15 Video Game Mysteries Answered Years Later

4. Super Mario Sunshine: What Does the Mysterious Language Say?

2002's Gamecube title Super Mario Sunshine sees the titular Italian plumber vacationing on the sunny Isle Delfino. This rare downtime for Mario is rudely cut short with the arrival of a shadowy figure who looks suspiciously like him. This mystery character wastes no time covering Isle Delfino in graffiti, along with a toxic goop that Mario has to clean up.

While exploring the island, players can spot weird, swirling symbols on buildings, signs, and other objects. This at first appears to be complete gibberish, with no obvious explanation for it. The rest of the game uses a mixture of English and Italian text, so this gibberish felt a little out of place. For years, fans wondered why this was there, and what it meant.

Finally, in 2024, a YouTuber known as 2CPhoenix seemingly solved this mystery. The symbols are actually a secret alphabet/cipher, with each one corresponding to an ordinary letter from A to Z. Using this, he was able to decipher many of the symbols scattered around Isle Delfino, with words like 'BAR GELATO' and 'PARCO' uncovered, ending a mystery that had lasted more than 20 years in the process.