LEGO Super Mario 71428 Yoshis’ Egg-cellent Forest review

LEGO Super Mario 71428 Yoshis’ Egg-cellent Forest is best described with a pun that, unfortunately for us, is already taken by the name.

Despite its diminutive size, 71428 Yoshis’ Egg-cellent Forest is a must-have LEGO Super Mario model for the price and it’s mostly thanks to one piece. The smaller LEGO Super Mario sets are a surprisingly common source of exclusive parts of the iconic games, whether it’s a flying clown car, a giant boot or a printed Yoshi egg. That continues in 2024 in one of the most exciting developments in the theme to date.

71428 Yoshis’ Egg-cellent Forest might not seem overly interesting upon first impression but its shortcomings are mostly made up for by the set’s namesake element. For the low price, Super Mario enthusiasts can’t afford to miss it.

— LEGO Super Mario 71428 Yoshis’ Egg-cellent Forest set details —

Theme: LEGO Super Mario Set name: 71428 Yoshis’ Egg-cellent Forest Release date: January 1, 2024 

Price: £8.99 / $9.99 / €9.99 Pieces: 107 Characters: 2

LEGO: Order now

— Where to buy LEGO Super Mario 71428 Yoshis’ Egg-cellent Forest —

71428 Yoshis’ Egg-cellent Forest launches on January 1, 2024, for £8.99 / $9.99 / €9.99 as the least expensive entry in the new wave of LEGO Super Mario sets. It should be available at all retailers in-store and online from release day.

— LEGO Super Mario 71428 Yoshis’ Egg-cellent Forest build —

LEGO Super Mario sets feature no minifigures and focus mostly on their build and play features (as well as compatibility with the app). There’s not quite as much to write about concerning the build in 71428 Yoshis’ Egg-cellent Forest as this set only includes a patch of grass with an apple box and an apple tree with a nest beside it. Removing the apples from the tree proves an opportunity for play as the Yoshis have a snack and it’s something that wouldn’t look out of place in LEGO Animal Crossing too.

It’s a perfectly adequate selection of models for a set of this size, but thankfully that’s not all it includes. (More on that further down.)

Whether LEGO Super Mario eventually embraces minifigures or not, the exclusive Yoshi egg in 71428 Yoshis’ Egg-cellent Forest is by far the most interesting part of the set and a piece that is undoubtedly recognisable. The printing on the standard egg element is perfect to boot, though it’s hard to mess up such a simple yet iconic design.

This element is sure to find use outside of this small LEGO Super Mario set and would be right at home as an unofficial Easter egg in 10326 Natural History Museum. While buying a LEGO set solely for one piece isn’t usually advised, the price of 71428 Yoshis’ Egg-cellent Forest makes that much more feasible in this case.

The only action tag in 71428 Yoshis’ Egg-cellent Forest is not working at the time of this review but we expect this to change before its release on January 1, 2024. It features an icon of three eggs when only one is included in this set, and admittedly more than one of this printed egg would have been welcome. In any case, it sits alone on the provided nest.

LEGO Super Mario sets of this size usually only include one action tag and we can’t fault the model for sticking to tradition. That said, one play feature that doesn’t require the app would have been appreciated, especially as the theme’s sets include full physical instruction manuals in 2024. This set arguably seems to be designed as more of an inexpensive display piece though.

— LEGO Super Mario 71428 Yoshis’ Egg-cellent Forest characters —

Two Yoshis are included in 71428 Yoshis’ Egg-cellent Forest – one pink and one yellow. Neither of these variants are exclusive but they’re not exactly common within LEGO Super Mario and this set could easily be your first time picking up both of them.

While the green Yoshi is by far the most iconic of these creatures, he is also more widely available than the rest and we appreciate the inclusion of two rarer Yoshis. They also serve to add a splash of colour to this mostly-green set and it’s not every day that the least expensive LEGO Super Mario models include more than one character.

— LEGO Super Mario 71428 Yoshis’ Egg-cellent Forest price —

As well as the egg, 71428 Yoshis’ Egg-cellent Forest‘s second-most appealing factor is its price. For £8.99 / $9.99 / €9.99, you’re getting two characters, an adequate build and a brand new printed piece that is an iconic part of the Super Mario franchise.

It might not look like a lot from the box art, but you’ll be surprised at the contents of 71428 Yoshis’ Egg-cellent Forest. It’s a great gateway into the world of Super Mario for those who don’t care for the app functionality – especially as it comes with physical instructions.

— LEGO Super Mario 71428 Yoshis’ Egg-cellent Forest pictures —

— LEGO Super Mario 71428 Yoshis’ Egg-cellent Forest pros and cons —

Much like LEGO Minecraft’s January 2024 selection, the smallest set is one of the most interesting new LEGO Super Mario models as 71428 Yoshis’ Egg-cellent Forest shows that good things come in small packages – such as a printed Yoshi egg.

That egg is by far the best part of 71428 Yoshis’ Egg-cellent Forest, but the rest of the model isn’t lacking for the price (apart from in physical play features). For £8.99 / $9.99 / €9.99, LEGO Super Mario fans can’t afford to miss this one.

71428 Yoshi’s Egg-cellent Forest pros	71428 Yoshi’s Egg-cellent Forest cons
Surprisingly generous piece count, but…	…it’s not a big model
Two Yoshis when one would have been acceptable	Not feature-filled beyond the app
A printed Yoshi egg!	Three eggs on the action tag, but only one in the set

This set was provided for review by the LEGO Group.

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— Alternatives to LEGO Super Mario 71428 Yoshis’ Egg-cellent Forest —

At a similar price point, 71420 Rambi the Rhino is a good alternative to 71428 Yoshis’ Egg-cellent Forest with another exclusive part of the Super Mario franchise (though from the Donkey Kong side). Otherwise your best bet for a Yoshi figure in pink, yellow or the more iconic green is going to be 71419 Peach’s Garden Balloon Ride, 71422 Picnic at Mario’s House or 71406 Yoshi’s Gift House respectively, but for at least triple the price of the 2024 set.

— LEGO Super Mario 71428 Yoshis’ Egg-cellent Forest FAQs —