Super Mario 3D All-Stars launched not too long ago, and many people are playing these Nintendo classics for the very first time.
I’m one of those people.
Super Mario Sunshine stands out as the toughest game of the three, so let’s take a look at some of the game’s hardest levels.
The levels on this list only include the ones that need to be completed in order to beat the game, so infuriating optional levels like The Watermelon Festival and the Pachinko game have been left out.
10. Chain Chomp’s Bath
Hardest Super Mario Sunshine Levels
This first level is more annoying than it is difficult. To get the Shine Sprite, you need to give a giant Chain Chomp a bath. Sounds easy enough, except for the fact that it doesn’t want to cooperate in the slightest.
The Chain Chomp will heat up, forcing Mario to cool it down with FLUDD, then drag it by the chain all the way across Pianta Village.
The Chain Chomp will constantly pull you in random directions, veering you off course. You can’t even properly see where you’re dragging it, because you’ll be pulling it backward, towards the camera. Prepare for a headache.
9. Petey Piranha Strikes Back
Hardest Super Mario Sunshine Levels
Petey Piranha is back for a second boss fight in this one. This level is only really hard for a few reasons, which include Super Mario Sunshine’s camera.
Petey will float above you while raining down some pollution from angles that you can’t see unless you’re far enough away, or standing still enough to angle the camera upward. So, you’ll have to steer clear of the mess he’s making while trying to shoot him down. It’s a pain.
Fortunately, he’s not a problem at all once you finally bring him back down to your eye level.
8. Red Coins on the Water
Hardest Super Mario Sunshine Levels
Two levels in Ricco Harbor allow you to surf the squid-like Bloopers. One of them is essentially a fun tutorial, and the other is Red Coins on the Water.
This Super Mario Sunshine level has you collecting red coins while surfing on a Blooper, just like the name says. It’s only tough because you can’t collide with anything on the water. If you do, you’ll immediately fail, forcing you to restart after losing a life.
As you can imagine, a few of the coins are dangerously close to objects – like the one placed in between two small boats. Good luck with that one.
7. Secret of the Village Underside
Hardest Super Mario Sunshine Levels
Secret of the Village Underside is one of the many levels in which FLUDD is taken from you. It’s only difficult because of the trial and error involved. You’ll need a little bit of luck to complete this level, as Super Mario Sunshine can be an unforgiving game at times.
The main part of the mission has you getting tossed from platform to platform by villagers from Pianta Village. Once you speak to a villager, they’ll toss you in the direction that you’re facing, with varying degrees of strength.
If you mess up by looking in the wrong direction, or by speaking to the wrong villager, you’re getting tossed into the endless void below. Unless you’re following a guide, this one will leave you frustrated by the constant guessing involved.
6. The Runaway Ferris Wheel
Hardest Super Mario Sunshine Levels
The Runaway Ferris Wheel is a level in Super Mario Sunshine’s Pinna Park. It has players climb up behind a Ferris wheel using grates that can be flipped to make a pathway.
The climb to the top is a slow process, made even slower by the unhelpful camera and tricky enemy placement. One wrong jump or enemy collision can send you all the way back down to the bottom.
This slow process will need to be restarted regularly if you end up making enough mistakes. It’s even possible to mess up after reaching the top since you can mistime the jump needed to catch a ride on the Ferris wheel itself.
5. The Manta Storm
Hardest Super Mario Sunshine Levels
The Manta Storm is a level that contains one of Super Mario Sunshine’s hardest bosses. The boss is a giant manta ray with electrical powers that looks a bit like a shadow gliding along the ground.
You’re forced to fight it in a relatively small area on Sirena Beach. You can’t stand on it or touch any water or graffiti that it has touched, or else Mario will get fried.
The objective here is to spray it with water until it disappears. The catch is that it’ll continue to multiply as it’s hosed down, making it harder and harder to avoid all of the electricity in the area.
You will get electrocuted more times than you can count.
4. The Yoshi-Go-Round’s Secret
Hardest Super Mario Sunshine Levels
This is another level that FLUDD can’t join you in. It forces you into some classic Super Mario platforming, with the trickiest parts involving moving platforms and precarious wall jumps.
The wall jumps are actually the most difficult part of the level thanks to the fact that they’re not very wide. There’s very little room for error, and some walls are even moving.
The whole course is floating above an abyss too, so you’ll be trying this one over and over before getting to the Shine Sprite at the end.
3. The Shell’s Secret
Hardest Super Mario Sunshine Levels
The Shell’s Secret is, without a doubt, the hardest “classic” Mario level that Sunshine has to offer. It’ll test all of your platforming skills, from wall jumps, to triple jumps, to spin jumps and side jumps.
There are constantly rotating platforms, bottomless pits under wall jump areas, and even a tightrope. Even the slightest mistake will lead to failure.
If you don’t brush up on your skills, this level will be an absolute nightmare for you.
2. The Goopy Inferno
Hardest Super Mario Sunshine Levels
FLUDD gets taken from you yet again in this one, but this time, it isn’t a classic Mario level. You’ll need to navigate both the top and bottom of Pianta Village as a lone Mario. Oh, and the top of the village is almost entirely covered with fiery graffiti.
You’ll actually get the chance to get FLUDD back, but before you can even hope to do that, you’ll need to traverse the underside of Pianta Village, then brave the flaming graffiti up top.
The most demanding part of the Goopy Inferno consists of a maze of grating, mushrooms, and enemies floating above an abyss, as usual.
The challenge of navigating the underside of the village can dishearten even the most avid Mario fans.
1. Eely-Mouth’s Dentist
Hardest Super Mario Sunshine Levels
Eely-Mouth’s Dentist is an underwater boss fight that tops the list as the hardest level in Super Mario Sunshine. “Underwater boss fight” is really all you need to hear to understand why it’s number one, but I’ll explain anyway.
Eely-Mouth is a giant eel that lives underneath Noki Bay. The eel clearly has no oral hygiene, and for some reason, Mario is given the task of cleaning its teeth with FLUDD to defeat it.
The issue here is that FLUDD is also used to move around underwater. It’s absolutely painful trying to swap FLUDD’s nozzles to clean Eely-Mouth’s teeth accurately without falling into its mouth.
All of this needs to be done while Mario slowly loses air. You’ll need to alternate between finding ways to get more air, and cleaning teeth. It’s the worst.
If you’re looking for some tips on how to get through Super Mario Sunshine, be sure to check out our Wiki Guide for the 3D All-Stars collection.
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