Para-Beetle

Para-Beetles are flying Buzzy Beetles that first appeared in Super Mario Bros. 3. A very similar enemy called a Parabuzzy appears in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and Super Paper Mario.

Super Mario Bros. 3
In Super Mario Bros. 3, Mario and Luigi can hop on their back for a ride allowing him to traverse air levels (making them one of the very few enemies that cannot be defeated by jumping on them). They are immune to fireballs but vulnerable to Raccoon Mario's tail attacks, Star and hammers. They are found only in Sky Land's level 5-6. Jumping on a stationary Para-Beetle will slightly lower it, though it will gradually rise upwards again. The mobile Para-Beetles soar quickly through the skies, forcing the heroes to jump from Para-Beetle to Para-Beetle. Green Para-Beetles were originally going to appear in the game (as well as in the Game Boy Advance remake), where they were shown to be faster than normal Para-Beetles.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Para-Beetles return in New Super Mario Bros. Wii after a long absence. There is also a huge new sub-species known as the Heavy Para-Beetle. If Mario steps on a regular Para-Beetle, it will start to rise to the top of the screen. If Mario jumps on a Heavy Para-Beetle, it will start to fall slowly. They only appear in World 7-6. If players jump on eight Para-Beetles consecutively without touching the ground, a 1-Up Mushroom will fall from the sky.

New Super Mario Bros. U
Para-Beetles reappear in New Super Mario Bros. U, behaving the same as in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. They appear in the Soda Jungle level Flight of the Para-Beetles.

Super Mario anime series
In the Super Mario anime Super Mario Momotarō, a female Para-Beetle becomes the first creature to join forces with Mario in his mission to rescue Princess Peach after Mario gives some food to the starving Para-Beetle. During the final battle, she aids Mario by knocking out Wendy Koopa with a powerful tackle and later using the same move on Bowser. After the final battle, she helps Mario return the treasures that Bowser had stolen back to their rightful owners.

The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3
Para-Beetles made a couple of appearances in The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, where they either flew around in numbers, acting as minions in Bowser's army, or served as rideable creatures for Mario, Luigi and Toad to ride on.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
In the game Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Para-Beetles make a cameo appearance. There is a fountain in Rogueport Sewers that has two Para-Beetle statues on it. Also, a similar species known as Parabuzzies make their debut in this game.

Related Enemies

 * Buzzy Beetle
 * Buzz-Bomb
 * Heavy Para-Beetle
 * Parabuzzy
 * Spiky Parabuzzy
 * Spike Top