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Wahoo! Super Mario Maker comes to life in new toy set from LEGO and Nintendo
Break out your plunger and best pair of blue overalls! Thanks to a new partnership between LEGO and Nintendo, the world will soon have a Super Mario building block set that blurs the line between toys and video games. Basically a simplified and physical version of Super Mario Maker for younger audiences, the set (teased earlier this week) allows players to build their own Mushroom Kingdom levels in which the happy-go-lucky Italian plumber can dispatch enemies and collect coins.
In the video below, you can see that the iconic Nintendo mascot isn't just a lifeless brick figure. He's battery-operated and capable of basic facial expressions and pre-recorded phrases (it sounds like those were provided by Charles Martinet, long-standing voice actor for the character). Enemies include Koopa Troopas, Goombas, Shy Guys, Piranha Plants, Bloopers, and Baby Bowser.
“We are very excited to bring Mario into the physical world through interactive and social LEGO play”, Julia Goldin, Chief Marketing Officer, EVP of the LEGO Group, said in a statement. “With this experience we will help millions of kids with love for Mario to engage and play in a completely new way, where they are in control of creating and playing games with their favorite character. By seamlessly incorporating the latest digital technology, LEGO Super Mario is a highly social, interactive and collaborative experience for kids.”
“I have always liked LEGO products and how they help children use their imagination to play”, added Takashi Tezuka, Executive Officer and Game Producer of Nintendo Co., Ltd. “The new product we created together with the LEGO Group seeks to combine two different styles of play – one where you freely build the world of Mario and the other where you play with Mario in the very world that you have created.”
Super Mario LEGO is slated to go on sale later this year.
