Ground-Pound Switch
Artwork fromSuper Mario Galaxy
First appearance	Super Mario Galaxy (2007)
Latest appearance	Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 (2025)
Comparable Burger Switch

AGround-Pound Switch^[1] (also spelledGround Pound Switch^[2] andground-pound switch^[3][4]) is a recurring object within 3D installments of theSuper Mario series. As the name implies, player characters can use Ground-Pound Switches byground-pounding them, affecting something within the environment.

History[edit]

Super Mario Galaxy[edit]

Ground Pound Switches are first seen inSuper Mario Galaxy and itsNintendo Switchport. UponMario orLuigi pressing one of these switches, a variety of things can happen, mainly makingStar Bits orcoins appear. There are also timed Ground Pound Switches, treestumps that have similar effects, and gray Ground Pound Switches that make walls fall down, making other areas accessible.

Super Mario Galaxy 2[edit]

Mario on a Ground-Pound Switch in the Puzzle Plank Galaxy inSuper Mario Galaxy 2

Ground-Pound Switches are also shown inSuper Mario Galaxy 2, having the same functions like in the first game. Ground-Pound Switches appear inRightside Down Galaxy, thePuzzle Plank Galaxy, theCosmic Cove Galaxy,Bowser's Lava Lair,Cloudy Court Galaxy,Starshine Beach Galaxy, theChompworks Galaxy,Shiverburn Galaxy, andBoo Moon Galaxy. There is also anew function for Ground-Pound Switches in this game. If Mario or Luigi ground-pounds one of the switches, the screen turns grayscale, and the environment and enemies on the respective planet slow down greatly. This new function appears in theSpace Storm Galaxy,Clockwork Ruins Galaxy, andStone Cyclone Galaxy, and it is useful in avoiding stage hazards that would be impossible to dodge otherwise.

Super Mario Odyssey[edit]

A Ground-Pound Switch inSuper Mario Odyssey

Ground-Pound Switches reappear inSuper Mario Odyssey. One Ground-Pound Switch can be found in theLost Kingdom, and it creates some walls for Mario towall-jump to the Rocky Mountain Summit when ground-pounded. Another one can be found on top of a skyscraper in theMetro Kingdom. Ground-pounding the switch causes aplatform to temporarily appear, allowing access to another building. Four Ground-Pound Switches are also found around theSeaside Kingdom, each one guarded by a cage that can be opened only by collecting thePower Moon next to it. Ground-pounding these switches uncorks theSparkle Water fountains to allow Mario to fightMollusque-Lanceur. These switches also appear in a sub-area in the aforementioned kingdom and theRuined Kingdom. Several Ground-Pound Switches also appear in theUnderground Moon Caverns in theMoon Kingdom, where they are used to activate moving platforms. According to the brochure for the Lost Kingdom, the symbol on Ground-Pound Switches originated there in ancient times.^[5] This symbol also appears on some enemies, such asStairface Ogres andAstro-Lanceurs.

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury[edit]

A Ground-Pound Switch inSuper Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury before its Cat Shine is collected for the first time and after its Cat Shine has been collected for the first time

In theBowser's Fury campaign ofSuper Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, Ground-Pound Switches reappear and are colored purple. While the assisting characterBowser Jr. has the ability to Ground Pound, only Mario's Ground Pounds can activate a Ground-Pound Switch. Activating a Ground-Pound Switch either causes aCat Shine and platforms leading to it to appear for 20 seconds or causes a battle arena to form around the switch that can only be disabled by defeating every enemy within the arena. Completing such a battle also spawns a Cat Shine. These Cat Shines are telegraphed by corresponding Cat Shine pedestals. In the case of an arena, the barrier fully blocksFury Bowser's fury blasts. When a Ground-Pound Switch is pressed,Plessie despawns immediately, preventing him from being utilized in a challenge started with a Ground-Pound Switch because Plessie's respawn points are outside of arenas, are in areas where getting on Plessie would not be helpful, or are too far away from timed challenges to reach without forcing the challenge to end early due to Mario moving away. When the Cat Shine created by a Ground-Pound Switch is collected, the terrain that the Ground-Pound Switch creates vanishes. The same occurs if a timed challenge is failed or the player leaves the area where a timed challenge occurs. After Mario has collected the Cat Shine, the Ground-Pound Switch turns gray. It can still be pressed in order to repeat the challenge. However, the Cat Shine tied to the Ground-Pound Switch is transparent when these challenges are repeated. Unlike a normal Cat Shine, the transparent Cat Shine does not have a cutscene, does not repel Fury Bowser, does not add to the total collected Cat Shines, and grants coins, but it does restoreSmall Mario toSuper Mario.

Ground-Pound Switches stay depressed while a timed challenge or arena is present, and reset to normal once the timed challenge or arena disappears without an animation.

The following missions require Mario to hit a Ground-Pound Switch:

• "Hurry! Jump High, Jump Fast!" (switch located near the entrance toPounce Bounce Isle)
• "Hurry! Watch Your Step!" (switch located on a bridge near the entrance toTrickity Tower)
• "Hurry! Fly through the Frost!" (switch located at the base ofCrisp Climb Castle)
• "Hurry! Hop behind the Wall!" (switch located in the middle of someDonut Blocks inRisky Whisker Island)
• "Hurry! Hot Cross Run!" (switch located near the entrance ofRoiling Roller Isle)
• "Hurry! Steer theSwitchboards!" (switch located near the entrance ofMount Magmeow)

The following Cat Shines that are not part of a mission are collected after Mario hits Ground-Pound Switches:

• "Cold Cove Combat" (switch located on the small area of land below the entrance toSlipskate Slope)
• "Footprint Free-for-All" (switch located to the southwest of the WastelandGiga Bell)
• "Surprise Prizefight" (switch located on an island directly north of Mount Magmeow)
• "Hurry! Climb the Falls!" (switch located on a tiny island located far west of the Lakeside Giga Bell).

Unlike other mission specific objects, Ground-Pound Switches never vanish if the island they are on is reloaded after their corresponding mission is cleared.

Gallery[edit]

• 

  Model fromSuper Mario Galaxy

Names in other languages[edit]

References[edit]

• Switches
• Bowser's Fury objects
• Super Mario Galaxy objects
• Super Mario Galaxy 2 objects
• Super Mario Odyssey objects

• Articles with unsourced foreign names