Blinking Block

From the Super Mario Wiki, the Mario encyclopedia
Revision as of 01:23, July 30, 2019 by TheDarkStar (talk | contribs) (→‎Super Mario Maker 2: game's out, no need for a ref)
Jump to navigationJump to search
File:BeBlG1.png
Beat Blocks in the Beat Block Galaxy in Super Mario Galaxy 2. The green Beat Blocks are presently solid, while the yellow ones are only outlines.

Blinking Blocks (known as Beat Blocks in Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Beep Blocks in Super Mario 3D World) are a type of block found in a handful of games in the Super Mario series. As their name implies, Blinking Blocks are recognized for alternating between solid blocks and intangible outlines of various colors to the beat of in-game music. Because of this, Blinking Blocks function as both platforms that Mario or Luigi safely can stand on when solid, or as deadly pitfalls in their "vanished" state. Depending on the game, both the physical appearance and functions of Blinking Blocks differ.

History

Super Mario series

Super Mario Galaxy 2

File:BeBlG3.png
Beat Blocks in the Beat Block Galaxy in Super Mario Galaxy 2. The yellow Beat Blocks are presently solid, while the greens are only outlines.

Beat Blocks are first seen in Super Mario Galaxy 2, appearing exclusively in the Beat Block Galaxy. In this appearance, all Beep Blocks are cube-shaped, and alternate between yellow and green. The player's Wii Remote will also beep three times before the Beep Blocks alternate. Due to the effects of the Double Time Comet, the "Silver Stars in Double Time" mission causes the Beep Blocks to alternate at four times their regular speed (despite the mission's name).

Super Mario 3D Land

Beat Blocks appearing in World 6-4 in Super Mario 3D Land

Beat Blocks return in Super Mario 3D Land, appearing in World 6-4, Special 3-5 and Special 7-2. In this appearance, Beat Blocks come in an assortment of shapes, and are now red, yellow and blue. In World 6-4 and Special 7-2, all three colors will appear one-by-one, then vanish in the same manner, leaving periods where all or none of the Beat Blocks will appear solid. However, in Special 3-5, the blocks alternate between one color each time.

Super Mario 3D World

Boomerang Bro from Super Mario 3D World
Beep Blocks in Super Mario 3D World

Beat Blocks return once again in Super Mario 3D World as they appeared in Super Mario Galaxy 2, where they are now known as Beep Blocks. They alternate between blue and pink-colored blocks. Later levels also include Beep Blocks in quadruple time, named Blast Blocks. When they are in quadruple time, the frequency of alternating between different blocks is the same as the frequency of beat blocks' alternation under the orbit of the prankster comet in Super Mario Galaxy 2. Interestingly, Beep Blocks also appear in levels where the song has different beats per minute, but they still alternate in the beat of the original song's BPM (from Beep Block Skyway and Blast Block Skyway).

=Super Mario Maker 2

A Blinking Block in Super Mario Maker 2A Blinking Block in Super Mario Maker 2

Beep Blocks, now known as Blinking Blocks, return in Super Mario Maker 2 in the Super Mario 3D World style, behaving the same as in past appearances. However, they now alternate independently from the music.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

Beep Block Sky Plaza
Beep Blocks in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

Beep Blocks reappear in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker in the stage Beep Block Sky Plaza. They are identical in appearance and behavior to those in Super Mario 3D World, but many of them include ladders which do not disappear to allow Captain Toad, who cannot jump, to climb them.

Names in other languages

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese チカチカブロック (Super Mario Galaxy 2)
Chikachika Burokku
てんめつブロック (Super Mario Maker 2)
Tenmetsu Burokku
[?]
Flickering Block
Chinese 炫目方塊 (Super Mario Galaxy 2)
Xuànmù fāngkuài
閃爍磚塊 (Super Mario Maker 2)[1]
Shǎnshuò zhuān kuài
Dazzling Cube

Flickering Brick
Dutch Knipperblok (Super Mario Maker 2)[?] Blinking Block
German Blink-Block (Super Mario Maker 2)[?] Blinking-Block
Italian Blocco intermittente[?] Intermittent block
Russian Мерцающий блок[?]
Mertsayushchiy blok
Flickering Block
Spanish Bloque Rítmico
Bloque Parpadeante
Bloque Alternante
[?]
Rhythmic Block
Blinking Block
Alternating Block

References

  1. ^ Nintendo HK. (May 17, 2019). 《Super Mario Maker 2 (超級瑪利歐創作家 2)》Direct 2019.5.16. YouTube. Retrieved May 21, 2019.