? Block

*“Now, since I want this fight to last more than five seconds, I put power-ups around the arena. You're welcome, Mario.”*
— Cranky Kong

## ? Block

* ? Block
* Empty Block
* No Question Mark

## Information

### Owner/User

**Owns the Blocks:**
Penguin King
Peach
Cranky Kong
Koopa Troop

**Used the Blocks:**
Bowser
Peach
Mario
Donkey Kong

### Status

* Active
* Several used
* One destroyed

The **? Block** (alternativly known as a **Question Mark Block** and being dubbed the **Box**) is a floating item that can be found anywhere. When hit or smashed, it will reveal a random power up. Once a ? Block has been hit to reveal a power up, it will turn into an **Empty Block**, rendering it useless, although in the training course, it turns back into a regular ? Block supplied with more power ups.

As revealed by Cranky Kong, one can place specific power ups inside the boxes, as evident with Mini Mushroom and Super Bell, which he planted for his own amusement.

## History

The ? Block first appears in the opening sequence, when Bowser has burnt down the Penguin King's castle, to reveal that box. Kamek, then uses his magic to assist the Koopa King in creating a stairway to the ? Block, eventually leading to Bowser smashing it open to reveal a Super Star.

The ? Block appears later in the training course, where Peach introduces Mario to power ups, by smashing the box above her to reveal a Super Mushroom. The ? Block there also retains filled with a large supply of mushrooms, as Peach, after Mario fails the course, continues to hit the box to give him another mushroom, despite it constantly turning it into a Empty Block. In the course itself, many more ? Blocks can be seen, as well as the stored course resembling a ? Block itself when not in use.

During Mario and Donkey Kong's battle, Cranky Kong stated he placed ? Blocks filled with power up around the arena for the plumber to use, so that the fight is fair and that he wants it to "last more than five seconds." When Mario is able to hit a box, he gains a Mini Mushroom, which he confuses for a regular, and proceeds to eat it, as Cranky cheekily remarks to Peach that he "got the wrong mushroom." Soon after, Mario is able to smash another box to reveal a Fire Flower this time, before Donkey Kong blows out the power up. When Mario gets punched into the air, Peach yells at him that there is a nearby box that he can use. So Mario hits the ? Block and gains an offscreen Super Bell, which amuses Cranky Kong again, along with the rest of the Kongs. However, this gives Mario an upper hook to take out Donkey Kong and win the fight.

It appears again in Bowser and Peach's wedding, two ? Blocks can be seen on the gift table, before a Koopa Troopa places down a third one. When Mario and Donkey Kong arrive back in the Mushroom Kingdom, they find a group from Bowser's army hoarding many ? Blocks. Donkey Kong, then uses his rocket barrel to blow up the pile and give him and Mario a Fire Flower and Super Mushroom respectively to take on the army.

Eventually in Brooklyn, many ? Blocks are scattered everywhere from the collision of the two worlds. However, none are used, though Luigi does use one without a question mark on Bowser, when the two take him on.