Sunset Islet is the third course of SM64 Last Impact and is the first that is not accessible from the start. After Mario gets his fourth Star, a small cutscene will occur that shows the previously sunken boat now docked at the pier, revealing a mysterious hole. To access this level, Mario must jump on the boat, which will put Mario into a cutscene of it driving off to a distant island.
The boat arrives at a small island paradise during a beautiful sunset. The island is very small, barely large enough to contain the giant lighthouse, the small shack, and only a couple of bridges. The shore holds a Giant Koopa Troopa who never wants to leave the island, as well as a shipwrecked boat full of Spinies. The body of water surrounding it holds numerous fish and crabs as well as a small coral reef. Off to the side is a massive rock, which has a spotlight with the shadow of a star directed at its grey surface.
This level introduces the Fire Flower power up, which allows Mario to shoot balls of fire using the "L" button. They will bounce a couple of times before disappearing. They can be used to kill certain enemies (like Spinies) or break certain blocks. Just like all the other power-ups in this game, the Fire Flower is lost if Mario gets hit or touches water.
Acts[]
Star 1: Labor in the Lighthouse[]
This is one odd Lighthouse
Mario must climb a small lighthouse full of moving platforms. The lighthouse is not far from the start, so walk up the slope and into the building. In the center of the house is a rotating pillar with various platforms on it. Due to the camera, it is harder to judge where they are than it looks. Once Mario grabs onto the first bar, the best way to get to the next platform is to backflip. Thankfully, Mario never has to jump off a platform to mount the next platform, as they either graze or connect with the ledges Mario has to stand on. At the top is the Star.
Star 2: Explore the Shell[]
The Boat, Giant Shell, and Cork
This shell was NOT this big…
In the body of water is a shell that contains a secret. The shell is in between the beach and the giant rock. The interior of the shell is a giant spiral, which contains many of the new crab enemies. First off, get used to how the new air system works, as coins do not refill it and there are no air bubbles. Secondly, when navigating the shell, avoid the sides (especially near the end), as they sometimes contain invisible walls that make Mario unable to move. Lastly, the crabs have bigger hitboxes than one would expect. Stay in the center and grab the Star at the end.
Star 3: Move to the Mountain Top[]
I wonder if there is a star over there...
Mario must utilize the new Fire Flower power up to allow him access to the top of the giant rock. The Fire Flower is located in a box next to the lighthouse. Mario must use the boats surrounding the island to reach the rock without hitting the water. Long jump to the boat from behind the sandy hill in front of the rock, then carefully long jump onto the rock. On this mountain, there is a container with Fire symbols on them. Throwing a fireball at them will cause them to explode and reveal the path to the Star.
Star 4: Coral Reef's Red Coins[]
I don't want to get my feet wet… or eaten by a Boss Bass.
A Boss Bass guards the 8 red coins located in the coral reef. Head to the reef, located to the left of the Giant Shell, and dive for the coins. It is best to get a coin, then swim away, as the Boss Bass has a tendency to appear out of nowhere and eat Mario without hesitation. When Mario collects all 8, the Star appears in the middle of the reef.
Star 5: The Dried out Ocean[]
Isn't this just low tide?
Somebody unplugged the ocean! Mario must return the cork to its original position to restore water to the area. When heading towards the rock, Giant Shell, or Reef, you may have noticed an odd object in the water. This object is actually the cork. It is now located on the other side of the giant rock. Mario has to push this into a dark hole on the other side. In between the cork and the hole is an army of Crabs that Mario must push the cork past. When Mario puts the cork in the hole, the Star appears. There is a slight visual glitch with the hole sometimes that makes it difficult to see when close to it.
Star 6: Blimp and Lighthouse[]
An inflatable balloon is the only way to reach this star floating in front of the lighthouse. Head to the ? switch in front of the deflated balloon and ground pound it a couple of times to inflate it all the way. Jump onto it (it is not slippery like every other object in this game). Mario can control the direction of the balloon by standing close to one of the edges, so lean it towards the Lighthouse and grab the star.
Enemies[]
- Lakitu
- Spinies
- Boss Bass
- Crab
Trivia[]
- Every Star in this stage can be gotten during Star 5.
- During Star 5, the Koopa Troopa is sad and has different dialogue.
- The cork can be pushed almost anywhere, which can lead to softlocks.
- During missions 5 or 6, you can use the lighthouse as a way to reset the obstacles to their original positions.
- There is sometimes a visual glitch when Mario gets on the boat, making him stand in awkward positions when departing for the island.
- The ? Switch that Mario uses to inflate the blimp is an unused trampoline that Kaze made a custom code for.
References[]
- The lighthouse is very similar to the windmill in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, in which the man inside labors to move it.
- The balloon and pump is most likely inspired by the one in the Yoshi's Island series.
- The Coral Reef is also directly taken from the one in Super Mario Sunshine.
- The boats are also very similar to the ones from this game.