Roulette Block
- Not to be confused with Slot Block.
| Roulette Block | |
|---|---|
| |
| First appearance | Super Mario World (1990) |
| Latest appearance | Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023) |
| Effect | Releases the item shown on it when hit. |
- “What'll it be?”
- —Talking Flower, Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Roulette Blocks,[1] also referred to as Roulette Prize Blocks,[2] are objects first found in Super Mario World. These blocks contain a set of items (which vary from game to game) that flicker alternately in a particular order. The item the block displays while it is hit is usually the item that comes out.
History
Super Mario series
Super Mario World / Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2
In Super Mario World and Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2, a Super Mushroom, Fire Flower, Cape Feather, or Super Star can come out of a Roulette Block. However, once Mario or Luigi releases the item out of the block, it bounces around like a Star, but it still cycles from power-up to power-up. Mario or Luigi can grab the power-up at the right time to obtain that power-up's effects. Yoshi can also eat the item straight out of the block without having to release it, transferring the power-up straight to Mario or Luigi.
Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3
A Roulette Block also appears in Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, only appearing in the level "Piped Full of Plants". It works like the ones in Super Mario World, but the Cape Feather is replaced by a Super Leaf. In addition, the item stops changing once released, and acts as if it was released from any other block.
New Super Mario Bros.
Roulette Blocks reappear in New Super Mario Bros., working as they did in Super Mario Advance 4. However, they become Empty Blocks when hit in this game, and the items scroll much faster. These Roulette Blocks can give Super Mushrooms, Fire Flowers, Super Stars, Mini Mushrooms or Blue Shells. Also, Red Toad Houses contain giant blue Roulette Blocks (that contain the same items as the ones mentioned, besides the Super Star) which Mario can use to hold an item in reserve.
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Mid-level Roulette Blocks reappear in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. The blocks are yellow this time, and they can give items like Super Mushrooms, 1-Up Mushrooms, Super Stars, Propeller Mushrooms, or Penguin Suits.
Super Mario 3D Land
Roulette Blocks reappear in Super Mario 3D Land as transparent glass blocks, like in Super Mario World. They can give Super Mushrooms, Fire Flowers, Super Stars, Boomerang Flowers (from World 5 onwards), and Super Leaves (Statue Leaves in the Special Worlds). Flying Roulette Blocks are also introduced, and can be found if Mario loses two lives in a row on a normal world course.
New Super Mario Bros. 2
These blocks return in New Super Mario Bros. 2, with the same design as in Super Mario 3D Land. They can give Super Mushrooms, Fire Flowers, Super Stars, Super Leaves, 1-Up Mushrooms (Gold Mushrooms in Coin Rush mode), and Gold Flowers. In addition to the normal ones, Roulette Coin Blocks also appear, which produce coins instead of power-ups.
New Super Mario Bros. U
Roulette Blocks also appear in New Super Mario Bros. U with the same functions as before, though they retain their New Super Mario Bros. Wii designs. They can give Super Mushrooms, Fire Flowers, Super Stars, and Super Acorns.
Super Mario 3D World / Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury
Roulette Blocks reappear in Super Mario 3D World and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury with the same look as in Super Mario 3D Land. They can give Super Mushrooms, Fire Flowers, Super Stars, Super Leaves, Boomerang Flowers (from World 5 onwards), and Super Bells. Similar-looking Slot Blocks are introduced in this game in Lucky Houses, though they do not give items. Instead, they give coins depending on how many images are matched, from 10 (no matches) to 777 (four-of-a-kind) coins.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Roulette Blocks reappear in Super Mario Bros. Wonder, where they are now two blocks wide as opposed to one and a half like in several New Super Mario Bros. titles.[3] They can now contain coins and flower coins in addition to power-ups. A single Roulette Block in Wavy Ride through the Magma Tube contains a Wonder Flower and Talking Flower.
Super Mario World television series
A yellow Roulette Block appeared in the Super Mario World television series in the episode "King Scoopa Koopa". After Princess Toadstool spots the Roulette Block and suggests that Mario should hit it, he hits the block and obtains a Cape Feather.
Mario Party series
Mario Party 9
These blocks reappear in Mario Party 9 in the Sock It to Lakitu minigame. Here the items are a Bullet Bill, two Bullet Bills, three Bullet Bills and a Spiny Egg. The Bullet Bills damage Lakitu while the Spiny Egg may damage the player.
Mario Party: Island Tour
Roulette Blocks reappear in Mario Party: Island Tour in Bowser's Tower. They only appear after either making it to a certain floor or failing the same floor three times. A Roulette Block will then appear with one, two or three Mini Stars on it. Green Toad will then hit the block. The number of Mini Stars shown on the block will get rid of Bowser's minions in the next minigame. Getting three Mini Stars from the block skips the minigame entirely.
Paper Mario: Color Splash
In Paper Mario: Color Splash, three Roulette Blocks appear in the Spinning-Door minigame Blockstopper! Each block cycles through the following icons: a coin, heart, boot, hammer, Mushroom, and a question mark. After Mario hits one, he will receive a prize based on the icon displayed on the block; however, if Mario matches all three blocks, the prize will be multiplied.
Yoshi's Crafted World
Roulette Blocks[4] also appear infrequently in Yoshi's Crafted World, typically granting amounts of one, three, five, ten, or twenty coins, hearts, or types of eggs when hit. Each Roulette Block is personalized to the level they appear in, with some being coin-exclusive like a Roulette Coin Block.
Gallery
Super Mario World
Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2
Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3
New Super Mario Bros.
New Super Mario Bros. (Toad House version)
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Various Roulette Blocks in Mario Party 9
Super Mario 3D Land
New Super Mario Bros. 2
New Super Mario Bros. U
Super Mario 3D World
Three Roulette Blocks in Paper Mario: Color Splash
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
A Flying Roulette Block in Super Mario 3D Land
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ルーレットブロック[5] Rūretto Burokku |
Roulette Block | |
| Ｒブロック[6] Āru Burokku |
R Block | ||
| Chinese (traditional) | 輪盤磚塊[7] Lúnpán Zhuānkuài |
Roulette Block | |
| French | Bloc roulette[?] | Roulette Block | |
| German | Roulette-Block[?] | Roulette Block | |
| Italian | Blocco roulette[?] | Roulette Block | |
| Portuguese (NOE) | Bloco-Roleta[8] | Roulette Block | |
| Spanish | Bloque ruleta[?] | Roulette Block |
References
- ^ August 1991. Nintendo Mario Mania Player's Guide. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 46.
- ^ Winter 2002. Nintendo Power Advance Volume 4. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 50.
- ^ Nintendo of America (August 31, 2023). Super Mario Bros. Wonder Direct 8.31.2023. YouTube. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
- ^ Yoshi's Crafted World internal filename (Game/Assets/Gimmicks/Common/RouletteBlock)
- ^ Super Mario World Shogakukan Book 1. Shogakukan (Japanese). Page 34.
- ^ Kazuki, Motoyama. KC Deluxe vol. 7 - Super Mario World 2. Page 3 and 9.
- ^ February 12, 2020. Official Chinese website for Mario Party 9. Nintendo HK (Traditional Chinese).
- ^ Canal New Super Mario Bros. U (January 24th, 2013). New Super Mario Bros. U - Minas Rebuçado-2 - Terceira Moeda-Estrela (Wii U) video description. YouTube (European Portuguese).
- Blocks
- Bowser's Fury objects
- Mario Party: Island Tour items
- New Super Mario Bros. objects
- New Super Mario Bros. 2 objects
- New Super Mario Bros. U objects
- New Super Mario Bros. Wii objects
- Paper Mario: Color Splash objects
- Super Mario 3D Land objects
- Super Mario 3D World objects
- Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 objects
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder objects
- Super Mario World objects
- Yoshi's Crafted World objects
