POW Block
Template:Item-infobox The POW Block (called POW in the Super Mario All-Stars guide[1] and standing for Power Block according to The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!) is a common block in the Mario series. In all games they appear in, their effect when thrown to the ground or hit in the air will cause a large earthquake, causing all enemies on screen to get hurt. POW Blocks can be carried and thrown in most games, and some are required for a 100% game completion. Most POW blocks are a metallic blue, but some POW blocks are red.
History
Mario Bros.
The POW Block is an item that first appears in Mario Bros. (the arcade version and its ports; not the Game & Watch version). When hit, it damages all enemies in the screen, but only those that are on the ground. It can be hit a certain number of times before it disappears. Each time it gets hit, it flattens up. In some ports of the game, the POW Block can be picked up. However, throwing the picked up POW block results in it completely disappearing regardless of how many times it was hit before.
Super Mario series
Super Mario Bros. 2
The POW Block has the same function in Super Mario Bros. 2 and its remake, Super Mario Advance, as it had in Mario Bros., but it can only be used once as the player has to throw it onto the ground to activate it. A giant version of the POW Block shows up in Super Mario Advance. A Giant POW Block can bounce around the floor, causing multiple tremors, before it disappears.
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
The POW Block returns in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. As in Super Mario Bros. 2, it can be picked up and carried, and once thrown, it eliminates all the enemies onscreen and also drops all floating coins. The POW Block is also essential in order to collect Star Coins found hidden in some levels.
- Trading Card
Description: Here's a blast from the past! Hit a POW Block and all coins will fall to the ground for easy pick up. Use this time wisely to collect all the coins you can. Remember that extra coins mean extra lives, so POW Blocks are money in the bank! They can also be really handy in shaking out hidden Star Coins.
Card Number: 51 (Normal)
New Super Mario Bros. 2
POW Blocks return in New Super Mario Bros. 2, but as a red variation called Red POW Blocks[2]. Unlike the blue type, these POW Blocks cannot be picked up as other blocks, so they must be activated by hitting them in a manner. In addition, they start a chain reaction with one another when activated, and are unable to defeat on-screen enemies out of its range or drop midair coins, but they can be used to get coins out of Brick Blocks and Question Blocks, as well as smashing any normal Brick Blocks.
New Super Mario Bros. U
POW Blocks appear in New Super Mario Bros. U, behaving the same way just as in New Super Mario Bros. Wii and appearing in blue once again.
New Super Luigi U
POW Blocks also appear in the expansion pack for New Super Mario Bros. U, New Super Luigi U, serving the same purpose as it did in the base game.
Super Mario 3D World
Red POW Blocks from New Super Mario Bros. 2 appear in Super Mario 3D World, which marks their first appearance in a 3D Mario platformer. They act exactly as they did in New Super Mario Bros. 2, being in red and releasing shock-waves once hit. As in New Super Mario Bros. 2 they can be used to hit and destroy blocks and enemies, but can also reveal the locations of hidden blocks. At the end of World Bowser-Castle, there is a blue Giant POW Block which needs to get hit four times in order to beat Meowser at the end.
The POW Block also appears in the port of Mario Bros., Luigi Bros., included in Super Mario 3D World.
Super Mario Maker
The Pow block appears once more in Super Mario Maker. It operates like it did in New Super Mario Bros 2 and Mario Bros (although it's still blue) in the Super Mario Bros theme, but in every other theme it operates the way it did in other games.
Yoshi series
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
In Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and its remake, Super Mario Advance 3, if Yoshi hits a POW Block, all nearby enemies turn into stars. It only appears in The Cave of the Lakitus, but appears twice in that one level. They can be hit thrice before it disappears. POW Blocks are most commonly won in Bonus Challenges, where they could be used anywhere afterward, being called Anywhere POWs.
Yoshi's New Island
In Yoshi's New Island, POW Blocks appear in the minigame, Enemy Eat-Off. Here, they are white with green spots (similar to an Egg Block) and a Yoshi Egg replacing the "O" letter. When hit, it turns every enemy on the stage into Yoshi Eggs.
Super Mario-Kun
A POW Block is used in volume 8 of Super Mario-Kun. Here, it defeats Cobrats.
Paper Mario series
Template:Recipe-Infobox In the Paper Mario series, the POW Block is a portable item that does two damage to all enemies (but much more in Super Paper Mario if the remote had been shaken with each corresponding prompt). It penetrates defense and makes enemies with shells (such as Koopa Troopas) flip over.
In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, the POW Block affects all enemies on the screen, including flying enemies and enemies on the ceiling such as Swoopers.
In Super Paper Mario they are used as a portable item. When active, it damages all the enemies currently on screen. In this game, the POW Block may also be used as a recipe ingredient; however, it can only be cooked on its own into a Megaton Dinner. One of the Sammer Guys fought is called Block of Pow.
In Paper Mario: Sticker Star, POW Blocks appear as stickers, taking their design from how they have commonly appeared since Mario Bros.. When used, a POW block appears, which Mario hits twice to inflict damage to enemies and occasionally inflict the Crumpled status. Unlike the previous iterations, however, the POW block affects only foes on the ground. The sticker also has a Shiny and Flashy POW Block variant, which deal more damage.
Mario Tennis series
Mario Power Tennis
POW Blocks make a small appearance in Mario Power Tennis on the Mario Classic Court. A POW Block moves back and forth across the net. If a player hits the ball through it, all enemies become stunned, allowing the player to defeat them by running into them (this counts as one of two hits needed to stun Sidesteppers; Freezies are defeated instantly). POW Blocks cannot hit Fighter Flies when they are airborne though, but they could be defeated if the player hits the POW block at the correct time. After a certain number of hits, it disappears. After a while, it respawns. Stunned enemies who got hit by the POW block resumes walking after a period of time if the player leaves them alone.
Mario Tennis Open
In Mario Tennis Open, the POW Block has its own Mii gear, including a racket, wristbands, and shoes. The POW Block gear generally increases serve and stroke powers while also increasing speed.
Mario Kart series
Mario Kart Double Dash!!
Although the POW Block itself does not make an appearance in Mario Kart Double Dash!!, the letters, "POW", is the license plate of numerous cars in Mushroom Bridge and Mushroom City.
Mario Kart Arcade GP 2
In Mario Kart Arcade GP 2, the POW Block is one of Waluigi's special items. When used, a random racer is stunned for about seven seconds.
Mario Kart Wii
The POW Block is a new item in Mario Kart Wii. When dispatched by a player, all racers ahead of the user finds POW Blocks above their karts. The POW Block makes players spin out in a similar way to that caused by a Banana Peel, except that they lose all of their current items. Players will not be affected by the POW Block if the third strike goes off while they are in mid-air. Players can also avoid it by starting a wheelie, or shaking their controller (like doing a jump trick) right when the third strike goes off. By doing this, they still spin out and lose items, but retain their momentum. It is also possible to avoid it by doing a hop right at the third strike but requires perfect timing. When players have a Star, Mega Mushroom, or Bullet Bill activated, they will not get affected by the POW block. The letters, "POW" can be seen as a license plate of all of the cars in Moonview Highway. The POW Block also received a trading card, alongside the other items that appear in the game.
Mario Kart Arcade GP DX
The POW Block reappears as an item in Mario Kart Arcade GP DX, acting as it did in Mario Kart Arcade GP 2.
Super Smash Bros. series
Super Smash Bros.
POW Blocks appeared as part of the hidden stage Mushroom Kingdom in Super Smash Bros. If a fighter hits the POW Block, all other fighters touching the ground are damaged and get sent vertically. The POW block is a powerful stage hazard, and it appears throughout the stage randomly in set locations. After being hit, the POW block reappears somewhere else on the stage.
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
The POW Block makes an appearance on the Super Smash Bros. Brawl stage Mario Bros. where it can be used to paralyze all enemies on the screen, allowing them to be picked up and thrown at other players. After it disappears as a result of being hit a couple of times, it reappears on the same spot in the stage.
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U
POW Blocks appear as throwable items in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U. When thrown, it causes shock waves upon landing that can cause damage to other players as long as they are standing on ground.
Mario Super Sluggers
POW Blocks also appear in Mario Super Sluggers in the form of POW-Balls as an unlockable error item. They are unlocked when a certain Treasure Chest is opened in Mario Stadium. When used, it stuns fielding players for about four seconds. If an outfielder jumps at the right timing, they can avoid the POW-Ball shockwaves. If the POW-Ball itself hit the outfielder, then only the outfielder gets knocked out and the POW-ball disappears, with no tremor effect on the ground.
Art Style: PiCTOBiTS
In this game, POW Blocks are used to erase all the bits in the bottom part. Once it is used, it consumes one restore space.
NES Remix series
The POW Block appears once again in the remixed version of Mario Bros. in NES Remix.
In NES Remix 2, the POW Block appears in the remixed version of Super Mario Bros. 2.
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
POW Blocks reappear in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker acting similarly to previous games. To activate them, the player needs to throw a turnip at them or by touching them on the GamePad.[3]
Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
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POW Blocks will reappear in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam as Bros. Items, appearing in two colors: blue and red. The blue POW Blocks defeat all the enemies on the battle field while the red POW Blocks only defeat up to two enemies.
Trophy Information for Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U
| Name | Image | Appears In | NTSC-U Description | PAL Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| POW Block |  |
Arcade Mario Bros. (1983) Wii New Super Mario Bros. Wii (11/2009) |
This special block first appeared way back in Mario Bros. Hitting it will send enemies flying into the air. You can avoid the shock waves by shielding at the right time or jumping into the air. After being triggered three times, a POW Block will vanish into thin air—don't waste it! | These blocks first appeared in Mario Bros. Hit one to make the whole area shake and knock opponents off their feet if they're on the ground. If someone looks like they're about tho hit a POW Block, try to jump or put your shield up to avoid the shock wave. They can be hit three times before disappearing entirely. |
Blue indicates exclusive to the Wii U version.
Gallery
- Powblock.jpg
- Pow blocks.PNG
Sprites from various games
- POWBlock PM.png
- POWBlockNSMBW.png
Names in other languages
References
- ^ Super Mario All-Stars Nintendo Player's Guide. Page 88.
- ^ New Super Mario Bros. 2 European English manual
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_vsfIMs3o4
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