Blue coins and 120-Shine cleanup
Track episode-dependent coins and distinguish exchange rewards from ordinary Shines.
Original GameCube campaign; controller mappings vary in later releases.
Count blue coins by region
There are 240 blue coins. Each of the seven main courses has 30, Delfino Plaza and the airstrip together have 20, and Corona Mountain has 10. Ten coins exchange for one Shine at the boathouse, producing 24 Shines altogether. Track collected coins, not just the unspent number in your inventory.
Record the episode
Some coins appear only in particular episodes, with Yoshi or with a specific nozzle. Write down the course, episode and location immediately. Revisiting a correct location in the wrong episode can look exactly like a coin you already collected.
Learn paired graffiti routes first
Timed graffiti coins reward quick travel between marked locations. Find both ends before spraying the first mark. Choose a camera angle and route that avoids unnecessary climbing so you spend the timer moving toward the reward rather than searching for it.
Separate the Shine categories
Main episode rewards, secret-course revisits, 100-coin challenges, plaza activities and blue-coin exchanges all contribute to 120. Do not assume clearing Episode 8 finishes every collectible in a course. Audit the additional secret Shines and the 100-coin reward separately.
Choose a good 100-coin episode
Coin availability differs between episodes. Pick a route with enough accessible coins and learn where the Shine appears before collecting the final few. Blue coins do not count toward the ordinary 100-coin total in Sunshine, unlike the way their value contributes to coin totals in Mario 64.
Check the edition note above before following a route. Suggested preparation and tactics are editorial recommendations; alternative teams and routes can also work.