The Mysterious Dark Blocks: Gaming’s Sneakiest Enemies You Need to Know About

Hey fellow gamers! Today I wanna talk about something that’s been driving me crazy in Mario & Luigi Dream Team – those sneaky little monsters known as Dark Blocks. If you’ve ever been exploring Dream’s Deep and suddenly got squished by what you thought was just another ? Block, then you know exactly what I’m talking about!

We’ve all been there, right? You’re happily adventuring through the Dream World, thinking you’re about to get some sweet coins or items, and WHAM! That innocent-looking block grows an angry face and tries to crush you. Talk about trust issues!

What Exactly is a Dark Block?

Dark Blocks are unique enemies that appear exclusively in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team for the Nintendo 3DS. These tricky little devils disguise themselves as regular ? Blocks, but they’re actually alive and definitely not friendly! They’re basically the Mario universe’s version of a mimic – those chest monsters from traditional RPGs that chomp your hand off when you try to open them.

What makes Dark Blocks stand out from other enemies is their sneaky nature. They look almost identical to regular ? Blocks except they’re colored black with a blue outline. You might not notice anything’s wrong until you get close – that’s when they reveal their true nature by growing a face and moving sideways to try and crush you!

Where to Find Dark Blocks

If you’re a completionist like me who needs to fill up that bestiary, you’ll need to know where to find these guys. Dark Blocks appear exclusively in an area called Dream’s Deep specifically in Area B. This is the deepest part of the Dream World that can be accessed from Pi’illo Castle.

In the field, they remain perfectly still until you get close. Then they spring to life, growing that creepy face and trying to fall on you. If they miss, they’ll be vulnerable for a few seconds, giving you the chance to land a First Strike and get an advantage in battle.

Dark Block Battle Strategies

Let me tell you, these aren’t your average enemies. Dark Blocks are Level 23 monsters with some seriously annoying abilities:

Did you notice that defense stat?! 414 is absolutely ridiculous for an enemy at this point in the game. But there’s a trick to dealing with them.

Their Attacks and How to Counter Them

Dark Blocks have two main attacks, and knowing how to counter them is essential:

1. The Timer Attack: The Dark Block will float above Mario or Luigi. You need to jump into it repeatedly to count down a timer. If the timer doesn’t reach zero by the end of the attack, the Dark Block will grow its angry face and fall on your character, potentially causing the Dizzy status effect. Keep jumping until that timer hits zero!

2. The Obstacle Course: The Dark Block will float above your character with spikes and Brick Blocks moving from right to left. This is trickier – you need to jump to hit the Dark Block as it passes overhead. Hit the spikes and you’ll take damage (though the block won’t counterattack). Hit a Brick Block and you’ll get a coin.

Here’s the cool part – if you successfully counter either of these attacks, the Dark Block’s face will turn sad, its defense will drop DRAMATICALLY, and it won’t attack on its next turn. This is your chance to deal some serious damage!

What Not to Use Against Dark Blocks

Since Dark Blocks can fly, certain attacks are useless against them:

• Solo Hammer attacks
• 3D Shell Attacks
• Dropchopper’s shockwave
• Jet-Board Bash

You’ll need to rely on jumping attacks and special moves that can hit airborne enemies.

Rewards for Defeating Dark Blocks

One of the most satisfying things about beating these tricky enemies is what happens when you defeat them. When a Dark Block is defeated, it transforms into an actual ? Block that you can hit for additional rewards! This ? Block will drop either a Coin or an Item before disappearing.

The possible item drops from Dark Blocks include:

• Ultra Candy (10% drop rate)
• Knockout Hammer (3% drop rate)

Dark Blocks in Different Languages

I find it interesting how different languages name these enemies. The original Japanese version calls them “Dāku Burokku” (ダークブロック), which is just a straight transliteration of “Dark Block.” But other languages get more creative:

• French: “Obscublok” (from “obscur” meaning dark and “bloc” meaning block)
• German: “Zornblock” (meaning “Wrath Block” – fitting for their angry faces!)
• Italian: “Bloccoscuro” (from “blocco” meaning block and “oscuro” meaning dark)
• Portuguese: “Blocobscuro” (from “bloco” meaning block and “obscuro” meaning dark)
• Russian: “Mrakoblok” (Мракоблок – from “мрак” meaning dark and “блок” meaning block)
• Spanish: “Obscubloque” (from “obscuro” meaning dark and “bloque” meaning block)

I particularly like the German name – Zornblock (Wrath Block) really captures their angry nature!

Fun Facts About Dark Blocks

Did you know that Dark Blocks are historically significant in the Mario & Luigi series? They were the first enemies in the entire franchise to use 3D models in normal-sized combat! Before Dark Blocks, all standard enemies used 2D sprites.

Only two other enemies in the series have used 3D models:

1. Shiny RoboBowser in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
2. Cackletta during her last two phases in her second fight in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga’s 3DS remaster

But unlike those two, Dark Blocks are common enemies rather than bosses. This makes them unique in the series!

Interestingly, while Dark Blocks use 3D models in battle, they still use 2D sprites when you encounter them in the field. Talk about identity crisis!

My Personal Experience with Dark Blocks

The first time I encountered a Dark Block, I legit jumped out of my seat. I was playing Dream Team late at night, and I’d gotten used to the rhythm of hitting blocks for items. Then suddenly this block I was approaching grew this evil face and tried to squish me! Not cool, Nintendo. Not cool at all.

But I gotta admit, they’re one of the more interesting enemy designs in the series. The way they transform from an innocent-looking block into a menacing enemy is pretty clever, and the sad face they make when you successfully counter their attacks is kinda adorable in a weird way.

Strategy Guide: Easiest Way to Farm Dark Blocks

If you’re trying to get those rare Knockout Hammers (only a 3% drop chance!), here’s my strategy for farming Dark Blocks efficiently:

1. Save your game at the save block near the Dark Block spawning area in Dream’s Deep.
2. Engage the Dark Blocks in battle and try to counter their attacks to weaken them.
3. Use Luigi’s strongest jumping attack when they’re in their weakened state.
4. If you don’t get the drop you want, reset and try again.

It can be a bit tedious, but those Knockout Hammers are worth it for certain challenges later in the game.

How Dark Blocks Compare to Other Block Enemies

The Mario universe has several block-based enemies, but Dark Blocks stand out among them. Here’s how they compare:

• Thwacks (from Super Mario Galaxy): Also block enemies with faces, but they attack by smashing down from above. They don’t disguise themselves as ? Blocks.
• Thwomps: The classic stone block enemies that crush from above. Much more straightforward than Dark Blocks.
• Baddie Blocks: Found in Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition, these are block enemies with elemental attributes. The dark-elemental version is also called a Dark Block, but it’s a completely different entity.
• Block Boos: Ghost blocks that can vanish and reappear, but they don’t pretend to be item blocks.

What makes Dark Blocks unique is their deceptive nature – they’re the only ones that specifically mimic the appearance of helpful blocks to trick players.

Tips for New Players Encountering Dark Blocks

If you’re playing Dream Team for the first time and are about to enter Dream’s Deep, here are some tips to help you deal with Dark Blocks:

1. Be cautious of any ? Blocks in Dream’s Deep – if it’s black with a blue outline instead of the usual yellow, it’s probably a Dark Block.

2. Keep your distance until you’re ready to engage, then approach slowly to trigger their animation.

3. Prepare for aerial combat – make sure Mario and Luigi have good jumping attacks equipped.

4. Practice your timing for countering their attacks. The defense drop when they’re sad is crucial for defeating them efficiently.

5. Stock up on healing items before entering Dream’s Deep – those 169 power attacks can hurt!

Why Dark Blocks Are Important to Dream Team’s Design

I think Dark Blocks represent something interesting about Dream Team’s overall design philosophy. The game takes place largely in the Dream World, where things aren’t always what they seem. Dark Blocks perfectly embody this theme – they’re familiar objects (? Blocks are as iconic as anything in Mario games) that have been twisted into something dangerous.

They also add an element of tension to exploration. In most Mario games, seeing a ? Block is always a good thing – it means rewards! But in Dream’s Deep, you have to approach each block with caution, never knowing if it’s going to give you coins or try to squish you.

Dark Blocks might not be the most famous enemies in Mario history, but they definitely deserve respect for their unique design and challenge. They teach us an important lesson about the Mario universe – not everything is as it seems, and sometimes even the most familiar objects can surprise you!

And remember, next time you see a suspicious-looking ? Block in Dream’s Deep… approach with caution! It might just be waiting to ruin your day!

---

A black bloc is a protest tactic where individuals wear all black clothing and face coverings to conceal their identity, project uniformity, and protect themselves from things like pepper spray.

A “block” can refer to a physical object, a defensive action in sports, a medical procedure, or a data unit. A physical block is used for building or, as part of a block and tackle, for lifting heavy objects. In sports like volleyball, a block is a defensive tactic to stop an opponent’s attack. A medical block is an injection that blocks nerves to prevent pain during or after surgery or dental work.

“Black bloc” attire is an organizational tactic used by some protesters, often anarchists, who wear black clothing, masks, and other face-covering items to conceal their identities and create a sense of unity.