Flipper
- This article is about the paddle-like object from pinball settings used in theSuper Mario franchise. For the object that prevents players from going back in a level or course, seeFlipper (gate). For the obstacle fromBalloon Fight used as an item inSuper Smash Bros. Melee, seeList of Super Smash Bros. series items § Flipper.
| Flipper | |
|---|---|
 Flipper render fromMario Kart Tour | |
| First appearance | Pinball (1984) |
| Latest appearance | Mario Tennis Fever (2026) |
Flippers[1][2][3] are objects that typically appear in pinball-related settings of theSuper Mario franchise. Much like thepinball 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 inscene A andscene B ofPinball andVS. Pinball. The left flipper is used with the
Control Pad and the right flipper with the
or
button. The flippers vanish after exceeding 100,000points but reappear after achieving 150,000 points.
Yoshi series[edit]
- Main article:Flipper (gate)
In several entries of theYoshi series, one-way gates take the appearance of peach-colored pinball flippers with a blue stripe and tip, and thus are often referred asflippers as well. These flippers will open up when aYoshi, an enemy or a thrownegg 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.
InYoshi's New Island, flippers are a more vibrant pink color, while inYoshi's Woolly World andits reissue, flippers are made out of wood. Both iterations still have the blue stripe and tip.
WarioWare series[edit]
The microgameWario Pinball ofWarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! involves the use of flippers, with
controlling the left one and
controlling the right. The flippers fromPinball are in themicrogame of the same name inWarioWare Gold. The ones fromMario Pinball Land appear to be substituted by the player's Joy-Cons in themicrogame of the same name inWarioWare: Move It!, but function the same as that game's flippers.
Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3[edit]
Much like theYoshi series flippers, the one-way gates found in severalWorld-e courses exclusive toSuper Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 resemble pinball flippers, colored yellow this time. They function the same as the flippers in theYoshi series, too.
Mario Pinball Land[edit]
Flippers are used to bounceMario around each board inMario 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 theMario Kart series as obstacles inWaluigi Pinball, a course inMario Kart DS,Mario Kart 7,Mario Kart Tour, andMario Kart 8 Deluxe. They are located in the last area of the course. Like regular flippers on pinball machines, these red flippers launchmetal 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]
InSuper Mario Party Jamboree, players take control of two sets of flippers in the Showdown minigameWaluigi'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). ISBN978-0-307-89384-0. Page 130.
- ^1984. ピンボール (Pinbōru) instruction booklet.Nintendo (Japanese). Page 2.
[Edit] 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) |
