A ? Switch is a variation of the P Switch that first appears in Yoshi's Story and returns in the New Super Mario Bros. series. Hitting a ? Switch causes a variety of effects, depending on the location, although a consistency that all ? Switches have is that hitting one temporarily activates an event in which the environment is altered in some way.
In Yoshi's Story[]
Here, they are named Mystery Switches. ? Switches have their general purpose of altering the environment in some form, although unlike subsequent appearances, there are Delay Switches that can be hit to increase the duration of a ? Switch's effect.
In the New Super Mario Bros. series[]
? Switches often appear after hitting a Brick Block or Question Block, but sometimes appear outside blocks. The effects of pressing the switch vary, mostly depending on the level they're on. The effects can be temporary (in this case, the switch can be used infinite times or just once) or permanent. They are normally necessary for completing the level (or finding an alternate exit).
Examples of effects[]
- In World 2-3 of New Super Mario Bros., it rises the water level for a small period of time.
- In World Mushroom-Ghost House of New Super Mario Bros. 2, a ? Switch's effects vary depending in which part of the level it is in. For the most part, these ? Switches mostly cause blocks to temporarily appear.
- In World 6-Ghost House of New Super Mario Bros. 2, a ? Switch causes walls to move, usually to reveal paths.
Gallery[]
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[Edit] 
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|---|---|---|
| Characters | Protagonists | Yoshi • Yoshis |
| Antagonists | Baby Bowser | |
| Supporting characters | Balloon Bully • Dragon • Ghost Rider • Huffin' Puffin • Miss Warp • Neuron • Poochy • Power Bee • Snake | |
| Levels | P. 1-Beginning | Treasure Hunt • Surprise!! • Rail Lift • Tower Climb |
| P. 2-Cavern | Bone Dragon Pit • Blargg's Boiler • Jelly Pipe • Torrential Maze | |
| P. 3-Summit | Cloud Cruising • The Tall Tower • Poochy & Nippy • Frustration | |
| P. 4-Jungle | Jungle Hut • Jungle Puddle • Piranha Grove • Neuron Jungle | |
| P. 5-Ocean | Lots O'Jelly Fish • Lots O'Fish • Shy Guy Limbo • Shy Guy's Ship | |
| P. 6-Finale | Mecha Castle • Lift Castle • Ghost Castle • Magma Castle | |
| Other | Practice (training level) | |
| Bosses | Bosses | Cloud N. Candy • Inviso • Cloudjin • Don Bongo • Baby Bowser • Ghost |
| Mini-bosses | Bone Dragon • Slug | |
| Enemies and objects | Enemies | Air Bag • Attacky Sack • Bamboo dancer • Bee • Big & Little Boo • Black Shy Guy • Blargg • Blindfold Boo • Blue Blurp • Bob-omb • Bone Dragon • Boo • Boo Block • Bullet Bill • Bumblebee • Bumpty • Burner Shy Guy • Centipede • Cheep Cheep • Chomp • Clam • ComBat • Do-Drop • Flying Shy Guy (propeller) • Frog • Fuzzy Wiggler • Gabon • Goonie • Ick Worm • Jellyfish • Jelly Ghost • Lakitu • Lava Ghost • Little Boo • Mr. Eel • Nipper Plant • Nipper Spore • Pak E. Derm • Peeper • Piranha Plant • Piranha Pest • Piranha Sprout • Puffer • Raven • Red Blurp • Sea Anemone • Sea cactus • Sensuikan Heihō • Shy Guy • Shy Guy Galleon • Shy Guy on Stilts • Shy Guy on Pogo Sticks • Snorkel Snake • Snow Guy • Spider • Spike • Spiked Fun Guy • Spiny Fish • Tehee Butterfly • Toady • Vine Slime |
| Objects | Bocci Ball • Bumper Ball • Burner • Direction Switch • Grinder • Jelly • Piston • Rail Lift • Spike • Spiked stone • Sword | |
| Items | Items | ? Bubble • Bumber 'Chute • Delay Switch • Heart Coin • Message Block • Mystery Crate • Power Flower • Special Heart • Super Happy Tree • Surprise Ball • Tulip • Warp Vase • Yoshi's egg |
| Fruits | Apple • Banana • Bomb Berry • Favorite Fruit • Grapes • Heart Fruit • Lucky Fruit • Melon • Pepper • Watermelon | |
| Miscellaneous | Moves | Crouch • Egg Throw • Flutter Jump • Ground Pound • Jump • Sniff • Swallow |
| Terminology | ♥ • Arrow Sign • Fruit Frame | |
| Other | Gallery | |
