Editing Proto Piranha

{{redirect|Gatekeeper|the variant of [[Pi'illo]]s|[[Deco Pi'illo]]}}

|image=[[File:PollutedPiranha.png|200px]]<br>A Gatekeeper in ''Super Mario Sunshine''

|variant_of=[[Piranha Plant]]

'''Proto Piranhas''', originally known as '''Gatekeepers'''<ref>Loe, Casey. ''Super Mario Sunshine'' Perfect Guide. Page 14.</ref><ref>Bogenn, Tim, and Doug Walsh. ''Super Mario Sunshine'' BradyGames Official Strategy Guide. Page 19.</ref> and also known as '''Proto Piranha Plants''',<ref>[https://play.nintendo.com/documents/Super_Mario_3D_All-Stars_bingo.pdf Downloadable PDF] featuring bingo cards themed after ''[[Super Mario 3D All-Stars]]''. ''[[Play Nintendo]]''. Retrieved October 27, 2020. ([http://web.archive.org/web/20201105023820/https://play.nintendo.com/documents/Super_Mario_3D_All-Stars_bingo.pdf Archived] November 5, 2020, 02:38:20 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref> are large [[Piranha Plant]]s made entirely of [[goop]].

Gatekeepers first appear as recurring bosses in the early parts of ''[[Super Mario Sunshine]]''. In all their appearances, structures are submerged in the goop beneath them. In this game, Gatekeepers are all connected to solid, undulating, smoking masses of goop referred to as '''Generators''',{{anchor|Generators}}<ref>Hodgson, David S J, Bryan Stratton, and Stephen Stratton. ''Super Mario Sunshine'' Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Page 11.</ref> which cannot be cleaned normally. Additionally, some Generators spread goop to the surrounding area, preventing it from being cleaned permanently until the Gatekeeper is defeated; however, despite their name, not all Generators do this. Initially, Gatekeepers hide within the Generator, emerging only when the Generator is sprayed with [[water]]. Once a Gatekeeper has emerged, it sways back and forth while opening and closing its mouth. To defeat it, [[Mario]] must use [[F.L.U.D.D.|FLUDD]] to spray water into its open mouth some number of times. If Mario sprays one while its mouth is closed, it merely shrugs the attack off. If not dealt damage for long enough, it retreats back into its Generator.

There are five fights against Gatekeepers in the game. The fights vary in terms of the Gatekeeper's color (which changes to match the surrounding goop), the number of sprays necessary to defeat the Gatekeeper, and additional behaviors.

*One appears at the very beginning at the [[Delfino Airstrip]], creating a sinkhole in the runway. It and its goop are a colorful mixture of pink, yellow, orange, and white. It takes three sprays to defeat. Its only way of harming Mario is if he walks directly into it or the goop surrounding it, as it has no attacks and goop does not create [[Gooble|Swoopin' Stu]]s during [[Delfino Airstrip Dilemma]]. Once defeated, it releases the player's first [[Shine Sprite]].

*Another appears in [[Bianco Square]] in [[Delfino Plaza]], submerging the [[Grand Pianta Statue]]. This one is brown and white. It also takes three sprays to defeat, but it is more dangerous due to its goop creating Swoopin' Stus. When the Gatekeeper is defeated, the Grand Pianta Statue emerges with [[Shadow Mario]] standing on it, leading to the game's first Shadow Mario chase.

*Another brown-and-white one appears in [[Bianco Hills]] during the first episode, [[Road to the Big Windmill]], submerging the hill before the bridge to the road surrounding the [[Big Windmill]]. Before it emerges, its Generator repeatedly spurts [[Piranhabon]]s down the countryside path. It also takes three sprays to defeat, and it releases a Shine Sprite once beaten. As this is the only Gatekeeper to be fought in a replayable episode, this is the only Gatekeeper that can be fought again after it is defeated.

*Once the player has three Shine Sprites, a black Gatekeeper appears in Delfino Plaza and submerges the [[boathouse]]. Uniquely, its Generator can be seen extending through the dock down into the sand underneath the water. Its Generator leaks goop outward, covering areas Mario has cleaned with goop again. After three sprays, it acts as if it has been beaten before suddenly springing back up and requiring three additional sprays to defeat. Once it is beaten, the boathouse emerges from the ground with a [[Rainbow M]] leading to [[Ricco Harbor]] painted on its side. This fight can be skipped if Mario collects another Shine Sprite.

*Once the player has five Shine Sprites, another black Gatekeeper appears in Delfino Plaza, submerging the lighthouse on the beach. Like with the previous black Gatekeeper, this fight has a functioning Generator and requires two sets of three sprays. However, when this Gatekeeper feigns defeat after being sprayed for the third time, it shoots out Swoopin' Stus in all directions as it reemerges. Once it is beaten, the lighthouse emerges from the ground with a Rainbow M leading to [[Gelato Beach]] painted on it. Like with the other black Gatekeeper, this fight can be skipped if Mario collects another Shine Sprite.

====''Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour''====

In ''[[Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour]]'', the name "Proto Piranha" appears on the leaderboard.

 

====''Mario Golf: Advance Tour''====

In ''[[Mario Golf: Advance Tour]]'', Proto Piranhas appear in the [[Mushroom Course]] along with many regular Piranha Plants. They are found outside the course itself.

Polluted Piranha Colored SMS.png|Render of an orange-pink Gatekeeper

Delfino Airstrip Polluted Piranha SMS.png|A Gatekeeper at the [[Delfino Airstrip]]

SMS_Bianco_Square_Polluted_Piranha.png|A Gatekeeper in [[Bianco Square]]

RoadtotheBigWindmill.png|A Gatekeeper at [[Bianco Hills]]

Boat House Polluted Piranha.png|A Gatekeeper at the [[boathouse]]

Lighthouse Polluted Piranha.png|A Gatekeeper at the lighthouse

Polluted Piranha Super Mario-Kun.jpg|A Gatekeeper as depicted in ''[[Super Mario-kun]]''

|Jap2=ドロパックン <small>(''Mario Power Tennis'')</small>

|DutM=-

|Fre=Tiranha<br>Plante Piranha Polluée<ref name="encyclopedia">''[[Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia|Super Mario Encyclopedia]]'', pg. 100</ref>

|FreM=<br> Polluted Piranha Plant

|Ita=Fangopiranha<br>Pianta Piranha di fiume<ref name="encyclopedia"/> (translation error)

|ItaM=Mudpiranha<br>River Piranha Plant