Lego Super Mario brings the iconic Nintendo video game character into the real world through interactive Lego playsets. Children and adults alike can recreate Mario’s adventures in their own homes with these clever toys. With Lego Super Mario, you build Mario himself along with enemies, obstacles, and power-ups out of Lego bricks. The Mario figure contains technology that allows him to express reactions through a small LCD screen and speaker. This lets him respond to movement, bricks, and action tokens as you play.
The Lego Super Mario line launched in 2020 and has expanded each year since with new sets and characters. Fans can now build levels and adventures based on classic Mario games like Super Mario Bros., Super Mario 64, and Super Mario Sunshine. If you’re new to Lego Super Mario or looking to get even more out of the playsets you already own, this guide will help you make the most of the interactive experience.
An Overview of Lego Super Mario Playsets and Features
The foundation of any Lego Super Mario collection is the Starter Course set. This includes an interactive Mario figure along with basic bricks for building terrain and simple obstacles like Goombas and Piranha Plants. The Mario figure contains a color sensor, LCD screens for animated eyes and a mouth, plus a speaker for sound effects.
When Mario jumps on a Goomba, he displays a happy reaction and makes sounds. Special action bricks throughout the course trigger responses like collecting virtual coins. This brings the video game experience into the real world.
Beyond the Starter Course, there are Expansion Sets to unlock new gameplay mechanics. For example, the Piranha Plant Power Slide set lets Mario slide down a ramp to collect coins. The Bowser’s Castle Boss Battle set has mechanisms for knocking over Bowser.
There are also Power-Up Packs containing new outfits for Mario that give him special abilities. The Propeller Mario Power-Up Pack includes a suit that makes Mario fly with spinning propeller blades. The Cat Mario Power-Up Pack gives him a catsuit so he can climb walls.
Finally, Character Packs add enemies and friends from the Mushroom Kingdom like Yoshi, Boo, and Dry Bones for populating your custom courses.
With a variety of sets available, you can build sprawling Super Mario worlds limited only by your imagination and collection. Now let’s look at tips for getting the most out of Lego Super Mario play.
Constructing Creative Courses
The best part of Lego Super Mario is using your bricks to construct unique levels to run Mario through. Here are some useful techniques for building fun and vibrant courses:
- Use elevation changes – Build multiple tiers connected by ramps and steps so you can move Mario up and down through the course.
- Incorporate water – Blue bricks can be arranged into ponds, rivers, and lakes for underwater swimming sections.
- Add interactive elements – Place Jump Buttons, P Switches, Goombas, and other Action Bricks around for Mario to activate.
- Include power-ups – Deploy? Blocks with power-up icons so Mario can hit them and gain abilities like flying with the Super Leaf.
- Build themed areas – Designate different spaces with colored bricks to create forest, desert, ice, and castle environments.
- Make it challenging – Use obstacles like rotating Thwomps, Koopa Troopa shells, and Buzzy Beetles to test Mario’s skills.
With a well-built course, running Mario through it feels like playing a real Mario game. Take the time to be creative and have fun with it!
Helpful Hints for Gameplay
Once you’ve constructed your custom Lego Mario level, it’s time for exciting interactive gameplay! Here are some useful tips to get the most out of running Mario through the course:
- Vary Mario’s speed – For the full range of reactions, move Mario slowly to examine objects, and quickly to jump farther.
- Activate all features – Try ground pounding, jumping high, walking underwater, and more to see his different responses.
- Collect all coins – Gather coins from blocks, clouds, rings, and jumps for 1-Up sound effects and animation.
- Defeat all enemies – Bop Goombas and Koopa Troopas on the head to see Mario’s joyful victory celebration.
- Use power-ups – When Mario hits a ? Block with a power-up, put on the corresponding suit for fun new abilities.
- Watch Mario’s expressions – His animated eyes and mouth display reactions to obstacles, enemies, and more in the course.
- Listen for sounds – Mario plays iconic music clips and sound effects from the video games while you play.
- Team up in multiplayer – Two people can control Mario and a friend like Luigi for tandem gameplay.
Following these tips will help you thoroughly explore everything the Lego Super Mario sets have to offer for an immersive, interactive experience.
Top Sets to Check Out
With so many fun sets available, which are the best Lego Super Mario sets for starters and seasoned collectors? Here are some top recommendations:
For Beginners
- Starter Course – The essential set for getting started with the interactive Mario figure and basic bricks.
- Piranha Plant Power Slide Expansion – Adds slide and seesaw elements for new gameplay mechanics.
- Bowser’s Castle Boss Battle – Lets you knock over Bowser in a climactic fight scene.
For Power-Ups
- Propeller Mario Power-Up Pack – Outfit Mario with a flying propeller suit.
- Cat Mario Power-Up Pack – Turn Mario into a nimble cat able to climb walls.
- Builder Mario Power-Up Pack – Unlock builder abilities to create brick models.
For Enemies and Characters
- Boo and Pink Yoshi – Add these ghostly and colorful friends to the course.
- Dry Bones – Spooky skeletal Koopa troops for Mario to stomp.
- Thwomp Drop – Watch out for this interactive crushing Thwomp!
Bigger Sets
- Piranha Plant Puzzling Challenge – Giant expandable course with 90+ pieces for advanced builders.
- Adventures with Luigi – Extensive 287-piece set with Luigi for 2-player fun.
- Master Your Adventure – Massive 960-piece castle set for the ultimate gameplay experience.
Start with foundational sets then build up the collection over time to create an amazing Super Mario world.
Creative Combinations and Customizations
One of the best facets of Lego Super Mario is the potential for combining pieces from different sets for custom builds. Get creative with these tips:
- Merge expansion set elements – Combines slide and cloud pieces from various kits into one giant course.
- Mix and match characters – Populate the kingdom with your favorite characters like Yoshi, Toad, and Boo.
- Build your own worlds – Use regular Lego bricks in other themes like Ninjago or City to surround the course.
- Create puzzles – Arrange bricks to make Mario bounce in sequence to collect hard-to-reach coins.
- Design custom power-ups – Build contraptions like cannons for Mario to obtain invented power-ups.
- Modify Mario’s abilities – Come up with fun new powers and make paper symbols to insert in Mario’s action slot.
- Change up rules and goals – Invent new gameplay concepts like defeating all enemies within a time limit.
Let your imagination run wild for completely customized courses and power-ups!
Helpful Resources and Inspiration
Looking for more tips, tricks, and creative ideas for getting the most out of Lego Super Mario? Check out these helpful resources:
- Lego Super Mario Official Website – Product details, videos, and building instructions.
- Interactive Instructions App – Digital building guides with zoom and rotation.
- Lego Super Mario YouTube Channel – Tutorials, animated shorts, season 2 sneak peeks.
- Brickset Forum – Discussions and advice from fellow builders.
- Reddit r/legosupermario – Share creations, ask questions, and get news.
- Instagram #legosupermario – Browse photos of custom builds for inspiration.
- Twitter @LEGO_Group – Official Lego account shares updates and sneak peeks.
There are tons of helpful online resources from Lego and the fan community to spark new ideas and improve your Lego Super Mario skills.
Tips for Collecting and Organizing
Successfully amassing a sizable Lego Super Mario collection takes some strategy. Here are pro tips for collecting and keeping all your sets and pieces organized:
- Create a wishlist – Make a list of must-have sets so you know which ones to look for.
- Buy individual minifigs – If you just want a specific character, you can often find them for sale individually.
- Take advantage of sales – Big retailers like Amazon and Walmart often discount Lego sets, even new releases.
- Separate sets by type – Store starter courses, expansions, power-ups, and characters together.
- Organize pieces and bricks – Sort bricks by color, shape, and size to easily find what you need for building.
- Invest in storage solutions – Clear plastic organizing trays and containers keep all your Lego tidy.
- Label containers and baggies – Use sticky labels, masking tape, or a marker to identify sorted parts.
- Keep instructions handy – Store instruction booklets together in a binder for easy reference.
- Dust regularly – Wipe down display shelves and storage containers to prevent settled dust.
With smart collecting strategies and organization, you can amass an impressive Lego Mario collection.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
How do the Lego Mario sets work?
The Mario figure contains digital components and sensors. When he jumps on action bricks, lands on different colors, collect coins, etc., he displays reactions on his LCD screen and speaker.
What’s the best starter set?
The Lego Super Mario Starter Course includes Mario himself plus basic bricks for building terrain, enemies, and obstacles to get started.
Do I need more than one Mario?
The sets are designed for one player with one Mario. But you can have fun with a second Mario playing simultaneously or alternating in multiplayer.
What are Mario’s power-ups and abilities?
Sets come with special power-up suits for abilities like flying (Propeller Mario), climbing walls (Cat Mario), and building with bricks (Builder Mario).
How do I store all my Lego Super Mario sets?
Bins, containers, organizer cubes, and shelving units help keep sets organized. Separate by starter course, expansions, characters, etc. and sort loose bricks by type.
Bring Mario’s World to Life with Lego
Lego Super Mario transforms the beloved video game into hands-on toy playsets. With an interactive Mario figure, sets for building courses, and special power-ups and characters, fans can bring the Mushroom Kingdom into their homes. Constructing your own levels and running Mario through them feels like playing the real game – and the sets encourage creativity and imagination as well.
With tips for building techniques, gameplay, collecting sets, and storage, you can get the most magic and enjoyment out of Lego Super Mario. Keep an eye out for new releases so you can expand your collection with even more exciting sets. Just remember to stock up on extra brick separators to keep Mario’s feet unstuck! With Lego Super Mario, you’ll be exclaiming “Let’s-a-go!” for awesome real-world gameplay.