Blockstepper
- Not to be confused with Blockstopper!
| Blockstepper | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Artwork from Super Mario 3D World | |||
| First appearance | Super Mario 3D World (2013) | ||
| Latest appearance | Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (2021) | ||
| Variant of | Block | ||
| |||
Blocksteppers[1] are enemies in Super Mario 3D World and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury. They are red block-shaped creatures with eyes similar to the eyes on Propeller Blocks, cornet-like mouths, and two feet. They also wear brown soldier hats and have windup keys on their backs similar to those of Bob-ombs. Blocksteppers appear in various levels, where they continually march back and forth along a set path (in autoscrolling levels, they instead constantly move forwards). They always travel in groups of two or more, forming lines of several Blocksteppers each. Characters can defeat any Blocksteppers in a group by:
- stomping them;
- ground-pounding or synchro-ground-pounding them;
- clawing, pouncing on, and claw-diving at them while in Cat form;
- throwing fireballs at them while in Fire form;
- throwing boomerangs at them while in Boomerang form;
- tail-attacking them while in Tanooki form;
- or coming into contact with one while in Lucky Cat form, Invincible form, or White Tanooki form (as well as White Cat form in Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury).
Defeating any Blockstepper in a group causes the rest of the Blocksteppers to scatter as they frantically run around, during which period more or all of the group can be defeated. After a few seconds, they regain composure and angrily chase after any characters nearby in unison.
Blocksteppers appear in the following levels:
- World 2-5 Double Cherry Pass
- World 2-
Tank Bowser's Bullet Bill Brigade - World 6-Tank Bowser's Bob-omb Brigade
- World
Castle-1 Fort Fire Bros. - World
Flower-4 Faster Fort Fire Bros.
In the Bowser's Fury campaign, Cat Blocksteppers[2] appear, and they are identical to normal Blocksteppers in function but with cat ears and tails. Their shocked animation reveals that their cat ears are attached only to their hat, instead of directly to their heads. They appear on Pounce Bounce Isle only.
Gallery[edit]
Screenshot from Super Mario 3D World
A group of Blocksteppers vocalizing in art from the Super Mario 3D World Original Soundtrack
A Cat Blockstepper from the Bowser's Fury campaign
A shocked Cat Blockstepper
Cat Blocksteppers in a Japanese commercial promoting the Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary
Naming[edit]
"Blockstepper" is derived from "block", which they resemble, and "lockstep", referring to their synchronized marching formation.
Names in other languages[edit]
The contemporaneous name for each language is listed first. Subsequent names are listed in chronological order for each language, from oldest to newest, and have the media with which they are associated in the "Notes" column. Names exclusive to localizations of the Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia are not prioritized due to concerns about circular reporting, and are only listed first for their respective languages if they are the only ones available.
Blockstepper[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | マーチ[3] Māchi |
March | |
| Dutch | Blockstepper[4] | - | |
| French (NOE) | Marchabloc[5] | Marching-Block | |
| Blockstepper[6] | - | Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia | |
| German | Links-Zwo[7][8] | Contraction of the marching phrase Links, zwo, drei, vier! ("Left, two, three, four!") | |
| Italian | Marsch[9] | From Avanti marsch or marsc', the military expression when ordering troops to march forward | |
| Blockstepper[10] | - | Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia | |
| Portuguese (NOE) | Marchabloco[11] | Portmanteau between marchar ("to march") and bloco ("block") | |
| Russian | Маршинист[12] Marshinist |
Pun on марш (marsh, "march") and машинист (mashnist, "machinist") | |
| Spanish (NOE) | Marchabot[13][14] | Portmanteau of marchar ("march") and "robot" |
Cat Blockstepper[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ネコマーチ[15] Neko Māchi |
Cat Blockstepper; comparable to「ネコマリオ」(Neko Mario, "Cat Mario") |
Notes[edit]
- Blocksteppers' chanting while undisturbed is a similar noise to those of Pikmin.
References[edit]
- ^ Musa, Alexander, and Geson Hatchett (November 22, 2013). Super Mario 3D World PRIMA Official Game Guide. Prima Games (American English). ISBN 978-0-804-16249-4. Page 26.
- ^ 2025. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury. Mario Portal. Retrieved 24 Oct. 2025. (Archived January 23, 2025, 21:25:22 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^ 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 227.
- ^ Nintendo Nederland (9 July 2015). De Kat-Mario-show - Aflevering 1 (4:28). YouTube (Dutch). Option #2 in the Cat Mario Quiz "What is it called?"
- ^ Nintendo France (9 July 2015). Le show de Mario chat - Épisode 1 (4:28). YouTube (French). Option #2 in the Cat Mario Quiz "What is it called?"
- ^ Ardaillon, Joanna, and Victoria Juillard-Huberty, editors (2018). "Super Mario 3D World" in Super Mario Encyclopedia. Translated by Fabien Nabhan. Toulon: Soleil Productions (French). ISBN 978-2-3020-7004-2. Page 227.
- ^ Nintendo DE (9 July 2015). Die Katzen-Mario-Show - Folge 1 (4:28). YouTube (German). Option #2 in the Cat Mario Quiz "What is it called?"
- ^ Scholz, Sabine, and Benjamin Spinrath, editors (2017). "Super Mario 3D World" in Super Mario Encyclopedia - Die ersten 30 Jahre : 1985-2015. Translated by Yamada Hirofumi. Hamburg: Tokyopop (German). ISBN 978-3-8420-3653-6. Page 227.
- ^ NintendoItalia (9 July 2015). Il Mario Gatto Show - Episodio 1 (4:28). YouTube (Italian). Option #2 in the Cat Mario Quiz "What is it called?"
- ^ Sakai, Kazuya (ambit), kikai, Akinori Sao, Junko Fukuda, Kunio Takayama, Ko Nakahara (Shogakukan), and Marco Figini, editors (2018). "Super Mario 3D World" in Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia. Translated by Marco Amerighi. Milan: Magazzini Salani (Italian). ISBN 889367436X. Page 227.
- ^ Nintendo Portugal (9 July 2015). O Programa do Mario Gato - Episódio 1 (4:28). YouTube (European Portuguese). Option #2 in the Cat Mario Quiz "What is it called?"
- ^ Nintendo Россия (9 July 2015). В гостях у Марио-кота — Серия 1 (4:24). YouTube (Russian). (Archived 21 Sept. 2023 via Nintendo Россия Archive.) Option #2 in the Cat Mario Quiz "What is it called?"
- ^ Nintendo España (9 July 2015). El Show de Mario Felino - Episodio 1 (4:28). YouTube (European Spanish). Option #2 in the Cat Mario Quiz "What is it called?"
- ^ Sakai, Kazuya (ambit), kikai, Akinori Sao, Junko Fukuda, Kunio Takayama, and Ko Nakahara (Shogakukan), editors (2017). "Super Mario 3D World" in Enciclopedia Super Mario Bros. 30ª Aniversario. Translated by Gemma Tarrés. Barcelona: Editorial Planeta, S.A. (European Spanish). ISBN 978-84-9146-223-1. Page 227.
- ^ 2025. スーパーマリオ ３Ｄワールド+フューリーワールド. Mario Portal (Japanese). Retrieved 7 Apr. 2025. (Archived January 26, 2025, 14:03:19 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
