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Prickly Piranha Plants, also named Purple Piranha Plants, are large purple Piranha Plants with a very prickly stem that appear in the Super Mario Galaxy sub-series. A Prickly Piranha Plant's head is often moving and always on the defense, meaning that Mario or Luigi have to find a way to make the Prickly Piranha Plant vulnerable before they can attack it. Prickly Piranha Plants appear to be relatives of Super Piranha Plants.

History[]

Super Mario Galaxy[]

Prickly Piranha Plant Garden

Mario head on with a Prickly Piranha Plant.

Prickly Piranha Plants are first seen in Super Mario Galaxy. In this game, they are commonly found in various grass-themed galaxies including the Good Egg Galaxy, the Beach Bowl Galaxy, and the Gusty Garden Galaxy. Unlike regular Piranha Plants, Prickly Piranha Plants have prickly stems (hence their name) and they are always on the defense making them hazardous to touch. Prickly Piranha Plants attack by lifting their heads up in the air and slamming down on the ground, this leaves them briefly stunned and vulnerable allowing Mario/Luigi to stomp on the dazed Prickly Piranha Plant to finish it off. If the plumbers Star Spin near a stunned Prickly Piranha Plant, this will reset it's stun time. Alternatively, a Prickly Piranha Plant can be beaten by whacking a Stretch Plant into them. Upon defeat, Prickly Piranha Plants usually leave behind Sproutle Vines or Launch Stars as well as a multitude of Star Bits. Other times, they also leave behind power-ups such as Ice Flowers.

Super Mario Galaxy 2[]

Prickly Piranha Plant Gravity

The Prickly Piranha Plant guarding the path forward.

Prickly Piranha Plants return in Super Mario Galaxy 2, this time being less common than before. They are found in the Rightside Down Galaxy as well as the Throwback Galaxy. Just as before, a Prickly Piranha Plant is hazardous to touch outright due to it's prickly stem and defensive behavior so the plumbers must once again wait for it to attack and then when the Prickly Piranha Plant is vulnerable, stomp on it. This time however, Prickly Piranha Plants aren't seen leaving behind Sproutle Vines, Launch Stars, or Power-Ups but still retain their Star Bit prize upon defeat. A much more powerful variety of the Prickly Piranha Plant called the Spiky Piranha Plant also appears in this game. These guys have spikes all over and are immune to all basic attacks.

Trivia[]

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