Crate

A crate from the Super Mario 3D World style from Super Mario Maker 2

Crates (also known as Wooden Crates) are wooden boxes found in many Super Mario games, as well as in several of their spinoffs. They mostly appear in these games as obstacles and objects, and occasionally contain items inside.

History

Super Mario series

Super Mario Bros. 3

Crates first appeared in Super Mario Bros. 3. In this game, they appear only in airships. Crates appear to be in the background, but Mario/Luigi can stand on top of them.

Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS

A Crate in Super Mario 64

A Crate in Super Mario 64 DS

Crates, this time looking to be made out of a cork-like material, reappear in Super Mario 64. They are smaller versions of the game's blocks that can be picked up and thrown at an enemy, usually containing coins. In Super Mario 64 DS, they appear to be made of wooden planks and are somewhat less common. If Yoshi swallows a Crate, he can produce a cube-shaped Yoshi Egg. A different, specific Crate appears in Jolly Roger Bay on the bridge of the sunken ship. This specific Crate, known as a Slide Box, is larger and has a darker shade of color, with a picture of a skeleton on the front and back. It slides on the bridge of the sunken ship. Unlike other Crates, the Slide Box cannot be picked up or thrown, as it is indestructible. Being hit by the Slide Box causes the player to lose a slice from their Power Meter.

Super Mario Sunshine

Crates also appear on Isle Delfino in Super Mario Sunshine. They can only be destroyed by ground-pounding them, which typically reveals a coin. In addition, there is a man in Delfino Plaza called the crate guy, who has crates stacked in various patterns. If Mario walks into his building, the player can talk to him and is given the option to play a minigame, which involves destroying all the crates in the room in thirty seconds. Doing so successfully reveals to the player a Shine Sprite.

Super Mario Galaxy

Crates also appear in Super Mario Galaxy, where they are stationary items that can be broken using the spin to reveal items, often Star Bits or coins.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Crates also appear in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. The wood ones are breakable with Ground Pounds. They reveal coins, power-ups or even Star Coins when destroyed. The metal variant, known as Iron Blocks, are indestructible. There are also crates found in Ghost Houses that can be broken by Broozers.

New Super Mario Bros. U / New Super Luigi U / New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe

In New Super Mario Bros. U, New Super Luigi U, and New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, crates retain their behavior from New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Iron Blocks also return in Roy's Conveyor Castle, Roy's Ironclad Castle and P Switch Peril. In these games, there are also bigger and indestructible versions of crates that float on water. When stood on, these crates will begin to sink before stopping.

Super Mario Galaxy 2

Crates as seen in Super Mario Galaxy 2.

The crates from the first game also appear in Super Mario Galaxy 2 and shares the same function as the first game. They appear in secret missions for the Rightside Down Galaxy and the Upside Dizzy Galaxy. During these missions, Mario, as Fire Mario, must destroy all the crates on the platform within twenty seconds in order to get a Power Star in the Crate Burning minigame. There are also metal-edged variants of crates, which are a little different to the normal ones. These ones are a bit stronger - once a fireball (from Fire Mario or Fire Luigi) destroys one, the fireball disappears instead of burning through it and destroying other crates in the way like the normal ones. Getting crushed by these crates causes Mario or Luigi to lose a life.

Super Mario 3D Land

A crate in Super Mario 3D Land.

Crates, having the same design as the ones from the Super Mario Galaxy games, reappear in Super Mario 3D Land. Mario can break them by rolling into them, tail-whipping them, or throwing fireballs or boomerangs at them. They may also be destroyed by running through them while invincible.

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

Crates return in Super Mario 3D World and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, appearing and functioning exactly the same as in Super Mario 3D Land. Mini Goombas can also be found by breaking some crates.

Super Mario Odyssey

Crates appear in Super Mario Odyssey, where they serve as stationary items that can be broken using Cappy. They first appear in the Cap Kingdom. Occasionally, a Power Moon can be found in a crate, causing it to glow.

Super Mario Maker 2

Crates appear as a course element in Super Mario Maker 2, available only in the Super Mario 3D World style. They float on water and lava. They can be picked up, thrown, and destroyed with a Ground Pound or by a Koopa Troopa Car running into it. Coins and Keys can be placed in them in the editor, and drop out whenever the crate is destroyed. Special crates known as Builder Boxes can also be placed down when the player is in their Builder form.

Yoshi's Island series

Crates appear again in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and its remake Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3. This time, can be broken by Ground Pound to open them and release either Stars or a Key. Balloons hold crates in the air, and they can be shot down by a Yoshi Egg. These crates reappear in Yoshi's Island DS and Yoshi's New Island.

Donkey Kong franchise

Throughout the Donkey Kong franchise, there are Animal Crates where an Animal Friend can be obtained.

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest / Donkey Kong Land 2

A Crate in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest

In Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, there are generic crates that Diddy and Dixie Kong can pick up and throw. They are used like Barrels, except that they immediately break when hitting the ground (much like Vine Barrels from Donkey Kong Country). The main use of crates is for defeating enemies, especially ones that are harder to defeat, such as Zingers.

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!

In Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, there is a single Crate in the level Barrel Drop Bounce. It acts the same as the crates from Donkey Kong Country 2. In the Game Boy Advance version, the single Crate is replaced by a Barrel, making Crates completely absent in that version.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

Crates of different sizes appear among Snowmad cargo in the levels Mangrove Cove and Shipwreck Shore from Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. Many of them, namely the large crates as well as several small ones, display the Snowmad insignia on their front sides. They are commonly arranged in stacks and act as platforms. However, they can also be smashed with a single Ground Pound, revealing items such as bananas, Banana Bunches and hearts.

Super Smash Bros. series

A Crate from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Super Smash Bros.

A Crate is also an item container featured in Super Smash Bros.. Like all other containers, the Crate must be broken before the items inside can be used in battle. To break the carrier, the wooden Crate can either be picked up and tossed in the air, or be attacked repeatedly on the ground. Crates can also be thrown at opponents, although it is difficult to hit other fighters, as throwing the container takes a long amount of time. Sometimes, Crates explode under enough stress, damaging all nearby fighters. In the original Super Smash Bros., the Crate holds one to three items, and is also extremely heavy. In fact, only Donkey Kong can lift up the Crate and walk around with it; all the other fighters can only pick up the container and toss it while they stay still.

Super Smash Bros. Melee

In Super Smash Bros. Melee, the Crate's carrying capacity is increased, revealing anywhere from three to five items when broken. The Crate is still very heavy, although all fighters can pick up the container and walk with it (albeit most can only walk very slowly because of the container's weight). Again, only Donkey Kong can walk at a relatively normal speed with a Crate in hand.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, a crate changes its appearance depending on the environment. For example, if it is in a Star Fox series stage, it turns into a chrome Crate. This does not change its effect, however. The game also introduces the Rolling Crate, a Crate that slides across the floor, and the Blast Box, a dangerous item that can explode if it is thrown.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U

A wooden Rolling Crate and two Crates in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.

Crates, along with Rolling Crates, return in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. While the wooden variation retains its usual design, the futuristic Crates have a different appearance with the Super Smash Bros. symbol, and lids can be seen on the present-like Crates.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Crates return in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, with the same designs as in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U.

Wario Land series

Wario World

Crates appear in the Unithorn's Lair area in Wario World. Here, most of the crates contain bombs, which can damage Wario and distract the Unithorns. However, one crate contains an Escape Spring that allows Wario to leave the area.

Wario Land: Shake It!

Crates are uncommon blocks alongside stone blocks and metal panels. Like stone blocks, they can be destroyed by any attack, but unlike them, are affected by gravity.

Mario Kart series

Two crates on London Loop in Mario Kart Tour

Throughout the Mario Kart series, crates appear as obstacles found on tracks. They will break when hit, releasing an item on the ground, but will also slow down any racer that drives into them. They first appear in Mario Kart DS, in Delfino Square and Airship Fortress; the former course returns in Mario Kart Wii while the latter course returns in Mario Kart 7 and Mario Kart Tour.

Crates reappear in Mario Kart Wii in Toad's Factory, where they are carried across the track by conveyors.

In Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, they are moved around by a baggage carousel right before the finish line in Sunshine Airport and found at the start of Toad Harbor.

In Mario Kart Tour, they are found in a small passage between the Tower Bridge section and the finish line in London Loop and give bonus points when destroyed.

Paper Mario series

Paper Mario: Color Splash

Crates appear in several levels in Paper Mario: Color Splash. When broken, they can drop paint, Coins, or Battle Cards. A crate in The Golden Coliseum contains a Super Star inside of it. Crates must be fully painted before Mario can destroy them.

Paper Mario: The Origami King

In Paper Mario: The Origami King, crates cannot be broken. They are often used as a staircase for Mario to reach higher areas.

Dr. Mario World

A crate can be found in four different states in Dr. Mario World.

In Dr. Mario World, starting from World 6, crates appear as stage objects. A crate can be found in four different states, which shows the current durability of the crate. A crate can be whittled down by making a capsule match next to it or by targeting it with a skill or an item. It take up to four hits to fully destroy a crate normally, although certain doctors have skills that can immediately destroy crates. Dr. Roy's skill involves crates, where in stage mode his skill can immediately destroy up to ten of them in the stage regardless of their state (unless any are locked inside cages), while in versus mode he can send up to eight crates to the opponent's stage, where each crate will normally take two hits to be destroyed. Crates can also appear in certain starting layouts in versus mode.

Profiles and statistics

Super Smash Bros. Melee trophy

Name	Image	Game	Description
Crate		Super Smash Bros. 04/99	A Crate will release lots of items when it's broken open. It's very heavy, so unless your character is strong, you’ll walk slowly while under its burden. You can throw Crates up, down, left or right, but it's hard to hit opponents because the throwing process takes time. Every now and then, a Crate will explode under duress.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl trophy

Name	Image	Game	Description
Crates		N64 Super Smash Bros.	Item holders. You can destroy these to get at the items they contain, but be careful, because they will sometimes explode when broken. In Super Smash Bros. Melee, crates were uniform in design, but this time around, their appearance will change to match the stages. They'll sometimes look futuristic--other times, they'll look like presents with fancy ribbons.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U trophy

Name	3DS Image	Wii U Image	Appears in	NTSC-U Description	PAL Description
Crates			N64 Super Smash Bros. (04/1999) Wii U Super Smash Bros. for Wii U	Throw or attack this crate to bust it open and get the goodies hidden inside. The crate may look different based on the stage you're battling on, but the items inside won't change. Sometimes these things can explode, however, so it's best to be very crateful around them...	Just throw or attack crates to get at the goodies inside! Their appearance changes depending on the stage, so maybe you'll get a wooden crate, or...maybe you won't. That doesn't change how it is on the inside, though, which is a good life lesson. Also, it may just explode if you attack it - another important life lesson from us to you.

Blue indicates exclusive to the Wii U version.

Dr. Mario World

• Eliminate a piece next to a crate, and it'll break a little bit.

Paper Mario: The Origami King

Sturdy Crates

• Collectible Treasure No. 34: "A set of wooden crates, impervious to even the strongest hammer blows. Their stoic form radiates confidence."

Gallery

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  Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

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  Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!

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  Super Smash Bros. Brawl

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  Super Smash Bros. Brawl

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  Super Smash Bros. Brawl

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  Paper Mario: Color Splash

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  Paper Mario: Color Splash

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  Mario Kart Tour

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  Paper Mario: The Origami King (Collectible Treasure No. 34: Sturdy Crates)

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	箱 Hako 小さなブロック Chiisana Burokku 木箱 Kibako	Box Small Block Wood Box
Chinese	箱子 Xiāngzi 木箱 (Super Mario Maker 2) Mùxiāng[?]	Box Wooden Box
Dutch	Kist	Box
German	Holzkiste[?]	Wooden Crate
Italian	Cassa Cassa di legno[?]	Crate Wooden box
Korean	나무상자	?
Portuguese (NOE)	Caixote	Crate
Russian	Ящик Yaschik Деревянный ящик Derevyannyy yashchik[?]	Crate Wooden box
Spanish	Caja de madera[?]	Wood box