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 Flytrap, 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 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 "child"-versions 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.

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 untranslated 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 or the Tanooki Suit.

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 seem to be an off-shoot of the Nipper Plant, but are called "Black Pakkuns" in Japan.

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.

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 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.

Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS
In Super Mario 64 and it's 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."

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.

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.

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; Piranha Heads, giant-sized, goop-covered Piranha Plant heads also appear as obstacles in Bianco Hills. 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.

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.

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 albino Pale Piranhas. Oddly, the Pirahna Plant in this game is stronger than all the other species in the game.

''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.

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.

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.

Venus Fire Traps also make their return in New Super Mario Bros., while giant-sized Super Piranha Plants make their debut.

''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.

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.

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 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.

Here is their full tattle: This is a notorious Piranha Plant. It is a monstrous flower that lives in pipes... Max HP is two and Attack is one. This strange weed will stay low if you cozy up to the side of its pipe...

Super Mario Galaxy
Piranha Plants make their appearance in Super Mario Galaxy, trying to bite the player, but could be stunned if Mario shot Star Bits at them. 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.

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 Star 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.

Mario Party DS
A Piranha Plant acted as a 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 3 times. After defeating Piranha Plant, a Wiggler thanked the tiny heroes and give them the (red) 1st Sky Crystal, and the heroes continued their quest for Bowser's Castle.

Appearances in Other Media
Piranha Plants made several appearances in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!.

Other Appearances
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.

In the Mario Kart series, Piranha Plants often appear as road obstacles, such as in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!.

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.

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.

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.

Possible Relatives

 * Slithervine
 * Hurt Plant

Trivia

 * A Piranha Plant appeared in Nintendo Monopoly. It cost $150, and took the place of the Electric Company.
 * Some Piranha Plants have been known to walk, such as ones from Mario Party 2(which conversed with the gamer) and Super Mario RPG. Their bottom stems made like feet.
 * An enemy from the Legend of Zelda, called a Deku Baba, looks a lot like a Piranha Plant. This enemy looks more like a real plant, though, and doesn't come out of pipes. It also can live on water, as seen in Majora's mask in the Great Bay Temple, though Piranha plants can't.
 * The Piranha Plant has also appeared in Crash Bandicoot 2, though they are not the same as the Marioverse's version of the Piranha Plant.
 * In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, the enemy called "Pale Piranha" in English releases is called simply "Pakkun Flower" in Japanese releases. Similarly, the enemy called "Piranha Plant" is called "Killer Pakkun" in Japanese releases.
 * In Mario Party DS, the Piranha Plant is the only non-Koopa related boss in the game, as the Hammer Bro. is a Koopa Troopa with hammers and a helmet, Dry Bones is a dead Troopa, Kamek is a Magikoopa and Bowser is the Koopa King.