Piranha Plant

"Grawr Charble Grawr! (Hey, what's cooking? YOU ARE!)"

- Piranha Plant

Piranha Plants (also known as Piranhas) are large, carnivorous plants encountered throughout the Mario series. Piranha Plants are seemingly based-off Venus Flytraps, eating anything that approaches them.

The head of a Piranha Plant is most commonly either red or green with multiple other colors. Originally, Piranha Plants were found exclusively in pipes, either darting-out and biting anything near or remaining still and spitting fireballs. Currently, Piranha Plants can be found both in and out of pipes, and their fire-breathing ability is rarely used.

Despite being plants, Piranha Plants have been depicted as being sentient and capable of speech in a few appearances, though unlike several other enemies in the Mario series, they have never been shown forming societies. Piranha Plant characters such as Petey Piranha, Piranha Bean and Dino Piranha, among others, reveal that some Piranha Plants can have animal-like bodies, making them capable of walking. Mom Piranha, Dino Piranha, and Peewee Piranha are all depicted hatching from eggs, suggesting that Piranha Plants may be oviparious.

Super Mario Bros.
The first appearance of Piranha Plants was in World 1-2 of Super Mario Bros., where they were semi-common enemies. They have been strategically placed by Bowser to impede Mario's progress on his quest to save Princess Toadstool. The Piranha Plants inhabit pipes and attack by biting Mario or Luigi if they come into contact with these carnivorous plants. Piranha Plants won't emerge from their pipe if Mario or Luigi are adjacent to or standing directly on top of it, similar to a Bill Blaster.

Piranha Plants can be defeated by shooting them with a fireball, by kicking a Koopa or Buzzy Beetle shell at them, or by touching them while empowered by a Starman.

Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
The Piranha Plants returned in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, which was the sequel to Super Mario Bros. in Japan, during the second conquest of the Mushroom Kingdom. The game introduced red-colored variants, which were much quicker than the green variety, and emerged from their pipe, regardless if someone is touching it, and are first seen in the fourth new land of the Mushroom Kingdom. However, they would not appear if the player was standing directly on top of the pipe. They appear more frequently than in the previous game, and have been the most common Piranha Plants seen throughout the Mario series since then. Additionally, they will pop up in upside-down pipes as well, making Mario or Luigi's way a bit more difficult. The Piranha Plants are first seen to be able to breathe underwater in the game.

Super Mario Bros. 3
In Super Mario Bros. 3, Piranha Plants are found throughout the game, retaining their biting attack. Here, along with being defeated with fireballs, Koopa shells and Starman powers, Piranha Plants could also be beaten with the tail of Raccoon Mario, Tanooki Suit and Hammer Mario's hammers. Several variants of Piranha Plants are also introduced in Super Mario Bros. 3, including Venus Fire Trap, Piranhacus Giganticus and Ptooie. Most of these enemies appear in both green and red varieties. While the Red Piranha Plants act identically to the green ones unlike in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, they have an additional layer of leaves which makes them taller than green ones. The remakes of the game gave Piranha Plants in horizontal pipes red leaves. There are also Nipper Plants, juvenile versions of Piranha Plants; and invincible Munchers which resemble Nipper Plants more than Piranha Plants. Additionally, the king of Pipe Land is transformed into a Piranha Plant by Ludwig von Koopa; in later ports of Super Mario Bros. 3, the king is changed into a Yoshi instead of a Piranha Plant.

This is the last main series Mario game where Piranha Plants have green heads; while this aspect was used on Beanstalks in Super Mario World, red has since then been the standard color for these enemies.

Super Mario World
Piranha Plants also appear in Super Mario World as enemies once again, attacking Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi by trying to bite them. They only appear in one level, Vanilla Dome 3, and even then, only hanging upside down.

A single variant of Piranha Plants is introduced in Super Mario World and this variant, Jumping Piranha Plant lives in pipes and leaps through the air, attacking anything nearby. These are also much more common than the normal variation, thus acting as a replacement for regular piranha plants.

In Super Mario World, Piranha Plants can be beaten using fireballs, Starman-powers, a Koopa shell, a cape-attack or by simply eating them with Yoshi's tongue. Spin-jumping can also prevent getting chomped.

An upward-facing Piranha Plant was originally going to appear, but didn't make it to the final game.

Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS
In Super Mario 64 and its remake, Super Mario 64 DS, Piranha Plants appear as semi-common enemies once again. Normally, these plants are peacefully sleeping, however, if Mario wakes them up, they will try to bite Mario. They can be defeated with most attack methods, most easily by walking towards them slowly without waking them up and then punching them. The lips of these Piranha Plants are also inexplicably green; this was changed in the remake, where they had white lips. Additionally, an artwork used in material related to the game, but actually created for Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, depicts a Piranha Plant with white lips, so the reason why the SM64 Piranha Plants' lips are green is unknown.

Big Venus Fire Traps appear in the Huge part of Tiny-Huge Island; these giant Piranha Plants are extremely powerful and dangerous and spit fireballs at Mario. When Mario defeats them, he earns another Power Star. Also, miniature Fire Traps appear in the Tiny version of the Island, and two can be found in Bowser in the Sky.

In Whomp's Fortress, a sign in front of one reads: "I'm sleeping because... I'm sleepy. I don't like being disturbed. Please walk quietly." Indeed, walking slowly near the Piranha Plants will not wake them up. When they are asleep, a lullaby plays. It can be heard here.

Super Mario Sunshine
In Super Mario Sunshine, Piranha Plants are somewhat rare, only appearing in Bianco Hills. These Piranha Plants will attack Mario by popping-out of the ground and spitting missiles made of Goop. They are defeated by spraying water with F.L.U.D.D. inside their bodies until they blow up. In this game, their look is based off their appearance in Super Mario 64, as they have green lips. They also gain a new notable member, Petey Piranha which will later turn in a main boss of the series.

Polluted Piranha Plants, apparently Piranha Plants created from the Goop of the Magic Paintbrush wielded by Bowser Jr., are also fought as mini-bosses in Super Mario Sunshine. After Mario sprays water on the generator, they come out and have to be defeated by shooting water at their mouths. Piranhabons, giant-sized Goop-covered Piranha Plant heads, also appear as obstacles in Bianco Hills coming out of the Goop. If Mario sprays water on them, they are revealed to look like Petey Piranha's head.

Oddly enough, all of the aforementioned Piranha Plants lack any form of teeth in their mouths.

Petey Piranha, a Goop-spitting, giant, anthropomorphic Piranha Plant, also appears twice as a boss in Super Mario Sunshine, and is the only Piranha Plant in the game with teeth. He never uses them, though. Petey still has green lips in modern games, while Piranha Plants' lips are white.

New Super Mario Bros.
In New Super Mario Bros., Piranha Plants return to their original attack pattern of popping-out of pipes and biting anything nearby. They are also found in the ground now, and if they're found in conveyor belts, they will move along with it. In New Super Mario Bros., Piranha Plants make chomping sounds.

Venus Fire Traps also make their return in New Super Mario Bros., while giant-sized Super Piranha Plants make their debut. The latter require three fireballs instead of one to die, and release eight coins when they do.

Super Mario Galaxy
Piranha Plants made their appearance in Super Mario Galaxy, trying to bite the player much like they did in New Super Mario Bros., but could be stunned if Mario fired Star Bits at them. They could be defeated by jumping on them, with a Star Spin, or when run into as Rainbow Mario. They would sometimes be used to advance further, as a Sproutle Vine would grow where they were if they were defeated.

It is also notably the second game that Piranha Plants can be defeated in a single jump, after Super Mario 64 DS.

There is also a new, purple variation called Prickly Piranha Plant that is bigger and it attempts to slam its head into Mario. It can be defeated by hitting round bushes at it or by stomping it after it slammed its head in the ground.

There was a Piranha Plant-like alien called Dino Piranha who served as a boss. It would chase Mario around its planetoid once woken from its egg. It could be defeated by Spinning to hit its tail, causing the tail to fly out, then get pulled back in and hit Dino Piranha. There was a separate, much more difficult version called the Fiery Dino Piranha. Fiery Dino Piranha's tail would often be on fire, so Mario could only attack it while its tail had gone out. It also ran faster and left a temporary trail of fire behind it. They both give the player a star if defeated.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Piranha Plants also appear as enemies in New Super Mario Bros. Wii exactly like they did in the predecessor, along with Venus Fire Traps and Super Piranha Plants. Stalking Piranha Plants and River Piranha Plants also make their debut in this game, as well as a Venus Fire Trap variation of the Super Piranha Plant. However, the pipe-planted Piranha Plants have lost their chomping sound effects from New Super Mario Bros.. Also Yoshi can jump on a Piranha Plant without getting hurt.

Super Mario Galaxy 2
Piranha Plants appear in Super Mario Galaxy 2, and they behave just as they did in the predecessor. In Supermassive Galaxy, Piranhacus Giganticus once again appears, and acts as the original plant who goes up and down. There is now a new species of the Prickly Piranha Plant from the original, known as the Spiky Piranha Plant. To defeat it, Mario or Luigi must hit it with a plant when it slams its head onto the ground, as they cannot be stomped due its prickles on its head.

The boss of the first galaxy, Sky Station Galaxy, is a baby, giant Piranha Plant named Peewee Piranha, whom is similar to Dino Piranha from the original. He's beaten by first spinning into the eggshell on his backside, then into his glowing butt once it's broken. After being hit a few times, the shell somehow regenerates and the cycle starts over. The player then needs to do this method again, but the boss is faster than before. After done twice, Mario is awarded with the first Power Star in the game. Also, in the Boss Blitz Galaxy, the player has to fight Dino Piranha and Fiery Dino Piranha, two bosses from the game's predecessor.

Super Mario 3D Land
Piranha Plants appear in Super Mario 3D Land for the Nintendo 3DS. They act like they do in the Super Mario Galaxy series. There is also a new black variety called Inky Piranha Plants, which spit ink that covers the top screen, like a Blooper in the Mario Kart series.

New Super Mario Bros. 2
Piranha Plants appear in New Super Mario Bros. 2. Whenever Mario touches a Gold Ring, the Piranha Plants turn golden. Whenever the player defeats them when they are golden, the location they inhabited shoots out coins. A new species of Piranha Plant are also introduced, which are Bone Piranha Plants.

New Super Mario Bros. U
Piranha Plants appear in New Super Mario Bros. U. Super Piranha Plants also reappear, as well as a new ice spitting variety. In the level Blooming Lakitus, Lakitus throw spiked eggs that hatch into Piranha plants instead of Spinies.

Super Mario 3D World
Piranha Plants appear in Super Mario 3D World. They act similarly to their appearance in Super Mario Galaxy and later 3D Mario games. Potted Piranha Plants also appear, which can be picked up as items. This Piranha Plant can be used to eat enemies and obstacles.

The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!
Piranha Plants made several appearances in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!. Here, they posessed the ability to spit fire, possibly assuming this ability from the Pansers of Super Mario Bros. 2, who never made an appearance.

The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3
One Piranha Plant made an appearance in Sneaky Lying Cheating Giant Ninja Koopas. It bit Raccoon Mario while he was knocked unconscious by Big Mouth's reptile breath tornado move. It attempted to bite Mario again, but it missed, as Mario moved out of the way in time.

Super Mario World
A non-antagonistic Piranha Plant named Mama Fireplant appeared, which Toadstool, Yoshi, Mario, and Luigi had to rescue from Kootie Pie Koopa's clutches in a frozen cavern, although ultimately only Yoshi was successful in doing so due to the porcupine fish in the lair flash-freezing anyone who stepped on them, with Mario, Luigi, and Toadstool needing to be rescued themselves as well.

In A Little Learning, Hip and Hop put a Piranha Plant in Oogtar's "eggabegga" project only to have the sabotage turn on them and King Koopa when Oogtar inadvertently feeds it fertilizer.

Nintendo Adventure Books
After being led astray by a disguised Koopa on his way back to the Mushroom Palace in Double Trouble, Toad becomes stuck in a patch of Piranha Plants. After hearing Toad's yells for help, Mario rushes into the patch to rescue him, and tries to fight off a particularly large Piranha Plant by throwing a rock, which the plant bats aside with a stick, giving its brethren the idea of grabbing some clubs to use as weapons as well. Depending on how the accompanying puzzle is solved, the plants either fight each other after Mario tricks one into bludgeoning another, or they succeed in knocking Mario out with a blow to the head.

In Leaping Lizards, a patch of Piranha Plants, which Morton, Luigi and Toad navigate their way through on the way to Water Land, is growing near the Mushroom Palace. In Koopa Capers, Luigi spots some Piranha Plants among the army of monsters in Wendy O. Koopa's secret camp in the Magma Pits.

In Pipe Down!, Mario and Luigi run through a patch of Piranha Plants if they decide to give chase to Princess Toadstool, who is being forced to venture through the Koopahari Desert by a pair of enchanted basketball sneakers. Later, it is revealed that Ludwig von Koopa has coerced four Piranha Plants (named Ashby, Justin, Scott and Todd) to act as the string quartet in his basketball-based ballet "starring" the princess. If the Piranha Plants attack the Mario Bros. and the princess, Luigi easily defeats them by knocking their pots over. In one the book's bad endings, a pair of Piranha Plants will eat Mario and Luigi if they decide to rush into the leftmost pipe in a chamber.

In Flown the Koopa, while avoiding some Dino Rhinos in a forest, Mario pulls the Mushroom King away from a young and hungry Piranha Plant the bumbling monarch stumbles near.

In the final book, Brain Drain, Iggy Koopa's Synapse Switcher swaps the minds of some traffic officers and Piranha Plants, resulting in widespread havoc on the Fungus Freeway.

Mario Kart series
In the Mario Kart series, Piranha Plants often appear as road obstacles. One example is the Choco Islands in Super Mario Kart where they sit there, acting as an obstacle. If the player hits the Piranha Plants, they will spin out.

In Mario Kart 64, Piranha Plants return with a different look. They do not come out of pipes, but they are sitting on the ground. They appear to be moving their lips up and down, similar to a sucking motion. They appear on Mario Raceway and Royal Raceway.

In Mario Kart Double Dash!!, Piranha Plants appear in Mario Circuit and in Yoshi Circuit. Here, they will stay in their pipe. When any driver gets close to them, they will try to bite the driver. Anyone who gets bitten by a Piranha Plant will flip over and the thrower will end up getting dragged behind the kart. Piranha Plants can be stunned by using a projectile such as a Green Shell or a Bowser Shell and they will also get stunned by anyone who used a Star.

In both Mario Kart Arcade and Mario Kart Arcade GP 2, the Piranha Plant is one of Princess Peach's special character items. The Piranha Plant's function in both games is that of eating the items of Peach's opponents once it is summoned by her. This Piranha Plant is differentiated by its bright pink coloration (possibly in reference to Peach herself).

Piranha Plants reappear as obstacles in Mario Kart DS. Instead of their biting habits in Mario Kart Double Dash!!, they will sit and breathe fireballs at any driver in Mario Circuit. Choco Island 2 has returned and also brought back the Piranha Plant Obstacles.

In Mario Kart Wii, there is a vehicle called Piranha Prowler. However, this kart is based more on Petey Piranha than an actual Piranha Plant, due to its petals and non-lips on the kart.

In Mario Kart 7, huge versions appear in a course named after the species, "Piranha Plant Slide". Two appear on this track, one in the underground segment and the other in the underwater segment. and if the player comes near them, they attempt to bite them. Getting hit by a Piranha Plant causes the player flip out. Two more Piranha Plants also appear on the track Music Park. They do the same things, and switch to the opposite side of the track each lap. These plants also bop their heads to the track's music. In Mario Kart 8, the Potted Piranha Plant from Super Mario 3D World returns as an item. The Piranha Plant will attack nearby racers and any items on the ground, like Banana Peels, while giving the user a speed boost every time it lunges forward. The item is time-based, and a small portion is cut off whenever the plant lunges forward. Interestingly, the Piranha Plant's pot features tiny wheels. Also, the Bone Piranha Plant makes a return from New Super Mario Bros 2 in the track Bone Dry Dunes.

Super Mario Land
Piranha Plants are also featured in Super Mario Land, which takes place in Sarasaland, not the Mushroom Kingdom. However, the English instruction manual for the physical Game Boy release refers to them as Pakkun Flower, which is their Japanese name. Since most of the names of the enemies were left unlocalized in the Super Mario Land instruction, the same goes for the Pakkun Flower, that only is a Piranha Plant with its name untranslated rather than a different type of plant. However, the English digital manual for the 3DS Virtual Console release translates the enemies as Piranha Plants. This is the only enemy in this game that originates from previous Mario games that is not a sub-species or otherwise changed.

Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
The Piranha Plants of Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins are, more or less, identical to the ones of Super Mario World; these Piranha Plants can be defeated by hitting them with a fireball. Also, a spiky-headed Venus Fire Trap appeared, and, in Wario's Castle, Piranha Plant statues appeared that would attack by shooting large balls of fire.

Yoshi
Piranha Plants make an appearance in Yoshi. They are enemies in the A Type part of the game, as well as the B Type. Piranha Plants are not main enemies in the game; they just make appearances throughout some parts of the game. Piranha Plant's sprite in the game is like its sprite from Super Mario Bros. 3. Many of the other enemies' sprites also are similar to their sprites from Super Mario Bros. 3.

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island / Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3
In Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Piranha Plants are drastically changed; instead of being rooted in pipes, Piranha Plants are found planted in the ground. Piranha Plants, instead of attacking at intervals, would simply wait in a miniaturized form and grow larger and lunge at a Yoshi if it approached. Also, instead of simply trying to bite Yoshi, they will eat him and then spit him out, causing him to lose Baby Mario and his Yoshi Eggs. They could not be jumped on or swallowed, so they had to be defeated with eggs or by spitting an enemy at them.

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island also had a Piranha Plant boss named Naval Piranha, who is grown gigantic in size by Kamek's magic.

Hootie the Blue Fish, an uncommon enemy in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, may be a sub-species of Piranha Plants, as they do resemble them. Wild Ptooie Piranhas, powerful, green Needlenose-spitting variants, also make their debut in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island.

Nipper Plants also appear as enemies in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island; here, Nipper Plants are usually spawned from Nipper Spores, which Naval Piranha is capable of spitting.

Yoshi's Story
The Piranha Plants of Yoshi's Story are shown to be capable of growing to huge proportions, their gnashing heads atop spike-covered stalks. The game has also introduced several other variations of Piranha Plants, such as the flying Piranha Pest and the grounded Piranha Sprouts.

Also, it is revealed that an extremely large area of Yoshi's Island is composed of Piranha Plants; this area is aptly named Piranha Grove.

Nipper Spores also appear in Yoshi's Story, where they are now covered in spikes.

Yoshi's Island DS
In Yoshi's Island DS, Piranha Plants once again appear as common enemies, along with Wild Ptooie Piranhas, Nipper Plants and Nipper Spores, and act just as in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. Several new Piranha Plants also appear, such as Ghost Piranhas, Bungee Piranhas and Nipper Dandelions.

A Piranha Plant boss, named Big Bungee Piranha also appears in Yoshi's Island DS.

In this game, Piranha Plants somehow turn into dandelion-like plants when they reproduce.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Piranha Plants appear as enemies in the Pipe Vault, where they try to ambush Mario by leaping from a pipe. The Piranha Plants of Super Mario RPG have root-like legs, allowing them to walk; despite this, they are found exclusively in pipes outside of battle. Perhaps in reference to their immunity to being jumped on in earlier Mario games, the Piranha Plants in this game are completely immune to Mario's jump attacks.

Later on in Bean Valley, green and purple-colored Piranha Plants named Chewies appear. Additionally, Megasmilax, a giant Piranha Plant, is Bean Vally's boss.

Nipper Plants, renamed Chompweeds, also appear as coin-stealing obstacles in the Pipe Vault and were set to appear as fightable enemies, but were removed from the final game.

There is a Piranha Plant living at Monstro Town in the game.

Tetris Attack
In Tetris Attack, only Naval Piranha appears as a boss and minion of Kamek and Bowser, aiding them in their plot of brainwashing the inhabitants of Yoshi's Island.

Super Smash Bros. series
Piranha Plants appear in all three Super Smash Bros. games as trophies, obstacles and/or stickers. Also, in the PictoChat stage in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, one of the drawings that appears is a Piranha Plant.

Mario Party series
Piranha Plants are featured quite prominently in the Mario Party series, often as obstacles in minigames. In Mario Party, Piranha Plants could be planted by players in the Peach's Birthday Cake board; players that stop on the plant's spot lose a Star. In Mario Party 3, Piranha Plants appear in Waluigi's Island and are Waluigi's partner in Duel Mode. In Mario Party Advance, a Piranha Plant is featured in a quest where the player must bring one to a Bob-omb named Bob-omba; the ending states that he is still healthy, and huge. Until Mario Party 8, the Mario Party Piranha Plants were based on the species' appearance in Super Mario 64, as evidenced by their green lips, which were switched to white in MP8.

Mario Party
A legged Piranha Plant chases the solo player in the 1-vs-3 minigame Piranha's Pursuit, and a giant one is found in Tug o' War. Additionally, the minigame Whack-a-Plant involves stomping Piranha Plants which pop out of Warp Pipes.

Mario Party 2
Being the only Piranha Plant that appears in Mario Party 2, it only appears in Mini-Game Park and is constantly chasing a butterfly without stopping.

Mario Party 3
In Mario Party 3, a spiked Piranha Plant appears in the background of the minigame Vine With Me, possibly Naval Piranha.

A Piranha Plant is also one of the partners in the game's Duel Mode, and is Waluigi's default partner. It has an attack power of 3, one health point, and a salary of five coins. Its ability allows it to occasionally give the player an extra die with a 1-3 on it to roll after rolling.

Mario Party 4
Though, Piranha Plants don't appear in any boards, minigames, or as item in Mario Party 4. They appear only makes a brief cameo in the background of the Option Room.

Mario Party 5
In Mario Party 5, the minigame Pop-Star Piranhas presents five dancing Piranha-Plants. The players must find out the one that is dancing differently from the others. The Piranha Plant Capsule makes it's first appearance in this game. Any player who lands on a space containing the capsule loses half of their coins. Two Piranha Plant statues also appear in Bowser Nightmare. In Super Duel Mode, the Piranha Plant is a weapon the player can use. In Triple Jump , a Piranha Plant is located at the 150 foot/50m sign.

Mario Party 6
The minigame Odd Card Out from Mario Party 6 contains cards with Piranha Plants printed on them.

Mario Party 8
Piranha Plants also appear in Mario Party 8. In King Boo's Haunted Hideaway, they act as hazards and take coins from the player, when they land on the ? Space. In the minigame Winner or Dinner as enemies along with Spiny Eggs, eating the players who they bite. A Piranha Plant is one of the hidden enemies in Specter Inspector.

Mario Party DS
A Piranha Plant acted as the only non-Koopa boss in Mario Party DS. In the first stage of Story Mode, the plant terrorized Wiggler's Garden. After the tiny heroes battled it out, the superstar got to play the minigame Feed and Seed in order to defeat the Piranha Plant. In the minigame, they had to throw Bomb Seeds in its mouth three times. After defeating the Piranha Plant, a Wiggler thanked the tiny heroes and gives them the first Sky Crystal, and the heroes continued their quest for Bowser's Castle.

Mario Party 9
Piranha Plants appear in minigames featured in Mario Party 9. In Speeding Bullets, they get out of Warp Pipes and can slow down the Bullet Bills when both collide. In Piranha Patch, Piranha Plants grow from normal flower buds and take one point from the players they attack. They also appear as hazards in Wiggler Bounce.

The Piranha Plant is also given a constellation, named "Gluttonous Gobbler."

Mario Party: Island Tour
Piranha Plants appear in Mario Party: Island Tour as obstacles that the player must avoid in the minigame Quickest Cricket. Two also appear in one of the scenes depicted in Get Reel.

Paper Mario
In Paper Mario, Piranha Plants are found in Forever Forest. Unlike the Piranha Plants of Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, who are firmly rooted in place and unable to move, the Piranha Plants of Paper Mario are shown to be able to move around freely; if a Piranha Plant is alerted to Mario's presence, it will burrow underground and suddenly "burst" to the surface near Mario and try to bite him.

Two variations of Piranha Plants, the tropical Putrid Piranha and frigid Frost Piranha, are introduced in Paper Mario. The boss of Mt. Lavalava, Lava Piranha is also a gigantic, talking and flaming Piranha Plant.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Though regular Piranha Plants do not appear in this game, four subspecies of Piranha Plants appear in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. There is a subspecies known as Pale Piranha, which is found in Boggly Woods. Additionally, Putrid Piranhas and Frost Piranhas return from Paper Mario, along with a new, stronger variety, simply called Piranha Plant. These have the highest HP and attack power and are not even found in the main story, only found in the Pit of 100 Trials.

Super Paper Mario
Piranha Plants appear again in the third Paper Mario game, Super Paper Mario. In this game, regular Piranhas appear in Lineland, Gloam Valley, and The Bitlands, but not the Pit of 100 Trials. The Putrid Piranha and Frost Piranha return as well. The only way to defeat them is by using items. However, as new characters and Pixls are gained, it becomes much easier to defeat them. They have less HP since the last game they were in.

Paper Mario: Sticker Star


Piranha Plants reappear in Paper Mario: Sticker Star, having more HP than their previous iterations. They first appear in World 3 as semi-common enemies, but later appear in World 5 as common enemies. Their appearance hasn't changed too much from the previous Paper Mario games, though they have white teeth and their leaves look like those from the mainstream games. Piranha Plants can attack by biting Mario, as well as spitting at him. They can also dig underground to dodge attacks for one turn. Like the other Paper Mario games, Piranha Plants cannot be stomped on unless an Iron Jump sticker is used; this does not apply, however, if they are asleep. Fire Piranhas are also introduced in this game.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
Piranha Plants appear as enemies in the Beanbean International Airport, where they interrupt the landing process of the Toad Express. These Piranha Plants must be killed by Luigi's Thunderhand after dousing them in water.

A giant Piranha Plant, which oddly hatches from an egg, appears as a boss in the Beanbean International Airport. This Piranha Plant, named Mom Piranha had the ability to shoot energy beams. Later on in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, a Piranha Plant named Piranha Bean appears as a mini-boss. Oddly, Piranha Bean had the ability to shrink anything it eats.

Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
Though regular Piranha Plants don't appear in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, two new sub-species of them, called Elasto-Piranhas and Piranha Planets appear. Additionally, Petey Piranha also appears.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
A cell-based variation of the Piranha Plant, the Piranha Plorp, appeared in the Energy Hold in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. Two giant Piranha Plants were also located in Peach's Castle, and had to be defeated by Bowser by leaping up to their buds and bashing into them.

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
Piranha Plants reappear as enemies in the Mario & Luigi series in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team. In the field when Mario and Dreamy Luigi are in the vicinity, Piranha Plants spit fire in the direction it faces upon coming out several times before retreating back into the ground to hide for a moment, repeating this process indefinitely on the same spot. If the is used, the Piranha Plants all retreat underground briefly as the gravity changes.

In battle, a Piranha Plant may spit a large fireball or a Fly Guy at Mario, who must jump over or idle under these respective objects to avoid taking damage. Piranha Plants may spit out Nipper Dandelions that become Nipper Plants who assist them in battle from the background. While Nipper Plants are still alive, a Piranha Plant can spit a fireball towards the Nipper Plants, who will bounce the fireball about until each Nipper Plant has touched the fireball, where the last Nipper Plant to touch it sends the fireball towards Mario, who must hammer it at the Piranha Plant to avoid taking damage.

Piranha Plants are weak to Fire attacks, and thus take critical damage from the Luiginary Flame.

Super Princess Peach
Piranha Plants appear as rare enemies in Super Princess Peach. They act like how they did in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. They could be defeated with Perry or by using Rage, but could not be jumped on or picked up. There is also a new variety of them called Glad Piranha Plants, normal and Glad Ptooies, and normal and Sad Nipper Plants also appear in Super Princess Peach. There was also a reappearance of Petey Piranha, although he was called "Boss P. Plant" (short for "Boss Piranha Plant") in the game's glossary.

Mario Superstar Baseball
In Mario Superstar Baseball, Piranha Plants appear as obstacles in the Yoshi Park, where they will eat any nearby balls and spit them out in a random direction. Piranha Plants also appear in the Piranha Panic minigame, where players must hit colored Piranha Plants with fireballs of matching colors.

Mario Super Sluggers
Piranha Plants reappear in the next installment, Mario Super Sluggers. Here, they reside in Yoshi Park again. This time however, they can take a ball, go in the pipe, and transport it to another part of the field. They can also stun any fielders who make contact with the Piranha Plants. Piranha Panic returns, except that the player must pitch the right balls into the Piranha Plants in order to score points and avoid getting stunned by it.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Piranha Plants and Venus Fire Traps also appear in the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series with similar moves as in mainstream Mario games.

Captain Rainbow
A single Piranha Plant also appears in the game Captain Rainbow in the garden of Lip's house. After Birdo, it is the second Mario series character appearing in the game, but it only has a minor role. The fairy Lip takes care of the Piranha Plant.

Nintendo Monopoly
A Piranha Plant appears as a utility in Nintendo Monopoly. It costs $150, and takes the place of the Electric Company.

Big Brain Academy
In Big Brain Academy for the Nintendo DS, the silhouette of a Piranha Plant appears under the 3-Star difficulty of the "Get in Shape" minigame.

The Legend of Zelda series
Piranha Plants also appear as semi-regular enemies in the Legend of Zelda series. Manhandla, which debuted in the first game, are boss monsters which were said to be four-limbed, jumbo-sized variants of Piranha Plant. More conventional Piranha Plants also appeared in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, which contained a few other Nintendo cameos. Piranha Plants are also very similar to Deku Babas, which first appeared in Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Sonic Lost World
Piranha Plants appear as enemies in the Yoshi's Island Zone DLC for Sonic Lost World. They more resemble how they appear in Yoshi's Island, with extremely large heads compared to their stems. The only way to defeat them is to kick a Shy Guy into them.

Possible relatives

 * Slithervine
 * Hurt Plant
 * Muncher
 * Chomp

Super Mario Galaxy trading card description
''An old enemy of Mario, these large carnivorous plants live in pipes, just waiting to munch on anyone who might try to jump into their territory. These hungry plants can be either red, green, or a larger purple. Mario can stun them by throwing Star Bits at them or kill them by jumping on their heads.''