Metal Box

Metal Box
Artwork of the Metal Box from Super Mario 64.
Universe	Mario
Appears in	Melee Brawl SSB4 Ultimate
Item class	Transforming
Article on Super Mario Wiki	Metal Box

The Metal Box (緑ブロック, Green Block) is an item from the Mario series.

Origin

A Metal Box, as it originally appeared in Super Mario 64.

The Metal Box made its appearance in Super Mario 64. It is a green Cap Block that materializes after Mario activates its corresponding green Cap Switch in the Cavern of the Metal Cap area of the Hazy Maze Cave level. After breaking it, the green Cap Block releases a Metal Cap which temporarily transforms Mario into Metal Mario, making him invulnerable (though he's still vulnerable to fall damage), but also extremely heavy.

In Super Mario 64 DS, the ! Blocks are replaced by red ? Blocks that materializes after activating the red ? Switch at the Rainbow Tower level. After breaking it, the ? Block releases a Power Flower, which has different effects on each of the game's four playable characters. If the player collects the Power Flower as Wario, then he transforms into Metal Wario, which features the same effects as the Metal Cap.

Overview

As an item

The Metal Box in Melee.

The Metal Box item debuted as a transforming item in Super Smash Bros. Melee. However, the basic concept for the Metal Box, that being making the character a voiceless, armored heavyweight, originated in Super Smash Bros., with Metal Mario as a boss character in 1P Game. The effects of the Metal Box differ from Super Mario 64, including the character taking damage and falling faster.

The Metal Box transforms the player's fighter who breaks it into a Metal fighter. Metal fighters make different metallic sounds while walking, running, and landing, depending on their weight for the most part. All lightweight fighters except Zelda, Mr. Game & Watch, Mewtwo and the Ice Climbers make a faint "tinging" sound; all middleweight fighters make a standard "clanking" sound; and all heavyweight fighters except Samus, Yoshi, Ganondorf, and Link make a much more noticeable "crunching" sound. Most of the aforementioned exceptional characters make the standard middleweight sound in spite of their weight. Mewtwo doesn't make any sounds, even when landing, and Mr. Game & Watch's footsteps and landing sounds are always electronic beep noises.

When used by Rosalina in Smash 4, her Luma also transforms into metal. When she uses it in Ultimate however, her Luma is not affected. When used by Olimar/Alph, however, his Pikmin are not affected. In addition, only one of the Ice Climbers can use only one Metal Box and can turn into metal. Finally, controllable Final Smashes in Brawl and Smash 4 such as Giga Bowser, Wario-Man, Mega Lucario, and Giga Mac are not affected by breaking Metal Boxes.

In Melee, if the Metal Box is broken by disjointed attacks like Pikachu's forward smash or any attack from a sword-wielding character, they will still transform them into a Metal fighter. Interestingly, Ness' dash attack is the only disjointed attack that doesn't turn him metal. Also, if the Metal Box is hit by a projectile, it will disappear. Also, fighters can battle Metal Mario and/or Metal Luigi in Adventure Mode. In addition, they also fight a random metal character in Classic Mode.

In Brawl, the Metal Box, which now has an original, more realistic, and shinier texture, cannot be broken when hit by projectiles, and the metallic walking sound effect no longer changes depending on the characters' weights, so everyone has the same sound when walking. It also features an effect on the new ability to swim; while characters will not sink as Metal Mario did in Super Mario 64, they will submerge deeper after falling into the water. This technique is used to reach a secret area in the Glacial Peak level of the Subspace Emissary. In Classic Mode, the player must also battle a random metal character.

In Smash 4, the transformation duration can no longer be extended by picking up additional Metal Boxes. In the 3DS version, the metal is translucent rather than opaque, but in the Wii U version, the metal texture is both opaque and reflective, with the current stage being reflected on the character's body.

In Ultimate, the Metal Box's effect appears to slowly take over the character rather than immediately, similar to Inkling's ink.

The Metal Box cannot appear in Golden Plains.

The Hero's Metal Slash ability will instantly KO any metal characters that it hits, and his Kaclang ability is able to turn him metal, being the only special move to do so.

Metal fighters can also be battled in the series' Classic Mode under the permanent effects of the Metal Box. In Super Smash Bros., the Metal Box does not appear as an item; however, Metal Mario, the opponent of the ninth stage of the 1P Game features the effect of the Metal Box. In Melee can battle Metal Mario and/or Metal Luigi in Adventure Mode.

Metal battles appear as a feature in Brawl's Special Brawl and in later games onward, where all fighters become metal under the permanent effects of a Metal Box. Also, in Ultimate's spirit battles, players can battle a puppet fighter that is either entirely made of metal or shifts into metal.

In all of its appearances, breaking the Metal Box feature the following effects:

• The effects last 12 seconds, but the time limit decreases as the fighter takes damage, especially from fire attacks like Bowser's Fire Breath.
• Increases the fighter's weight (3.0× in Melee; 4.5× in Brawl, Smash 4, and Ultimate) than normal; however, weight independent attacks can ignore the weight boost; this includes any attack that has the bury, paralyze, or stun effects.
• Increases the fighter's jump force (1.55× in Melee and Brawl; 1.35× in Smash 4; 1.2× in Ultimate), although usually not by enough to compensate for the gravity and fall speed increase; however, it does not affect gliding, floating, or Yoshi's double jump.
• Increases the fighter's falling speed (2.0× in Melee and Brawl; 1.7× in Smash 4; 1.4× in Ultimate), making recoveries harder, and more vulnerable to certain chain grabs. Certain characters with multiple double jumps will not gain any net vertical distance while under the effects of a Metal Box, as they will fall below where they had began the jump before being able to jump again.
• Increases the fighter's gravity slightly (2.0× in Melee and Brawl; 1.7× in Smash 4 and Ultimate).
• Decreases the fighter's walking speed slightly (0.7× in Melee, Brawl, and Smash 4; 0.8× in Ultimate).
• Increases the fighter's knockback resistance by subtracting the amount of knockback taken from attacks by 30 units. Weak projectiles such as Link's Arrows, and most jabs, will merely deal damage without causing flinching if they don't deal more than 0 units of knockback. However, attacks that have the bury effect, or deal fixed knockback (in Ultimate only), will ignore the knockback resistance.
• Mutes the character's voices (although, as sound effects are still retained, Duck Hunt, Samus, Mr. Game & Watch, Villager, Mii Fighters (in SSB4), Mega Man, wireframe Little Mac, Pac-Man, Isabelle, Dark Samus, Piranha Plant and Steve are unaffected by this); however, getting knocked beyond the blast line of any stage will make the character scream as usual, except for in SSB4.
• Characters make metal sound effects when hitting a surface upon taking a step; however, the sound more closely resembles that of a thin sheet of metal, suggesting that the character isn't turned into metal, just covered with it.

In Smash Tour

Item in Smash Tour

The Metal Box appears as a red trophy item in Smash Tour. When used, it allows the player's fighter to start a battle in metal form.

Trophies

In Super Smash Bros. Melee

Metal Box's trophy in Melee

Metal Box

First spotted in Super Mario 64, the Metal Box holds the power to turn your character briefly into heavy metal. Your mass is exponentially greater while metallic, making it difficult for others to throw you. Be careful, though: not only will you move a bit slower, but you'll also fall much more quickly than you ordinarily would.

Super Mario 64 (9/96)

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Metal Box's trophy in Brawl

Metal Box

A green box that transforms whoever attacks it into metal. In metal form, you're a lot heavier than normal, so middling and even strong attacks don't move you too much, and standard attacks won't even make you flinch. The time you spend in metal form decreases with the damage you take. In Super Mario 64, the weight of the metal form allowed you to walk underwater.

: Super Mario 64

In Super Smash Bros. 4

The Metal Box trophy appears in both versions.

Metal Box's trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS

Metal Box's trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

Metal Box

This green box will make you the ultimate defensive character, turning you into solid metal for a short time. You won't flinch from enemy attacks, even in midair, and it is much harder to launch you. On the other hand, you fall like a brick. Getting hit will reduce the duration of this item.

: Super Mario 64 (09/1996)

: Super Mario 64 DS (11/2004)

Whack this box to turn into a metal you! You won't flinch when attacked – even in mid-air – and you'll be harder to launch. Now, the downsides: you'll move slower, fall faster, and recovering when you fall off a stage will be a nightmare. Also, it's only temporary, or lasts until you've taken a certain amount of damage.

: Super Mario 64 (03/1997)

: Super Mario 64 DS (03/2005)

Spirits

While the Metal Box itself does not have a spirit, several spirits will allow the player to start a battle in metal form.

Primary spirits

No.	Image	Name	Type	Class	Slots	Base	Max	Base	Max	Base	Max	Ability	Series
773		Sahelanthropus		★★★	1	3145	9438	1402	4208	1219	3657	Metal and Giant	Metal Gear Solid Series
960		Metal Face		★★★★	1	4996	12493	2353	5882	1811	4529	Metal and Giant	Xenoblade Chronicles Series
1,044		Octobot King		★★★	3	3277	9835	1381	4144	1654	4963	Made of Metal	Splatoon Series
1,495		Full-Armor Travis (Full Green Mode)		★★★	2	3262	9817	1843	5545	1178	3545	Made of Metal	No More Heroes Series

Support spirits

No.	Image	Name	Class	Cost	Ability	Series
385		Slippy Toad	★★★	1	Made of Metal	Star Fox Series
952		Fiora	★★★	1	Made of Metal	Xenoblade Chronicles Series

Gallery

• 

  Metal Box artwork from Brawl.

• 

  Mario under the effects of the Metal Box in Melee.

• 

  In Brawl.

• 

  In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.

• 

  In Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.

• 

  In Ultimate.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	緑ブロック	Green Block
English	Metal Box	—
French (PAL)	Caisse de métal	Metal Crate
French (NTSC)	Boîte de métal	Metal Box
German	Grüne !-Box	Green ! Box
Spanish	Bloque verde	Green Block
Italian	Scatola !	! Box
Chinese (Simplified)	绿色砖块	Green Brick
Chinese (Traditional)	綠色磚塊	Green Brick
Korean	초록블록	Green Block
Dutch	Groene !-kist	Green ! Box
Russian	Металлический блок	Metal Block

Trivia

• In Melee and Brawl, the metal effect ignores transparency, meaning that parts that should be transparent become opaque while the effect is active. This is most visible with Olimar in Brawl; his entire helmet becomes encased with metal. Other examples include Donkey Kong's fur and Ivysaur's leaves. In SSB4 onwards, transparency is taken into account; Olimar's face becomes metal while his helmet remains untouched.
• In Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, while the metal texture reflects the actual stage, it does not reflect it in real-time, instead reflecting a pre-rendered screenshot of the stage. For example, the metal texture will only show a reflection of the Boxing Ring's Smash Bros. variant, as opposed to the default Punch-Out!! theme.
• Despite being replaced by red ? Blocks in Super Mario 64 DS, the Super Smash Bros. for Wii U trophy lists that game as one of the Metal Box's appearances.
• In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, metal characters retain their textures, while every other game ignores textures and only displays the bump maps of the character models. This is most noticeable with Kirby, whose eyes disappear when he becomes metal in every game other than for 3DS, or Mario, whose hat insignia and eyes also disappear.