Amp
Amp | |||
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![]() In-game artwork from Dr. Mario World | |||
First appearance | Super Mario 64 (1996) | ||
Latest appearance | Super Mario Party Jamboree (2024) | ||
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Amps are electrical, metallic balls debuting in Super Mario 64. Their name is derived from "ampere" (often shortened to "amp"), often used to measure electrical currents. They first appear in Super Mario 64, though they resemble the earlier Spark enemy, having a similar appearance and behavior to its Super Mario Bros. 2 rendition.
The original design of Amps, from Super Mario 64, depicts them gray with red eyes, gray lips, white "cross-popping" veins, and a red mouth. Since Super Mario 64 DS, they have wider yellow eyes, a larger mouth with a tongue, become black, and lose their veins. Their original design was last used in Mario Party Advance. Amps were changed to smaller black orbs with simplified red eyes and mouth in Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2. While the Amps of Dr. Mario World are gray, they are otherwise like their design in Super Mario 64 DS. Amps usually have joyful eyes and a smiling mouth overall.
History
Super Mario series
Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS

Amps are invincible enemies that move in quick, wide circles in various areas of Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS, usually around objects. Touching an Amp takes away a unit of the player character's health and makes him unable to move briefly. Shifting Sand Land also has two Amps that uniquely spawn from the air before chasing Mario if he is nearby, though Super Mario 64 DS gives the Amps their standard behavior instead.
Appearances
New Super Mario Bros.
Amps are enemies found only in World 3-Tower, World 4-
Tower and World 7-
Castle in New Super Mario Bros., usually in groups. They can now be defeated from either a Mega Mushroom or Starman. Amps lose their electricity briefly from shocking Mario or Luigi, though those on fences disappear after shocking him.
Super Mario Galaxy
Amps are invincible enemies in Super Mario Galaxy, though they are among the enemies that the second player can freeze. Amps move either back and forth or around the boundary of a planet, and should two hit each other, they move the other way while producing a few extra sparks. Amps also have a more common faceless variety, Zap Balls.
Appearances
marks missions where they are completely absent.
marks missions where they are loaded and may be visible, but cannot be encountered directly.
Domes | Galaxies | Missions | ||||||
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Terrace | Good Egg Galaxy | ![]() |
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Fountain | Battlerock Galaxy | ![]() |
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Kitchen | Buoy Base Galaxy | ![]() |
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Garden | Deep Dark Galaxy | ![]() |
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Dreadnought Galaxy | ![]() |
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New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Only six Amps ever appear in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, only in World 3-Tower. They function like in New Super Mario Bros., but the player character can now freeze them using ice balls or throw an enemy at them,[1] both defeating them, as well as a Super Star.
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Amps return in Super Mario Galaxy 2. They are the same as in Super Mario Galaxy but can now be defeated using a Rainbow Star.
Appearances
marks missions where they are completely absent.
marks missions where they are loaded and may be visible, but cannot be encountered directly.
Worlds | Galaxies | Missions | ||
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World 1 | Sky Station Galaxy | ![]() |
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Spin-Dig Galaxy | ![]() |
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World 5 | Space Storm Galaxy | ![]() |
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New Super Mario Bros. 2
Amps are found in the levels World 4-B and World Flower-
Warp Cannon in New Super Mario Bros. 2. They work mostly the same but now also move on lines akin to Fuzzies.
New Super Mario Bros. U
Amps and Big Amps both appear in Snake Block Tower and in Ludwig's Clockwork Castle reappear in New Super Mario Bros. U. They behave like in the predecessor, except touching them on the Wii U GamePad in Boost Mode takes away their electricity, leaving them vulnerable to a stomp. The game adds the similar Bowser Stunners, which conduct electricity with each other. Amps do not appear in New Super Luigi U.
Mario Party series
Amps appear in various games in the Mario Party series, either serving as obstacles in minigames or as usable items.
Mario Party 3 / Mario Party Superstars
Amps are the main obstacles of Motor Rooter in Mario Party 3 and its reappearance in Mario Party Superstars. Their electrical current covers various areas of the path, slowing players who touch them.
Mario Party 4
A sticker of an Amp named the Sparky Sticker appears in Mario Party 4, and it can hide in spaces and take away ten coins from whoever passes, including the effects of the Mini Mushroom and Mega Mushroom.
Mario Party 5
Amps are the main obstacles in the minigame Shock Absorbers of Mario Party 5,[2] so touching one or the electricity they produce eliminates the player.
Mario Party 6
An Amp is part of the Zap Orb in Mario Party 6, taking away five coins from the player character every space they move for the remainder of their turn. Both stationary and moving Amps are obstacles in Circuit Maximus, increasing in number as players pass through more rooms.
Mario Party Advance
- “Beat this game and I'm ohm free!”
- —Amp, Mario Party Advance
Amp is found at Town Game Room B in Shroom City mode in Mario Party Advance. He is a gambler who is short-temped,[3] and Amp tends to speak with electricity-related puns. Amp keeps losing in Match 'Em, so if the player helps him win, by ending with one more coin than what they began with, Amp believes that his luck will begin to turn around, which is suggested by the ending.[4]
Amps are hazards in Amplifried, Cloud Climb, and Broom Zoom, damaging the player character either on contact or with their electricity. Amplifried revolves around avoiding Amps and their lightning bolts,[5] and they move around, unlike in Cloud Climb and Broom Zoom.
Mario Party 7
Amps retain their role in the form of the Zap Orb in Mario Party 7, except the player loses three coins per space instead.
Mario Party 8

An Amp is one of the enemies in Specter Inspector in Mario Party 8, where it hides on the table.[6] The two-player version of Puzzle Pillars features Amps as heazards, and selecting columns with them briefly stuns the player.
Mario Party: Island Tour
Amps are featured in the minigame Amp My Style, where players try to avoid them and their electrical lines. They are also among the possible tiles in Match Faker and Tap Dash as well as a possible constellation in Starring Artist.
Mario Party 10
Two pairs of Amps appear in the minigame Bowser's Wicked Wheel of Mario Party 10, producing electricity on the left and right sides of the running wheel.[7] Big Amps also appear in the minigame Kamek's Rocket Rampage, though Amps do not.
Mario Party: Star Rush
Amps are obstacles in two minigames of Mario Party: Star Rush: Corkscrew Climb, where players jump over them while climbing a tower,[8] and Jewel Janitors, sometimes stunning players on contact. Amps are also hidden in Challenge Tower, where the player gets a game over upon touching one.
Super Mario Party
Amps are obstacles in the minigame Half the Battle of Super Mario Party, where touching one stuns a player briefly.
Super Mario Party Jamboree
Amps are hazards in a few minigames of Super Mario Party Jamboree, including Scare-ousel and Shuttle Scuttle, disqualifying players who touch them, as well as sometimes in Jr.'s Jauntlet. They are also in the Koopathlon minigames Lane Change and Sky-High Cannons, with the mode also featuring an Amp item that shocks the player in front for a few seconds.
Mario Sports Superstars
Amps are obstacles while battling the Big Yellow Magikoopa in the Road to Superstar mode in Mario Sports Superstars, being spawned and thrown by him.
Dr. Mario World
Amps appear in Dr. Mario World as assistants. Their body is now silver like in their debut appearance in Super Mario 64, while still having their modern eyes from Super Mario 64 DS onwards. In both stage mode and versus mode, their effect is to transform an object, mainly a virus, into an exploder when the stage starts, where the chance of activation is higher at higher levels (20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100% from levels 1 to 5 respectively).
Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit
Amps are featured as gates in Lightning Lagoon, Glazed Gardens, and Windswept Prairie in Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, zapping drivers on contact and slowing them briefly.
Mario Golf: Super Rush
There are trick Golf items based on Amps in Mario Golf: Super Rush, titled Amp Balls, though Amps are not physically present. Amp Balls create a shock that knocks out several zones within range, and a Dead-Aim Bonus is rewarded should every zone be knocked out.
Profiles and statistics
Mario Party: Star Rush
Image | Name | Bio |
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Amp A black sphere buzzing with electricity. |
"All that crackling energy can't be healthy... Perhaps you'd better avoid touching these things." |
Dr. Mario World
- Stage mode: "Grants 20%/40%/60%/80%/100% chance an exploder will appear on stage start."
- Versus mode: "Grants 20%/40%/60%/80%/100% chance an exploder will appear on stage start."
Gallery
- For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Amp.
Names in other languages
Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Japanese | ビリキュー[9] Birikyū |
From「ビリビリ」(biribiri, onomatopoeia for electric shocking) and「球」(kyū, "sphere") | |
Chinese (simplified) | 霹雳球[?] Pīlì Qiú |
Thunderbolt Ball | |
Chinese (traditional) | 霹靂球[?] Pīlì Qiú |
Thunderbolt Ball | |
Dutch | Amp[10] | - | |
French | Amp[11][12] | - | |
German | Sparky[13] | - | |
Energini[14] | Energy | ||
Italian | Amperino[15] | From "ampere" and the diminutive suffix -ino | |
Amperetto[16] | From "ampere" and the diminutive suffix -etto | New Super Mario Bros. Wii | |
Korean | 감전볼[?] Gamjeon Bol |
Electric Shock Ball | |
Portuguese | Faísca[17][18] | Spark | |
Russian | Ампер[19] Amper |
Ampere | |
Spanish (NOA) | Chispayaso[20] | From chispa ("spark") and payaso ("clown") | |
Spanish (NOE) | Sparky[21] | - | |
Amp[22] |
References
- ^ "Amps can be frozen or hit by another frozen enemy (like a Dry Bones)." – Bueno, Fernando (2009). New Super Mario Bros. Wii: PRIMA Official Game Guide. Roseville: Prima Games. ISBN 978-0-3074-6767-6. Page 15.
- ^ arronmunroe (October 9, 2015). Mario Party 5 minigame: Shock Absorbers 60fps (0:01). YouTube.
- ^ "Loves to play games. Has a short fuse and gets mad easily." – Amp (2005). Mario Party Advance. Nintendo.
- ^ "Hit a hot streak in the Game Room." – Amp (2005). Mario Party Advance. Nintendo.
- ^ "Dodge the lightning bolts those Amps blast!" – In-game text (2005). Mario Party Advance. Nintendo.
- ^ arronmunroe (November 19, 2016). Mario Party 8 minigame: Specter Inspector 60fps (03:09). YouTube.
- ^ Mario Party World (May 26, 2022). Mario Party 10 - Bowsers Wicked Wheel: Mario vs Peach vs Rosalina vs Wario (0:02). YouTube.
- ^ "Run the ramps and jump over the Amps!" – In-game description (2016). Mario Party: Star Rush. Nintendo.
- ^ Shogakukan editors (2006). 「敵キャラクターリスト」in『ニュー・スーパーマリオブラザーズ: 任天堂公式ガイドブック』. Tokyo: Shogakukan (Japanese). ISBN 4-091063-07-1. Page 19.
- ^ "Als je de Amps aanraakt op de Wii U GamePad, kun je tijdelijk op ze stampen." – New Super Mario Bros. U-kanaal. New Super Mario Bros. U - Cassismoeras-TOREN - Vrij klimmen met de booststand (Wii U). YouTube (Dutch). Retrieved February 13, 2025.
- ^ "Foncez à bord d'une carapace dans un conduit sinueux, et franchissez la ligne d'arrivée avant votre rival. Essayez d'éviter les Amps!" – Mario Party Superstars, Motor Rooter minigame description (Canadian French).
- ^ "Toucher les Amps sur le Wii U GamePad les rend temporairement inoffensifs, alors profitez-en pour tous les éliminer et finir le parcours !" – Chaîne New Super Mario Bros. U (April 25, 2013). New Super Mario Bros. U - Jungle Cassis-TOUR - Haute voltige en mode coup de pouce (Wii U). YouTube (French). Retrieved February 13, 2025.
- ^ "Wenn die Sparkys auf dem Wii U GamePad berührt werden, werden sie vorübergehend verwundbar und sind dann leicht zu besiegen." – New Super Mario Bros. U Kanal. New Super Mario Bros. U - Limonadendschungel-TURM - Kletterpartie im Boost-Modus (Wii U). YouTube (German). Retrieved February 13, 2025.
- ^ Kraft, John D., Thomas Görg, and Marko Hein, editors (1997). Der offizielle Nintendo 64 Spieleberater "Super Mario 64". Großostheim: Nintendo of Europe GmbH (German). Page 6.
- ^ "Toccare gli Amperini sul Wii U GamePad li rende temporaneamente schiacciabili, quindi usa questa tecnica spettacolare per sconfiggerli tutti e superare il livello!" – Canale New Super Mario Bros. U (April 25, 2013). New Super Mario Bros. U - Giungla gassata TORRE - Arrampicata libera con il Gioco assistito (Wii U). YouTube (Italian). Retrieved December 6, 2024.
- ^ November 15, 2018. Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia. Magazzini Salani (Italian). ISBN 889367436X. Page 146.
- ^ "As Faíscas ficam temporariamente vulneráveis se lhes tocar no Wii U GamePad, por isso, utilize esta espetacular técnica para derrotá-las a todas e avançar pelo nível!" – Canal New Super Mario Bros. U. New Super Mario Bros. U - Selva Gelatinosa-TORRE - Escalada livre em Modo Assistido (Wii U). YouTube (European Portuguese). Retrieved February 13, 2025.
- ^ "Corrida Chocante — Pilote um casco pelo cano sinuoso e alcance a linha de chegada antes do seu adversário. Desvie dos Faíscas!" – Mario Party™ Superstars para o console Nintendo Switch™ — Minijogos — Duelos. marioparty.nintendo.com (Brazilian Portuguese). Archived October 24, 2021, 13:59:16 UTC from the original via Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 13, 2025.
- ^ "Если коснуться Амперов на Wii U GamePad, они временно станут уязвимыми." – Канал New Super Mario Bros. U. New Super Mario Bros. U - Soda Jungle-TOWER - Boost Mode free climbing (Wii U). YouTube (Russian). Retrieved February 13, 2025.
- ^ "Pilota un caparazón de Koopa por una tubería llena de curvas y llega a la meta antes que tu rival. ¡Y cuidado con los Chispayasos!" – Mario Party Superstars, Motor Rooter minigame description (Latin American Spanish).
- ^ "Si tocas a los Sparkys en el GamePad, serán vulnerables de forma temporal..." – Canal New Super Mario Bros. U. New Super Mario Bros. U - Jungla Sirope-TORRE - Subida relajada entre amigos (Wii U). YouTube (European Spanish). Retrieved February 13, 2025.
- ^ "Corre sobre conchas Koopa a través de las tuberías, donde los Amps se ocultan." – Mario Party 3, Motor Rooter minigame description.
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