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Super Mario Eclipse is a fan-made ROM hack and expansion of 2002’s Super Mario Sunshine, not an official Nintendo sequel. It earns the “Sunshine sequel” description by adding a larger story, connected versions of Isle Delfino, original worlds and missions, new abilities, bosses, playable characters, cutscenes and music. The full release arrived in late August 2024, and version 1.1 is the update discussed by 2026 coverage. To play it legally, you need your own U.S. non-NKit Sunshine game image, an xdelta-compatible patcher and compatible emulation or Nintendo hardware.
What is Super Mario Eclipse?
Eclipse is an unofficial community project built on Super Mario Sunshine’s GameCube code and assets. The Eclipse Team describes it as “part beta restoration, part enhancement, part original mod, and all fan service,” a useful summary of its mixed approach. Some material restores or reworks ideas associated with Sunshine, while other sections are entirely fan-created.
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It is therefore best understood as a substantial expansion rather than a small level pack. Nintendo did not publish, license or endorse it, and the project does not include Nintendo’s original game data.
Why do people call Eclipse a Sunshine sequel?
The sequel label comes from the breadth of the changes. Eclipse extends Sunshine’s premise and structure instead of simply placing a few extra stages after the original ending.
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- A variety of playable characters are available, some with unique attributes that affect gameplay and platforming physics.
- Younger and less-experienced players will love playing as Toadette, who is brand new to both games, and Nabbit, who was formerly only playable in New Super Luigi U. Both characters offer extra assistance during play.
- Multiplayer sessions are even more fun, frantic, and exciting thanks to entertaining character interactions. Need a boost? Try jumping off a teammate’s head or getting a teammate to throw you.
- Features a wealth of help features, like a Hints gallery, reference videos, and a Super Guide in New Super Mario Bros. U that can complete levels for you if they’re giving you trouble.
- Three additional modes—Boost Rush, Challenges, and Coin Battle—mix up gameplay and add replayability, while also upping the difficulty for players who want to try something harder. Players can use their Mii characters in these modes.
A larger adventure
- An expanded story with animated cutscenes
- New missions and fully custom worlds
- Secret challenge courses
- An interconnected Isle Delfino rather than a collection of mostly separate destinations
- New bosses and a fresh or remixed soundtrack
More characters and movement
Coverage identifies Luigi, Shadow Mario and Il Piantissimo among the additional playable characters. New movement abilities also change how Mario and the other characters approach stages, giving the project room to design challenges that were not possible in unmodified Sunshine.
A much larger shine count
The Eclipse Team’s 2026 release listing advertises 120 brand-new shines and four playable characters. A separate October 2026 Softonic report describes more than 10 new levels and roughly 240 shines overall. Those totals use different counting approaches, so prospective players should treat 120 as the advertised new-shine figure and the approximately 240 figure as a reported total for the expanded game.
When was Super Mario Eclipse released, and what is version 1.1?
The full release landed in late August 2024. Gaming Reinvented reported August 27, 2024; Kotaku lists August 25; and the ModDB listing also places the release in August 2024. The dates differ by outlet, but they all identify the same late-August launch window.
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Version 1.1 is the current update discussed in 2026 coverage. It adds visual upgrades, bug fixes, quality-of-life changes and support for the original Wii through Nintendont. A ModDB mirror lists a v1.1.0 file added in September 2026, while other coverage gives a different publication date. Check the active project download page for the exact file and patch notes before installing.
What does Eclipse improve over Super Mario Sunshine?
The update work targets several areas that affect everyday play, including movement, performance, camera behavior, save options and visual presentation. New bosses, cutscenes, story content and shines provide the obvious content expansion, while quality-of-life changes are intended to make the underlying Sunshine experience easier to live with.
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- Jump through a colorful world and give attacks some extra oomph in battle!
- Explore the vibrant environments with your party and jump towards your next goal!
- Run into monsters to enter turn-based battles with your party of three.
- Press the button at the right time for a satisfying dose of extra damage or helpful guard.
| Area | Original Sunshine | Eclipse’s reported direction |
|---|---|---|
| World structure | Separate major locations connected through Delfino Plaza | An expanded, more interconnected Isle Delfino |
| Content | Nintendo-authored missions and shines | Restored, reworked and original missions, worlds and secret courses |
| Playable cast | Sunshine’s original roster | Additional characters including Luigi, Shadow Mario and Il Piantissimo |
| Presentation | 2002 GameCube visuals and audio | Visual upgrades, animated cutscenes and new or remixed music |
| Technical focus | Original camera, saves and performance behavior | Reported camera, performance, save and bug-fix improvements |
This is an ambitious fan production, not a uniform Nintendo-made campaign. Coverage notes that some fan-created sections are less polished, and the broader structure can be harder to navigate without a guide. Expect variation between restored material and wholly original areas.
How do I play Super Mario Eclipse legally?
Eclipse is distributed as a patch, so you supply the base game yourself. The project’s release requirements are:
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →- Obtain a legal U.S. Super Mario Sunshine copy. The required image is a U.S. non-NKit ISO. A physical GameCube disc is the direct source for creating your own legally obtained game image.
- Create or obtain your personal compatible ISO. Do not use a downloaded copy of Nintendo’s game data; Eclipse does not provide it.
- Download an xdelta-capable patching tool and the Eclipse patch that matches your release version.
- Apply the patch to the correct ISO. Follow the project’s file-order and checksum instructions exactly; patching a different region or an NKit image can produce an unusable result.
- Run the patched image. Dolphin is supported, as are a Nintendo GameCube, Wii or Wii U setup capable of running the patched game. Version 1.1 coverage specifically reports support for the original Wii through Nintendont.
Keep an untouched backup of your original ISO and patch a separate copy. If the game fails to boot, verify the U.S. region, non-NKit format, patch version and file checksum before changing emulator settings.
Can I run Super Mario Eclipse on Dolphin or a Wii?
Yes. Dolphin is one of the listed execution platforms. Compatible Nintendo hardware includes GameCube, Wii and Wii U, with version 1.1 coverage calling out original-Wii support through Nintendont. Hardware compatibility still depends on the specific loader, image format and configuration, so use the project’s current installation notes for platform-specific steps.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is Super Mario Eclipse worth playing?
For Sunshine fans who want a longer, more experimental adventure, Eclipse is unusually close to the idea of a community-made sequel: it adds enough story, worlds, characters and systems to feel broader than a conventional ROM hack. The trade-off is authorship and consistency. Fan-made sections may vary in polish, and the larger interconnected design may provide less obvious direction than Nintendo’s original progression.
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- Journey through space in two Super Mario adventures, now improved for the Nintendo Switch system!
- Travel the stars with enhanced resolution, improved UI, and additional content
- Learn more about the Lumas from additional Storybook chapters, groove to a bit of additional music
- Get additional Health and fall recovery in Assist Mode
- Join Rosalina and the Lumas to restore the Comet Observatory and rescue Princess Peach in Super Mario Galaxy.
That makes Eclipse a good fit for players comfortable with exploration, occasional unevenness and maintaining their own legal game setup. It is not a replacement for an official sequel, and it should not be presented as one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Super Mario Eclipse include the original Super Mario Sunshine game?
No. Eclipse is a patch and does not distribute Nintendo’s game data. You must create the compatible image from your own legally obtained copy.
What region of Super Mario Sunshine does Eclipse require?
The release requirements specify a U.S. non-NKit ISO. A different region or an NKit-converted image may fail to patch or boot correctly.
Will my existing Sunshine save file work with Eclipse?
Treat Eclipse as a separate patched game and make a new save. Its added missions, worlds and progression systems are not guaranteed to match the original save structure.
Why do different sources give different shine totals?
The project listing’s 120 figure refers to brand-new shines, while another report describes roughly 240 shines in the expanded game overall. They are counting different categories rather than necessarily contradicting each other.
Quick Recap
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