Hard Block

A Hard Block is one of the many blocks in the Mario universe. They are commonly used to make stair-like structures. Unlike ? Blocks and Brick Blocks, Hard Blocks cannot contain items or Coins. Mario and Luigi are not normally able to destroy Hard Blocks, but certain methods, such as entering a Mega state or using a Big Thwomp, can be used to destroy them.

Super Mario Bros. / Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
Hard Blocks make their debut in Super Mario Bros., and reappear in Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels with an identical appearance and purpose. Their most notable use is to create stairs at the end of many levels leading to the top of the flagpole, which itself has a Hard Block as its base. In some levels, they are used to create much more gently-sloped stairs as a minor obstacle.

Super Mario Bros. 3
Hard Blocks also appear in Super Mario Bros. 3, where they are known as Wood Blocks. Some Wood Blocks may contain an item, but they will not turn into an Empty Block after being hit. Wood Blocks will only ever yield items if they are hit from the side, and not from underneath. To reveal an item, Mario or Luigi must run against the side of a Wood Block containing an item, or hit it with a shell. When hit, they provide substantial knockback, and are sometimes found near pits as an obstacle.

Chain Chomps are always found attached to Wood Blocks. Larger versions of Wood Blocks appear in the fourth world, Giant Land.

In the GBA version, the Hard Blocks' design from the Super Mario All-Stars version of Super Mario Bros. returns in the levels Classic World 1-1, Classic World 1-2, and Classic World 2-2.

Super Mario World
Hard Blocks, now called Gray Blocks, appear once again in Super Mario World with a different redesign, this time resembling blocks of stone. They reprise their purpose from previous games.

New Super Mario Bros.
Hard Blocks reappear in New Super Mario Bros. at the end of most levels like in Super Mario Bros., used as a staircase to reach the flagpole. The flagpole itself has a new fortress-styled base instead of a Hard Block. If Mario gains a Mega Mushroom and turns into Mega Mario, he can destroy Hard Blocks simply by running into them. Volcanic debris can also destroy Hard Blocks.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Hard Blocks reappear in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, but only in.

Super Mario 3D Land
Wood Blocks from Super Mario Bros. 3 return in Super Mario 3D Land, where they are usually twice as large (like those in Giant Land) and have a more yellow color. Hard Blocks with the design from Super Mario Bros. return at the end of World 2-3 and Special 1-3.

New Super Mario Bros. 2
While wooden and stone Hard Blocks return, golden and colored Hard Blocks make their debut in New Super Mario Bros. 2. Pink, green, blue, orange, beige, brown, gold, black, light blue, red and yellow are the only known colors.

New Super Mario Bros. U / New Super Luigi U
Hard Blocks return in New Super Mario Bros. U, referred to as stone blocks. Colored stone blocks also appear in New Super Luigi U, used mostly for decoration, or to make pixel art such as 8-bit Luigis, a common Easter egg in the game.

Super Mario Maker / Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS
In Super Mario Maker and its 3DS version, all four designs of the Hard Blocks based on the four level styles appear. They can be destroyed by strong enemies, including Big Koopa Troopa shells, Big Thwomps, Bob-ombs, Magikoopas' magic attacks, Skewers, and Bowser. A new method of breaking Hard Blocks is firing a fully charged shot from a Fire Koopa Clown Car. They can also be destroyed by Big Mario.

Super Mario Maker 2
Hard Blocks also appear in Super Mario Maker 2. They have the same functionality as they did in Super Mario Maker, except that they cannot be broken by Big Mario from the side. Link's bombs can now also destroy Hard Blocks.

In the Super Mario 3D World style, they take the form of Rock Blocks. If the player uses the Super Hammer, they can break these blocks with a hammer swing.

Mario Kart series
Hard Blocks have appeared in the Mario Kart series with either their Super Mario Bros. appearance, or as colored blocks that border Mario Circuit.

WarioWare series
Hard Blocks appear in the microgame Super Mario Bros. 3-Lift (renamed to only "Super Mario Bros. 3" later in Gold) from WarioWare: Twisted! and WarioWare Gold. The player has to rotate the system to move the blocks and make Mario avoid the multiple enemies coming for him. In Level 3, another hard block appears along with Luigi on it, and he must be protected too.

Super Smash Bros. series
Super Mario Bros.-styled Hard Blocks appear throughout the Super Smash Bros. series.

The Mushroom Kingdom stage in Super Smash Bros. and the Mushroom Kingdom stage in Super Smash Bros. Melee feature the blocks' classic staircase arrangement in the background. The former also has pass-through platforms made of Hard Blocks (Empty Blocks in Ultimate).

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Hard Blocks appear as part of the Mushroomy Kingdom stage. They are arranged just as in World 1-1 (and in Brawl only, World 1-2) of Super Mario Bros. However, they now appear worn, chipped, and cracked, matching the stage's ruined appearance. The block the flagpole stood on in World 1-1 is gone, but only in Brawl and for 3DS; it is in the background in Ultimate. Additionally, Hard Blocks also form the top two layers of the stage's Final Destination form in the 3DS game, and the Battlefield form's platforms in Ultimate.

Mario Clock
In Mario Clock, Hard Blocks appear using their Super Mario Bros. design as the terrain of the bridge stage theme.

Nintendo Badge Arcade
Hard Blocks also appear as badges in Nintendo Badge Arcade. The Super Mario Bros. Hard Blocks appear as part of the Super Mario Bros. set, while Gray Blocks appear as part of the Super Mario Maker set.