Super Mario Sunshine

Super Mario Sunshine cover art

## System requirements

Nintendo GameCube

Super Mario Sunshine is a 3D platforming game for the Nintendo GameCube. It is a *Super Mario* series title that serves as an indirect sequel to *Super Mario 64*. The game was developed by Nintendo's EAD division and published by Nintendo. It was released in North America on August 26, 2002, Japan on July 19, 2002, in Europe on October 4, 2002, and in Australia on October 11, 2002. In 2003, the game was re-released as a Player's Choice title.

The game's principal mechanic centers around FLUDD, a rechargeable water tank who spray water at enemies, goop, and other objects, hover or launch through the air, and dash to high speeds. Aside from FLUDD, *Super Mario Sunshine* introduced several recurring characters and bosses to the *Mario* franchise, Toadsworth, Bowser Jr., Petey Piranha, Gooper Blooper, Piantas, Nokis, and Shadow Mario. It is the second *Mario* game to feature extensive voice acting, the first being *Hotel Mario*; other *Super Mario* games would not follow suit. It also features an Italian aesthetic, especially the architecture of Delfino Plaza itself, and several locations have Italian names and sometimes reference Italian culture.

In 2020, *Super Mario Sunshine* was ported as a Nintendo Switch title, as part of *Super Mario 3D All-Stars* along with *Super Mario 64* and *Super Mario Galaxy*; all three games have a 1080p resolution with upscaled graphics and a hacked aspect ratio.

## Story

Mario, Toadsworth, several colored Toads, and Peach go on to vacation to the fabulous Isle Delfino. As they arrive on Delfino Airstrip to find the runway is covered with goopy slime-like graffiti! After further exploring, he finds Delfino Plaza, along with many other areas of the island are covered with graffiti! This goop sprouts out Polluted Piranha Plants along with little goopy monsters that leave goop trails. The goop has made the island dark, and Mario must clean the mess and retrieve Shine Sprites to make the island light again. Shadow Mario is revealed to be the culprit of this mess, but the Piantas and Nokis accuse Mario of being the culprit, due to them looking so similar. Mario is now set out to clean up every acre of Delfino Island, with the help of F.L.U.D.D., a device created by Professor E. Gadd. Mario uses F.L.U.D.D. to clean up the various messes Shadow Mario makes, and receives Shine Sprites while doing it. Not only that, he has to chase Shadow Mario down on several occasions, and rescue islanders who have become trapped in the goop.

After chasing down Shadow Mario, he turns out to be Bowser Jr. in disguise. He had been using a special bib/cloth tied around his neck that, when worn over his face, turns him into Shadow Mario. He then takes Peach away to Corona Mountain. Mario must continue to clean up Isle Delfino and receiving Shine Sprites along the way. After a major flood happens in Isle Delfino, Mario goes into Corona Mountain to find out this is another one of Bowser's diabolical plots to get Princess Peach. Bowser and Bowser Jr. are relaxing in a giant hot tub with green waters, while Peach is stuck on a boat in the water. After defeating Bowser, they all come falling down and crash into the island off the shore of the cannon leading to Pinna Park. F.L.U.D.D. becomes damaged breaking, but the Toads take F.L.U.D.D. and fix him all up. Mario and Peach continue their vacation along with Toadsworth and the Toads As to the whereabouts of Bowser Jr. and Bowser, they are on the same small island they crashed on. Bowser Jr. says Peach really isn't his "mama" and Bowser tells his son the truth. At the end of the game II Piantissimo, an adversary that Mario has encountered several times throughout his adventure, finds the magic paintbrush, hinting he will use it for evil.

## Gameplay

*Super Mario Sunshine* is the first game where Mario extensively uses an accessory to complete his mission. F.L.U.D.D. features spray and hovering capabilities when it is first acquired; other nozzles can be unlocked to extend F.L.U.D.D.'s functionality, such as the "Rocket Nozzle" which propels Mario high into the air, and the "Turbo Nozzle" that lets Mario sprint on land and water, as well as break down wooden doors.

The game contains a number of independent levels, which can be reached from Delfino Plaza. Gameplay is based around collecting Shine Sprites by completing various tasks in the levels and over world, very similar to *Super Mario 64*, but with Shine Sprites instead of Power Stars.

There are 120 Shine Sprites in the game, and 240 Blue Coins. There are two Shine Sprites at the airstrip (although it cannot be reached), sixteen in the plaza, and eight in each of the seven other areas. Including the plaza there are eight Sprites for collecting 100 Coins. There are thirty Blue Coins in each of the seven areas, making 210, in the plaza there are nineteen, one in the Airstrip, and ten in Corona Mountain, making 240 altogether. Ten Blue Coins each can be traded for one Shine Sprite at the Blue Coin Shop, making another twenty-four Shine Sprites through the Blue Coins.

At first, each level features one task which may be completed to acquire a Shine Sprite. The player is then returned to Delfino Plaza and a new task is unlocked on the level they just played. Each level consists of up to eight of these tasks, which may be played again at will once they are completed. Once the player has collected enough Shines in total, a new level is available at Delfino Plaza, either by the acquisition of a new ability or some plot-related event, such as Shadow Mario appearing in the Plaza.

Gameplay proceeds in this fashion until all of the Shadow Mario's related missions are completed (the 7th mission of each level), which unlocks Corona Mountain, containing the final boss. As the total number of Shine Sprites available at any given point is greater than the number of Shine Sprites needed to unlock the next level, the player may choose which tasks they want to attempt.

Mario can also ride Yoshis in this game. Yoshis can be used to eat certain insects and birds to produce coins, Blue Coins, Red Coins, and even Shine Sprites in a few cases. Yoshis can also eat fruit and squirt the juice of the color of that fruit, just like F.L.U.D.D. sprays water. This juice can be used to dissolve certain kinds of pulsating goop acting as obstacles, as well as to briefly transform enemies into platforms for Mario to step on. The color of the Yoshi, as well as the effect of its juice, depends on the type of fruit last eaten. Also which direction the platform created by spraying juice on an enemy depends on the color of the platform, Yoshi and the color of the juice it sprayed.

## Items

* **Shine Sprites** - When certain totals are achieved, the story progresses.
* **F.L.U.D.D.** - Helps Mario throughout the game with various abilities.
* **Nozzles**- Allows Mario to Hover for a short time, blast up in the air, or make him go extremely fast.
* **Red Coins** - Some levels require all eight Red Coins of the level to be found in order to get the Shine Sprite.
* **Blue Coins** - Can be traded for Shine Sprites at the Blue Coin Shop.
* **1-Up Mushrooms** - Give Mario an extra life.
* **Fruit** - Food for Yoshis, which refills their Juice Meter.
* **Water Bottles** - Fill F.L.U.D.D's water tank.
* **Mario's Cap** - Stops Mario from losing lives.
* **Gold Coins** - Mario can collect 50 to get a life, or 100 to get a Shine Sprite.
* **Water Barrel** - Mario can throw it to clean a large area, as it releases a large burst of water.
* **Trampoline** - Allow Mario to reach higher areas.
* **Water Rockets** - Missiles that attach to F.L.U.D.D that can be launched with water.
* **Barrel** - Objects that Mario can carry and throw at enemies.

## Locations

### Isle Delfino

* Delfino Airstrip
* Delfino Plaza
* Corona Mountain

### Courses

1. Bianco Hills
2. Ricco Harbor
3. Gelato Beach
4. Pinna Park
5. Sirena Beach
6. Noki Bay
7. Pianta Village
8. Corona Mountain

### Episodes

The first seven courses, outside of the Delfino Plaza hub and Delfino Airstrip, have 11 Shine Sprites each: the first eight are each part of a main episode; the ninth and tenth are part of a hidden bonus episode; and the eleventh is obtained by collecting 100 coins in a course, but it does not have a corresponding episode title. Most of the two bonus episodes involves revisiting a secret course, which are areas where Mario goes without FLUDD at first, but after obtaining the first Shine Sprite there, can revisit it with FLUDD to collect eight red coins during a timed challenge.

The episode titles for Delfino Plaza and Delfino Airstrip are provided in official strategy guides, not including the former location's secret courses that take place in the sky.