Poink
- "Popo" redirects here. For the male member of the Ice Climbers, see List of fighters debuting in Super Smash Bros. Melee § Ice Climbers.
| Poink | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Artwork from Super Mario Sunshine | |||
| First appearance | Super Mario Sunshine (2002) | ||
| Latest appearance | Super Mario 3D All-Stars (2020) | ||
| |||
- “Poinks get all full of water and then they go BOOM! Hee hee!”
- —Pianta, Super Mario Sunshine
Poinks, also known as Popo,[1][2] are small floating pig-like creatures found in Super Mario Sunshine. Their name likely derives from "oink" and "pink." Poinks almost always appear in groups. A Poink attaches itself to FLUDD's nozzle if Mario is nearby. If the player then squirts water, the Poink will start to expand, and if the player releases the 
button, the Poink will shoot off in whichever direction Mario is facing. Jumping on a Poink also causes it to explode. Switching to any nozzle except the Squirt Nozzle prevents Poinks from attaching themselves to FLUDD. Doing so while a Poink is already attached causes the Poink to explode in a small puff of white smoke. If a Poink attaches itself to FLUDD's nozzle while its tank is empty, it will still fill with water and fly off when the button is released. Poinks are required to wake Petey Piranha in Episode 5 of Bianco Hills. In the battle with King Boo in Hotel Delfino, one of his attacks can cause Poinks to appear. Here, they can be a hindrance, as they temporarily prevent Mario from using FLUDD to defeat other enemies King Boo spawns.
Poinks have no other appearances, though their name is one of the default high scores in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour and Mario Golf: Advance Tour.
A variety of this enemy called a Smeech appears in Super Mario Galaxy 2.
Gallery
Artwork from Super Mario Sunshine
Model from Super Mario Sunshine
Screenshot of a Poink filled to capacity from Super Mario Sunshine
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ポポ[?] Popo |
Possibly from「ポンプ」(ponpu, "pump"); shared with Orb User, but with a different origin | |
| French | Popo[3] | From the Japanese name | |
| German | Oink[?] | The onomatopoeia for the sound that a pig makes | |
| Italian | Popo[4] | From the Japanese name | Super Mario Sunshine |
| Pallonchio[?] | From palloncino ("balloon") and oink | Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour | |
| Glu glu oinc[5] | From glu glu (the onomatopeia of drinking) and oink | Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia |
References
- ^ 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 18.
- ^ July 4, 2018. Super Mario Encyclopedia. Soleil Productions (French). ISBN 2302070046. Page 100.
- ^ Super Mario Sunshine Italian Prima Guide. Prima Games (Italian). Page 18.
- ^ November 15, 2018. Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia. Magazzini Salani (Italian). ISBN 889367436X. Page 100.
