Spiny Piranha Plant

The Spiny Piranha Plant appeared in 2007 video game called Super Mario Galaxy. The Spiny Piranha Plant is a purple variant of Big Piranha Plant first appearing in the game Super Mario Galaxy. They are bigger, purple Piranha Plants whose stems are covered in spikes. To attack, a Spiny Piranha Plant attempts to slam its head into Mario or Luigi. It can be defeated by hitting it with rubbery bulbs, by stomping it after it has slammed its head on the ground, or shooting it with a fireball as Fire Mario. Some are necessary to be defeated in order to make a Sproutle Vine grow so Mario (or Luigi) can proceed. Shooting one with a Star Bit makes the Spiny Piranha Plant act immediately.

In Super Mario Galaxy 2, the Spiny Piranha Plant reappears with the same behavior. The game also introduces a new variation called the Prickly Piranha Plant, which attacks in a similar way, but is black and cannot be stomped due the spikes on its head. Spiny Piranha Plants appear in Sky Station Galaxy, Rightside Down Galaxy, and Throwback Galaxy.

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Spiny Piranha Plants (just called Spiny Piranhas) are mentioned briefly by Viridi during Palutena's Guidance dialogue for Piranha Plant.