8 Fun facts (and stuff) about Super Mario Sunshine

Are you ready to learn a little bit more about one of the most fun Super Mario Games ever? Delve with us into the 2002 Game Cube classic Super Mario Sunshine with these 8 super facts!

Video at the end for our video fans!

Starting with Number 8 we have – Italian Island Names

All of the primary locations of the colourful Isle Delfino in Mario Sunshine have an Italian first name!

From Shell Bay to Dolphin Plaza if you want to brush up on your Italian then what better way then playing Mario Sunshine?

Number 7 – Dolphin references

Speaking of Dolphin Plaza, Super Mario Sunshine makes several references to the Nintendo Gamecube’s original codename “Dolphin”! Dolphin statues and symbols litter the entire plaza, Isle Delfino is also shaped like a Dolphin and even translates to Dolphin Island, there is a Hotel Delfino and in Noki Bay there is even a Dolphin shaped patch of Graffiti!

Number 6 – Tramplin’ Stu

Early in development, there was going to be an enemy named “Tramplin’ Stu” or Hinokuri in Japan, who was essentially a giant stu like enemy. This unused combatant can even still be found on a test map amongst the games unused data! It’s probably just as well this guy didn’t make into the game however, as he looks pretty mean and was supposed to spawn both Swoopin’ and Strollin Stu’s behind him as you attempted to fill up his outer shell with water to pop him, before stomping on his eye. Gruesome.

Number 5 – Old school Mario Game references

When you first get the FLUDD, if you look at the bottom of the screen you can see scenes from other Mario games such as Super Mario bros from the NES and Mario fighting Bowser, SMW on the SNES where Mario fights Iggy Koopa and even the iconic SM64 scene where Mario swings Bowser by his tail. There are also a few other tributes to Mario games throughout Super Mario sunshine such as…

Number 4 – Luigi’s Mansion tribute

In the Hotel Delfino Stage, if you make your way to the ventilation shaft, there is a Janitor that says “All these ghosts are causing such trouble…They’re everywhere! Why Can’t someone come along and suck ’em up with a vacuum?” This is clearly a head nod in the direction of Luigi’s Mansion!

At Number 3 we have – Shine Get!

Just a quick amusing one here, before Super Mario Sunshine was released in the U.S every time Mario got a shine the screen showed in true Engrish fashion, “Shine Get!” instead of simply “Shine!”. The English version is a little more sympathetic when you die too, reassuring you that it was “too bad” rather than a taunting “Miss” in the Japanese version!

Number 2 – Huge hidden GameCube Controller

Next time you are running around on Isle Delfino take a closer look at Sirena Beach! If you climb up as high as you can and take a look over the beach you will notice that it is in fact laid out like a giant Gamecube controller! With this nice game map over view it’s a little bit easier to see, complete with huts as directional pads!

And finally at Number 1 we have – Odd hidden book

In Noki Bay, once you have unlocked episode three: red coins in a bottle, you can repeat the level and head to the very bottom of the bottle. Here you will find a block with two small holes in it, the right of which leads you to an inoperable door! When you glitch the view a little however, you can see this odd hidden book. There have been several Rumour’s as to it’s origins, some believing that it was originally part of the Japanese version of the game for a scavenger hunt, others think it may be a reference to the level’s soundtrack name which is “the book in the bottle” and some believe the original mission was for Mario to collect the book instead of the red coins! As to it’s real reason for being there? No one really knows!

If you’d like to see this post in video form make sure you subscribe to our YouTube channel and watch the video below!