Message Block

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Message Block
Message Block
Artwork from Yoshi'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 are blocks that provide tips and hints to the playable character in various platforming titles of the Super Mario franchise. Message Blocks make their first appearance in Super Mario World, but are the most prevalent in the Yoshi franchise. Message Blocks are often depicted as smiling white blocks.

History[edit]

Super Mario World / Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2[edit]

SMW Messblock.png

Message Blocks[1] first appear in Super Mario World, where they usually describe a new level in the beginning stages of the game or explain a new game mechanic, known as Tourist Tips. Unlike later appearances, these Message Blocks feature no face in Super Mario World but instead look like blue blocks with an orange speaker. They reappear in the port Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2.

Mario's Time Machine[edit]

In the NES version of Mario's Time Machine, similar blocks known as information boxes[2] (or info boxes[2]) make an appearance to provide hints.

Yoshi franchise[edit]

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island / Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3[edit]

Sprite of a Message Block from Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

In Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Message Blocks (also named Messages[3] and Information Blocks[4]) teach the player controls and give tips rather than provide information outright. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island gives Message Blocks their now-common look of being a white block with a smiley facial expression and yellow cheeks. They reappear in the remake Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3.

Yoshi's Story[edit]

YS Hingblock.gif

In Yoshi's Story, Message Blocks (or Message Boxes[5]) have the exact same role as in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. They were made a lot bigger, and their mouths continually move.

Yoshi's Island DS[edit]

Message Block in the game Yoshi's Island DS.

In Yoshi's Island DS, Message Blocks[6] (also named Hint Blocks[7]) are much the same as before, but return to their Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island form.

Yoshi's New Island[edit]

Screenshot of Yoshi's New Island.

Message Blocks return in Yoshi'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 additionally automatically appear when a Yoshi does an action for the first time, such as dropping Baby Mario. Message Blocks can also explain stage features in a level new to players such as instructing to ground pound a Tatami Block. A list of all Message Block hints can be found here.

Yoshi's Woolly World / Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World[edit]

Screenshot of Yarn Yoshi Takes Shape!, from Yoshi's Woolly World.
Message block in Yoshi's Woolly World

Only five Message Blocks appear in Yoshi's Woolly World, with three in the first level and two in the third. They retain the appearance from Yoshi's Island DS; however, their mouths now continually move, like in Yoshi's Story. Their cheeks are pink this time.

Yoshi's Crafted World[edit]

Message Blocks return in Yoshi's Crafted World, behaving exactly the same as in past appearances.

Super Smash Bros. series[edit]

Message Blocks have a cameo in Super Smash Bros. They appear in the stage Yoshi's Island where two can be seen in the background along with the Super Happy Tree and are referred to as face blocks in the Super Smash Bros. official strategy guide.[8] The same stage also makes a reappearance as playable for the sequel, Super Smash Bros. Melee, along with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong[edit]

Help Block MVDK Original
A Help Box from Mario vs. Donkey Kong, if a language other than English is selected.
Help Block MVDK
A Help Box in the remake

In Mario vs. Donkey Kong, there are Help Boxes[9] that act similar to Message Blocks and give hints when hit from any side. They are black boxes with the word "HELP" and a question mark written in white. They appear in several levels, and show how to perform Mario's moves. If the game's language is set to any language other than English in the European version, the Help Boxes appear as black boxes with only a white question mark.

In the game's remake for the Nintendo Switch, the box has a lavender outline, and now features a question mark in the modern Super Mario typeface across all regions.

Super Princess Peach[edit]

PerryBlock.png

In Super Princess Peach, there are blocks that act similar to Message Blocks and give hints when hit from any side. They are referred to as "kassarbrock" in their internal file names, which is Japanese for "Perry Block". They are yellow and blue, resembling Perry. In every boss level, before Peach enters the pipe, they appear warning the player about the boss and providing tips on how to defeat it.

Unused appearances[edit]

Super Mario Odyssey[edit]

The Message Block as seen in Super Mario World appears in concept art for the Jaxi in Super Mario Odyssey, where it is part of the bus stop.

Profiles[edit]

Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3[edit]

  • Nintendo 3DS digital manual description: "Hit them from underneath to get helpful hints."

Gallery[edit]

Additional names[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
Japanese メッセージブロック[10][11]
Messēji Burokku
Message Block

Chinese 提示座
Tíshì zuò
Board

French Bloc de message
Boite à message[12]
Message block
Message Box
Italian Blocco Messaggio[13] (Super Mario World)
Blocco[14] (Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island)
Dado del Messaggio[15] (Yoshi's Story)
Mattone messaggio[16] (Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2)
Blocco messaggio (from Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3 onwards)
Message Block
Block
Message dice/cube
Message brick
Message block
Portuguese Bloco de Massagem (Super Mario World manual)
Massage[sic] Block
Russian Блок-справка
Blok-spravka
Reference Block

Spanish (NOA) Bloque de mensaje
Bloque mensajero[17]
Message block
Messenger block
Help Box
Language Name Meaning
Japanese ヘルプボックス[18]
Herupu Bokkusu
Help Box

Italian Blocco informativo[19]
Informative block

References[edit]

  1. ^ Super Mario World English instruction booklet, page 22.
  2. ^ a b Mario's Time Machine NES instruction booklet, page 9.
  3. ^ Nintendo Magazine System (UK) issue 40, page 21.
  4. ^ Nintendo Magazine System (AU) Issue #30, page 15.
  5. ^ Prima Bath. Nintendo 64 Game Secrets, 1999 Edition Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Page 112.
  6. ^ Yoshi's Island DS instruction booklet, page 17.
  7. ^ Williams, Drew. Yoshi's Island DS Player's Guide. Page 6, 11.
  8. ^ Super Smash Bros. Official Strategy Guide. (1999). BradyGames. Page 114.
  9. ^ Mario vs. Donkey Kong American English Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console digital manual, tab 13: "Items and Features".
  10. ^ Super Mario World Japanese instruction booklet (fold-out)
  11. ^ Super Mario: Yossy Island Japanese instruction booklet, page 16.
  12. ^ https://fs-prod-cdn.nintendo-europe.com/media/downloads/games_8/emanuals/nintendo_8/Manual_Nintendo64_YoshisStory_FR.pdf Yoshi Story instruction booklet, French segment.] Page 59
  13. ^ Super Mario World Italian manual, pag. 22
  14. ^ Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island GIG's Italian manual, pag. 8
  15. ^ Yoshi's Story European manual, pag. 123
  16. ^ Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 European manual, pag. 109
  17. ^ Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 Spanish instruction booklet.
  18. ^ Mario vs. Donkey Kong Japanese instruction booklet, page 13.
  19. ^ Mario vs. Donkey Kong Italian e-manual, pag. 13