You know how I ranted about why I hate the Thunder Cloud a few days ago and consider it to be the worst item in the series? Well, the POW Block is almost the worst item in the series, and I have a personal vendetta against it and consider it to be both a menace to society and my arch nemesis. Here's why I hate the POW Block so much and why it should never return.

First, the POW Block is a worse Lightning. The Lightning affects all players ahead and behind even if they're airborne without any warning beforehand while the POW Block only affects racers ahead of the user only if they're on the ground and warns them a few seconds in advance. If you think this is as bad as it gets, oh, it gets worse, because this only scratches the surface.

The main problem with the POW Block is that if the item appears above you, it will inevitably end your race unless one of the following happens: 1) you're airborne, 2) you're in a position lower than the user, 3) you use an invincibility item, or 4) you fall off the track (only do this as a last resort). Shaking the Wii Remote or pressing the trick button when the third strike occurs while on the ground minimizes the effect but only delays the inevitable. You can also avoid it using hop dodging, but this is extremely unreliable because only bikes can do it (and only if using Manual drift) and there is a one frame window. If you aren't airborne, don't have an invincibility item, are ahead of the user instead of behind the user, or don't fall off the track, your race has basically ended and you may as well not even try to recover from the full effect because the full effect will send you to a complete halt.

Thank God the POW Block hasn't been in any future installments, and that's absolutely good for my sanity, because if it were to ever return, I would have to be sent to a mental hospital for rehabilitation.

3, 2, 1, It's annoying

This item is insanely underrated. It functions similarly to the Lightning, but because you get it further ahead, it only affects racers ahead of the user, warns its targets in advance, and only affects them if they're on the ground, it can be avoided by being airborne, or if you're really skilled, you can perform a frame perfect hop dodge. Even if you mitigate its effect by shaking the Wii Remote, it can still mess you up, especially on tracks with sharp turns. It's a shame it hasn't been in recent installments.