Flipper
- This article is about the paddle-like object from pinball settings used in the Super Mario franchise. For the object that prevents players from going back in a level or course, see Flipper (gate). For the obstacle from Balloon Fight used as an item in Super Smash Bros. Melee, see List of Super Smash Bros. series items § Flipper.
| Flipper | |
|---|---|
 Flipper render from Mario Kart Tour | |
| First appearance | Pinball (1984) |
| Latest appearance | Super Mario Party Jamboree (2024) |
Flippers[1][2][3] are objects that typically appear in pinball-related settings of the Super Mario franchise. Much like the pinball components of the same name, these are paddle-like levers that are used by players to launch and redirect objects elsewhere; however, flippers sometimes appear as standalone objects not controlled by the player, and may even appear as obstacles for the player to avoid.
History[edit]
Pinball / VS. Pinball[edit]
Flippers are player-controlled objects used in scene A and scene B of Pinball and VS. Pinball. The left flipper is used with the 
Control Pad and the right flipper with the 
or 
button. The flippers vanish after exceeding 100,000 points but reappear after achieving 150,000 points.
Yoshi series[edit]
- Main article: Flipper (gate)
In several entries of the Yoshi series, one-way gates take the appearance of peach-colored pinball flippers with a blue stripe and tip, and thus are often referred as flippers as well. These flippers will open up when a Yoshi, an enemy or a thrown egg moves into them via the slanted side, and will remain open for as long as they stand in their threshold, but will close then they keep moving and prevent them from going in through the other, straight side.
In Yoshi's New Island, flippers are a more vibrant pink color, while in Yoshi's Woolly World and its reissue, flippers are made out of wood. Both iterations still have the blue stripe and tip.
WarioWare series[edit]
The microgame Wario Pinball of WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! involves the use of flippers, with 
controlling the left one and 
controlling the right. The flippers from Pinball are in the microgame of the same name in WarioWare Gold. The ones from Mario Pinball Land appear to be substituted by the player's Joy-Cons in the microgame of the same name in WarioWare: Move It!, but function the same as that game's flippers.
Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3[edit]
Much like the Yoshi series flippers, the one-way gates found in several World-e courses exclusive to Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 resemble pinball flippers, colored yellow this time. They function the same as the flippers in the Yoshi series, too.
Mario Pinball Land[edit]
Flippers are used to bounce Mario around each board in Mario Pinball Land. 
or 
controls the left flipper, while 
or controls the right one. Mario's trajectory depends on where and how hard the flippers hit him, like with a regular pinball.
Mario Kart series[edit]
Flippers appear in the Mario Kart series as obstacles in Waluigi Pinball, a course in Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart 7, Mario Kart Tour, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. They are located in the last area of the course. Like regular flippers on pinball machines, these red flippers launch metal balls away by being pushed upwards, but the main difference is that they produce electric discharge when doing so. Any racer who hits a thrusting flipper is knocked over.
Super Mario Party Jamboree[edit]
In Super Mario Party Jamboree, players take control of two sets of flippers in the Showdown minigame Waluigi's Pinball Arcade: one set is located at the bottom of the board, while the other two flippers are on the upper side, each below one end of a Clear Pipe tunnel. Players can move the left flipper from both sets with 
/ 
, while they control the right flipper from both sets with 
/ 
. They must use these flippers to redirect the pinball to various parts in order to score as many points as they can under a 180-second time limit.
Gallery[edit]
Pinball
WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!
WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!
Mario Pinball Land
Mario Pinball Land
Mario Kart DS
Mario Kart DS
Mario Kart DS (high-resolution screenshot)
Mario Kart 7
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | フリッパー[4] Furippā |
Flipper | |
| German | Flipper[?] | - | WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! |
| Flipperhebel[?] | Flipper lever | WarioWare Gold |
References[edit]
- ^ 1985. Pinball North American instruction booklet. Nintendo of America. Page 3.
- ^ 2004. Mario Pinball Land North American instruction booklet. Nintendo of America. Page 13.
- ^ "ROAD HAZARDS section. FLIPPERS: Don’t get hit by one of these giant flippers. When a flipper lights up, give it a wide berth." – von Esmarch, Nick (December 4, 2011). Mario Kart 7 PRIMA Official Game Guide. Prima Games (American English). ISBN 978-0-307-89384-0. Page 130.
- ^ 1984. ピンボール (Pinbōru) instruction booklet. Nintendo (Japanese). Page 2.
| Pinball / VS. Pinball | |
|---|---|
| Characters | Mario • Lady • Penguin • Chick |
| Objects | Flipper • Lane • Slot window • Slot target • Up-post • Target • Lane light • Hole kicker • Bumper • Striker • Card • Card lane • Hole • Egg • Stopper • Side lane • Bingo lamp • Floor |
| Scenes | Scene A • Scene B • Bonus Stage |
| Music | "Title BGM" • "Fanfare" |
| Other | Gallery • Nintendo Music (soundtrack) |
