Sphynx
- Not to be confused with Sphinx.
- “Greetings, traveler, and to your hat as well. Can you answer my riddle?”
- —Sphynx, Super Mario Odyssey
The Sphynx is a large stone statue that appears in Super Mario Odyssey. It appears in several kingdoms, blocking the way to a small room in which Mario can find a Power Moon, and often many Coins. It moves once the player answers its riddles, which are generally questions relating to the kingdom in which it is found. After opening its paths, talking to the Sphynx will lead to extra questions; answering all of the Sphynx's various questions correctly will unlock an achievement from Toadette in the Mushroom Kingdom, granting Mario a Power Moon. It appears in the Sand Kingdom, Wooded Kingdom, Seaside Kingdom, Moon Kingdom, and the Darker Side of the Moon.
In the post-game, the Sphynx can be seen floating with a sail in the sky of the Cascade Kingdom, the Metro Kingdom and Bowser's Kingdom. In those cases, if Mario captures a pair of binoculars and focuses it on the Sphynx, a Power Moon will appear.
The Sphynx is modeled after the real-life Great Sphinx of Giza. Throughout the game, instead of being correctly spelled "Sphinx", the game calls this character a "Sphynx". Whether this is an error or on purpose is unknown. In real life, a Sphynx is a breed of cat known for its lack of fur.
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | スフィン・クイズ Sufin Kuizu |
Pun on 「スフィンクス」 sufinkusu, "sphinx," and 「クイズ」 kuizu, "quiz." |
| Chinese | 斯芬・奇思 Sīfēn Qísī |
Transliteration of Japanese name. |
| Dutch | Sphynx |
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| German | Sphynx |
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| Italian | Enigmicia |
Riddle-Cat |
| Russian | Софинкс Sofinks |
Sophinx |
| Spanish | Kin Triga |
From "qué intriga" (how intriguing) |
