Thorny flower
Thorny flowers[1] are red prickly plants that serve as obstacles in several Mario games.
History
Super Mario series
Super Mario Galaxy / Super Mario Galaxy 2
In Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2, thorny flowers hurt Mario or Luigi when touched, and the only way to destroy them is by attacking them with a Stretch Plant, spinning a coconut into them, or having Yoshi eat them.
There are three types: the standard variant, a larger variant, and a floating variant. The larger variants, after being destroyed by a coconut, will reveal a Sling Star or Launch Star leading to another planet. The floating variants serve as obstacles in various areas, and are more common in certain galaxies, like the Gusty Garden Galaxy, the Yoshi Star Galaxy, and the Tall Trunk Galaxy.
When touched by the Co-Star Luma, thorny flowers will retract their spikes, allowing Mario or Luigi to pass over them safely without needing to destroy them.
Super Mario 3D Land
Thorny flowers later appear in Super Mario 3D Land, being first encountered in World 4-1. The Prima Games guide refers to them as thristles.[page number needed] As of this game, their thorns are stubbier and are arranged in a globe, instead of being grown from the plant's calyx like in the previous games. They can be destroyed with a projectile (such as Fire Mario's or Luigi's fireballs), a tail whip in Tanooki form, by landing onto them in statue form or by touching them while invincible.
Mario Party series
Mario Party: Island Tour
In Mario Party: Island Tour, thorny flowers make a minor appearance in the minigame Goomba to Maneuver, blocking the player's way.
Mario Party: Star Rush
In Mario Party: Star Rush, thorny flowers appear as obstacles in the minigame Leafboard Hoard.
References
- ^ As in the PAL version of Mario Party: Island Tour, where they are referred to as such in the instructions for the minigame, Tour and Simple (Goomba to Maneuver in North America): "Get as many Goombas to the finish line as possible without leading them into the thorny flowers."
