This article is about a flower in the Super Mario franchise. For the enemy from Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, see Fluff (enemy).
Fluff
Squared screenshot of a Fluff from Super Mario 3D Land.
Screenshot from Super Mario 3D Land
First appearance Super Mario Sunshine (2002)
Latest appearance Super Mario 3D All-Stars (2020)
Variant of Flower

Fluffs, or Floaty Fluffs, are dandelions in the Super Mario franchise. They initially appeared as large windborne seeds that Mario can grab on to and be taken into the sky on gusts of wind in the 3D games of the Super Mario series. From Super Mario 3D Land onward, Fluffs appear as small flowers that reveal concealed items when stirred.

HistoryEdit

Super Mario seriesEdit

Super Mario SunshineEdit

 
Many Fluffs floating in the distance in Super Mario Sunshine
“Hey, you! Careful! Even if you can grab a piece of fluff... What are you going to do if you miss a cloud and fall? That'd sting!”
Pianta speaking to the mayor, Super Mario Sunshine

Fluffs (or floating fluffs)[1] first appear during Fluff Festival Coin Hunt in Super Mario Sunshine. Fluffs are the primary fixture in Pianta Village's local Fluff Festival, during which they are floating into the sky. Mario can grab one and use it to glide from the top of the giant palm tree in the center of the village to a nearby cloud to retrieve the mission's Shine Sprite. Fluffs move back and forth between the two areas with quick but regular movements.

In addition to the festival itself, dialogue with the local Piantas suggests fluffs are of cultural significance to them. They are incorporates into various songs. The guitarist of the Doot-Doot Sisters specifically plays a ballad during Secret of the Village Underside about a lover being whisked away into the sky on a fluff. They are also the basis for a dance called the "fluff-fluff dance."

Super Mario Galaxy / Super Mario Galaxy 2Edit

 
Mario gliding with Floaty Fluff in the Gusty Garden Galaxy in Super Mario Galaxy
“With Floaty Fluff, you can ride the wind, boiyoing! Just shake the Wii Remote when you feel it rumble to really fly!”
Star Bunny, Super Mario Galaxy

Floaty Fluffs appear in Super Mario Galaxy. Here, one starts out on the ground, appearing as a large fluffy pink dandelion usually found in clusters of three or more. Performing a spin near a cluster of Floaty Fluff causes them to rise out of the ground into the air. Mario or Luigi can then jump to grab on to a piece, after which he can travel safely over large gaps by gliding on gusty winds. While he glides with Floaty Fluff, shaking   causes it to ascend slightly higher. This can be done only thrice each time Mario or Luigi grabs on to a new piece of Floaty Fluff. Floaty Fluff appears only in the Gusty Garden Galaxy, where it is used throughout most of the missions in the galaxy.

Floaty Fluffs retain the same functions in Super Mario Galaxy 2, during which they appear in Honeyhop Galaxy and Bowser's Galaxy Generator. They again are used to cross large gaps that cannot be traversed otherwise.

Super Mario 3D LandEdit

Fluffs[2] appear as little flowers for the first time in Super Mario 3D Land, often appearing in groups of three or four. In this game, Fluffs release their seeds if Mario (or Luigi) runs through them, or if the player blows air through the Nintendo 3DS's microphone. Some Fluffs release coins or Super Mushrooms when stirred. In Mystery Boxes, they release 1-Up Mushrooms. Fluffs occur throughout the game in courses above ground, starting with World 1-1. They can be white or yellow.

Super Mario 3D World / Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's FuryEdit

In Super Mario 3D World and its remake, Fluffs are integrated with the same appearance and function that they had in Super Mario 3D Land and are found throughout the Sprixie Kingdom. Blowing through the   on the Wii U GamePad or tapping one through the touchscreen causes a Fluff to lose its seeds.

Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 DeluxeEdit

The starting area of Thwomp Ruins in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe bears many Fluffs. They cannot be interacted with and do not obstruct the driver.

GalleryEdit

Additional namesEdit

Internal namesEdit

Game File Name Meaning

Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy 2
ObjectData/Fluff.arc Fluff Fluff
Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy 2
StageData/ObjNameTable.arc/ObjNameTable.tbl
SystemData/ObjNameTable.arc/ObjNameTable.tbl
わたげ (Watage) Fluff

Names in other languagesEdit

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese わたげ[3]
Watage
Literally translates to "Fluff." It is a colloquialism for dandelion seeds in Japanese.
フワフワわたげ[?]
Fuwafuwa Watage
Floaty Fluff (Super Mario Sunshine)
フワフワそう[4]
Fuwafuwa Sō
Floaty Plant (Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario Galaxy 2)
綿毛[5]
Watage
Fluff (Super Mario 3D World)
Chinese (traditional) 飄飄草[?]
Piāopiāo Cǎo
Floaty Plant
German Flaumkraut[?] Fluffy Herb
Italian Fiore Fiù[?] Huff Flower
Spanish Flotaflor[?] Floatflower

See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

  1. ^ Averill, Alan and Jennifer Villarreal (2002). Super Mario Sunshine: The Official Nintendo Player's Guide. Redmond: Nintendo of America (American English). ISBN 1-930206-23-2. Page 107.
  2. ^ von Esmarch, Nick (November 13, 2011). Super Mario 3D Land PRIMA Official Game Guide. Roseville: Prima Games (American English). ISBN 978-0-307-89386-4. Page 19, 125.
  3. ^ Sakai, Kazuya (Ambit), kikai, Akinori Sao, Junko Fukuda, Kunio Takayama, and Ko Nakahara (Shogakukan), editors (October 19, 2015). 『スーパーマリオブラザーズ百科: 任天堂公式ガイドブック』. Tokyo: Shogakukan (Japanese). ISBN 978-4-09-106569-8. Page 105, 186.
  4. ^ ---- (2015). 『スーパーマリオブラザーズ百科: 任天堂公式ガイドブック』. Tokyo: Shogakukan (Japanese). Page 137, 171.
  5. ^ ---- (2015). "Super Mario 3D World." 『スーパーマリオブラザーズ百科: 任天堂公式ガイドブック』. Tokyo: Shogakukan (Japanese). Page 234.