Super Mario 64 is a landmark game for both Nintendo and the game industry as a whole. With a new Lego set based on Super Mario 64, it looks like the game is continuing to influence Nintendo, this time being its merchandising.
What is there to say about Super Mario 64 that has not already been said? When it launched in 1996, the game pioneered 3D platforming and camera control that would go on to define the following generations. There are now so many different ways to play Super Mario 64, and it is constantly referenced by later games in the series. Since then, Mario has grown as an icon as well, Nintendo partnering with LEGO in 2020 to release a series of customizable sets, where players can construct their own courses and have Mario interact with various items.
This morning Nintendo announced its latest collaboration with Lego, a set based on Super Mario 64. The "Super Mario 64 Question Mark Block" set seeks innovation just like the game it is based on did, as the set is much more complicated and detailed than at first glance. On the surface is just the iconic Super Mario question block, but open up the top and within are miniatures of some of the game's most recognizable courses. Considering Nintendo's last major Mario branding was with an expensive Super Mario TAG Heuer Smartwatch, this comes as a breath of fresh air. More images of the set can be viewed here.
There are four courses that pop out of the top of the set, them being Peach's Castle, Bob-omb Battlefield, Cool, Cool Mountain, and Lethal Lava Trouble. On top of the 10 included microfigures featuring Mario, Peach, and others, the mainline Lego Mario and Luigi figures are compatible, revealing special animations when interacting with the block. With precisely 2064 pieces, the "Super Mario 64 Question Mark Block" runs for $169.99 and will be available for purchase on October 1, 2021.
It is so exciting to see Mario's LEGO sets become more diverse in who they are marketed for. While the traditional Mario sets are surely for all ages, their premise of constructing courses and using Mario to play them is definitely much more child focused than this set is. The 18+ age suggestion and sure scale of the Question Block indicate that this set is specifically for older fans who want to express their love for Mario through LEGO. Now if Nintendo would green light Zelda or Metroid Lego sets, then it would really be onto something.
Super Mario 64 released in 1996 for the Nintendo 64.