Where in "Super Mario Sunshine" Are We? Quiz

Answer: Gelato Beach

Nestled in from the sands of Gelato Beach, the Shine Tower is a massive structure designed almost exclusively to keep the Sand Egg safe, and it's not long after Mario arrives there that he'll need to work his magic to make sure it's kept intact. As early as the second Shine Sprite of the course he'll have to redirect solar panels to keep the tower going (as a Wiggler will situate itself on top).

It'll take until the fourth episode before the Sand Bird is born.

Answer: Delfino Plaza

A massive structure topped by a giant Shine Sprite, the Shine Gate is the landmark that overlooks Delfino Plaza from a spot between the cliffs and the inner harbour, and Mario will encounter it quite a bit throughout his adventure not just because of its placement, but because it has the pipe leading to Pianta Village sitting on its top. For an extra Shine Sprite, Mario can use the FLUDD to clean the tower, allowing it to stay tidy for the remainder of the game.

Answer: Sirena Beach

Set on a relaxing, sunset-laden waterfront, Sirena Beach opens up to Mario after he defeats the shocking shadow of a Manta Ray and cleans the area up, revealing that Hotel Delfino had been buried beneath. What will follow is a series of episodes in which Mario has to navigate the confusing rooms and floors of the hotel and its adjoining casino, some of which are infested with Boos. Mario will find the King Boo beneath the roulette wheel in the casino room.

Answer: Pianta Village

Pianta Village, found in the north-central part of Isle Delfino, is one of the later course to access in the game and it's one of the most precarious, being a large village suspended over a chasm and supported by palm trees and large mushrooms. Although the village here has a number of structures (and a series of underground platforms), perhaps its most defining landmark is a massive palm tree, a fixture you'll have to race up when you encounter Il Piantissimo for a third time for a race.

Answer: Pinna Park

One could almost mistake Pinna Park for being a problematic death trap as its swinging ships, its ferris wheel, and its rollercoaster are all linked to difficult episodes in Mario's visit to the course. The Yoshi-Go-Round is not an exception to this. To operate it, Mario needs to collect a Yoshi, make him orange, and place him on the ride in the proper spot to unlock a 'secret' entryway into another realm.

There are two Shine Sprites you can get inside here, so it's worth taking the ride.

Answer: Noki Bay

As early as the first episode of Noki Bay, Mario will need to make use of his particular skills to uncork the massive waterfall that makes itself a centerpiece of this course. Noki Bay will be polluted on Mario's first visits, and part of his efforts here, at the north part of Delfino Island, will be to fix the area and its unique inhabitants (the Noki, go figure).

A particular aesthetic of this area is the use of massive conch shells, many of which top the odd coral towers that rise from the sea near the cliffs here.

Answer: Bianco Hills

Mario will encounter the big windmill almost right off the bat when he visits Bianco Hills because the very first Shine Sprite to come across will plunk him down in front of it. It's not until the second visit that Mario will have to scale it, heading to the top to face off against Petey Piranha for the first time. Bianco Hills is otherwise characterized by a deep lake (surrounding the island containing the windmill) and a quaint village of white houses.

It is perhaps from these homes that the course gets its name.

Answer: Corona Mountain

If you thought the earlier courses of the game had complex platforming areas, Corona Mountain is the final major test of your skills as a platformer gamer. On top of a literal case of 'the floor is lava' (since you're in a volcano), a number of the actual platforms will flip back and forth between exposing metal spikes and being safe enough to traverse.

This is the only map in the game that features these, acting as a last line of defense as Mario makes it to Bowser's arena.

Answer: Ricco Harbor

Ricco Harbor contains a lot of things-- a tower, a shipping yard, a small village, a helipad-- but when you head in for the second Shine Sprite you'll be asked to take a ride on a racing Blooper and you'll be able to follow a path of coins beneath the village, emerging into a surfing racecourse. If you can beat the course in under forty-five seconds, you'll get a Shine Sprite.

The Blooper Racers come in three colours, none of which are the typical white of the enemy Blooper.

Answer: Delfino Airstrip

Mario's first Shine Sprite isn't a tough one to collect, but it does happen just as he makes a rough landing at Delfino Airstrip and claims the FLUDD for his personal use. If he can soak the Proto-Piranha making its home in the middle of the runway, he'll get his Shine Sprite.

He won't return to this small region until later in the game when, if he wants, he can return to get one more Shine Sprite at the cost of 10 coins. Doing this will restore light to the entire island, but only after he finishes up in Corona Mountain.