Cactus

Cactus
	; Artwork from Super Mario Odyssey
First appearance	Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic (1987, overall); Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988, Super Mario franchise)
Latest appearance	The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)
Comparable
	Bramble; Cactuar; Flower; Thorny flower

This article is about a recurring plant. For the type of item container found in Donkey Kong Country Returns, see Item container § Donkey Kong Country Returns / Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D.

“Cacti also have flowers, did you know that? I haven't seen any, though... Do people eat cacti?”

—Goombario, Paper Mario

Cactuses (or cacti) have occasionally appeared in interactive capacities in the Super Mario franchise, often damaging player characters on contact. From Super Mario 3D Land onward, cactuses have been strikable in the 3D Super Mario platform games and release a coin if hit indirectly. They have otherwise appeared as decorative background elements in desert-themed levels.

Cactuses are the basis for Pokeys and related enemies. Tall cactuses in many games have branching arms and most closely resemble the saguaro, while stout, round ones bear flowers and resemble ball cactuses.

History

Super Mario series

It has been requested that this article be rewritten and expanded to include more information. Reason: Incorporate information on the stout, round cactuses from Super Mario 3D Land and Super Mario 3D World.

Super Mario Bros. 2

Tall cactuses in Super Mario Bros. 2 are platforms in desert stages. Compared to most of the other platforms in the game, they often appear in large groups, with the player needing to go over each. Pokeys can travel through them, making them a slight obstacle.

Super Mario Galaxy 2

The Sand Bird approaching cactuses in Super Mario Galaxy 2

Cactuses in Super Mario Galaxy 2 are obstacles in the Slipsand Galaxy mission "Sailing the Sandy Seas," where they temporarily destroy pieces of the Sand Bird on contacts, creating gaps, although direct contact with the cactuses does not damage the player character.

Super Mario Odyssey

Cactuses in Super Mario Odyssey are obstacles that cost Mario a piece of his Health Meter if touched. Some of the thorns will breifly stick to his body. Mario's nose becomes orange as well. Cactuses appear in the Sand Kingdom. They come in two sizes, a tall one and a small round one. Small cacti can be launched in a small arc with a Cap Throw or by walking into them as a Moe-Eye, falling apart when they collide with the ground. These cacti can cause a chain reaction, with the first colliding with a second which collides with a third and so on. The sound cue for this gradually increases in pitch, and the fourth cactus destroyed releases a circle of Coins. Larger cacti just repel attacks, though Moe-Eyes are immune to cacti. Both versions can be destroyed by running through them while riding Jaxi.

One cactus with a green pin sticking out of it can be captured and moved in order to reveal a glowing spot that Mario can ground-pound to reveal a Power Moon. As this cactus moves farther from its origin, it moves more slowly. At the maximum distance, Mario is forced out and the pin vanishes, so it cannot be captured again until the area is reloaded.

Hariet, a boss fought in the Sand Kingdom, throws bombs that resemble the small cacti. This prompts using the Cap Throw to knock them away, or back into her.

Mario Kart series

Cactuses in Mario Kart 64 are stationary objects in Kalimari Desert that block players, similarly to trees. They return in the course's reappearances in Mario Kart 7, Mario Kart Tour and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. In Mario Kart: Super Circuit, cactuses appear in Sunset Wilds, that returns in Mario Kart Tour, and Yoshi Desert. In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, cactuses appear in the same capacity in Dry Dry Desert, returning in the course's reappearance in Mario Kart 8. In Mario Kart Wii, they appear with the same purpose in Dry Dry Ruins and Thwomp Desert. In Mario Kart 7, the Cact-X is designed after a cactus; it returns in Mario Kart Tour along with variants called the Cact-Ice, Cact-R, and Cact-B.

Paper Mario series

Paper Mario

Cactuses in Paper Mario appear in Dry Dry Desert, where some resemble Pokeys in shape, and both a blue one and a stone one are used for navigation.

Paper Mario: Sticker Star

Cactuses in Paper Mario: Sticker Star are interactive objects in World 2, and attacking them with the hammer repeatedly causes their flowers to bloom and release coins.

Mario Party 3

Daisy prepares to take the shortcut through the cactuses in Mario Party 3

Cactuses in Mario Party 3 appear on a shortcut in Spiny Desert, where there are only two of them, and properly using the path requires the player character to jump over them, else they leap with pain to a corresponding sign elsewhere on the board. Hitting the first cactus takes them significantly before the shortcut's beginning, and hitting the second cactus (which has eyelashes and a flower crown) takes them slightly after the shortcut's end. As such, it can be useful to hit one depending on where the player needs to go.

Mario Pinball Land

Cactuses in Mario Pinball Land appear in the Shifting Sands Stage, where hitting one awards 100 points but knocks Mario back a distance.

Mario & Luigi series

Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time

Cactuses in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time appear in Gritzy Desert, functioning mainly as walls, and there is a small maze of them in the northeast section. Shrooba Divers use small round cactuses as projectiles in battle.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam

Cactuses in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam resemble Pokeys, block roads, and must be knocked away with hammer whacks, with taller ones requiring the Trio Hammer to get rid of every segment before they grow back. They appear only in Doop Doop Dunes.

New Play Control! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat

Cactuses in New Play Control! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat are common obstacles, usually stacked on top of each other to function as barricades, and can be knocked away usually with the Sound Wave Attack. Cactuses in the game first appear in Dawn Savanna. All versions of the game feature a level inside a giant cactus, called Cactus Mine.

Donkey Kong Country Returns / Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D

Cactuses in Donkey Kong Country Returns and its Nintendo 3DS version are item containers in the Cave and Cliff area, with the former area having them with a somewhat fungal appearance.

Mario Golf: Super Rush

Cactuses in Mario Golf: Super Rush appear in Balmy Dunes on holes 16–18, while smaller ones appear in Spiky Palms. Cactuses are interacted with identically to trees and will hurt the ball's lie upon collision.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Cactuses in The Super Mario Bros. Movie can be seen briefly as Mario, Peach, and Toad travel through the Desert Area. The Cactuses use their appearance from Super Mario Odyssey.

Gallery

Artwork

Mario Golf
Super Mario Odyssey

Sprites and models

Super Mario 64 (unused)
Mario Kart 64
Mario Party 3
Mario Party 3
Mario Party 3
Super Mario Galaxy 2

Screenshots

Other

The Super Mario Bros. Movie
LEGO Super Mario
LEGO Super Mario
LEGO Super Mario

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes

References

Cactus coverage on other NIWA wikis:

Nookipedia

Zelda Wiki