Super Mario 3D All-Stars: How to defeat all enemies in Super Mario Sunshine

Super Mario Sunshine has returned as part of Super Mario 3D All-Stars, and has brought with it both the usual line-up of Mario enemies, along with some Sunshine-only surprises. If you've never visited Isle Delfino, you might never have seen all the different variations of Stu, for instance, or a horde of Chain Chomplets on the loose. All enemies, new and old, will have something different or surprising about them.

All enemies in Super Mario Sunshine are dispatched in one of two ways: spraying them with FLUDD, or stomping on them. But some enemies can present tricky encounters, or may not respond to either of these attacks at all. If you're struggling with stamping out any of the numerous foes brought to life by Shadow Mario's paintbrush in Super Mario Sunshine, here are all the tips you need to dispatch all enemies you meet.

For bosses, please check out our boss fight guide.

Returning enemies from previous games

These are enemies that returned to Super Mario Sunshine after having been introduced in a previous Super Mario game.

Bees appear in some levels in Bianco Hills, Gelato Beach, and Pianta Village in Super Mario Sunshine. You want to avoid their hives unless you have Yoshi with you, as they'll sting Mario and won't give up much in the way of rewards. However, with Yoshi you can spray their hives down and then eat all the bees. The final bee will give up a Blue Coin.

The white squid-like Bloopers are a familiar staple in Mario games. They can be stunned with FLUDD's spray and defeated by bouncing on their heads. They appear in both Ricco Harbor and Noki Bay. A variation called Jumping Bloopers can be sprayed to turn into platforms Mario can land on.

Pondskaters, Skeeters, or Blue Spiders return from Super Mario 64 in Super Mario Sunshine. They cannot be defeated except by a Yoshi eating them, but they are useful for Mario as he can bounce on their heads to reach great heights. They are only found in Bianco Hills.

Bob-ombs have an odd appearance in Super Mario Sunshine — they appear to be more mechanical bombs than in other Mario games. A countdown on their face indicates when they'll explode, but Mario can spray them to turn them blue and momentarily harmless, then throw them at enemies. You'll see Bob-ombs in both Pinna Park (where they're a key part of a mini-boss battle) and Noki Bay.

Another Mario staple, Boos are a bit unusual in Super Mario Sunshine because they don't stop moving if Mario look at them. Instead, you'll need to spray these ghosts first to make them fully visible, then jump on them to defeat them. Additionally, Boos can disguise themselves as coins or Shadow Mario, and will reveal themselves when sprayed. They only appear inside the hotel in Sirena Beach.

Pink Boos will also appear and will turn into platforms while sprayed, while Sleepy Boos can only be moved from the paths they are blocking if they are eaten by Yoshi.

Bullet Bills are giant bullet enemies that will be shot from a cannon and explode when they come into contact with something. They will travel in a straight line generally, though the Guided Bullet Bill and Purple Bullet Bill variations will hone in on Mario and chase him.

All Bullet Bills will explode when sprayed and will drop coins. Gold Bullet Bills will drop more coins than their counterparts.

A Chain Chomp appears as part of a storyline in Pianta Village where you must bring the giant Chain Chomp to a bathtub and make it take a bath. To do so, spray it with water until it cools down, then you can grab the end of the chain and pull. Water barrels scattered around the town can also be used. The Chain Chomp will eventually reheat, so multiple coolings will be required to get it into the tub.

Smaller Chain Chomplets will also appear in Pianta Village in Episode 1, and must also be cooled with FLUDD. Unlike their large parent, grabbing their tails and pulling back slingshots them forward. You'll want to aim them at the river to permanently get them to cool down.

Cheep-Cheeps appear in Ricco Harbor, Noki Bay, Gelato Beach, Corona Mountain, and Delfino Airstrip. The varieties that appear as fish jumping into the air can be sprayed and turned into platforms by Yoshi, though ones in the water will grab Mario and drag him down and there's no way to defeat them — they must be avoided.

Piranha Plants — big flowers with chompy red heads — are a common sight in Bianco Hills in Super Mario Sunshine, and can be sprayed with FLUDD to swell up and eventually explode into coins. They are similar in appearance to another enemy called "Gatekeepers" that look like goo-covered Piranha Plants.

Pokeys are tall towers of spiked spheres that appear in Bianco Hills. When they pop up, dodge their slam attack, then jump on their head to defeat them. They are not to be confused with Pokey Heads, which have only one spiked sphere tall and will chase Mario slowly.

Wire Traps first appeared in Donkey Kong on the Game Boy. In their Super Mario Sunshine incarnation, they appear as spiked red or blue spheres that move up and down tightropes. They can be found in Bianco Hills and Noki Bay, and they cannot be defeated, though spraying them with FLUDD slows them down. You need to avoid them.

New enemies

Super Mario Sunshine also introduces a host of new enemies for Mario to defeat that had not appeared in previous Mario games, including the following.

One of the most obnoxious enemies in the game, Cataquacks are weird, duck-sounding creatures that appear on Gelato Beach. They come in blue and red varieties. Both versions will throw Mario up high into the sky if he touches them. The blue ones will not do any damage to Mario and will generally try to avoid him, but the red version will chase him and can damage him if they throw him up.

Both varieties will flip over if Mario sprays them with Fludd. If he then jumps on them, Mario will receive a coin and momentarily be stunned. Yoshi can eat them to defeat them permanently, or if they are hit by a rising Dune Bud.

These weird large chickens flap around the sky on certain levels of Bianco Hills and Pianta Village and drop goop to the ground. They can be defated by spraying them with FLUDD to lower them to the ground, then by jumping on them.

Electrokoopas come in red and blue varieties, with the red being able to climb fences. These look like giant Koopa Troopas with electricity around them. They can be found in Pinna Park and Pianta Village. Blue Electrokoopas can be stomped on after they throw their shell, or sprayed while vulnerable so they are hurt by their own shell when it comes back to them. Red Electrokoopas must be defeated by climbing onto the opposite side of the fence from where they are and punching them off of it.

Hatopops only appear in Noki Bay in Super Mario Sunshine. They are weird green birds that will pop out of walls and knock Mario down. They are unavoidable (except by knowing where they are in advance and staying away from that spot) and undefeatable, but once they retreat you can run past them before they pop out again.

This is another Piranha Plant variation that nonetheless warrants its own entry for how weird it is. They look like giant boulders of goo rolling at you when you encounter them in Bianco Hills. You can't defeat them, and spraying them is futile too, though it reveals they look like severed Petey Piranha heads. Avoid these.

Less enemies and more friends, these bouncing round pig-like creatures won't hurt Mario. They'll float toward Mario and automatically attach themselves to FLUDD's sprayer, although they won't attach if you're on a different nozzle. Spraying with a Poink on board will fill it up with water and eventually spray it forward as a projectile. This is useful against certain enemies, such as Petey Piranha. Poinks are found in Bianco Hills.

These look like Pokeys, but are just the top portion. They'll be hidden underground, initially looking just like pink flowers, but will pop up when Mario gets close and will begin to chase him. Spraying them knocks them back, and if they hit a wall they'll be defeated. They can also be jumped on.

These are the round, blue enemies in Bianco Hills with yellow flowers on their tops. When you get close to them, they'll burrow underground and spray seeds (rocks? dirt?) at Mario that do damage. To beat them, you have to stay at a distance and spray them while they're above ground to stun them, then jump on their heads.

Stu is a round, yellow, cute fellow with pants on who comes in several varieties in Super Mario Sunshine. In his base form, Strollin Stu, he runs around and chases Mario, but can be stomped on easily or sprayed with FLUDD. Other varieties are not so simple.

Winged Strollin' Stu unsurprisingly has wings and will fly around and try to attack Mario from the air. However, you can defeat him the same way you defeat his counterpart on the ground.

Swipin' Stu is like a Winged Strollin' Stu, but is larger and has a green bottom. These enemies will swoop down to attack Mario and steal his hat, without which he'll take damage while in direct sunlight. Ground pound the Swipin Stu to beat it and get Mario's hat back (or leave the level and re-enter).

Smolderin' Stu is dark red and way too hot. Spray him to beat him, and don't touch him or Mario will be burnt.

Swoopin' Stu may not look a lot like the other Stus, but you'll likely see him the most often of all enemies you meet. These are the little round creatures that pop out of goop sometimes and try to attack Mario. Spray them to defeat them, but the onslaught will continue until you clear up all the goop.

Wind Spirits are the gusts of wind that attack you when you climb to high places. They appear in Bianco Hills, Ricco Harbor, and Pianta Village whenever Mario gets up high. You cannot defeat them permanently without Yoshi eating them, but spraying them will get rid of them temporarily.

Also called Klambers, these spiders appear only in Ricco Harbor and Pianta Village climbing the fences. They can be defeated by punching the fence on the opposite side of where the Klamber is, but if one is climbing a wall and not a fence, it can only be defeated by Yoshi eating or spraying it.

Bosses

There are a number of bosses in Super Mario Sunshine, and we have a full guide telling you how to fight and defeat each one of them right here.

Bonus tip: use Yoshi!

Though it's noted in most of the entries above, it's worth mentioning that almost all enemies in the game sans bosses can be defeated by Yoshi's juice spray or by Yoshi eating them. That's the only way to defeat a handful of enemies, too. There are some levels where Yoshi isn't available, but if you're struggling with a particular foe, it may be that you need to bring Yoshi around to gobble it up.

Still need help?

Super Mario 3D All-Stars is shaping up to be one of our favorite Nintendo Switch games but that won't stop it from being complicated. Let us know in the comments below if there's an enemy you're still struggling with! For more tips on how to fully explore all Isle Delfino has to offer in Super Mario Sunshine, you can also check our tips and tricks guide. And if you're looking for more info about the other games in the Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection, our Ultimate Guide can help too.