POW Block

"POW" redirects here. For information about the Super Mario RPG stat often shortened as "POW", see Power.

POW Block
A POW Block from Super Mario Bros. Wonder
First appearance	Mario Bros. (1983)
Latest appearance	Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023)
Effect	Super Mario series: Creates an earthquake when hit or thrown Mario Kart Wii: Appears above the user's kart and causes all racers on the ground ahead of the user to spin out and drop any items they are holding

“What do POW Blocks do again? Don't they make things flip over when you bop 'em?”

—Olivia, Paper Mario: The Origami King

A POW Block, occasionally POW and standing for power block (also spelled Power Block), is a common block in the Super Mario franchise. In every game they appear in, the effect of a POW Block being thrown to the ground or hit in the air creates a large earthquake, causing all enemies onscreen to get hurt. POW Blocks can be carried and thrown in most games, and some are required for a 100% game completion. Most POW Blocks are a metallic blue, but some POW Blocks are red or sometimes green.

History

Mario Bros.

The POW Block is an item that first appears in the Mario Bros. arcade game. When hit, it damages all enemies in the screen, but only those that are on the ground. It can be hit three times before it disappears. Each time it gets hit, it flattens up.

In the Game Boy Advance remake, there are two POW Blocks per phase set, and they can be picked up. However, throwing the picked up POW Block results in it completely disappearing, regardless of how many times it was hit before.

Super Mario series

Super Mario Bros. 2

The POW has the same function in Super Mario Bros. 2 as it had in Mario Bros., but it can only be used once, as the player has to grab and throw it onto the ground to activate it. Super Mario Advance introduces a large version of the POW Block known as the Giant POW Block, Big POW, or Super POW. It bounces on the floor when thrown, causing four tremors before it disappears. Unlike in Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic and other games, the word "POW" is animated.

Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3

In Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, a single POW Block is found in the World-e level Koopaling Confusion. It uses the same sprite as in Mario Bros. for the Game Boy Advance, but it is thrown like the ones in Super Mario Bros. 2. Unlike those games, it also works with airborne enemies like Bullet Bills.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii

The POW Block returns in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. As in Super Mario Bros. 2, it can be picked up and carried, and once thrown, it eliminates all the enemies onscreen and also drops all floating coins. The POW Block is also essential in order to collect Star Coins found hidden in some levels.

New Super Mario Bros. 2

Main article: Red POW Block

In New Super Mario Bros. 2, POW Blocks only appear as a red variation, being the Red POW Blocks. Unlike the blue type, they cannot be picked up and only affect a small radius around them. Instead, they hit and break blocks and start chain reactions with other Red POW Blocks.

New Super Mario Bros. U / New Super Luigi U / New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe

Modified POW Block

Blue POW Blocks reappear in New Super Mario Bros. U, New Super Luigi U, and their Nintendo Switch port, looking and behaving just as they do in New Super Mario Bros. Wii.

In the Mainland China release of New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe on Tencent Nintendo Switch, the letters on the POW Block were modified to what appears to be three zeroes. This is possibly to comply with the local regulations that disapprove of using untranslated English words in video games. This is also the first time where the design of the POW Block itself was modified in games released in Mainland China. The 1.0.1 update, released on April 28th, 2021 reverted the modified POW Block design back to its original one.

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

A giant POW Block known as the Super POW Block appears in Super Mario 3D World and its Nintendo Switch port at the end of The Great Tower of Bowser Land, which needs to be hit four times in order to defeat Meowser.

The classic blue POW Block also appears in the port of Mario Bros., Luigi Bros., included in Super Mario 3D World.

Super Mario Maker / Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS

Blue POW Blocks appear once more in Super Mario Maker and Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS. They act as they did in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, not being suspended in midair.

Super Mario Maker 2

Blue POW Blocks reappear in Super Mario Maker 2; this time, they are shown to be flashing in the Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, and New Super Mario Bros. U styles. Blue POW Blocks also appear in the Super Mario 3D World style, but they can be changed into the red variant found in the base game. In nighttime underwater and Ghost House levels, POW Blocks illuminate the area around them.

In the Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, and New Super Mario Bros. U game styles, POW Blocks can still defeat Bowser in one hit. In the Super Mario 3D World game style, however, they deal 10 HP damage to Meowser, and make him flinch.

Super Mario Bros. 35

In Super Mario Bros. 35, the POW Block appeared as a roulette item which, when obtained, defeated all enemies on-screen. It used the same sprite as its Mario Bros. appearance from the NES version.

The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!

“Look! There's a Power Block!”

—Mario, "The Pied Koopa"

A Power Block in its only appearance in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!

In The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, the Power Block makes its first and only appearance in one episode: "The Pied Koopa." While Mario and the gang are trying to escape from Koopa's minions by diving underwater in the moat, Mario spots a Power Block at the bottom and throws it at the wall, causing it to explode. The result causes them to get sucked into a dungeon with all the water. This is the only time a Power Block has had the ability to explode.

Super Mario-kun

A POW Block is used in volume 8 of Super Mario-kun. Here, it defeats Cobrats.

Yoshi's Island series

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

In Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and its Game Boy Advance version, if Yoshi hits a POW Block, all nearby enemies turn into stars. It only appears in The Cave of the Lakitus, but appears twice in that one level. They can be hit thrice before it disappears. Special Items based on POW Blocks are most commonly won in Bonus Challenges, where they could be used almost anywhere afterward, being called Anywhere POWs.

Yoshi's New Island

In Yoshi's New Island, POW Blocks appear in the minigame, Enemy Eat-Off. Here, they are white with green spots (similar to an Egg Block) and a Yoshi Egg replacing the "O" letter. When hit, it turns every enemy on the stage into Yoshi Eggs.

Super Smash Bros. series

SmashWiki article: POW Block

The POW Block item in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

POW Blocks make their first series appearance in Super Smash Bros., as a stage feature of Mushroom Kingdom. If a fighter hits the POW Block, all other fighters touching the ground are damaged and get launched vertically. The POW Block appears throughout the Mushroom Kingdom stage randomly in set locations, and it appears elsewhere on the stage after being hit. A POW Block also appears as a stage element in Super Smash Bros. Brawl's Mario Bros. stage, where it can paralyze all enemies onscreen, allowing them to be picked up and thrown at others. Similarly as in Super Smash Bros., the POW Block disappears after being hit a few times, although it always regenerates in the same location. In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, POW Blocks appear in both the returning Mushroom Kingdom and Mario Bros. stages.

POW Blocks are introduced as usable items in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U and return as such in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. When thrown, a POW Block causes shock waves upon landing that can cause damage to anyone who is on the ground.

Paper Mario series

POW Block
Paper Mario description	Flips shell enemies and inflicts 2 damage points on all enemies.

In the Paper Mario series, the POW Block is a portable item that does two damage to all enemies (but much more in Super Paper Mario if the remote had been shaken with each corresponding prompt). It penetrates defense and makes enemies with shells (such as Koopa Troopas) flip over.

In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, the POW Block affects all enemies on the screen, including flying enemies and enemies on the ceiling such as Swoopers.

In Super Paper Mario they are used as a portable item. When active, it damages all the enemies currently on screen. In this game, the POW Block may also be used as a recipe ingredient; however, it can only be cooked on its own into a Megaton Dinner. One of the Sammer Guys fought is called Block of Pow.

In Paper Mario: Sticker Star, POW Blocks appear as stickers, taking their design from how they have commonly appeared since Mario Bros. When used, a POW Block appears, which Mario hits twice to inflict damage to enemies and occasionally inflict the Crumpled status. Unlike the previous iterations, however, the POW block affects only foes on the ground. The sticker also has a Shiny and Flashy POW Block variant, which deal more damage. It can be purchased in Decalburg, and it is set in the Sticker Museum as No. 73.

In Paper Mario: Color Splash, POW Blocks appear as Battle Cards, with the same behavior as they had in Paper Mario: Sticker Star. POW Blocks also appear outside of battle in Kiwano Temple, where one is used to flip some spikes, and Violet Passage, where they can be hit with a cannonball in order to collect coins.

POW Blocks return as items that can be used in battle in Paper Mario: The Origami King; they serve the same purpose, although Mario can only carry three at a time. In a side room in the Water Vellumental Shrine, a POW Block is used to stop a blue Sidestepper that is carrying the Groovy Panel. It is positioned high up, so Mario has to hammer the wall to cause it to drop down to jumping height. Another POW Block appears on ? Island, where it can be used to activate all of the ? Blocks at once. POW Blocks carried as items are now hit once when used in battle rather than twice, and they can stun all enemies on the ground for one turn. They can be bought exclusively in Toad Town for 160 coins. Despite not being flying enemies, Boos and Bloopers are also immune to POW Blocks, since they float slightly above the ground.

Mario Kart series

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

Although the POW Block itself does not make an appearance in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, the letters, "POW", is the license plate of numerous cars in Mushroom Bridge and Mushroom City.

Mario Kart Arcade GP series

In Mario Kart Arcade GP 2, the POW Block is one of Waluigi's special items. When used, a random racer is stunned for about seven seconds. POW Blocks also appear in Mario Kart Arcade GP DX, where it is used in the same way as in Mario Kart Arcade GP 2.

Mario Kart Wii

The POW Block, as it appears in Mario Kart Wii

Peach getting hit by the POW Block.

The POW Block makes its console Mario Kart game debut in Mario Kart Wii as one of the new items. It is supposedly the rarest item in the game (though players will have a slightly higher chance of obtaining it in VS races), and players can obtain this item if they are anywhere from 5th to 9th place, with CPU-controlled drivers also being able to obtain it in 10th place. The highest chance of obtaining this item is in 7th place, with a 3 out of 40 (7.5%) chance of obtaining it in said position. It is one of six items wherein only one can be in play at a time (the other five being the Thunder Cloud, Spiny Shell, Bullet Bill, Blooper, and Lightning), is one of four items with a cooldown timer for the first few seconds of a race (the other three being the Spiny Shell, Blooper, and Lightning), and is one of three items with a cooldown timer between uses (the other two being the Blooper and Lightning). POW Blocks are unobtainable for the first twenty seconds of a race, and once a POW Block is used, twenty seconds must elapse before another POW Block is obtainable.

When the POW Block is dispatched by the player who receives it from an Item Box, all racers ahead of the user find POW Blocks above their karts. The POW Block makes the racers ahead of the user spin out in a similar way to that caused by a Banana, except that they lose all of their current items and come to a complete stop if it hits them. Players will not be affected by the POW Block if the third strike goes off while they are in midair. Players can also avoid it by starting a wheelie, or shaking their controller (like doing a jump trick) right when the third strike goes off. By doing this, they still spin out and lose items but retain their momentum. It is also possible to avoid it by doing a hop right at the third strike but requires perfect timing. When players have a Star, Mega Mushroom, or Bullet Bill activated or if they are flying through the air after being shot out of a cannon, they will not get affected by the POW Block. The letters "POW" can be seen as a license plate on all of the cars in Moonview Highway. The POW Block also received a trading card, alongside the other items that appear in the game. If the player gets a POW Block and then uses it, the POW Block appears above the user's kart. It flattens above the user, but it will not hit them, as the POW Block hits only all racers ahead of the user. If used in N64 Mario Raceway, it causes the Piranha Plants to jump into the air. If used in N64 Sherbet Land, it causes the penguins to spin out. Also, if the player is behind the user, the POW Block sound can still be heard, but the screen will not shake. This is so far the only non-arcade Mario Kart game the POW Block appears as a usable item, making it, the Thunder Cloud, and the Fake Item Box (though it has also appeared in Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, and Mario Kart DS) the only three usable items in Mario Kart Wii not to reappear in any future non-arcade installments.

Mario Tennis series

Mario Power Tennis

POW Blocks make an appearance in Mario Power Tennis on the Mario Classic Court. A POW Block moves back and forth across the net. If a player hits the ball through it, all enemies become stunned, allowing the player to defeat them by running into them (this counts as one of two hits needed to stun Sidesteppers; Freezies are defeated instantly). POW Blocks cannot hit Fighter Flies when they are airborne though, but they could be defeated if the player hits the POW block at the correct time. After a certain number of hits, it disappears. After a while, it respawns. Stunned enemies who got hit by the POW block resumes walking after a period of time if the player leaves them alone. POW Blocks also appear in the mini-game Coin Collectors. The positions can be changed by hitting a POW Block with a tennis ball.

Mario Tennis Open

In Mario Tennis Open, the POW Block has its own Mii gear, including a racket, uniform, wristbands, and shoes. The POW Block gear generally increases serve and stroke powers while also increasing speed.

Yoshi Touch & Go

POW Blocks appear in the Challenge mode of Yoshi Touch & Go. They spawn while being carried on a balloon. If a Yoshi throws an egg at the balloon, the POW Block falls. The Yoshi needs to touch it while it is on drawn clouds to activate it or let it hit hard ground. When it activates, it defeats all enemies on screen, where they leave coins behind depending on their point value. They are colored green in this game.

Mario Super Sluggers

POW Blocks also appear in Mario Super Sluggers in the form of POW Balls as an unlockable error item. They are unlocked when a certain Treasure Chest is opened in Mario Stadium. When used, it stuns fielding players for about four seconds. If an outfielder jumps at the right timing, they can avoid the POW Ball shockwaves. If the POW Ball itself hit the outfielder, then only the outfielder gets knocked out and the POW Ball disappears, with no tremor effect on the ground. Levitating and flying characters such as Boo and Paragoomba are unaffected by the shockwaves, but can be hit by the actual POW Ball.

Mario Clock

POW Blocks reappear in Mario Clock, collecting all coins on the screen and making the clock fall out.

Mario & Sonic series

In the Mario & Sonic series, POW Blocks most commonly appear as items. In the Wii version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, POW Blocks appear as an item in Dream Ice Hockey, where they will knock over all of the characters on the opposing team after a short amount of time, as well as in Dream Snowball Fight, where they briefly stun everyone on the opposing team. In the Nintendo 3DS version of Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, POW Blocks are items in the Plus Event, Boxing Plus, where they stun the opponent and prevent them from moving, performing punches, and guarding. The game also features POW Blocks in Football Plus, where three will fall, one after the other, by the player who received the item, and knock over any nearby characters, including goalkeepers. In Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, POW Blocks are items in the Dream Event, Dream Karate.

In Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, POW Blocks appear as obstacles on the Coin Street rink of Snow Day Street Hockey, where hitting them knocks down every opponent, briefly stunning them. After being used, the POW Blocks respawn in their positions after a short amount of time.

Mario Party 9

While POW Blocks do not appear in Mario Party 9, there is a type of space in the High Rollers mode called the POW Space, and if a player rolls over it, the values of all spaces around it decrease by 10.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

POW Blocks reappear in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker and its Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS ports acting similarly to previous games. To activate them, the player needs to throw a turnip at them or by touching them on the GamePad.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam

In Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, POW Blocks appear as sheets of paper in the Trio Shuriken minigame in the arcade. If Mario or Luigi throws a shuriken at one, it will destroy every other on-screen sheets of paper and grant the player their respective points amount.

Mario + Rabbids series

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle

“Given what these POW Blocks are capable of, I'm actually pretty glad it's broken.”

—Beep-0, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle

In Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, giant POW Blocks appear in the background of Sherbet Desert. Beep-0 states these POW Blocks are broken and do not have any effect. Two Rabbids climb up and down the "P" in one of them, where Beep-0 expresses relief that the POW Block is broken.

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope

In Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, POW Blocks appear as items that can be bought or found while exploring. In battle, heroes can throw them at enemies, dealing heavy damage and destroying cover in an area. If the game is linked with an Ubisoft Connect account, a POW Block can be added to the player's inventory by redeeming 30 units upon clearing the prologue.

Luigi's Mansion 3

In Luigi's Mansion 3, the POW Block appears in the ScreamPark minigame Desperate Measures. When it is activated, it creates a shockwave sending sand out of the weight scale for both teams.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

In the teaser posterMedia:The Super Mario Bros Movie teaser poster.jpg for The Super Mario Bros. Movie, a marking of a POW Block can be seen printed on a barrel hung on the storefront next to the antiques store.

Other appearances

The POW Block, at the bottom left corner.

In Art Style: PiCTOBiTS, POW Blocks are used to erase all the bits in the bottom part. Once it is used, it consumes one restore space.

In Monopoly Gamer, a POW Block face appears on the "Power-Up Die". Rolling the POW Block normally forces all other players to drop one Coin on their current space, which can be picked up by the next player who passes over or lands on that space. Some Characters have a "Power-Up Boost" that enhances or modifies this power.

In the NES Remix series, POW Blocks appear in some of the Mario Bros.-based challenges, and in NES Remix 2, they appear in various Super Mario Bros. 2 remix challenges.

While POW Blocks themselves do not appear in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, an identical-functioning block appears in the Mole Hunt minigame.

Profiles

Super Mario series

Super Mario Bros. 2

• Wii Virtual Console manual: "This item causes earthquakes."

New Super Mario Bros. Wii

• Trading card:
  • Description: Here's a blast from the past! Hit a POW Block and all coins will fall to the ground for easy pick up. Use this time wisely to collect all the coins you can. Remember that extra coins mean extra lives, so POW Blocks are money in the bank! They can also be really handy in shaking out hidden Star Coins.
  • Card Number: 51 (Normal)

New Super Mario Bros. 2

• Instruction manual: "Hit this to unleash a shockwave that destroys nearby blocks."

New Super Mario Bros. U

• Instruction manual: "Hit or throw this to create shock waves that defeat all grounded enemies on the screen."

Mario Kart Wii

Trading card

• Instruction booklet: "POW Blocks shake the ground, causing opponents to spin out and drop their items."
• Trading card:
  • Description: "The POW Block isn't a new concept within the Mushroom Kingdom (think Mario Bros.), but it is a brand new item for the Mario Kart series. If you're lucky enough to get this item, activate it and the POW Block appears over the heads of all other racers. When it disappears after about 5 seconds...POW! Everyone (but you) spins out and stops, allowing you to gain some ground."
  • Game Tip!: "The POWerful effects of this dangerous item can be avoided. The secret is that you have to be off the ground when the POW Block unleashes its power."

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U

Trophy POW Block
3DS: Wii U:
Category: Item
() Appears in: Arcade Mario Bros. (1983) Wii New Super Mario Bros. Wii (11/2009)
() Trophy Box: 6: Mario Bros.
How to unlock: Random
This special block first appeared way back in Mario Bros. Hitting it will send enemies flying into the air. You can avoid the shock waves by shielding at the right time or jumping into the air. After being triggered three times, a POW Block will vanish into thin air—don't waste it! (American English)
These blocks first appeared in Mario Bros. Hit one to make the whole area shake and knock opponents off their feet if they're on the ground. If someone looks like they're about to hit a POW Block, try to jump or put your shield up to avoid the shock wave. They can be hit three times before disappearing entirely. (British English)

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

• Instruction manual: "Hit one to defeat all nearby enemies and break all nearby blocks."

Paper Mario: The Origami King

• Collectible Treasure No. 39: "A power-up that shakes everything on the field. Flips some enemies and disorients others."

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:POW Block.

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  Super Mario Bros. 3 sprite

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  Super Mario All-Stars (Super Mario Bros. 2) artwork

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  Mario holding a POW Block in front of a Cobrat in Super Mario-kun

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  Mario Kart Wii artwork

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  A POW Block trading card from New Super Mario Bros. Wii

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  New Super Mario Bros. Wii artwork

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	パワーフロア Pawā Furoa POWパウ Pau パワー床ゆか Pawā Yuka パウブロック Pau Burokku POWブロック Pau Burokku	Power Floor POW; short for パワーブロック (Pawā Burokku, "Power Block") Power Floor POW Block POW Block
Chinese (simplified)	力量块 Lìliàng Kuài POW砖块 (Super Mario Maker 2) POW Zhuānkuài	Power Block POW Brick
Chinese (traditional)	POW磚塊 POW Zhuānkuài	POW Brick
Dutch	POW-blok	POW Block
French	Bloc POW POW (Super Mario All-Stars)	POW Block POW
German	POW-Block	POW Block
Italian	POW Pow Blocco POW	- - POW block
Korean	POW블록 POW Beullok	POW Block
Portuguese	Bloco POW	POW Block
Russian	Блок «POW» Blok «POW»	POW block
Spanish	Bloque POW POW	POW Block POW
Swedish	POW-block	POW block