Pokey
- This article is about the cactus-like enemy appearing in several Mario games. For other uses of the name "Pokey", seePokey (disambiguation).
| Pokey | |||
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 Artwork fromNew Super Mario Bros. U | |||
| First appearance | Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic (1987, overall) Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988,Super Mario franchise) | ||
| Latest appearance | Mario Tennis Fever (2026) | ||
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- “Pokey's the name. Poking's my game.”
- —Pokey,Paper Mario: Color Splash
Pokeys are cheerfulcactus enemies that are typically composed of three to five spherical body segments. Pokeys may have either flowers or spikes on their heads, depending on their appearance. To defeat a Pokey, typically each body section must be destroyed; however, defeating the head usually defeats the entire enemy. Pokeys first appear inYume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic and itsSuper Mario equivalent,Super Mario Bros. 2.
Relatives of Pokeys appear in theYoshi's Island series, includingBlow Hards,Cactus Jacks, andSpiked Fun Guys.
History[edit]
Super Mario series[edit]
Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic /Super Mario Bros. 2[edit]
Pokeys first appear inYume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic andSuper Mario Bros. 2. They will slowly chase after the player. In this game, Pokeys are green and can be defeated by throwing objects at their body segments or by picking up one segment at a time. They first appear inWorld 2-2. This game's design was later reused inPaper Mario: Sticker Star andPaper Mario: Color Splash (known as aGreen Pokey in the latter game).
Super Mario World[edit]
Pokeys reappear inSuper Mario World. This time, Pokeys are yellow and cannot be defeated in the same way as inSuper Mario Bros. 2. Throwing ashell or aGrab Block at them defeats only one segment, although aSuper Star will allow the player to defeat them entirely at once.Mario andLuigi can also defeat a Pokey by sliding up or down a hill towards them. ABody Press also defeats them. Another option is to defeat them withYoshi, who can eat their body segments one at a time. The number of body segments that Pokeys have depends on whether Mario and Luigi are riding Yoshi or not. If they are, Pokeys will have five body segments. Without Yoshi, Pokeys will only have three segments so that Mario and Luigi canjump over them.
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Pokeys appear in a hidden area ofYoshi's Island 4, as well as theSpecial Zone level "Groovy." Also, inSuper Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2, after the player completes the Special Zone and unlocks all of the exits, Pokeys will turn into gray creatures with a face on each body segment, which are serrated likeChainsaws.
TheSuper Mario Bros. 2 design of the Pokeys was originally going to appear in this game, but was scrapped in favor of the yellow-colored design.[1] The final design resembles it aside from the color and now having a crown of spikes to signify they cannot be jumped on, with the artwork only differing by color.
A Pokey can sometimes be injured by throwing aSwitch Block at it, although whether the Pokey is injured depends on how the Switch Block is thrown and it is not always consistent. No other enemy inSuper Mario World shares this behavior, and whether or not this is aglitch is unknown.
Super Mario 64 /Super Mario 64 DS[edit]
Four Pokeys (referred to asPookies in the UK'sNintendo Magazine System)[2][3] appear inShifting Sand Land inSuper Mario 64 andits remake. In the original game, they have bright orange pupils, and always face the camera due to their graphics being flat textures. Mario can destroy each body segment by punching it, kicking it, or throwing aBob-omb at it; attacking the head defeats it and causes the whole body to instantly disappear. If Mario waits too long after destroying any of its segments, the Pokey will grow them right back. Pokeys giveBlue Coins when defeated. If Mario gets hit by a Pokey, he will lose two wedges ofhealth. The player can jump on the Pokey's head to instantly defeat it, though it may require aTriple Jump,Side Somersault, orBackward Somersault if the Pokey has five segments.
InSuper Mario 64 DS, the Pokeys' graphics are updated to reflect their design as seen inMario Kart: Double Dash!!. Yoshi also has the ability toswallow Pokeys, but characters are no longer able to defeat a Pokey by jumping on it from above. They are now capable of turning, but graphically, they still use 2D sprites for their segments.[4]
Super Mario Sunshine[edit]
Pokeys, also calledDango Flowers,[5] appear inSuper Mario Sunshine along with a smaller variety calledPokey Pods. In this game, they have pinkflowers on their heads, large mismatched eyes, wide grins high on their faces, and spikes that somewhat resemble stubble. While bobbing up and down or falling over, small red, circular particles can be seen coming from a Pokey's flower. According to theSuper Mario Bros. Encyclopedia, these visual differences compared to other games' Pokeys is due toSuper Mario Sunshine's enemies being created byShadow Mario and hismagic brush.[6] Pokeys lie in wait underground, with only the flower on their head visible at first, and will pop up when Mario approaches. They predominantly appear inBianco Hills, but they also appear inPianta Village's nighttime episodes, and inPinna Park, duringThe Wilted Sunflowers. They do not move from the spot they emerged from, but will fall towards Mario when he's in range to be hurt by this attack. However, they have trouble getting back upright, struggling for a moment and allowing Mario to attack their head with a jump or dive for a singlecoin. If Mario defeats a Pokey while it is upright, it yields three coins instead of one. Some leave behind aBlue Coin when defeated; jumping on one of these Pokeys while they're upright yields two regular coins in addition to the Blue Coin.
New Super Mario Bros.[edit]
Pokeys exclusively appear inWorld 2-1 inNew Super Mario Bros. with theirMario Kart: Double Dash!! appearance. In this game, a Pokey can only be defeated by shootingfireballs at its body segments,rolling over it withShell Mario, or by crushing the cactus monster asMega Mario. If they are hit in the head, they get defeated instantly. Without these power-ups, Mario must attempt to jump over the Pokeys. Some Pokeys have over eight body segments, requiring Mario to use special platforms to jump over these tall creatures.
TheMummipokey, an undead Pokey, appears as theWorld 2 boss.
Super Mario Galaxy[edit]
While Pokeys themselves do not appear inSuper Mario Galaxy, a single red-orange Pokey known as aPokeyplant appears. Pokey Heads also appear, but now they are green. Bigger Pokeys with a more typical yellow color known asPokeynuts appear in theGood Egg Galaxy and the Dusty Dune Galaxy. These giant Pokeys can only be defeated by spinning acoconut at their body, and then jumping on or spinning into the upside-down head. In the sequel,Super Mario Galaxy 2, only Pokey Heads reappear.
New Super Mario Bros. Wii[edit]
InNew Super Mario Bros. Wii, Pokeys have been given another redesign, consistent with the appearance of the windup Pokeys inMario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again!. They no longer have flowers, and are covered in green spikes, with three prominent ones on top of their heads. Following this game, the new design becomes standard for all Pokeys, replacing the previously-standardMario Kart: Double Dash!! design (withLEGOSuper Mario as an exception).
As inSuper Mario World,Yoshi can eat them one section at a time, but eating the head defeats them instantly.Fire Flowers again are effective, and theIce Flower can freeze them. At every vocal "paah" in the music, Pokeys will turn into an alternate non-spiked form, making each body segment resemble a fruit, specifically an orange. Yoshi can eat an entire Pokey instantly in this form, and if he does so, he will lay an egg with either coins or a power-up inside, depending on how many segments the Pokey had: 1-3 segments will give the player 5 coins, 4-5 segments will give them aSuper Mushroom, 6-8 segments will give them a Fire Flower, and 9 will give them a1-Up Mushroom. However, even in their non-spiked form, Mario still cannot safely jump on them, while Yoshi still bounces off them. The number of segments a Pokey has also determines its speed: Pokeys with more segments move slower than those with fewer segments. They appear only inWorld 2-5.
Super Mario 3D Land[edit]
Pokeys are seen in desert or canyon areas inSuper Mario 3D Land, where they usually appear in groups of two or five. They look as they did inNew Super Mario Bros. Wii. To destroy them, Mario can hit them with aSuper Star or use hisBoomerang,Fire, orTanooki forms to knock out one segment at a time; however, Mario can only jump on them asStatue Mario because they are spiky.
New Super Mario Bros. 2[edit]
Pokeys reappear inNew Super Mario Bros. 2, behaving the same way as in the previous games, except they do not turn into their non-spiked fruit-like forms like inNew Super Mario Bros. Wii, since Yoshi does not appear in the game.
New Super Mario Bros. U /New Super Luigi U /New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe[edit]
Pokeys reappear inNew Super Mario Bros. U,New Super Luigi U, and their portNew Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe. They are found inPerilous Pokey Cave (New Super Mario Bros. U) andUnderground Grrrols (New Super Luigi U) and once again turn into their fruit segments. This time, however, they function in a more similar manner toFruits, with a circular meter keeping track of how many fruit segments Yoshi has eaten. When the meter reaches five, Yoshi lays an egg containing a power-up, which is dependent on the form that Mario is in when the meter is full:Small Mario andMini Mario yield a Super Mushroom,Super Mario yields a Fire Flower, Fire Mario yields an Ice Flower,Ice Mario yields aSuper Acorn, andFlying Squirrel Mario,P Flying Squirrel Mario,Propeller Mario, andPenguin Mario yield a 1-Up Mushroom. Pokeys have the ability to stand on the ceiling without falling off. Also,Big Pokeys appear inMorton's battle, who uses his hammer to knock segments into Mario's path.
Super Mario 3D World[edit]
No normal Pokeys appear inSuper Mario 3D World. However, a variant known asSnow Pokeys appears instead.
Super Mario Run[edit]
Pokey reappear inSuper Mario Run in the coursesPokey Vaulting andDesert Fuzz. Pokeys can either remain stationary or move forwards slowly. Moving Pokeys always kick up sand behind them, even if they are in non-desert locations as part of the Remix 10 mode. If Mario defeats the final body segment of a Pokey, the head is defeated too.Yoshi can safely jump on Pokeys. Their model fromNew Super Mario Bros. Wii is used in this game.
Super Mario Maker 2[edit]
Pokeys appear as enemies in version 2.0 ofSuper Mario Maker 2. Their heights can be adjusted but they cannot be enlarged, and wings can be attached to them, which causes them to hop along the ground similar toParagoombas. Pokeys did not originally appear inSuper Mario Bros. andSuper Mario Bros. 3; as such, new sprites have been drawn for those styles, and they are colored green, similar to their appearance inSuper Mario Bros. 2. TheSuper Mario 3D World style, where there were onlySnow Pokeys in the original game, reuses theirNew Super Mario Bros. Wii design (and vice versa). They can be defeated withfireballs,Goomba's Shoes, and Yoshis. In nighttime ground levels, Pokeys float in the sky in a similar manner toWigglers; ifwings are attached, they home in on the player, comparably to angry Wigglers. In snow-themed levels, Pokeys become Snow Pokeys, which can be jumped on and reduced to asnowball that can then be carried by the player.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder[edit]
Pokeys appear as enemies inSuper Mario Bros. Wonder where they behave the same as in previous games, although they still move when only their head segment remains. They only appear in the levelArmads on the Roll, where they speed up when under the level'sWonder Effect.
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show![edit]
- “10,000gold pieces?! I'm taking you crooks to jail, and that there gold to the bank!”
- —Pokey, "Butch Mario & The Luigi Kid"
Pokeys are seen infrequently onThe Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, where they typically appear in episodes that have a Western setting or take place in a desert, often appearing as antagonists. In the show, Pokeys are portrayed as being capable of speaking, making themselves resemble ordinary cacti to blend in. They also possess primitive, arm-like protrusions. In "The Provolone Ranger", one is depicted to even have legs. One also makes a cameo in "Escape from Koopatraz," where it is part ofJudge Koopa's jury at the beginning of the episode.
- List of episodes featuring Pokeys
Nintendo Adventure Books[edit]
InDinosaur Dilemma, some Pokeys gang up on Mario and Yoshi as they are traveling through a desert, and succeed in separating the two by knocking Mario into a hole, before wandering off. In the next book,Flown the Koopa, some Pokeys wander onto the path Mario, Luigi,Toad and theMushroom King are using to get to the International Dino-Flying Derby, but Mario knocks them aside with his plunger.
Mario Clash[edit]
InMario Clash, Pokeys first appear in Level 17 and consist of three sections. While the bottom two sections can be taken out with aTurtle Shell from any direction, the head can only be stunned by attacking it from its side. It can regenerate lost sections over time. The artwork in the instruction booklet mistakenly shows a Pokey with four sections.
Paper Mario series[edit]
Paper Mario[edit]
InPaper Mario, Pokeys are depicted with fewer spikes and spines and a head segment that has two pairs of spines on the sides of its face, a "W"-shaped mouth, black googly eyes, and three spikes atop their head, giving them an appearance somewhat reminiscent of a cat orSpiked Fun Guy. They are found in various areas off the path toDry Dry Outpost inDry Dry Desert. A poisonous variant, thePokey Mummy, is found withinDry Dry Ruins.
In battle, Pokeys will attack Mario by either sliding towards and slamming themselves down on him, throwing one of their segments at him, or, if only their head remains, jumping on him. They are also able to summon other Pokeys by pulling them out of the ground, though they are unable to do so if they lose at least one body segment. Unless Mario has theSpike Shield badge equipped, he cannot jump on a Pokey without being injured. UsingSpin Smash orKooper'sShell Toss will knock off one of their body segments. Upon defeat, they have a chance of dropping aDried Fruit.
A Pokey is one of the enemies that can appear inShy Guy's Toy Box whenBowser asks Peach what Mario is most afraid of. It guards the chest containing theDictionary.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door[edit]
- “Go ahead... Touch usssssss... It won't hurrrrrrrrrrrrt....too muchhhhh...”
- —Pokey,Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Pokeys also appear inPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door as rare enemies and retain their designs from the previous game. A team of three Pokeys, known asThe Pokey Triplets, are a fighting team in theGlitz Pit. Pokeys also appear in floors 11-19 of thePit of 100 Trials. In this game, they attack by slamming the player, doing 2 damage, but they can also throw their body segments like in the previousPaper Mario game, doing 3 damage. When a Pokey loses all its body segments, it attacks by bonking into the player, doing 4 damage. If they have all three segments, they can call more Pokeys into battle. The game introduces a species of Pokey based on the Pokey Mummy, calledPoison Pokey, which appears inRiverside Station. Pokeys are unique in this game, in that performing aSuperguard on a thrown body segment will send it back to the Pokey, doing the same amount of damage to it as it would have done to Mario.
Super Paper Mario[edit]
Pokeys appear inSuper Paper Mario in places such asGap of Crag. They attack by throwing their body segments, like in the previous Paper Mario games. When they lose all of their body segments, they attack by hopping towards Mario or his allies. ThePoison Pokeys from the predecessor also appear, and they appear in places includingCastle Bleck and theFlipside Pit of 100 Trials. A new species is introduced, theDark Pokeys, that only appears in theFlopside Pit of 100 Trials. Pokeys sometimes dropHorsetails when defeated.
Tippi is not sure whether Pokeys are plants or animals.
Paper Mario: Sticker Star[edit]
Pokeys reappear once again inPaper Mario: Sticker Star for theNintendo 3DS. Two types of Pokeys appear: regular yellow Pokeys, using their design fromNew Super Mario Bros. Wii, and agreen variety, more closely resembling their original appearance inSuper Mario Bros. 2. A regular Pokey cannot be jumped on unless anIron Jump sticker is used. Regular Pokeys have 16 HP and the green ones have 20 HP. Rather than throwing their body segments like the previous games, these Pokeys attack by toppling on top of Mario; sometimes Mario will getcrumpled if he does not block the attack. Each time a Pokey loses a body segment, its attack goes down.Tower Power Pokey, a Pokey corrupted by aRoyal Sticker, serves as the boss of the second world. Pokeys are sometimes aided byParagoombas andSombrero Guys (if it was not destroyed).
As shown inearly builds of this game, thePaper Mario: Sticker Star Pokeys were originally going to retain their previous appearance from pastPaper Mario games, with no changes.
This game also shows that Pokeys have flowers underneath their heads, as shown when Tower Power Pokey heals.
Paper Mario: Color Splash[edit]
Pokeys return inPaper Mario: Color Splash keeping their appearance from the previous game. They are only found inMustard Café along withGreen Pokeys, which also return fromPaper Mario: Sticker Star. They come out from shifting sands, only showing their head as if they were sharks in the first part of the level, and showing their full body in the rest of the level. Pokeys also can leap over Warp Pipes that Mario must cross. Mario has to rescueHuey from a Green Pokey.
Fully removing color from any Pokey segments during a battle eliminates them. If hit by a hammer, segments are shot out. If Mario jumps on a Pokey, he takes six damage. Pokey attacks, which consist of stomping on Mario, deal significant damage.
A Pokey is the second-round opponent inRoshambo Temple #6.
The VIP room in theTangerino Grill has a Pokey pattern on the wallpaper.
Paper Mario: The Origami King[edit]
Origami Pokeys appear as enemies inPaper Mario: The Origami King. They appear commonly inScorching Sandpaper Desert and its sub-areas. They can be defeated without going into battle by ramming into them with theBoot Car while boosting. In addition, aPaper Macho version of this enemy known asMega Paper Macho Pokey appears as a boss.
In battle, the moves a Pokey can use are dependent on how many body segments remain, as well as how many other Pokeys are battling against Mario at the same time. Prickly Putt is a move in which one Pokey hits a second one standing in front of it, knocking away segments directed at Mario. The Pokey used as ammunition is ultimately defeated afterward. Flop Bop works much like a Pokey's attack from the previous two installments in the series, where the Pokey will lean on top of Mario to inflict damage then leaning back upright. This move deals 14, 12, or 10 damage, decreasing as the Pokey loses its segments. If thePokey only has its head left, it will Headbutt Mario much like aGoomba'sHeadbonk attack, dealing 8 damage. A group of Pokeys can use Group Flop, using the same damage values as Flop Bop, but the maximum amount of possible damage increases by one for every additional Pokey using the attack.
Mario Party series[edit]
Pokeys appear in theMario Party series since the third installment, and have mostly been featured inminigames throughout the series.
Mario Party 3[edit]
InMario Party 3, Pokeys make a background appearance in the party boardSpiny Desert. The Pokeys in this game use their design fromSuper Mario 64.
Mario Party 5[edit]
InMario Party 5, though Pokeys do not actually make an appearance in the game, there is a weapon inSuper Duel Mode called thePokey Tower Gun.
Mario Party 6[edit]
InMario Party 6, Pokeys serve as the main objective in the minigame,Pokey Punch-out, where players are required to punch out the body parts to win.
Mario Party Advance[edit]
- “May a warm desert wind blow at your back.”
- —Pokey,Mario Party Advance
InMario Party Advance, Pokey appears in a patch of desert in thedesert area ofShroom City. Once he encounters the player, he introduces himself as the guardian of the desert, and says that unless they answer his "Riddles of Mystery", they will be forever trapped with him. In exchange, he will grant them their freedom and aGaddget. After all three of his questions are correctly answered, he says that he is impressed and lauds the player as a master of the desert's riddles. He sticks true to his word and gives theTap-Tap Sumo Gaddget, and tells the player to continue journeying.
Several Pokeys appear as enemies inOutta My Way!; their segments can be individually punched out, and when their head is punched off, the rest of their body disappears.
Mario Party 7[edit]
InMario Party 7, Pokeys serve once again as the objective in a similar minigame,Pokey Pummel. The players must dismantle the body parts with a hammer to win. Pokeys and this minigame retain their role inMario Party: The Top 100 andMario Party Superstars. Three Pokeys also make an appearance in the background inPyramid Park. They use their design fromMario Kart: Double Dash!! in this game.
Mario Party: Island Tour[edit]
InMario Party: Island Tour, Pokeys appear in the minigamePokey Corral where they serve as obstacles that the players must avoid. They also appear inMatch Faker andStarring Artist sometimes and their design fromNew Super Mario Bros. Wii is used in this game.
Mario Party: The Top 100[edit]
InMario Party: The Top 100, aside from returning in Pokey Pummel fromMario Party 7, Pokeys also appear in the background inFlash Forward fromMario Party 10, while they are not present in the original game.
Super Mario Party[edit]
InSuper Mario Party, Pokeys appear as enemies in the minigamesMetal Detectors, and the players must take them out inHome on the 'Rang.
Super Mario Party Jamboree[edit]
Although Pokeys do not appear physically inSuper Mario Party Jamboree, one Pokey makes a cameo as a selectable reaction.
Mario Kart series[edit]
Pokeys make recurring appearances on some of the desert stages in theMario Kart series. They often occupy the track wiggling in place and can cause racers to spin out.
Mario Kart: Double Dash!![edit]
Pokeys make theirMario Kart series debut inDry Dry Desert alongsideBig Pokeys inMario Kart: Double Dash!!, where they gain a redesign similar to theirSuper Mario Sunshine appearance, consisting of a pink flower on their heads and a signature smile. In this game, Pokeys sway left and right in place, occasionally bending their bodies into an arch that racers can drive in between. Colliding with a Pokey causes racers to spin out. Attacking a Pokey with an item will defeat it temporarily, in which it will eventually regenerate once enough time has passed.
Mario Kart DS[edit]
Pokeys return inMario Kart DS on theDesert Hills course. Unlike inDouble Dash!!, they do not arch their bodies.Mission 2-6 requires the player to destroy Pokeys with Bob-ombs near the starting line of Desert Hills.
Mario Kart Wii[edit]
Pokeys return inMario Kart Wii, where they are seen in theDry Dry Ruins and the returningDS Desert Hills courses, behaving the same as the previous game, now as 3D models once again. This is the last game in theMario Kart series where Pokeys use theirSuper Mario Sunshine-inspired design, and the last time overall untilLEGOSuper Mario.
Additionally, a giant Pokey appears inThwomp Desert as part of October 2008's 1st competition. There, players had to defeat it by throwingBob-ombs. Pokeys also appeared inN64 Mario Raceway as part of November 2008's 2nd competition. The player faces another giant Pokey for September 2009's 2nd competition. Pokeys can be defeated byGreen Shells.
Mario Kart 8 /Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[edit]
Pokeys return again inMario Kart 8 andMario Kart 8 Deluxe, where they reappear in theGCN Dry Dry Desert course. Starting from these games, they use their design fromNew Super Mario Bros. Wii. They also gain their body arching move once again, and will spawn a coin in between itself whenever it does this.
Mario Kart Tour[edit]
Pokeys also appear inMario Kart Tour, returning inWii Dry Dry Ruins and acting similarly to their previousMario Kart appearances. If a Pokey is tall enough, it periodically bends sideways like inMario Kart: Double Dash!! In this game, drivers can remove a Pokey's segments individually by hitting them with an item or simply running into them, although they can respawn shortly afterwards; if drivers hit the Pokey's head, its whole body collapses. Pokeys give bonus points when taken out; even if the player strikes multiple segments at once, such as via aBob-omb orSuper Horn, they only obtain bonus points for each use of an item on the Pokey. Most items and conditions, including boosting with aMushroom, can be used to take out a Pokey.
In addition, aMii Racing Suit based on a Pokey debuts in the2023 Ninja Tour as part of Wave 28 of the Mii Racing Suits. It has theTriple Bananas as itsspecial skill.
Mario Kart World[edit]
This section is astub. Please considerexpanding it to include any missing information.Specifics: Detail them as enemies
Pokey appears as a playable character inMario Kart World, marking its playable debut in both theMario Kart series and theSuper Mario franchise as a whole. Itsemblem consists of a stylized depiction of a two-armed cactus with three spikes on top. Additionally, Pokeys retain their role as obstacles. They appear onroutes through desert areas.
Mario & Luigi series[edit]
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga /Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions[edit]
Normal Pokeys are absent fromMario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, though a highly-abnormal variant known as theSpiky Snifit appears inTeehee Valley. As its name suggests, it is also a type ofSnifit. Unlike the typical segmented Pokeys, Spiky Snifits resemble more generic stylized cacti with upward-facing arms.
Normal Pokeys appear in theMinion Quest: The Search for Bowser mode ofMario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions, where they appear as troops and enemies. They have very high HP but move quite slowly. TheirSpecial Skill is Whomping Whallop, which allows them to swing into their foes, similar to the Pokeys in mostPaper Mario games. They, along withGoomba Towers, are among the tallest troops in the game, and like Goomba Towers, they are Melee-type. Unlike Goomba Towers, they are heavily spiked, causing slight damage to most non-Ranged troops that attack them. Due to their segments, they are weak againstBoomerang Bros, and due to being plants, they are also weak againstFire Stalking Piranha Plants. They initially appear in the Teehee Valley segment. They resemble theirPaper Jam counterparts, but only ever appear with four segments, including the head.
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time[edit]
InMario & Luigi: Partners in Time, Pokeys live in theGritzy Desert. They start out as Pokey Heads with pink flowers, but when engaged in battle, a Pokey grows additional body segments. In battle, a Pokey rams into aMario brother to attack. The body segments can be knocked away with theHammer. This makes the Pokey shorter (allowing the Mario Bros. to jump over it). The Pokey can also launch its body segments at the Mario Bros. To counter this attack, the Baby Bros. should hit the body segments with their Hammers. The Pokey jumps normally when hitting Mario and spins once when hitting Luigi. A Pokey can also spin its body and shoot spines at the Mario Bros. The Pokey spins the individual body part to the brother it will attack. The brothers have to jump to dodge them. In this game, only attacks to the head can damage a Pokey. TheSkellokey, the skeletal variant of Pokeys, also appears in the game as common enemies inToad Town.
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story /Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey[edit]
While Pokeys do not appear inMario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, their tooth variantToothies do, and are common enemies inPlack Beach.
However, Pokeys do appear inMario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey, where they are enemies and recruitable allies in theBowser Jr.'s Journey mode. They are melee troopers and are weak to boomerang attacks fromBoomerang Bros. andWendy. However, only a maximum of two Pokeys can be befriended, as befriending a third one will have it forcefully dismissed.
Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam[edit]
Pokeys appear inMario & Luigi: Paper Jam inDoop Doop Dunes. While they do not initially appear onMario,Luigi and Paper Mario's first visit, they begin to show up on their second visit. On their first visit, however, aBig Pokey appears as a boss alongsidePaper Tower Power Pokey.
Outside of battle, Pokeys will chase the trio at high speed eventually hitting or falling on a bro. Both of these can causetrip when the battle starts. Due to their spikes, Pokeys cannot be jumped on, but hammering them will make them lose their segments. When a Pokey gets a turn, it will gain two or three segments and initiate an attack. A Pokey may come up to a bro and attempt to fall on him. The player must hammer the Pokey to avoid damage. Sometimes one falls in front of a bro, launching its head; hammer countering is still necessary. Sometimes a Pokey will step up and launch its segments at the bros. The bros will need to knock the segments back to avoid damage. If the Pokey spins a segment clockwise, it will hit Mario, whereas a counter-clockwise spinning segment will hit Luigi. One that does not spin will go forPaper Mario. Their last attack only involves Paper Mario. A Pokey will attempt to hit Paper Mario, who must jump or flutter jump to avoid. If the Pokey's head is upside-down, Paper Mario can land on it for damage. Papercraft Pokeys are also present. Aside fromTower Power Pokey, the Pokeys' paper counterparts do not appear.
Mario Golf series[edit]
Pokeys have had varying roles in theMario Golf series, usually as obstacles. InMario Golf: Advance Tour, a Pokey appears inDunes Club Practice Center, where the player must shoot three shots at him to earn aCustom Ticket B. InMario Golf: World Tour, Pokeys appear onLayer-Cake Desert, where they are obstacles that the player must avoid hitting the ball into. InMario Golf: Super Rush, Pokeys appear inBalmy Dunes andSpiky Palms, where if the golf ball hits a Pokey's head, it will instantly collapse.Snow Pokeys also appear as obstacles inMario Golf: Super Rush.
Mario Pinball Land[edit]
InMario Pinball Land, Pokeys use a green variation of theirMario Kart: Double Dash!! design. Here, they are found inShifting Sands Stage. To defeat the Pokey, one must first destroy the three lower segments, then the head.
Super Princess Peach[edit]
Pokeys also appear inSuper Princess Peach. In this game, Pokeys are always of three segments and a flower (including the head), and only appear inWavy Beach. They are resistant to Perry, so they can only be defeated with Rage orPoundbrella. There are alsovibe-infused Pokeys, known asMad Pokeys, that are simply angry Pokeys that stretch vertically to blockPrincess Peach from passing by them.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong series[edit]
Pokeys[7] appear with a toylike design in theMario vs. Donkey Kong series. Although harmful at direct contact, they are passive to the player and only travel from one side of a platform to the other. UnlikeShy Guys, who display the same behavior, Pokeys are taller, which makes them more difficult to avoid in certain situations but also prevents them from getting into narrow passages. They are always composed of three segments, one of which is their head. In all of their appearances, Pokeys can be defeated when struck by ahammer.
Pokeys feature spikes on their head instead of a flower, unlike Pokeys found in most games released prior toMario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again!. This design would be used for Pokeys starting withNew Super Mario Bros. Wii.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again![edit]
InMario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again!, Pokeys are first encountered inRoom 3-3 ofMagnet Mania. Activating a yellow switch transforms them into three harmless and immobile blocks.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem![edit]
Their second appearance is inMario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! where they begin showing up inArea 8-3 ofSuper Skywheel. If Pokeys come in contact with the transparent yellowPokey Blocks,[8] each segment will fill them in. They can be defeated if shot by aMini in acannon.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars[edit]
They reappear inMario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars, where they are introduced inLevel 5-3 ofDashing Desert and continue to appear in later worlds. Aside from Hammers and Cannon shots, Pokeys of this game can also be defeated by sliding down on them from a slope. While this is not shown in any of the game's pre-made courses, it can be tested in the level editor.
Yoshi's New Island[edit]
While onlyPokeyvariants appeared in previousYoshi's Island games, regular Pokeys appear for the first time in theYoshi series inYoshi's New Island, mainly in the levelUnderground Pokey Patrol. In this game, Yoshi can swallow individual segments to reduce the Pokey's height, or eat its head to fully defeat it, as inSuper Mario World. Upon eating a segment, Yoshi automatically ingests it and produces an egg without the player's input. A white variant of Pokeys also appears inPunkey the Pokey Prince's Castle, which move along the ceiling rather than on the ground. As the stage name implies, a large white Pokey,Punkey the Pokey Prince, is the boss of the stage.
Dr. Mario World[edit]
Pokeys debut in theDr. Mario series inDr. Mario World, as assistants. In stage mode, their effect can only be activated in timed stages, as it increases the timer by 3 seconds, where the chance of it happening is 50% at the first level and 100% at the maximum level (10% and 50% respectively prior to version 2.3.0). In versus mode, they have a chance to increase the speed that the user's attack meter fills, in which the amount of points is effectively reduced by 20%, rounded down to the nearest round number, and the chance of its activation is 10% at the first level and 50% at the maximum level. Pokeys also appear in the overworld forWorld 2 when it is cleared.
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope[edit]
InMario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, a Pokey can be seen as part of a desert-themed "snow globe-house" atPristine Peaks.
Mario Tennis Fever[edit]
Pokeys maker theirMario Tennis series debut inMario Tennis Fever, where they are summoned by the Fever Shot of the Pokey Racket. Depending on the tennis ball's bounce on the court, Pokeys can either appear in their usual three segments or taller.
Other appearances[edit]
The Legend of Zelda series[edit]
Pokeys have even appeared in various games ofThe Legend of Zelda series, such asThe Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening and itsrereleases, andThe Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons.
InThe Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, Pokeys are found inYarna Desert. IfLink strikes them with his sword, sections of their body will fly off while the remaining segments get faster, similar to theBouncers fromThe Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. In the remake, a Pokey figure can be won in theTrendy Game after clearingTurtle Rock and placed in theQuadruplets' house. The text that appears upon acquiring the figure reads, "You got a Pokey figure! The memory of meeting these still stings..."
InThe Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons, Pokeys are found inSamasa Desert. Unlike inLink's Awakening, attacking a Pokey with a sword does not cause sections of its body to fly off and is instead defeated outright. Hitting one with aMystery Seed causes it to grow a segment, with up to five total segments being growable from the default three.
Minecraft[edit]
In the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack inMinecraft, Creepers are replaced bySuper Mario Bros. 2-style Pokeys. Cacti are replaced by yellow Pokeys.
Profiles and statistics[edit]
- Main article:List of Pokey profiles and statistics
Most Pokey profiles note how they can be defeated instantly by attacking the head.
Gallery[edit]
- For this subject's image gallery, seeGallery:Pokey.
Names in other languages[edit]
The contemporaneous name for each language is listed first. Subsequent names are listed in chronological order for each language, from oldest to newest.
Pokey[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | サンボ[9][10] Sanbo | Anagram of「サボン」(sabon), which is from the clipping of「 | |
| ポーキー[11][12] Pōkī | Transliteration of the English name | Super Mario USA,Super Mario All-Stars | |
| Chinese(Simplified) | 仙人刺球[13] Xiānréncìqiú | From「仙人掌」(xiānrénzhǎng) and Min「刺球」(chhì-kiû, Mandarin pronunciationcìqiú), both meaning "cactus" | contemporary name within Chinese releases |
| 刺球丸子[10] Cìqiú Wánzi | Cactus Ball | contemporary name within international releases | |
| 刺球[14][15] Cìqiú | Cactus | prior toSuper Mario Party | |
| Chinese(Traditional) | 刺球丸子[9][10] Cìqiú Wánzi | Cactus Ball | |
| Dutch | Pokey[16][9][10] | - | |
| Finnish | Pokey[17] | - | |
| French | Pokey[16][18]:52[9][10] | - | |
| German | Pokey[19][20][21][22][9] | - | |
| Italian | Marghibruco[23][24][9][10][25] | Portmanteau ofmargherita ("daisy") andbruco ("caterpillar") | |
| Pokey[26][27][28][29] | - | Super Mario Bros. 2,Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2,New Super Mario Bros. Wii,the Legend of Zelda (prior to the Nintendo Switch remake ofLink's Awakening) | |
| Cactrus[30] | Derived from "cactus" | The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! | |
| Kaktus[18]:112 | Super Mario Advance | ||
| Pokey (alto)[31] | Pokey (tall); named in relation toPokey Head | Super Mario Sunshine | |
| Korean | 선인[9][10] Seonin | Clipping of "선인장" (seoninjang, "cactus") | |
| 포키[32] Poki | Transliteration of the English name | Super Mario Bros. 2 | |
| Polish | Dźgawnica[33] | Fromdźgać ("to poke") | |
| Portuguese(Brazilian) | Cactubola[34][9] | Fromcacto ("cactus") andbola ("ball") | |
| Pokey[35] | - | Super Mario Bros. 2 | |
| Portuguese(European) | Catubola[36] | Fromcato ("cactus") andbola ("ball") | |
| Russian | Поки[9][10] Poki | Transcription of the English name | |
| Spanish | Pokey[37][18]:92[9][10] | - | |
| Swedish | Pokey[38] | - |
Pokey Block[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italian | Blocco Marchibruco[39] | Pokey Block |
References[edit]
- ^TCRF.File:SMW Prerelease Pokey.png.The Cutting Room Floor. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
- ^August 1996.Nintendo Magazine System (UK) Issue 47.EMAP (British English). Page 17.
- ^March 1997. UKNintendo Magazine #54.EMAP (British English). Page 23.
- ^DS / DSi - Super Mario 64 DS - Pokey.The Models Resource (English). Retrieved May 22, 2024.
- ^Bogenn, Tim, and Doug Walsh (2002).Super Mario Sunshine Official Strategy Guide.BradyGAMES (American English). ISBN0-7440-0180-3. Page 6.
- ^An excerpt of page 107 of the Japanese version of theSuper Mario Bros. Encyclopedia The title of the box is 「クッパＪｒ．の落書き!」 which meansThe graffiti of Bowser Jr.! and the text says 「本作の敵キャラクターたちは、クッパJr.が落書きで生み出したという設定。そのため、水に弱かったり、デザインが他のシリーズと少々異なっていたりする。ヨッシーも、同様の理由で水に落ちると消えてしまう。」 which meansThis game's enemy characters are created by Bowser Jr.'s graffiti. That is why they are weak to water, and differ slightly in design from the rest of the series. Yoshi also vanishes if he falls in water for the same reason.
- ^"Pokey – Pokey will move back and forth, blocking Mini Mario’s way. Step on a yellow color switch to turn Pokey into blocks, or use a hammer to take him out." – Help dialogue.Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again!.
- ^Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! Help Mode
- ^abcdefghijNotebook entry (15 Dec. 2016).Super Mario Run byNintendo EPD (Ver. 3.2.4).Nintendo. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^abcdefghiinternal filenames fromThe Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Nintendo Switch) (glossary_enemy34/EnemyPokey)
- ^Itoi, Shigesato, Ryo Kagawa (APE), Hideaki Nishitani, Masatoshi Watanabe, Koichi Sugiyama (Supersonic), Junichiro Okubo, and Shigeo Tanabe (Shogakukan), editors (1993). 『任天堂公式ガイドブック スーパーマリオコレクション』. Tokyo:Shogakukan (Japanese). ISBN4-09-102444-0. Page 149.
- ^November 20, 1994.Perfect Ban Mario Character Daijiten.Shogakukan (Japanese). ISBN4-09-259067-9. Page225.
- ^新 超级马力欧兄弟U 豪华版 | Nintendo Switch | 任天堂 | 腾讯.Nintendo HK (Simplified Chinese). Retrieved August 8, 2024.
- ^From the ending scenes ofSuper Mario Advance as localized byiQue. 无敌阿尔宙斯 (August 28, 2013).神游 超级马力欧2敌人官译.Baidu Tieba (Simplified Chinese). Archived February 26, 2017, 16:11:09 UTC from the original via Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
- ^无敌阿尔宙斯 (August 28, 2013).神游 超级马力欧世界 敌人官译 (Official names for iQue Super Mario World enemies)].Baidu Tieba (Simplified Chinese). Archived February 27, 2017, 15:38:47 UTC from the original via Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
- ^ab1989.Super Mario Bros. 2 Handleiding /mode d'emploi. Brussels:Nintendo (Dutch, French). Page 30.
- ^2020.Aavikko-Pokey-laajennussarja #71363.LEGO (Finnish). Retrieved 8 Apr. 2025. (Archived April 20, 2025, 14:15:44 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^abc2001.Super Mario Advance Instruction Booklet (PDF). Großostheim:Nintendo of Europe GmbH (English, German, French, Spanish, Italian).
- ^1990.Super Mario Bros. 2 Speilanleitung. Großostheim:Nintendo of Europe GmbH (German). Page 27.
- ^Matsumoto, Atsuko, Rie Ishii, and Claude Moyse, editors (1992).Der Spieleberater Super Mario Power. Großostheim:Nintendo of Europe GmbH (German). ISBN3-929034-02-6. Page 118.
- ^Menold, Marcus, Claude M. Moyse, and Andreas G. Kämmerer, editors (1993).Der offizielle Nintendo Spieleberater "Super Mario World". Großostheim:Nintendo of Europe GmbH (German). Page 20.
- ^Kraft, John D., Thomas Görg, and Marko Hein, editors (1997).Der offizielle Nintendo 64 Spieleberater "Super Mario 64". Großostheim:Nintendo of Europe GmbH (German). Page 8.
- ^«Marghibruco» – Bowser Championship Cup scoreboard.Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour (Italian).
- ^Sakai, Kazuya (ambit), kikai, Akinori Sao, Junko Fukuda, Kunio Takayama, Ko Nakahara (Shogakukan), and Marco Figini, editors (2018).Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia. Translated by Marco Amerighi. Milan:Magazzini Salani (Italian). ISBN889367436X. Page 55, 67, 86, 99, 114, 145, 180, 195, 209.
- ^Sakai, Kazuya (ambit), kikai, Akinori Sao, Junko Fukuda, Kunio Takayama, Ko Nakahara (Shogakukan), and Marco Figini, editors (2025).Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia (2nd ed.). Translated by Alessandro Apreda. Milan:Magazzini Salani (Italian). ISBN979-1259575760. Page 55, 67, 86, 99, 114, 145, 180, 195, 209.
- ^1989.Super Mario Bros. 2 Libretto di Istruzioni. Oleggio Castello:Nintendo (Italian). Page 26. (Archived 27 Jan. 2024 via Mario's Castle by Alessandro "Stormkyleis" Imbesi.)
- ^Andrea Minini Saldini (June 2002).Nintendo La Rivista Ufficiale Numero 1. Milan:Future Media Italy SpA (Italian). Page 81.
- ^2011.New Super Mario Bros. Wii Album Ufficiale (Italian Edition). Barcelona:Mysterics, EnterPLAY (Italian). Page 16.
- ^Akinori Sao, Ginko Tatsumi, Chisato Mikame (March 2017).The Legend of Zelda: Enciclopedia di Hyrule (Magazzini Salani). Translated by Alessandro Apreda, Alberto Locca.Dark Horse Books (Italian). ISBN987-88-9367-423-2. Page 198.
- ^Super Mario bros super show ita 1x03 Nel selvaggio west
- ^Hodgson, David S. J., Bryan Stratton, and Stephen Stratton (2002).Super Mario Sunshine Guida Strategica Ufficiale realizzata da Prima Games. Translated by Associazione Culturale Go!. Giaveno:Yoo Too Videogames,Prima Games (Italian). ISBN88-900922-1-1. Page 17.
- ^「슈퍼 마리오 브라더즈 2」 한국판 사용설명서(일부)
- ^In-game name displayed on the character selection screen fromMario Kart World.Archived byReese Rivers (talk).
- ^internal filename fromDr. Mario World (Glossary_Characters.bytes\SubPokey)
- ^Gaglianone, Arthur, and Francisco Pellegrini Jr., directors (1991).Super Mario Bros. Livro Ilustrado. Rio de Janeiro:Multi Editora (Brazilian Portuguese). Page 10, 17.
- ^2020.Set de Expansão - Catubola do Deserto #71363.LEGO (European Portuguese). Retrieved 8 Apr. 2025. (Archived April 20, 2025, 14:14:01 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^1989.Super Mario Bros. 2 Libro de Intrucciones. Madrid:Nintendo (Spanish). Page 26.
- ^Lindberg, Gunnar, and Tobias Bjarneby, editors (1992).Nintendo-Magasinet Is. 3 (Vol. 21).Atlantic Förlags AB (Swedish). Page 9.
- ^Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!, in-game help guide
External links[edit]
•
•
•
•- Pokeys
- Berries
- Playable characters
- Animate objects
- Bowser Jr.'s Journey allies
- Dinosaur Dilemma enemies
- Dr. Mario World
- LEGO Super Mario characters
- Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam enemies
- Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time enemies
- Mario Clash enemies
- Mario Golf: Advance Tour characters
- Mario is Missing!
- Mario Kart 8 species
- Mario Kart: Double Dash!! species
- Mario Kart DS species
- Mario Kart Wii species
- Mario Kart World characters
- Mario Kart World species
- Mario Party 3
- Mario Party 5
- Mario Party 6
- Mario Party 7
- Mario Party Advance characters
- Mario Party Advance enemies
- Mario Party: Island Tour
- Mario Party: The Top 100 characters
- Mario Pinball Land enemies
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! enemies
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! enemies
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars enemies
- Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser allies
- New Super Luigi U enemies
- New Super Mario Bros. enemies
- New Super Mario Bros. 2 enemies
- New Super Mario Bros. U enemies
- New Super Mario Bros. Wii enemies
- New Super Mario Bros. Wii trading cards
- Paper Mario enemies
- Paper Mario: Color Splash enemies
- Paper Mario: Sticker Star enemies
- Paper Mario: The Origami King enemies
- Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door enemies
- Super Mario 3D Land enemies
- Super Mario 64 enemies
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- Super Mario Bros. Wonder enemies
- Super Mario Galaxy enemies
- Super Mario Galaxy trading cards
- Super Mario Maker 2 enemies
- Super Mario Run enemies
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- Super Mario World enemies
- Super Nintendo World characters
- Super Paper Mario enemies
- Super Princess Peach enemies
- Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS trophies
- The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! enemies
- Yoshi's New Island enemies
