Switchboards are a type of platform first appearing in Super Mario 3D Land.
Description[]
A Switchboard is a green platform with two triangular arrows on each side and two guiding wheels, one on each side. These platforms are usually used to cross large chasms and move along tracks specifically designed for them. Whenever Mario, Luigi, or another character jumps onto an Switchboard, depending on which side they're standing on, the arrow lights up yellow, and the platform begins to move in that direction. Mario or another character alternate between the left and right arrows to change the direction to better maneuver around the tracks. If there is no guard rail at the end of a track, the Switchboard can fall off if it continues moving, either causing Mario or another character to fall down a pit or onto another track set below. Switchboards can also be sprung up by a Water Geyser to reach higher tracks.
In Super Mario series[]
Super Mario 3D Land[]
Mario on the upper tracks with a Switchboard
Switchboards are first seen in Super Mario 3D Land. In this game, they are first seen in World 1-3 and World 3-1 near the end of the level where they are used to reach the top of the Flagpole. They later appear in World 1-4, Special 2-3, and Special 5-3 as the centeral theme of the levels. Whenever Mario/Luigi stands on one side of the platform, the arrow will light up and the platform will move in that direction along the tracks. Sometimes, the track directions may need to be manipulated for the plumbers to continue moving down the correct path. Often times, the tracks will have guard rails at the end which stops the Switchboards from rolling further, if there are no guard rails, the Switchboard will fall down the tracks (usually falling on the lower tracks). If the Switchboards are hit by a Water Geyser, they will be sprung up and can also be hoisted to the upper tracks. Switchboards are extremely quick when rolling down steep tracks which can make them more difficult to control. Switchboards are also seen in a section of Special 8-Crown where the plumbers must move along the tracks whilst avoiding raining Tail Bob-ombs and spinning Firebars.
Super Mario 3D World / Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury[]
Peach moves with a Switchboard near several Stingbies.
Switchboards as seen in Lake Lapcat.
Switchboards appear in Super Mario 3D World as well as Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury. In these games, they function similarly to how they did in the previous game (rolling along set tracks and being stopped by guard rails) however this time, they are slightly larger as well as having a white border instead of green. Switchboards can be found in the levels Switchboard Falls and Cosmic Cannon Cluster where they are used to navigate along the tracks. If multiple people are to stand on either side of a Switchboard, it won't move until everyone is on one side. The Wii U GamePad as well as the L and R Buttons of the Nintendo Switch can be used to control the Switchboards without direct interaction. In this game, players can also hit ! Blocks to manipulate the tracks the Switchboards follow allowing further progression in a level, the Switchboards are used for dodging obstacles such as Fuzzlers and Cannonballs.
In the Bowser's Fury campaign of Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, Switchboards are also seen in Mount Magmeow retaining the same functions as in the main game.
In Mario Party 10[]
The Big Guys attempt to fire at the winning Luigi and his Switchboard.
Switchboards are seen again in Mario Party 10, in this game, they are seen in the 1 VS Rivals minigame Bullet Bill Bullies. During the minigame, the solo player is seen riding on a Switchboard while the rivals are seen firing Bullet Bills at the solo player, the solo player must avoid the Bullet Bills by constantly changing the Switchboard's direction. If the rivals hit the solo player a specific number of times, they win however if the solo player can outlast the rivals on the Switchboard, he/she is the winner.
Crossover appearances[]
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS[]
A Spike Pillar smashing into a Switchboard.
Switchboards appear again in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS. In this game, they can be found in the 3D Land stage functioning identically to how they do in the mainline games serving as platforms for fighters to jump on during brawls. When a fighter stands on one side of an Switchboard, it moves in that direction. The Switchboards can also be destroyed by Spike Pillars.
In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, a similar type of platform called the Red Directional Platform appears.
Trivia[]
- While enemies such as Goombas can walk on Switchboards, they are unable to control the direction of which the Switchboards move.
- The Switchboards function similarly to the Balance Lifts from New Super Mario Bros. as well as the Work Elevator from Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS and could be the spiritual successor to both platforms.
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| Characters | Playable characters | Mario • Luigi • Peach • Toad • Yoshi • Wario • Waluigi • Daisy • Rosalina* • Donkey Kong • Bowser*** • Toadette • Spike*/** |
| Bosses | Mega Goomba • Petey Piranha • Mega Sledge Bro • King Boo • Mega Cheep Chomp • Mega Blooper • Mega Monty Mole • Kamek • Mega Mechakoopa • Bowser/Dry Bowser | |
| Species and hazards | Species and hazards | Amp • Ball 'n' Chain • Banzai Bill • Bee • Big Amp • Big Urchin • Bob-omb • Bomp • Boo • Bowser Jr. • Bullet Bill • Burner • Chain Chomp • Charvaargh • Cheep Cheep • Clampy • Dragoneel • Dry Bones • Fire Bar • Fish Bone • Fliprus • Foo • Fuzzy • Galoomba • Gold Cheep Cheep • Gold Piranha Plant • Goomba • Goomba Tower • Goombrat • Greenie • Grrrol • Hammer Bro • Huckit Crab • Jumbo Ray • Koopa Troopa • Luma • Mega Cheep Cheep • Mega Fuzzy • Nabbit • Peepa • Podoboo • Shy Guy • Skull Box • Spike Pillar • Spiked Ball • Star Bunny • Swooper • Toad • Torpedo Ted • Urchin • Waddlewing • Whomp |
| Minigames | Free-for-All | Balance Ball Brawl • Balloon Blast Bash • Beeline Shrine • Blooper Blastoff • Bob-omb Bogey • Bob-omb Combo • Bouncy Brawl • Cheep Cheep Leap • Cliffside Crisis • Dice 'n' Dash • Flash Forward • Foo Me Once • Found it? Pound it! • Fruit Cahoots • Fruit of the Doom • Fruit Scoot Scurry • Fuzzy Fliers • Goomba Gallop • Goomba Gotcha • Ice Slide, You Slide • Magma Meltdown • Meanie Match • Paintball Battle • Peepa Panic • Pipe Sniper • Platform Push • Rapid River Race • Shy Guy Shuffle • Snake Block Party • Soar to Score • Spiked Ball Scramble |
| 2 vs. 2 | Bobsled Battle • Boo Burglars • Bouncy Bounty • Bump, Set, Spike • Goombrat Combat • Ground Pound Pals • Murky Maze • Revolving Relay • Shape Up • Soccer Brawl | |
| 1 vs. Rivals | Bubble Squabble • Bullet Bill Bullies • Cheep Cheep Check • Hop, Drop, and Roll • Keep-Away Mayhem • Movin' Mushrooms • Skewer Scurry • Spring Fling • Steal the Beat • Watermelon Whalin' | |
| Boss Battle | Bowser's Tank Terror • Kamek's Rocket Rampage • King Boo's Tricky Tiles • Mega Blooper's Bubble Battle • Mega Cheep Chomp's Shell Shock • Mega Goomba's Ladder Leap • Mega Mechakoopa's Swing & Stomp • Mega Monty Mole's Maze Mischief • Mega Sledge Bro's Card Chaos • Petey's Bomb Battle | |
| Bowser Battle | Bowser's Bad Breath • Bowser's Bogus Bingo • Bowser's Clawful Climb • Bowser's Fire Bar Fury • Bowser's Hammer Slammer • Bowser's High Dive • Bowser's Painball • Bowser's Roulette Rage • Bowser's Sinister Slots • Bowser's Wicked Wheel | |
| Bonus | Badminton Bash • Bowser Jr.'s Bonk Battle • Bowser Jr.'s Clobber Cage • Jewel Drop | |
| Boards | Mario Party/Bowser Party | Mushroom Park • Haunted Trail • Whimsical Waters† • Airship Central • Chaos Castle† |
| amiibo Party | Mario Board • Luigi Board • Peach Board • Rosalina Board • Wario Board • Donkey Kong Board • Bowser Board • Toad Board • Yoshi Board • Normal Board | |
| Items | Items | 0-1 Dice Block • 1-2-3 Dice Block • 1-2-3 Slow Dice Block • 4-5-6 Dice Block • Dice Block • Bowser Dice Block • Double Dice Block • Mega Mushroom • Mini Star • Mini Ztar • Star • Slow Dice Block • Super Bowser Dice Block • Super Mushroom |
| Spaces | Spaces | Back Space • Blooper-Go-Round • Boo • Boo Space • Boss Battle Space • Bowser Space • Bowser Block Space • Bowser Jr. Space • Change Space • Cannon Space • Cheep Cheep Branch • Coin Space • Dash Space • Dragoneel Space • Dragoneel Treasure • Event Space • Gate Space • Green Space • Heart Space • Lose Coins Space • Lucky Space • Minigame Space • Risky Route • Special Dice Block Space • Special Event Space • Star Space • Steal Space • Streetlight • Toad House • Unlucky Space • Warp Space |
| Miscellaneous | Other | List of minigames in Mario Party 10 |
| *-Unlockable • **-Newcomer • ***-Playable in Bowser Party • †-Also playable in Bowser Party | ||