Hard Block

A Hard Block is one of the many blocks in the Mario universe. They are most commonly used to make stairs that the player can climb. Unlike ? Blocks and Brick Blocks, Hard Blocks cannot contain anything. Hard blocks can be destroyed with a bob-omb's explosion, Bowser in Super Mario Bros. 3, and Mega Mario. In Super Mario Maker, Big Koopa Troopa shells can also break hard blocks, along with giant Thwomps.

Super Mario Bros. / Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
Hard blocks made their debut in Super Mario Bros., and reappear in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels with the exact same appearance and purpose. They are notable in both games for being used as stairs at the end of almost every non-castle level leading to the top of the Goal Pole.

Super Mario Bros. 3
Hard blocks also appeared in Super Mario Bros. 3, but had a different appearance than the ones in Super Mario Bros. They first appeared about halfway through 1-1 and were used for stairs.

Super Mario World
Hard blocks have appeared in this game, but the sprite has more of a similar appearance to the one in Super Mario Bros. 3 than Super Mario Bros.

New Super Mario Bros.
Hard blocks have appeared in New Super Mario Bros. at the end of world 1-1, used for a staircase to reach the flag pole. If Mario gains the Mega Mushroom earlier in the level, he could destroy the hard blocks for a huge chunk of points to gain a maximum of five 1-Up Mushrooms. Volcanic Debris can also destory hard blocks.

New Super Mario Bros. 2
Gold hard blocks have also made an appearance, while colored hard blocks have made their 2D Mario game debut.

New Super Mario Bros. U
Hard blocks, along with colored hard blocks, have returned in New Super Mario Bros. U. Used mostly for decoration, or to make pixel art such as 8-bit Luigis, a common Easter egg in the game.

Mario Kart series
Hard blocks have appeared in the Mario Kart series as either regular hard blocks, or the colored hard blocks that border Mario Circuit.