Plungelo

Plungelo
Artwork of a Plungelo.
First appearance	Super Mario Sunshine (2002)
Latest appearance	Super Mario 3D All-Stars (2020)
Variant of	Cataquack
Relatives Wiggler

“So, we need to get rid of those Plungelos that are up there!”

—Noki, Super Mario Sunshine

Plungelos, also called Giant Cataquacks, Chuhanas, and Red Cataquacks, are parrot-like creatures that appear as miniature bosses in Super Mario Sunshine. They possess round bodies with beak-like mouths as well as flowers on their heads. Their bodies resemble Wiggler segments. They furthermore have plungers for feet (hence the name) which allows them to maintain their footing even on inclined surfaces. Plungelos bear a resemblance to Cataquacks, but they do not exhibit any of their characteristic behavior.

History

Super Mario Sunshine

Mario fighting three Plungelos on a solar panel

Six Plungelos make an appearance in Super Mario Sunshine, together with a giant Wiggler. They temporarily take up residence on Isle Delfino's Gelato Beach, during the second episode, Mirror Madness! Tilt, Slam, Bam!. Here, they can be seen moving around on the large mirrors situated around Shine Tower. Their weight knocks the mirrors out of focus and prevents them from redirecting the sun's light into the Sand Bird egg, thereby posing a threat to the Sand Bird's hatching process. The creatures also guard a Shine Sprite, requiring Mario to defeat the Plungelos.

There are three mirrors surrounding the Shine Tower. Each has a different number of Plungelos on it; one, two, and three. A battle starts whenever Mario sets foot on one of the infested mirrors. To defeat a Plungelo, Mario needs to throw it off the mirror by using Ground Pounds on the tilting mirror. However, their plunger feet prevent them from losing their footing. They need to be pushed to the edge of the mirror with F.L.U.D.D., which causes them to lift one of their feet and weaken their footing. The player can then shake them off by having Mario Ground Pound on the opposing side of the mirror. When one of the Plungelos is sprayed with water, the other ones will become aggressive and chase Mario. Once all the Plungelos are defeated, the three mirrors swing back into their original position.

Mario Golf series

Plungelos do not make a physical appearance in Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour and Mario Golf: Advance Tour, but the name "Plungelo" can be seen on score charts.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	チュウハナ[?] Chūhana	From「チュウ」(chū, onomatopoeia for a chirping or kissing sound) and「ポイハナ」(Poihana, Cataquack)
German	Plungelo[?]	-
Italian	Sturapapero[?]	From sturalavandino (plunger) and Catapapero (Cataquack)