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The Metal Box ((みどり)ブロック, Green Box) is an item from the Mario series that first appear in every game since Super Smash Bros. Melee. When it is used, it encases the character's bodies with metal for a short period of time.

Robssb4

R.O.B. with a metal box in 3DS/Wii U.

Origin[]

These items made their debut in Super Mario 64. When Mario destroys the box, a metal cap is released. Once he puts it on, he himself becomes metal. He becomes powerful, takes no damage from hazards (the recoil remains, however), withstands poisonous gases, destroys enemies he comes in contact with and walks underwater.

In the Super Smash Bros. series[]

The Metal Box encases the character's body in metal. It has the following effects:

  • It lasts about 12 seconds, however the time limit decreases as the user takes damage, especially from fire attacks like Bowser's Fire Breath.
  • User becomes heavier (about 3 times more), thus received knockback will be reduced.
  • Slightly decreases jumping height, since the user is heavier.
  • Doubles a character's falling speed, making recoveries harder (in Melee, it's much harder to recover than in Brawl).
  • Reduces speed slightly.
  • Attacks performed by a metal character deal slightly more knockback, although the damage dealt remains unchanged.
  • Removes any character's voices (although, as sound effects are still retained, Mr. Game & Watch is unaffected by this).
  • Foot step sounds will be replaced with clinging sounds as the character walks around.

The effect of the Metal Box is not quite as drastic as the various Metal fights in Classic Mode, which last the whole battle and do not wear off.

In Super Smash Bros Ultimate, being hit by a trapping-type Final Smash like Incineroar's Max Malicious Moonsault or Falco Lombardi's Team Star Fox. will instantly remove the Metal effect. This is likely so that the character does not look metal during the Final Smash's cutscene.

Super Smash Bros.[]

While the Metal Box does not appear in SSB, Metal Mario appears as a foe the player must battle in the 1-Player Game. Metal Mario here can take far over 300% damage before being sent flying.

Super Smash Bros. Melee[]

Ssbmitemsmetalbox

The Metal Box in Melee.

The Metal Box makes its Super Smash Bros. series debut in Melee. In this game, when a character breaks the Metal Box with a physical attack (or a direct attack such as a sword), their whole body will be encased with metal. The metal condition will last around twelve seconds and will then fade away. During this period they will be approximately 3 times heavier than normal. If a projectile destroys the Metal Box, then no one will receive the metal condition. Interestingly, Ness' dash attack destroys the box, but does not give him the metal status. His yo-yos do, however. The character can fight Metal Mario and 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.

Depending on the weight and walking style of a character, when one walks, they will make a distinctive sound.

Sounds:

  • Heavy: "METAL!"
  • Medium: "CHANK!"
  • Light: "TING!"

Heavy characters like Ganondorf, Captain Falcon, and Link and light characters like the Ice Climbers and Zelda all make middleweight stepping sounds, despite being nowhere near medium weight.

Metal boxtrophy

The Metal Box Trophy

Trophy Description (Melee)[]

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 fall much more quickly than you ordinarily would.

  • Super Mario 64 9/96

Super Smash Bros. Brawl[]

The Metal Box appears again in Brawl with its effect unaltered, although it will not react to projectiles. In addition, a "Metal" option exists in Special Brawl, which gives every player a permanent Metal Box. 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 when falling into the water, which is used to reach a secret area in the Glacial Peak level of the Subspace Emissary mode (3 metal boxes are provided nearby}. In Classic mode the player must also fight a random metal character. Additionally, the Metal Box also appears as a collectible trophy. The walking sound effect in Brawl is not the same as in Melee; everyone has the same sound when walking.

Trophy description (Brawl)[]

Metal Box Trophy SSBB

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 (1996)

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U[]

Trophy Description[]

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.

N64 - Super Mario 64 (09/1996)

DS - Super Mario 64 DS (11/2004)

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[]

The Metal Box returns in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Some of the spirits from Adventure Mode: World of Light will contain the ability to turn into metal. The first enemy in this mode is a false Mario with a Smoky Progg spirit. Special conditions will state "The enemy will occasionally turn metal," allowing players to prepare for when the opponent switches status.

The effect can also weigh down the Beetle.

Trivia[]

  • In Brawl, when some characters perform a Final Smash in metal form, they regain their voice. Characters who do not regain their voices are:
    • C.Falcon
    • Ike
    • Lucario
    • Ness
    • Lucas
    • Mario
    • Link
    • Toon Link
    • Fox
    • Falco
    • Wolf
    • Diddy Kong
    • Zelda/Sheik
    • Snake
    • Yoshi
  • When characters with multiple double jumps (Kirby, Jigglypuff, Meta Knight, Pit, Dedede, Charizard) use a Metal Box, their midair jumps do little more than slow their descent. The AI often seems to be unaware of this, though, and computer-controlled Pit, in particular, is very vulnerable to self-destructing.
  • Interestingly, being metal does not affect gliding whatsoever.
  • Though the box itself turns a fighter into metal in the Smash universe, the Metal Box was not what turned Mario into metal in its debut; it was actually the metal cap it housed.
  • Characters with fur or hair like Ike and DK will take on strange appearances once turned metal; their hair/fur will look like grated sheets of metal.
  • Mr. Game & Watch is the only character that makes sounds in metal form (perhaps because he actually has no voice like Olimar, and the beeps he makes are from his attacks, which aren't silenced in metal form).
    • He also appears to be 3D due to the metal texture.
  • Olimar's whole helmet becomes metal, so it is not possible to see his face behind it.
    • Also, his Pikmin do not become metal, despite doing so in Classic Mode.
  • The metal effect does not affect the height of Yoshi's midair jump.
  • While in Metal form, Lucas has no eyes in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
    • Kirby also has this effect.
    • So does Toon link along with no mouth
  • In Brawl, the Metal Box got a metallic shine while in Melee it does not.
  • There is a somewhat running gag with the Metal Box: when Sonic uses this item, he is referred to as "Metal Sonic". Ironically, there is a character in the Sonic the Hedgehog series named Metal Sonic (who is an evil robot version of Sonic, built by Eggman). Often, this gag is conveyed as a picture/comic, depicting Sonic becoming the Metal Sonic from the Sonic series instead of the Metal Sonic that results from coming in contact with a Metal Box.
  • In Melee if one look closely (easier to use metal Mario trophy), they will see a reflection of the Yoshi's Island stage. It unknown why this reflection takes place on this stage, as Metal Mario never was in Super Mario World.
MarioSymbol Super Mario universe
Characters Mario (64  · Melee  · Brawl  · 3DS/Wii U  · Ultimate)
Luigi (64  · Melee  · Brawl  · 3DS/Wii U  · Ultimate)
Princess Peach (Melee  · Brawl  · 3DS/Wii U  · Ultimate)
Bowser (Melee  · Brawl  · 3DS/Wii U  · Ultimate)
Dr. Mario (Melee  · 3DS/Wii U  · Ultimate)
Rosalina & Luma (3DS/Wii U  · Ultimate)
Bowser Jr. / Koopalings (3DS/Wii U  · Ultimate)
Daisy (Ultimate)
Piranha Plant (Ultimate)
Side Characters Bosses Metal Mario  · Metal Bros.  · Petey Piranha
Assist Trophies Waluigi  · Hammer Bro  · Lakitu and Spinies  · Chain Chomp  · Thwomp  · Flies & Hand
Mii Fighter Costumes Mario  · Luigi  · Princess Peach  · Daisy  · Wario  · Waluigi  · Chain Chomp  · Spiny  · Shy Guy  · Super Mushroom  · Toad  · Geno  · Builder Mario  · Cappy
Background characters Koopa Troopa  · Banzai Bill  · Goomba  · Pidgit  · Toad  · Boo  · Toad Brigade  · Chain Chomp  · Luma  · Pauline
Stage Hazards Piranha Plant  · Banzai Bill  · Birdo  · Shy Guy  · Shellcreeper and Sidestepper  · Kamek  · Nabbit
Enemies Goomba / Giant Goomba  · Koopa Troopa / Koopa Paratroopa  · Bullet Bill  · Banzai Bill  · Bill Blaster  · Chain Chomp  · Flame Chomp  · Hammer Bro.  · Lakitu and Spinies  · Magikoopa  · Shy Guy  · Spike Top
Stages Peach's Castle  · Mushroom Kingdom (Super Smash Bros.)  · Princess Peach's Castle  · Rainbow Cruise  · Mushroom Kingdom (Super Smash Bros. Melee)  · Mushroom Kingdom II  · Delfino Plaza  · Mushroomy Kingdom  · Figure-8 Circuit · Luigi's Mansion · Mario Bros.  · 3D Land  · Golden Plains  · Paper Mario  · Rainbow Road  · Mushroom Kingdom U  · Mario Galaxy  · Mario Circuit  · Super Mario Maker  · New Donk City Hall
Mushroom Kingdom (Adventure)
Items Banana Peel  · Bob-omb  · Boomerang  · Bullet Bill  · Fire Bar  · Fire Flower  · Freezie  · Golden Hammer  · Grass  · Green Shell  · Hothead  · Lightning Bolt  · Metal Box  · Poison Mushroom  · POW Block  · Red Shell  · Soccer Ball  · Spiny Shell  · Super Leaf  · Super Launch Star  · Super Mushroom  · Super Star
Music Lists List of Music (Mario series)  · List of Music (Mario Kart series)
Songs "Main Theme (Super Mario 64)"  · "Paper Mario Medley"  · "Rainbow Road Medley"  · "Jump Up, Super Star!"
Collectibles Trophies Melee Trophies  · Brawl Trophies  · 3DS Trophies  · Wii U Trophies
Stickers List of Stickers (Super Mario series)
Spirits List of spirits (Mario series)
Masterpieces Super Mario Bros.  · Super Mario Bros. 2  · Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels  · Super Mario World  · Super Mario Kart  · Dr. Mario
Related universes Donkey Kong · Yoshi · Wario · Wrecking Crew
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