Butterfly
- This article is about the generic species. For the enemies in Donkey Kong 3, see Butterfly (enemy). For the microgame in WarioWare: D.I.Y., see Butterflies (microgame).
| Butterfly | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Artwork of Butterflies in Mario Party: Star Rush Artwork from Mario Party: Star Rush | |||
| First appearance | Super Mario Bros. Print World (1991) | ||
| Latest appearance | Yoshi and the Mysterious Book (2026) | ||
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Butterflies appear in the Super Mario franchise as both ambient and interactable creatures. Various species are based on butterflies, the most recurring of which are Flutters.
History[edit ]
Super Mario Bros. Print World[edit ]
Butterflies first appear in Super Mario Bros. Print World as one of the selectable borders.
Super Mario series[edit ]
Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS[edit ]
Butterflies in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS are seen flying around in a few stages, as well as outside the Mushroom Castle. Butterflies appear in groups of three and have two variations: In the first variation, one butterfly turns into a 1-UP Mushroom upon being hit by Mario, and the other two do not transform into anything. In the second variation, one butterfly turns into a 1-UP Mushroom, and the other two transform into bombs similar to a flame thrower or iron ball and chase Mario until they hit him or something else. In either situation, the butterflies explode.[1] [2] Exploding butterflies can be found only on Tall, Tall Mountain and Tiny-Huge Island. In this game, butterflies are violet with white spots on their wings.
Super Mario Sunshine[edit ]
Butterflies in Super Mario Sunshine can be eaten by a Yoshi to get different items. Yellow butterflies yield regular coins, blue butterflies yield Blue Coins, and green butterflies yield 1-Up Mushrooms. In this game, butterflies are usually found fluttering around in groups, and they are rarely by themselves like in Super Mario 64.
Super Mario Galaxy[edit ]
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Butterflies in Super Mario Galaxy and its Nintendo Switch port appear throughout various galaxies, mostly for ambient purposes. However, the player can point the Star Pointer at butterflies and collect one Star Bit per butterfly by moving the pointer around while still touching it, but this does not work while Mario or Luigi is on the Comet Observatory. If Mario or Luigi sleeps near butterflies, they will sit on Mario's or Luigi's head.
Super Mario Galaxy 2[edit ]
Butterflies in Super Mario Galaxy 2 are shimmering and golden, and they appear on the Starting Planet in Sky Station Galaxy (three also appear on the Peewee Geo Planet later in the galaxy), but only while Co-Star Mode is active. The player can use the Co-Star Luma to spin the butterflies in the same way as they would any other object. When spun, each butterfly releases three Star Bits, after which they disappear. They also disappear the second that Co-Star Mode is deactivated, though when it is used again, they return. If spun by the Co-Star Luma, they are gone for good. These golden butterflies also appear on the Earth Planet, the Yoshi Tower Planet, the Fossil Planet, the Solar System Planet, and the Cone Planet in the Yoshi Star Galaxy. A different variety of butterfly also appears on the Stone Mountains Planet in the Fluffy Bluff Galaxy. These particular butterflies are purple and are present for decoration only.
Super Mario Odyssey[edit ]
The Lost Kingdom in Super Mario Odyssey is home to a large number of multicolored butterflies; they are mostly found in colonies and scatter slightly when Mario invades them. Apart from the ornamental butterflies, there is also a considerably larger, glowing butterfly that holds a Power Moon. It is always found east from Rocky Mountain Summit, resting on the edge of a narrow cliff jut. It flies away if Mario comes close to it, returning to the same spot after Mario leaves; however, it does not react to being approached by Cappy. This butterfly is theorized to be an adult Tropical Wiggler.[3] There are also butterflies that resemble large whites and swallowtails in the Wooded Kingdom and Mushroom Kingdom, respectively.
Mario Party 4[edit ]
Butterflies in Mario Party 4 appear in yellow, red, and blue varieties in the minigame Butterfly Blitz, where they are worth one point, two points, and three points, respectively.
Donkey Kong Jungle Beat[edit ]
Butterflies in Donkey Kong Jungle Beat are yellow and appear sporadically, and if clapped, they turn into one beat each.
Yoshi series [edit ]
Yoshi's Crafted World[edit ]
In Yoshi's Crafted World , there are five colorful butterfly crafts that are made of cut paper with drawn faces and black pipe cleaner antennae in Spring Sprung Trail, which the pink Blockafeller requests. Their wings are pink, light yellow, light green, and light blue. Some grassland courses also have yellow butterfly crafts used as props by Shy Guys hiding behind some cardboard bushes.
Yoshi and the Mysterious Book[edit ]
Butterflies appear in numerous levels throughout Yoshi and the Mysterious Book . They can interact with specific creatures, such as changing color when in contact with a Plumebrella or being eaten by a Mawstalk. Butterflies are quite plain in design, and are generally colored yellow, though golden ones make an appearance rarely. Additionally, some larger butterflies can be found in specific levels. Yoshis themselves cannot eat or interact with butterflies by themselves.
Illumination film series[edit ]
The Super Mario Bros. Movie[edit ]
Butterflies appear in The Super Mario Bros. Movie as wildlife in the Mushroom Forest. Some of them appear in their design from Super Mario 64 .
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie[edit ]
In the title announcement trailer for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie , a yellow butterfly serves as the focus of the tracking shot as it lands on top of Mario's cap while he is sleeping (similar to the ending of Super Mario Galaxy) under a tree, then flies over Peach's Castle and finally to space as the title is revealed, landing on the letter "M" of Mario's name in the logo.[4]
Mario Kart World[edit ]
Butterflies appear in Mario Kart World , where they have thick yellow bodies with pairs of black eyes, black antennae, and purple wings with white stripes on them. They carry nature-themed rings tied to their bodies in the air.
Gallery[edit ]
Screenshot from Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (Make Eggs, Throw Eggs)
Model from Super Mario 64
Texture from Super Mario 64
Screenshot from Donkey Kong 64
Artwork from Super Mario Sunshine
Artwork from Mario Party 4
Screenshot of Mario Party 4
Model from Super Mario Galaxy
Screenshot from Super Mario Odyssey
Butterfly from Mario Kart World
Names in other languages[edit ]
Butterfly[edit ]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | チョウ Chō |
Butterfly | [5] [6] | |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 蝴蝶 Húdié (Mandarin) Wùhdíp (Cantonese) |
Butterfly | [6] | |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 蝴蝶 Húdié (Mandarin) Wùhdíp (Cantonese) |
Butterfly | [6] | |
| Dutch | Vlinder | Butterfly | [6] | |
| French | Papillon | Butterfly | [7] [6] | |
| German | Schmetterling | Butterfly | [7] [6] | |
| Italian | Farfalla | Butterfly | [8] :19 | |
| Korean | 나비 Nabi |
Butterfly | [6] | |
| Russian | Бабочка Babochka |
Butterfly | [6] | |
| Spanish | Mariposa | Butterfly | [7] [6] |
Yellow Butterfly[edit ]
"Yellow Butterflies"[10] are a specific type of butterfly that releases coins when eaten by Yoshi in Super Mario Sunshine .
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italian | Farfalla Gialla | Yellow Butterfly | [8] :46 | |
| Farfalla gialla | Yellow butterfly | [8] :61 |
Blue Butterfly[edit ]
"Blue Butterflies,"[10] also lowercased,[11] are a specific type of butterfly that releases Blue Coins when eaten by Yoshi in Super Mario Sunshine.
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italian | Farfalla Blu | Blue Butterfly | [8] :46 | |
| Farfalla blu | Blue butterfly | [12] |
Green Butterfly[edit ]
"Green Butterflies"[10] are a specific type of butterfly that releases 1-Up Mushrooms when eaten by Yoshi in Super Mario Sunshine.
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italian | Farfalla Verde | Green Butterfly | [8] :46 |
See also[edit ]
References[edit ]
- ^ MrRobertZ (August 21, 2006). Super Mario 64 - Convert All Butterflies. YouTube. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
- ^ UncommentatedPannen (October 26, 2018). Butterfly Triplets. YouTube. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
- ^ 「失われた国「ロス島」に生息する不思議な蝶です。一説によると、同じくロス島に生息する「シマハナチャン」の成虫だとも言われているんです。」("It's a mysterious butterfly that inhabits the Lost Kingdom "Forgotten Isle". According to one theory, it may be the adult form of the "Tropical Wiggler," which also inhabits Forgotten Isle.") – February 21, 2018. スーパーマリオ オデッセイ : オデッセイジャーナル【ワールド】. Nintendo (Japanese). Retrieved December 11, 2024.
- ^ Nintendo of America (September 12, 2025). The Super Mario Galaxy Movie – Official Title Announcement. YouTube. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
- ^ Takashi, Watanabe, Noriko Oketani, Geesen Ueno, Mitsuharu Orihara, Tatsuhiko Mizutani, and Yasushi Nakahara, editors (2002). 『スーパーマリオサンシャイン 任天堂公式ガイドブック』. Tokyo: Shogakukan (Japanese). ISBN 4-09-106064-1. Page 20. Retrieved from Imgur.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j In-game name for the Butterfly Mobile from Super Mario Odyssey .
- ^ a b c In-game name for Butterfly Blitz from Mario Party 4 .
- ^ a b c d e 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). ISBN 88-900922-1-1.
- ^ Andrea Minini Saldini (November 2002). Nintendo La Rivista Ufficiale Numero 6. Milan: Future Media Italy SpA (Italian). Page 59.
- ^ a b c Hodgson, David S. J., Bryan Stratton, and Stephen Stratton (2002). Super Mario Sunshine: Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Roseville: Prima Games . ISBN 0-7615-3961-2. Page 46.
- ^ Averill, Alan, and Jennifer Villarreal (2002). Super Mario Sunshine: Official Player's Guide. Redmond: Nintendo of America. ISBN 1-930206-23-2. Page 120-21.
- ^ Andrea Minini Saldini (December 2002). Nintendo La Rivista Ufficiale Numero 7. Milan: Future Media Italy SpA (Italian). Page 83.
- Butterflies and caterpillars
- Shapeshifters
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- The Super Mario Galaxy Movie characters