Block (Super Mario 64)
| Block | |
|---|---|
| |
| First appearance | Super Mario 64 (1996) |
| Latest appearance | Super Mario 3D All-Stars (2020) |
| Effect | Breaks apart and may contain coins, a Super Mushroom, a Red Coin, or a 1-Up Mushroom |
Blocks,[1] also known as boxes,[2] are, as the name entails, plain-looking blocks (one described as a "sand block"[3] in the context of Shifting Sand Land) that first appear in Super Mario 64. They are scattered throughout the game's various courses and can be broken by most of Mario's attacks. Some of them contain three coins, but this is rather uncommon and most are empty. In this game, they look identical to the game's throwable Crates, though they are much larger. Unlike Crates, they cannot be thrown, though Mario is able to stand on top of them. Blocks are occasionally activated by Purple Switches in courses such as Wet-Dry World and Dire, Dire Docks. In these cases, the blocks are always empty and they are used more as platforms than containers.
In Super Mario 64 DS, "block" is now used as an umbrella term for several similar objects.[4] The functional equivalents to the original blocks are known as Bricks[4] and have an appearance similar to orange brick blocks, no longer sharing their cork-like texture with Crates. They are also much more common than before. Some Bricks contain mushrooms, but this is quite rare. Mario, Luigi, and Wario can also break Bricks, but Yoshi cannot break them with any of his attacks unless he has eaten a mushroom. In addition, Black Bricks[4] are introduced as a variant of block that can be broken only by Wario. However, any player character can break them with the help of a mushroom. The other two types of block are the Crate and the Ice. Despite the original design not appearing in the game, it can be seen in reused artwork of Mario's actions in the manual.
In Mario Party, boxes appear in the minigame Box Mountain Mayhem. The goal of this minigame is to destroy as many boxes as possible, as many of them contain coins and coin bags. However, among the large "mountain," there are also Whomp Blocks disguised as these boxes, which move the characters who attack them away from the mountain.
In Super Mario Galaxy 2, in the Throwback Galaxy, the blocks from the original Whomp's Fortress have been replaced by functionally identical crates.
Gallery[edit]
Artwork of Mario and a block from Super Mario 64
Model from Super Mario 64
A block in the Hazy Maze Cave in Super Mario 64
Blocks in Shifting Sand Land in Super Mario 64
Blocks in Wet-Dry World in Super Mario 64
A block on Tall, Tall Mountain in Super Mario 64
Boxes in Mario Party
Bricks in Super Mario 64 DS
Two Black Bricks on Tall, Tall Mountain in Super Mario 64 DS
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ブロック[5][6][7] Burokku レンガ[7] Renga 黒いレンガ[7] Kuroi Renga |
Block (Super Mario 64 and Mario Party object, and Super Mario 64 DS group) Brick (Super Mario 64 DS, orange type) Black Brick (Super Mario 64 DS, black type) |
|
| French | Bloc[8] Caisse[8][9] Briques[8] Briques noires[8] |
Block (Super Mario 64 DS. group) Box (Super Mario 64 (DS) and Mario Party object) Brick (Orange Brick in Super Mario 64.) Black Brick (Super Mario 64 DS.) |
|
| Italian | Blocco[?] | Block |
References[edit]
- ^ "Press the Z button while jumping to squash enemies or to destroy blocks." – Super Mario 64 English instruction booklet, pg. 15
- ^ "Break the mountain of stacked boxes. You can find Coins inside." – Mario Party, Box Mountain Mayhem instructions
- ^ Official UK Nintendo Magazine. Super Mario 64 The Essential Player's Guide. Page 15.
- ^ a b c Super Mario 64 DS instruction booklet, pg. 28
- ^ Super Mario 64 Japanese instruction booklet, pg. 15
- ^ Japanese Mario Party gameplay
- ^ a b c Super Mario 64 DS Japanese instruction booklet, pg. 28
- ^ a b c d Super Mario 64 DS Instruction booklet, French side page 68.
- ^ "Brise la montagne de caisses empilées. Tu y trouveras des pièces." – Mario Party "Déliro-Caisses" instructions.
