F.L.U.D.D.: Mario's water pump

ItemF.L.U.D.D.Super Mario Sunshine

A talking water pump, four nozzles, and a whole game built around it. Invented by Professor E. Gadd, F.L.U.D.D. — the Flash Liquidizer Ultra Dousing Device, known as J.E.T. in French — is strapped to Mario's back in Super Mario Sunshine. This guide breaks down the four nozzles and what they do, how to get hold of them, the device's role in the story and its cameos elsewhere.

In Super Mario Sunshine, Mario isn't alone against the graffiti staining Isle Delfino: he carries on his back a talking water pump named F.L.U.D.D. (short for “Flash Liquidizer Ultra Dousing Device”), known in French as J.E.T. Far more than a simple accessory, this self-aware device is the very heart of the game released on GameCube in 2002.

An invention of Professor E. Gadd, F.L.U.D.D. turns classic platforming into a ballet of water jets, gliding hops and vertical launches. Here is the complete guide to this power-up, as ingenious as it is controversial.

Contents

• An invention of Professor E. Gadd
• The four nozzles and what they do
• How to get each nozzle
• F.L.U.D.D.'s role in the story of Sunshine
• F.L.U.D.D. in Super Smash Bros. and beyond
• Why this power-up divides players
• Quick recap
• FAQ

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An invention of Professor E. Gadd

F.L.U.D.D. sprang from the imagination of Professor E. Gadd (K. Tastroff in the French version), the brilliant and slightly zany scientist already well known to fans of the Mario universe. This same inventor would later equip Luigi with vacuum gadgets in the Luigi's Mansion series.

In practice, F.L.U.D.D. is an electronic water pump that can talk, worn on Mario's back with a harness. The device is no silent tool: it has an artificial intelligence, chats with Mario, gives him advice and displays hints on screen. That personality makes F.L.U.D.D. a genuine travelling companion rather than an interchangeable accessory.

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The four nozzles and what they do

All of F.L.U.D.D.'s depth comes from its interchangeable nozzles. The game offers four, but Mario can only carry two at a time:

• The Squirt Nozzle: the basic water jet, always available. It cleans graffiti, slows down or wipes out enemies and triggers mechanisms.
• The Hover Nozzle: it unfolds two side jets that let Mario hover for a few seconds in mid-air, perfect for crossing a chasm or saving a mistimed jump.
• The Rocket Nozzle: rocket-style, it loads up water and then launches Mario very high into the air with a burst of steam.
• The Turbo Nozzle: a rear thruster that makes Mario run and swim much faster, and it can smash through certain doors.

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How to get each nozzle

The Squirt Nozzle and the Hover Nozzle are the two starting nozzles: Mario has them from the very start of the adventure, and the Hover Nozzle refills automatically in every new area.

The other two must be earned in Delfino Plaza, the game's central hub. Shadow Mario steals them, so you have to chase him down and soak him to make him drop them:

• Turbo Nozzle: available once you have 25 Shine Sprites collected.
• Rocket Nozzle: unlocked after collecting 30 Shine Sprites.

One detail not to forget: F.L.U.D.D.'s water tank empties as you use it. To refill it, Mario has to dive into the sea, a river or a fountain, or step under a waterfall.

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F.L.U.D.D.'s role in the story of Sunshine

F.L.U.D.D. isn't just a gameplay tool: it sits at the very centre of the story. When he lands on Isle Delfino, Mario is wrongly accused of covering the island in polluting paint. Convicted by the local courts, he has to clean it all up before he is allowed to leave — a task that is impossible without F.L.U.D.D.

The real culprit is Bowser Jr., hiding behind the guise of Shadow Mario, who spreads his graffiti with a magic paintbrush given to him, so he claims, by a “strange old man in a white lab coat”. Throughout the adventure, Shadow Mario regularly steals F.L.U.D.D. from Mario to strip him of his abilities, especially in the secret levels. In the finale, the device is damaged during the last showdown before being repaired.

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F.L.U.D.D. in Super Smash Bros. and beyond

F.L.U.D.D.'s popularity has spread far beyond its game of origin. Since Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008), the device has been Mario's down special move, a role it has kept in every entry since, right up to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

True to its origins, the move deals no damage at all: it fires a powerful jet of water that pushes back opponents, and the longer you charge the nozzle, the further they fly. In Ultimate this push was strengthened and its range improved, making it a fearsome way to knock a rival off balance near a ledge and stop him getting back on stage.

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Why this power-up divides players

F.L.U.D.D. remains one of the most divisive elements in Mario history. Its supporters praise the variety it brings: cleaning, hovering, rocketing, surfing… the range of actions is far wider than in a classic Mario.

Its detractors, on the other hand, feel it pulls the game away from pure platforming. The Hover Nozzle smooths away part of the difficulty of the jumps, scrubbing paint takes precedence over agility, and managing the water tank adds a constraint many consider pointless. The debate even stirred Nintendo's own studios: the idea of handing Mario a tool this central was seriously debated internally. Praised by critics and sold in more than five million copies, Super Mario Sunshine owes much of its mixed reputation to this one-of-a-kind aquatic sidekick.

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F.L.U.D.D. (J.E.T.) at a glance

French name	J.E.T. (Jerrycan Expérimental Transformable)
English name	F.L.U.D.D. (Flash Liquidizer Ultra Dousing Device)
Inventor	Professor E. Gadd (K. Tastroff in French)
Game of origin	Super Mario Sunshine (GameCube, 4 October 2002 in France)
The 4 nozzles	Squirt Nozzle, Hover Nozzle, Rocket Nozzle, Turbo Nozzle
Unlocking the special nozzles	Turbo Nozzle (25 Shine Sprites), Rocket Nozzle (30 Shine Sprites)
Role in Smash Bros.	Mario's down special since Brawl (2008)

🍄 Want to keep the adventure going? Check out our Mario toys in the shop.

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FAQ

• What do J.E.T. and F.L.U.D.D. stand for?
  In the French version, J.E.T. stands for “Jerrycan Expérimental Transformable”. The original English name, F.L.U.D.D., is an acronym for “Flash Liquidizer Ultra Dousing Device”. Either way, it refers to the talking water pump Mario carries on his back in Super Mario Sunshine.
• Who invented F.L.U.D.D.?
  F.L.U.D.D. is a creation of Professor E. Gadd (K. Tastroff in the French version), the eccentric scientist already behind many gadgets in the Mario universe, including those of Luigi's Mansion. He is the one who hands the device to Mario so he can clean up Isle Delfino.
• What are F.L.U.D.D.'s four nozzles?
  The Squirt Nozzle (the basic water jet, always available), the Hover Nozzle (to hover for a few seconds), the Rocket Nozzle (a vertical launch powered by a burst of steam) and the Turbo Nozzle (a speed boost on land and in water). Only two nozzles can be equipped at a time.
• How do you unlock the Rocket Nozzle and the Turbo Nozzle?
  Both special nozzles are taken from Shadow Mario in Delfino Plaza. The Turbo Nozzle unlocks once you have gathered 25 Shine Sprites, and the Rocket Nozzle after collecting 30. You then have to soak Shadow Mario to make him drop the nozzle.
• Why does F.L.U.D.D. divide players?
  Some love the variety F.L.U.D.D. brings to the gameplay, between cleaning, hovering and rocketing. Others regret that it pulls Super Mario Sunshine away from pure platforming: the Hover Nozzle makes jumps easier and managing the water tank adds a constraint. At Nintendo itself, the idea of giving Mario a tool sparked debate.

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