Rip Van Fish

A Rip Van Fish is a sleeping variety of fish found in the game Super Mario World. If Mario swims too close to a Rip Van Fish, it will awaken and start to chase Mario. The fish will pursue Mario until the plumber can put significant distance between them. If Mario escapes, the fish will go back to sleep.

Rip Van Fish can also be awakened by the whistle of a Chargin' Chuck. Whereas Mario can only awaken one fish at a time, the whistle can awaken all the fish in an area.

Rip Van Fish reappear in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island where they act just like the similar Piscatory Pete, swimming back and forth, trying to bump into Yoshi Submarine. A Rip Van Fish can be beaten by simply blasting them with a torpedo from the Yoshi Submarine. The Rip Van Fish of Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island differ from their Super Mario World counterparts by having different facial and by never sleeping.

The Rip Van Fish of Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island reappear in Yoshi's Island DS, once again as underwater foes. As the Yoshi Submarine can no longer shoot torpedoes in Yoshi's Island DS, Rip Van Fish can only be avoided, not attacked.

Rip Van Fish also appeared in the Super Mario World television series episodes "King Scoopa Koopa" and "Mama Luigi".

In "King Scoopa Koopa", after leaping down a Warp Pipe in the Star Path to escape several cave people transformed into Chickadactyls, Mario and Princess Toadstool end-up in the ocean. Seeing several Rip Van Fish surrounding them, Mario and Princess Toadstool make a mad-dash to a nearby Warp Pipe, in the process, waking-up all the nearby Rip Van Fish. Fortunately, Mario and Princess Toadstool duck into the Warp Pipe before the Rip Van Fish can attack them.

In "Mama Luigi"; Luigi and Yoshi, after falling into the ocean, end-up waking a nearby Rip Van Fish, which proceeds to chase Luigi and Yoshi. Attempting to escape the Rip Van Fish, Luigi and Yoshi enter a nearby, underwater tunnel and begin swimming furiously, avoiding obstacles such as ? Blocks and Urchins. Eventually, the Rip Van Fish, having apparently grown bored of chasing Luigi and Yoshi, quickly stops and begins to nap once again, allowing Luigi and Yoshi to get away.

Trivia

 * Rip Van Fish is named after the literary character Rip Van Winkle, who fell asleep for twenty years.