Super Mario Sunshine Recreated in Unreal Engine
By Kyle Sledge 26 January 2016
A truly dedicated fan of Nintendo’s Super Mario Sunshine recreates one of the maps from the popular GameCube platform video game using Unreal Engine 4.
After hearing about an influx of requests for the project, a Reddit user going by the handle sp00kens has decided to take a shot at recreating Super Mario Sunshine‘s Delfino Plaza level using the free development software known as Unreal Engine 4. At this point in time, though, the stage itself is still a work in progress, with only the skeleton having been constructed thus far.
Aside from giving Super Mario Sunshine a simple upgrade in graphics, sp00kens also wants to include a few extra stages, in addition to fuller textures, lighting, and music. As far as the next step in the process for Delfino Plaza goes, the Redditor will be working on adding water to the area, as it’s one of the key components of the game.
Should there be any attempt to add gameplay to the Super Mario Sunshine re-haul, there’s no telling how it will be incorporated. However, sp00kens may want to hold off on doing so, because Nintendo’s lawyers are notorious for sending out cease and desist letters to folks who try and completely remake games using the company’s assets. In fact, one of the development team members of the popular and now-defunct Super Smash Bros Project M mod said that they cancelled the project just to avoid future legal issues.
Speaking of Super Smash Bros, the current build of sp00kens’ creation was actually taken from the Wii version of the Nintendo fighting game, with the Brawl stage for Delfino Plaza being the basis for the enterprise. As seen in the above image, the undertaking is far from complete, but it shows plenty of promise. Plus, with the design for the original Super Mario Sunshine‘s water already being impressive, the Redditor has a solid working template.
As some gaming fans may be aware, there have been a spate of Nintendo properties that have been given the Unreal Engine treatment. Of course, one of the most popular recreations has included Pokemon creatures being used for a mod with the development software, which resulted in incredibly sharp-looking and realistic versions of Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur. Then, just recently, one prospective game developer retooled GoldenEye 007‘s Facility level in Unreal Engine, and the final product was outstanding. Considering the successes of other Nintendo fans using the software, hopefully sp00kens will be able to polish off the ambitious task of re-imagining Delfino Plaza soon enough.
What do you think about sp00kens’ unfinished project for Super Mario Sunshine in Unreal Engine 4? Which level do you think the Redditor should work on next? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Super Mario Sunshine initially released on August 26, 2002, and is available for GameCube.
Source: Reddit
