Piranha Plant

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

- Piranha Plant

Piranha Plants 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 now rarely used.

''Super Mario Bros.
The first appearance of Piranha Plants was first seen in World 1-2 of Super Mario Bros. as semi-common enemies. They are one of Bowser's soldiers of the Koopa Troop that conquers the Mushroom Kingdom since he attacked it. The Piranha Plants inhabit Warp Pipes and attack by biting Mario or Luigi if they were close enough to them or jump on these carnivorous plants. Oddly, Piranha Plants won't emerge from their pipe if Mario or Luigi are touching or standing directly on top of it.

Piranha Plants could be defeated by shooting them with a fireball in a character's fire form, by kicking a Koopa shell or a Buzzy Beetle's shell at them, or by touching them while empowered by a Starman. They are easy to defeat them those ways, as the Piranha Plants are really slow.

''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 Piranha Plants, 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 past game. And they are the most common Piranha Plants seen throughout the Mario series than their weaker green counterparts from Super Mario Bros.. Additionally, they will pop up in upside-down pipes as well, making Mario or Luigi's way a bit more harder. 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; Here, they have the standard biting attack; Piranha Plants also gain a new sub-species: Venus Fire Trap, with the ability to shoot dangerous, albeit slow-moving, fireballs. 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.

Three variants of Piranha Plants are also introduced in Super Mario Bros. 3, they are Piranhacus Giganticus, Ptooies and the aforementioned Venus Fire Traps.

The Red Piranha Plants from Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels (see above) re-appear in the World 7's pipe mazes, but since Piranha Plants are now all red, their leaves are red instead.

Nipper Plants are juvenile versions of Piranha Plants. In fact, Nipper Plants are referred to as "Baby Piranha Plants" in the Game & Watch Gallery 3 instruction booklet, and they are referred to as "Small Pakkun" in Japan. Munchers are called "Black Pakkun" in Japan, and resemble Nipper Plants more than they do 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.

''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 initial English 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 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 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, 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.

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.

''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.

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. The lips of these Piranha Plants are also inexplicably green; this was fixed in the remake, where their lips were white. In some later games, they still had green lips.

Normally, these Piranha Plants are found calmly sleeping in flower beds; if approached, however, they will attack in a crazed frenzy. Players must be quick to attack a Piranha Plant before it wakes up in order to defeat it. They can take three wedges of Mario's health; the first time they are killed, they give up Blue Coins, which restores more health than the plants can take.

Giant-sized 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 the remake, Super Mario 64 DS, Piranha Plants had white lips.

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 would not wake them up.

''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.

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 mouth.

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 with teeth. He never uses them, though. It must be noted that 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.

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 make 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 or with a Star Spin. 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 was 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.

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.''

''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..

''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 act 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 exposed tail 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 prequel.

Super Mario 3D Land
Piranha Plants appears 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.

''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.

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 particular 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 got 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".

Yoshi
Pirahna Plants make an appearance in Yoshi. They are enemies in the A Type part of the game, as well as the B Type. Pirahna Plants are not main enemies in the game, they just make appearances throughout some parts of the game. Pirahna 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
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 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 appear is a Piranha Plant.

Mario Party series
Piranha Plants are featured quite prominently in the Mario Party series, often as obstacles in mini-games. 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. The player must bring one to a Bob-omb named Bob-omba. The ending states that he is still healthy, and huge.

''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 mini-game Feed and Seed in order to defeat the Piranha Plant. In the mini-game, 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.

''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
There are four subspecies of Piranha Plants in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. There is a species 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.

''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.

''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 mini-game, 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.

''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" mini-game.

The Legend of Zelda series
Piranha Plants also appear as enemies in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening.

Possible Relatives

 * Slithervine
 * Hurt Plant
 * Muncher
 * Chomp

Trivia

 * Piranha Plants are very similar to Deku Babas, an enemy in the The Legend of Zelda series.
 * In New Super Mario Bros., Piranha Plants make chomping sounds when out of their Pipe.