Dash Panels[1] (also formatted as dash panels,[2] and also named Turbo Plates,[3] Turbo Tiles,[4] Boost Pads, and other names depending on the game) are special panels that make the player go faster. They are most prominently featured in the Mario Kart series.
History[edit]
Mario Kart series[edit]
Super Mario Kart[edit]
Mario driving near a Zipper in Bowser Castle 1 from
Super Mario Kart Dash Panels, named Zippers,[5] first appear in Super Mario Kart, where they appear as yellow arrows. They appear in Bowser Castle 1, Mario Circuit 2, Ghost Valley 2, Bowser Castle 2, Mario Circuit 3, Bowser Castle 3 and Ghost Valley 3. In Mario Circuit 2, Zippers are used to make a large jump. In the Virtual Console release, they are named Speed Pads[6]
Mario Kart 64[edit]
Dash Panels, named Booster arrows[7] and Dash Zones,[8] reappear in Mario Kart 64 in Royal Raceway and DK's Jungle Parkway. They appear as yellow and red scrolling arrows, and are used to launch racers over large gaps similarly to cannons in later games. They are larger than in Super Mario Kart. Ramps that look like Dash Zones appear in Koopa Troopa Beach.
Mario Kart: Super Circuit[edit]
Toad near a row of Speed Strips in Riverside Park from
Mario Kart: Super Circuit Dash Panels, named Speed Strips,[9] reappear in Mario Kart: Super Circuit. They are smaller than in Mario Kart 64. They appear in fourteen courses. They act the same as they did in Super Mario Kart and are often used to make large jumps off ramps, such as in Ribbon Road. With the exception of Mario Circuit 2, all extra courses had their Speed Strips removed.
Mario Kart: Double Dash!![edit]
Dash Panels[1], also named Rainbow Ramps,[10] reappear in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, where they are designed as rainbow-colored panels and are now rectangle-shaped. In this game, Dash Panels are more powerful, being as fast as a Mushroom.
Mario Kart DS[edit]
Dash Panels reappear in Mario Kart DS with a design similar to Mario Kart: Double Dash!!'s except with more vibrant colors. In GBA Bowser Castle 2 certain Dash Panels use their old design, while others use the new design.
Mario Kart Wii[edit]
Dash Panels reappear in Mario Kart Wii, where they have a similar design to the ones in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, but in most courses, the color only changes from pink to red, orange, and yellow. Tricks can now be performed off of Dash Panels that are on ramps in order to get a jump boost. Every nitro course in the game features a Dash Panel. Retro courses from games older than Mario Kart: Double Dash!! that contain Dash Panels keep their original design, such as in Mario Circuit 3. Vertical dash panels are also introduced in this game, which allow the player to perform tricks off the sides of courses.
Mario Kart 7[edit]
Dash Panels reappear in Mario Kart 7, where they are only orange. A new blue variant called Glide Ramps appear which do not increase the player's speed and deploy the player's Glider when driven over. Tricks can also be performed off of Glide Ramps.
Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[edit]
Dash Panels and Glide Ramps reappear in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, where the arrows on the Dash Panels are pixelated. In N64 Toad's Turnpike dash panel ramp truck appear which have a Dash Panel and a Glide Ramp on them. Antigravity Panels appear, which automatically set the Kart into Anti-gravity mode. It ends automatically, often after a ramp or a gliding section. When going backwards, the anti-gravity automatically turns on or off when passing over the anti-gravity panel.
Dash Panels do not speed up the player when inactive. In some courses, some Dash Panels become inactive under certain conditions:
Mario Kart Tour[edit]
Dash Panels and Glide Ramps reappear in Mario Kart Tour. They act the same as in previous games. The player now automatically tricks off of Glide Ramps and Dash Panels which are on ramps. Using a Dash Panel gives the player points.
The following karts increase boost time and points from going over a Dash Panel.
| Special skill
|
Normal
|
Super
|
High-End
|
Dash Panel Plus
|
+5 points
|
+10 points
|
+15 points
|
 
|
  
|
                 
|
Diddy Kong Racing / Diddy Kong Racing DS[edit]
The three Zippers, from left to right: Car, Hovercraft and Plane
Zippers[11] appear in Diddy Kong Racing and Diddy Kong Racing DS, which act similarly to how they act in the Mario Kart series. There are three variants of Zippers, one for each vehicle. Each vehicle's Zipper has a different appearance and are positioned based on the associated terrain. Car Zippers are arrow-shaped panels placed on the ground, the Hovercraft variant is shaped like a triangle, and are located on bodies of water, and the Plane variant is ring-shaped and is located in the air.
All three vehicles can use each Zipper variant. Planes can reach any type of Zipper, Hovercrafts can only use Zippers in water and on the ground, and Cars can only use Zippers on the ground. Zippers sometimes do not appear if a player drives in an unassociated vehicle. Zippers give off a larger boost of speed if the player lets go of the 
button before hitting one.
Mario & Sonic series[edit]
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games[edit]
Dash Panels reappear in the Nintendo DS version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, where they appear in the Dream Race event and function similarly to their appearances in other games. They also appear in the Wii version, where they also appear in Dream Race, however in this version of the event their positions change each lap. In the DS version of the game, Dash Panels are rainbow colored and a red and yellow arrows in the middle. In the Wii version of the game, they are smaller and switch between yellow and orange.
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games[edit]
Dash Panels reappear in the Nintendo DS version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, where they appear in the Ski Cross Racing event, functioning the same as in other games and having a similar design to Dash Panels in Mario Kart Wii. Boosted Ramps using various numbers of Dash Panels also appear in this event. A single long Dash Panel appears in Intense Short Track, where it appears near the end of the course, though in this event the characters only receive a small speed boost when they reach the end of the Dash Panel. Numerous Dash Panels appear on the Deluxe Halfpipe course, where they provide the player with a large speed boost. Another single panel appears in Blazing Bobsleigh, where it gives the characters a speed boost when they pass over it.
Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games[edit]
Dash Panels in the 1500m event in the 3DS version of
Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic GamesDash Panels reappear in both versions of Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, where they are generically named panels. In the Wii version, they appear exclusively in the Dream Equestrian event, where they appear in the Moo Moo Meadows course. In the event they use their Mario Kart Wii appearance and are surrounded by a wooden border. In the Nintendo 3DS version they only appear in the 1500m event, where they are blue, green, and yellow, and are surrounded by a white border. Other items which act similarly appear in the 10km Marathon Swim and Sailing - 470 (Pair) events. They act the same as they did in previous games.
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020[edit]
Dash Panels reappear in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, where they are red and white. They appear in the Highway Chase and Marathon (2D) minigames. They act same as they did in previous games.
Mario Party series[edit]
Mario Party 9[edit]
Dash Panels, named dash zones, reappear in Mario Party 9 in the minigame Speeding Bullets. They are used to accelerate the character's speed when they are used. They are orange and are in the shape of an arrow. In Time Attack mode, the bonus challenge for Speeding Bullets is to not miss a single dash zone. The introduction cutscene for the minigame shows a player going over a dash zone. A dash zone that is named a dash ramp also appears in Snow Go which sends the player over thick snow. In Time Attack mode, the bonus challenge is to use it in all ten laps.
Mario Party: Island Tour[edit]
Dash Panels reappear in Mario Party: Island Tour, where they are present in two minigames: Gyro for the Gold and Mr. Blizzard's Snow Slalom. In the former, they are used to cross gaps between the platforms of the obstacle course, and have arrows which move on the Dash Panels quickly. In the latter, they look similar to Dash Panels in Mario Kart 7 and are used to launch the player's snowball at Mr. Blizzard.
Super Mario Party[edit]
Dash Panels reappear in Super Mario Party, where flat Dash Panels appear in the River Survival mode on the water's surface, boosting the raft forwards when run over. Dash Panels on ramps also appear, which are used to reach minigame balloons and + Clocks suspended in the air. The flat Dash Panels are orange and yellow, while the Dash Panels on ramps are red and yellow. Dash Panels also appear with their Mario Kart 8 appearance in the minigame Barreling Along, where they boost players forwards.
Super Mario series[edit]
Super Mario 3D World[edit]
A Dash Panel in
Super Mario 3D WorldDash Panels reappear in Super Mario 3D World. They are square-shaped and feature a pixelated diamond animation. When character runs on it, it will blink and will increase their speed. Characters cannot stop running or crouch and cannot make large changes in direction without being in the air during a speed boost. All characters run at the same speed when boosted. Jumping will slow boosted characters down slightly, especially if an ability such as floating is used. Characters will immediately return to full speed upon landing if the boost has not run out.
Super Mario Maker 2[edit]
While Dash Panels do not appear in Super Mario Maker 2, similar objects known as Dash Blocks, which are based on the Dash Panels in Super Mario 3D World, appear as placeable course elements.
Mario Golf: World Tour[edit]
Dash Panels in
Mario Golf: World TourDash Panels reappear in Mario Golf: World Tour. They appear in the course Peach Gardens and are pink and heart shaped. They speed the golf ball up when the golf ball touches them. All of the course's holes except for hole four include at least one Dash Panel.
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker[edit]
Dash Panels reappear in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, where they have the same appearance and function that they had in Super Mario 3D World. They appear in Magma Road Marathon, where the player has to use them in order to advance and to not get hit by Charvaarghs, and they also appear in Drop-Road Dash. In the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS versions of the game, they also appear in Cookatiel's Sizzling Sprint.
Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam[edit]
Dash Panels appear in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, where they are white and orange, first appearing in the mission Wait Up, Yoshi! in Gloomy Woods. When the Dash Panels are stepped on, the trio dashes in the direction the arrows point. The trio cannot change their direction while they are dashing.
Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge[edit]
Boost Pads in
Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo ChallengeDash Panels, named Boost Pads, reappear in Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge, where they have orange and yellow arrows which move and blue handles on the sides. They appear in every level in the world Boost Pad Bonanza. Minis speed up when touching them. Boost Pads are either on the ground or on walls, the latter of which cause Minis to run up or down a wall. By tapping a Boost Pad, the directions of all Boost Pads in a level can be changed simultaneously.
Profiles[edit]
Super Mario Kart[edit]
- Wii Virtual Console manual: "Pass over this for a quick speed boost!"
Mario Kart 7[edit]
- North American website bio: "Many courses are littered with orange and blue hyperspeed ramps that can send you to top speed via land or air in a flash. A skilled racer will use these to their full advantage to zoom past the competition."
Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge[edit]
- Play Nintendo: "If you want to give your Mini an extra burst of speed, you can march it up to a Boost Pad and it’ll automatically zip on ahead. Tap the Boost Pad to change the direction of the arrows."[12]
Gallery[edit]
Wario near the two Dash Panels in Royal Raceway from Mario Kart 64
Yoshi near a Dash Panel in Yoshi Falls from Mario Kart DS
Yoshi running towards two Dash Panels in the Wii version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language
|
Name
|
Meaning
|
| Japanese |
ダッシュパネル
Dasshu Paneru
ダッシュプレート (Mario Kart Tour)
Dasshu Purēto |
Dash Panel
Dash Plate
|
| Spanish |
Panel de velocidad |
Speed panel
|
| French |
Plaque d'accélération |
|
| Dutch |
Sprintpaneel (Super Mario 3D World) |
Sprint panel
|
| German |
Beschleunigungsstreifen |
Acceleration strips
|
| Italian |
Pannello Acceleratore
Pannello scatto (Mario Kart Tour) |
Accelerator Panel
Dash panel
|
| Portuguese |
Painel turbo |
Turbo panel
|
| Korean |
대시 플레이트
Daesi peulleiteu |
Dash plate
|
| Chinese |
衝刺板
Chōngcì bǎn |
Sprint board
|
References[edit]
- ^ a b Mario Kart: Double Dash!! instruction booklet. Page 31.
Knight, Michael. (2010) Prima Nintendo DS Pocket Guide. Page 127.
Epstein, Joe, Garitt Rocha, and Alexander Musa. (2017) Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Official Guide (from Prima Games). Page 11.
Musa, Alexander, and Geson Hatchett (2013). Super Mario 3D World Prima Official Game Guide, page 19.
"This flashing device is called a Dash Panel." — Lakitu, Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 in-game name.
- ^ Grimm, Steven. (2003) Mario Kart: Double Dash!! Official Nintendo Player's Guide. Page 31.
Mario Kart DS instruction booklet. Page 36.
Hodgson, David S. J. Mario Kart Wii Premiere Edition. Page 9.
von Esmarch, Nick. (2011) Mario Kart 7 Prima Official Game Guide. Page 46.
- ^ Nintendo Power #41, page 89.
- ^ Nintendo Power #41, page 89.
- ^ Super Mario Kart Instruction Booklet, page 12.
- ^ Super Mario Kart Wii Virtual Console Manual, page 5.
- ^ Mario Kart 64 Nintendo Power Player's Guide, pages 59 & 67.
- ^ Mario Kart 64 instruction booklet, pages 31 & 32.
- ^ Stratton, Bryan, and Steve Stratton. (2001) Mario Kart: Super Circuit Prima Official Game Guide, page 39.
- ^ Mario Kart: Double Dash!! Nintendo Power Player's Guide, page 59.
- ^ Diddy Kong Racing DS instruction booklet. Page 11.
- ^ Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge Items. Play Nintendo. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
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