I think I have 60 Shines in Super Mario Sunshine.

If I recall correctly, you never have to use the running triple jump in SM64. It was just fluff. But I just had to use that move in SMS. It was in the first platforming stage (inside the shell) in the waterfall stage.

To tell the truth, that stage's challenge was more due to the intimidation factor than skill needed to pull anything off.

When I first saw that jump, it looked too high to make, so I just thought, "How the heck am I supposed to make that?" Then it occured to me that the running triple jump might work (especially since there was a "runway" before the jump) Then I thought there was no way I'd be able to set it up so I'd be the correct distance for all three jumps, or be able to time it right, but actually it wasn't too hard.

That stage also had some wall jumps that you had to do against corners. I think SM64 just had you jump back and forth between parallel walls.

There are some other stages that are challenging beyond any intimidation factor. I think I'm very close to beating the first platform stage (which is only the second shine) in the Hotel stage. One tricky part of that stage involves running over (and jumping between) sandy blocks that dissolve when you touch them. First, you have to run down a path, then there's a quick 90 degree turn, and after a bit of distance, another 90 degree turn that puts you in the original direction. First, I had tried doing that part while rotating the camera, so I was always running towards the back of the screen, but now I think it's easier to keep the camera in the same direction, and just run to the right for part of it.

Would I want a game that was nothing but stages like those? Yeah, I think so.


To remind myself of another thing I found annoying with this game, I kind of hated the parts where you have to chase after and squirt Shadow Mario/Baby Bowser.

"Perhaps one did not want to be loved so much as to be understood."
-Orwell