Donut Block

Template:Item-infobox Template:Quote2 Donut Blocks^[1] (also known as Donut Platforms^[2] Donut Lifts^[3] or Falling Blocks^[4]^[5]) are a kind of platform first appearing in Super Mario Bros. 3. They get their name from the fact that they are round (except for the top) with a hole in the middle. If the player stands on one for more than a second, it drops below. For this reason, Mario and Luigi should avoid touching the ground by jumping as much as possible when crossing Donut Blocks.

History

Super Mario series

Super Mario Bros. 3

Donut Blocks debut in Super Mario Bros. 3. They shake when Mario stands on them and fall soon afterwards. In Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, there are spiky variants only seen in Bowser's Last Stand.^[6]

Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS

File:Donut liftSM64.png

A Donut Lift in Super Mario 64

Donut Block-like platforms appear in Super Mario 64 and its remake, Super Mario 64 DS; these possible Donut Blocks resemble their two-dimensional counterparts, but are shown to be rather long (whereas Super Mario RPG previously showed confirmed "three-dimensional" Donut Blocks to be more square-shaped than rectangular). In Rainbow Ride, most had to be jumped over during the Magic Carpet ride and some served as bridges to other parts of the level.

New Super Mario Bros.

Donut Blocks reappear in New Super Mario Bros.. In this game, they turn red before falling. Once they fall, they never regenerate.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii

File:Ice snake block.png

Donut Blocks reappear in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, where they function the same as in New Super Mario Bros.. There are also yellow bars with grooves on their ends. When Mario walks over or hangs on them, they behave the same as Donut Blocks, turning red for a second before falling down. This variety appears only in World 4-2.

Super Mario 3D Land

Donut Blocks reappear in Super Mario 3D Land. However, in this game, when being stomped on, they immediately fall down slowly and disappear below the stage. A rock variation exists, and it has the same effect.

New Super Mario Bros. 2

The Donut Blocks make an appearance in New Super Mario Bros. 2. Glacial versions of the Donut Blocks also appear in the snow world (World 4). These Donut Blocks are slippery and can be differentiated from the ordinary Donut Blocks by their light blue color. Other than being light blue and slippery, they share every characteristic of the normal Donut Blocks.

New Super Mario Bros. U

Donut Blocks also appear in New Super Mario Bros. U with the same functions as in the other games.

Super Mario 3D World / Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

Donut Blocks appear in Super Mario 3D World and Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker with the same design and behavior from Super Mario 3D Land. They now turn red when stepped on.

Yoshi series

A Purple Yoshi in the level Hop! Hop! Donut Lifts in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island.

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and its remake Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3, as well as the sequels Yoshi's Island DS and Yoshi's New Island, also contained Donut Blocks. In Yoshi's New Island, a variation that is four times the normal size appears.

Yoshi's Woolly World / Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World

In Yoshi's Woolly World and Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World, Donut Blocks reappear, retaining their function from Yoshi's Island. In this game, they appear to be made of sand, and disintegrate and fall when stepped on. Unlike previous installments, they do not turn red when falling.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

File:SMRPG DonutBlock.png

Artwork from Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars additionally features them, accurately adapting their platforming concept into its isometric field gameplay.

Super Smash Bros. series

Super Smash Bros. Melee

Donut Blocks appear in Super Smash Bros. Melee, in the stage Rainbow Cruise.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Donut Blocks reappear in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, in the returning Rainbow Cruise stage. Also, Drop Blocks, blocks with a down-pointing triangle on them, act just like Donut Blocks. These blocks are only used in the Stage Builder and certain stages of The Subspace Emissary.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U

Donut Blocks also appear in the 3D Land stage in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS. They also might appear in the downloadable Super Mario Maker stage.

Mario & Luigi series

In Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, Donut Blocks appear in area B of Dreamy Neo Bowser Castle. They retain their colors from the New Super Mario Bros. games, but are much thinner, more stretched and rounder this time around. They function similarly to Super Mario 3D Land, where, once they are stepped on, they turn red and fall after a short time.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis

Donut Blocks reappear in Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis, where they function the same as in previous games.

Super Princess Peach

They also appear in Super Princess Peach, where they also have blue versions that, if stood on, drop almost immediately, so fast that Peach needs to use Gloom to make it over.

Super Mario Maker / Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS

Donut Blocks reappear in Super Mario Maker and Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS with the same functions as in the other games.

Gallery

Donut liftSM64.png

Super Mario 64
A Spiky Lift from the e-Reader level Bowser's Last Stand of Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3.
A Donut Block from Mario vs. Donkey Kong.
MvDK2 DBlock.png

A Donut Block from Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis.
A Donut Block from New Super Mario Bros..
Donut Lift.png

A Donut Block from New Super Mario Bros. Wii.
Donut Blocks in Super Mario 3D Land.
Big-sized Donut Blocks in Yoshi's New Island.
Donut Blocks in the 3D Land stage in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.
Donut Blocks in Yoshi's Woolly World.
A Donut Block from Super Mario Maker and Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS (Super Mario Bros. style).
A Donut Block from Super Mario Maker and Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS (Super Mario Bros. 3 style).
A Donut Block from Super Mario Maker and Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS (Super Mario World style).

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	チクワリフト Chikuwa Rifuto ちくわゆか Chikuwa Yuka ちくわブロック Template:Nowrap^[?]	Chikuwa refers to a type of Japanese fish cake shaped like a tube^[7]. Rifuto and Burokku are transliterations of the English words "lift" and "block", respectively, and 「床」 yuka means "floor".
German	Donut-Block^[?]	Donut Block
Italian	Blocco Ciambella^[?]	Donut Block
Portuguese	Bloco de Donut^[?]	Donut Block
Spanish	Bloque Rosquilla^[?]	Doughnut Block

References

^ New Super Mario Bros. U Prima eGuide, Items and Objects Tab.
^ Yoshi's Island DS, "These donut platforms will fall down if you stand on them for too long. So don't loiter on them for too long." Message block in World 6-2 Donuts and Eggs
^ Super Mario Bros. 3 instruction booklet. Page 19.
^ Super Mario 64 Nintendo Player's Guide, page 120
^ Stratton, Steve (November 18, 2012). New Super Mario Bros. U: Prima Official Game Guide, page 127.
^ SMA4, World e-27 (Hidden Koopa Castle) ［かくしクッパじょう］ - YouTube
^ The Mushroom Kingdom. "Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island: From Japanese to English". Retrieved May 30, 2008.

Template:Nav templates

[1] New Super Mario Bros. U Prima eGuide, Items and Objects Tab.

[2] Yoshi's Island DS, "These donut platforms will fall down if you stand on them for too long. So don't loiter on them for too long." Message block in World 6-2 Donuts and Eggs

[3] Super Mario Bros. 3 instruction booklet. Page 19.

[4] Super Mario 64 Nintendo Player's Guide, page 120

[5] Stratton, Steve (November 18, 2012). New Super Mario Bros. U: Prima Official Game Guide, page 127.

[6] SMA4, World e-27 (Hidden Koopa Castle) ［かくしクッパじょう］ - YouTube

[7] The Mushroom Kingdom. "Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island: From Japanese to English". Retrieved May 30, 2008.

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