The newest LEGO Super Mario set has been released: The Mighty Bowser. The set containing 2,807 pieces features the King of the Koopas in his largest scale yet.
The set is the latest product from the LEGO and Nintendo partnership. It follows the 71374 Nintendo Entertainment System and the 71395 Question Mark Block The Mighty Bowser will be available starting October 1st for US $ 269.99 | CAN $ 349.99 | UK £ 229.99
A courageous hero through many adventures, this legendary Nintendo character has been brick-ified by builder Sybricks with only 101 pieces. This Brick-Link is fantastically detailed, from Master Sword and Shield to iconic green tunic and swoopy haircut. Typical Miniland figure-building techniques get turned on their head with the molding of Link’s hair, hat, and face (those pointy ears are clever). Bulky building in the arms partnered with clever color blocking gives the effect of Link’s puffy tunic and white undershirt. Inventive parts usage helped the builder recreate the Tri-force on Link’s shield along with the hilt and blade of the sword.
Given the parts limit, Sy couldn’t build the entire figure as he wanted. I hope he explores the theme again though so Link can really kick some butt one day. Until then, he can hang with Stuck Chuck from Kid Cosmic.
When it comes to large-scale LEGO character builds, few do it better than Eero Okkonen. This time he has outdone even himself with this scene taken from Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. Ultimate game, which he says is his biggest scene build so far. The terrain and background are excellent, and very well shaped, but naturally, the stars of the show are Palutena and Wario. Palutena’s dynamic pose looks excellent in Eero’s signature style, with perfectly lifelike features. The gold trimmings look great, fashioned out of a smorgasbord of pieces that includes wings, wheel rims, and a saxophone.
With that said, I think Wario is the real highlight of the build and frankly would have been worthy of a feature on his own! He is wonderfully expressive, his angular facial features perfectly captured and set against his – *ahem* – rotund figure. The exaggerated pointed finger is faithful to his “Down Tilt” move, although it can be replaced with the more conventional white-gloved hand. I can almost hear his distinctive Wa-Ho in the distance…
Check out more of Eero’s collection of colourful characters here!
John Kupitz has created this incredible build of everyone’s favourite plumber, Mario. A wide range of pieces are used in this model’s construction, from a baguette to a scorpion and even a rabbit in the M logo at the hat. On the right side of the face, a monkey is cleverly hidden and represents part of the hair, while there is a Mario printed piece, from the NES set, at the ear. The photo of this mosaic has been taken at just the right angle so that all the parts blend to form this stunning display.
There’s a worry that when someone builds something in LEGO that looks so much like the real thing folks may simply pass it up when scrolling through social media. We at The Brothers Brick, on the other hand, are slightly more astute than the average bear when it comes to spotting clever LEGO creations. I can assure you, fellow bears, that this creation by Julius von Brunk is a clever one. It likely would have been featured anyway if it was merely a well-built LEGO facsimile of the Super Nintendo Game Console. Normally, we’d highlight this or that sweet build technique, point out a nice parts usage here or there then move on with our day. Shampoo, rinse, repeat. But then. But then upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that each element, the game console, cartridge, and both controllers transform into robots!
There are a lot of reasons to get the LEGO Nintendo Entertainment System. From hidden easter eggs in the build to fantastic play features, the set is hands down one of the best sets the LEGO Group has ever released. It’s hard to imagine getting this set and ever wanting to break it down. Then again, some builders just can’t help themselves. Mech Master Moko harvested some printed tiles from the remains of this amazing set to bring us another piece of nostalgia, with a twist. This ingenious model transforms from a classic handheld gaming system into GAMEBOY-ROBO.
The marriage of LEGO and Nintendo that occurred in the last year has been a gift to nerdy builders everywhere. The Super Nintendo set blew our collective minds, and the Mario sets have given builders of all ages a fun new way to interact with the classic characters. Though the game is a cool idea for the Mario sets, the printed pieces and newer molds that LEGO provides in this line give builders a chance to do what they do best and build their own versions. Enter Bruce Lowell and his model of Bowser. At a larger scale than the official LEGO version, this build of the classic bad guy gives more definition and form to his legs and arms. The claws look awesome, and the spiked straps on his arm are an awesome detail. While the official LEGO Bowser’s proportions are a bit cartoonish, this version gives the character a more realistic feel. This is especially true in the face, which Bruce has molded with more depth and detail, abandoning the printed mouth tile and opting for a working jaw instead.
It’s been a great time for LEGO and Nintendo fans with the many official sets that were released recently to fulfill all your nostalgia needs. There’s the LEGO 71374 Nintendo NES system, then there’s the Super Mario Themed sets that has a never-ending list of expansion and power up packs to collect. What about some love for the console that has continuously set new records – the Nintendo Switch? It’s never a problem when talented builders like Tiago Catarino takes matters into his own hands.
Seemingly inanimate objects coming to life – we’ve seen it before in movies like Toy Story or Transformers; now we’re seeing this notion come alive in LEGO form with this Nintendo “Switch Imp” model by Zane Houston.
My favorite part of this build are the imp’s Switch controller arms in their iconic blue and red color scheme. These brick-built arms mainly utilize common elements such as bricks and slopes in various sizes constructed by way of the SNOT (studs not on top) technique. The buttons on the controller arms are rendered by black 1×1 round tiles while the joy sticks are cleverly composed of black round 1x1s with bar and pin holders, 2×2 round plates with an open stud, and 2×2 plates with round bottoms. The rest of this mythological mashup is comprised of a menagerie of black slopes, bricks, and tiles with a couple white cheese slope pieces serving as teeth thrown in. Better watch where you put your things, judging by this build you can never really know what your household items are up to when you’re away – they really could have a life of their own.
The new parts in the Super Mario sets are opening a whole new world of possibilities for LEGO fans’ creations. One new world that I’m particularly pleased to see, is Super Mario World, as built by Alex Saar.
While I suspect the new sets were the obvious inspiration for this creation, there’s only one piece from the new sets included. That one piece though, the printed Bullet Bill face, really ties the other brick built parts of the scene together with the theme. Maybe it’s just hitting me in the nostalgias really hard, but in my opinion, everything about this creation is pretty perfect. Whether it’s the perfect angles and dimensions on the large background objects, or the texture of the underground, or the way Mario is crouching just enough to look like the giant bullet will graze his head (but those who have played the game will know it’ll just miss him. And Mario himself, the boat tile is the perfect compressed hat, and the black rubber band works brilliantly for the little plumber’s hair and moustache!
It’s important to understand as you read this review of the new LEGO 71374 Nintendo Entertainment System that I never owned an NES myself as a kid back in the 80’s. But I wanted one. After all, it felt like nearly every one of my friends in the neighborhood in Japan where I lived had a Famicom, or later the true NES launched in 1985. As I went over to my friends’ houses and played Super Mario and the very first Legend of Zelda, I so very desperately wanted one! But I never did, partly because I was told that I had enough toys in the form of all the LEGO underfoot in my bedroom. Now, I can buy my own (US $229.99 | CAN $299.99 | UK £209.99) and build it for myself from LEGO, which seems even better. Does this marriage of my favorite little plastic bricks with the big plastic brick of my dreams live up to 35 years of pent-up expectations? Let’s find out…
Read our hands-on review of LEGO 71374 Nintendo Entertainment System
August has arrived and that means new LEGO sets! LEGO has launched 108 new sets and items available today. In addition to new sets like the Nintendo NES and Super Mario lineup, Ideas Grand Piano, Star Wars 501st Battle Pack and LEGO Art, fans in the US and Canada can finally celebrate the summer arrival of Harry Potter, Creator 3-in-1, City, and Ninjago waves that you’ve waited so patiently for. Nearly every LEGO theme has some new sets–it can be a lot to process!– so we have your complete guide right here detailing each and every new set and item. [EDIT: It appears that LEGO may have delayed the US & Canada release of some of these sets until September. We’ve asked for clarification.]
LEGO is also offering two free gifts-with-purchases at the start of August. The first is 30385 Super Mushroom Surprise, free with purchases of LEGO Super Mario sets more than US $40 through August 16th or while supplies last.
The second freebie is LEGO is also 40414 Monty Mole & Super Mushroom Expansion with in-store purchases of the 71360 Adventures with Mario Starter Course through August 9th or while supplies last.
See the entire August 2020 wave of new LEGO sets now available