Poochy

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Poochy
Species	Dog
Debut	Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

Poochy is a recurring character from the Super Mario series who has prominently appeared as a helper character for Yoshi.

Information

Poochy is a cheery-looking dog who communicates only through barking. He is exceptionally powerful, as he can move around easily while Yoshi is standing upon him, and he is known for his abilities to walk on spikes and lava without receiving any harm. Thus, Poochy essentially acts as a safe moving platform for use in navigating various levels.

Appearances

He first appeared in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (as well as in the GBA remake). He appeared in three different stages, where Yoshi could ride him over dangerous terrain.

In Tetris Attack, Poochy initially appeared as an opponent (accompanied by a Grinder) in the VS mode due to having been brainwashed by Kamek. After being defeated, Poochy joined Yoshi's side and was unlocked as a playable character. Poochy also appeared in Yoshi's Story with a different function than usual. Poochy was chained to a post in several stages, and after being freed, he would run through the level and sniff out hidden items for the Yoshi. He could not be ridden in this appearance.

In Yoshi's New Island and Yoshi's Woolly World, Poochy served a similar function as in his original appearance, giving Yoshi a safe ride over dangerous terrain. In the latter game, it was also possible to buy a Power Badge that could make Poochy available in any level. The remake Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World also included a new mode called Poochy Dash, where the player controlled Poochy running through a number of environments, and trying to collect beads and pop balloons along the way. That remake also introduced younger versions of Poochy's species known as the Poochy-Pups, which fulfilled a function similar to Poochy's role in Yoshi's Story. In Yoshi's Crafted World,

Poochy once more appeared in several levels where he could be ridden. After completing each stage, it was possible to play a flipped version of the stage in which the goal was to find all three hidden Poochy Pups. If they were all collected within the amount of time specified for that stage, Poochy would appear at the finish line to give the Yoshi a Smiley Flower.

Poochy also made a number of small appearances in Super Mario Odyssey. He was mostly seen in a number of the game's hint photos, where he was shown sniffing out locations of Power Moons. Additionally, while possessing a Lakitu, Mario could fish Poochy out of a poisonous lake at Bowser's Kingdom, at which point Poochy would produce a Power Moon for Mario and disappear.

Spin-Off Games

In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Poochy was seen as an attraction in the background of the Baby Park course. Mario Party Advance also included a gaddget known as the Poochy Pal, which allowed the player to view Poochy's interactions in a backyard, similar to a virtual pet.

Other Appearances

Video Games

• With the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack of Minecraft: Wii U Edition, wolves are replaced by Poochy.
• In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Yarn Poochy appears as an Advanced-rank Primary Spirit that can decrease the player character's weight. When fought against in a Spirit battle, Poochy's Spirit possesses a team of Duck Hunt duplicates that utilize dashing attacks, and the battle is fought over a floor of lava.

Other Media

• Poochy has appeared in the Super Mario-Kun manga, most prominently in the volumes based on Yoshi's Story.

Canceled Appearances

• Poochy was seen in an early screencap for Paper Mario, but he was absent from the final game. The extent of his potential role was unknown.

Trivia

• His name is a simple play on 'pooch', an informal way of referring to a dog.
• Notably, almost all of Poochy's appearances are in games set in the time when Mario and Bowser were babies. Tetris Attack and Super Mario Odyssey are his only actual appearances in the 'modern' era.