A Piranha Plant coming out of a pipe.
A Piranha Plant is an enemy that makes continual appearance in the Super Mario series and its spin-offs. These plants pop out of pipes, launch fireballs, and constantly try to chomp Mario with their huge jaws. They serve as dangerous obstacles in the Mario Kart series.
Super Mario Kart
These Piranha Plants first appeared in Super Mario Kart in the course Choco Island 1 and 2. There are scattered around the track and even some in the mud. They snap their petals and don't move around.
Mario Kart 64
These Piranha Plants in Mario Kart 64 appear biting up and pull over if the player hits one. They are on the edges of the track in Mario Raceway and Royal Raceway.
Mario Kart: Super Circuit
Piranha Plants inhabit the quicksand funnels in Yoshi Desert on this game, and when a player is sucked into one, they are chomped by a Piranha Plant and spit out, losing time and precious Coins. Even though the two Choco Island courses appear as Retro Tracks, they are not armed with Piranha Plants.
Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
Piranha Plants then appear in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! Mario Circuit, where there are a few of them on each side when turning a U turn, and they will bite you if you are too close to them. They also appear at the very end of the course. They actually snap out at you, blocking your path. They also appear in Yoshi Circuit at more points, and are harder to avoid. Fake metal piranha plants appear in Waluigi Stadium. A big Piranha Plant is in the Dry Dry Desert.
Mario Kart DS
They appear in Mario Circuit in this game as well! They appear in pipes (as in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!) and on the ground (as in Mario Kart 64). There are two that actually breathe fireballs at you.
Mario Kart Wii
Piranha Plants appear in several courses here. The large Kart Piranha Prowler is based on them.
Mario Kart 7
They appear in the New Course Piranha Plant Slide and for the first time they have their own course. They also appear in the new course Music Park.
Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
They reappear in 3DS Piranha Plant Slide, as well as a few other courses and also are now an obtainable item. The Piranha Plant living in the quicksand has been removed in Dry Dry Desert in this game. The Piranha Plant item puts a potted Piranha Plant at the front of the kart, which will lunge forward either once every second and a half, or every time the player presses their item button. When it lunges, it will destroy obstacles such as Bananas, collect Coins, knock over other racers, and give the user a small speed boost. It will disappear either ten seconds after activation, or after the tenth lunge.
In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, the Piranha Plant item cannot be stolen by a Boo while it is in use. Also, the Authority team in Renegade Roundup has Piranha Plants of their team colour with police lights on their heads. These lights flash brighter as the player approaches a renegade, and the Piranha Plant will chomp only when it gets close to them. If a renegade is chomped by one of these "Police Plants", they will be sent to the prison cell and lose their items.
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