Flipswitch Panel
- "Switch Panel" redirects here. For information about the orange P Switches also known as Switch Panels, see P Panel.
A Flipswitch Panel[1][2] is a type of switch that appears in Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2. It starts off as a blue panel with a question mark on it. The panel turns yellow with an exclamation mark when it is stepped on, but it turns back to a blue question mark if it is stepped on again (the only exception is the Flipswitch Panels in the Gateway Galaxy, which all have circles on them rather than a "?" or "!"). However, a Flipswitch Panel does not change if Mario or Luigi jumps and lands on it again before walking off it; Mario or Luigi must step onto another Flipswitch Panel or a regular platform in order to change the color of the Flipswitch Panel. When all of the Flipswitch Panels are stepped on in a specific area, they turn green and display a square on them. After this has happened, they no longer change. After this, an event occurs within the immediate area. A galaxy called the Flipswitch Galaxy has a planet made completely out of Flipswitch Panels. Sometimes Mario or Luigi is chased by Cosmic Clones on Flipswitch Panel planets.
When Flipswitch Panels are stepped on, a tone is heard. The only exception is the panels in the Rolling Masterpiece Galaxy in Super Mario Galaxy 2, where no distinct tone can be heard and they instead produce a strange atonal sound when rolled on. The tones always remain in harmony with the background music and its chord structure, though they are detached.
Flipswitch Panels reappear in Super Mario 3D World and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, where they are known as Switch Panels.[3] They act as they did in the Super Mario Galaxy series, except this time a Switch Panel can be changed between yellow and blue even if the player jumps off and back on it without completely leaving the switch. When all Switch Panels in a series are activated, they turn into green "!" Switch Panels.[4] Making the last Switch Panel yellow gives the player 2,000 points. 
on the Wii U or the 
button on the Nintendo Switch can also be used to activate the Switch Panels.
Flipswitch Panel locationsEdit
Super Mario GalaxyEdit
| Galaxy | Mission | Area | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gateway Galaxy | Grand Star Rescue | Located inside the second of the two metal planets in the galaxy. | When all of the Flipswitch Panels have been deactivated, the first Grand Star is released. |
| Good Egg Galaxy | Dino Piranha, Dino Piranha Speed Run | Optional planet of Flipswitch Panels found between the Bitten Apple Planet and the Block-Climb Planet. | First set of Flipswitch Panels makes the next set appear, and the second set makes a Launch Star appear. |
| Flipswitch Galaxy | Painting the Planet Yellow | The entire main planet in the galaxy is composed of multiple Flipswitch Panels. | The player must activate all of the Flipswitch Panels on the planet to make the Power Star appear. |
| Dusty Dune Galaxy | Soaring on the Desert Winds | Found under a Thwomp in a secret tunnel accessed via a Warp Pipe to the right of the Starting Planet. | When the player activates the two Flipswitch Panels, a large number of Star Bits appear. |
| Toy Time Galaxy | The Flipswitch Chain | Found at various points on the Chain Planets near the end of the galaxy. | The player must activate all of the Flipswitch Panels on these planets to make the Power Star appear. |
| Dreadnought Galaxy | Dreadnought's Colossal Cannons | Located at various intervals separated by electric fences on the Mini Chomp path. | The first set deactivates the electric fence leading to the next set; the next set deactivates all electric fences and makes any remaining Mini Chomps disappear. |
| Snow Cap Galaxy | Star Bunnies in the Snow | Scattered at different points around the small planetoid, some hidden under snow. | After all five Flipswitch Panels have been pressed, a small hatch on the top of the planetoid opens and reveals a Fire Flower. |
Super Mario Galaxy 2Edit
| Galaxy | Mission | Area | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sky Station Galaxy | Storming the Sky Fleet | The Flipswitch Fleet Planet in this galaxy consists mainly of multiple Flipswitch Panels. | When the first set has been activated, it reveals the next set, which makes a Launch Star appear when activated. |
| Rolling Masterpiece Galaxy | Silver Chomp Grudge Match | Just after the Palette Planet is an elevator leading to six Flipswitch Panels in a triangular formation. | When the Flipswitch Panels have been activated, the ruler bridge leading to the next planet appears. |
| Sweet Mystery Galaxy | Bulb Berry's Mysterious Glow | Just before the Present Planet are five Flipswitch Panels located on various small planetoids. | After all five are pressed, a Launch Star leading to the next planet appears. |
| Mario Squared Galaxy | Make Mario a Star | The hands, face, and overall buttons on the 8-Bit Mario Planet all consist of Flipswitch Panels. | Once every Flipswitch Panel has been activated, the Power Star appears back on the starting platform. |
| Grandmaster Galaxy | The Ultimate Test, The Perfect Run | Just beyond the Flower Grapple Area are 21 Flipswitch Panels in a square-like formation. | When every switch has been flipped, the Launch Star appears on the starting platform. |
Super Mario 3D WorldEdit
| World | Level | Area | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| World 1-5 | Switch Scramble Circus | Almost the whole level consists of multiple sets of Switch Panels. | When every switch of one set has been flipped, a path gets opened, often leading into another set of Switch Panels. |
| World 4-5 | Spike's Lost City | In a secret room with Spikes. | When all switches are flipped, a Green Star appears. |
World 6- Mystery House
|
Mystery House Throwdown | The final room has three Switch Panels behind Thwomps. | When all switches are flipped, the last Green Star appears. |
World  Castle-2
|
Switchblack Ruins | Several rooms have sets of Switch Panels. | When every switch of one set has been flipped, the room gets lit up and a path opens. |
World  Flower-1
|
Switch Shock Circus | Almost the whole level consists of multiple sets of Switch Panels (and Fizzlits). There is also a set in a Mystery Box. | When every switch of one set has been flipped, a path gets opened, often leading into another set of Switch Panels or a Green Star. |
World  Crown- Mystery House
|
Mystery House Marathon | A room has three Switch Panels, which are on walls behind Thwomps and Rock Blocks, similar to the room in 6-Mystery House. | When all switches are flipped, a Green Star appears. |
Names in other languagesEdit
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | フリップパネル[5] Furippu Paneru |
Flip Panel |
| Chinese (simplified) | 翻转板 Fānzhuǎn Bǎn |
Flip Panel |
| Chinese (traditional) | 反轉面板[6] Fǎnzhuǎn Miànbǎn |
Reverse Panel |
| French | Tuile réversible[8] |
Reversible tile |
| German | Umdrehboden |
Reverse Ground |
| Italian | Interruttore a pannello (O variants) Pannello Alternato (?/! variants) |
Switch-panel Alternate Panel |
| Korean | 플립패널 Peullip Paeneol |
Flip Panel |
| Spanish | Panel alterno[7] |
Alternate panel |
ReferencesEdit
- ^ Super Mario Galaxy American instruction booklet, page 18.
- ^ Super Mario Galaxy 2 American instruction booklet, page 20.
- ^ Musa, Alexander, and Geson Hatchett. 2013. Super Mario 3D World PRIMA Official Game Guide, page 20.
- ^ VideoGamerTV (October 25, 2013). SUPA MAZZA BRAZZAS: "I want to be a cat" (Videogamer.com) - VideoGamer. YouTube.
- ^ Super Mario Galaxy Japanese instruction booklet, page 26.
- ^ Official Chinese manual for Super Mario Galaxy 2, page 26.
- ^ Super Mario Galaxy 2 American instruction booklet, page 64.
- ^ Super Mario Galaxy 2 American instruction booklet, page 42.