Super Mario 64 Official Wikia
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The Piranha Plant is a large, green flower-like enemy in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS with a round, eyeless head, hat sports a red coloration with large, white dots and white teeth.

All Piranha Plants are stationary enemies, which doesn't make them any less dangerous. They also come in two variants.

Small Piranha Plant[]

Small Piranha Plant
Small Piranha Plant bite
Species Piranha Plant
Gender none
Location(s) Whomp's Fortress
Damage Medium
Received When Killed Blue Coin

The Small Piranha Plant first appears in Whomp's Fortress. These are usually found sleeping in small flower fields or on top of the fortress' narrow corners. A sleeping Small Piranha Plant will usually also be indicated by a soft lullaby playing and temporarily overwriting the regular level theme.

Mario can either avoid the Small Piranha Plants by quickly jumping away from them or by slowly sneaking past them. Walking at a normal speed or running past them, will wake them though, which causes the Small Piranha Plant to start biting around it furiously.

It won't calm down until Mario has gone far enough away to cause it to despawn.

Keep notice, that Mario can only defeat the Small Piranha Plant by swiftly attacking it with the forward charge. Any other attack will be to slow and cause the Small Piranha Plant to wake up again.

The Small Piranha Plant can't be harmed while it's awake, but it will harm Mario while in this state.

Defeating a Small Piranha Plant will cause it to make a squeaky noise, while it shrinks and vanishes, leaving a Blue Coin behind.

Gallery (Whomp's Fortress)[]

Large Piranha Plant[]

Large Piranha Plant
Large Piranha Plant spit fire
Species Piranha Plant
Gender None
Location(s) Tiny-Huge Island
Damage Medium
Received When Killed Three regular Coins

The Large Piranha Plant first appears in Tiny-Huge Island. These are mainly found in the Pluck the Piranha Flower mission, where they will remain hidden until Mario enters their location, causing them to suddenly appear from the ground and immediately grow to a large size.

Unlike their small counterparts, they never sleep, but can simply be leapt away from, if the player intends to escape them.

Once the Large Piranha Plant has grown to its full size, it will hunch over and quickly spit a small flame at Mario. Afterwards, the Piranha Plant will retreat very swiftly.

Mario has to time his own attack just right, so he can hit the Piranha Plant as it appears. The Large Piranha Plant can be defeated, by punching it, jumping to its head, using the forward charge or the ground pound.

If Mario's attack connects, the Piranha Plant will be defeated and shrink like it's smaller counterpart, while making the same squeaky noise.

Unlike the Small Piranha Plant, the Large Piranha Plant only drops three regular Coins upon its defeat.

Gallery (Tiny-Huge Island)[]

Super Mario 64[]
Super Mario 64 DS'[]

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