On Tuesday, LEGO finally revealed the full LEGO Super Mario launch lineup, its first collaboration with equally family-friendly video game company Nintendo. Mashable got the chance to check out some prototype sets, and it feels like new-school tech sparking some old-school play.
LEGO Super Mario includes a starter set, 10 expansion sets, four power-up packs, and a blind bag containing one of 10 classic Nintendo characters. Taking inspiration from Super Mario Maker, it encourages players to build their own Mario levels and share them with others, with an app to help them do so.
Players run LEGO Mario through these self-made levels to collect as many coins as possible within 60 seconds (or more if they land on a time block). A sensor between LEGO Mario's legs detects action bricks, gathering coins and making him react to different characters and environments.
LEGO Design Lead Jonathan Bennink told Mashable this is the first time they've tried integrating such interaction into the bricks themselves. They've also focused on a modular system, encouraging players to creatively rearrange modules rather than strictly follow instructions as with other LEGO builds.
The LEGO Super Mario Starter Course is the only one that includes the titular plumber.Credit: Adam Rosenberg / mashableThe $60 Adventures with Mario Starter Course is a necessity if you want to build a LEGO Mario world, as the previously revealed set is the only one that actually includes LEGO Mario. The blocky little plumber currently won't be sold separately, nor will the green start pipe and end flag needed to complete your level. These elements are essential, as the entire LEGO Super Mario line is built around them.
The fact that there is only one LEGO Mario may be a problem for siblings who hate sharing, though. When asked about multiplayer possibilities, Bennink told Mashable they envisaged children building courses for their family to play, or taking turns to compete.
Bennink's hope that Mario will teach kids to share is admirably optimistic, but seems an unrealistic assessment of typical sibling dynamics. I have my fingers crossed that LEGO Luigi and Peach will soon join LEGO Mario in his adventures.
LEGO Mario can be upgraded with various outfits, or Power-Up Packs, which had also been previously revealed. Mashable played with the $10 Cat Mario Power-Up Pack, a yellow cat-themed outfit for the fashionable tradesman, but Builder, Fire, and Propeller Power-Ups will also be available. Each gives Mario a new ability, which largely means players will earn extra coins for performing certain actions — walking Cat Mario up a wall, for example, or flying Propeller Mario through the air.
It feels almost like teaching children how to play with physical toys, or providing an incentive to those more accustomed to video game rewards. This may not be necessary for some kids, but for others, it provides an imaginative launching pad which they can build upon.
There are 10 expansion sets, each based upon Nintendo's characters and settings such as Bowser's Castle, Mario's House, King Boo, and Yoshi. Mashable had a look at three of these sets: the $70 Toad’s Treasure Hunt set, the previously revealed $30 Piranha Plant Power Slide set, and the $30 Boomer Bill Barrage set.
Toad's Treasure Hunt set was easily the largest of the three, including Toad and Toadette, three mushroom buildings, and even a tree for Mario to climb. If you want to build your own course, this expansion set will give you lots of elements to play with and rearrange, and it looks great.
The Piranha Plant Slide and Boomer Bill Barrage expansion sets.Credit: adam rosenberg / mashableMeanwhile, the Piranha Plant Power Slide set had the most engaging element we tried. Players are challenged to slide Mario back and forth along a see-saw to earn coin multipliers, only holding the contraption by the piranha plants' stems. It's trickier than it sounds, particularly as hitting the ends temporarily prevents Mario from gaining coins. I wish LEGO Mario had an endless mode, so players could see how long they could slide without hitting either end.
The Boomer Bill Barrage set felt more aesthetic in comparison. My intrepid plumber typically fell off its spinning platforms due to movement, rather than being knocked off by one of the titular Boomers. LEGO Mario's feet only click into one of the platforms, so he can easily lose his balance if placed on the other, but taking the time to secure him to the safer platform is tricky when you're rushing through a course.
One thing to note is that some of the sets' functions are deliberately left unexplained. For example, Bennick told Mashable that landing on the end tile with less than 15 seconds left on the clock provided a bonus, and that Mario earned extra coins for "walking" on blue, green, and yellow bricks (or surfaces). None of this information was in the app.
According to Bennick, this was so there would be elements for players to explore and discover during play. However, I found it slightly frustrating to be tasked with earning as many coins as possible despite not knowing what actions would yield them. Whether it bothers you may depend on whether you're the type of person to min-max their play.
Toad's Treasure Hunt expansion set is easily the largest of the sets we played with.Credit: Adam rosenberg / mashableFinally, Mashable supplemented our sets with a ghostly Peepa from the LEGO Super Mario Character Packs. Each $5 blind bag contains one of 10 random Nintendo characters for you to build, including an action brick allowing LEGO Mario to interact with them.
Aside from Peepa, you can expect to find Paragoomba, Fuzzy, Spiny, Buzzy Beetle, Bullet Bill, Bob-omb, Eep Cheep, Blooper, or Urchin. Each comes with a little environmental platform as well, making easier to add them to your LEGO Mario level.
Of course, you aren't obligated to use these platforms. Mashable's sets didn't have large lava biomes which could accomodate Peepa, but they're just as happy haunting a tree, or river, or even a pile of picture books stacked in a tower.
LEGO Super Mario doesn't have rules so much as suggestions, a set of tools for you to use. It's up you to create your own stories and make your own fun.
LEGO Super Mario will launch August 1, and is available for preorder now.
71360 – LEGO Super Mario Adventures with Mario Starter Course ($59.99)
71362 – LEGO Super Mario Guarded Fortress Expansion Set ($49.99)
71363 – LEGO Super Mario Desert Pokey Expansion Set ($19.99)
71364 – LEGO Super Mario Whomp’s Lava Trouble Expansion Set ($19.99)
71365 – LEGO Super Mario Piranha Plant Power Slide Expansion Set ($29.99)
71366 – LEGO Super Mario Boomer Bill Barrage Expansion Set ($29.99)
71367 – LEGO Super Mario Mario’s House & Yoshi Expansion Set ($29.99)
71368 – LEGO Super Mario Toad’s Treasure Hunt Expansion Set ($69.99)
71369 – LEGO Super Mario Bowser’s Castle Boss Battle Expansion Set ($99.99)
71376 – LEGO Super Mario Thwomp Drop Expansion Set ($39.99 - available only with select retailers)
71377 – LEGO Super Mario King Boo and the Haunted Yard Expansion Set ($49.99 - available only with select retailers)
71370 – LEGO Super Mario Fire Mario Power-Up Pack ($9.99)
71371 – LEGO Super Mario Propeller Mario Power-Up Pack ($9.99)
71372 – LEGO Super Mario Cat Mario Power-Up Pack ($9.99)
71373 – LEGO Super Mario Builder Mario Power-Up Pack ($9.99)
71361 – LEGO Super Mario Character Packs ($4.99)
Credit: Adam Rosenberg / mashable
Credit: Adam Rosenberg / mashableTopicsGamingNintendo
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