Message Block
| Message Block | |
|---|---|
 Artwork from Yoshi's Crafted World | |
| First appearance | Super Mario World (1990) |
| Latest appearance | Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Nintendo Switch) (2024) |
- “Roses are red, violets are blue, never forget, what I say to you. Timing is vital, aim must be true, measure the angle and win, do!”
- —Message Block, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Message Blocks are blocks that provide tips and hints to the playable character in various platforming titles of the Super Mario franchise. Message Blocks make their first appearance in Super Mario World.
HistoryEdit
Super Mario World / Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2Edit
Message Blocks[1] first appear in Super Mario World, where they usually describe a new level in the beginning stages of the game or explain a new game mechanic, known as Tourist Tips. Unlike later appearances, these Message Blocks feature no face in Super Mario World but instead look like blue blocks with an orange speaker. They reappear in the port Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2.
Mario's Time MachineEdit
In the NES version of Mario's Time Machine, similar blocks known as information boxes[2] (or info boxes[2]) make an appearance to provide hints.
Yoshi's Island seriesEdit
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island / Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3Edit
In Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and its Game Boy Advance version, Message Blocks (also named Messages[3] and Information Blocks[4]) teach the player controls and give tips rather than provide information outright.
This is the first game where Message Blocks appear as a white block with a smiley facial expression and yellow cheeks, a look that they have retained in most of their returning appearances.
Yoshi's Island DSEdit
In Yoshi's Island DS, Message Blocks[5] (also named Hint Blocks[6]) are much the same as before, but return to their Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island form.
Yoshi's New IslandEdit
Message Blocks return in Yoshi's New Island. Their instructions change depending on the control type used, whether it is traditional button-style egg-throwing or gyro tilt to aim. Some Message Block hints additionally automatically appear when a Yoshi does an action for the first time, such as dropping Baby Mario. Message Blocks can also explain stage features in a level new to players such as instructing to ground pound a Tatami Block. A list of all Message Block hints can be found here.
Yoshi's StoryEdit
In Yoshi's Story, Message Blocks (or Message Boxes[7]) have the exact same role as in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. They were made a lot bigger, and their mouths continually move.
Super Smash Bros. seriesEdit
Message Blocks in Super Smash Bros. appear in the stage Yoshi's Island where two can be seen in the background along with the Super Happy Tree and are referred to as face blocks in the Super Smash Bros. official strategy guide.[8] The same stage also makes a reappearance as playable for the sequel, Super Smash Bros. Melee, along with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Mario vs. Donkey KongEdit
In Mario vs. Donkey Kong, there are Help Boxes[9] that act similar to Message Blocks and give hints when hit from any side. They are black boxes with the word "HELP" and a question mark written in white. They appear in several levels, and show how to perform Mario's moves. If the game's language is set to any language other than English in the European version, the Help Boxes appear as black boxes with only a white question mark.
In the game's remake for the Nintendo Switch, the box has a lavender outline, and now features a question mark in the modern Super Mario typeface across all regions.
Super Princess PeachEdit
In Super Princess Peach, there are blocks that act similar to Message Blocks and give hints when hit from any side. They are referred to as "kassarbrock" in their internal file names, which is Japanese for "Perry Block". They are yellow and blue, resembling Perry. In every boss level, before Peach enters the pipe, they appear warning the player about the boss and providing tips on how to defeat it.
Yoshi's Woolly World / Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly WorldEdit
Only five Message Blocks appear in Yoshi's Woolly World, with three in the first level and two in the third. They retain the appearance from Yoshi's Island DS; however, their mouths now continually move, like in Yoshi's Story. Their cheeks are pink this time.
Yoshi's Crafted WorldEdit
Message Blocks return in Yoshi's Crafted World, behaving exactly the same as in past appearances.
Unused appearancesEdit
Super Mario OdysseyEdit
The Message Block as seen in Super Mario World appears in concept art for the Jaxi in Super Mario Odyssey, where it is part of the bus stop.
ProfilesEdit
Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3Edit
- Nintendo 3DS digital manual description: "Hit them from underneath to get helpful hints."
GalleryEdit
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Yoshi's Story
Yoshi's Woolly World
Additional namesEdit
Internal namesEdit
| Game | File | Name | Meaning
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Super Princess Peach | data/stageCommon/kassarbrock_D06_ncg.bin data/stageCommon/kassarbrock_D06_cl.bin |
kassarbrock_D06_ncg kassarbrock_D06_cl |
Perry Block |
Names in other languagesEdit
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | メッセージブロック[10][11] Messēji Burokku |
Message Block |
| Chinese | 提示座 Tíshì zuò |
Board |
| French | Bloc de message Boite à message[12] |
Message block Message Box |
| Italian | Blocco Messaggio[13] (Super Mario World) Blocco[14] (Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island) Dado del Messaggio[15] (Yoshi's Story) Mattone messaggio[16] (Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2) Blocco messaggio (from Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3 onwards) |
Message Block Block Message dice/cube Message brick Message block |
| Portuguese | Bloco de Massagem (Super Mario World manual) |
Massage[sic] Block |
| Russian | Блок-справка Blok-spravka |
Reference Block |
| Spanish (NOA) | Bloque de mensaje Bloque mensajero[17] |
Message block Messenger block |
- Help Box
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ヘルプボックス[18] Herupu Bokkusu |
Help Box |
| Italian | Blocco informativo[19] |
Informative block |
ReferencesEdit
- ^ Super Mario World English instruction booklet. Page 22.
- ^ a b Mario's Time Machine NES instruction booklet. Page 9.
- ^ (January 1996). Nintendo Magazine System (UK) issue 40. Page 21.
- ^ (September 1995). Nintendo Magazine System (AU) Issue #30. Page 15.
- ^ (2006). Yoshi's Island DS instruction booklet. Page 17.
- ^ Williams, Drew (2006). Yoshi's Island DS Player's Guide. Nintendo of America (American English). ISBN 1-59812-016-6. Page 6 and 11.
- ^ Prima Bath (April 7, 1999). Nintendo 64 Game Secrets, 1999 Edition Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Prima Games (American English). ISBN 0761521038. Page 112.
- ^ (1999). Super Smash Bros. Official Strategy Guide. BradyGames. ISBN 1566869005. Page 114.
- ^ Mario vs. Donkey Kong American English Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console digital manual, tab 13: "Items and Features".
- ^ Super Mario World Japanese instruction booklet (fold-out)
- ^ (1995). Super Mario: Yossy Island Japanese instruction booklet. Page 16.
- ^ Yoshi Story instruction booklet, French segment. Page 59.
- ^ Super Mario World Italian manual, pag. 22
- ^ Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island GIG's Italian manual, pag. 8
- ^ Yoshi's Story European manual, pag. 123
- ^ Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 European manual. Nintendo of Europe (Italian). Page 109.
- ^ Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 Spanish instruction booklet.
- ^ (2004). マリオ
vs. ドンキーコング (Mario buiesu Donkī Kongu) instruction booklet. Nintendo (Japanese). Page 13. - ^ Mario vs. Donkey Kong Italian e-manual, pag. 13