developed by Super Mario Excursion, in which large, sprawling kingdoms (now known as Territories) similar to those seen in Super Mario Odyssey have smaller, tightly-focused Landmark areas inside, based on the levels seen in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine for Mario to explore in search of Sun Gems. However, the game takes more inspiration from Super Mario Sunshine than the previous game in terms of aesthetics and general gameplay.
Mario is accompanied by the device known as S.T.E.A.M., which can produce blasts of fire or ice to solve puzzles and defeat enemies. S.T.E.A.M. relies on fuel however, which will slowly recharge over time when not being consumed. Mario also returns to the eight-wedge health system that hasn't been seen since Super Mario Sunshine, and uses coins to heal once again.
The core 3D Mario moveset is retained, with Mario able to perform Long Jumps, Triple Jumps, Dives, Ground-Pounds, and more. A new Dash Smash move is also introduced, based on the Backwards Long Jump glitch from Super Mario 64. With this move, Mario can perform the horizontal equivalent of the Ground Pound and smash into objects horizontally. The more you mash , the stronger the impact.
===Controls===
Super Mario Expedition is bundled with an A-Focus Button Swap for the GhostDrive, and highly recommends using it. The following control scheme is designed with the button swap in mind, though there is an alternate control scheme.
Action 	Button Input
Camera Control 	
Reset Camera 	or
First-person mode	
Action 	Button Input
Walk 	Slightly touch
Run 	
Crouch 	Hold
Crouch Walk	Hold +
Roll 	Hold + tap
Action 	Button Input
Jump 	
Double Jump 	While landing from regular jump, press
Triple Jump 	While landing from double jump, hold and press
Backward somersault	Hold + press
Side somersault 	While running, move in opposite direction +
Running long jump 	While running, hold + tap
Dash Smash 	Right after long jumping, pull in the opposite direction and mash
Wall Slide 	Jump against most vertical surfaces
Wall jump 	While Mario is sliding against a wall with his hand planted, press
Ground Pound 	In midair, tap
Ground pound jump 	During ground pound impact, press
Dive 	while running or in midair
Action 	Button Input
Use Module 	
Switch Modules 	
Switch to Fire/Switch to Ice	
Action 	Button Input
Spin 	Rotate quickly in two circles
Spin jump 	During spin, press
Quick descent 	During spin jump, press
Spinning ground pound	During spin jump, hold until impact
Hold item 	Press near a grabbable object
Throw item 	Press for a short throw, flick controller for long throw
Swim 	
Descend 	
Ascend 	
Quick Swim 	
Ledge clinging 	left or right to shimmy along handholds, up or to climb up, down to let go and fall
Pole climbing 	up or down to ascend or descend, left or right to rotate around the pole
Pause 	
Map/Sun Gem Count 	
Talk to Zaliente 	
Snapshot Mode 	
===S.T.E.A.M. Modules===
S.T.E.A.M. is capable of performing many different functions with its various Modules, akin to the Nozzles of Super Mario Sunshine's F.L.U.D.D.. All Modules can be used at once, unlike F.L.U.D.D.'s Nozzles, allowing for you to pick the Module that suits the situation. Each Module consumes resources at a certain rate, with some being pricier than others.
Module 	Description 	Consumption Rate
Pump Module 	The Pump Module simply lets you shoot fire or ice in a single direction. Holding down slightly on lets you shoot forward while moving, while holding down the button lets you aim wherever you want, but locks you in place. 	Normal
Hover Module 	The Hover Module allows you to hover in midair for about four seconds whilst shooting fire or ice at the ground below. 	Normal
Ball Module 	The Ball Module allows you to throw spherical forms of fire and ice much like the Fire Flower or Ice Flower. These balls will move along the ground for a bit before dissipating. 	Low
Hammer Module	The Hammer Module causes S.T.E.A.M. to transform into a hammer, which can then be swung at enemies and objects, imbued with the power of fire or ice. 	Low
Rocket Module	The Rocket Module allows you to propel yourself into the air by a massive distance, expelling fire or ice as you fly upwards. 	High
Cart Module 	The Cart Module causes S.T.E.A.M. to transform into a Yoshi-esque entity, before driving forward and expelling fire or ice on the way. 	High
Scuba Module 	The Scuba Module enhances your swimming abilities. With ice, it allows you to swim faster underwater, while with fire, it grants protection against lava and allows you to swim in it, though once the air meter breaks you're vulnerable to lava like normal. Unlike other Modules, this one doesn't consume fire or ice.	N/A
Glide Module 	The Glide Module allows you to glide through the air with a trail of fire or ice behind you, much like the Wing Cap or Glydon. 	High
==Areas==
Super Mario Expedition features fifteen different locales to explore, each divided into a Territory and a Landmark. Territories are large, sprawling areas similar to the kingdoms of Super Mario Odyssey and Super Mario Excursion, with Sun Gems scattered all across the landscape for you to collect in a non-linear fashion, but only one at a time.
Landmarks on the other hand are closer to the levels of Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy, featuring more structured missions for you to complete in a smaller area. Unlike Super Mario Excursion's Landmark missions however, Expedition's can all be selected from the main menu before entering the Landmark much like Super Mario 64, in which the name of the mission hints at an objective that can be completed. Save for the boss missions however, all of a Landmark's missions can be completed without choosing the specific mission, with boss missions opening up as Sun Gems are collected from the Landmark. Regular Landmark missions reward two Sun Gems each, while boss missions reward a Solar Gem, which is worth three Sun Gems.
===Tentacle Harbor===
Tentacle Harbor is the main hub of the game, in a similar vein to Peach's Castle, Delfino Plaza, or the Comet Observatory. This hub is full of hidden Sun Gems, NPCs, and plenty of wide, open space to practice utilizing Mario's moves, as well as access to all of the game's areas.
Whenever you obtain the required amount of Sun Gems from the most recent area, a story event occurs in the harbor that leads into the next area. Sometimes this involves enemies invading the harbor, and other times a boss might even show up! Over time, the harbor will fill up with NPCs from the various locations you've been to, providing more hidden Sun Gems and minigames to pursue!
===Territories===
===Landmarks===
===Secret Levels===
Every Landmark contains one secret level, and some of these levels can also be accessed from Territories and Tentacle Harbor. Much like the scarecrow doors in Odyssey and Sunshine's secret levels, you have to navigate a linear platforming area without S.T.E.A.M. at your side, forcing you to rely on Mario's natural platforming abilities.
After initially completing a secret level, the next time you enter it, you'll not only have S.T.E.A.M. at your side, but a switch of sorts will now be located in the level that, when pressed, spawns eight red coins for a short period of time. Collecting all eight rewards a Sun Gem.
==Enemies==
Octoomba 	Octoombas are small enemies that will attempt to ram into Mario with a headbutt. They're vulnerable to just about any attack.
Octoomba 	Found in Crocodile Shore, Kelp Jungle, Lunar Falls, Fintendo Park, Law-Ridden Highway, Dehydrated Wastes, Ectopolis, Diceroll Isle, Windy Ridge, Sunny Savannah, Gigantica, Scorching Tundra, Fortified Harbor, Yunshoom Valley, and Kal'ent Fortress.
Elite Octoomba	Elite Octoombas are stronger Octoombas that shoot rocks in a bullet-like fashion towards Mario. However, they won't actively try to chase the plumber.
Elite Octoomba	Found in Fintendo Park, Law-Ridden Highway, Dehydrated Wastes, Diceroll Isle, Sunny Savannah, Scorching Tundra, Fortified Harbor, Yunshoom Valley, and Kal'ent Fortress.
Octoguy 	Octoguys are a variant of Octoomba that shoots rocks at Mario much faster than Elite Octoombas, and are also capable of following Mario. However, they'll tire out after running a certain distance, and will flee should S.T.E.A.M. be used near them.
Octoguy 	Found in Lunar Falls, Law-Ridden Highway, Ectopolis, Diceroll Isle, Gigantica, Scorching Tundra, Fortified Harbor, Yunshoom Valley, and Kal'ent Fortress.
Octopus 	Octopuses are larger Octoombas that shoot fireballs or iceballs at Mario. They're stationary, and can only be defeated by having any sort of projectile deflected at them, whether it be one of their own or a nearby item that can be thrown.
Octopus 	Found in Kelp Jungle, Fintendo Park, Law-Ridden Highway, Dehydrated Wastes, Diceroll Isle, Sunny Savannah, Gigantica, Scorching Tundra, Fortified Harbor, Yunshoom Valley, and Kal'ent Fortress.
Octoboo 	Octoboos are undead Octoombas that will float around a set area.
Octoboo 	Found in Ectopolis, Diceroll Isle, Gigantica, Fortified Harbor, and Kal'ent Fortress.
Brolder 	Brolders are giant boulders that will try to roll into Mario. Spraying them with fire will turn them into Lava Brolders that will unleash a fiery explosion upon hitting something, and spraying them with ice will turn them into Ice Brolders, which will bounce off of walls.
Brolder 	Found in Crocodile Shore, Lunar Falls, Fintendo Park, Dehydrated Wastes, Windy Ridge, and Scorching Tundra.
Bullet Bill 	Bullet Bills are heat-seeking missiles that will chase after Mario. Spraying them with fire will cause them to change direction, while spraying them with ice pacifies them and allows you to ride them in a sense, up until they explode after a certain amount of time.
Bullet Bill 	Found in Crocodile Shore, Lunar Falls, Fintendo Park, Law-Ridden Highway, Dehydrated Wastes, Diceroll Isle, Sunny Savannah, Gigantica, Fortified Harbor, Yunshoom Valley, and Kal'ent Fortress.
Walleye 	Walleyes are giant moving walls that will attempt to squish Mario. However, they can be baited into smashing down by simply jumping, before being vulnerable to a ground-pound from the back.
Walleye 	Found in Crocodile Shore, Kelp Jungle, Lunar Falls, Law-Ridden Highway, Dehydrated Wastes, Ectopolis, Diceroll Isle, Windy Ridge, Sunny Savannah, Gigantica, Scorching Tundra, Yunshoom Valley, and Kal'ent Fortress.
Spiky Topman 	Spiky Topmen are enemies that will attempt to ram into Mario whilst spinning. Shooting fire or ice at them will create a ring of that element around the Topmen, and shooting it with that element right after will allow you to move it in the direction of your choice.
Spiky Topman 	Found in Crocodile Shore, Fintendo Park, Law-Ridden Highway, Diceroll Isle, Gigantica, Scorching Tundra, Fortified Harbor, Yunshoom Valley, and Kal'ent Fortress.
Blooper 	Bloopers are aquatic enemies that will shoot ink at Mario while he's above water. Underwater, they'll swim at him in continual bursts. Uniquely, Bloopers can be tamed and surfed on when exposed to ice. Fire on the other hand will cause them to swell up and turn into a platform of sorts.
Blooper 	Found in Crocodile Shore, Kelp Jungle, Fintendo Park, Ectopolis, and Fortified Harbor.
Kritter 	Kritters are armored foes that will attempt to punch Mario with their armored gauntlets. However, the armor can be knocked off with any of S.T.E.A.M.'s Modules, leaving them vulnerable to a jump.
Kritter 	Found in Crocodile Shore, Kelp Jungle, Lunar Falls, Fintendo Park, Law-Ridden Highway, Dehydrated Wastes, Diceroll Isle, Sunny Savannah, Gigantica, Fortified Harbor, Yunshoom Valley, and Kal'ent Fortress.
Chain Chomp 	Chain Chomps are giant hulking enemies that will attempt to lunge at Mario. Some are chained up, while others aren't! While Chain Chomps are invincible to regular attacks, they can be pushed around with S.T.E.A.M.'s Modules.
Chain Chomp 	Found in Crocodile Shore, Kelp Jungle, Lunar Falls, Fintendo Park, Dehydrated Wastes, Ectopolis, Diceroll Isle, Windy Ridge, Sunny Savannah, Gigantica, Fortified Harbor, Yunshoom Valley, and Kal'ent Fortress.
Pidgit 	Pidgits are small birds on flying carpets that will try to dive-bomb Mario. They're tricky to jump on, but using S.T.E.A.M. can knock them off their carpets.
Pidgit 	Found in Kelp Jungle, Lunar Falls, Fintendo Park, Dehydrated Wastes, Diceroll Isle, Windy Ridge, Sunny Savannah, Gigantica, Scorching Tundra, and Kal'ent Fortress.
Mouser 	Mousers are bomb-wielding mice that will attempt to throw their bombs at Mario. If hit with S.T.E.A.M., they'll be stunned, and if you spray them with fire specifically, their bombs will detonate in a horrendous explosion.
Mouser 	Found in Crocodile Shore, Kelp Jungle, Lunar Falls, Fintendo Park, Law-Ridden Highway, Dehydrated Wastes, Diceroll Isle, Sunny Savannah, Scorching Tundra, Yunshoom Valley, and Kal'ent Fortress.
Bob-omb 	Bob-ombs are walking bombs that will try to explode and hurt Mario in the process. They can be picked up and thrown after being jumped on. When hit with fire, they'll explode prematurely, while hitting them with ice will delay the detonation by a few seconds.
Bob-omb 	Found in Crocodile Shore, Lunar Falls, Fintendo Park, Law-Ridden Highway, Dehydrated Wastes, Diceroll Isle, Sunny Savannah, Gigantica, Fortified Harbor, Yunshoom Valley, and Kal'ent Fortress.
Chuckya 	Chuckyas are giant Bob-ombs that will try to pick up and toss Mario away from a location. They can only be defeated by being picked up and thrown from behind. However, if you spray them with ice, they'll tend to throw you more upwards, while being sprayed with fire makes them throw you more downwards.
Chuckya 	Found in Crocodile Shore, Lunar Falls, Fintendo Park, Law-Ridden Highway, Dehydrated Wastes, Ectopolis, Diceroll Isle, Windy Ridge, Sunny Savannah, Gigantica, Fortified Harbor, and Yunshoom Valley.
Eggplant Man 	Eggplant Men are simple enemies that will walk along a path of their own, minding their own business. They're vulnerable to just about any attack.
Eggplant Man 	Found in Crocodile Shore, Kelp Jungle, Lunar Falls, Fintendo Park, Dehydrated Wastes, Ectopolis, Diceroll Isle, Windy Ridge, Sunny Savannah, Gigantica, Scorching Tundra, Fortified Harbor, Yunshoom Valley, and Kal'ent Fortress.
Fighter Fly 	Fighter Flies are airborne enemies that fly in a set pattern. They're vulnerable to just about any attack.
Fighter Fly 	Found in Crocodile Shore, Kelp Jungle, Fintendo Park, Law-Ridden Highway, Ectopolis, Diceroll Isle, Windy Ridge, Sunny Savannah, Gigantica, Scorching Tundra, Fortified Harbor, Yunshoom Valley, and Kal'ent Fortress.
Sidestepper 	Sidesteppers are crabs that will simply walk around on their own. Their claws prevent them from being jumped on, but being sprayed with S.T.E.A.M. will force them into their shells. From there, they can be picked up and thrown.
Sidestepper 	Found in Crocodile Shore, Kelp Jungle, Fintendo Park, Ectopolis, Gigantica, and Fortified Harbor.
Gao 	Gao are fireball-shooting sphinx-esque enemies that stay in one spot. They can only be defeated with a ground-pound, but S.T.E.A.M. can destroy their fireballs.
Gao 	Found in Lunar Falls, Law-Ridden Highway, Dehydrated Wastes, Sunny Savannah, Gigantica, Scorching Tundra, Yunshoom Valley, and Kal'ent Fortress.
Batadon 	Batadons are stone heads that bounce along the ground at fast speeds. They can be defeated with any attack.
Batadon 	Found in Lunar Falls, Law-Ridden Highway, Dehydrated Wastes, Windy Ridge, Sunny Savannah, Scorching Tundra, Yunshoom Valley, and Kal'ent Fortress.
Jailgoon 	Jailgoons are walking prison cells that contain various friendly species. They cannot be destroyed by normal attacks. However, Jailgoons have either a red or blue light on top, which indicates which element is needed to free the prisoner: fire if it's blue, and ice if it's red. Freed prisoners will often give out coins, and in some cases a Sun Gem.
Jailgoon 	Found in Law-Ridden Highway, Dehydrated Wastes, Ectopolis, Diceroll Isle, Sunny Savannah, Gigantica, Fortified Harbor, Yunshoom Valley, and Kal'ent Fortress.
Ant Trooper 	Ant Troopers are enemies that walk in a line together, constantly marching. While they cannot be defeated through conventional attacks, they can be ridden on, allowing you to reach areas you wouldn't be able to get to normally. When sprayed with ice, they'll slow down, while fire will speed them up.
Ant Trooper 	Found in Kelp Jungle, Lunar Falls, Fintendo Park, Dehydrated Wastes, Diceroll Isle, Windy Ridge, Sunny Savannah, Scorching Tundra, and Yunshoom Valley.
Cosmic Clone 	Cosmic Clones are shadowy doppelgangers of Mario that will mimic his movements as they follow him. They're almost always found in linear areas such as secret levels, and disappear once a certain area is reached.
Cosmic Clone 	Found in Crocodile Shore, Kelp Jungle, Lunar Falls, Fintendo Park, Law-Ridden Highway, Dehydrated Wastes, Ectopolis, Diceroll Isle, Windy Ridge, Sunny Savannah, Gigantica, Scorching Tundra, Fortified Harbor, Yunshoom Valley, and Kal'ent Fortress.
Wiggler 	Wigglers are giant caterpillars that will get angry when stomped on by Mario. From there, they'll viciously run after him. Wigglers are defeated by leading them into a wall, and if sprayed by ice, they're momentarily stunned. Fire on the other hand will cause them to move in the direction it was fired in for a few seconds.
Wiggler 	Found in Kelp Jungle, Lunar Falls, Fintendo Park, Diceroll Isle, Windy Ridge, Sunny Savannah, Gigantica, and Yunshoom Valley.
Gushen 	Gushens are enemies usually found near bodies of water. They'll attempt to shoot water at Mario. While they cannot be defeated, being sprayed with fire will create a fiery shield around them that will quickly boil any nearby water, while spraying them with ice will freeze them and let you ride them for a brief period of time.
Gushen 	Found in Dehydrated Wastes, Ectopolis, Fortified Harbor, and Kal'ent Fortress.
Ukiki 	Ukikis are monkeys capable of stealing S.T.E.A.M. from Mario and using its Pump Module to attack him. They're quite agile and capable of jumping around, but ground-pounding near them will stun them and allow you to take S.T.E.A.M. back.
Ukiki 	Found in Kelp Jungle, Fintendo Park, Law-Ridden Highway, Dehydrated Wastes, Diceroll Isle, Sunny Savannah, Gigantica, and Kal'ent Fortress.
Boo 	Boos are shy ghosts that will get scared when Mario stares at them, but aggressive when his back is turned. S.T.E.A.M. will merely knock them away.
Boo 	Found in Dehydrated Wastes, Ectopolis, Diceroll Isle, Gigantica, Fortified Harbor, and Kal'ent Fortress.
Pink Boo 	Pink Boos are Boos that proceed along a set path. However, they can be sprayed with S.T.E.A.M. and turned into platforms to stand on.
Pink Boo 	Found in Dehydrated Wastes, Ectopolis, Diceroll Isle, Fortified Harbor, and Kal'ent Fortress.
Fish Bone 	Fish Bones are essentially the underwater equivalent of Bullet Bills: they'll home in on you.
Fish Bone 	Found in Ectopolis and Fortified Harbor.
Dry Bones 	Dry Bones are undead Koopa Troopas that will chase after Mario, but break up into bones when stomped on or hit with S.T.E.A.M.. However, they'll eventually reform.
Dry Bones 	Found in Kelp Jungle, Lunar Falls, Dehydrated Wastes, Ectopolis, Gigantica, Fortified Harbor, and Yunshoom Valley.
Greenie 	Greenies are ghosts that will attempt to continually lunge at Mario when they spot him.
Greenie 	Found in Ectopolis, Fortified Harbor, and Kal'ent Fortress.
Labo Man 	These cardboard figures will attempt to flop on top of Mario, but are VERY fragile.
Labo Man 	Found in Gigantica, Yunshoom Valley, and Kal'ent Fortress.
Li'l Cinder 	Li'l Cinders are small fireballs that float above the ground, continually spawning from pools of lava, and attempt to chase Mario. While they move incredibly fast, exposure to ice will instantly defeat them.
Li'l Cinder 	Found in Scorching Tundra and Kal'ent Fortress.
Li'l Brr 	Li'l Brrs are small shards of ice that float above the ground, continually spawning from icy water, and attempt to chase Mario. While they move incredibly fast, exposure to fire will instantly defeat them.
Li'l Brr 	Found in Scorching Tundra and Kal'ent Fortress.
==Bosses==
==Items==
Throughout Mario's journey, he'll come across various objects that will help him out.
Item 	Description
! Block 	! Blocks are floating blocks that will dispense coins or even items when hit. They turn into Used Blocks right after.
Flip Block	Flip Blocks are blocks that simply spin in place when hit, allowing you to pass through them. They'll revert back to their solid state shortly after however. Some may also contain items.
Used Block	Used Blocks are blocks that don't contain anything, and do nothing when hit. Blocks that normally contain things turn into these when hit.
Coin 	Coins are the currency of the Kaliente Kingdom, obtained from doing just about anything. You lose ten Coins whenever you die, and collecting a Coin refills one wedge of your health meter. Coins can also come in rings, which are worth five Coins, and stacks of various amounts.
Coins can be used to buy music from various shops around the game, as well as for buying Sun Gems.
Red Coin 	Red Coins are the focus of Red Coin missions. Collecting all eight rewards you with two Sun Gems.
Blue Coin 	Blue Coins are a rarer type of coin that are often hidden away in various spots. Five Blue Coins can be traded in for a Sun Gem, with there being 240 of them scattered throughout the entire game: enough to get 48 Sun Gems.
Sun Gem 	Sun Gems are arguably the most important item in the game. Collecting them is necessary to progress through the game. They're found in Tentacle Harbor and within the game's Territories and Landmarks, with the missions of the latter giving two Sun Gems at a time save for boss missions.
Solar Gem 	Solar Gems are larger, more powerful Sun Gems that are rewarded by boss battles. They're worth three Sun Gems.
==Minigames==
===Photo Gallery===
The Photo Gallery is a "sidequest" of sorts that challenges you to take interesting pictures with Snapshot Mode. You'll be rewarded with Sun Gems based on how well you took your photos, and completing every Photo Challenge is necessary for 100%ing the game.
===Balloon World===
Balloon World returns from Super Mario Odyssey, run by the snake known as Pythium, who resembles the mercenaries that fought a certain foe of Mario's. Balloon World can be played in any Territory, or even in Tentacle Harbor, and has two modes: Hide It, and Find It. In order to combat issues with Super Mario Odyssey's version of the mode in regards to players placing balloons in spots that require glitches to reach, the game not only puts up invisible walls, but also checks to see if the balloon is inside a building or in a near-impossible spot to reach.
Hide It has the player hiding their own balloon within the area within thirty seconds. Players should know a Territory's layout well in order to be able to hide their balloon well. Balloons cannot be placed in midair or inside areas that are "warped" to, such as pipes or doors. Should the player be in one of those areas by the time they run out of time, the balloon will be placed in the nearest possible location. Players playing Find It who fail to find your balloon will lead to you being paid coins for their failed attempts, and when your balloon is popped, it won't generate coins anymore.
Find It on the other hand has players scouring the Territories for other players' balloons, accessed via the internet. The amount of time they have depends on how long it took the original player to hide their balloon. The faster a balloon is found, the more coins you'll obtain, and you'll also gain more coins for getting a streak of successful balloon pops. You're also able to see how far away the balloon is, along with an arrow that shows which direction it's in. However, the arrow eventually fades away.
Find It also has a unique feature known as the Arrow Gamble. Essentially, you can choose how long you want the arrow to appear for, but the longer it shows up for, the less coins you'll receive when the balloon is popped. On the other hand, if you choose to have the arrow show up for less time, you'll receive more coins.
==Development==
Super Mario Expedition has its roots in a scrapped sequel to Super Mario Sunshine. Several key concepts were taken from the game and refined, such as the lack of familiar Mario elements and several F.L.U.D.D. Nozzles that were reworked into S.T.E.A.M. Modules. The fire and ice nature of S.T.E.A.M. was actually based on these elements contrasting in levels like Freezeflame Galaxy from Super Mario Galaxy, and Shiverburn Galaxy from its sequel.
Initially, Expedition started development in a similar vein to Super Mario Galaxy 2 or The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask: as a smaller title that reused assets from a previous game. However, over time, many new ideas came in that led to the decision to make it more unique. In particular, the developers wanted to challenge traditional Mario conventions, including bringing in more elements from the Donkey Kong, Wario, and Yoshi franchises. The game also started as a Nintendo Switch title, but was later retooled into a GhostDrive launch title. One of the reasons for this was due to the game requiring a control scheme similar to Super Mario Sunshine, which led to the GhostDrive's "button swap" technology.
Rumors of a sequel to Super Mario Excursion started around early 2018 when dataminers found models of Octoombas within the files of the Nintendo GameCube Collection remake of Super Mario Sunshine. Most assumed it was for DLC, but they were wrong. In an interview later on, lead developer stated that the Sunshine remake in the compilation was actually created using the engine of Expedition (which in turn was based on Excursion's) right before it made the transition to the GhostDrive, as the development team didn't want to have all their hard work prior to the console switch go to waste.
==Gallery==
Super Mario Expedition.png|The game's logo, created by 
ExpeditionIcon.png|The game's HOME Menu icon.
MarioSunshineOutfit.png|Art of Mario jumping.
mariostand.png|Mario standing.
Sunshine Jump.png|Another art of Mario.
S.T.E.A.M..png|S.T.E.A.M.
SunGem.png|A Sun Gem.
Solar Gem.png|A Solar Gem.
KalienteKingdom.png|A map of the Kaliente Kingdom.
SandyWalleye.png|The Sandy Walleye boss.
OilBlooper.png|The Oil Blooper boss.
==Trivia==
*This is the first Super Mario title since Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins to not feature Bowser and Princess Peach in any role whatsoever.
**Despite this, Bowser is mentioned near the climax of the game as the reason for why King Kaliente's people became the villainous group they are.
*Uniquely, most returning enemies use designs that haven't been seen for a while, such as Bullet Bills using their Yoshi's Island design.
**Some enemies, such as Octoombas and Walleyes, have behavior similar to existing Mario enemies.
**Boos and their subspecies are the exception to this however.
* was responsible for the Oil Blooper and Sandy Walleye renders.
Category:Mario (series)
Category:3D Platforming Games
Category:GhostDrive Games
Category:Ghostrealm Games
Category:Lone Planet Archives