| Plungelo | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Artwork from Super Mario Sunshine | |||
| First appearance | Super Mario Sunshine (2002) | ||
| Latest appearance | Super Mario 3D All-Stars (2020) | ||
| Variant of | Cataquack | ||
| |||
- “So, we need to get rid of those Plungelos that are up there!”
- —Noki, Super Mario Sunshine
Plungelos, also called Giant Cataquacks,[1] Chuhanas,[2] and Red Cataquacks,[3] are parrot-like creatures that appear as miniature bosses in Super Mario Sunshine. They possess round bodies with beak-like mouths as well as flowers on their heads. Their bodies resemble Wiggler segments. They furthermore have plungers for feet (hence the name), allowing them to maintain their footing even on inclined surfaces. Plungelos bear a resemblance to Cataquacks, but they do not exhibit any of their characteristic behavior.
Six Plungelos appear in Super Mario Sunshine, together with a giant Wiggler. They temporarily take up residence on Isle Delfino's Gelato Beach during the second episode, Mirror Madness! Tilt, Slam, Bam! Here, they can be seen moving around on the three large mirrors situated around the Shine Tower, each having a different number of Plungelos on it: one, two, and three. Their weight knocks the mirrors out of focus and prevents them from redirecting the sun's light into the Sand Bird egg, thereby posing a threat to the Sand Bird's hatching process. A battle starts whenever Mario sets foot on a mirror with at least one Plungelo on it. Plungelos' feet protect them from losing their footing on the mirror, so to defeat Plungelos, Mario has to push them to the edge of the mirror with FLUDD, causing them to lift one of their feet and weaken their footing. After doing so, Mario then has to ground-pound the opposite side of the mirror to launch the Plungelo off. When one of the Plungelos is sprayed with water, the other ones become aggressive and chase Mario. Once every Plungelo is defeated, the three mirrors swing back into their original position, and Mario obtains the episode's Shine Sprite.
While Plungelos do not appear in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour or Mario Golf: Advance Tour, "Plungelo" is a name that can appear on score charts.
Names in other languagesEdit
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | チュウハナ[?] Chūhana |
From「チュウ」(chū, onomatopoeia for a chirping or kissing sound) and「ポイハナ」(Poihana, "Cataquack") | |
| French | Plungelo[?] | - | |
| German | Plungelo[?] | - | |
| Italian | Sturapapero[4][5][6] | Portmanteau of sturalavandino ("plunger") and Catapapero ("Cataquack") | |
| Catapapero Rosso[7] | Red Cataquack | Super Mario Sunshine (PRIMA Guide) |
ReferencesEdit
- ^ Loe, Casey (August 12, 2002). Super Mario Sunshine Perfect Guide. Versus Books (American English). ISBN 1-931886-09-1. Page 57.
- ^ Bogenn, Tim, and Doug Walsh (2002). Super Mario Sunshine Official Strategy Guide. BradyGAMES (American English). ISBN 0-7440-0180-3. Page 64.
- ^ Hodgson, David S J, Bryan Stratton, and Stephen Stratton (September 3, 2002). Super Mario Sunshine Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Prima Games (American English). ISBN 0-7615-3961-1. Page 19.
- ^ "Ma prima, devi liberarti degli Sturapaperi!" – Male Noki on Gelato Beach's Episode 2. Super Mario Sunshine (Italian).
- ^ "Catapapero" – Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour. Scoreboard.
- ^ November 15, 2018. Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia. Magazzini Salani (Italian). ISBN 889367436X. Page 99.
- ^ 2002. Mario Sunshine. Guida strategica. Prima Games (Italian). ISBN 8890092211. Page 12.