LEGO Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi Review

Anyone who knows me has heard me wax poetic about Super Mario World at least once. The 1990 2D Super Nintendo Entertainment System platformer is one of my favourite games of all time. So, when I saw LEGO announce the ‘Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi set, I knew I’d have to add it to my collection.

The Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi set is a robust 1,215-piece set, available now for $169.99 in Canada. As you can imagine from the name, the set features the titular character Mario adorned in his yellow cape, making him Cape Mario. He’s found riding his faithful companion Yoshi over a grassy knoll. The entire set is built in a 2D plane, inspired by the 16-bit visuals of the game itself. Despite this being based on one of my favourite childhood games, the Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi set is suggested to be a build for those 18 or older.

LEGO’s Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi set is one of the more intricate ones I’ve put together. Not because of its scope or how many pieces it incorporates. In actuality, the Super Mario World-inspired build is 15.5 x 10 inches. While a bit on the taller side, the set can be beautifully stored on a shelf after completion. The set’s intricacies actually stem from how many interactive and moving parts there are.

The entire Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi set is built to mimic the movements and running effects from the game. To simulate the visuals of Mario riding Yoshi as he runs through a level of Super Mario World, the set features a rotatable crank on the right side. When using this, Yoshi’s legs begin to run in place with his arm swinging. Eagle-eyed fans may notice that Yoshi’s orange-coloured arm is still represented. In Super Mario World, Yoshi’s arm was coloured orange rather than green by accident. The sprite has since been fixed in more recent games like Super Mario Maker. However, it’s a nice touch by LEGO to maintain it.

Adding to this, Yoshi’s face and tongue are adjustable as well. Separate from the aforementioned mechanisms, the top half of Yoshi’s mouth can be opened. A separate dial is located on the back of Yoshi’s head. Using this, Yoshi’s tongue will pop in and out, just as it did in Super Mario World when Yoshi ate apples and enemies.

The build itself is not too intensive. As with other LEGO sets, the company includes a comprehensive step-by-step instruction manual. You can also find and download building instructions online if you prefer to use a smartphone or tablet on your table. As per usual, the 1,215 pieces incorporated in the set do include a few extra small studs and coloured pieces. Just in case you lose one to the depths of under a couch or one gets sucked up by a vacuum, you should be covered in most cases.

The building process itself is roughly 4-5 hours. For those who grew up with Super Mario World, this set is a beautiful nostalgic celebration of one of Nintendo’s very best platformers. The design is thoughtful and deliberate. I was very pleased by how much ingenuity went into the hidden mechanisms and moving components. It’s another incredible feat for the LEGO engineering team. I also hope that on top of the LEGO Nintendo Entertainment System, LEGO Super Mario The Mighty Bowser, and other Mario-themed sets, LEGO and Nintendo continue to invest in the wonderful relationship.

If you’re looking for your next nostalgic-fueled LEGO set to put together on your own or with the family over a weekend, look no further than the Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi set, available now for $169.99.