Shine Monument
- “Expert Shine scholars have determined that this darkness has arisen because all of our guardians, the Shine Sprites, have vanished from their gathering spot at the Shine Gate.”
- —Pianta prosecutor, Super Mario Sunshine
The Shine Monument is the centerpiece of the Shine Gate in Delfino Plaza in Super Mario Sunshine. It has the appearance of a giant Shine Sprite. The Shine Monument is an altar to the Shine Sprites and a source of energy for Isle Delfino. Sometime prior to the game's events, Shadow Mario painted black goop on the Shine Monument, which caused the Shine Sprites to flee.
When Mario obtains the Rocket Nozzle, he can blast up to the platform circling around the Shine Monument. He can use FLUDD to spray the goop off the Shine Monument, which spins while being sprayed. Once all of the goop has been cleared off, a Shine Sprite appears. If Mario leaves Delfino Plaza without collecting the Shine Sprite and returns later, the Shine Monument is found covered in goop once more, forcing Mario to clean it off to reveal the Shine Sprite again.
In the ending, after Mario has defeated Bowser and Bowser Jr. in Corona Mountain, the large Shine Sprite that is freed from within their hot tub makes its way to the Shine Gate, where it is subsumed into the Shine Monument and emits a very bright light that shines throughout Delfino Plaza.
In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the Shine Monument is shown in the background of the Delfino Plaza stage. It constantly spins unlike in Super Mario Sunshine, in which the Shine Monument only spins while Mario is spraying it with water.
