View source for P Switch

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{{item-infobox
|image=[[Image:P-Switch NSMB2.png|100px]]<br>A '''P-Switch''' from ''New Super Mario Bros. 2''.
|description=A blue (or gray) switch with a "P".
|first_appearance=''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'' ([[1988]])
|latest_appearance=''[[The Super Mario Bros. Movie]]'' ([[2023]])
|effect=Turns [[Brick Block]]s in [[Coin]]s or vice versa or it causes the revealing of [[Silver Coin]]s.
}}
'''P-Switches''' (also spelled '''P Switches''' and also named '''Switch Blocks''') are items found in several [[Super Mario (series)|''Super Mario'' games]] such as ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'', ''[[Super Mario World]]'', ''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]'', and ''[[Super Mario 3D Land]]''.

When pressed, a P-Switch makes a change in the stage for a limited amount of time. This includes:
*Turning [[Brick Block]]s ([[Used Block]]s in ''Super Mario World'') into [[coin]]s.
*Turning coins into Brick Blocks (Used Blocks in ''Super Mario World'').
*Changing enemies into [[Silver Coin]]s (''Super Mario World'' gray switches only).
*Turning [[Muncher]]s and [[Jelectro]]s into coins (requires gray switch in ''Super Mario World'', but was never used for Jelectros in any original level)
*Allowing Mario to access a hidden [[door]]. (Appears as a white light in remakes of ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' and a blue door in ''Super Mario World''. Appears as a normal door in all other games.)
*Making hidden Coins appear (silver or light blue in many games).
*Making hidden [[Question Block]]s appear.
*Stopping conveyor belts from moving (''Super Mario Bros. 3'')

[[Image:SMB3_BluePow.PNG|thumb|left|A P-Switch in the ''[[Super Mario All-Stars]]'' version of ''Super Mario Bros. 3''.]]
Sometimes, a Brick Block with an item inside resembles a coin, but acts as a block. This is fixed in the [[Game Boy Advance]] remake of ''Super Mario Bros. 3''.

In ''Super Mario Bros. 3'', a P-Switch can cause the animations of [[Question Block]]s, [[Brick Block]]s and [[Note Block]]s to stop. In addition, reversed coins and bricks don't have any animation (except in ''[[Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3]]'').

In ''Super Mario World'', the gray version of the P-Switch makes most enemies turn into Silver Coins. Collecting eight of these coins awards [[Mario]] an [[Extra Life|extra life]]. Collecting one more gives Mario two extra lives. After nine coins, Mario will earn three extra lives for each additional coin. Also, gray P-Switches can turn Munchers and Jelectros into regular coins, however, there was no original level that featured both Jelectros and a P-Switch at the same time. ''Super Mario World'' is the only game in which P-Switches can be carried by Mario and saved for later. (Mario can also carry the switch after it has been pressed for a short time if he's quick before it disappears.) In all other games, Mario can't carry the switches and must use them right where they appear.

In ''[[Mario & Wario]]'', Switch Blocks do not have their "P", but they switch solid and non-solid colors.

In both ''New Super Mario Bros.'' and ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'', some P-Switches could be reused. This is the first instance of P-Switches exhibiting this characteristic. Prior to this, all P-Switches became unusable indefinitely after one activation.

P-Switches appear in ''[[Super Mario 3D Land]]''. Here, they are flatter with a light blue "P" printed. When pressed, they become red.

P-Switches also appear in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. 2]]'' and ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]'', where they serve the exact same functions as in the previous ''New Super Mario Bros.'' games.

==Gallery==
<gallery><center>
Image:Smb3 p switch.png|A Blue P-Switch in ''Super Mario Bros. 3''.
Image:SMW P Switch.jpg|A Blue P-Switch in ''Super Mario World''.
Image:P-Switches.PNG|Two P-Switch sprites from ''Super Mario World''.
Image:P_switch.png|A P-Switch's sprite from ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii''.
Image:PSwitch.PNG|A P-Switch's artwork from ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii''.
File:P-SwitchNSMB2.png|A P-Switch's sprite from ''New Super Mario Bros. 2''.
Image:P-Switch NSMB2.png|A P-Switch from ''New Super Mario Bros. 2''.
</center></gallery>

==Names in Other Languages==
{{foreign names
|Jap=スイッチブロック<br>Pスイッチ
|JapM=Switch Block<br>P Switch
|Spa=Interruptor P
|SpaM=P-Switch
|Fra=Bloc P<br>Interrupteur P<br>Bloc d'échanges
|FraM=P Block
|Ger=P-Block
|GerM=P-Block
|Ita=Blocco Interruttore P
|ItaM=P Switch Block
}}

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[[Category:Super Mario Bros. 3 Items]]
[[Category:Items]]
[[Category:Switches]]
[[Category:Objects]]
[[Category:Mario & Wario]]
[[Category:New Super Mario Bros. 2 Objects]]