Brick Block

It has been requested that this article be rewritten and expanded to include more information. Reason: Include missing information on appearances in several series, including, but most likely not limited to, Mario Kart, Mario Party, Super Mario Land, Mario + Rabbids (tagged on March 17, 2020)

Brick Block
Artwork of a Brick Block from Super Mario Bros. Wonder
First appearance	Super Mario Bros. (1985)
Latest appearance	Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition (2024)
Effect	Releases items, serves as a platform, or simply breaks apart when struck
Variants Crystal Block Gold Block Mega Block Rock Block
Related ? Block Coin Block Empty Block Hidden Block

A Brick Block (or brick block), sometimes simply known as a brick, regular block, Normal Block, or Block, is a recurring type of block either textured or designed to resemble a brick wall. Brick Blocks have appeared in nearly every game of the Super Mario series to date.

In most Super Mario games since Super Mario Bros., Mario or any other character can break this block only in their Super form or higher tiered variants of the Super form, such as the Fire form or Tanooki form. Brick Blocks can be broken in many ways (usually just by jumping into them from below); they give the player ten points (50 in Super Mario Bros. and its derivatives). If Small Mario or Mini Mario hits a Brick Block, it just bounces up slightly. However, if Brick Blocks contain an item, they work just like ? Blocks, as the item pops out and the block turns into an Empty Block. Regardless, any enemies walking on the block will be injured. In Super Mario Bros. and the New Super Mario Bros. series, Brick Blocks' colors change to fit those of their environment (blue while underground, gray/white in castles, red in volcanic areas, etc.)

When a P Switch is activated, Brick Blocks turn into coins and vice versa, unless the Brick Block contains an item.

History

Super Mario series

Super Mario Bros. / Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels

Bricks debut in Super Mario Bros. and reappear in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, where they are used as containers and platforms. In World 8-3 of Super Mario Bros. and a few levels in The Lost Levels, the castle walls use the same brick styling as bricks, which can make them harder to see, as only the small white top of the block can be seen. This is alleviated in the Super Mario All-Stars versions, where the castle wall is replaced and Hidden Blocks replace the bricks. According to the game's manual, power-up-holding bricks were one of several objects that Mushroom People were magically transformed into by Bowser. The breakable ones, however, would seem to not be transformed Mushroom People. In the Super Mario All-Stars versions of both games, the player character will continue their upward momentum slightly after punching through a brick, rather than rebounding back down.

Super Mario Bros. 3

In Super Mario Bros. 3, bricks shimmer and are as yellow as ? Blocks due to graphical limitations on the NES. This carries over into the Super Mario All-Stars version and Super Mario Advance 4, where they both use the golden coin palette. They can now be broken by tail whips and kicked shells. Bigger versions of Brick Blocks first appear in Giant Land, though they function the same as their regular variant. The first level of Desert Land introduces Pile Driver Micro-Goombas that wear dull bricks (except in the All-Stars version, where their blocks shine like normal ones) and attempt to stomp Mario by hopping towards him.

Super Mario Land

In Super Mario Land, bricks are also referred to as blocks but serve the same purpose.

Super Mario World

Main article: Rotating Block

Brick Blocks were originally going to appear in Super Mario World, but were eventually scrapped and replaced by Rotating Blocks.

Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins

In Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, bricks have a different appearance, with closed, pleased eyes resembling the game's Fire Flower. Despite the change in appearance, they serve the exact same purpose.

Super Mario Sunshine

Making their 3D Super Mario debut, brick blocks (also referred to as sand bricks) appear again in Super Mario Sunshine, where they are filled with sand inside. They work like they do in the 2D games, and occasionally contain 1-Up Mushrooms.

Super Mario 64 DS

In Super Mario 64 DS, generic blocks are re-skinned to resemble brick blocks, though they behave the same as in Super Mario 64. A different visual change is given to crates, however. They can be broken by most of Mario, Luigi, and Wario's attacks. There is also a large black variation of the block that can be broken only by Wario (although any player character can break it with the help of a mushroom). Yoshi cannot break any of them unless he is under the effects of a mushroom.

New Super Mario Bros. series

As of New Super Mario Bros., bricks can also be ground-pounded to break them. In the game's sequels, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, New Super Mario Bros. 2 and New Super Mario Bros. U, Brick Blocks function identically as in the first New Super Mario Bros.

Super Mario Galaxy / Super Mario Galaxy 2

Brick Blocks reappear in Super Mario Galaxy and its follow-up Super Mario Galaxy 2, resembling their original design due to having four layers of bricks. These Brick Blocks can only hold coins inside, but they always break apart when hit.

Super Mario 3D Land

Brick Blocks reappear in Super Mario 3D Land, working as they did in the 2D Super Mario games. Certain Brick Blocks hide Tail Wheels, which have the platforms they are on ascend when spun. Additionally, a Brick Block-like enemy known as the Fake Block is introduced. These enemies camouflage themselves with regular Brick Blocks, and attack when the player approaches them. Blokkabloks also have spiked Brick Blocks as segments; unlike normal Brick Blocks, theirs can be broken by Small Mario.

Super Mario 3D World / Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury

Brick Blocks return in Super Mario 3D World and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, working as they did in Super Mario 3D Land. Big Blocks also appear, and similar blocks known as Crystal Blocks also debut in this game.

Super Mario Maker / Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS

Brick Blocks (referred to simply as Blocks) reappear in Super Mario Maker and Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS as objects that can be placed into the level (excluding the Super Mario World style, where they are replaced by Rotating Blocks, which the game also labels simply as "Blocks"). They serve the same purpose as in most Super Mario games.

Super Mario Run

Brick Blocks reappear in Super Mario Run working as they do in other 2D Super Mario titles. Sometimes, they contain a color coin or Bonus Medal inside. If a Green Koopa Troopa or a Red Koopa Troopa is defeated by being hit while standing on a Brick Block, the shell is tossed forward while not spinning. Certain Brick Blocks in Boohind Lock and Key turn into Long Jump Blocks when hit instead of breaking or releasing an item. Cutting-Edge Spire has a section where Brick Blocks have to be broken by the player to advance, a rarity in 2D Super Mario games.

Brick Blocks can only be broken by characters that are two blocks tall. In versions of Super Mario Run prior to version 3.0.4, Peach, Toad, Toadette, and the Yoshis did not have Small forms and therefore always break Brick Blocks at the cost of dying whenever they take damage. In versions since the Fall 2017 update, said characters and Daisy have Small forms to shrink into when being hit, now functioning identically to Mario and Luigi.

Brick Blocks are buildings that can be purchased and placed in the Mushroom Kingdom in Kingdom Builder mode. They come in a number of variations with differing arrangements of Brick Blocks. Block A is a single Brick Block, taking up a 1x1 space. Block B is a pair of Brick Blocks placed side by side, taking up a 1x2 space. Block C is a pair of Brick Blocks with one on top of the other, taking up a 1x1 space. Block D is three Brick Blocks arranged in a "L" shape open to the right, taking up a 1x2 space. Block E is three Brick Blocks arranged in a "L" shape open to the left, taking up a 1x2 space. Block F is four Brick Blocks arranged in a square stacked upward, taking up a 1x2 space. Block E is available exclusively as a My Nintendo reward for 100 Platinum Points each, while the rest can be obtained by normal means in the Shop or the Bonus Game of Remix 10.

Mega Blocks also appear, as two buildings. A Mega Block building with just one Mega Block, and a Mega Blocks building consisting two Mega Blocks with one placed on top of the other.

Super Mario Odyssey

Brick Blocks appear again in Super Mario Odyssey, working the same as in previous games. They resemble their original design, as they have four layers of bricks. In the Wooded Kingdom, Brick Blocks are larger than normal and made out of stone.

Super Mario Maker 2

Brick Blocks (again simply called Blocks in the Course Maker, though referred to by their full name in Yamamura's Dojo) appear in Super Mario Maker 2, acting as they did in Super Mario Maker, with Rotating Blocks replacing them in the Super Mario World style. In the Super Mario 3D World style, Crystal Blocks replace regular Brick Blocks in the forest and underground themes, while Hard Blocks take the form of Rock Blocks.

A Brick Block with a pair of black feet and legs along with eyes, named Partrick, can be seen in the game's Story Mode, and appears next to Soundfrog in the level creation menu.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder

Brick Blocks reappear in Super Mario Bros. Wonder, working the same as they do in previous games.

DIC cartoons

The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!

Bricks in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!'s intro

In The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, several bricks appear in the opening sequence.

The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3

Toad underneath a brick in The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3

In The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, bricks often appear in the background. Some are used as destructible platforms, though. In "A Toadally Magical Adventure", rebelling pipe creatures that Toad made use the wand they stole to make a pile of bricks act like Pile Driver Micro-Goombas. In "Super Koopa", Mario calls a brick holding a Super Leaf a "Super Block".

Mario Party series

Mario Party

The Mario Party minigame Coin Block Bash involves the players breaking Brick Blocks to get coins.

Mario Party 9

In the Mario Party 9 minigame Growing Up, the players must hit a Brick Block according to a button that appears on a wheel, causing a vine to sprout from it. The player with the tallest vine growing out of their block wins.

Super Smash Bros. series

SmashWiki article: Block § Brick Blocks

In the Super Smash Bros. games, Brick Blocks only appear in Super Mario stages, such as the Mushroom Kingdom of Super Smash Bros. (where they form a solid platform on the left side) and the Mushroom Kingdom of Super Smash Bros. Melee, Mushroomy Kingdom (where they are aged and more realistic, as with the rest of the stage), 3D Land, and possibly in Super Mario Maker (bar the Super Mario World style). They also appear in the 3DS version's Smash Run mode. They can be broken as in the Super Mario games, though they are a bit sturdier after Melee.

Paper Mario series

Mario standing on a Brick Block in Paper Mario: Sticker Star.

In the Paper Mario series, Brick Blocks primarily serve as breakable obstacles and do not often give out items like ? Blocks. In every game, regular ones can be broken with Mario's Jump and Hammer attacks.

Paper Mario

In Paper Mario, Brick Blocks can also be destroyed by Kooper's shell. Some ? Blocks are disguised as Brick Blocks.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Brick Blocks serve a similar role to Paper Mario. They can sometimes contain coins. In the Super Bowser Bros. segments, four Brick Blocks clustered together appear to form larger ones.

Tattle

• "This is a Block. If you hit it, something might pop out!"

Super Paper Mario

In Super Paper Mario, Brick Blocks can also be broken by using Bowser's Fire Breath or Ground Pounding on them with Thudley. Coin Blocks and certain ? Blocks are disguised as Brick Blocks from the front. The Flipside and Flopside Pit of 100 Trials have indestructible black Brick Blocks as their platforms.

Paper Mario: Sticker Star

Brick Blocks in Paper Mario: Sticker Star can be found commonly throughout the levels. Some ? Blocks are initially disguised as Brick Blocks.

Paper Mario: Color Splash

Brick Blocks in Paper Mario: Color Splash serve the same purpose as in Sticker Star. Giant Brick Blocks appear in Mondo Woods.

Paper Mario: The Origami King

Brick Blocks in Paper Mario: The Origami King appear commonly and do not usually contain items. Overlook Tower's outdoor cafe contains multiple Brick Blocks, which can be destroyed by Colored Pencils' missiles. The Trial of Power's first challenge involves Mario needing to break many Brick Blocks within one minute, then two bigger ones, then one giant one.

Mario & Luigi series

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story

In Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, giant Brick Blocks appear on the overworld and can be punched by Bowser to collect the items inside.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam

Large Brick Blocks appear during the papercraft battles in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam. They can be destroyed by ramming into them or throwing the papercraft onto them.

Super Princess Peach

In Super Princess Peach, Brick Blocks have various appearances depending on the world, and particularly resemble Egg Blocks in Hoo's Wood and Rotating Blocks in Giddy Sky. They come in normal-sized and big versions, and give the player a coin when broken. If Princess Peach uses the Gloom Vibe, she can quickly strike a cluster of these blocks all at once. Darker and sturdier variations also appear, which can only be broken by the Poundbrella move.

Mario & Sonic series

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games

Brick Blocks appear as items in the Dream Race event in the Nintendo DS version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, where they are referred to simply as Blocks. If used, the item drops a Brick Block in front of each of the other opponents, which will cause them to lose speed if ran into, but can be avoided by simply running around them or using a Shield. In the Wii version, Brick Blocks appear as obstacles in Dream Platform, where they cause the player to lose speed and gain a point penalty if they crash into them, however can be destroyed if they are hit with a Red Shell or Explosion, or if a character hits them while using a Barrier.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games

In the Wii version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, Brick Blocks are used as walls to guard any characters behind them from opponents' snowballs in Dream Snowball Fight. Several Brick Blocks also appear as props in the first segment of the Mario World routine in Dream Figure Skating. In the Nintendo DS version, Brick Blocks appear as obstacles in Supersonic Downhill, where they cause the player to retire from the event if hit, but can be protected against using a Barrier.

Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games

Brick Blocks appear on the Coin Street rink in Snow Day Street Hockey in Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, where they serve as simple blockades for most of the event. However, when a P Switch is hit, selected groups of the blocks will turn into coins for the players to collect. Regardless of whether all of the coins were collected, the Brick Blocks are permanently removed after the group turns to coins.

Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games

Brick Blocks appear in Golf Plus in the Nintendo 3DS version of Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, where they appear as basic obstacles that block balls and turn into Empty Blocks when hit. They also appear in Archery Plus, however only serve an aesthetic purpose and do not affect gameplay.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

Brick Blocks appear in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker and its Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS ports. They are activated by throwing turnips at them, interacting with them using the pointer / touch screen, or luring enemies to bust through them, such as Flaptors and Bullet Bills.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle

In Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, Brick Blocks are used as full cover in various battlefields. They break if they are hit too many times, and often drop a few coins if they do. Some Brick Blocks have a cover block which causes a Super Effect when hit within them.

Dr. Mario World

Brick Blocks may contain viruses or other objects in Dr. Mario World.

Brick Blocks appear in Dr. Mario World, where they are referred to as blocks. In order to break a block, a capsule match need to be made near it, or that a skill or item is used to eliminate it. Some of the blocks may contain something such as viruses. Objects hidden inside blocks are not active, such as Capsule Plus where it will not countdown until it is released. Some of the blocks may contain coins, where the coins that come from these type of blocks are pink with the image of a virus imprinted on it.

Dr. Wendy's and Dr. Koopa Troopa's skills involves Brick Blocks. For Dr. Wendy, her stage mode skill breaks up to 10 blocks while her versus mode skill covers up to 10 viruses in the opponent's field in blocks. For Dr. Koopa Troopa, its stage mode skill breaks up to 4 blocks (3 prior to version 2.2.0), while its versus mode skill covers up to 5 viruses inside blocks. Although Dr. Koopa Troopa's skill involves less blocks compared to Dr. Wendy, it is compensated by a lower skill meter to allow for potentially more uses of the skill. Blocks may appear in some of the starting layouts in versus mode. If Dr. Baby Wario's skill targets a block that contain coins, it is able to collect every coin from those blocks.

WarioWare: Get It Together!

Brick Blocks on the lower left.

Brick Blocks are background elements in WarioWare: Get It Together! They appear outside of 9-Volt's House during the opening cutscene of 9-Volt's level.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Brick Blocks make an appearance in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. They can be seen all throughout the Mushroom Kingdom in places such as Toad Town (some acting as above-ground walkways and others just appearing miscellaneously) and in the Training Course.

Other appearances

In the Super Mario Mash-up in Minecraft, Minecraft-styled Bricks (known as Brick Block in Bedrock Edition) are replaced by Super Mario-styled Brick Blocks.

Brick Blocks appear in the 2010 version of Nintendo Monopoly, assuming the role of Community Chest spaces and cards. In this game, they are referred to simply as "Blocks". In the 2006 version, Coin Blocks filled the role instead.

Profiles

Super Mario Bros. 3

• 3DS Virtual Console manual bio: "When suitably powered up, you can destroy these by hitting them from below. There are also bricks that may yield coins or items when hit."

Mario Party 9

Brick Blocks Brick Blocks
	A constellation named after blocks that break when struck from below. Be sure to break those blocks with your fist and not your head.

Paper Mario: The Origami King

• Collectible Treasure No. 54: "Made of bricks, but can be smashed with a hammer or even a simple jump. They don't make 'em like they used to."

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Brick Block.

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  Super Mario Bros. (ground)

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  Super Mario Bros. 3

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  New Super Mario Bros.

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  Super Smash Bros. Brawl

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  Super Mario 3D World

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  Play Nintendo

Additional names

Internal names

Game	File	Name	Meaning
Super Mario Galaxy Super Mario Galaxy 2	ObjectData/PunchBox.arc	PunchBox	Punch Box
Super Mario Galaxy Super Mario Galaxy 2	StageData/ObjNameTable.arc/ObjNameTable.tbl SystemData/ObjNameTable.arc/ObjNameTable.tbl	よわブロック (Yowa Burokku)	Weak Block

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	レンガ Renga	Brick
	レンガブロック[?] Renga Burokku	Brick Block
	ブロック Burokku	Block	Super Mario Land
	ニコニコブロック Nikoniko Burokku	Smiley Block	Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
Catalan	Bloc maó[?]	Brick block	The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Chinese (simplified)	砖头砖块 Zhuāntóu Zhuānkuài	Brick Block	New Super Mario Bros.
	砖块[?] Zhuānkuài	Block	Super Mario Maker 2
Chinese (traditional)	磚塊[?] Zhuānkuài	Block
Dutch	Blok[?]	Block	Super Mario Maker 2
	Stenen blok[?]	Rock Block	Super Mario Run
	Baksteenblok[?]	Brick Block
French	Bloc[?]	Block	Super Mario Run, Super Mario Maker 2
	Brique[?]	Brick
	Bloc de brique[?]	Brick block
	Bloc Brique	Brick Block
	Bloc normal[?]	Normal block	Super Mario All-Stars
German	Mauerstein[?]	Brick
	Ziegelblock	Brick block
	Block[?]	Block	Paper Mario: The Origami King
Italian	Mattone	Brick
	Blocco Normale	Normal Block
	Blocco	Block
	Blocco mattone[?]	Brick-Block
Korean	블록[?] Beullok	Block
Portuguese	Bloco[?]	Block
Russian	Блок[?] Blok	Block
Spanish (NOA)	Bloque de ladrillo[?]	Brick Block	Super Mario Run
	Bloque Ladrillo[?]
Spanish (NOE)	Bloque[?]	Block	Super Mario Run
	Bloque Ladrillo[?]	Brick Block
	Bloque de ladrillos	Block of bricks

Trivia

• When downloading a Virtual Console or WiiWare game from the Wii Shop Channel, Mario, Luigi, or both will hit two Brick Blocks and one Coin Block while the game is being downloaded.