Brick Block

A Brick Block, sometimes simply known as a Brick, is a block that has made an appearance in nearly every Mario platformer to date. As its name implies, Brick Blocks are blocks made of bricks.

In all Mario platformer games since Super Mario Bros., Mario or Luigi can only break this block as Super Mario (or Super Luigi) or another form of Super Mario, such as Fire Mario or Caped Mario. By jumping into it from beneath (or ground pounding in some games), the Brick Block shatters, giving the player ten points (fifty in Super Mario Bros.). If Small Mario hits the block, it just bounces up slightly. Either way, an enemy walking on the brick will be injured. However, if Brick Blocks contain an item, the item is released, regardless of Mario's status, and the Brick Block turns into a Used Block. Although Brick Blocks are absent in Super Mario World, Rotating Blocks play similar roles and replaced the existing Brick Blocks. In Super Mario Bros. 3, Brick Blocks were yellow due to graphical limitations.

Brick Blocks may contain the following:
 * Nothing
 * Power-Up
 * Coin
 * A Beanstalk
 * 1-Up Mushroom
 * Top Ramen (Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyushutsu Dai Sakusen!)

In Super Mario Sunshine, Brick Blocks appear again, in the secret levels. However, they are otherwise no different from their earlier counterparts. Starting with New Super Mario Bros., Brick Blocks can also be Ground Pounded to break them.

In Super Mario 64 DS, Cork Blocks are re-skinned to resemble Brick Blocks, though they behave the same as in Super Mario 64. This visual change does not affect Crates. They can be broken by most of Mario, Luigi, and Wario's attacks. There is also a large, black variation of the block that can only be broken by Wario. Yoshi cannot break any Brick Block unless he is under the effects of a Super Mushroom.

Brick Blocks appear in the Super Mario Galaxy games along with ? Blocks. Those Brick Blocks only hold Coins inside, and always break apart when hit, regardless of whether they do or not.

Brick Blocks also appear in other games, such as the Paper Mario games.

In Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games in the event Dream Snowball Fight, Brick Blocks are used as walls to guard any characters behind them from opponents' snowballs.

Brick Blocks reappear in Super Mario 3D Land, New Super Mario Bros. 2, and New Super Mario Bros. U, working as they do in the 2D Mario games.

Brick Blocks also reappear in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. They are activated by throwing turnips at them.

Brick Blocks will reappear in Super Mario Maker as objects that can be placed into the level.

Trivia

 * Brick Blocks appear in the 2010 version of Nintendo Monopoly, assuming the role of Community Chest spaces and cards. In this game, they are referred to simply as "Blocks". In the 2006 version, Coin Blocks filled the role instead.
 * When downloading a Virtual Console or WiiWare game from the Wii Shop Channel, Mario, Luigi, or both will hit two Brick Blocks and one Coin Block while the game is being downloaded.
 * Brick Blocks appear as one of Kirby's stone forms in Kirby Triple Deluxe.
 * The Brick Block shines differently in New Super Mario Bros., as there is a 2-second delay between every shine.
 * In Super Mario 3D World, "Purple" Brick Blocks are introduced and act the same as a normal Brick Block except they are more easily breakable.