Nipper Spore

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"Puff ball" redirects here. For information about the enemies in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island referred to as "Puff-Balls" in issue #43 of the UK Nintendo Magazine System, see Fuzzy (Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island).
Nipper Spore
Artwork of a Nipper Dandelion spreading Nipper Spores spawning Nipper Plants in Yoshi's Island DS
Artwork of Nipper Spores for Yoshi's Island DS alongside a Nipper Dandelion and Nipper Plants
First appearance Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (1995)
Latest appearance Yoshi's Crafted World (2019)
Variant of Piranha Plant
Variants
Relatives
Comparable

Nipper Spores or puff balls[1] are a recurring obstacle in the Yoshi franchise. They have the ability to form into Nipper Plants when landing on to the ground. Nipper Spores generally resemble red spheres attached to white balls of fluff via small, black or yellow stems.

History[edit]

Yoshi franchise[edit]

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island / Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3[edit]

Nipper Spore from Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3

In Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and its enhanced port, Nipper Spores are first encountered in The Cave Of Chomp Rock. They descend slowly from a certain height to the ground. Simply touching one will cause Yoshi to drop Baby Mario off his back. Upon coming into contact with the ground, they transform into a Nipper Plant, which starts walking right away. Yoshi will swallow a Nipper Spore directly upon eating it, without producing an egg. He will lick his lips directly after doing so.

Yoshi's Story[edit]

Sprite of a Nipper Spore from Yoshi's Story.

In Yoshi's Story, Nipper Spores have spikes on them. They are also foul tasting, meaning that they will hurt any Baby Yoshi (except for the Black and White ones) that attempts to eat them.

Yoshi's Island DS[edit]

In Yoshi's Island DS, Nipper Spores first appear in the level Ba-dum BUM!. Throughout the game, some Nipper Spores are produced by Nipper Dandelions. When strong gusts of wind blow (usually caused by Windbags), the Nipper Spores are blown off of the Nipper Dandelion and into the air, until they land and become Nipper Plants.

Yoshi's New Island[edit]

Nipper Spores return in Yoshi's New Island, acting the same way as before. They are first encountered in the level Cave of the Nipper Plants.

Yoshi's Woolly World / Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World[edit]

A Nipper Spore in the Scrapbook Theater
A Nipper Spore in Yoshi's Woolly World

In Yoshi's Woolly World and Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World, Nipper Spores are first present in the level Sponge Cave Spelunking, where they act the same as in the Yoshi's Island series. Nipper Spore Patches are sometimes encountered in large blocks of wool that can be unwoven; they behave identically to a regular Nipper Spore.

Yoshi's Crafted World[edit]

Nipper Spores reappeared in the course Jumping to Victory of Yoshi's Crafted World. Their design and behavior remain unchanged from previous games.

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team[edit]

Nipper Spores also appear in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, where Piranha Plants in battle spit them out into the background to create Nipper Plants.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[edit]

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Nipper Spores are mentioned briefly by Viridi during Palutena's Guidance dialogue for Piranha Plant. Unlike most other variations generally mentioned in order of appearance, they are listed amongst Super Mario Bros. 3 debuts. Big Piranhas, Big Fire Piranhas, Small Piranhas, and Fire Stalking Piranhas are similarly listed out of order.

Profiles[edit]

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island[edit]

  • Player's Guide: These drift slowly from the ceilings of caves and forts. You can't make eggs out of them.[2]

Yoshi's Story[edit]

  • Nintendo 64 Spieleberater: Damit das mit den Sporen kein Drama wird, sondern lustig, schluck' ich sie gleich in der Luft.[3] (So that the spores are not a drama, but fun, I swallow them in the air.)

Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3[edit]

  • Shogakukan guide: 綿毛のついたタネが地面に落ちると、プチパックンになる。タネの間は食べてもタマゴにならない。[4] (Seeds with fluff attached that become Nipper Plants when they touch the ground. They do not turn into eggs when eaten while they are still seeds.)

Gallery[edit]

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning
Japanese プチパックンのタネ[4]
プチパックンのたね[5]
Puchi Pakkun no Tane
Nipper Plant Seed

Chinese (simplified) 钳人花种子
Qiánrénhuā Zhǒngzi
Nipper Plant Seed

Dutch Nipper Spore
-
French (NOA) Nipper Spore
-
French (NOE) Spore de Nipper
Nipper Spore
German Möchtegern-Spore
Para-Sporen[3]
Wannabe Spore, from Möchtegern-Pflanze ("Nipper Plant")
Para-Spore
Italian Spora Tenaglia
Pincer Spore, from Pianta Tenaglia ("Nipper Plant")
Korean 새끼뻐끔의 씨앗
Saekkippeokeum-ui Ssiat
Nipper Plant Seed

Russian грызоспора
gryzospora
Nipper Spore

Spanish Espora de Blantita
Nipper Plant Spore

References[edit]

  1. ^ Play Nintendo (March 18, 2023). Mario, Pokémon Trainer, Link & Yoshi vs TINY Encounters! 😱 Baddies & Battles Ep 3 | @playnintendo. YouTube. Retrieved March 19, 2023. (Screen captureMedia:YT Play Nintendo 2023-03-18 screencap Nipper Plants.jpg.) "Feature: They start off as puff balls and turn into Nipper Plants"
  2. ^ Miller, Kent, and Terry Munson. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island Player's Guide. Page 128Media:SMW2 Guide 128.jpg.
  3. ^ a b Nintendo 64 Yoshi's Story Spieleberater. Page 19Media:Yoshi's Story German Guide Enemies.png.
  4. ^ a b 「スーパーマリオアドバンス3任天堂公式ガイドブック」 (Super Mario Advance 3 Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook). Page 21Media:Advance 3 Shogakukan P21.png.
  5. ^ アルス(liaoallen) (August 2, 2015). ヨッシー ウールワールド - 敵をみる おもいでシアター (全73種) (footage of Omoide Theatre, Yoshi Wool World). YouTube. Retrieved July 10, 2017.