Block Star (Mario Party series)

Block Star is a Rare minigame in Mario Party 6, a Puzzle minigame in Mario Party DS, a Special minigame in Mario Party: The Top 100, and a Sports & Puzzles minigame in Mario Party Superstars. In Mario Party: The Top 100, this minigame is unlocked after 100 Mini Stars have been obtained in Minigame Island. Its name may be a pun on "rock star."

Introduction
The minigame starts with four rows of blocks rising from the bottom.

Gameplay
In Block Star, a stack of blocks rises from the bottom of the screen, and the player must move blocks to group five or more like-colored blocks together to clear them. The player can move blocks around by carrying a block, and if any like-colored blocks are grouped together, they are also carried. Once the group of blocks is released, the blocks move to the topmost position in each column. Star Blocks (blocks with stars in them) and Time Blocks (blocks with clocks in them) cannot be moved this way, even if they are grouped together with normal like-colored blocks. The player can raise the stack if needed, which adds extra blocks from the bottom. In order to clear each level, the player must clear all of the Star Blocks on them in each level. If at least one column of blocks reached the highest point (past the lowest bar of the gate, which is indicated by a red line in Mario Party Superstars), the timer drains more quickly and the player cannot raise the stack, unless the blocks in the affected columns are removed to make them shorter. The player starts with 60 seconds, and the minigame ends if the timer reaches zero. The player can add 15 seconds to their time by matching Time Blocks. Clearing a level also rewards the player with 15 more seconds, and in both cases where the time increases, it cannot exceed 60 seconds. The music speeds up once the timer reaches 10 seconds or the stack is close to the top. This minigame is one of the three single-player minigames in Mario Party 6 and is unique in this category in having a two-player mode. In the Mario Party DS version, a Mario Party Point is earned for every 10 points earned in the minigame. In Mario Party DS and Mario Party Superstars, the player can continue from the level on which they got a Game Over.

The player's score increases only after each level is completed, and the score awarded is different between versions. In Mario Party 6 and Mario Party: The Top 100, the score rewarded is based on the time remaining. For example, clearing a level with 45 seconds left rewards 45 points. In Mario Party DS, the score rewarded is based on the number of Star Blocks required to be cleared, and the score is 10 points per Star Block. For example, clearing Level 1, which has an objective of one Star Block, rewards the player with 10 points. In Mario Party Superstars, the score awarded is based on both the amount of time left and the number of Star Blocks required to be cleared (10 points per Star Block). For example, clearing Level 1 (objective of one Star Block) with 45 seconds left rewards the player with 55 points: 45 points from time remaining and 10 points from the one Star Block. The maximum score is 9,999 points for every version; it does not increase further after that score is reached.

There are five different phases, which are separated by each set of levels. In regards to the first, second, and last phases where the Star Blocks are not found on fixed columns, the Star Blocks in Mario Party 6 and Mario Party DS are grouped more closely, while in Mario Party: The Top 100 and Mario Party Superstars, they are generally scattered. Within each of the phases, the levels are as follows:
 * Levels 1 to 15: Blocks come in four colors. The number of Star Blocks required to be cleared starts from one at Level 1 and increases by one per level, up to 15 at Level 15.
 * Levels 16 to 45: Blocks come in five colors. The number of Star Blocks required to be cleared starts from five at Level 16 and increases by one per level, for a maximum requirement of 15 Star Blocks from Levels 26 to 45.
 * Levels 46 to 60: Blocks come in five colors. The number of Star Blocks required to be cleared starts from six at Level 46 and increases by one per level, up to 20 at Level 60. The Star Blocks are all found in the leftmost column. Additionally, in Mario Party 6, the music changes.
 * Levels 61 to 80: Blocks come in four colors. The number of Star Blocks required to be cleared is 16 for Levels 61 and 62, 18 for Levels 63 to 67, and 20 for Levels 68 to 80. The Star Blocks are all found in both the leftmost and rightmost columns.
 * Levels 81 to 99: Blocks come in five colors. The number of Star Blocks required to be cleared is 16 for Levels 81 and 82, 18 for Levels 83 to 87, and 20 for Levels 88 to 99. Level 99 is the highest level, and it is reset after it has been cleared (score is still accumulated).

In the multiplayer version of this minigame, both players have a five-second time limit. The timer does not start counting down until the stack gets too high; the players must keep the stack below the lowest bar of the gate to keep the timer from counting down. The player who still has time left is the winner. There are blocks with up- and down-facing arrows. Matching blocks with up-facing arrows causes a row of Brick Blocks to appear at the bottom of the opponent's stack, while matching blocks with down-facing arrows causes three Brick Blocks to appear on top of the opponent's stack. In The Top 100 and Superstars, the effects are reversed, and only one Brick Block appears on the top if an up-facing arrow block is matched. Brick Blocks can be cleared by making a match adjacent to them or by touching them. In both modes, the music speeds up if a player's stack is too high.

Ending
In single-player mode, the gate closes once time runs out. The player does their winning pose if they got a new record; otherwise, they do their losing pose.

In multiplayer mode, the losing player's gate closes in Mario Party 6 and Mario Party DS, while both gates close in The Top 100 and Superstars. The players then do their winning and losing poses.

Mario Party 6

 * or – Move the cursor
 * Press and hold – Carry block
 * Release – Drop block
 * – Raise stack

Mario Party DS

 * – Move hand
 * – Send piece to top of the stack
 * – Lift stack

Mario Party: The Top 100

 * Move cursor
 * Hold : Carry block
 * Release : Place block on top
 * Move block up

Mario Party Superstars

 * – Move Cursor
 * – Send Block Up
 * + – Carry Block
 * – Raise Blocks

One Player

 * Rules – "Move blocks and link five or more together to make them disappear. Clear away all of the Star Blocks to beat the level."
 * Advice 1 – "Clear away the Time Block to add an extra 15 seconds to the timer! You'll get points for any remaining time when you clear a level."
 * Advice 2 – "Blocks will flash red and drain precious seconds from the timer if they stack too high."

Two Players

 * Rules – "Clear away blocks by connecting five same-colored blocks."
 * Controls 2 – "You can break a brick block by hovering over it with your cursor and pressing ."
 * Advice 1 – "Connect four same-colored blocks to the Up-arrow Block to cause a row of brick blocks to appear at the bottom of your foe's screen."
 * Advice 2 – "Connect four same-colored blocks to the Down-arrow Block to cause brick blocks to fall on your foe's screen."

One Player

 * Rules – "Connect five or more blocks of the same color to clear them. You have to clear a certain number of blocks containing a ★ to finish a level."
 * Tips – "Clear the clock-shaped block to gain more time. Use this strategically!"

Two Players

 * Rules – "Connect five or more blocks for the same color to clear them. The gauge will fall when the blocks rise to the gate. The player whose gauge hits zero loses."
 * Tips – "Clear a block with an arrow on it to cause problems for your opponent!"

Mario Party: The Top 100

 * Description – "Move blocks up to connect the same color! Connect 5 or more blocks to clear them all!"
 * On-screen (Vs. mode) – "Connect 5 or more same-colored blocks to clear them!"
 * On-screen (Endless mode) – "Connect 5 or more same-colored blocks to clear every star block!"

Mario Party Superstars

 * Free Play and Vs. Puzzles – "Connect five or more blocks to remove them! If your timer reaches zero, it's game over. Remove ↑ and ↓ blocks to pester your rival."
 * Score Attack – "Connect five or more blocks to remove them! Eliminate ★s to clear a level. If your timer reaches zero, it's game over."

Trivia

 * In Mario Party 6, this is the only minigame in which the "Losing" track plays.
 * This minigame is the only one other than Stick and Spin not originally introduced in the original Mario Party to appear four times in the series.