History Main / PainfulPointyPufferfish

* ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossing'': Implied through the series, as every quote the villager speaks when catching a pufferfish is an cry of pain instead of the {{Incredibly Lame Pun}}s the other fishes elicit.

** ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry2DiddysKongQuest'': Porcufish-like baddies called Puftups are common aquatic enemies. Some Puftups explode after inflating, causing them to unleash spikes in four directions. They could be defeated only when deflated. They make a reappearance in ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'' where they act more like hazards than enemies, remaining stationary and exploding like aquatic mines if approached by a Kong. A boss version called Pufftoss appears as the guardian of Gloomy Galleon in the same game.

* In ''VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver'', Qwilfish is based on a pufferfish. Not only can it sting with its spikes (it learns many spike-related moves like Toxic Spikes, Fell Stinger, Spikes or Poison Sting), it can also ''fire'' them at its foes with the move Pin Missile. Further, it often has the ability Poison Point, which makes it so that when an opponent hits it with a physical attack, it has a 30% chance of being [[StatusEffects poisoned]].

* In ''VideoGame/{{Awesomenauts}}'', one of the attacks that Spike, a jailbird pufferfish, can perform is the "Spike Dive", a diving tackle that launches his spikes out of his body for extra damage, with a new pair automatically growing back after.
* ''[[VideoGame/BanjoKazooie Banjo-Tooie]]'' features blowfish baddies called Swellbellies that are expies of the Puftops enemies from ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'', only orange and lacking the ability to explode.
* Pufferfish appear in the underwater levels in ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot3Warped''. Bumping into one while it's inflated will somehow lead to Crash getting puffed up himself, losing a life.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Cuphead}}'', the [[OurMermaidsAreDifferent giant mermaid]] Cala Maria can summon some puffed-up pufferfishes that can damage the player.

* In ''VideoGame/Spyro2RiptosRage'', there is a level called Mystic Marsh, which contains all sorts of strange fusions of animals. One of them is a cross between a platypus and a pufferfish. When they're in their platypus form, they can be defeated without an issue, but trying to attack them while they're puffed up will hurt Spyro.
* The ''VideoGame/StreetpassMiiPlaza'' game ''Mii Force'' features the Battling Blowfish, a giant robotic pufferfish submarine with retractable spikes, as a boss. One of its numerous way to damage the heroes is ramming into them with with all its prongs out.

* Pufferfish appear as enemies in the ''VideoGame/UmiharaKawase'' series, oftentimes floating around in the air. Not surprisingly, bumping into one can and will hurt Kawase if the player's not careful. They also make for handy spots to grapple and swing from via Kawase's fish hook.

** Fugush, the fourth boss of the fourth game, is a huge pufferfish which wear a diving mask and a snorkel and which will harm Starfy on contact with its quills. Fortunately, at some point, it will fire them to Starfy, and the short time without any spikes protecting it allows Starfy to damage it.

*** Fugu is a giant yellow pufferfish that can inflate to ''ridiculous sizes'' (its biggest form takes more than two thirds of the screen and literally dwarfs the big ape that is Donkey Kong). It is covered in damaging quills except for its rear, which act as its weak point.

* ''VideoGame/KirbyMassAttack'' has the Stickles, spiky fishes that dwell in the 7th level of the Dedede Resort. In the water, they are covered in vicious spikes that damage the Kirbys on contact, but as soon as they are on dry land, the spikes retract, leaving them open for attacks.

[[quoteright:300:[[Franchise/SuperMarioBros https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/porcupuffer.png]]]]

They are as such often seen in fiction stabbing other people with their spikes. Sometimes they spear others by their own accord, other times they are weaponized by another character. Painful Pointy Pufferfishes are notably common in Main/VideoGames in the UnderTheSea levels. Particularly nasty variants are even capable of [[StandardStatusEffects poisoning]] those who are poked by their spikes. Nastier yet, their flesh contains a fairly strong neurotoxin. Fish bites man is not news. Man bites fish is fatal...to the man. (Unless you prepare it specially, in which case [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fugu it's a delicacy]].)

** In the 1.13 update, mob versions of fish were added, including the pufferfish. It starts out small, but it inflates if a player gets near and will cause CollisionDamage or [[StandardStatusEffects inflict the Poison status]] if the player comes too close to them in this state.

* In ''VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver'', Qwilfish is based on a pufferfish. Not only can it sting with its spikes (it learns many spike-related moves like Toxic Spikes, Fell Stinger, Spikes or Poison Sting), it can also ''fire'' them at its foes with the move Pin Missile. Further, it often has the ability Poison Point, which makes it so that when an opponent hits it with a physical attack, it has a 30% chance of being [[StandardStatusEffects poisoned]].

* ''VideoGame/YoshisCraftedWorld'': In the level "Many Fish in the Sea", Yoshi has to ride on a variety of papercraft fishes, which serve as platforms. Some of the fishes are pufferfishes, which Yoshi has to avoid unless he wants to get damage.

* Before the boss fight with Kruller in a storage room inn ''VideoGame/LuigisMansion3'', the ghost frantically searches for a weapon in a cardboard box, and one of the items he pulls out is a pufferfish. Cue Kruller screaming in pain while shaking the fish off.

* In the ''[[VideoGame/SegaSuperstars Sonic and All-Stars Racing]]'' games, the drop-behind-you-to-lay-a-trap item is a blowfish, which deploys with a balloon-like squeak.

** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'' introduced the Porcupuffer, a gigantic pufferfish-like Cheep Cheep that chases Mario around some levels and provides this page's image. The spikes on its back prevent Mario from jumping on it, as they will damage the plumber. After a long hiatus, they now appear commonly in recent Mario games.
** ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiSuperstarSaga'' has the Puffer Cheeps. They first look like blue Cheep Cheeps, but when damaged by the plumbers, they puff up, revealing their spikes which damage the Mario Brothers when jumped on. Harming them once more will deflate them.

They are as such often seen in fiction stabbing other people with their spikes. Sometimes they spear others by their own accord, other times they are weaponized by another character. Painful Pointy Pufferfishes are notably common in Main/VideoGames in the UnderTheSea levels. Particularly nasty variants are even capable of [[StandardStatusEffects poisoning]] those who are poked by their spikes. Nastier yet, their flesh contains a fairly strong neurotoxin. Fish bites man is not news. Man bites fish is fatal...to the man.

* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/WeBareBears'', "Fire", Grizzly has to save some aquarium fish from a restaurant on fire (which he inadvertently started due to paranoia). One of the fish is a pufferfish, which Grizz juggles due to its spines hurting his paws.

* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/WeBareBears'', "Fire", Grizzly has to save some aquarium fish from a restaurant on fire (which he inadvertently started due to paranoia). One of the fish is a pufferfish, which Grizz juggles due to getting hurt by its spines.

* ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie'': ''Banjo-Tooie'' features blowfish baddies called Swellbellies that are pretty much expies of the Puftops enemies from ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'', only orange and lacking the ability to explode.

They are as such often seen in fiction stabbing other people with their spikes. Sometimes they spear others by their own accord, other times they are weaponized by another character. Painful Pointy Pufferfishes are notably common in Main/VideoGames in the UnderTheSea levels. Particularly nasty variants are even capable of [[StandardStatusEffects poisoning]] those who are poked by their spikes.

SubTrope of SpikesOfDoom. Related to TheSpiny. If wielded as a weapon by another character, it is a SubTrope of ShamuFu. See also SeaHurtchin for another spiny animal used in a similar way.

[[quoteright:350:[[Franchise/SuperMarioBros https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/porcupuffer.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Being on the business side of these quills must be quite hurtful.]]

* Implied through the ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossing'' series, as every quote the villager speaks when catching a pufferfish is an cry of pain instead of the {{Incredibly Lame Pun}}s the other fishes elicit.

** ''Franchise/DonkeyKong'':
** Porcufish-like baddies called Puftups appeared in ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry2DiddysKongQuest'' as common aquatic enemies. Some Puftups explode after inflating, causing them to unleash spikes in four directions. They could be defeated only when deflated. They made a reappearance in ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'' where they act more like hazards rather than enemies: remaining stationary and exploding like aquatic mines if approached by a Kong. A boss version called Pufftoss appears as the guardian of Gloomy Galleon in the same game.

* Pufferfishes in ''VideoGame/FeedingFrenzy'' and its sequel regularly inflate their bodies to sting the fishes trying to eat them. Touching one in their inflated state will send the fishes backward, and it is the only way the player can lose points in both games.

** In the 1.13 update, mob versions of fish were added, including the pufferfish. It starts out small, but if a player gets near, it inflates and will cause CollisionDamage or [[StandardStatusEffects inflict the Poison status]] if the player comes too close to them in this state.

* In the ''VideoGame/YoshisCraftedWorld'' level "Many Fish in the Sea", Yoshi has to ride on a variety of papercraft fishes, which serve as platforms. Some of the fishes are pufferfishes, which Yoshi has to avoid unless he wants to get damage.
* ''[[VideoGame/BanjoKazooie Banjo-Tooie]]'' featured blowfish baddies called Swellbellies that were pretty much expies of the Puftops enemies from ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'' only orange and lacking the ability to explode.

* ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryTropicalFreeze'':
** Fugu is a giant yellow pufferfish that can inflate to ''ridiculous sizes'' (its biggest form takes more than two thirds of the screen and literally dwarfs the big ape that is Donkey Kong). It is covered in damaging quills except for its rear, which act as its weak point.
** The [[WilyWalrus Fish Poker Pops]] attack with a stick with a porcupine fish at both ends.
** The Pufftup enemies are porcupine fishes that randomly inflate and deflate. When inflated, they can only be defeated by Cranky Kong's [[CaneFu cane]], as their spikes prevent the Kongs from touching them without being hurt.