Recurring Enemies in The Mario Series - Cheep-Cheep

Cheep-Cheep

Cheep-Cheeps, known in Japan by the similar onomatopoeia Pukupuku (プクプク?), are fish that made their first appearance in Super Mario Bros., primarily in water levels, although some can jump in an arc or fly within a limited range. They are common recurring enemies throughout the Mario series.

There are many different species of Cheep-Cheeps, and they come in different colors, such as gray and green. In Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, Cheep-Cheeps are found swimming in the underwater levels or jumping out of the water in large arcs.

In Super Mario Bros. 3, Cheep-Cheeps act the same, although they can also jump out of lava. They are mainly seen in World 3. Also, around this time, Cheep-Cheeps' tail fin colors changed from white to yellow, and the slow-moving Cheep-Cheeps were recolored green (instead of gray). The game also features a very rare type of Cheep-Cheep with spines on its back. A variation of Cheep-Cheep also appears in Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story called "Air Cheep". Also, they appear in the Mario Kart series, and are important parts of the themes of certain levels.

GameDaily listed the Cheep-Cheep as the 23rd best Mario enemy, stating that few enemies angered them more than the Cheep-Cheeps.

Along with being primarily in water levels, they can also be found in levels with bridges over water. A great example of this is level 7-3 in Super Mario Bros.