Super Mario Sunshine

SUPER MARIO SUNSHINE

Next up, let's cover Super Mario Sunshine, the Game Cube's experimental 3D Mario adventure that didn't go over all that well with fans but has since developed a cult following. The game features Mario on a tropical island, tasked with cleaning up some toxic graffiti with the help of a water-spraying apparatus called F.L.U.D.D.

The game features a number of returning main characters, including Mario, Princess Peach, Bowser, and Yoshi, while introducing brand new main characters such as Bowser Jr., his evil disguise Shadow Mario, and Peach's personal steward Toadsworth. The game also features multiple Toads rather than the famous singular Toad, although the red-spotted one among the group is most likely that one.

Mario on his own is basically standard Mario. He can run around and do a lot of the jumps he could do in Super Mario 64, while also now being able to slide on his belly as long as the ground is wet. What really sets him apart is the game's gimmick of F.L.U.D.D., the talking water pack that Mario carries on his back and uses for most of his core abilities in game. F.L.U.D.D. is capable of firing a long stream of water straight forward, or spraying water in all directions when Mario jumps and spins. It can also launch two streams straight down, allowing Mario to float up into the air like a jetpack. It also comes equipped with a turbo nozzle that can launch Mario forward at high speeds, and can occasionally launch missiles as well. All in all, this version of Mario is versatile enough that I feel it can be its own moveset separate from regular Mario, a status soon likely to be joined by Paper Mario and Dr. Mario.

Princess Peach, the Toads, and Toadsworth mostly act as NPCs once again in this game, joined by the island's peaceful denizens, the Piantas and the Nokis, and don't offer us much to work with for right now. Mostly they stand around and give you important information when talked to. It is worth noting that Princess Peach has an airplane, so there's that. Yoshi, however, does give us a bit to work with, incorporating his flutter jump, his hiding in an egg, and his long tongue from previous games, alongside the ability to spit a long stream of fruit juice upon eating a specific fruit.

Bowser and his son Bowser Jr. act as the main antagonists of the game, with Bowser Jr. disguising himself as Shadow Mario for the bulk of it. Bowser only appears for the final battle, hanging out in a hot tub on top of Corona Mountain and breathing fire. Bowser Jr., as himself, is shown capable of, of course, transforming into Shadow Mario (just like Zelda into Sheik), using his magic paintbrush, and piloting a flying machine capable of firing bullet bills. Shadow Mario, on the other hand, can utilize his paintbrush to leave heavy graffiti all over the island, run and jump really quickly, skate and leave behind fiery paint, and extend an absurdly long tongue. Both can also commandeer Mechabowser, a giant Bowser robot capable of breathing fire and firing bullet bills.

The game comes with a number of bosses, including Petey Piranha, Gooper Blooper, King Boo, and an electrified shadowy Manta Ray. Petey Piranha, I will already give a yes to, as he is distinct enough from regular Piranha Plants to warrant such. He can roar and shake the world around him, spit up piles of the nasty goop covering the island, spit up giant Piranha heads called Piranhabons, and fly using his leaves, just like his smaller cousins. He can also whip up tornadoes with his leaves. Gooper Blooper, much like Petey, is a giant version of the smaller Bloopers. While I'm not sure I will include him as a character, his existence has given Bloopers the boost they needed to become playable. He is shown able to slam all of his tentacles down on the ground and can spin around spraying ink everywhere. Finally, we have King Boo, who previously appeared in Luigi's Mansion, but this is the first time we are covering him here. His boss battle takes place on a giant roulette wheel and he is shown capable of spitting out bubbles, fruit, enemies, and other boos, while also pulling up a giant slot machine to cause various effects. I'm uncertain on him for now. Finally, the Manta Ray is a no, as it is merely a shadow on the ground who swims around and splits into multiple tiny versions of itself. Good boss material though.

We have a number of returning enemies at our disposal this time. Although Goombas and Koopas don't appear in the game directly, Koopas do have a couple of cousins in the Snooza Koopas and the Electrokoopas. Snooza Koopas will flip up into the air and slam down on their backs, while Electrokoopas will throw their electrifies shells forward at their enemies. The game takes a bit of a different take on Piranha Plants, having them be heavily tied to the nasty goop used by Bowser Jr. to mess up the island. A large Piranha tends to act as a miniboss throughout the game, mostly just bobbing around inside a blob of goop, with Swoopin' Stus spawning from the goop itself. Boos and Bloopers also appear, doing a lot of the same stuff, Boos also being able to turn into blocks, and Bloopers being able to crawl around on land, surf across the water, and spit ink. Cheep Cheeps, Pokeys, Chain Chomps, Bob-Ombs, and Bullet Bills all functions more or less the same as before (except that Chain Chomps can light themselves on fire now). Monty Moles can now drive around tanks, popping up to throw Bob-Ombs or fire Bullet Bills from the tank's turret, and a large Wiggler now appears and mostly just charges around as usual.

A number of new enemies have appeared, though most don't give us much to work with. Strollin' Stus (not to be confused with Swoopin' Stus) seem to be more or less the basic Goombas of the game, Cataquacks flip you up into the air, Klambers crawl around on grates, Poinks latch onto F.L.U.D.D. and drain its water, and Wind Spirits blow around and try to throw Mario about. That's about it. Oh, and we also have a guy in a Pianta costume calling himself Il Piantissimo who challenges you to a footrace sometimes, taking after Koopa the Quick before him.

As far as stages go, they are all simply major locations on the island, modeled on popular tourist destinations. Delfino Plaza acts as the game's hub world and was the basis for the Delfino Plaza stage in Brawl. After that we have Bianco Hills, a scenic rural village on the interior of the island, Ricco Harbor, a shipping port, Gelato Beach, a beach, Pinna Park, an amusement park, Sirena Beach, a ghost-themed hotel and casino, Noki Bay, a cliffside village, and Pianta Village, a village built in the trees, all leading up to Corona Mountain, the volcano in the center of the island. You could probably make a good stage out of all of these.

For items, we mostly have F.L.U.D.D., of course, the Shine Sprites, a number of nozzles for F.L.U.D.D., coins, mushrooms, and lots of fruit.

Let's see what we've got now!

Characters:
Mario: multiple different types of jumps and punches, wing cap, metal cap, pixel cap, ride on shell, fire from cannon, slide on belly, use F.L.U.D.D.
F.L.U.D.D.: spray forward stream, jetpack hover, rocket nozzle, spin and spray, launch missiles
Peach: nothing, parasol, jet
Toad: nothing, give star
Toadsworth: nothing
Yoshi: hop around, flutter jump, egg, tongue, spray fruit juice
Bowser: tromp around, breathe fire, charge, tip stage, create shockwaves, hang out in hot tub
Bowser Jr.: transform, paintbrush, flying machine, shoot bullet bills
Shadow Mario: run, jump, paint, paintbrush, tongue, fiery paint trail, command Mechabowser
Pianta: nothing
Noki: nothing, tuck in shell
Goombas: walk around
Koopas: run away, pop from shell, race, Snooza Koopa, Electrokoopa
Piranha Plant: sleep, bite, spit paint, bob around
Petey Piranha: fly with leaves, roar, spit goop, Piranhabons, create tornadoes
Boo: float around, Big Boo, turn into blocks
King Boo: roulette wheel, slot machine, spit bubbles, fruit, enemies, Boos
Blooper: crawl around, surf, spit ink
Gooper Blooper: slap tentacles, spray ink, spin and spray
Lakitu: float, drop Spinies, use camera
Shy Guy: Fly Guy, fire, Snufit float, fire pellets
Monty Mole: jump, throw rocks, drive tank, throw Bob-Ombs, fire Bullet Bills.
Bob-Omb: explode, fire cannons, pick up and throw (Big Bob-Omb)
<Tentative> Chain Chomp, Wiggler, Whomp, Strollin' Stu, Il Piantissimo

Bosses:
Big Bob-Omb
King Whomp
Big Boo
Big Bully
Eyerok
Chill Bully
Gooper Blooper
Manta Ray
Wiggler

Stages:
Princess Peach's Castle (Melee)
Princess Peach's Castle (Inside)
Bob-Omb Battlefield
Whomp's Fortress
Jolly Roger Bay
Cool Cool Mountain
Big Boo's Haunt
Hazy Maze Cave
Lethal Lava Land
Shifting Sand Land
Dire Dire Docks
Snowman's Land
Wet-Dry World
Tall Tall Mountain
Tiny-Huge Island
Tick Tock Clock
Rainbow Ride
Bowser's World
Delfino Plaza
Bianco Hills
Ricco Harbor
Gelato Beach
Pinna Park
Sirena Beach
Noki Bay
Pianta Village
Corona Mountain

Items:
Wing Cap
Metal Cap
Pixel Cap
Green Shell
Bob-Omb
Bullet Bill
Coin
Star
Box
F.L.U.D.D.
Shine Sprite
Fruit

Thanks for reading! Next time, we'll cover the Wii's near masterpiece Super Mario Galaxy!