A Mayors Guide to Video Game Summer

‘Hi, I’m the Mayor of ‘Isle Delphino’.

You may remember me as that dashing thing in Super Mario Sunshine with the big nose that mainly made honking noises.  As I’ve only ever done a little side work in Mario Kart Double Dash, I’ve been whiling away the hours writing a guide to summer in video games. Some of these exotic locations may be new to you, others may have only visited them in their younger years.

For starters, I couldn’t start my guide without saying, why not come to my beautiful island, Isle Delfino.

These days, the crime and graffiti levels are at an all time low, and the plant inhabitants who terrorised holiday makers in the past are now firmly under control and muzzled. Instead we now have a wonderful haven which has been visited by celebrities and royalty alike. We have a healthy population of Yoshi living in the surrounding areas and our clear blue seas are pollution free. Since 2002 we have been striving to keep this perfection.

Visit the spectacular Delfino Plaza. Breathtaking views of the Volcano and surrounding mountains and just a short walk to the beach. With plenty of fruit shops to cheer even the pickiest of Yoshi, Delfino Plaza has something for everyone!

Of course, lounging around drinking fruit cocktails on sandy beaches isn’t for everyone, so if you are after something with a bit more adventure, how about taking a trip to the lovely Sonic 3‘s Angel Island? To get there, you will need to take the Tornado shuttle plane – and if you do, say hello to my friend Miles – as this island floats in the sky. Not only is it is a stones throw away from the popular destinations such as Emerald Hill Zone, Star Light Zone and Hydrocity Zone, but it is also home to Knuckles the Echidna and the shrine he guards, that holds the mystical Master Chaos Emerald.

I must stress, the area is very prone to bush fires. 1994 saw its largest bush fire and it destroyed over 70% of the entire island. But with help from local celebrities and an influx of tourism bringing in the rings, the island is back to its original beauty.

Failing this, my next fantastic location is in a very hot location indeed! Super Mario 3‘s Koopahari Desert or ‘Desert Land’ is situated in the Mushroom Kingdom. It’s only a short Airship ride from the ever popular ‘Grass Land’ and the more secluded ‘Water Land’. Since 1990, the area has come under several revamps,  notably the ‘All-Star’ revamp in 1994 when the whole of the ‘Desert Land’ and other popular areas had a huge upgrade, and the buildings were modernised to meet with the times.

The Koopahari Desert is very large, and it can be quite easy to get lost, so I am enclosing a detailed map of the area. Taken from one of our observation aircraft, it lets you can see the whole of the desert. The King’s Palace is usually open for visitors, but there can be the odd domestic incident involving magic that usually keeps it closed for most of the year.

Ok, now a holiday in the sun is not for everyone. Some of you may prefer an obscure and some what historical vacation. The ‘Great Demon World Village’ first appeared on the map in 1988 for those people who are obsessed with mythology and the after life. Comparing itself to Whitby and Disney Land, the setting from Ghouls and Ghosts should satisfy anyone interested in the paranormal and doesn’t mind the odd fright or three. Home to the great Knight Arthur and Princess Guinevere.

With a vast amount of things to see and do in this place, it will be very unlikely you will venture any further than the first main area of the ‘Demon World’. Only a few have travelled further, though I have been told that they only get as far as the ship yard. If anyone does get further than the ship yard, please let me know as I will add anything new to my guide book.

When doing my research on the area, I came to believe that there must be a swimming bath or seaside nearby, due to a hairy man running around in some rather fetching underpants, though this is yet to be confirmed. The locals are all about, hoodies and fake chests that bite you. Silicon seems to be all the rage these days.  The weather is very unpredictable and it does rain most days.  Also, there are quite a few red buzzing, flying things that fly at you that can be quite annoying at times.

Hmm… reminds me of a British summer actually…’