Back when he made his debut in 1981’s Donkey Kong, Mario’s blocky appearance was a big part of what endeared the Italian plumber to gamers all over the world. Now, through the LEGO Mario range, he’s given physical block form (well, technically brick form, but you get the point). Whether you’re old enough to have played the original Super Mario Bros., or first discovered the franchise through Mario Kart face-offs with friends, the LEGO Mario collection is a nostalgic match made in heaven, and right now, you can now get them at up to 40% off as part of Amazon’s Cyber Monday sales.
It would have been cool to just have LEGO Mario sets that were the same static playset design as the LEGO tie-ins of other big franchises, but what makes them particularly interesting is that they are a kind of hybrid between a toy and a game. The LEGO Mario figure runs on batteries and will interact with different parts of the sets, making jumping sounds and playing music that matches his location. He even has a little timer that goes down while you get him through the level, just like the games.
You have to get a starter set first, to get the special LEGO Mario (or LEGO Luigi) figure that can interact with the sets, but then after that each set is a kind of level of its own. There are various characters who came with the sets too, including Yoshi, Bowser and Toad. It’s a really fun way to pay tribute to Mario’s platforming games.
Here are ten of the best LEGO Mario deals currently available:
If you’ve already got the starter set, it could be a good opportunity for you to stock up on some of the expansions. Equally, as the starter sets are included in the offer, this could be a good time to start building your LEGO Mario collection. Of course, they make excellent Christmas gifts for Mario fans too.
It’s unclear exactly how long these deals are going to last though, so make sure that you don’t wait too long before making a purchase. Also, do take a look at our Cyber Monday hub if you want to find other bargains like these.