Bianco Hills

"Bianco Hills is a rather interesting place, huh? We have falling goop and all sorts of other oddities!"

- Pianta

Bianco Hills is a hilly and picturesque countryside region in the center of Isle Delfino and northwest of Delfino Plaza, which first appears in Super Mario Sunshine. It can be entered via the Color Portal on the base of the Grand Pianta Statue in Delfino Plaza's Bianco Square, once the player has collected at least one Shine Sprite. The region consists of the Windmill Village inhabited by Piantas, the upper hilly area, and a large lake. In the center of Bianco Hills lies the Big Windmill, which is located at the end of the lake. During Mario's travels to Isle Delfino, much of Bianco Hills was, like other regions of Isle Delfino, covered in Graffiti, which Mario used F.L.U.D.D. to get rid of. Bianco Hills is also where Mario first battled Petey Piranha. They first battle inside the Big Windmill, and later they fight a second time in the village. From the starting point of the level, Mario can turn around and then look down and see both Delfino Plaza and Ricco Harbor, though an invisible wall prevents him from jumping down. The name Bianco Hills contains the word "bianco", which is Italian for "white". The name of the level can be translated to "White Hills", which is probably a reference to the white colored houses, walls, and roads found in the area.

In Mario Golf: Advance Tour, some of the Mushroom Tourney courses are very similar, and seem to be based on this area.

The musical theme of Bianco Hills is similar to those of Gelato Beach, Delfino Plaza, and Ricco Harbor. However, it is in the style of European folk music, with prominent use of clarinet, flute, and oboe, accompanied by tambourine, castanets, and harp. It was composed by Koji Kondo.

Episode 1: The Road to the Big Windmill
The first episode of this level begins with an introduction scene, which shows Shadow Mario standing near the bridge to the Big Windmill, next to a Goop Generator. Large parts of the countryside are covered in thick brown goop, and only the Windmill Village is relatively free of it, although there are some small blobs that generate Strollin' Stus. Due to the masses of paint outside of the village, the gate that links the village area and the lakeside area has been closed and Mario has to use a passage over the waterwheel to get to his destination. The lakeside area has some Piranhabons popping out of the Goop Generator that keep rolling over the terrain, leaving a trail of goop behind. Mario has to battle a Polluted Piranha Plant to proceed. After the battle, a hill with a path emerges and connects to the bridge above. Mario can collect the Shine Sprite then. Mario can choose to ignore the Shine Sprite and proceed to climb the Big Windmill and battle Petey Piranha, making this the only episode in the entire game that can be skipped. Also, if Mario talks to a Pianta on the way up, the Pianta will say that Mario is getting ahead of himself.


 * Names in other languages

Episode 2: Down with Petey Piranha!
Mario has to take the same path like in the previous episode. He must then carefully traverse the large gap in the bridge using the Hover Nozzle, after which he has to continue to walk along the trail leading up to the Big Windmill. The player must be careful not to fall off the side or touch the rolling Piranhabons or Goop, until they reach the curved ramp leading partway up the Big Windmill.

Climbing this ramp, Mario must now avoid Piranha Plants and more Goop, while periodically using the Hover Nozzle to maneuver around the spiky vines blocking the way. When he finally reaches the top of the ramp, Mario sees the four fan blades of the Big Windmill rotating just above a small landing with a Pianta on it. He must now jump onto one of the platforms located on the ends of the each of the four fan blades and wait until he is gradually carried to the top of the Big Windmill by the fan blades' rotation. Petey Piranha will be waiting on the roof of the Big Windmill, which Mario must jump onto. A brief cutscene shows Petey Piranha screeching, followed by both of them crashing through the roof and landing inside the interior of the Big Windmill, where a boss battle ensues.

For the duration of the battle, Petey is at the center of the circular interior of the Big Windmill. There is Goop covering part of the battle area, and Swoopin' Stus and Piranha Plants emerge from the Goop to attack the player. During the battle, Petey either uses his head to swipe at Mario or open his mouth to spit many brown Goop. The moment Petey Piranha opens his mouth, Mario must use F.L.U.D.D. to fill Petey Piranha's belly with water. Once Petey Piranha is full, he falls, giving Mario an opportunity to Ground Pound his belly button, which will cause Petey Piranha to spit the water and sustain damage. Mario must repeat this procedure an additional two times, until Petey dissolves into brown Goop and releases his Shine Sprite for Mario.


 * Names in other languages

Episode 3: The Hillside Cave Secret
Before the mission starts the player is shown there is an opening in the mountainside right over the lake. Mario has to travel to this cave in order to receive a Shine Sprite. Since the goop is gone from the level, the gate connecting the two big level areas has been re-opened and Mario can simply pass through it. To reach the cave, Mario can make use of several platforms and ropes below the bridge to the windmill. Dodging the Wire Traps along the way, he makes his way towards his destination.

When Mario enters the cave, Shadow Mario will show up and steal F.L.U.D.D., leaving him on his own. Mario has to rely on his jumping skills alone to pass the various criss-crossing blocks, large cubes which could push him off into a bottomless pit, and rotating stars that build a floating path. At the end near a palm tree, a Shine Sprite awaits. After Mario clears this level, he can access it with F.L.U.D.D. and a Red Coin challenge awaits.


 * Names in other languages

Episode 4: Red Coins of Windmill Village
This episode is a Red Coin challenge, so Mario has to collect eight Red Coins that are hidden all over the village to make a Shine Sprite appear. The coins can be found on top of the various buildings, but some of them are also hidden on the great wall that separates the village from the lakeside. Wire Traps and Wind Duppies will try to impede the player's progress, so they have to be avoided. Mario can make the wooden platforms in the middle of the village rotate by squirting water at the big, windmill-like objects attached to them. After the player collects every Red Coin, a Shine Sprite will appear on a platform high above the village, which can be accessed via a rope.


 * Names in other languages

Episode 5: Petey Piranha Strikes Back
As the player enters the level it is revealed to them that Windmill Village is now covered in goop. Some of the villagers are buried under it, so Mario must clean and free them. The villagers will tell Mario they saw a huge plant creature venturing to the cliffs north of town. Mario can make his way up to the cliffside using F.L.U.D.D., or he can make use of a Pianta near the cliff who will throw Mario if he talks to him after rescuing him from the goop. If the timing is right, the player can use this to make Mario get up on top of the cliffs. There, he will find Petey Piranha once again, sleeping. Mario can make him wake up by shooting a Poink at him, which will cause Petey to fly over and attack the village.

Petey Piranha will use his leaves to move through the air and hover over Windmill Village. Occasionally, he will spit blobs of goop at Mario. Mario must bring him down by spraying water or shooting a Poink at him while he is not moving, as he is invulnerable while in motion. After being hit, Petey will fall down, giving Mario a chance to attack him. On the ground, Petey can whip up Tweesters that blow Mario away, or use the goop-spitting attack from Episode 2. Like before, Mario has to fill him up with water until he falls over and ground-pound his belly to harm him. Petey will then rise into the air and has to be brought down again. This must be done three times for Mario to receive a Shine Sprite.


 * Names in other languages

Episode 6: The Secret of the Dirty Lake
As the mission starts the player is shown that the lake has become polluted with toxic Goop, turning the water into an expansive health hazard for Mario. He must therefore find the source of the pollution, which comes in the form of the Cliff Spring Cave, a small cave near the lake with toxic Goop oozing out of it. Mario must make effective use of the lily pads floating on the surface of the lake to move carefully over to the cave. However, the player must be extremely cautious, as the poisonous effect of the toxic water causes the lily pads to rot away if Mario remains on them for too long. Alternately, he can simply perform a Spin Jump from the path near the Big Windmill and then use the Hover Nozzle to reach several floating logs near the mouth of the cave.

Inside the cave, another secret level challenge awaits Mario, who again has F.L.U.D.D. taken away from him by Shadow Mario. The challenge consists of various orange and blue flipping platforms, floating cubes that rotate in midair (forcing Mario to switch his position on the cube so he doesn't fall off), and a pair of fast-moving triangular blocks that will try to push Mario off the ledge. The player also has the opportunity to collect two 1-Up Mushrooms along the way. At the end of the level, near a palm tree, the Shine Sprite awaits. A timed Red Coin challenge can be accessed if Mario re-enters this level after he has already completed it the first time.


 * Names in other languages

Episode 7: Shadow Mario on the Loose
This is the Shadow Mario episode of Bianco Hills. The player has to complete it in order to gain access to the final level and beat the final boss. The episode sets in with a view of the level access area and zooms in on Shadow Mario who is waiting in front of the wet slope. Mario has to pursue him through Windmill Village and spray him with water until he gives up and releases a Shine Sprite. For some unexplained reason, Shadow Mario is shown swimming through the river that runs through Windmill Village without taking damage.


 * Names in other languages

Episode 8: The Red Coins of the Lake
Mario has to collect another set of eight Red Coins in order to complete this challenge. The coins are positioned over the lake and Mario has to use wooden platforms and ropes to collect all of them, while avoiding Wire Traps and Wind Duppies which will try to make him fall down. F.L.U.D.D.'s Rocket Nozzle can prove useful when trying to reach the ropes high over the lake.

A Yoshi Egg can be found at the beginning of the level with a fruit with it, being the only level in Bianco Hills that has Yoshi in it. However, Yoshi has no main use in this episode, besides collecting few Blue Coins.


 * Names in other languages

Episode 9: Red Coins of the Hillside Cave
In this episode, Mario must replay Episode 3, though this time he must enter the Hillside Cave and collect eight Red Coins. If he manages to collect them all before the 1:00 time limit is up, a Shine Sprite will be revealed.

Episode 10: Red Coins of the Dirty Lake
In this episode, Mario must replay Episode 6, though this time he must enter the Cliff Spring Cave and collect eight Red Coins. If he manages to collect them all before the 1:30 time limit is up, a Shine Sprite will be revealed. This time, Mario has the aid of F.L.U.D.D., so it's a lot easier to complete the secret level.

Durian

 * Past the gate, on the southern side of the sidewalk, under two trees.

Pineapple

 * Farther along the sidewalk, in the center of a triangle of trees.

Banana

 * By the river, next to a tree.
 * Across the river.

Coconut

 * South side of the river, lying out in the open.

Papaya

 * North side of the sidewalk, between two trees.

Nozzle Locations
All Nozzle Boxes begin to appear in Episode 4.

Hover Nozzle

 * Can easily be seen on the ground in front of two houses in the village.
 * Nearby a sprinkler near the Big Windmill.

Turbo Nozzle

 * On top of the white wall next to a large watermill.
 * In the entrance to Cliff Spring Cave. Apparently, it's available in episodes 4-8, but it's only accessible in episodes 6-8

Rocket Nozzle

 * On the roof of a building in the village.
 * On a rectangular platform on the eastern side of the lake.

Official description
''This lush community of villas is located at the foot of Corona Mountain. Its famous windmills spin peacefully in the gentle sea breezes.''

Trivia

 * In all the languages besides Italian, the name uses "bianco" instead of the translation of "white".
 * Part of Bianco Hills can be seen during the opening sequence of Super Mario Sunshine, in the welcome video.
 * It is possible that the name of the mission "Petey Piranha Strikes Back" is a parody of the name of the movie Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back as well as the level's episode number, being the fifth episode.