Since his debut in 1981, Mario has become one of the most famous characters in video games. The red-hatted plumber has starred in more than 200 titles, inspiring numerous spinoffs and even completely new genres. As such, Super Mario – the main platforming series – was a predictable choice for a LEGO theme.
What wasn’t predictable was the direction the LEGO Group would take it in. LEGO Super Mario mimics the overarching structure of a Mario platformer, offering modular construction and radically different character designs. The result is a theme that – while squarely aimed at a younger audience – expands the idea of what a LEGO set can be.
Visit LEGO.com to see the current collection of Super Mario sets, or read on for an overview of what the LEGO Super Mario theme has to offer.
LEGO Super Mario history
LEGO Super Mario draws primary inspiration from the Super Mario video game series, which launched in 1985 on the Nintendo Entertainment System. The first entry in the series was Super Mario Bros., although earlier versions of Mario himself had appeared in older titles.
The game sees Mario – a humble plumber – travel across the Mushroom Kingdom to rescue Princess Peach from the malevolent, turtle-like Bowser. His brother Luigi is also available for a second player, providing the ‘Bros.’ in the game’s title.
Super Mario Bros. is credited with both reviving a dying video game industry and popularising side-scrolling platformer games. The original game has spawned multiple sequels and spinoffs, with a wide variety of characters and genres appearing under the Mario umbrella. Today Mario is one of the world’s most recognised video game characters; a new animated feature film, starring Mario and his friends, is due to hit cinemas in 2023.
With that lineage in mind, a Super Mario theme was a natural choice for The LEGO Group. The LEGO Super Mario theme debuted in 2020 and immediately turned heads with its design choices.
Instead of detailed sets and minifigure Marios, LEGO Super Mario introduced a relatively pared-back interpretation of the Mushroom Kingdom. Elements of the game world are attached to new platform pieces that offer multiple connection points. By combining these platforms (and putting start and finish pieces at either end) fans can make a level of a Super Mario game in LEGO form.
The idea of a customisable Mario game had established precedent at this point. Super Mario Maker had released five years earlier for the Wii U, and allowed players to create and share their very own Mario levels. An improved sequel also released in 2019. In a nod to the series, a Builder Mario costume – which tweak’s Mario’s appearance and abilities – was released in the LEGO Super Mario range.
Many early sets contain elements that are immediately familiar to even casual Mario fans – Goombas, Piranha Plants, and Bowser’s castle have all made an appearance. A collection of Character Packs – brick-built characters analogous to Collectible Minifigures – has also been released, offering new enemies for players to confront.
2021’s releases continued the range’s mix of old and new. Reznors (which debuted in Super Mario World) received their own set, as did one of Bowser’s mighty airships. The poison swamp environment (which first appeared in New Super Mario Bros.) also debuted, as did new costumes inspired by recent Mario games.
A more exciting addition – at least for some fans – was Luigi, Mario’s beloved younger brother. Luigi’s arrival allowed two people to enjoy the LEGO Super Mario experience together. More recently, he has also inspired a range of sets inspired by Luigi’s Mansion. This spooky spinoff debuted in 2001, and swapped platforming for ghost-catching in a haunted house.
2022, meanwhile, introduced a playable Princess Peach character. This further expanded the appeal of the LEGO Super Mario range, and was accompanied by a few models designed primarily for the princess to navigate.
In short, LEGO Super Mario has made a big splash in a very short space of time. We’re intrigued to see what directions the theme moves in going forward.
LEGO Super Mario sets
Super Mario LEGO sets encourage fans to play in a very different way to other LEGO themes. For younger fans, LEGO inspires role play and a high degree of flexibility. Those elements are still present in LEGO Super Mario, but there’s also a much clearer direction in which play is meant to travel.
Play revolves around a new electronic element, and that’s Mario himself. This character can be found in a new variety of set known as a Starter Course, designed to act as an entry point to the LEGO Super Mario theme. Mario himself appears in 71360 Adventures with Mario, alongside a Goomba, Bowser Jr. and several pieces of the Mushroom Kingdom to build with.
These electronic characters are substantially larger than a typical minifigure – albeit with a familiar, blocky LEGO aesthetic. Each character features screens, speakers and sensors built into their body. The latter technology is mounted on each character’s undercarriage, and can detect both colours and specialised barcode stickers produced for LEGO Super Mario sets.
It’s this that provides the gameplay of the LEGO Super Mario sets. Mario (or Luigi, or Peach) begins each level by scanning a ‘start’ barcode and ends it by scanning an ‘end’ one. Between the start and end barcodes, a character can scan other barcodes (found on enemies and pieces of scenery) to collect virtual coins and extend their time limit. Conversely, scanning something harmful (like lava) will hamper your ability to earn coins.
The aim is to gain as many coins as you can; the more expansion sets you have, the more coins you can earn in a single play session. Long-term play comes from refining your level designs, and beating your previous coin-collecting records.
To motivate this coin-collecting spree, a wide variety of LEGO Super Mario expansion courses have appeared. Sets such as 71362 Guarded Fortress recreate the iconic castles from the earliest Mario titles, with a Bob-omb, Koopa Troopa and Piranha Plant to avoid. 71368 Toad’s Treasure Hunt models a Toad village, residence of the Mushroom Kingdom’s friendlier inhabitants.
Other sets are a little smaller, but still appealing to Mario fans. 71363 Desert Pokey allows players to take on one of the challenging Pokey enemies, gradually removing spiked sections of its body. 71381 Chain Chomp Jungle Encounter, meanwhile, includes a brick-built version of a Chain Chomp for Mario to take on.
In addition to chunks of the Mushroom Kingdom, the LEGO Super Mario range has produced new outfits for Mario, Luigi and Peach to wear. These reference the various power-ups available in the Super Mario games, and allow you to interact with the levels in new ways.
For example, 71370 Fire Mario Power-Up Pack allows you to remotely attack enemies by shaking Mario in their proximity. This references the fireballs that Mario shoots when equipped with a Fire Flower. 71392 Frog Mario Power-Up Pack, on the other hand, lets you earn coins by making Mario ‘jump’ to great heights. Swapping these suits in and out gives you room to experiment, and approach your level designs from new directions.
Luigi’s Mansion received three sets inspired by its events: 71397 Luigi’s Mansion Lab and Poltergust, 71399 Luigi’s Mansion Entryway and 71401 Luigi’s Mansion Haunt-and-Seek. These offer a subtle spin on the core LEGO Super Mario gameplay, courtesy of a new overalls element for player characters to wear.
Typically worn by Luigi (although compatible with Mario and Peach as well) this overalls element features a small button on the front, and an attachment point for the ghost-catching Poltergust equipment. The ghost enemies in these sets can’t be attacked by simply jumping on them; instead, you must first press the overalls button to ‘activate’ the Poltergust, weakening the ghosts in the process. Other characters from the games (such as Professor E Gadd, the Polterpup and a new version of King Boo) can be found in these sets, providing a frightfully good time for LEGO fans.
The Super Mario range has also (on rare occasions) produced sets aimed at the older Mario fan. 71374 Nintendo Entertainment system is a LEGO recreation of the NES; a version of the console first launched in 1983, launching series like Metroid and The Legend of Zelda. Super Mario Bros. may be its most famous release, however, and this set includes both a brick-built console and a TV with a scrolling Mario level.
The LEGO console features various realistic features of the real thing, including a working slot to insert a game cartridge. A tiny diorama of World 1–2 (one of the game’s earliest levels) is also built into the back of the console, providing a fun Easter egg during the building process.
Although it’s designed as a standalone set, the Mario figure can be connected to this set for additional functionality. Sitting him atop the brick-built television allows Mario to play sound effects that correspond with the on-screen action.
LEGO Super Mario Summer 2022
The summer 2022 wave of LEGO Super Mario products has introduced a number of exciting products. A key release is 71403 Adventures with Peach, which allows the Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom to take on a starring role. Although she’s typically the damsel in distress, games like Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Princess Peach and Super Mario 3D World have allowed Peach to take on a larger gameplay role.
Peach appears in a similar format to Mario, retaining the screens, speaker and sensors of Mario himself. However, since Peach isn’t a natural protagonist, her Starter Course is a little less confrontational than Mario and Luigi’s are. She can interact with a piece of fruit, a question mark block, a present and a swing, as well as a Yellow Toad character.
Of course, there are some enemies to fight. A Lava Bubble (which appears in this form in the New Super Mario Bros. games) and Lemmy Koopa are included in this set. Both can be jumped on to earn in-game coins, and a flagpole at the end allows you to bring your adventures to a conclusion.
Several smaller sets can also be found in this wave. 71404 Goomba’s Shoe recreates a beloved power-up from Super Mario Bros. 3; it literally resembles a giant shoe, and can be ridden in during gameplay. A Goomba is provided for this purpose, although it can also accommodate a player character.
71405 Fuzzy Flippers includes a pair of Fuzzies (which originate in Super Mario World) and a pair of seesaws for them to bounce upon. There’s also a floating box that will extend your in-game time limit, and a small mushroom platform for you to stand on.
71406 Yoshi’s Gift House may prove a little more enticing, as it includes a Yoshi figure to play with. The dinosaur is accompanied by a few trees, one of which has a piece of fruit in them; a small bed can be found in the foliage of another for Yoshi to sleep in. A working turntable can also be found in this set; it can be used to increases the value of the set’s fruit, and – in turn – the amount of coins it yields.
Other notable features of the set include a postbox with a letter, and a brick-built Monty Mole – another common Mario character. Several varieties of Yoshi have appeared in LEGO form so far, although the classic green version may be the most appealing.
71412 Big Bad Island includes some more classic Mario characters, albeit in a new form. It includes new, large versions of the Goomba and Koopa Troopa enemies, although a small Goomba is also included. Iggy Koopa is on hand to provide some extra challenge; he carries a magic wand and features his distinctive lime green hair.
71409 Big Spike’s Cloudtop Challenge also includes a trio of enemies to conquer. A giant Spike enemy (which throws spiked pillars) must be dodged, along with a regular-sized Boomerang Bro. There’s also a Piranha Plant on a nearby seesaw, which can flop back and forth. These enemies are broken up by several mushroom and cloud platforms, allowing you to take a breather between enemy encounters.
Princess Peach receives two other sets designed for her (although the Mario and Luigi characters are fully compatible with them). 71407 Cat Peach Suit and Frozen Tower is inspired by Super Mario 3D World, allowing Peach to don a Cat Suit and scale a tower. A Cat Goomba (a variety of Goomba with feline traits) and Kamek are included in this set, as is a Toad in a spot of bother.
The tower itself features the red and white colour scheme of Peach’s castle, and offers several points of interactivity. The pedestals containing elements of the Cat Suit can be slid forward and back, and chunks of ice on the tower’s upper levels can be dislodged. Kamek can also be dislodged from his broomstick, which can then be ridden by a player character.
71408 Princess Peach’s Castle may prove a more enticing set; it’s inspired by Super Mario 64, with some nods to that game’s features. The outside of the castle offers some trees and a bridge, as well as Ludwig von Koopa on a floating cloud. Toadette can also be found in this set – a welcome addition, as she is surprisingly rare in LEGO form.
Walking into the castle reveals a few furnishings such as a fruit bowl, a grandfather clock, a pair of candles and a painting of Bob-omb Battlefield – the first Super Mario 64 level. A Bob-omb is sitting above the painting, while a Goomba is hiding in a nearby cake.
The castle’s throne room actually appears in two distinct versions – one light and cheerful, one dark and foreboding. A brick-built Bowser can be placed in the latter version, and flipped over by hitting a lever on one side. The dark throne room can then be rotated to reveal the original version, and provides a throne for Peach to sit on. There’s even a printed stained-glass window above the throne, which has appeared in multiple versions of the castle over the years.
LEGO Super Mario minifigures
Mario’s focus on a larger scale means conventional minifigures are absent from the range. However, there are a number of characters that perform a similar function, and share some characteristics with minifigures.
LEGO Super Mario’s brick-built characters are arguably a matter of necessity. While the standard minifigure has proven versatile, it can’t do everything. Recent licensed characters such as the Trolls and the Minions have demanded new head pieces, or even completely new bodies to render characters accurately.
Since very few Super Mario characters can be called human, brick-built character designs seem an obvious choice – especially in the broader context of the range. New elements have been introduced to represent specific body parts, such as feet, shells and mushroom caps. However, most of the characters use new colours and prints instead of entirely new pieces.
Characters like Toad, who appears in 71368 Toad’s Treasure Hunt, exemplifies this idea. His head is your run-of-the-mill 2×2 brick with a face printed on it, while his torso seems similar (if not identical) to certain droid bodies from the Star Wars theme. However, new feet and ‘hat’ pieces convey Toad’s appearance more elegantly than existing elements might.
Smaller Mario enemies (such as the turtle-esque Koopa Troopas) take a similar tack. While they use new elements like a bespoke turtle shell, the majority of their bodies are formed using off-the-shelf parts.
In addition to the larger sets, The LEGO Group has released a number of blind-bagged Character Packs. These sets include smaller, brick-built Mario enemies from across the series’ history, as well as unique barcode tiles for Mario to scan. They’re ideal if players want to further expand (and populate) their LEGO Super Mario worlds.
While recognisable characters like Goombas and Bob-ombs popped up early on, many different corners of the Mushroom Kingdom have been represented. More obscure enemies like the Huckit Crab and Crowber have enjoyed LEGO appearances, as well as variants like the Parachute Goomba. There have even been harmful items like the Poison Mushroom, and each character comes with a piece of land to extend the game world itself.
While many LEGO fans would have preferred minifigures (and still do) we can’t deny the creativity and charm of LEGO Super Mario’s characters.
LEGO Super Mario 64 question mark block
In 1996, the Super Mario series shook the very foundations of video games. That shake-up came via Super Mario 64, which debuted as a launch title for the Nintendo 64 console. The first fully-3D Mario title, it garnered wide acclaim and had a massive influence on 3D game design.
25 years later, The LEGO Group released a set inspired by this seminal title. 71395 Super Mario 64 Question Mark Block recreates a number of familiar levels from the game. However, like the broader Super Mario theme, it does so in a way few of us could have predicted.
The broader design revolves around a giant question mark block. These are a fixture of the Super Mario series, typically containing coins, mushrooms and other desirable items. Despite their iconic nature, they are ironically absent from Super Mario 64 itself.
Still, the idea of a box filled with goodies is appropriate. Flipping the top of the block causes four scenes from the game to unfurl. These include Princess Peach’s Castle, Bob-omb Battlefield, Cool, Cool Mountain and Lethal Lava Land. A flap towards the base also reveals a hidden arena where Bowser can be battled.
Unsurprisingly, these levels are rendered at a small scale. However, all the pertinent details are captured. Mario himself is formed from just three pieces; a printed 1×1 plate preserves both his nose and his moustache. Characters like Chain Chomp and King Bob-omb use spherical pieces, with some printing to add extra personality.
The levels themselves feature many famous features of the ‘real’ thing. The LEGO Bob-omb Battlefield preserves the hills, bridges and cannons of the original game level, while the LEGO Lethal Lava Land includes the volcano, Big Bully enemy and Bowser tile puzzle found in the original game.
Cool, Cool Mountain can be opened up to reveal its internal slide, while penguins are dotted around the exterior. This works in a similar fashion to Princess Peach’s tiny LEGO castle, which can open up to reveal the main hall.
The detailed castle interior includes various paintings – which, in the game, are used to access the levels the set depicts. The castle itself even features a tiny Yoshi on the roof – a hidden bonus for players who find all of the game’s hidden Power Stars.
As with the LEGO NES, this set is compatible with the Mario and Luigi figures. Scanning a barcode in Peach’s castle allows you to ‘play’ the game, by visiting specific locations within the miniature levels. Ten Power Stars are hidden within the set; do you have what it takes to find them all?
LEGO The Mighty Bowser
Bowser, the formidable King of the Koopas, is one of the Super Mario series’ most beloved elements. Hell-bent on conquering the Mushroom Kingdom, he considers Mario his greatest nemesis – and wields an army of Goombas, Koopa Troopas and other creatures to bring him down. However, he will (at times) work alongside Mario for the greater good – and has even taken on a starring role in Mario games from time to time.
While sets like 71369 Bowser’s Castle Boss Battle introduced brick-built versions of the Koopa King, there was clearly room for improvement. That came in the form of 71411 The Mighty Bowser, a large-scaled version of Bowser with much greater detail.
The resulting set closely resembles Bowser’s modern-day appearance in the Super Mario video games. Measuring 29cm tall, this model of Bowser preserves all the relevant features – including his clawed hands and feet, his red hair and his green spiked shell. Bowser’s arms and hands feature some articulation, and his head can be turned from side to side. The eyes and eyebrows are also adjustable, and opening Bowser’s jaws allows a projectile to be shot out. This references Bowser’s ability to spit fireballs during gameplay.
Bowser’s shell captures the original’s angular shaping very effectively, and introduces a new cone element to properly capture its appearance. Its spikes continue onto the tail, although these are a little smaller than the ones on the shell.
What’s particularly interesting about this set is that it essentially functions as a giant puppet. Knobs on the side of the figure can be used to move parts of Bowser from side to side, and even activate his fireball-spitting play feature.
Bowser also comes with a brick-built display stand, which mimics the architecture of his castle. It features a cobblestone base and stone pillars, which are adorned with red banners and flaming torches. This display stand even conceals a couple of barcodes, allowing a Starter Course figure to interact with Bowser.
As such, this set seems likely to appeal to both adults and children. However, with an RRP of £229.99 / $269.99 / €269.99, you’ll need to save up a few coins to add it to your collection.
LEGO Super Mario app
In addition to Mario himself, the LEGO Super Mario sets benefit from a new app. Like the Mario sets, this app is very child-focussed and helps unlock some deeper features.
Unusually, the app is the only source of instructions for the sets themselves. Reflecting the younger audience, these instructions are even more child-friendly than usual. As they move through the instructions, builders can rotate and enlarge a 3D model of what they’re building.
This (presumably) helps to eliminate any possible confusion during the building process. It also seems to be a new, environmentally-friendly measure on the LEGO Group’s part. The official app description stresses that no trees were hurt, although whether this signals the end of paper LEGO instructions is another question.
By connecting the app to a Mario, Luigi or Peach figure (via Bluetooth), players can also track various stats from their playthroughs. Collected coins, defeated enemies and completed obstacles are all documented within the app, presenting a clear incentive to expand one’s LEGO Mario collection.
The app may even help inspire builders when designing new LEGO Mario levels. Users can share their creations within a child-friendly environment, or take on challenges suggested by the app itself. While LEGO fans can take whatever approach they want to the toy, the app may offer some welcome structure to the wider play experience.
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