Rotating Block

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Rotating Block
Artwork of a Rotating Block from Super Mario World
Artwork of a Rotating Block from Super Mario World
First appearance Super Mario World (1990)
Latest appearance Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023)
Effect Spins around when hit

Rotating Blocks,[1] also known as Spinning Blocks,[2] Turn Blocks,[3] or simply Blocks, are yellow blocks with eyes that first appear in Super Mario World. When hit from below or the sides, they briefly spin around, allowing Mario or other characters to pass through them.

History[edit]

Super Mario series[edit]

Super Mario World[edit]

SMM SMW Rotating Block.png
Cape Mario spin-jumping through Star World 1 in Super Mario World
Caped Mario using the Spin Jump to destroy some Rotating Blocks

In Super Mario World, Rotating Blocks replace bricks from previous Super Mario games and share most of those blocks' attributes. Normal Rotating Blocks spin around for a short time when hit from beneath or attacked as Caped Mario (or Caped Luigi), but some act as Prize Blocks and reveal an item. Super Mario can destroy normal Rotating Blocks with a Spin Jump from above. Chargin' Chucks can also destroy Rotating Blocks by charging into them. Also, enemies such as Koopa Troopas and Goombas may hide in Rotating Blocks, and break out to attack Mario once he approaches them. Only a maximum of four Rotating Blocks may be spinning at any given moment.

Super Mario Maker / Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS / Super Mario Maker 2[edit]

Block icon in Super Mario Maker 2 (Super Mario World style)

Rotating Blocks appear under the name "Block" in Super Mario Maker, Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS, and Super Mario Maker 2. Rotating Blocks replace Brick Blocks in the Super Mario World style. To be consistent with the other styles, Rotating Blocks are affected by P Switches instead of Empty Blocks, unlike in the original game. In Super Mario Maker 2, if the player presses a P Switch, any Ice Blocks with a coin frozen inside temporarily become frozen Rotating Blocks (resembling the Ice Blocks' design from the original Super Mario World). However, when hit from below or the sides, they do not spin.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder[edit]

Screenshot of a Rotating Block from Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Screenshot of a block from Super Mario Bros. Wonder
The longer variant from Wonder

Rotating Blocks return in Super Mario Bros. Wonder. The Spin Jump no longer breaks them, and wider versions similar to Long ? Blocks also appear.

Super Smash Bros. series[edit]

SmashWiki article: Block#Rotating Blocks

Turn Blocks appear in the Super Smash Bros. series in Melee's Yoshi's Island stage (in Super Smash Bros. Melee, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate) and in the Super Mario World style of the Super Mario Maker stage (in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U as DLC, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate), working as they originally did, though they are 3D in Yoshi's Island (they turn 2D when rotating). Unlike in Super Mario World, when hit, the Rotating Blocks spin at a fast speed before slowing down, as opposed to spinning at a steady pace, and also spin individually, instead of them spinning in unison.

Mario Sports Superstars[edit]

The dummies that appear in the Ring Challenge mode of the soccer sport in Mario Sports Superstars are made of Rotating Blocks, flipping over when they are struck by the ball.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie[edit]

A poster for The Super Mario Bros. Movie featuring the Training Course.
A poster for The Super Mario Bros. Movie featuring Rotating Blocks (lower top right).

A poster for The Super Mario Bros. Movie of Mario on the Training Course features some Rotating Blocks in the background. In the movie itself, Rotating Blocks are scattered all around the Training Course among Brick Blocks and Empty Blocks. When Mario or Peach Wall Jump off of them, they light up.

Other appearances[edit]

The blocks from Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, yellow blocks from Paper Mario, and Bike Pads from Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga resemble Rotating Blocks.

Although actual Rotating Blocks do not appear in Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge, there are blocks that have an identical design, primarily found in Mini Luigi's world, Moonlight Mansion. They initially appear as transparent Brown Blocks from Super Mario World, referred to as invisible blocks,[4] but they turn solid and yellow when a nearby candle is lit, allowing the Minis to walk on them.

See also[edit]

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning
Japanese クルクルブロック[5]
Kurukuru Burokku
Spinning Block

French Bloc pivotant
Bloc (Super Mario Maker 2)
Rotating Block
Block
German Rotierender block[6]
Rotating block
Italian Blocco girevole
Mattone girevole[6]
Spinning block
Spinning brick
Portuguese (NOA) Bloco Giratório[7]
Spinning Block
Portuguese (NOE) Bloco Rotativo (Super Smash Bros. for Wii U tips)
Rotating Block
Spanish Bloque giratorio[8]
Spinning block

References[edit]

  1. ^ Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 instruction booklet, page 19.
  2. ^ M. Arakawa. Nintendo Mario Mania Player's Guide. Page 57.
  3. ^ von Esmarch, Nick, and Reepal Parbhoo. Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U Prima Official Game Guide. Page 233.
  4. ^ "The candle in this contraption scares Ghosts into covering their eyes, so you can safely walk your Mini right through them. You’ll also be able to see invisible blocks, which may help you reach new places.Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge Items. Play Nintendo. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  5. ^ Super Mario World Japanese instruction booklet (fold-out)
  6. ^ a b Super Mario Advance 2: Super Mario World European intruction booklet
  7. ^ Super Mario World Brazilian instruction booklet, page 22.
  8. ^ Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 Spanish instruction booklet.