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
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 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. There was also a Green Para-Beetle that appeared via Game Genie Codes, who were faster than their Red siblings.

''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, which players can collect for a 1-UP.

''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.

Super Mario anime series
In 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.

''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

Trivia

 * In Super Mario Momotarō, Mario teams up with the first and only Para-Beetle to have a confirmed gender (female).
 * Unused sprites of a green Para-Beetle were found in Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3.