Every gaming franchise has a black sheep — an experimental entry in the series that, regardless of its overall quality, may not fit into the overall legacy of the franchise. Super Mario Sunshine, the GameCube platformer where Mario wears a water gun backpack and cleans a city covered in toxic sludge, has a small, but loyal fanbase that keeps it from being forgotten. One member of that fanbase, Redditor Sp00kens, is taking steps to ensure that at least a little part of the game upscales to the current generation by re-creating the game’s Delfino Plaza section in Unreal Engine 4.
Sp00kens shared two photos from his creation on Reddit Thursday, an overhead shot of the fully modeled plaza and a ground-level image of the level’s waterfront, with waves crashing against a pier. According to TechRadar, the core of what’s been built so far may be based on another adaptation, the Delfino Plaza level from Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Though it is still a work in progress, anyone who’s played the game will definitely recognize the locale, which served as the hub world in Sunshine.
“Next thing on my list to do is to add water to the map, then I will fix shading, then texture and add music,” Sp00kens said.
Recreating game art in Unreal Engine 4 has become an increasingly popular form of fan art. Players have made levels from World of Warcraft, Goldeneye, and even the bridge from Star Trek Voyager. Every so often, a fan project does lead to something playable, such as Resident Evil 2: Reborn, a fan remake of Resident Evil 2 with improved visuals and modernized gameplay mechanics.
Though Sp00kens initially intended to have the level up and running in a day, it now seems it will be at least a week before the level is ready to download.
