Burning goop

Burning goop, also known as red gunk, hot gunk, lava, or molten goop, is a type of superheated goop found in Pianta Village in Super Mario Sunshine. It is red-orange in color, and it releases small bursts of flame intermittently. This type of goop deals damage to Mario on contact and sends him flying upward, similarly to fire, or lava in Super Mario Sunshine's predecessor Super Mario 64. Thus, if Mario gets caught in the middle of a large quantity of this goop, he will likely lose a life or sustain heavy damage, as he will have nowhere else to go after flying upward and falling back down. Like regular goop, it can be cleaned up by water shot by FLUDD or similar sources.

In Episode 1 of Pianta Village (Chain Chomplets Unchained), this goop is produced by feverish Chain Chomplets. Burning goop reappears in Episode 3 (The Goopy Inferno), where it covers most of the village and Mario must save the Pianta mayor in his house, which is isolated in the middle of the village. Coo Coos fly around and drop burning goop during this episode. Burning goop is also present in Episode 6 (Piantas in Need), where Mario has to rescue ten Piantas that are stuck in small puddles of it. In Episode 7 (Shadow Mario Runs Wild), Shadow Mario leaves a trail of burning goop behind him as he runs, and he occasionally paints his distinctive "M" signature (resembling M Graffiti) out of burning goop.

Unlike the similar electric goop, burning goop can deal damage to Mario only if there is a certain quantity of it accumulated; a small speck cannot hurt him on its own.

Like regular goop, burning goop regularly spawns Swoopin' Stus, though it does not do so during Chain Chomplets Unchained. It is the only variant of goop besides the ordinary kind to do so. It can also cause Piantas to sink into it much like regular goop, as seen in Piantas in Need.

While similar to Super Mario 64s lava, burning goop is less hazardous than Super Mario Sunshines own lava, which instantly causes Mario to lose a life on contact.