Message Block
| Message Block | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Artwork fromYoshi's Crafted World | |||
| First appearance | Super Mario World (1990) | ||
| Latest appearance | Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Nintendo Switch) (2024) | ||
| |||
- “Roses are red, violets are blue, never forget, what I say to you. Timing is vital, aim must be true, measure the angle and win, do!”
- —Message Block,Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Message Blocks areblocks that provide tips and hints to the player when struck. Traditionally, the text and images of the advice is displayed as a pop-up, which further pauses the game until it is dismissed. Message Blocks appear in various platforming titles of theSuper Mario franchise, but are most common in theYoshi series. They first appear inSuper Mario World but their design inSuper Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, a white block with eyes, prominent cheeks, and a smile, is the most recurring.
History[edit]
Super Mario World /Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2[edit]
- See also:Tourist Tips
Message Blocks[1] appear inSuper Mario World and return inits reissue. They are blue blocks with an orange speaker. Message Blocks usually appear at the start of certain levels, and their advice describes them. Message Blocks also explain certain game mechanics. Some of the text that appears is labeled as a Point of Advice.Yoshi's House has a Message Block, which displays different text depending on if the player is ridingYoshi or not. If they are not riding Yoshi, a letter fromYoshi about how he is not at home is displayed. If they are riding Yoshi, advice explaining that the yellowDotted Line Blocks can be turned intoYellow Block is displayed. It further directs the player to theYellow Switch Palace where this can be done.
Message Blocks reappear in the reissueSuper Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2, with additional blocks being added toYoshi's Island 1,Donut Ghost House,Donut Secret House, andButter Bridge 1. Some existing hints are moved to other blocks. The game also renames Points of Advice, calling them Tourist Tips instead.
Mario's Time Machine[edit]
TheNES version ofMario's Time Machine has similar hint-providing blocks known asinformation boxes[2] (orinfo boxes[2]).
Yoshi series[edit]
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island /Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3[edit]
InSuper Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island andits Game Boy Advance version, Message Blocks (also namedMessages[3] andInformation Blocks[4]) are redesigned to be white with a smiling face, a continually moving mouth (only pausing when hit from below and while providing a message), and yellow cheeks. The block's design is the basis for their further appearances in the franchise. Message Blocks teach the player controls and give tips, but generally do not provide information outright. Their text boxes are sometimes accompanied by chalk outlines of Yoshi and other entities in the game depicting the move the text is about.
Yoshi's Story[edit]
InYoshi's Story, Message Blocks (orMessage Boxes[5]) have the exact same role as inSuper Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. Much like other blocks in the game, they were made bigger.
Yoshi's Island DS[edit]
InYoshi's Island DS, Message Blocks[6] (also namedHint Blocks[7]) appear and behave as they do inSuper Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island.
Yoshi's New Island[edit]
Message Blocks return inYoshi's New Island. Their instructions change depending on the control type used, whether it is traditional button-style egg-throwing or gyro tilt to aim. Some Message Block hints appear when an event first occurs instead of always being based off hitting a block, such as one for droppingBaby Mario. Unlike the prior games, Message Blocks also explain new level features. One example is telling the player to ground-pound aTatami Block. Also unlike the prior games, Message Blocks will still continue moving their mouths even when hit and providing a message.
Yoshi's Woolly World /Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World[edit]
InYoshi's Woolly World and its reissuePoochy & Yoshi's Woolly World, there are only five Message Blocks. The first course,Yarn Yoshi Takes Shape!, has three Message Blocks. The third course,Sponge Cave Spelunking, has two. Message Blocks retain their appearance fromYoshi's Island DS; however, their cheeks are pink instead of yellow, and their mouths do not move as continually as in previous entries, pausing for a second after moving their mouth once and then quickly twice. The hints sometimes include full color art instead of the chalk outlines from prior games. There are no Message Blocks for specific level features in this game.
Yoshi's Crafted World[edit]
Message Blocks return inYoshi's Crafted World, appearing and behaving as they do inYoshi's Woolly World; although they move their mouths even less continually, moving them once before pausing, and then twice before pausing again.
Super Smash Bros. series[edit]
InSuper Smash Bros., two Message Blocks float in the background of the stageYoshi's Island. They are also referred to asface blocks.[8] Yoshi's Island returns inSuper Smash Bros. Melee andSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, being renamed Super Happy Tree in the latter game, and the Message Blocks are retained.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong[edit]
InMario vs. Donkey Kong, there are similar blocks namedHelp Boxes.[9] They are black boxes with the word "HELP" and a question mark written in white. They appear in several levels, and show how to performMario's moves. They can be hit from any side to reveal the hint. In European releases of the game, if the language is set to anything other than English, Help Boxes appear as black boxes with only a white question mark.
In the game'sremake for theNintendo Switch, the box has a lavender outline and a question mark in themodernSuper Mario typeface. There are no regional variations for Help Boxes in this game. Help Boxes are removed from the level if it is played inTime Attack mode.
Super Princess Peach[edit]
InSuper Princess Peach, there are yellow and blue blocks resemblingPerry that act similar to Message Blocks in that they give hints when hit from any side. They are referred to as "kassarbrock" in their internal file names, which is Japanese for "Perry Block". In every boss level, before Peach enters thepipe, they appear warning the player about the boss and providing tips on how to defeat it.
Minecraft[edit]
InMinecraft, the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack reskins the Command Blocks to have the same appearance as Message Blocks fromSuper Mario World.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie[edit]
This section isreferring to a subject in an upcoming or recently released film. When the film is released, or more information about this subject is found, this section may need major rewriting.
This notice should be removed after a month has passed since the film was first released.
A Message Block appears inThe Super Mario Galaxy Movie as a background element during the scene whereMario andPeach avoid various obstacles in a castle.[10]
Unused appearances[edit]
Super Mario Odyssey[edit]
The Message Block as seen inSuper Mario World appears in concept art for theJaxi inSuper Mario Odyssey, where it is part of the bus stop.
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (Nintendo Switch)[edit]
The files of theNintendo Switch port ofCaptain Toad: Treasure Tracker contain a model of a Message Block styled after itsSuper Mario World appearance, in both red and blue colors.[11]
Profiles[edit]
Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2[edit]
- Instruction booklet description:
- English:
Receive helpful Tourist Tips from these conveniently located blocks.
- English:
Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3[edit]
- Instruction booklet description:
- English:
Hit them from below to get helpful hints.
- English:
- Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console manual description:
- English:
Hit them from underneath to get helpful hints.
- English:
Gallery[edit]
Artwork used for a clip set forSuper Nintendo World
A repeating command block inMinecraft
Naming[edit]
Internal names[edit]
| Game | File | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Super Princess Peach | data/stageCommon/kassarbrock_D06_ncg.bin data/stageCommon/kassarbrock_D06_cl.bin | kassarbrock_D06_ncg kassarbrock_D06_cl | Perry Block |
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | メッセージブロック[12][13][14] Messēji Burokku | Message Block | |
| Chinese | 提示座[?] Tíshì zuò | Board | |
| French | Bloc de message[?] | Message block | |
| Boite à message[15] | Message Box | ||
| German | Quasselbox[16] | Chatterbox | |
| Italian | Blocco Messaggio[17] | Message Block | Super Mario World |
| Blocco[18] | Block | Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island | |
| Dado del Messaggio[19] | Message dice/cube | Yoshi's Story | |
| Mattone messaggio[20] | Message brick | Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 | |
| Blocco messaggio[?] | Message block | FromYoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3 onward | |
| Portuguese | Bloco deMassagem[?] | Massage[sic] Block | Super Mario World manual |
| Russian | Блок-справка[?] Blok-spravka | Reference Block | |
| Spanish(Latin American) | Bloque de mensaje[?] | Message block | |
| Bloque mensajero[21] |
- Help Box
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ヘルプボックス[22] Herupu Bokkusu | Help Box | |
| Italian | Blocco informativo[23] | Informative block |
References[edit]
- ^1991.Super Mario World instruction booklet.Nintendo of America (American English). Page 22.
- ^ab1994.Mario's Time Machine NES instruction booklet.Nintendo of America (American English). Page 9.
- ^Upchurch, David, et al. (January 1996).Nintendo Magazine System (UK) issue 40.EMAP (British English). Page 21.
- ^September 1995.Nintendo Magazine System (AU) Issue #30.Catalyst Publishing (Australian English). Page 15.
- ^Prima Bath (April 7, 1999).Nintendo 64 Game Secrets, 1999 Edition Prima's Official Strategy Guide.Prima Games (American English). ISBN0-7615-2103-8. Page 112.
- ^2006.Yoshi's Island DS instruction booklet.Nintendo of America (American English). Page 17.
- ^Williams, Drew (2006).Yoshi's Island DS Player's Guide.Nintendo of America (American English). ISBN1-59812-016-6. Page 6 and 11.
- ^1999.Super Smash Bros. Official Strategy Guide.BradyGames. ISBN1-56686-900-5. Page 114.
- ^Mario vs. Donkey Kong American English Nintendo 3DSVirtual Console digital manual, tab 13: "Items and Features".
- ^https://youtu.be/yP5RGz_CRFM?si=EyWIho_jZr2RzQNR
- ^https://models.spriters-resource.com/nintendo_switch/captaintoadtreasuretracker/asset/466177/
- ^Super Mario World Japanese instruction booklet (fold-out)
- ^1995.Super Mario: Yossy Island instruction booklet.Nintendo (Japanese). Page 16.
- ^1998. 「ヨッシー全百科」 (Yoshi Hyakka).Shogakukan (Japanese). ISBN4-09-281158-6. Page 46. (Archived via Wayback Machine.)
- ^Yoshi Story instruction booklet, French segment (PDF). French. Page 59.
- ^Summer 1995.Club Nintendo Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island.Nintendo of Europe (German). Page 10.
- ^Super Mario World Italian manual. Page 22.
- ^Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island GIG's Italian manual. Page 8.
- ^1998.Yoshi's Story European manual.Nintendo of Europe (Italian). Page 123.
- ^2002.Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 European manual.Nintendo of Europe (Italian). Page 109.
- ^Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 Spanish instruction booklet[page number needed]
- ^2004.マリオ
vs. ドンキーコング (Mario buiesu Donkī Kongu) instruction booklet (PDF).Nintendo (Japanese). Page 13. - ^Mario vs. Donkey Kong Italian e-manual. Page 13.
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