Question Block
The iconic Question Block. 8x8 pattern, perfect for beginners.
Materials Needed
64 beads total · 3 colorsBackground: The Question Block
The Question Block (or '?' Block) is one of the most recognizable objects in video game history, debuting in Super Mario Bros. (1985). When hit from below, it produces a coin, a Super Mushroom, a Fire Flower, or a Super Star — depending on Mario's current state. The block's design — a bright orange-yellow cube with a white question mark — has become a universal gaming icon. Designer Shigeru Miyamoto originally used the '?' because he couldn't implement an animation of a block with eyes opening and closing, so the question mark served as a simpler visual cue to indicate 'hit me.'
Design Notes: 8×8 Pixel Composition
This tiny 8×8 grid (64 beads) is one of the smallest and easiest patterns available. Yellow fills the block, brown creates the border studs, and black forms the question mark. The question mark must be centered and clearly visible — it's the whole point of the block. Perfect first project for absolute beginners or young children — can be completed in under 30 minutes.