Switchboard

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Switchboard
A Switchboard from Super Mario 3D World.
First appearance Super Mario 3D Land (2011)
Latest appearance Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (2021)

Switchboards[1][2] are movable green platforms in Super Mario 3D Land, Super Mario 3D World, and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury. They are divided into two pads that display arrows pointing in opposite directions. Across the middle of a Switchboard is an axle with wheels, enabling it to move on rails. If the player steps on one of its pads, the arrow on the side they stand on turns yellow and the Switchboard moves on rails in the indicated direction.

History[edit]

Super Mario series[edit]

Super Mario 3D Land[edit]

Mario riding a Switchboard in Super Mario 3D Land

Switchboards first appear in Super Mario 3D Land in World 1-3 and appear in large numbers in World 1-4, Special 2-3, and Special 5-3. The rails under a Switchboard may have blunt ends, making the Switchboard come to a stop once it bumps into them. However, some rails do not have these ends, and the Switchboard will simply fall off the rails if led there. The Switchboard will safely land on other rails most of the time, but in some situations, it may fall into an abyss, bringing the character along with it and causing the player to lose a life. The Switchboard accelerates on inclined rails, making it more difficult to control.

Super Mario 3D World / Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury[edit]

Switchboards in Super Mario 3D World

Switchboards return in Super Mario 3D World and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, appearing in Switchboard Falls and Cosmic Cannon Cluster as the main mode of transportation. Here, the border around the platforms is white instead of green. The character can use Switchboards to dodge Fuzzlers in the former level and Cannons in the latter. If multiple characters stand on both sides of a Switchboard at once, it will slow to a stop and remain stationary unless it is on an inclined rail. Additionally, GamePad on the Wii U or the R Button button on the Nintendo Switch can be used to control Switchboards without direct interaction, as tapping one side with the cursor causes it to move in that direction.

In the Bowser's Fury campaign of Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, Switchboards are used to traverse Mount Magmeow.

Super Smash Bros. series[edit]

Screenshot of a stage from Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS
Switchboards in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS

Switchboards also appear in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS in the final portion of the 3D Land stage, albeit without the arrows. They can be destroyed by Spike Pillars, which serve as stage hazards in the stage.

In the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate version of the stage, the Switchboards are redesigned to have red checker patterns on them.

Mario Party 10[edit]

A Switchboard also appears in Mario Party 10 in the minigame Bullet Bill Bullies. The solo player has to move sideways with it to dodge incoming Bullet Bills from other players.

Gallery[edit]

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning
Japanese シーソートロッコ[3]
Shīsō Torokko
Seesaw Trolley

Chinese 跷跷板车[4]
Qiāoqiāobǎn Chē
Seesaw Car

Italian Piattaforma Vaievieni (Super Mario 3D Land)
Carrello alternato (Super Mario 3D World)
Come-and-go Platform
Alternated cart
Korean 시소보드
Siso-bodeu
Seesaw Board

Portuguese Plataforma Vaivém[citation needed]
To-and-fro Platform
Spanish Plataforma balancín[citation needed]
Seesaw platform

Trivia[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Musa, Alexander, and Geson Hatchett (2013). Super Mario 3D World Prima Official Game Guide. Page 19.
  2. ^ Super Mario 3D World US English text, in-game name level name of World 3-7 – Switchboard Falls
  3. ^ Sakai, Kazuya (Ambit), kikai, Akinori Sao, Junko Fukuda, Kunio Takayama, and Ko Nakahara (Shogakukan), editors (2015). 『スーパーマリオブラザーズ百科: 任天堂公式ガイドブック』. Tokyo: Shogakukan (Japanese). Page 185, 232.
  4. ^ Official simplified Chinese website for Super Mario 3D Land. Retrieved February 12, 2020.