Metal Box

Metal Box
Metal Box artwork from Brawl.
Universe	Mario
Appears in	SSBM SSBB SSB4
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 that appears in Super Smash Bros. Melee, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and Super Smash Bros. 4. When broken with a physical attack, the Metal Box encases a character's body in metal for a short period of time, which affects the character in various ways. Images of each character's metal form can be found here.

Description

The Metal Box encases the character's body in metal when broken with a physical attack. When broken by Rosalina, her Luma is also metalized. However, when broken by Olimar, his Pikmin are not affected. In addition, only one Ice Climber can hit the box first, so only one can be metalized per box. Finally, Giga Bowser, Wario-Man, Mega Lucario, and Giga Mac are not affected by breaking Metal Boxes.

In all four games, breaking the Metal Box has the following effects:

• The effects last 12 seconds, but the time limit decreases as the user takes damage, especially from fire attacks like Bowser's Fire Breath. Powerful multi-hit attacks, such as Peach's down smash in Melee, however, can instantaneously cause the effect to wear off.
• User becomes about three times heavier, thus reducing received knockback.
• Slightly increases jump force, 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.
• Doubles a character's falling speed, 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 a character's gravity slightly
• Reduces walking and dashing speed slightly.
• Slightly increases knockback resistance. Weak projectiles such as Link's Arrows, and most jabs, will merely deal damage without causing flinching.
• Mutes the character's voices (although, as sound effects are still retained, Duck Hunt, Samus, Mr. Game & Watch, Villager, Mii Fighters, Mega Man, wireframe Little Mac and Pac-Man 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.

Metal characters fought in Classic Mode remain metal for the entirety of the battle. In Melee, their stock icon has a distinctly darker, metallic look.

Super Smash Bros.

The Metal Box does not appear in SSB, but Metal Mario appears as a foe the player must battle in 1P Game. Metal Mario here can take well over 300% damage before being sent flying off-screen.

Super Smash Bros. Melee

The Metal Box in Melee.

The Metal Box makes its Super Smash Bros. debut in Melee. If a projectile destroys the Metal Box, then no one will be metalized. Interestingly, Ness' dash attack destroys the box, but does not give him the metal status.

Metal characters make different distinctive metallic sounds while walking, running, and landing, depending on their weight. Lighter characters make a soft clanging noise, middleweights make a deeper one, and heavyweights make a far deeper and louder one. Heavy characters such as Ganondorf, Samus, and Link and light characters such as the Ice Climbers and Zelda all make middleweight stepping sounds, despite not being medium weight. However, Mewtwo does not make any sounds while metal, even after landing from a jump.

Characters can fight Metal Mario and/or Metal Luigi in Adventure Mode. In addition, they also fight a random metal character in Classic Mode. The Metal Box also appears as a collectible trophy.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

The Metal Box appears again in Brawl with the nearly same properties it had in Melee, although it will not break when hit by projectiles. It also has 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 mode. In Classic Mode, the player might also fight a random metal character. The walking sound effect no longer changes depending on the characters' weights, so everyone has the same sound when walking.

A "Metal" option exists in Special Brawl, which gives every player a permanent Metal Box effect. Lastly, the Metal Box appears again as a collectible trophy.

Super Smash Bros. 4

The Metal Box returns as an item. Its properties mostly remain the same as in previous Super Smash Bros. games. In the 3DS version, the metal coating 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 Classic Mode, the player must also fight a random metal character. The Metal Box is also available as a red item in Smash Tour, giving players the ability to start a battle in metal form. The "Metal" option reappears in Special Smash in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. Lastly, the Metal Box appears again as a collectible trophy.

When a character is encased in metal, they take notably increased knockback from paralysis-inducing attacks than in comparison to others, such as Pac-Man's bell from Bonus Fruit, Zero Suit Samus' Paralyzer attacks, and many custom moves.

Trophies

Melee

The Metal Box 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

Brawl

The Metal Box 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

SSB4

The Metal Box trophy in for 3DS.

The Metal Box trophy in 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.

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 (09/1996)

: Super Mario 64 DS (11/2004)

Origin

File:MetalBoxSM64.jpg

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

The Metal Box originates from Super Mario 64 as a green ! Block that materializes after Mario activates its corresponding green Cap Switch at the Cavern of the Metal Cap. Upon being destroyed, it releases a Metal Cap that, after grabbing it, encases him in metal. He becomes more powerful, immune to all damage, and can walk underwater, but at the same time, becomes much heavier, sluggish, and unable to swim. These effects are similar the Metal Box's effects in Super Smash Bros. except that Mario's voice is not suppressed, unless he is submerged underwater.

All green, red, and blue ! Blocks are replaced by red ? Blocks in the Nintendo DS remake of the game, Super Mario 64 DS. After activating them with the red ! Switch at the Rainbow Tower, they can be broken to release the Power Flower, which has different effects on each of the game's four playable characters. This power-up exhibits the same effects as the Metal Cap when picked up by Wario.

Trivia

• In Brawl, turning Olimar metal encases his whole helmet with metal. However, in SSB4, his face is metalized 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 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 the game as one of the Metal Box's appearances.