With the release of Super Mario 3D All-Stars, fans young and old alike will get the chance to enjoy three major cornerstones in the Italian plumber's platforming history. And while veteran players may enjoy revisiting sunny Isle Delfino in Super Mario Sunshine, others will be getting their first taste of this GameCube-era staple.
No matter the age or experience, every player needs some pointers, right? And eighteen years is a LONG time between Sunshine's initial debut and the release of this highly-anticipated title. So here are some tips that'll be sure to get Mario fans back in the water-pack-wielding mood.
10 Nab All 120 Shine Sprites
With seven major areas and a rather large overworld to explore, Mario can find Shine Sprites just about anywhere! While players can finish the main story with only 50 Sprites, completionists will likely want to search every nook and cranny for the more elusive ones. A total of 120 exist in the game; each world contains two secret Shine Sprites, as well as another Sprite for collecting 100 gold coins. Delfino Plaza itself also contains a slew of Sprites, including a 100-coin Sprite of its own. Happy hunting!
9 Look Out For Blue Coins
After traveling through a few areas, players will start to notice a bunch of blue coins scattered around each level. While they may not seem special at first, they are actually critical in the search for all 120 Shine Sprites. Thirty blue coins exist in each area, and after Mario rescues the Delfino Plaza shop from being submerged in sludge (the one that takes players to Ricco Harbor), he can go inside and buy Shine Sprites from the friendly raccoon inside. Whether or not this is a reference to another beloved raccoon-like character, his services are certainly appreciated.
8 Fine-Tune FLUDD
During his not-so-relaxing stay at Isle Delfino, Mario will put in his fair share of community service by cleaning the hazardous graffiti left behind by Shadow Mario.
That's where FLUDD comes in! FLUDD's standard nozzle shoots water at a distance while holding the trigger button. Lightly pressing the button instead allows Mario to continue moving while FLUDD does its thing. Players can also opt to tap the button along with the jump button instead, creating a close-range burst of water that's perfect for drenching enemies and quickly cleaning piles of slime.
7 Master The Water Slide
With so much ground to cover in each area, Mario will need more than just FLUDD to traverse the terrain quickly. Or will he? One of the fastest ways get around is the Water Slide, a technique that involves... well, sliding on water. If Mario dives onto a wet surface, he will cruise forward and cover a significant distance. Don't have a patch of wet ground handy? No problem! Simply spray the area in front of Mario with his trusty new FLUDD. He'll be slipping and sliding in no time!
6 Spin To Win
Sometimes, Mario will encounter a large area of goop that's just too painstakingly difficult to clean up. To speed up the process, lightly press the trigger while Mario is spinning. FLUDD will unleash a sprinkler-like spray that douses the entire area around the plumber, making short work of the goop puddles. This technique can also be used in tandem with a jump, giving the sprinkler a wider radius. FLUDD also gets the Hover nozzle early on, which (when used with a spin jump) grants Mario incredible vertical distance.
5 Packless Platforming Perils
Some of the Shine Sprites Mario will acquire along his journey involve him entering strange secret areas where Shadow Mario takes away his FLUDD. Many of these stages include giant sliding or rotating blocks and other surfaces, testing players' platforming skills.
Keep in mind Mario's basic controls, like triple jumps, wall kicks, side jumps, and ground pounds. These tools are all that the plumber will have to obtain the Shine Sprite at the end of the course. These secret stages can get tricky in later areas, so make sure to stock up on extra lives whenever one is encountered.
4 Show The Locals Some Love
The Isle Deflino natives, the Piantas and Noki, hate getting dirty. Any time Mario sees one buried in grime or covered in goop, he would be wise to give them a quick rinse. Many of them will reward Mario with coins; some will even give out helpful 1-up mushrooms! Some Piantas will also lend a hand to Mario... or an arm, rather, as they will chuck the plumber into the heavens with an over-the-shoulder toss. It may not be the most efficient mode of transportation, but even the Jumpman himself appreciates a helpful boost from time to time.
3 Yoshi's Island... Vacation
About halfway through the game, Yoshi will make an appearance in the form of a large egg. Bring the necessary fruit over to hatch the lovable dino and feed him. Afterwards, Mario can ride Yoshi around and make use of his excellent flutter jump to reach new areas. In this game, Yoshi comes in one of three colors, dependent on what fruit he most recently ate. Much like the FLUDD, Yoshi also comes with a spray that can clear sponge-like obstructions and turn enemies into floating platforms. Just be careful around water, because Yoshi will dissolve instantly if he touches it.
2 New Nozzles
After collecting a certain amount of Shine Sprites, Shadow Mario will appear in Delfino Plaza with two new nozzle upgrades in tow. Both replace the Hover Nozzle when acquired. The first unlocked is the Turbo Nozzle, which propels Mario forward with great speed after charging up. This lets players smash through obstacles and speed along the surface of the ocean. Meanwhile, the Rocket Nozzle shoots Mario high into the air, letting him reach the greatest heights in a matter of seconds. Both nozzles, along with the Hover Nozzle, can be obtained from Professor E. Gadd's crates after unlocking them. However, FLUDD can only equip one at a time; think about Mario's next move and plan accordingly when choosing which one to use.
1 Revisit Delfino Airstrip
After the final level is unlocked, players also gain access to Delfino Airstrip, the area at the start of the game. Beat the final level (or simply exit the stage from the start menu), and seek out a Pianta who will charge some coins to go back to the Airstrip. Mario can collect red coins here to gain an easy-to-miss Shine Sprite. This area also has 100 gold coins, which will unlock a second Shine Sprite. In the original Gamecube version of Sunshine, this 100-coin Sprite counted as the 100-coin sprite for Delfino Plaza, as well. Assuming the same applies to this version, the Shine Sprite only needs to be collected if players haven't already gotten the one in the Plaza.