Plessie, créature aquatique orange et blanche, chevauchée par Mario, Peach, Toad et Luigi lancés sur l'eau

Plessie: the river-rapids dinosaur of Super Mario 3D World

1090 words | Reading time : 5 minute(s)

MountSuper Mario 3D WorldBowser's Fury

A plesiosaur wide enough to carry four heroes at once. The star of the rapids rides in Super Mario 3D World, Plessie takes his name from the plesiosaur and from Nessie. This portrait follows his promotion to main companion in Bowser's Fury, where he ferries Mario from island to island across Lake Lapcat, and revisits the game's cult detail: the petting that makes coins appear.

A long neck, an unshakeable smile and a back wide enough to carry four heroes: meet Plessie, the most helpful plesiosaur in the Mushroom Kingdom. With him there is no fighting and no capturing: you climb aboard, he charges ahead, everyone laughs.

The star of the rapids rides in Super Mario 3D World, this gentle aquatic giant landed a second starring career in Bowser's Fury. Here is a portrait of the most joyful of Mario's mounts.

Contents

A plesiosaur built for gliding

Plessie makes his debut in Super Mario 3D World (Wii U, 2013). His design is good cheer distilled: a yellow-and-red body, big round eyes, short flippers and the fixed smile of a living water slide. Everything about him invites you to climb aboard.

His name spells out his double ancestry: a blend of “plesiosaur”, the great prehistoric marine reptile, and of “Nessie”, the nickname of the Loch Ness monster. A legendary dinosaur, then — but the water-park edition.

Plessie swimming at the surface with Mario on his back
A plesiosaur built for gliding: his flat silhouette makes him a living surfboard.

Four-player rapids rides

In 3D World, Plessie rules over levels of his own: long rapids rides where the whole team piles onto his back. Up to four simultaneous players — Mario, Luigi, Peach and Toad — cling to the same dinosaur as he hurtles down the torrents, slaloming between coins, rings and chasms.

  • You tilt Plessie's run like a bobsleigh, dodging the drops.
  • A button press makes the dinosaur leap over obstacles and gaps.
  • The best riders chain together lines of coins and aerial shortcuts.

These pure gliding sequences give the game its most exhilarating breathers — a water roller coaster right in the middle of a platformer.

Riding down the dunes on Plessie's back in a desert setting
The rides are run four-strong: that is where Plessie made his name.

Bowser's Fury: the mount of an open world

In 2021, the expansion Bowser's Fury (bundled with the Switch version of 3D World) promotes Plessie to the rank of main companion. In the archipelago of Lake Lapcat, the game's miniature open world, the dinosaur acts as the official ferry: Mario climbs onto his back to dash from island to island across the waves.

The role grows as the adventure goes on: Plessie gains brand-new abilities, including genuine diving boosts, and he even joins the fight against the game's great threat: a raging, colossal Bowser who erupts from the black waters. The friendly water slide becomes a war mount.

Petting, coins and contagious good cheer

Nintendo slipped a now-legendary detail into 3D World: when you take the time to pet Plessie, the dinosaur wriggles with delight and rewards the gesture with coins. A tiny mechanic, but one that says everything about the character: kindness pays, literally.

That tenderness stands apart from the saga's tradition of mounts: where Yoshi gulps enemies down and fights, Plessie never fights. He carries, he cushions, he smiles. He is the only dinosaur in the Mario universe whose role is entirely kind-hearted — a writing choice that explains just how beloved he is.

An aquatic mascot that is here to stay

Two games were enough to settle Plessie into the landscape: his smiling silhouette now ranks among the instantly recognisable creatures of the Mario galaxy, and his lifeguard act on Lake Lapcat has earned him genuine popularity with Switch players.

Fans are now watching for his next appearance — racing, platformer or party game: the format hardly matters, as long as you can climb back onto the back of the most welcoming of plesiosaurs.

Plessie at a glance

Name Plessie
Species Plesiosaur
First appearance Super Mario 3D World (Wii U, 2013)
Specialty Rapids rides for up to 4 players
Second major role Bowser's Fury (Switch, 2021)
Territory Lake Lapcat
Origin of the name Plesiosaur + Nessie (Loch Ness)
Quirk Petting… in exchange for coins

🍄 Want to keep the adventure going? Discover our Mario toys in the shop.

FAQ

  • Who is Plessie?
    He is a smiling plesiosaur who appeared in Super Mario 3D World in 2013 and serves as the heroes' aquatic mount during the rapids rides.
  • How many players can ride Plessie?
    Up to four players at the same time in Super Mario 3D World: the whole team climbs onto the same back to hurtle down the rapids.
  • What role does Plessie play in Bowser's Fury?
    He is Mario's main companion: he carries him from island to island across Lake Lapcat and gains new abilities, such as speed boosts.
  • Where does the name Plessie come from?
    It is a blend of “plesiosaur”, the prehistoric marine reptile, and “Nessie”, the nickname of the famous Loch Ness monster.
  • What happens if you pet Plessie?
    The dinosaur wriggles with happiness and makes coins appear: a small hidden reward for affectionate players.

The character guide

Who's who in the Mario universe: the complete character guide, from the earliest faces to the most recent arrivals.

🍄 All the Mario characters →
↑ Back to top
Back to blog