View source for P Switch

{{icons|supermario|mariosonic|ssb}}
{{Infobox Object
|image = P-Switch.png
|caption = Artwork of a P Switch in ''New Super Mario Bros. 2''
|first = ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'' (1990)
|latest = ''[[Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury]]'' (2021)
|games = ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]''<br />''[[Super Mario World]]''<br />''[[Mario & Wario]]''<br />''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]''<br />''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]''<br />''[[New Super Mario Bros. 2]]''<br />''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]''<br />''[[New Super Luigi U]]''<br />''[[Super Mario 3D World]]''<br />''[[Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker]]''<br />''[[Super Mario Maker]]''<br />''[[Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS]]''<br />''[[Super Smash Bros.]]''<br />''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS]]''<br />''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]''<br/>''[[Super Mario Maker 2]]''<br />''[[Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury]]''
|notes = Turns empty bricks into coins and vice versa, and sometimes also causes [[Silver Coin]]s to appear
}}
'''P Switches''', alternatively spelled '''P-Switches''', are a recurring object in the {{franchise|Mario}}, namely the {{series|Super Mario}}, and first appear in ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]''.

==Description==
P Switches are a type of switch usually contained inside of [[Brick Block]]s or [[Question Block]]s. They resemble giant cyan (or regular blue in some cases) buttons with a giant "P" on them. In ''[[Super Mario 3D Land]]'' and ''[[Super Mario 3D World]]'', P Switches are depicted as having a flat surface with a light "P," making them more closely resemble buttons; in the former game, the "P" is light-blue, while the latter game, the "P" is white. In ''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]'', P-Switches are square-shaped.

Stepping on a P Switch activates it, temporarily turning all [[Empty Block]]s and Brick Blocks with no contents into [[coin]]s and vice versa for about ten seconds. In some cases, [[Silver Coin]]s appear temporarily while a P Switch is activated. In the [[New Super Mario Bros. (series)|''New Super Mario Bros.'' sub-series]], collecting every Silver Coin before they disappear plays a clapping sound. In the 3D ''Super Mario'' games, since ''Super Mario 3D Land'', P Switches vary in function, depending on the course, with some having the ability to alter the course's environment itself.

==In {{series|Super Mario}}==
===''Super Mario Bros. 3''===
Here, they are named '''Switch Blocks''', and one first appears in [[World 1-1 (Super Mario Bros. 3)|World 1-1]]. Aside from their usual function of temporarily turning Brick Blocks turn into coins and vice versa, Switch Blocks can also temporarily transform [[Muncher]]s into coins. The animation of [[? Block]]s, [[Note Block|Jump Block]]s, coins, and even [[Conveyor Belt]]s stop while a Switch Block is active. In all versions, Switch Blocks cause the [[Toad House]] theme to play while they are active.

Certain Switch Blocks appear in alternate colorations due to palette limitations; for instance, one in [[World 2-3 (Super Mario Bros. 3)|World 2-3]] is purple with tan details. This does not occur in ''[[Super Mario All-Stars]]'' or subsequent [[reissue|remakes]].

===''[[Super Mario World]]'' / ''[[Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2]]''===
Here, Switch Blocks, as they are still named, can now be carried by [[Mario]] or [[Luigi]]. Activating a Switch Block causes [[Question Block]]s and Coins to appear in certain areas, and Coins now turn into Empty Blocks instead of Brick Blocks.

A variant named the [[Gray P Switch]] has been introduced, and it can invert each enemy into a [[Gray Coin]].

===''[[Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3]]''===
Unlike the original ''Super Mario Bros. 3'', Brick Blocks and coins are still animated while a Switch Block is active, and item-holding Brick Blocks do not appear as coins. Switch Blocks also vanish a second after being pressed.

===''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]'' sub-series===
P Switches retain their functionality from earlier ''Super Mario'' series titles, ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' in particular, as they either spawn Silver Coins or turn Brick Blocks into coins and vice versa. In addition to this, P Switches can also affect the level's environment, such as by revealing staircases and certain [[Warp Door|door]]s in [[World 3-Ghost House (New Super Mario Bros.)|World 3-Ghost House]]. Unlike in previous games, certain P Switches can be reused multiple times.

P Switches retain the same role in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]'', ''[[New Super Mario Bros. 2]]'', and ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]''.

===''[[Super Mario 3D Land]]''===
P Switches return as an object. When pressed, they become red. Unlike before, P Switches function more similarly to the [[? Coin]]s of ''[[Super Mario Galaxy]]'' and ''[[Super Mario Galaxy 2]]'' in that some either trigger an event or generate a row of [[note]]s upon activation. There are still P Switches that spawn coins, such as one in [[World 2-3 (Super Mario 3D Land)|World 2-3]]. In [[World 3-2 (Super Mario 3D Land)|World 3-2]] and [[World 5-5 (Super Mario 3D Land)|World 5-5]], P Switches cause some [[Coin Ring]]s to appear.

===''[[Super Mario 3D World]]'' / ''[[Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury]]''===
[[File:PSwitchSM3DW.jpg|thumb|A P Switch in ''Super Mario 3D World'']]
P Switches have a similar appearance in ''Super Mario 3D Land'', and each one functions differently like before. However, P Switches do not change color upon being pressed. Some P Switches can spawn a [[Green Star]], such as in [[Shadow-Play Alley]]. In some of the bonus areas entered via [[Golden Pipe]]s and in the [[Coin Express]], there are Golden P Switches, which spawn several coins upon being pressed.

P Switches were given an orange square panel variation, [[P Panel]]s, which require multiple characters or objects to activate simultaneously. Another similar type of switch was introduced, [[Character Switch]]es, which can only be pushed by certain characters.

In the ''[[Bowser's Fury]]'' campaign, P Switches appear at the starts of certain islands when their respective Blue Coin Bustle missions are available. They also reset if those missions are not completed in time, allowing the player to reattempt them.

===''[[Super Mario Maker]]''===
Initially, P Switches were only usable in the ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'', ''Super Mario Bros. 3'', and ''Super Mario World'' styles, and they retained their sprites from the latter two styles' games of origin, respectively. In the ''Super Mario Bros.'' style, the P Switch was colored as orange with a brown P, while [[? Switch]]es appeared in the ''New Super Mario Bros. U'' style instead.

P Switches retain their function of changing Brick Blocks to coins and vice versa, and they can stop conveyor belts from moving like in ''Super Mario Bros. 3''. They can also be carried like in ''Super Mario World'', which applies to the other styles except ''Super Mario Bros.'', where Mario could not carry objects.

In the version 1.3.0 update, the P Switches in ''Super Mario Bros.'' were recolored to blue, likely to be consistent with the other games, and P Switches were added into the ''New Super Mario Bros. U'' style, now making them usable in all four styles. However, the coloring in the ''New Super Mario Bros. U'' style is closer to dark blue than the original's cyan. [[P Warp Door]]s were also introduced, and they function like a regular [[Warp Door]], but can only be used while the effects of a P Switch are active. When a P Switch is shaken in edit mode, it transforms into a [[key]].

===''[[Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS]]''===
P Switches retain their function from ''Super Mario Maker'', specifically since after the version 1.3.0 update. The use of P Switches is required in a part of [[World 5-3 (Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS)|World 5-3]] of [[Super Mario Challenge]].

===''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]''===
[[File:P-Switch SMO.jpg|thumb|150px|Artwork of a P Switch for ''Super Mario Odyssey'']]
P Switches vary in function, similarly as in ''Super Mario 3D Land'', although certain ones can spawn [[Flower Road]]s. P-Switches are often found in [[Moon Pipe]]s.

===''[[Super Mario Maker 2]]''===
P Switches appear and function identically as in ''Super Mario Maker'', although like [[POW Block]]s, P Switches now have a flashing animation in every returning styles. In addition, the ''Super Mario 3D World'' style does not retain the P Switches' flat design from the original game, because the style utilizes a 2.5D perspective, in which flat objects are not easily visible, so the ''Super Mario 3D World'' style instead features a P Switch based on those from the 2D ''Super Mario'' titles in general.

P Switches were given a few more capabilities, including the ability to attach to ceilings and to illuminate their surrounding area in the night version of the underwater and [[Ghost House]]] themes.

==In ''[[Yoshi (video game)|Yoshi]]''==
[[File:YoshiNES-PSwitch-BType.png|frame|left]]
P Switches make a minor appearance after the player clears levels 28 and higher of the B-Type game, rewarding them 1,500 [[point]]s. In the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]], P Switches appear red, likely due to palette limitations.

==In ''[[Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker]]''==
P Switches are generally used to alter the layout of the stage, allowing [[Captain Toad]] or [[Toadette]] to progress.
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==In ''[[WarioWare: Get It Together!]]''==
A P Switch makes a minor appearance in the [[Super Mario World (WarioWare: Get It Together!)|Super Mario World]] boss microgame, at the end of the first difficulty level's stage, functioning identically as in ''Super Mario World'' itself.

==Crossover appearances==
===''[[Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games]]''===
P Switches appear on the Coin Street rink of [[Snow Day Street Hockey]]. Whenever a P Switch is hit, it causes specific sets of Brick Blocks to turn into coins. After being used, the P Switches despawn and reappear in a different location on the rink.

==={{series|Super Smash Bros.}}===
[[File:P Switch SSBU.jpg|thumb|250px|A P Switch in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'']]
A P Switch appears in the [[Golden Plains]] stage in ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS]]'' and ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. If a fighter either steps onto or attacks a P Switch, Blue Coins temporarily appear among the ordinary coins, and while the P Switch's effects are active, its theme from the ''New Super Mario Bros.'' games plays over the stage's music.

==Statistics==
===''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS'' trophy===
{{SSB4trophy/P Switch}}

==Gallery==
{{Gallery Link}}

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[[Category:Switches]]
[[Category:Objects in Super Mario Bros. 3]]
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