Super Mario Brothers 1 and 3 were life when I was a teenager. My sister and I spent hours playing on the second hand Nintendo that she bought from a garage sale. More recently, I bought a Nintendo Switch and a new version of Super Mario Bros and I'm enjoying introducing the kids to it. I'm especially loving that its the only game I can still beat my gamer son in! The new LEGO Super Mario lets me relive my childhood!
Now, thanks to LEGO, we can play with Mario in 3D! The New LEGO Super Mario lets you build Mario’s house, search for treasure hidden by Toad, defeat a Koopa Troopa in the Guarded Fortress... and so much more!
16 sets have been revealed in the range (RRP $5.99 - $149.99), with all sets coming with their own series of unique challenges and characters for fans to play with or against friends.
How it works
LEGO Super Mario is a combination of LEGO blocks, Bluetooth and an app. The set up takes a bit longer than regular LEGO, and rather than using a booklet, you download a free app that shows you how to build it.
Mario himself is choc full of tech to give you the full video game experience. He has colour sensors, Motion sensors, LCD screens in his eyes, mouth and and stomach and inbuilt speakers to play the very catchy and iconic Super Mario Bros tune as you play. You can change his suits for different powers and create a whole world for Mario. You can even play with friends!
Move Mario around the course you have built and the sensors show you collecting virtual coins and completing the course in the set time. Tehn, complete the challenges on the app by linking it via bluetooth. You can begin with the starter set and then add on to it with expansion kits to create a whole world.
What age is LEGO Super Mario suitable for?
So far, the LEGO Super Mario course has been a hit with most of the house. My nephew, who is six, is especially taken with it, and Tully (age 8) is really enjoying it too. It's the type of LEGO set that can be gifted to most ages. Younger kids love the interactive and gaming element and older teens (and even adults) love it for the nostalgia factor. There aren't many people that don't have fond memories of playing Mario and Luigi at some stage of their lives. I think I was the most excited when the LEGO arrived lol!
Does LEGO Super Mario have longevity?
Since sharing the LEGO Super Mario set on my stories I've had a lot of questions - and the most common one is if I think it's worth the money or if kids will tire of it quickly. One of the things parents love about LEGO is its longevity and scope for the imagination. Kids build the initial LEGO set but then they tear it down and create new things all the time.
I can't tell you if your children will keep playing with it in its original form, but the good news is you can recreate the courses and you can also break it down. Also, most of the pieces are integrated with regular LEGO. Of course, the regular LEGO won't have the LCD interactivity but all the pieces can connect with other LEGO sets, so you won't ever feel like it's a waste if they stop playing with it in the original way.
The LEGO Super Mario Starter Kit retails for $89.99 with expansion packs from $12.99. See the the full range here
Leave a Reply