Il Piantissimo
- “And now, we shall race to that flag!”
- —Il Piantissimo, Super Mario Sunshine
Il Piantissimo is a human disguised as a Pianta that the player must race in Super Mario Sunshine, similar to Koopa the Quick races in Super Mario 64. He can be raced in the 5th levels of Gelato Beach and Noki Bay, and in the second level of Pianta Village. Il Piantissimo's name could be a portmanteau of the words "Pianta", whom he is dressed as, and "Pianissimo," which is Italian for "very soft", usually used in musical notations, though it is worth noting that "-issimo" itself is an Italian suffix for "extremely."
Piantissimo is very overconfident, and finds himself much superior to others. According to various locals at Pianta Village, he is considered a rogue, a creep, and not related to the Piantas. This could show that due to his attitude, he is left alone and barely challenged, fueling his ego as there is no one to compete against him.
When Mario races against Il Piantissimo, the two must head to a flag that represents the finish line. If Mario wins, he gets a Shine Sprite, then completing the mission. However, Mario loses a life if Il Piantissimo finishes first. Also, if the player replays a completed Il Piantissimo episode, Il Piantissimo is more difficult to beat, as he finishes the course with the player's previous time.[citation needed] However, Il Piantissimo cannot use any tactics involving F.L.U.D.D.
If the game is beaten without all 120 Shine Sprites collected, the ending screen shows Il Piantissimo finding Bowser Jr.'s Magic Paintbrush.
Gallery
Gelato Beach
Noki Bay
Pianta Village
Appearances
| Title | Description | Original Release Date | System/Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Super Mario Sunshine | NPC | 2002 | NGC |
| Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour | Name appears on score board | 2003 | NGC |
| Mario Golf: Advance Tour | Name appears on score board | 2004 | GBA |
| Super Mario 3D All-Stars | NPC | 2020 | Nintendo Switch |
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | モンテマン[?] Monteman |
"Monteman", Monte being the Japanese name for Pianta. | |
| French | Il Piantissimo[?] | Same as English name | |
| German | Palmathon[?] | Palmathon; Portmanteau of Palma (German for Pianta) and "Marathon". | |
| Italian | Palmassimo[?] | Portmanteau of Palmense (Pianta) and massimo (greatest); "Massimo" is also an Italian name | |
| Spanish | Forestón[?] | Augmentative of Foresto, the NOE Spanish name of Piantas; paralleling how Il Piantissimo means "The Very Pianta" in Italian. |
Trivia
- With his mask removed, Il Piantissimo's face resembles those of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time's running man, and by extension, the postman from The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. This can also be seen in gameplay by looking through the mask's eyeholes.
- Mario, Shadow Mario, and Il Piantissimo all use the same animations.
| Super Mario Sunshine | ||
|---|---|---|
| Playable characters | Mario | |
| Rideable characters | Yoshi • Blooper Racer | |
| Non-playable characters | FLUDD • Princess Peach • Toadsworth • Toads • Piantas (Big Daddy of Blooper-surfing · Cannon Pianta · Captain · Chucksters · Crate guy · Doot-Doot Sisters · Duck-ring riders · Hotel manager · Isle Delfino Police · Mayor · Mushroom dealer Pianta · Pianta judge · Pianta prosecutor · Sunglasses vendor) • Raccoons • Nokis (Buckies · Noki elder · Noki grandson · Park director) • Sand Bird • Il Piantissimo • Great Sunflower • Sunflower Kids | |
| Enemies | Bee • Block Boo • Bloopad • Blooper • Bob-omb • Boo • Bullet Bill • Bullet Bill (Gold) • Cataquack • Chain Chomp • Chain Chomplet • Cheep-Cheep • Electro-Koopa King • Electro-Koopa (Blue) • Electro-Koopa (Red) • Glorpedo • Gooble • Klamber • Lava Cheep Cheep • Piranha Plant • Piranhabon • Plurp • Poink • Pokey • Pokey Pod • Pondskater • Seedy Pod • Sleepy Boo • Smolderin' Stu • Snooza Koopa • Strollin' Stu • Swipin' Stu • Wind Spirit • Winged Strollin' Stu • Wire Trap | |
| Obstacles | Bramble • Burner • Burning goop • Cheep Cheep (bird) • Electric goop • Goop • Hot water • Magma • Orange Juice Generator • Poison • Puncher • Slimy water • Spike Trap | |
| Bosses | Proto Piranha • Shadow Mario • Petey Piranha • Gooper Blooper • Plungelo • Wiggler • Mecha-Bowser • Monty Mole • Phantamanta • King Boo • Eely-Mouth • Bowser • Bowser Jr. | |
| Items | 1-Up Mushroom • Banana • Blue coin • Bomb • Coconut • Coin • Durian • Helmet • Hover Nozzle • Mario's cap • Papaya • Pepper • Pineapple • Red coin • Rocket Nozzle • Shine Sprite • Springboard • Turbo Nozzle • Water Barrel • Water Bottle • Water rocket • Yoshi's Egg | |
| Objects | Arrow sign • Big Windmill • Birds • Brick Block • Butterflies • Cannon • Cloud • Coin Fish • Crate • Dune Bud • Flagpole • Flipping platform • Flower • Fluff • Graffiti • Hook • Ice block • Jar • Jellyfish • Jump Mushroom • Leaf boat • Manhole cover • Metal screen • Mudboat • Multicolored block • Mushroom • Nail • Nozzle box • Orange block • Pipe • Pole • Portrait • Revolving Gate • Rope • Sand block • Scale • Seagull • Shine Painting • Sign • Slots • Spotted block • Stone slab • Swing • Trampoline • Tree • Turbo-bashable doors • Wall painting • Watermelon • Watermelon block • White box • Yoshi Platform • Yoshi-Go-Round | |
| Locations | Main courses | Bianco Hills • Ricco Harbor • Gelato Beach (Sand Cabana · Shine Tower · Surf Cabana) • Pinna Park • Sirena Beach (Hotel Delfino · Casino Delfino) • Noki Bay • Pianta Village • Corona Mountain |
| Secret courses | Lily Pad Ride • Pachinko Game • Red Coin Field • Super Slide • Turbo Track | |
| Other | Isle Delfino • Delfino Plaza • Bianco Square • Boathouse • Shine Gate • Delfino Airstrip | |
| Moves | Backward Somersault • Dash • Dive • Double Jump • Flutter Jump • Ground Pound • Jump • Side Somersault • Spin Jump • Super Whirl Jump • Swallow • Swim • Triple Jump • Wall Jump | |
| Gameplay elements | Completion • Delfino Emergency Broadcast System • Episodes • Gadd Science, Incorporated • Guide Book • Life meter • Magic Paintbrush | |
| Music compositions | "Isle Delfino" • "Ricco Harbor" • "Secret Course" | |
| Further info | Gallery • Glitches • Media • Original soundtrack • Pre-release and unused content • Quotes • Staff | |
