How do I Create a Temporary Power-Up?

I want to create an item like the Mario Bros. flashing star power-up. What do I need to do to set the time (roughly 4 seconds), and any other info you might find helpful?

First and foremost you need a timer. This could be a global variable or an instance (object based) variable. Think about it like a stopwatch - you press the button, time runs up and then it automatically turns off when it reaches a value.

Check over the frequently asked questions sticky as there will be a ton of useful links to help you get up to speed with the basics. If you have any problems, post up what you have and I (or someone else) will fix it for you.

Thank you so much!