Face block (platform)

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Face block
Face block
Sprite of an extended face block from New Super Mario Bros.
First appearance New Super Mario Bros. (2006)
Latest appearance Super Mario 3D Land (2011)
Effect Expands into a series of blocks when hit
Related

Face blocks[1] (or face Blocks)[2] are a series of platforming blocks in the Super Mario series that first appear in New Super Mario Bros. They appear within courses as a single block, but striking them repeatedly underneath causes a row of succeeding blocks to extend from it for a brief period of time. These form bridges and walls that can be used to reach high platforms, cross gaps, and access secrets. New Super Mario Bros. is the only game in which the struck block as the same design as the ones that extend from it. In Super Mario 3D Land and Super Mario Maker 2, it is a large ! Block. In Super Mario 3D World and Bowser's Fury, the struck block typically resembles a Mega ? Block.

History

New Super Mario Bros.

In New Super Mario Bros., these blocks first appear as a single faced block. Each time Mario or Luigi hits the block, another face block pops out above the previous one, creating up to four face blocks piled on one another. This can help Mario or Luigi reach higher platforms, enter horizontal pipes, or block enemies. However, if Mario or Luigi takes too long, the blocks will collapse back into a single face block.

Super Mario 3D Land

Face blocks return in Super Mario 3D Land, where they are spawned from red ! Blocks. They have the same design, are often spawned in different paths, and allow Mario or Luigi to access out-of-reach locations and collectibles, though they appear for only a period of time before they disappear.

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

The same blocks appear in Super Mario 3D World and its port, but they resemble Empty Blocks and lack faces in this game. The struck block in most appearances resembles a Mega ? Block and their dimensions are the same as the face blocks from Super Mario 3D Land. The only exception is the one in Double Cherry Pass, which resembles and is the same size as a normal ? Block.

The larger blocks are encountered in Bowser's Bob-omb Brigade and Super Block Land. Hitting the block makes several rows of blocks extend out of it, allowing the player character to reach otherwise unreachable areas. In the Prima Games guidebook, this is referred to as a ? Block tower.[3] In the port's Bowser's Fury mode, these blocks are used to scale Clawswipe Colosseum after defeating Cat Cat Boom Boom and Cat Pom Pom once.

Gallery

Names in other languages

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese 伸び縮みブロック[4]
Nobichijimi Burokku
Stretch Block New Super Mario Bros.
伸びるブロック[5]
Nobiru Burokku
Super Mario 3D World
ビックリブロックス[6]
Bikkuri Burokkusu
Surprise Blocks; compare with ! Block Super Mario 3D Land
Italian Blocco fisarmonica[7] Stretch Block New Super Mario Bros.
Cassa ![8] ! Crate Super Mario 3D Land
Spanish Bloque Amarillo[?] Yellow Block

References

  1. ^ von Esmarch, Nick (November 13, 2011). Super Mario 3D Land: PRIMA Official Game Guide. Prima Games (American English). ISBN 978-0-307-89386-4. Page 11.
  2. ^ von Esmarch, Nick (November 13, 2011). Super Mario 3D Land PRIMA Official Game Guide. Prima Games (American English). ISBN 978-0-307-89386-4. Page 164.
  3. ^ Musa, Alexander, and Geson Hatchett (2013). Super Mario 3D World: PRIMA Official Game Guide (eGuide). Roseville: Prima Games. Page 76.
  4. ^ Sakai, Kazuya (ambit), kikai, Akinori Sao, Junko Fukuda, Kunio Takayama, and Ko Nakahara (Shogakukan), editors (2015). "New Super Mario Bros." in 『スーパーマリオブラザーズ百科: 任天堂公式ガイドブック』. Tokyo: Shogakukan (Japanese). ISBN 978-4-09-106569-8. Page 119.
  5. ^ Sakai, Kazuya (Ambit), kikai, Akinori Sao, Junko Fukuda, Kunio Takayama, and Ko Nakahara (Shogakukan), editors (2015). "Super Mario 3D World" in 『スーパーマリオブラザーズ百科: 任天堂公式ガイドブック』. Tokyo: Shogakukan (Japanese). ISBN 978-4-09-106569-8. Page 233.
  6. ^ Sakai, Kazuya (ambit), kikai, Akinori Sao, Junko Fukuda, Kunio Takayama, and Ko Nakahara (Shogakukan), editors (2015). "Super Mario 3D Land" in 『スーパーマリオブラザーズ百科: 任天堂公式ガイドブック』. Tokyo: Shogakukan (Japanese). ISBN 978-4-09-106569-8. Page 186.
  7. ^ November 15, 2018. Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia. Magazzini Salani (Italian). ISBN 889367436X. Page 119.
  8. ^ November 15, 2018. Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia. Magazzini Salani (Italian). ISBN 889367436X. Page 186.