LEGO Super Mario 2024 revisits some nostalgia from the Nintendo 64!
As much as some AFOLs despise the Mario line, I absolutely love it. I have two daughters who have reviewed sets on the website for us before. It’s always been a joy to see them play with the sets how they are intended to.
But, this time around, LEGO have made us not any courses, but play spaces. Visiting Toad in his shop is barely a timed adventure course, nor is going to the Penguins either.
So how do these sets line up with the theme overall? How good are they for kids? And why am I recalling moments of my childhood sitting down and playing the Nintendo 64?
Available from LEGO.com and LEGO Stores from 1st December 2024 and 1st January for Australia / New Zealand.
LEGO Super Mario – Nabbit at Toad’s Shop Expansion Set (71429)
Nabbit at Toad’s Shop gives us our first appearance of Nabbit in a mainline set that isn’t the blind boxes. Although both Toad and Nabbit are essentially the same as their previous counterparts (though Nabbit’s bag is a little different and able to carry goods). This is a cheap way for people to get their hands on both of these figures and bulk up their residents of the Mushroom Kingdom.
The Set mainly comprises of two shelves, a shopping cart and a counter. That being said, I would think that this set is more akin to a Market than a shop, as a shop’s shelves are stereotypically inside.
The ‘shop’ is like a shell, with the main ‘counter’ being akin to the previous Toad-like buildings of the theme. With a slew of food items, a shopping cart, and a few toys, there is a few things for LEGO Mario to look at. But not necessarily interact with. Even the built toys can’t sit any of the character’s hands.
But there is something about the layout of Toad’s shop, the shelves and the inclusion of random items that really stuck out to me, and unlocked this memory for me.
Throw Back To Mario Party 3
This is Messy Memory, from Mario Party 3. This game involves a bunch of mischievous Toads messing up some items and using memory to place them in the correct spots.
It might just be coincidence, but I think that somewhere in the designer’s thought whilst making this set that this bit of nostalgia might have clicked for them too.
Overall, this set wholly comprises of the nice little builds that sit to the side. An unprinted duck piece (WEIRD), and two interactive tiles for Mario’s shopping experience. It isn’t anything mind blowing as far as the Mario line is concerned. But knowing that my kids have Mario/Luigi/Peach interact in friendly environments rather than hostile is always a win with them.
LEGO Super Mario – Penguin Family Snow Adventure Expansion Set (71430)
The Penguin Family Snow Adventure may be a simple penguin set to some. But to those of us who played hours upon hours of Super Mario 64, you know what this set means.
Yes, just like the original Super Mario 64, Mario is off on an adventure to help reunite the baby penguin with its parents! With one simple jump on the interactive tile and a short trip to the other. The set makes easy work recreating the nostalgia that came with the old-school N64 games. It’s a shame it can’t recreate the, uh, murder.
The set comprises of an arctic sled, ice cave, fish snacks, small ice platform and icy slide. The slide can be used with the Ice Sled, as well as being able to be detached to turn into an ice rink to skate on!
I also love the snow-penguin that sits on top. That’s fun.
My kids are easily going to be obsessed with this with the penguin search-and-rescue feature, and I think that this makes it an easy win.
Verdict
I like these sets, as they’ve gone and unlocked some core memories in my brain I didn’t think were still around.
Between the both of these sets, there is one clear outlier between the two. One set clearly surmounts the other as far as play opportunities go, as the search-and-rescue feature can overextended on to multiple other courses in the LEGO Super Mario theme.
I have no qualms whatsoever about recommending the Penguin Family Snow Adventure to whoever wishes to get it, but Toad’s Shop surely leaves something else to be desired.
I don’t know how I would change it to make it better, as I’m sure there are numerous part budgets that make it difficult, but even something like a new Toad colour or Mini-Mushroom would have easily done the trick.
Thank you for reading
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