Super Mario 3D All-Stars: How to unlock all worlds in Super Mario Sunshine

In the Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection, all three Mario games have several structural similarities. One of the big ones is that all three feature many themes, worlds, and levels accessible from the main hub. In Super Mario Sunshine, that hub is Delfino Plaza, and reaching every one of the game's worlds to play some of its episodes is key to beating the game.

Though some of the early worlds have obvious entrances, later on, some of the things you need to do to open more worlds can be a bit vague. To help you out, here's a guide to every world in Super Mario Sunshine, and how to access it:

How to unlock each world in Super Mario Sunshine

Delfino Airstrip is the tutorial area you'll automatically begin the game in, where you collect your first Shine Sprite. However, later in the game, you can return there to play its second episode: Red Coins of the Airstrip, which will reward you with another Shine Sprite. You can return once you've first entered Corona Mountain by paying ten coins to a Pianta in Delfino Plaza to take you there.

There are only two episodes here, including the tutorial:

• Delfino Airstrip Dilemma
• Red Coins of the Airstrip

Defino Plaza is unlocked after you finish the tutorial at Delfino Airstrip and is the hub from which you access all other areas. Though there are no individual episodes here, there are lots of hidden Shine Sprites throughout the Plaza. It's also where you'll have several Shadow Mario encounters that allow you to unlock new nozzles and new levels.

You'll always return to Delfino Plaza after finishing an episode elsewhere.

Bianco Hills is the first level you'll unlock, and it will appear automatically as a part of the game's introduction. When you first get to Delfino Plaza, you'll find a massive pile of goo in the main plaza. Cleaning it up will reveal the Grand Pianta Statue in the middle and cause Shadow Mario to kidnap Princess Peach. Give chase, and he'll release Peach but flee into the rainbow M graffitied on the statue. You can then enter Bianco Hills at any time through the rainbow M.

Bianco Hills episodes:

• Road to the Big Windmill
• Down with Petey Piranha!
• The Hillside Cave Secret
• Red Coins of Windmill Village
• Petey Piranha Strikes Back
• The Secret of the Dirty Lake
• The Red Coins of the Lake
• Red Coins of the Hillside Cave
• Red Coins of the Dirty Lake

Once you obtain three Shine Sprites, the boathouse in Ricco Harbor will vanish under another pile of goo. Clean it up to free the building, which has another rainbow M painted on it. From that point on, you can access Ricco Harbor through the rainbow M.

Ricco Harbor episodes:

• Gooper Blooper Breaks Out
• Blooper Surfing Safari
• The Caged Shine Sprites
• The Secret of Ricco Tower
• Gooper Blooper Returns
• Red Coins on the Water
• Shadow Mario Revisited
• Yoshi's Fruit Adventure
• Red Coins in Ricco Tower
• Blooper-Surfing Sequel

After you obtain five Shine Sprites, the lighthouse on the beach of Delfino Plaza will become covered in goo and vanish. Clean up the mess and beat the mini-boss to uncover it with another big rainbow M on the side, which you can then access Gelato Beach.

Gelato Beach episodes:

• Dune Bud Sand Castle Secret
• Mirror Madness! Tilt, Slam, Bam!
• Wiggler Ahoy! Full Steam Ahead!
• The Sand Bird is Born
• Il Piantissimo's Sand Sprint
• Red Coins in the Coral Reed
• It's Shadow Mario! After Him!
• The Watermelon Festival
• Red Coins in the Sand Castle
• Sandy Shine Sprite

Once you have ten Shine Sprites collected total, Shadow Mario will appear once again, having captured Princess Peach. You can follow him to a boat-shaped like Bowser in the corner of the Plaza next to a red dome-shaped landmark to watch a cutscene of him escaping to Pinna Park. You can follow him by climbing in the hole atop the red dome and launching yourself to Pinna Park.

Pinna Park episodes:

• Mecha-Bowser Appears!
• The Beach Cannon's Secret
• Red Coins of the Pirate Ships
• The Wilted Sunflowers
• The Runaway Ferris Wheel
• The Yoshi-Go-Round's Secret
• Shadow Mario in the Park
• Roller Coaster Balloons
• Red Coins in the Cannon
• Red Coins in the Yoshi-Go-Round

To access Sirena Beach, you'll need to have unlocked Yoshi, which happens in an event in Delfino Plaza triggered by finishing the fourth episode of Pinna Park. Shadow Mario will appear in the plaza with a Yoshi egg, and you can chase him down to obtain it -- after which Yoshi will always be waiting for you by the fountain.

Ride Yoshi up onto the rooftops in Delfino Plaza and look for a red warp pipe with a pineapple sticking out of the top. Use Yoshi to eat the pineapple and hop into the pipe to access Sirena Beach.

Sirena Beach episodes:

• The Manta Storm
• The Hotel Lobby's Secret
• Mysterious Hotel Delfino
• The Secret of Casino Delfino
• King Boo Down Below
• Scrubbing Sirena Beach
• Shadow Mario Checks In
• Red Coins in the Hotel
• Red Coins in Boo's Big Mouth
• Red Coin Winnings in the Casino

After you get 20 Shine Sprites, you'll see a cutscene when you enter Isle Delfino that shows sunlight streaming down on a Shine mosaic imprinted on the ground near the canal running through Delfino Plaza. Head to the spot indicated and enter first-person POV to look upward at the sun, which will, from then on, take you to Noki Bay.

Noki Bay episodes:

• Uncork the Waterfall
• The Boss of Tricky Ruins
• Red Coins in a Bottle
• Eely-Mouth's Dentist
• Il Piantissimo's Surf Swim
• The Shell's Secret
• Hold It, Shadow Mario!
• The red Coin Fish
• A Golden Bird
• Red Coins on the Half Shell

Super Mario Sunshine's penultimate level is accessible once you have the Rocket Nozzle. Once you've collected 25 Shine Sprites and have unlocked Yoshi, Shadow Mario will appear in the Plaza holding the Turbo Nozzle, allowing you to chase him and unlock it in the Plaza permanently. Once you've done this, obtain another five Shine Sprites for him to appear again, this time with the Rocket Nozzle.

With the Rocket Nozzle equipped, jet yourself to the top of the giant Shine Gate in Delfino Plaza. A red warp pipe on top of the tower will get you to Pianta Village.

Pianta Village episodes:

• Chain Chomplets Unchained
• Il Piantissimo's Crazy Climb
• The Goopy Inferno
• Chain Chomp's Bath
• Secret of the Village Underside
• Piantas in Need
• Shadow Mario Runs Wild
• Fluff Festival Coin Hunt
• Red Coin Chucksters
• Soak the Sun

Corona Mountain is the final level of the game and is unlocked once you've completed episode seven of every other level. Once you've done this, Delfino Plaza will flood, and Shadow Mario will appear one last time to get you to chase him into the mountain. From then on, you can enter Corona Mountain by using the Rocket Nozzle (or some very carefully-timed jumping) to access the cave behind the Shine Gate.

Corona Mountain only has one episode:

• Father and Son Shine!

Do I have to beat every episode and level to beat the game?

You don't! Beating the Corona Mountain episode counts as beating the game, and you can do that by beating Episode 7 at every level. You don't have to get any of the other extra Shine Sprites, Blue Coins, or beat any levels after that point if you don't want to.

What do I get for beating every episode and level?

You don't actually get a bonus for beating every level. However, beating every episode and level is necessary to collect all 120 of the game's Shine Sprites, and you'll also have to collect all the Blue Coins and all the bonus Shine Sprites in Delfino Plaza and the Airstrip. Doing this will net you a special image in the game's ending, and a red sunshine marker next to the player's save file indicating 100% completion.

Need help with Mario Sunshine?

If you have any questions about unlocking levels in Super Mario Sunshine in Super Mario 3D All-Stars, leave them in the comments below!