Pokey Head
| Pokey Head | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Artwork from Super Mario Galaxy 2 | |||
| First appearance | Super Mario Sunshine (2002) | ||
| Latest appearance | Super Mario 3D All-Stars (2020) | ||
| Variant of | Pokey | ||
| |||
| |||
Pokey Heads[1] are enemies introduced in Super Mario Sunshine. They are the head segments of Pokeys and are typically concealed underground with only their flowers exposed. When approached by the player character, Pokey Heads erupt from the ground and slowly pursue them. They are distinct from normal Pokeys that have been reduced to their heads after being struck. Those Pokeys retain their normal behavior.
These enemies were originally referred to as Sanbo Heads[2][3] or simply as Pokeys[4] in the companion guidebooks published for Super Mario Sunshine. In Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, the enemy makes a cameo on the in-game leaderboard under the name of "Pokey Pod."
History[edit]
Super Mario Sunshine[edit]
In Super Mario Sunshine, Pokey Pods have goofy faces, thorns resembling stubble, and are yellow. They appear primarily in Bianco Hills, where they disguise themselves by burrowing among the many pink flowers of the area. They can be told apart from afar by the fact that spraying them from a distance causes their flowers to open and close very quickly, instead of staying open longer, and that the Pokey Pods do not make the same singing sound that the flowers do upon being sprayed. They quite often appear among the flower rings that award Mario with coins for spraying all the flowers within a few seconds; the Pokey Pods do not count in these. Once approached, the burrowed Pokey Pod will burst from the soil and slowly hop in Mario's direction, and will continue to do so no matter how far away he gets. They can be defeated in multiple ways; they can be jumped upon, giving one coin, or sprayed into a wall, causing them to flatten with a splatter of brown goop, which gives Mario three coins. Knocking them into any body of water will not reward Mario at all, but will still defeat the enemy. They later appear in the Red Coin Field, where they carry red coins. Defeating them here will replace one of the coins with a red coin, but causing one to fall off the edge will render the location unwinnable unless Mario starts over. In both locations, they appear along the blue Seedy Pod variety. They are actually larger in this game than the individual segments of the game's standard Pokey.
Super Mario Galaxy[edit]
Pokey Heads are one of the few enemies from Super Mario Sunshine to appear in Super Mario Galaxy, this time appearing green and thornless. Several appear in the Gusty Garden Galaxy and Dusty Dune Galaxy, where they behave mostly the same as they did in Super Mario Sunshine. Due to the fact that no non-Pokey flowers resembling theirs can be found, they are not as well hidden, with the tops of their green heads being visible while they are burrowed. At the beginning of the second mission of the Dusty Dune Galaxy, Blasting through the Sand, five Pokey Heads appear in a circle and defeating all of them causes the red Pokeyplant to appear. Pokey Head joyfully bunces in place for a few seconds if it lands an attack. Stomping or spinning them defeats them instantly.
Appearances[edit]
Note: 
marks missions where they are absent.
| Domes | Galaxies | Missions |
|---|---|---|
| Bedroom | Gusty Garden Galaxy |  
|
| Dusty Dune Galaxy |  
|
Super Mario Galaxy 2[edit]
In Super Mario Galaxy 2, Pokey Heads are much rarer enemies, appearing only in the Slipsand Galaxy. They are submerged in a stream of rapidly-flowing sand, primarily near a Fire Flower that can be used to quickly defeat them. They have the same means of attack, weaknesses, and design that they had in the first Super Mario Galaxy. They are the only variety of Pokey in Super Mario Galaxy 2 and represent the latest instance of any Pokeys appearing with flowers on their heads in the Super Mario franchise. Super Mario Galaxy 2 is also the latest overall appearance of Pokey Heads outside of rereleases of Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario Galaxy.
Appearances[edit]
Note: marks missions where they are absent.
| Normal | ||
|---|---|---|
| Domes | Galaxies | Missions |
| World 5 | Slipsand Galaxy | 
|
Gallery[edit]
Artwork from Super Mario Sunshine
Model from Super Mario Sunshine
Model from Super Mario Sunshine
Screenshot from Super Mario Sunshine
Model from Super Mario Galaxy
Model from Super Mario Galaxy (Pokeyplant)
Screenshot from Super Mario Galaxy 2
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Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | サンボヘッド[5] Sanbo Heddo |
Pokey Head | |
| French | Tête de Pokey[6] | Pokey Head | Super Mario Sunshine |
| Bul-Pokey[7][8] | From bulbe ("bulb") and "Pokey" | Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario Galaxy 2 | |
| German | Ein-Glied-Pokey[?] | One limb Pokey | |
| Italian | Pokey[9] | - | Super Mario Sunshine (PRIMA guide) |
| Marghibulbo[10][11][12][13] | Pokey Head's head | Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Super Mario Galaxy 2 (PRIMA guide), Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia, Super Mario Manga Mania | |
| Testa di Marghibulbo[14] | Portmanteau of Marghibruco ("Pokey") and bulbo ("bulb/bud") | Super Mario Galaxy (PRIMA guide) | |
| Testa di Marghirbuco[15] | Pokey's Head | Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia (Super Mario Sunshine section) | |
| Spanish (NOE) | Pokey Cabeza[?] | Pokey Head |
References[edit]
- ^ Browne, Catherine (May 23, 2010). Super Mario Galaxy 2: PRIMA Official Game Guide. Roseville: Prima Games (American English). ISBN 978-0-307-46907-6. Page 29.
- ^ Loe, Casey (August 12, 2002). Super Mario Sunshine Perfect Guide. Versus Books (American English). ISBN 1-931886-09-1. Page 27.
- ^ Bogenn, Tim, and Doug Walsh (2002). Super Mario Sunshine Official Strategy Guide. BradyGAMES (American English). ISBN 0-7440-0180-3. Page 5.
- ^ 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 17.
- ^ October 10, 2002. 「スーパーマリオサンシャイン任天堂公式ガイドブック」 (Super Mario Sunshine Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook). Shogakukan (Japanese). ISBN 4-09-106064-1. Page 19.
- ^ July 4, 2018. Super Mario Encyclopedia. Soleil Productions (French). ISBN 2302070046. Page 99.
- ^ Super Mario Galaxy 2, Le Guide Officiel. Prima Games, page 31
- ^ July 4, 2018. Super Mario Encyclopedia. Soleil Productions (French). ISBN 2302070046. Page 127 and 160.
- ^ 2002. Mario Sunshine. Guida strategica. Prima Games (Italian). ISBN 8890092211. Page 18.
- ^ "Marghibulbo" – Lakitu Star Cup scoreboard. Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour (Italian).
- ^ July 1, 2010. Super Mario Galaxy 2. Guida strategica ufficiale. multiplayer.it (Italian). ISBN 9788863551198. Page 29.
- ^ November 15, 2018. Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia. Magazzini Salani (Italian). ISBN 889367436X. Page 127 and 160.
- ^ Colombo, Alessandro (March 9, 2022). Super Mario Mangamania. Edizioni BD (Italian). ISBN 978-88349-07122. Page 23.
- ^ November 16, 2007. La Guida Ufficiale - Super Mario Galaxy. Prima Games (Italian). ISBN 978-1-906064-03-7. Page 204.
- ^ November 15, 2018. Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia. Magazzini Salani (Italian). ISBN 889367436X. Page 99.
| Pokeys | |
|---|---|
| Characters | Mega Paper Macho Pokey • Mummipokey • Punkey the Pokey Prince • The Pokey Triplets • Tower Power Pokey |
| Species | Big Pokey • Blow Hard • Cactus Jack • Dark Pokey • Drool Hard • Green Pokey • Hanging Blow Hard • Mad Pokey • Poison Pokey • Pokey • Pokey (heading) • Pokey (projectile) • Pokey Head • Pokey Mummy • Pokey Pom • Pokeyplant • Seedy Pod • Skellokey • Snow Pokey • Spiked Fun Guy (Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island) • Spiky Snifit • Toothy |
