Bloc POW : le séisme qui balaie tous les ennemis

POW Block: The earthquake that sweeps away all enemies

1334 mots | Temps de lecture : 6 minute(s)

The POW Block is one of the oldest and most spectacular items in the entire Mario universe: a metallic blue block that, once activated, triggers an earthquake that sweeps away all enemies on screen at once.

Born in an arcade cabinet in 1983, it has journeyed through forty years of video games, from platformers to kart racers, eventually becoming a playable item in Super Smash Bros. Few items in the series can boast such longevity.

Summary

A block born in the Mario Bros. arcade (1983)

The POW Block first appeared in the arcade game Mario Bros., released in 1983. In this foundational title, where the two plumbers clear pipes of the creatures emerging from them, they don't yet jump on their enemies: they neutralize them by hitting platforms from below.

Placed in the center of the screen, the block serves as a backup weapon. Hit from below, it causes an earthquake that flips all enemies standing on the platforms at once, leaving the player to finish them off before they can get back up.

This power comes at a price, however: the block flattens a bit more with each hit and disappears permanently after three uses. This rule of three uses, established in 1983, would remain one of the item's signatures for decades.

The principle: an earthquake that sweeps the screen

The operation of the POW Block has remained remarkably simple across generations of consoles. Whether struck in the air or lifted and then thrown to the ground, it releases a shockwave that shakes the entire play area. The result is almost always the same: enemies on the ground are incapacitated, while those in the air often escape.

  • In Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988), you pick it up and then throw it to the ground to defeat all visible enemies on screen at once.
  • In New Super Mario Bros. Wii (2009), the block is carried and thrown; it eliminates enemies but also causes all suspended coins and Star Coins to fall, making it essential for finding certain collectibles.

Beware of a common confusion: New Super Mario Bros. Wii should not be confused with New Super Mario Bros., the 2006 Nintendo DS game that relaunched the 2D series. It is indeed the Wii episode, and not the DS one, that brings the playable POW Block back to the forefront.

Forty years of presence, all genres combined

The great strength of the POW Block is its ability to leave the platforming genre and make its way into almost all genres of the Mario galaxy, from role-playing games to kart racing. Few major spin-off series haven't welcomed it.

  • In the Paper Mario series, it regularly reappears, true to its shaking effect against enemies.
  • In Mario Kart Wii (2008), it becomes a rare race item that causes all competitors ahead of the player to spin out and drop their items after three shakes; jumping at the right moment or launching off a ramp can mitigate its effect.
  • In Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (2014), it is activated by throwing a turnip at it or touching it on screen to clear a diorama-like scene of its enemies.
  • In Luigi's Mansion 3 (2019), it appears in a mini-game in the ScreamPark multiplayer mode, where its shake causes sand to slide off a plate.

It even sneaks into the Super Mario Maker creation games, where players can place it in their own levels, proving its status as an indispensable gameplay element.

Blue, red, wonder: the variants of the POW Block

While the standard POW Block sports an instantly recognizable metallic blue, the series has multiplied color variations over the episodes, each with its own rules.

  • The Red POW Block debuts in New Super Mario Bros. 2 (2012): it cannot be picked up, is activated by hitting it, has a shorter range, and can trigger a chain reaction with neighboring red blocks.
  • The Wonder POW Block appears in Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023): this giant orange-red block, born from the power of a Wonder Flower, does not deplete and triggers shakes at will across the entire screen width.

Green hues have also appeared occasionally, but blue remains the canonical color of the POW Block in the vast majority of its appearances.

A playable item in Super Smash Bros.

The POW Block's recognition comes when it transitions from a simple background element to a playable item in the Super Smash Bros. series, alongside the plumber's great classics.

It is in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U (2014) that it becomes a throwable item. Thrown to the ground, it creates a shockwave that inflicts damage and a strong vertical propulsion to opponents on the ground, a perfect effect for chaining into aerial attacks.

True to its arcade origins, the item only works three times and shrinks with each use before disappearing. In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018), activating one POW Block triggers all other POW Blocks on the stage in a chain reaction, with damage stacking based on their number.

POW Block in brief

French Name Bloc POW
English Name POW Block
First Appearance Mario Bros. (arcade, 1983)
Type Earthquake-triggering item
Effect Hits or defeats all enemies on screen
Standard Color Metallic Blue
Variants Red POW Block, Wonder POW Block
Item in Smash Bros. Since Smash 3DS / Wii U (2014)

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FAQ

  • In which game does the POW Block first appear?
    The POW Block makes its debut in the arcade game Mario Bros., released in 1983. In it, you activate it by hitting it from below to flip all enemies on the platforms at once.
  • What exactly does the POW Block do?
    Once hit or thrown to the ground, it triggers an earthquake that hits or defeats all enemies on screen. In most games, it can only be used three times before disappearing.
  • What color is the POW Block?
    It is generally metallic blue. However, there are variants, such as the red POW Block from New Super Mario Bros. 2 and the giant orange-red Wonder POW Block from Super Mario Bros. Wonder.
  • Is the POW Block playable in Super Smash Bros.?
    Yes. It becomes a throwable item starting from Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, in 2014. Thrown to the ground, it vertically propels opponents who are on the ground.
  • How to avoid the POW Block in Mario Kart Wii?
    In Mario Kart Wii, the POW Block causes competitors ahead of the user to spin out. Its effect can be mitigated by being in the air at the moment of impact, for example by jumping at the right moment or launching off a ramp.
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