Episode 1: Gooper Blooper Breaks Out
- Objective: Defeat the boss, Gooper Blooper
When you start the episode you see some cargo boxes on the other side of the level and they seem to be leaking some black goop. This goop now covers a large part of the otherwise crystal clear water.
The first thing to do is to get to the cargo boxes and investigate, but getting there will mean going through a construction-site obstacle course. Actually there is more than route and some of the alternative routes may be faster if you've mastered the moves needed, but if you're new to the game we recommend just following the arrows.
Start by running up the ramp in front of you to a big ship with a cage on its deck. This is partly a tutorial on how to get around on this type of wire mesh so pay attention to what FLUDD tells you here. You'll especially need to know how to operate the doors through the mesh. Inside the case are Bloopers, the main enemy for this level.
When you reach the smokestack turn right and hop onto the moving platform. Then ride it to an green platform with an arrow on it. There are more wire mesh panels here where you can practice what you learned on the ship. You need to get to the orange platform on the other side.
Ride another moving platform to reach two Piantas. One is a Chuckster (see Bianco Hills Episode 5) and will try to throw you, but he needs practice. The one in the captain's hat will tell you to spin a wheel to raise the submarine. Spraying it with FLUDD will do the trick, though it may take a few squirts, and you get a Blue coin when the job is done.
Hop onto the sub. (It's yellow but there are no Beatles living on it.) At the far end you encounter a type of blooper that just jumps up and down in the water. Squirt them to turn them into stepping stones and use them to reach the nearby ledge. The arrow here points up, so hop onto the platform on the right as it's moving up. Be sure not to jump on it as it's moving down unless you want to be dunked in the toxic sludge.
When the platform reaches the top, jump up to another wire mesh and follow the underside of the ramp to the street above. This is a small oceanside village. There is a fountain here which is useful if FLUDD is running low on water. Defeat the Bloopers and get their coins if you're low on health. There is a crate in the middle of the street and you can break it to uncover a manhole cover; this creates a shortcut back to the start if you need it.
In case it's not obvious, there are more arrows pointing the way to where you need to go, the pile of cargo boxes at the end of the street. One of them has something dangling out of it and FLUDD gives you a clue what to do if you need one; grab hold of it with 
and pull to see what happens. A giant Blooper burst out of the crates and you must fight it.
Start by washing away some of the ink around the creature since you don't want to be sliding around at a time like this. Gooper Blooper tries to pound you with his four long tentacles; these aren't too hard to dodge if you jump at the right time. Meanwhile you can jump on any tentacles on the ground to flatten them. Once flattened, or even if they just happen to be withing reach, use to grab one and pull it off. If the monster keeps its tentacles out of reach then just squirt it in the face to get it to attack.
When all four tentacles are off the monster is harmless but not beaten yet. Run up and grab his nose with and pull it, but first make sure to wash the goop off, otherwise it will be too slippery to hold. Actually you only really need to get its front two tentacles before pulling its nose, but it's safer if you get all four.
Episode 2: Blooper Surfing Safari
- Objective: Win the Blooper-surfing challenge
Follow the arrows right, over some floating logs, to reach a platform with a Pianta (called Big Daddy) and 3 colored Bloopers on it. Talk to Big Daddy to find out what this episode is about if you don't know already. Hop onto one of the Bloopers to start surfing. Just so you know ahead of time, the bloopers move very fast, have no brakes, and if you run into anything it's an instant K.O. The different colors handle differently, so you might want to experiment a bit to find the one you like best.
Follow the trail of gold coins to a polluted cave entrance in the far corner of the level and surf into it. Inside you meet Big Daddy again at an underground Blooper race course. Choose your steed to start.
This is a simple and fun surfing race against the clock. The only catch is you have to complete the course in under 45 seconds or Big Daddy will throw you out of Ricco Harbor! If you crash you'll just go back to the start of the race (and lose a life). If you finish the course within 45 seconds a Shine will appear next to Big Daddy.
Try to stay off the edges as much as possible since they just slow you down. Bloopers don't corner very well so you need make the turns as wide as you can. There is a chicane near the end which may take some practice to handle well, but if you have trouble you can shave off some time by just jumping over the walls using 
.
Episode 3: The Caged Shine Sprite
- Objective: Find the caged Shine
This is an obstacle course like the first part of Episode 1. Again, there are alternate routes but if you're new to the game then we recommend that you follow the arrows.
Go up the ramp on the right to a cargo ship. Hop onto the moving pole to be carried to the other end of the ship. (If you've played Mario 64 then you've seen this type of pole in Dire, Dire Docks.) Rotate around to the other side of the pole as you're being carried so that you jump in the right direction when you want to get off.
Hop over to a moving platform and then to a wire mesh grate. There is a Spider here but you can attack it from the other side. At the top of the grate hop onto another pole, rotate to the other side as before, and hop to a second grate. This is followed by another pole which takes you to a platform. There is a Pianta here who points to another one on a roof.
Follow the arrow to a platform being lifted up and down by a crane. Hop on and ride it to a higher platform. Follow the arrows again, being careful not to fall off the catwalks and defeating any Bloopers that get in your way. There is a beam that goes over the fountain in the village. It's a bit out of your way, but cross it and hop up to the Pianta on the roof. According to the hint he gives you, break the boxes there to open a manhole cover, now you have a shortcut to this spot if you fall down in the upcoming section.
Go back over the beam and follow the arrow right to a crate. Climb onto it and hop onto a pole from there. Jump from the pole to a grate, then from the grate to a second grate, and from this grate to a platform.
Now follow the catwalks, hovering over the gaps where needed. There is a Red toolbox on the next platform; pick this up to get the Rocket nozzle and activate the other Red toolboxes scattered around the level. It's not necessary but it will make it easier to return to the upper scaffolding if you fall off somewhere.
You should see two arrow signs pointing upwards, and a small square platform beyond them. This turns out to be a trampoline and you can use it to bounce up to the next higher level. Now just keep following the catwalks and bouncing on the trampolines until you bounce the top of the huge yellow cage where the Shine is hidden. Dust yourself off and claim your Shiny prize.
Episode 4: The Secret of Ricco Tower
- Objective: Complete the obstacle course
This in another episode with a secret minilevel. You enter at the top of the tower to the left of the ship with the wire cage. If you got the Rocket nozzle in the previous episode then getting in is easy once you get another nozzle, and you can get one in several places. The easiest to find is under the helipad.
If you don't want to bother with the Rocket nozzle, then get up to the scaffolding as in the previous episode. In fact it's easier this time because the boxes blocking the manhole covers are gone, so just take the shortcut through the tunnels. Follow the scaffolding toward the moving pole, but instead of jumping on hover over to a beam next to the tower. The entrance to the tower is right next to the beam.
There is really only one type of obstacle inside, a slanted rotating beam. Your shoes have good traction on them so as long as you're more or less on the upper part you shouldn't slip. But you still need to walk against the turning of the beam as you're getting from one end to the other, so you're constantly going at an angle. You need good timing to make the jump from beam to beam. The beams have little colored pegs on them which can be boon or bane depending on your luck.
The first few beams are easy enough, and they take you to a solid green platform where you can rest a bit. Make sure you get the 1-Up mushroom here; a back-flip or wall jump will reach it.
After this are three gear shaped blocks; the big danger here is going too fast when you compensate for the turning and slipping on the steep side of a gear. So keep your cool and get to the next gear when it gets close enough.
After this is a final set of beams. These are at odd angles and are different sizes, so it's tough to get the right perspective on them. Again, jumping from beam to beam is trickiest part. There is a second 1-Up above one of the beams if you're brave enough to jump for it.
This is the last obstacle and the Shine is waiting on the next platform.
Episode 5: Gooper Blooper Returns
- Objective: Defeat Gooper Blooper again.
Head to the far end of the dock - where you battled Gooper Blooper last time - then look out to sea and you'll see a big helipad. This is where the giant squid is waiting for another beating. Below the helipad is a platform with the Rocket Nozzle on it - which you'll need to get to onto the helipad. So, hover over to it, using the boats or logs to help if you need to. Then use the Rocket Nozzle to launch yourself up onto fence on the underside of the helipad. Climb to either end of the fence then use A to get through the hatch (alternatively you can just launch directly from one of the boat-roofs on to the helipad). Now it's boss time again.
Episode 6: Red Coins on the Water
- Objective: Collect the 8 red coins within the time limit.
This episode is another Blooper surfing challenge, so from your start point, turn around and run to the pier were the Pianta and a selection of coloured Bloopers are waiting for you. The Pianta will explain what's going on, then stomp on the big red button to start the clock.
You now have 2 minutes to collect the 8 coins so jump on a Blooper and start surfing. There is a trail of gold coins around the harbour, and the red coins are in amongst this trail, so the easiest way to tackle this level is to follow the trail of coins. Be careful not to crash as you'll lose a life and have to start the whole thing again. If you miss any coins just go back and find them at the end, you should have plenty of time to spare.
The shine will appear on the platform where the Bloopers are, so surf over to it and jump on to the platform to grab it.
Episode 7: Shadow Mario Revisited
- Objective: Catch Shadow Mario.
Shadow Mario's back so it's time for another chase. He starts off right in front of you so go and spray him to start the chase. He makes his way along the tanker then up on the catwalk. With some back-flip jumps on to the funnel of the ship and then a spin jump and some hovering you can follow him up there. Then the chase continues around the catwalks until you beat him. There's no need to rush along the catwalks, he won't go far and you really don't want to fall off as it's annoying having to climb back up there. When you've squirted him enough he'll fall over and give you a Shine. Easy.
Episode 8: Yoshi's Fruit Adventure
- Objective: Unlock the Shine on the sea platform.
Go over to the market and you'll see a Yoshi,(If you haven't gotten Yoshi he won't be here and you might as well go back.) He wants a durian. Jump up to the machine nearby and ground pound the raised switch. A random fruit will fall out so repeat until you get a durian. You can't pick them up so spray or kick it toward the egg. Once you have Yoshi, go to the edge, where you'll see fish jumping in and out of the water. If you shoot one of them with the purple Yoshi juice, the platform it turns into will float to a metal platform. Hop on before it gets away and hop to the platform when you reach it. From the platform, hover to the ledge with the palm tree. Knock the coconuts down and have Yoshi eat one, then hop back to the platform. Now Yoshi's juice will make the platforms rise like an elevator, so change more fish into platforms and use them to reach the top platform. From there, you can shoot the Orange Juice Generator blocking the Shine. Go inside the cage and the Shine is yours.
100 coins Shine
Secret Shine #1
Complete Episode 2 as before, but complete the course in less than 40 seconds to get a second Shine.