Recently, The LEGO Group announced its biggest launch on 1st August with Nintendo. Grown-up fans now have the opportunity to rekindle the nostalgic memories of their Super Mario Bros. childhood experiences.
The Super Mario LEGO lineup consists of 16 individual sets and 10 blind bag characters in total from a whole new range of Expansion Sets, collectible Character Packs, and Power Up Packs.
“16 LEGO Super Mario sets have been introduced and I am really looking forward to seeing how people’s play expands with these and the unique Power Up Packs,” said Takashi Tezuka, Executive Officer at Nintendo and a Senior Officer at Nintendo EPD. “By adding already owned LEGO bricks onto the Starter Course, and different LEGO Super Mario Expansion Sets, we hope people can create different Mario worlds and continue enjoying them indefinitely.”
“The reaction to LEGO Super Mario has been incredible,” said Jonathan Bennink, the lead designer on LEGO Super Mario. “Super Mario is such an icon. Our entire range has been built to bring Super Mario, his friends – and his enemies – to life. We love how creative LEGO fans are, and can’t wait for them to unleash their imaginations in how they interact with Super Mario in the real world.”
Here are things to know about LEGO Super Mario:
1. The Starter Course
The Starter Course holds the key to unlocking the entire play – as it is the only set that features the interactive LEGO Mario figure that collects coins in game levels created with LEGO bricks. From there, players can enhance their interactivity and gameplay to the traditional LEGO sets.
2. The other Expansion Sets
Each set comes with its own unique challenges and characters. The full line-up consists of the Piranha Plant Power Slide Expansion Set, Bowser’s Castle Boss Battle Expansion Set, the Guarded Fortress Expansion Set, the Mario’s House & Yoshi Expansion Set, the Toad’s Treasure Hunt Expansion Set, the Desert Pokey Expansion Set, the Whomp’s Lava Trouble Expansion Set and the Boomer Bill Barrage Expansion Set.
3. Collectible enemy characters
There is a total of 10 collectible enemy characters that are available in blind bag Character Packs to level up your playing experience. Each pack will contain a buildable character and action tag to play with – it could be a Paragoomba, Fuzzy, Spiny, Buzzy Beetle, Bullet Bill, Bob-omb, Eep Cheep, Blooper, Urchin or Peepa!
4. The LEGO Mario figure
The aforementioned Expansion Sets and collectible Characters are meant to enhance the Mario Starter Course. The LEGO Mario figure comes with a LCD screen in its eyes, mouth and belly to display instant reactions to movement, colour and action bricks. There are a total of 7 action bricks for different interaction that will trigger Mario’s reactions.
In addition, the Power-Up Packs – including Cat Mario and Builder Mario – can also be used to boost one’s gameplay with a variety of suits for LEGO Mario that each reveal new features and powers.
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5. Why not create Minifigure versions of Mario or a basic Lego set?
“The brief that we got from our higher management was to make a product that only Lego and Nintendo could do together. That doesn’t mean just licensing the IP, it also means utilising Nintendo’s qualities in terms of digital interactivity. And by doing a traditional plaything, they couldn’t really add their magic sauce to it, so to speak. The Minifigure stayed on the table because we wanted an interactive figure that could also be a Minifigure, but the technology that we needed to bring the play we have here to life was just too big to put into a Minifigure. So maybe in the far future,” explained Jonathan Bennink.
6. Nintendo dropped every LEGO Mario prototype 6000 times!
In order to prove its commitment to releasing quality hardware, Jonathan Bennink revealed that Nintendo made sure to drop every Mario figure prototype 6,000 times in a bid to ensure its quality.
7. Full product list and pricing
Starter Course
- 71360 – LEGO® Super Mario™ Adventures with Mario Starter Course – (59,99 USD/EUR) RM259.90
Expansion sets
- 71362 – LEGO® Super Mario™ Guarded Fortress Expansion Set – (49,99 USD/EUR) RM239.90
- 71363 – LEGO® Super Mario™ Desert Pokey Expansion Set – (19,99 USD/EUR) RM99.90
- 71364 – LEGO® Super Mario™ Whomp’s Lava Trouble Expansion Set – (19,99 USD/EUR) RM94.90
- 71365 – LEGO® Super Mario™ Piranha Plant Power Slide Expansion Set – (29,99 USD/EUR) RM149.90
- 71366 – LEGO® Super Mario™ Boomer Bill Barrage Expansion Set – (29,99 USD/EUR) RM149.90
- 71367 – LEGO® Super Mario™ Mario’s House & Yoshi Expansion Set – (29,99 USD EUR) RM149.90
- 71368 – LEGO® Super Mario™ Toad’s Treasure Hunt Expansion Set – (69,99 USD/EUR) RM329.90
- 71369 – LEGO® Super Mario™ Bowser’s Castle Boss Battle Expansion Set – (99,99 USD/EUR) RM479.90
- 71376 – LEGO® Super Mario™ Thwomp Drop Expansion Set – (39,99 USD/EUR) RM199.90
- 71377 – LEGO® Super Mario™ King Boo and the Haunted Yard Expansion Set – (49,99 USD/EUR) RM269.90
Power-up Packs
- 71370 – LEGO® Super Mario™ Fire Mario Power-Up Pack – (9,99 USD/EUR) RM49.90
- 71371 – LEGO® Super Mario™ Propeller Mario Power-Up Pack – (9,99 USD/EUR) RM49.90
- 71372 – LEGO® Super Mario™ Cat Mario Power-Up Pack – (9,99 USD/EUR) RM49.90
- 71373 – LEGO® Super Mario™ Builder Mario Power-Up Pack – (9,99 USD/EUR) RM49.90
Character Packs
- 71361 – LEGO® Super Mario™ Character Packs – (4,99 USD/3,99 EUR) RM16.90
8. LEGO Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) (71374)
- 2,646 pieces
- RM949.90
One of LEGO’s latest brick set also includes a buildable Nintendo Entertainment System! The new NES Building Kit comes with a controller with a connecting cable and plug, as well as an opening slot for the Game Pak with a locking feature. The console also comes with a buildable retro TV, featuring a flat 8-bit Mario figure on the scrolling screen. Just like the the LEGO Super Mario Starter Course, players can scan an action-included brick with LEGO Mario.
Enjoy the videos below:
For those keen on the LEGO Super Mario sets, find out more here.
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