Hidden Block (Mario Party series): Difference between revisions

From the Super Mario Wiki, the Mario encyclopedia
Jump to navigationJump to search
m (The Event Block info goes on its own page.)
 
(29 intermediate revisions by 15 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{italic title|Hidden Block (''Mario Party'' series)}}
{{italic title|Hidden Block (''Mario Party'' series)}}
{{More images|Images for ''Mario Party 3'', ''Mario Party 4'', ''Mario Party 5'', ''Mario Party DS'', and ''Mario Party Superstars'' are needed.}}
{{image|more=yes|Images for ''Mario Party 3'', ''Mario Party 4'', ''Mario Party 5'', ''Mario Party DS'' and ''Super Mario Party Jamboree'' are needed.}}
[[File:Hidden Block.png|thumb|[[Wario]] finding a Hidden Block in ''[[Mario Party 2]]''{{'}}s [[Rules Land]]]]
[[File:Hidden Block.png|thumb|[[Wario]] finding a Hidden Block in ''[[Mario Party 2]]''{{'}}s [[Rules Land]]]]
'''Hidden Blocks''' are a game mechanic in the ''[[Mario Party (series)|Mario Party]]'' series that first appeared in ''[[Mario Party 2]]'', though a similar mechanic appeared in ''[[Mario Party]]'' as well. Hidden Blocks are invisible blocks that may rarely appear when the player lands on a [[Blue Space]]. When broken by the player who finds one, they typically contain a large number of [[coin]]s or a [[Star (Mario Party series)|Star]], among other possible contents. Hidden Blocks' appearance changes with each game, sometimes resembling [[Brick Block]]s, other times looking more like a small [[treasure chest]].
'''Hidden Blocks''' are a game mechanic in the ''[[Mario Party (series)|Mario Party]]'' series debuting in ''[[Mario Party 2]]''. They are the successor to the very similar [[Event Block]]s of ''[[Mario Party]]''. Hidden Blocks generally look like [[Brick Block]]s and usually contain either many [[coin]]s or a [[Star (Mario Party series)|Star]]. A Hidden Block usually appears from landing on a random [[Blue Space]].


In all ''Mario Party'' games with a toggle-able "bonus" option that controls the presence of [[Bonus Star]]s, turning this off also prevents Hidden Blocks from appearing randomly.<ref name="Rare_Oddities_10">Mario Party Legacy (October 11, 2019). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erqBaa3RTN8 Hidden Blocks in Mario Party Explained | Rare Oddities #10]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved July 14, 2021.</ref>
Every ''Mario Party'' game with a toggle-able "bonus" option that controls the presence of [[Bonus Star]]s causes Hidden Blocks to not appear randomly.<ref name="Rare_Oddities_10">{{cite|language=en|author=Mario Party Legacy|date=October 11, 2019|url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=erqBaa3RTN8|title=Hidden Blocks in Mario Party Explained {{!}} Rare Oddities #10|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=July 14, 2021}}</ref> The only exception is ''[[Mario Party Superstars]]'', where Hidden Blocks still appear even when Bonus Stars are turned off, giving both the usual coins and occasional Star.<ref name="Party Crashers">{{cite|author=Vernias|date=August 27, 2023|url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXGYNpAFe8Y&t=8357s|language=en|timestamp=2:19:17|title=MARIO PARTY we have to tie <nowiki>[🔴Mario Party w/ Sophist, King of Skill, and TCNick3]</nowiki>|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=August 28, 2023}}</ref>


==History==
==History==
===''Mario Party'' series===
===''Mario Party 2''===
====''Mario Party''====
Hidden Blocks look like a classic Brick Block with a question mark on top in ''Mario Party 2'', matching the look of Event Blocks from ''Mario Party''. Two Hidden Blocks are placed in random Blue Spaces in Party Mode, though not potential [[Star Space]],<ref name=Rare_Oddities_10/> but one Hidden Block always has 20 coins and the other a Star. When a Hidden Block is revealed, a different one spawns quietly in its place.
While proper Hidden Blocks do not appear in ''Mario Party'', the [[Event Block]] purchasable in the [[Mushroom Shop]] plays a very similar role, and is referred to as a "Hidden Block" in-game when it is activated. Like Hidden Blocks in later games in the series, an Event Block may appear rarely when a player lands on a Blue Space, though they may also appear when a player lands on a [[Red Space]]. The Event Block resembles a classic Brick Block with a white question mark on top, and is broken by the player after being found. When broken, it activates an event with [[Boo]], [[Koopa Troopa]], or [[Bowser]]. Koopa Troopa gives the player 20 coins, Boo allows them to steal coins or Stars, and Bowser takes 20 coins from the player.


====''Mario Party 2''====
===''Mario Party 3''===
Hidden Blocks made their proper debut in ''Mario Party 2''. In this game, they appear identical to the Event Block from ''Mario Party'': a classic Brick Block with a question mark on top. At the beginning of a Party Mode game, two Hidden Blocks are placed on random Blue Spaces somewhere on the board, one containing twenty coins and the other containing a Star. When a player lands on one of these spaces, they activate the Hidden Block, and subsequently break it, gaining the coins or Star hidden inside. Afterwards, a Hidden Block with the same contents is placed on another random Blue Space, while the other remains in place until found. Hidden Blocks are never placed on Blue Spaces that can potentially be the [[Star Space]].<ref name=Rare_Oddities_10></ref>
Hidden Blocks were redesigned to be a stylized purple block with an orange question mark on the front. A third Hidden Block was added, containing a random [[item]], usually a [[Skeleton Key]] (72% of the time), a [[Magic Lamp]] (8%), a [[Lucky Charm]] (5%), a [[Koopa Kard]] (5%), a [[Wacky Watch]] (5%), or a [[Barter Box]] (5%).<ref name=Rare_Oddities_10/>


====''Mario Party 3''====
===''Mario Party 4''===
Hidden Blocks reappear in ''[[Mario Party 3]]'', behaving in largely the same way as in ''Mario Party 2'', though with a new appearance: as a stylized purple block with an orange question mark on its front. In addition to the two Hidden Blocks containing twenty coins and a star, respectively, a third is now always present on the board, which contains a random [[item]] that varies each time a player finds a Hidden Block containing an item. This item can only be a [[Skeleton Key]] (72% of the time), a [[Magic Lamp]] (8% of the time), or one of the four rare items (5% of the time each): a [[Lucky Charm]], a [[Koopa Kard]], a [[Wacky Watch]], or a [[Barter Box]].<ref name=Rare_Oddities_10></ref>
Hidden Blocks now look like a golden treasure chest with a red question mark on its lid in ''[[Mario Party 4]]''. There is only one Hidden Block at a time, equally as likely to contain either twenty coins or a Star. Items do not appear in Hidden Blocks.<ref name=Rare_Oddities_10/>


In the Battle Royale tutorial sequence, [[Mario]] is shown collecting a [[Mushroom]] from a Hidden Block, but this is not actually possible in-game.
===''Mario Party 5''===
 
Their name is parsed '''hidden blocks''' in ''[[Mario Party 5]]''. They are Brick Blocks again, except with a golden question mark. There is only one at a time, but it always contains ten coins. A hidden block is never on a space with a [[Orb|Capsule]], always relocating if one is placed, but hidden blocks can now appear at a potential [[Star Space]], as long as the Star is not there.<ref name=Rare_Oddities_10/> Landing on a [[Coin Block Capsule]] can summon a "coin block," working the same as a hidden block despite the different name.
====''Mario Party 4''====
In ''[[Mario Party 4]]'', Hidden Blocks behave largely the same as in the previous titles, but there is now only one Hidden Block on the board at any given time, which has a 50/50 chance of containing either twenty coins or a Star each time one is found. Items do not appear in Hidden Blocks.<ref name=Rare_Oddities_10></ref> They have also received another change to their appearance, now resembling a golden treasure chest with a red question mark on its lid.
 
====''Mario Party 5''====
In ''[[Mario Party 5]]'', like in ''Mario Party 4'', only one Hidden Block appears on the board at a time. However, these Hidden Blocks, referred to generically as '''hidden blocks''', always contain only ten coins, and now resemble Brick Blocks with white edges and a golden question mark on its front. Additionally, hidden blocks can be moved (invisibly to the players) if a [[Orb|Capsule]] is thrown onto a space that contains a hidden block. In this case, the hidden block is a moved to a random Blue Space that does not have a Capsule placed on it. Hidden blocks can appear on Blue Spaces that can potentially be Star Spaces, but if that space becomes a Star Space, the hidden block is also moved to a new location that does not have a Capsule placed on it. If a hidden block is found on the last remaining Blue Space on a board that otherwise has all of its Blue Spaces occupied with Capsules, or if all Blue Spaces on a board are occupied with Capsules, hidden blocks will no longer appear for the remainder of the game, even if a viable Blue Space becomes available.<ref name=Rare_Oddities_10></ref>


The [[Coin Block Capsule]] that appears in this game allows the player to summon a Hidden Block of sorts when used or landed on. The resulting block looks identical to a hidden block and contains ten coins, but it is called a "coin block" instead, and it is not placed randomly.
The [[Coin Block Capsule]] that appears in this game allows the player to summon a Hidden Block of sorts when used or landed on. The resulting block looks identical to a hidden block and contains ten coins, but it is called a "coin block" instead, and it is not placed randomly.


====''Mario Party DS''====
===''Mario Party DS''===
Hidden Blocks reappear in ''[[Mario Party DS]]''. There is one Hidden Block placed on a random Blue Space somewhere on the board at all times. They have five possible contents: a number of coins determined by how fast the player can mash {{button|ds|a}} over the course of five or ten seconds (the latter is identical to the [[Coin Block (Mario Party DS)|Coin Block]] [[Hex]]), a Star, a [[Ztar]] (which subtracts one Star from the player's total), one to three Stars (determined by breaking the Hidden Block using timed mechanics identical to the [[Star Block (Mario Party DS)|Star Block]] [[Hex]]), or an item block that fills out the player's item slots with random items up to the capacity of three items. Ztar blocks do not appear unless the player is carrying at least one Star. Unlike Capsules in ''Mario Party 5'', placing a Hex on a space with a Hidden Block does not move the Hidden Block; instead, landing on the space simply triggers the Hex first, and the Hidden Block is found afterward. Hidden Blocks containing coins, a Star, or a Ztar resemble plain Brick Blocks, while Hidden Blocks containing one to three Stars are golden blocks with an image of a Star and a flickering number on the front (like the Star Block Hex), and Hidden Blocks containing items are golden blocks with a golden sack depicted on the front.
A board can have only one Hidden Block at a time in ''[[Mario Party DS]]''. The function varies: gaining a number of coins depending on how fast {{button|ds|a}} is pressed repeatedly in five or ten seconds; one-three Stars; a [[Ztar]] (if the player has at least one Star); or an item block that fills the player's inventory until they have three items. Hidden Blocks usually look like Brick Blocks, but those with either 1-3 Stars are golden blocks depicting a Star and those with items are golden blocks with a golden sack on the front. The [[Block Sensor]] also relocates the Hidden Block to the space the user lands on the same turn, even if it is not a Blue Space.<ref name=Rare_Oddities_10/>


Hidden Blocks can also be summoned deterministically using the [[Block Sensor]] item. After being used at the start of the player's turn, whatever space the player lands on that turn (Blue Space or otherwise) will contain a Hidden Block. This Hidden Block is actually the board's current Hidden Block, meaning that two Hidden Blocks cannot be obtained on the same turn if the player lands on the Blue Space that contained the Hidden Block before using the Block Sensor. This also means that using the Block Sensor will always cause the Hidden Block's position on the board to change.<ref name=Rare_Oddities_10></ref>
===''Super Mario Party''===
Hidden Blocks resemble [[Gold Block]]s in ''[[Super Mario Party]]''. Discovering a Hidden Block reveals a roulette wheel, which usually gives between 4 to 15 coins, or a Star if it lands on a small section. Mario Party mode always has two Hidden Blocks on random Blue Spaces. There is also the [[Hidden-Block Card|Hidden Block Card]], which summons the location of a Hidden Block. Partner Party mode always hides two Hidden Blocks, and the player's controller rumbles when they pass one.<ref name=Rare_Oddities_10/>


Before hitting the Hidden Block in ''Mario Party DS'', it is possible for the player to find out if it contains a Star (or Ztar) or coins. If the block appears right when the player lands on the space, the block holds coins. If the block appears later, it contains a Star or Ztar. Another way the game indicates this is through the camera. The block will contain a Star or Ztar if the camera zooms in before the game tells the player to tap/press {{button|ds|a}} repeatedly. If the camera does not zoom in quickly, the block contains coins.
===''Mario Party Superstars''===
[[File:MPS Hidden Block.jpg|thumb|A Hidden Block is discovered in ''Mario Party Superstars'']]
Hidden blocks retain their design in ''Mario Party Superstars'', though the roulette mechanic is not retained from ''Super Mario Party''. Lower ranked players are more likely to achieve a Star. Landing on a space with a hidden block also plays the sound effect when landing on a special space.


====''Super Mario Party''====
===''Super Mario Party Jamboree''===
[[File:SMP Powderkeg Hidden Block.jpg|thumb|[[Monty Mole]] finding a Hidden Block]]
Hidden Blocks, parsed in lowercase except in the Pro Rules explanation, reappear in ''[[Super Mario Party Jamboree]]'', being the same as in ''Mario Party Superstars''. Hidden Blocks can sometimes appear from a [[Red Space]]. They are absent from Pro Rules. Getting a Star from a Hidden Block unlocks the "Lucky Star" achievement.
In ''[[Super Mario Party]]'', Hidden Blocks appear as plain golden Brick Blocks, similar to [[Gold Block]]s. When found, they contain between 4 and 15 coins randomly, or a Star. Whether the block contains coins or a Star is determined by a roulette wheel that is spun when the Hidden Block is found, which has a small section that causes a Star to be granted, the rest of the wheel causing it to grant coins. The part of the roulette that grants the Star can apparently only be landed on past the halfway point of the game. In Mario Party mode, two Hidden Blocks (each containing the same possible contents) are present on random Blue Spaces on the board at all times.


The [[Hidden Block Card]] item summons a Hidden Block to the player's location immediately after being used. Unlike ''Mario Party DS''{{'}} Block Sensor, this Hidden Block is not one of the two hidden on the board normally, and does not affect their locations in any way.
==Profiles==
===''Mario Party 2''===
{{multilang profile
|type=vc_wii
|Eng=If you choose to have bonuses, Hidden Blocks will sometimes appear when you land on a Blue Space. You can get coins or stars when you hit a hidden block.}}


In Partner Party mode, two Hidden Blocks appear on random spaces at all times. The player's controller rumbles when one is passed by.<ref name=Rare_Oddities_10></ref>
==Gallery==
 
<gallery>
If the player who finds the block is at least three Stars apart from the player in 1st place, the chances of them getting a Star from the box is very likely. The chances of getting a Star from a Hidden Block is even more likely if the player is at 4th place, has no Stars and is two Stars apart from the player in 3rd place.
SMP Powderkeg Hidden Block.jpg|''Super Mario Party''
 
</gallery>
====''Mario Party Superstars''====
Hidden Blocks reappear in ''[[Mario Party Superstars]]'', once again parsed as "hidden blocks" and using the same appearance as in ''Super Mario Party''. They may contain coins or a Star and no longer use the roulette mechanic from ''Super Mario Party''. However, players placing lower or those further behind the leader generally have a better chance of getting a Star from a Hidden Block.
 
==Official profiles==
===''Mario Party 2''===
*'''Wii Virtual Console manual:''' ''"If you choose to have bonuses, Hidden Blocks will sometimes appear when you land on a Blue Space. You can get coins or stars when you hit a hidden block."''


==Names in other languages==
==Names in other languages==
{{foreign names
{{foreign names
|Fra=Bloc caché<br>Bloc secret (''Mario Party 3'')
|Fre=Bloc caché
|FraM=Hidden Block<br>Secret block
|Fre2=Bloc secret
|Fre2N=''Mario Party 3''
|FreM=Hidden Block
|Fre2M=Secret block
|ChiS=隐藏砖块
|ChiS=隐藏砖块
|ChiSR=Yǐncáng Zhuānkuài
|ChiSR=Yǐncáng Zhuānkuài
Line 64: Line 61:
|ItaM=Hidden Block
|ItaM=Hidden Block
}}
}}
==Notes==
*[[Mario]] collects a [[Mushroom]] from a Hidden Block during the Battle Royale tutorial sequence in ''Mario Party 3'', despite it not being possible during gameplay.


==References==
==References==

Latest revision as of 18:29, March 21, 2025

It has been requested that more images be uploaded for this article. Remove this notice only after the additional images have been added. Specifics: Images for Mario Party 3, Mario Party 4, Mario Party 5, Mario Party DS and Super Mario Party Jamboree are needed.

Rules Land
Wario finding a Hidden Block in Mario Party 2's Rules Land

Hidden Blocks are a game mechanic in the Mario Party series debuting in Mario Party 2. They are the successor to the very similar Event Blocks of Mario Party. Hidden Blocks generally look like Brick Blocks and usually contain either many coins or a Star. A Hidden Block usually appears from landing on a random Blue Space.

Every Mario Party game with a toggle-able "bonus" option that controls the presence of Bonus Stars causes Hidden Blocks to not appear randomly.[1] The only exception is Mario Party Superstars, where Hidden Blocks still appear even when Bonus Stars are turned off, giving both the usual coins and occasional Star.[2]

History[edit]

Mario Party 2[edit]

Hidden Blocks look like a classic Brick Block with a question mark on top in Mario Party 2, matching the look of Event Blocks from Mario Party. Two Hidden Blocks are placed in random Blue Spaces in Party Mode, though not potential Star Space,[1] but one Hidden Block always has 20 coins and the other a Star. When a Hidden Block is revealed, a different one spawns quietly in its place.

Mario Party 3[edit]

Hidden Blocks were redesigned to be a stylized purple block with an orange question mark on the front. A third Hidden Block was added, containing a random item, usually a Skeleton Key (72% of the time), a Magic Lamp (8%), a Lucky Charm (5%), a Koopa Kard (5%), a Wacky Watch (5%), or a Barter Box (5%).[1]

Mario Party 4[edit]

Hidden Blocks now look like a golden treasure chest with a red question mark on its lid in Mario Party 4. There is only one Hidden Block at a time, equally as likely to contain either twenty coins or a Star. Items do not appear in Hidden Blocks.[1]

Mario Party 5[edit]

Their name is parsed hidden blocks in Mario Party 5. They are Brick Blocks again, except with a golden question mark. There is only one at a time, but it always contains ten coins. A hidden block is never on a space with a Capsule, always relocating if one is placed, but hidden blocks can now appear at a potential Star Space, as long as the Star is not there.[1] Landing on a Coin Block Capsule can summon a "coin block," working the same as a hidden block despite the different name.

The Coin Block Capsule that appears in this game allows the player to summon a Hidden Block of sorts when used or landed on. The resulting block looks identical to a hidden block and contains ten coins, but it is called a "coin block" instead, and it is not placed randomly.

Mario Party DS[edit]

A board can have only one Hidden Block at a time in Mario Party DS. The function varies: gaining a number of coins depending on how fast A Button is pressed repeatedly in five or ten seconds; one-three Stars; a Ztar (if the player has at least one Star); or an item block that fills the player's inventory until they have three items. Hidden Blocks usually look like Brick Blocks, but those with either 1-3 Stars are golden blocks depicting a Star and those with items are golden blocks with a golden sack on the front. The Block Sensor also relocates the Hidden Block to the space the user lands on the same turn, even if it is not a Blue Space.[1]

Super Mario Party[edit]

Hidden Blocks resemble Gold Blocks in Super Mario Party. Discovering a Hidden Block reveals a roulette wheel, which usually gives between 4 to 15 coins, or a Star if it lands on a small section. Mario Party mode always has two Hidden Blocks on random Blue Spaces. There is also the Hidden Block Card, which summons the location of a Hidden Block. Partner Party mode always hides two Hidden Blocks, and the player's controller rumbles when they pass one.[1]

Mario Party Superstars[edit]

Hidden Block
A Hidden Block is discovered in Mario Party Superstars

Hidden blocks retain their design in Mario Party Superstars, though the roulette mechanic is not retained from Super Mario Party. Lower ranked players are more likely to achieve a Star. Landing on a space with a hidden block also plays the sound effect when landing on a special space.

Super Mario Party Jamboree[edit]

Hidden Blocks, parsed in lowercase except in the Pro Rules explanation, reappear in Super Mario Party Jamboree, being the same as in Mario Party Superstars. Hidden Blocks can sometimes appear from a Red Space. They are absent from Pro Rules. Getting a Star from a Hidden Block unlocks the "Lucky Star" achievement.

Profiles[edit]

Mario Party 2[edit]

  • Wii Virtual Console manual description:
    • English:
      If you choose to have bonuses, Hidden Blocks will sometimes appear when you land on a Blue Space. You can get coins or stars when you hit a hidden block.

Gallery[edit]

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning Notes
Chinese (simplified) 隐藏砖块[?]
Yǐncáng Zhuānkuài
Hidden Block
Chinese (traditional) 隱藏磚塊[?]
Yǐncáng Zhuānkuài
Hidden Block
French Bloc caché[?] Hidden Block
Bloc secret[?] Secret block Mario Party 3
Italian Blocco nascosto[?] Hidden Block

Notes[edit]

  • Mario collects a Mushroom from a Hidden Block during the Battle Royale tutorial sequence in Mario Party 3, despite it not being possible during gameplay.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Mario Party Legacy (October 11, 2019). Hidden Blocks in Mario Party Explained | Rare Oddities #10. YouTube (English). Retrieved July 14, 2021.
  2. ^ Vernias (August 27, 2023). MARIO PARTY we have to tie [🔴Mario Party w/ Sophist, King of Skill, and TCNick3] (2:19:17). YouTube (English). Retrieved August 28, 2023.