Super Mario Sunshine

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Super Mario Sunshine

Developer(s)	Nintendo EAD
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Designer(s)	Shigeru Miyamoto
Release date(s)	^JPN July 19, 2002^{[citation needed]} ^NA August 26, 2002^{[citation needed]} ^EUR October 4, 2002^{[citation needed]}
Genre(s)	Platformer
Mode(s)	Single player
Rating(s)	ESRB: Everyone ELSPA: 3+ OFLC: G
Platform(s)	Nintendo GameCube
Media	1 × GameCube Optical Disc
Input	Gamepad

Super Mario Sunshine (スーパーマリオサンシャイン, Sūpā Mario Sanshain^?) is a 3-D platforming video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube. It was released in Japan on July 19, 2002, in North America on August 26, 2002, and in Europe on October 4, 2002. It is the first original traditional Mario platformer since Super Mario 64, six years earlier. It is also the 2nd Main 3D Mario game. It will be succeeded by Super Mario Galaxy that will come out sometime in 2007.

1 Story
2 Gameplay
- 2.1 Setting
3 Early production
4 Reception
5 Music and Voice cast
6 References
7 See also
8 External links

[edit] Story

Mario sets out for the prestigious tropical retreat Isle Delfino, for a well-deserved vacation with Princess Peach, her long-time steward Toadsworth, and other many colored Toads. Upon arrival, Mario finds that the once-pristine island has been vandalized with graffiti and toxic goop. As a result of this pollution, sun-shaped objects called "Shine Sprites", the island's sources of power, have disappeared, and the island is covered in a perpetual shadow. Even worse, the culprit seen spreading the graffiti is disguised as Mario (he is later referred to as "Shadow Mario"); thus, Mario is promptly arrested as he steps off the plane. Shadow Mario is identified as a blue, paintlike version of Mario with red eyes and a large paintbrush he uses to paint graffiti, including his double-arch-like tilted "M" symbol with a vertical dash above each hump of the "M".

Mario is put on trial, found guilty, and ordered to clean up the mess and return the Shine Sprites. To help with the cleaning, Mario finds FLUDD, a powerful water cannon toted like a backpack ("FLUDD" stands for "Flash Liquidizer Ultra Dousing Device"). Mario sets out on his adventure, promising to clear his name and locate the real criminal while restoring tranquility and order to Isle Delfino.

After fighting the first giant piranha plant Shadow Mario attempts to kidnap Princess Peach but is easily stopped by Mario and FLUDD. Later in the game, Shadow Mario successfully kidnaps Princess Peach and takes her to Pinna Park in a boat shaped like Bowser's shell. Mario fights Shadow Mario in Pinna Park, with Shadow Mario piloting Mecha-Bowser, and defeats him. Prior to defeating him, Shadow Mario reveals himself as Bowser Jr., eighth child of Bowser and current heir to his father's throne. Bowser Jr. also reveals that his father told him that Peach was his mother and that Mario was the real villain who tries to kidnap Peach. Bowser Jr. then takes Peach to the volcano, Corona Mountain. After finishing the 7th chapter of every stage, Corona Mountain will be open. After navigating the volcano, Mario will be transported to the top of Corona Mountain, where Bowser is fought. After defeating Bowser, tranquility and order will be restored to Isle Delfino. Bowser and Bowser Jr. also appear in a humorous scene where Bowser Jr. figures out that Peach is not his mother also stating that he wants to fight Mario again when he is older.

[edit] Gameplay

Super Mario Sunshine is the first game where Mario extensively uses an accessory (FLUDD) to complete his mission. The pair work together as team, not unlike the teamwork in the Nintendo 64 title Banjo-Kazooie, which featured a partnership between the characters Banjo and Kazooie. When Mario first acquires FLUDD, he can spray and hover in the air using its nozzles. Two other nozzles can be unlocked later in the game to extend FLUDD's functionality - the Rocket Nozzle which propels Mario high into the air using mist, and the Turbo Nozzle which lets Mario sprint at high speed on land and water, as well as break down doors.

The game contains a number of independent levels, which can be reached from Delfino Plaza (the hub or overworld). Gameplay is based around collecting Shine Sprites by completing various tasks in the levels and overworld, comparable to the collection of stars in Super Mario 64.

At first, each level features one task (called an "episode" in the English version, but called "story" in the Japanese version) which may be completed to acquire a Shine Sprite. There are eight episodes for each level. 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 Shine Sprites in total, a new level is available at Delfino Plaza, either by the acquisition of a new ability or a plot-related event. Shine Sprites are also available by collecting blue coins. Ten of these coins may be traded for one Shine Sprite in the overworld.

Mario getting a Shine Sprite in the Japanese version of the game with the on-screen text "Shine get!", a good example of Engrish, sometimes used as a joke in Internet Communities.^{[citation needed]} The North American version simply displays "Shine!".

Gameplay proceeds in this fashion until all of the Shadow Mario–related missions are completed, which unlocks the level 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 he/she wishes to attempt.

As in Super Mario World, Mario can also ride Yoshi in this game. Yoshi can be used to eat certain insects and birds to produce yellow or blue coins or Shine Sprites. Yoshi can also eat fruit and squirt the juice of that fruit. This juice can be used to dissolve orange Generators acting as obstacles as well as to briefly transform enemies into platforms for Mario to step on. The color of the Yoshi and the effect of its juice depend on the type of fruit last eaten. Yoshi will disappear if he touches a deep body of water or if Mario dismounts him while in water. While Mario is riding Yoshi, a woodblock will accompany the background music as in Super Mario World. The player can get Yoshi by completing a certain episode.

[edit] Setting

The game takes place on the tropical resort of Isle Delfino which is mainly inhabited by the Piantas and Nokis. Not based on any particular area of the world, the names of the island and the different areas of the island seem to be Italian in origin and the architecture is Mediterranean in style, though with their grass skirts, the Piantas would seem to have a somewhat Hawaiian appearance. Isle Delfino (Italian for "dolphin") is in the shape of a dolphin, as a reference to the GameCube's original project codename, Dolphin.^{[citation needed]}

Mario begins the game after his plane lands on the airstrip. He acquires FLUDD and obtains the first Shine Sprite. A cutscene occurs in which he stands trial and is imprisoned. The player resumes control when Mario is instructed to go about cleaning the island. Mario is not monitored closely, and thus is free to roam about Isle Delfino. He must collect Shine Sprites, the island's main power source. The more you obtain, the lighter the island gets.

Delfino Plaza is a very tropical setting, with a small lake flowing through the centre. There are a few houses, as well as a lighthouse and a place where the player can exchange blue coins for shine sprites. As well as this there is a small open market where fruit is sold - bananas, coconuts, durians and melons. There are also many birds which look like parrots, who sit on the rooftops of Delfino Plaza. Blasting these birds with the FLUDD can produce gold coins, if a green bird is hit (very common and very easy to hit), blue coins if a blue bird is hit (less common and more difficult to hit), or a Shine Sprite if a golden bird is hit (very rare and usually very evasive)

[edit] Early production

Super Mario Sunshine was first shown at E3 2001 showing that there were humans other then Mario and Peach. Isle Delfino also had a different design.

[edit] Reception

Super Mario Sunshine was generally well received by game reviewers. The British Nintendo Official Magazine gave it 10/10, NGC Magazine awarded the game 96%, IGN gave the game 9.4/10, praising the addition of the water backpack for improving the gameplay.*Toonami gave the game 10/10.^[1] Gamespy also gave the game 9.4/10, praising the "wide variety of moves and the beautifully constructed environments".^[2] GameSpot gave the game 8.0/10, criticizing the various additions including the water backpack and Yoshi as mere gimmicks. It also found fault in the camera system and cited that the game seemed somewhat unpolished and rushed.^[3] GameCritics.com criticised the game for featuring "little of the gameplay innovation that the Mario series is so famous for" in addition to the "lack of variety in the environmental design".^{[citation needed]}