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 release was in Super Mario Bros. as semi-common enemies who would inhabit Warp Pipes and attack by biting Mario or Luigi if they were close enough to them. Oddly, Piranha Plants won't emerge from their pipe if Mario or Luigi is 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 at them or by touching them while empowered by a Starman.

''Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, which was the Japanese sequel to Super Mario Bros., introduced red-colored Piranha Plants, which were much quicker than the green variety and emerged from their pipe, regardless if someone is touching it. However, they would not appear if the player was standing directly on top of the pipe.

''Super Mario Land
An enemy identical in appearance and behavior appears in Super Mario Land, which takes place in Sarasaland, not the Mushroom Kingdom. However, the instruction manual refers to the creature as Pakkun Flower. This created confusion, leading people to think they were different type of plants, but it should be noted that the original Japanese name for a Piranha Plant is "Pakkun Furawa" with "Furawa" being the Japanese transliteration for the word flower. Since most of the name of the enemies were left unlocalized in the Super Mario Land instruction, the same is for the Pakkun Flower, that only is a Piranha Plant with it's name untranslated.

''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 Bros. 3
In Super Mario Bros. 3, Piranha Plants are found throughout the game; along with having their standard biting attack, Piranha Plants also gain their 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 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 Pakkuns" in Japan. Munchers are called "Black Pakkuns" 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 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. Classic, right side up piranha plants are in the game's coding, but since their graphics were never completely finished, their stalks look like dead cheep-cheeps or other out of place objects.

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 64 and ''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.

Normally, these Piranha Plants are found calmly sleeping in flower beds, but if approached, 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 off a whopping three energy, but because of that and their ability to replenish, the first time they are killed, they give up Blue Coins.

A giant-sized, unnamed version of Piranha Plants 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, there is a miniature version of those that appear in the Tiny version. Those mini ones also appear twice 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."

''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 in Super Mario 64, since they have green lips, however, they lack of teeth

Piranha Plants in the Generator, apparently Piranha Plants created from the sludge of the Gaddbrush, 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. Piranha Heads, giant-sized, goop-covered Piranha Plant heads also appear as obstacles in Bianco Hills comming out of the goop. If Mario sprays water on them, they are revealed to look like Petey Piranha's head.

Oddly enough, all of these Piranha Plants that have just been mentioned lack any form of teeth in their mouth, making them not similar to piranhas at all.

Petey Piranha, a goop-spitting, giant 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 most 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 jumpingon them or with a Star Spin. They would sometimes be used to advance further, as a Sproutle 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 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 prequel, 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 Piranha Plants have lost their chomping sound effects from New Super Mario Bros..

''The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!
Piranha Plants made several appearances in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!.

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, he/she will spin out.

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.

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.

''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 he approached.

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.

The Piranha Plants of Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island could easily be defeated by throwing an egg at them or by spitting an enemy at them.

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 and Needlenose-spitting Piranha Plants 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. Yoshi's Story also introduced several other variations of Piranha Plants, 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, this time, they're oddly spike-covered.

''Yoshi's Island DS
In Yoshi's Island DS, Piranha Plants once again appear as common enemies, along with Wild Ptooie Piranhas, Nipper Plants, Nipper Spores. Several new Piranha Plants, such as Ghost Piranhas, undead Piranha Plants, Bungee Piranha, purple, stretching Piranha Plants and Nipper Dandelions, Nipper Spores bunched together, also appear in Yoshi's Island DS.

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

''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, though despite this, outside of battle, they are found exclusively in pipes. Perhaps in reference to their immunity to being jumped on in earlier Mario games, the Piranha Plants of Super Mario RPG 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, though renamed Chompweeds also appear as coin-stealing obstacles in the Pipe Vault and was set to appear as fightable Enemies, but 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.

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; By doing this, 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 DS a Piranha Plant is the boss of Wigglers Garden.

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 a mini-game 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 (red) 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
Piranha Plants are surprisingly rare in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, found only in the Pit of 100 Trials. Piranha Plants are also one of the more powerful enemies in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, having a large amount of attack power and Health Points.

As well as marking the return of Frost Piranhas and Putrid Piranhas, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door also introduces the monochrome Pale Piranhas. Oddly, the Pirahna Plant in this game is stronger than all the other species in the game. This is likely due to translation errors. In Japanese releases, the enemy called "Pale Piranha" in English releases is called simply "Pakkun Flower", like the regular Piranha Plant. On the other hand, the enemy called "Piranha Plant" is called "Killer Pakkun" in Japanese releases, meaning that both names were probably confused.

''Super Paper Mario
Piranha Plants appeared again in the third Paper Mario game, Super Paper Mario. In this game, they first appeared on the first level. Then, the only way to defeat them was by using an item. However, as new characters and Pixls are gained, it becomes much easier to defeat them. They have a lot of HP since the last game they were in. Many stronger recolorations of these plants were used.

''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.

''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 vs. Donkey Kong
They appeared rarely in Mario vs. Donkey Kong, in only Donkey Kong Jungle and Mystical Forest. They look similar to their look in Super Mario Sunshine, but have no leaves. They usually appear when Mario is climbing a vine or a ladder, spitting fire at him has he walks by. They are invincible, and don't have teeth.

''Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis
They are common enemies in Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis. They aren't seen commonly in tubes, usually only in the boss fight of Pipe Works. They use their fire breathing ability, and have only one fire ball, keeping their mouths open until they get their fireball back. They are invincible in this game. Two may eat each others fireballs, as if they were playing catch.

''Super Princess Peach
Although Piranha Plants are rare in Super Princess Peach, a new variety of them, called Glad Piranha Plants appear; Normal and Glad Ptooies and normal and Sad Nipper Plants also appear in Super Princess Peach. There was also a reappearance of Petey Piranha.

''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.

Possible Relatives

 * Slithervine
 * Hurt Plant
 * Muncher

Trivia

 * A Piranha Plant appeared in Nintendo Monopoly. It cost $150, and took the place of the Electric Company.
 * Piranha Plants have cameos in a few games outside of the Mario series.
 * 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.
 * Piranha Plants also appear as enemies in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening. Another species of enemy from the Legend of Zelda known as the Deku Baba looks a lot like Piranha Plants.
 * Some Piranha Plants have been known to walk, such as ones from Mario Party 2 and Super Mario RPG, their bottom stems being made to look and act like feet.

Names in Other Languages
🇵🇲