Piranha Plant

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It has been requested that this article be rewritten and expanded to include more information. Reason: More recent appearances (2013-present)

"Piranha" redirects here. For information about the fish-like Chomps from Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, see here.
Piranha Plant

Artwork of a Piranha Plant for New Super Mario Bros.
Appearances
First appearance Super Mario Bros. (1985)
Latest appearance Super Mario Party Jamboree (2024)
Similar entities
Variants
Big Piranha Plant
Bone Piranha Plant
Bungee Piranha
Chewy
Dino Piranha
Elasto-Piranha
Fire Piranha Plant
Glad P. Plant
Gold Piranha Plant
Hidon
Ice Piranha Plant
Inky Piranha Plant
Jumping Piranha Plant
Manhandla
Mecha Piranha Plant
Muncher
Naval Bud
Nipper Plant
Nipper Spore
Nipper Dandelion
Piranha Bean
Piranha Pest
Piranha Planet
Piranha Plant (Pit of 100 Trials)
Piranha Plorp
Piranha Pod
Piranha Sprout (Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker)
Piranha Sprout (Yoshi's Story)
Piranhabon
Pit Plant
Poison Piranha Plant
Polterpiranha
Potted Piranha Plant
Propeller Piranha
Proto Piranha
Ptooie
Putrid Piranha
Raving Piranha Plant
River Piranha Plant
Smilax
Stalking Piranha Plant
Tane Pakkun
Wild Ptooie Piranha
Comparable
Deku Baba
Genkotsu
Hurt Plant
Kobu Kokko
Spritzbloom
Notable members
Big Bungee Piranha
Dino Piranha
Gattai monster
Izzy
Mama Fireplant
Megasmilax
Mind-Bogglers
Mom Piranha
Naval Piranha
Petey Piranha
Piper
Pirabbid Plant
Spike the Piranha
“Grawr Charble Grawr! (Hey, what's cooking? YOU ARE!)”
Piranha Plant, Mario Party DS

Piranha Plants (also known as Piranhas and rarely Munchies) are large, carnivorous plants encountered throughout the Mario franchise. 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.

Despite being plants, Piranha Plants have been depicted as being sentient and capable of speech in a few appearances, though unlike several other enemies in the Mario franchise, they have never been shown forming societies. Piranha Plant characters such as Petey Piranha, Boss Piranha Plant, Piranha Bean, Paper Petey Piranha, Petea Piranha and Dino Piranha, among others, reveal that some Piranha Plants can have animal-like bodies, making them capable of walking. Mom Piranha, Dino Piranha and Peewee Piranha are all depicted hatching from eggs, suggesting that Piranha Plants may be oviparious.

History

Super Mario series

Super Mario Bros.

A Piranha Plant, as it appears in Super Mario Bros..

The first appearance of Piranha Plants was in World 1-2 of Super Mario Bros. They are somewhat common enemies during Mario and Luigi's journey to rescue Princess Toadstool. The Piranha Plants inhabit pipes and attack by biting Mario or Luigi if they come into contact with these carnivorous plants. Piranha Plants won't emerge from their pipe if Mario or Luigi are adjacent to or standing directly on top of it, similar to a Bill Blaster.

Piranha Plants can be defeated by shooting them with a fireball, by kicking a Koopa or Buzzy Beetle shell at them, or by touching them while empowered by a Starman.

Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels

Red Piranha Plants in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels.
A Red Piranha Plant.

The Piranha Plants returned in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels. The game introduced red-colored variants, 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 previous game, and have been the most common Piranha Plants seen throughout the Mario series since then. Additionally, they will pop up in upside-down pipes as well, making Mario or Luigi's way a bit more difficult. 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 most Piranha Plants are now red, their leaves were made red in remakes of the game. Red Piranha Plants are also one block taller than green ones.[1] 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. A Fire Breathing Nipper Plant appears in World 7-8. 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

A Piranha Plant in 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 and 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, thus acting as a replacement for regular piranha plants.

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. Spin-jumping can also prevent getting chomped.

An upward-facing Piranha Plant was originally going to appear, but didn't make it to the final game.

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

A Piranha Plant, as it appears in Super Mario 64.

In Super Mario 64 and its remake, Super Mario 64 DS, Piranha Plants appear as semi-common enemies once again. Normally, these plants are peacefully sleeping, however, if Mario wakes them up, they will try to bite Mario. They can be defeated with most attack methods, most easily by walking towards them slowly without waking them up and then punching them. The lips of these Piranha Plants are also inexplicably green; this was changed in the remake, where they had white lips.

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 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 and please don't thow eggs at me." Indeed, walking slowly near the Piranha Plants will not wake them up. When they are asleep, a lullaby plays. It can be heard here. Yoshi can also beat Piranha Plants by throwing Eggs at them.

Super Mario Sunshine

A Goop-covered Piranha Plant in 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. They also gain a new notable member, Petey Piranha which will later turn in a main boss of the series.

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 mouths.

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 in the game with teeth. He never uses them, though. Petey still has green lips in modern games, while Piranha Plants' lips are white.

New Super Mario Bros.

A Piranha Plant from New Super Mario Bros. U.

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. In New Super Mario Bros., Piranha Plants make chomping sounds.

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

A Prickly Piranha Plant model from Super Mario Galaxy.

Piranha Plants made 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, with a Star Spin, or when run into as Rainbow Mario. 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 is 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.

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.. Also Yoshi can jump on a Piranha Plant without getting hurt.

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 acts 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 glowing butt 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 predecessor.

Super Mario 3D Land

The black Inky Piranha Plant.

Piranha Plants appear in Super Mario 3D Land for the Nintendo 3DS. They act like they do in the Super Mario Galaxy series. There is also two new black variants called Inky Piranha Plants and Fire Piranha Plants. Inky Piranha Plants spit ink that covers the top screen, like a Blooper in the Mario Kart series and Fire Piranha Plants spit fireballs at Mario very similarly to a Venus Fire Trap but with a different color.

New Super Mario Bros. 2

A Bone Piranha Plant.

Piranha Plants appear in New Super Mario Bros. 2. Whenever Mario touches a Gold Ring, the Piranha Plants turn golden. Whenever the player defeats them when they are golden, the location they inhabited shoots out coins. A new species of Piranha Plant are also introduced, which are Bone Piranha Plants.

New Super Mario Bros. U

Piranha Plants appear in New Super Mario Bros. U. Super Piranha Plants also reappear, as well as a new ice spitting variety. In the level Blooming Lakitus, Lakitus throw spiked eggs that hatch into Piranha plants instead of Spinies. Piranhacus Giganticus also return in this game.

Mario Kart series

A set of Piranha Plants at Mario Circuit, in Mario Kart Double Dash!!.

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 gets 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 Plant as it appeared in Mario Kart Arcade GP.

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". Two appear on this track, one in the underground segment and the other in the underwater segment. and if the player comes near them, they attempt to bite them. Getting hit by a Piranha Plant causes the player flip out. Two more Piranha Plants also appear on the track Music Park. They do the same things, and switch to the opposite side of the track each lap. These plants also bop their heads to the track's music.

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.

Mario Party series

Artwork of a Piranha Plant in Mario Party DS.

Piranha Plants are featured quite prominently in the Mario Party series, often as obstacles in minigames. 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

Piranha Plants in Whack-a-Plant.

A legged Piranha Plant chases the solo player in the 1-vs-3 minigame Piranha's Pursuit, and a giant one is found in Tug o' War. Additionally, the minigame Whack-a-Plant involves stomping Piranha Plants which pop out of Warp Pipes.

Mario Party 2

Being the only Piranha Plant that appears in Mario Party 2, it only appears in Mini-Game Park and is constantly chasing a butterfly without stopping.

Mario Party 3

In Mario Party 3, a spiked Piranha Plant appears in the background of the minigame Vine With Me, possibly Naval Piranha.

A Piranha Plant is also one of the partners in the game's Duel Mode, and is Waluigi's default partner. It has an attack power of 3, one health point, and a salary of five. Its ability allows it to occasionally give the player extra dice.

Mario Party 4

Though, Piranha Plants don't appear in any boards, minigames, or as item in Mario Party 4. They appear only makes a brief cameo in the background of the Option Room.

Mario Party 5

Piranha Plants appearing in Pop-Star Piranhas.

In Mario Party 5, the minigame Pop-Star Piranhas presents five dancing Piranha-Plants. The players must find out the one that is dancing differently.

Mario Party 6

The minigame Odd Card Out from Mario Party 6 contains cards with Piranha Plants printed on them.

Mario Party 8

Piranha Plants also appear in Mario Party 8. In King Boo's Haunted Hideaway, they act as hazards and take coins from the player, when they land on the ? Space. In the minigame Winner or Dinner as enemies along with Spiny Eggs, eating the players who they bite. A Piranha Plant is one of the hidden enemies in Specter Inspector.

Mario Party 9

Piranha Plants appear in minigames featured in Mario Party 9. In Speeding Bullets, they get out of Warp Pipes and can slow down the Bullet Bills when both collide. In Piranha Patch, Piranha Plants grow from normal flower buds and take one point from the players they attack. They also appear as hazards in Wiggler Bounce.

The Piranha Plant is also given a constellation, named "Gluttonous Gobbler."

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 minigame Feed and Seed in order to defeat the Piranha Plant. In the minigame, 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 series

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 variants 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

Dark Boomboxer | Piranha Plant (#57) | Putrid Piranha

Piranha Plants appear again in 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.

Paper Mario: Sticker Star

Mario engaged in a battle with Spear Guys and a Piranha Plant.

Piranha Plants reappear in Paper Mario: Sticker Star, having more HP than their previous iterations. They first appear in World 3 as semi-common enemies, but later appear in World 5 as common enemies. Their appearance hasn't changed too much from the previous Paper Mario games, though they have white teeth and their leaves look like those from the mainstream games. Piranha Plants can attack by biting Mario, as well as spitting at him. They can also dig underground to dodge attacks for one turn. Like the other Paper Mario games, Piranha Plants cannot be stomped on unless an Iron Jump sticker is used; this does not apply, however, if they are asleep. Fire Piranhas are also introduced in this game.

Mario & Luigi series

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga / Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions

In Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions, 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 (although the game considers it a regular enemy). 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. A Giant Piranha Plant resembling Petey Piranha named Boss P. Plant, (short for "Boss Piranha Plant") also appears as a boss.

Mario Baseball series

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 minigame, 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.

Appearances in other media

DIC cartoons

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.

The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3

One Piranha Plant made an appearance in Sneaky Lying Cheating Giant Ninja Koopas. It bit Raccoon Mario while he was knocked unconscious by Big Mouth's reptile breath tornado move. It attempted to bite Mario again, but it missed, as Mario moved out of the way in time.

Super Mario World

A Piranha Plant about to eat Hip, Hop and King Koopa.

A non-antagonistic Piranha Plant named Mama Fireplant appeared, which Toadstool, Yoshi, Mario, and Luigi had to rescue from Kootie Pie Koopa's clutches in a frozen cavern, although ultimately only Yoshi was successful in doing so due to the porcupine fish in the lair flash-freezing anyone who stepped on them, with Mario, Luigi, and Toadstool needing to be rescued themselves as well.

In A Little Learning, Hip and Hop put a Piranha Plant in Oogtar's "eggabegga" project only to have the sabotage turn on them and King Koopa when Oogtar inadvertently feeds it fertilizer.

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 particularly 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.

Yoshi appearances

Yoshi

Piranha Plants make an appearance in Yoshi. They are enemies in the A Type part of the game, as well as the B Type. Piranha Plants are not main enemies in the game; they just make appearances throughout some parts of the game. Piranha 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 / Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3

Artwork of a Piranha Plant used for Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3

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

A Piranha Plant in 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 has 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.

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.

Other appearances

The Legend of Zelda series

Piranha Plants also appear as semi-regular enemies in the main The Legend of Zelda series. Manhandla, which debuted in the first game, are boss monsters which were said to be four-limbed, jumbo-sized variants of Piranha Plant. Regular Piranha Plants also appeared in The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening alongside various other Mario enemies. Enemies comparable to Piranha Plants, Deku Babas, first appeared in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Super Smash Bros. series

A Piranha Plant in Super Smash Bros..

Piranha Plants appear throughout the Super Smash Bros. series. Also, in the PictoChat stage in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, one of the drawings that appears is a 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

The silhouette of a Piranha Plant in 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" minigame.

Captain Rainbow

The Piranha Plant in 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

Sprites of Piranha Plants through various games.

Profiles and statistics

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars



Piranha Plant
HP FP Attack Magic attack Defense Magic defense
168 4 45 20 14 22
Speed Evade Magic evade Morph rate EXP Coins
6 0% 0% 75% 5 5
Special attacks Items Bonus Flower Yoshi Cookie
S'crow Dust, Pollen Nap Maple Syrup (5%) Attack Up! (20%) Sleepy Bomb
Location(s) Strong Weak
Pipe Vault Jump None

Paper Mario series

Paper Mario



Piranha Plant
Level Max HP Attack
11 5 3
Defense Type Coins
0 Ground, Top-Spiky 1 + 0-2
Run Strong Weak
18 None None
Sleep? Dizzy? Shock?
95%, 1 50%, 0 100%, 0
Shrink? Stop? Fright?
80%, 0 90%, 0 40%
Air Lift? Hurricane? Moves
20% 20% Chomp (3)
Location(s) Items
Forever Forest Fire Flower
  • Tattle: This is a Piranha Plant. Piranha Plants pop out of the ground at unexpected moments, so be on your guard. You've seen 'em in every one of your adventures, so I imagine you know 'em pretty well. Their sharp jaws point upward, so you'll get bitten if you try to jump on 'em. They smile after biting people. That smug smile...it makes me hopping mad!

Super Paper Mario



Piranha Plant
Max HP Attack Defense Score
2 1 0 100
Items Location(s)
Horsetail, Fresh Veggie, Catch Card, Peachy Peach Lineland (Lineland Road), Gloam Valley, The Bitlands, Land of the Cragnons (Floro Caverns)
  • Card description: This violent vine lurks in pipes, waiting for a snack. You'd be surly too if you lived in a pipe.
  • Tippi: This is a notorious Piranha Plant. It is a monstrous flower that lives in pipes... Max HP is 2 and Attack is 1. This strange weed will stay low if you cozy up to the side of its pipe...

Paper Mario: Sticker Star



Piranha Plant
Max HP Attack Defense
25 7 0
Moves Stickers Location(s)
Chomp (7), Breathe (3) Fire Flower The Bafflewood, Loop Loop River, Holey Thicket, Shy Guy Jungle, Chomp Ruins

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga



Piranha Plant
Level HP POW DEF SPEED Experience
20 30 45 40 80 6
Location(s) Coins Item drop Fire Thunder Jump
Beanbean International Airport 1 None – 0%
None – 0%
Heal (red)
Critical (blue)
Critical (red)
Heal (blue)
Spiny
Hammer Hand Burn? Stat down? Stun?
Normal Normal 60% 100% 30%
Notice: Stats in parentheses are from the Japanese version (if they differ from the original American and European stats).

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.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl trophy

Name Image Games Description
Piranha Plant NES Super Mario Bros.
DS New Super Mario Bros.
A vicious, plantlike monster that typically hides in pipes. Piranha Plants emerge with mouths open, awaiting victims. A poorly timed jump means a chomping--hence the "piranha" name. While there have been exceptions--there are many Piranha Plants with unique traits-- they generally don't appear if Mario waits on top of or just next to a pipe. They hate fireballs.

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Piranha Plant/gallery.

Media

Super Mario 64 - Piranha Plant's lullaby
File infoMedia:SM64-Lullaby.oga
Help:MediaHaving trouble playing?

References

Additional names

Internal names

Game File name Name Meaning
Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy 2
ObjectData/PackunPetit.arc PackunPetit Petit Piranha; compare with the game's "Packun Flower"
Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy 2
StageData/ObjNameTable.arc/ObjNameTable.tbl
SystemData/ObjNameTable.arc/ObjNameTable.tbl
プチパックン (Puchi Pakkun) Petit Piranha; the same as Nipper Plant

Names in other languages

Piranha Plant

Language Name Meaning
Japanese パックンフラワー[1]
Pakkun Furawā
パックンフラワー(赤)[1]
Pakkun Furawā (Aka)
Portmanteau of「ぱっくんちょ」(pakkuncho, a Japanese expression meaning "eating in one bite") and "flower"; officially romanized as "Pakkun Flower" or "Packun Flower"

Piranha Plant (Red); variant from Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
Chinese 吞食花
Tūnshí Huā
食人花
Shírén Huā
Swallowing Flower (Mario Tennis Ace)

Human Eating Flower, obscure translation of the Japanese name. (prior to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe)
Dutch Piranha Plant
Pakkunbloem[2]
Piranha Plant
Pakkun Flower (Super Mario Land)
Finnish Piraijakasvi Piranha Plant
French (American) Fleur Piranha Piranha Flower
French (Europe) Plante Piranha
Fleur Pakkun
Piranha Plant
Pakkun Flower (Super Mario Land)
German Piranha-Pflanze
Schnapp-Piranha
Pakkun-Blume
Piranha Plant
From "schnappen" (to snap) + "Piranha Plant"
From Japanese name (Super Mario Land instruction booklet)
Italian Pianta Piranha
Pianta Pirana[sic]
Piranha Plant
Pirana Plant (Super Mario Bros. instruction booklet)
Korean 뻐끔플라워
Ppeokkeum Peullawo
From "뻐끔뻐끔" (ppeokkeum-ppeokkeum, onomatopoeia for opening and closing mouth repetitively) and "flower"
Portuguese (Brazil) Planta Piranha Piranha Plant
Portuguese (Europe) Planta Piranha
Planta-Piranha
Planta-piranha (Super Mario 3D World)
Piranha Plant
Romanian Plantă Piranha Piranha Plant (Super Mario World animated series)
Russian Растение-пиранья
rasteniye-piran'ya
Piranha Plant
Spanish (Americas) Planta piraña Piranha Plant
Spanish (Europe) Planta Piraña
Planta Piraña Gris
Piranha Plant
Gray Piranha Plant (Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door)
Swedish Pirayablomma Piranha Flower

Upside-Down Piranha

Language Name Meaning
Japanese 逆さパックン[3]
さかさパックン
Sakasa Pakkun
Upside-down Piranha (Plant)
Dutch omgekeerde Piranha
Omgekeerde Pakkun[2]
Reverse Piranha
Reverse Pakkun flower (Super Mario Land)
French (American) Fleur Piranha renversée Reversed Piranha Flower
French (Europe) Plante Piranha renversée
Fleur Pakkun inversée
Reversed Piranha Plant
Inversed Pakkun flower (Super Mario Land)
German Kopfüber-Piranha-Pflanze Upside-down Piranha Plant
Italian Pianta Piranha capovolta/sottosopra Upside-down Piranha Plant
Russian пиранья-перевертыш
piran'ya-perevertysh
Flipped-over Piranha
Spanish (Americas) Planta piraña al revés Upside-down Piranha Plant
Spanish (Europe) Planta Piraña del revés Upside-down Piranha Plant

References

  1. ^ a b Nintendo of Japan. "CHARACTERS of Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 2". CHARACTERS of the Super Mario Bros. series (official Japanese character index). Published 2020. Accessed 20 Mar 2021.
  2. ^ a b Super Mario Land Dutch Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console digital manual, tab 14: "Personages".
  3. ^ Super Mario Land Japanese instruction booklet, page 13.