10 One-Off Video Game Levels That Totally Change Everything
5. Eely-Mouth's Dentist - Super Mario Sunshine (2002)
Mario's 3D adventures are no strangers to moments of weirdness, from the terrifying piano in Mario 64 to the ominous Hell Valley Sky Trees in Mario Galaxy 2. The levels themselves can often be just as weird, though, if not quite as inherently nightmarish.
Noki Bay is one of Super Mario Sunshine's more unique locations. The majority of the area is underwater, and what little there is of dry land is built right into the high cliff faces around the borders.
Initially, however, the water is polluted by a giant eel with questionable dental hygiene, and your mission, naturally, is to dive down to the bottom of the bay and manually spray the layers of gunk off its filthy teeth. Delectable.
Your only means of propulsion is the Hover Nozzle, and with your air constantly slipping away, it's essential to be able to navigate yourself over to the coins scattered about in the area.
True, the previous level, which involves collecting red coins inside of a bottle, helps you prepare gameplay-wise, but it certainly doesn't prepare you for the tense, heart-pounding and utterly bizarre atmosphere you've just waded down into.
How do Nintendo come up with these things?