Super Mario 2021 - Rumors & Discussion

[Modal]

23 minutes ago, BrickBob Studpants said:

Thanks for reminding me  Why, OH WHY, did it have to be Illumination, the studio that prides itself on not producing anything above mediocre? Couldn’t Nintendo have jumped over their own shadow for once and just work with Sony? Potential sets is the only possible upside to this, as long as they stick to the designs. 

I mean the movie is going to be terrible by default, so I think it’s safe to say the only good thing from it will be the sets. And LEGO has a pretty good track record with movie sets. At least for their own movies…

[Falconfan1414]

2 hours ago, Portal Out said:

Ok real talk.. is there something up with Mario minifigures? Like it's been a discussion point since day one, and here we are a year later and we're no closer to getting them.

Some stipulation with Nintendo on the license perhaps? Maybe they wanted them to debut in a cmf series first, but Lego had already filled up all the 2020-21 spots? Maybe it took them an extra year and a half to decided whether or not Mario should get a printed nose?

My guess would be minifigures would hurt the interactive figures sales and those are selling good from my understanding. They seem like they want to try this and then when needed switch to minifigures 

[Fuppylodders]

I believe falconfan is on it. I've said essentially the same thing before, and I think the same now. They got a Nintendo licence. Minifig stuff is easy guaranteed money and essentially the top of the game. They could take that safe route, or, go innovative and try different routes which are more in keeping with what TLG are trying to accomplish at this very point in time. Trying to reach out to non lego fans and bring them into the fold/addiction. Nintendo are synonymous with being digital games focused, and TLG have been trying to break into the digital interactive market for some time now, albeit with minimal/no real success (AR stuff, various online games/dimensions etc.). They've finally done it with the current Mario stuff, so they're going to push that for all its worth and get what they can out of it. The '?' Block? A new path of innovation in reaching out to non lego but Nintendo fans. 

With what they're going for, I think the set hits the nail on the head. I'm happy for everyone that likes this and wants/gets it. 

For me, the nostalgia in the printed tiles being awesome just isn't quite enough to satiate my desires for Nintendo stuff. Someone a few posts back has already literally listed anything I'd be happy with as there is soooo much minifigure potential (mariokart/zelda etc) 

[jedisquidward]

I know that Lego never, ever does this, and since there are different exchange rates it wouldn't really work, but since it's $169.99 in the US, they should have just said screw it and make it $164

[RichardGoring]

8 minutes ago, jedisquidward said:

I know that Lego never, ever does this, and since there are different exchange rates it wouldn't really work, but since it's $169.99 in the US, they should have just said screw it and make it $164

It's 2064 pieces, so they've done it that way. Same as the Saturn V. It's also more memorable than the price and universal.

[TheMainBricker]

1 hour ago, Fuppylodders said:

I believe falconfan is on it. I've said essentially the same thing before, and I think the same now. They got a Nintendo licence. Minifig stuff is easy guaranteed money and essentially the top of the game. They could take that safe route, or, go innovative and try different routes which are more in keeping with what TLG are trying to accomplish at this very point in time. Trying to reach out to non lego fans and bring them into the fold/addiction. Nintendo are synonymous with being digital games focused, and TLG have been trying to break into the digital interactive market for some time now, albeit with minimal/no real success (AR stuff, various online games/dimensions etc.). They've finally done it with the current Mario stuff, so they're going to push that for all its worth and get what they can out of it. The '?' Block? A new path of innovation in reaching out to non lego but Nintendo fans. 

With what they're going for, I think the set hits the nail on the head. I'm happy for everyone that likes this and wants/gets it. 

For me, the nostalgia in the printed tiles being awesome just isn't quite enough to satiate my desires for Nintendo stuff. Someone a few posts back has already literally listed anything I'd be happy with as there is soooo much minifigure potential (mariokart/zelda etc) 

I hardly think that a big yellow cube that pops out some scenes could hardly be could innovative, and the Mario sets which are just different versions of Mouse Trap aren't innovative either. Personally the fact that the all the instructions are only on an app is unforgivable.

I do wonder outside of the starter sets, how well the Mario series is actually performing.. I'm seeing a lot of parents say how the sets just gather dust with children, and it does seem to be a theme with constant reductions on it. A lot of those expansion sets would be better sets if they had minifigures.

[Fuppylodders]

31 minutes ago, TheMainBricker said:

I hardly think that a big yellow cube that pops out some scenes could hardly be could innovative, and the Mario sets which are just different versions of Mouse Trap aren't innovative either. Personally the fact that the all the instructions are only on an app is unforgivable.

I do wonder outside of the starter sets, how well the Mario series is actually performing.. I'm seeing a lot of parents say how the sets just gather dust with children, and it does seem to be a theme with constant reductions on it. A lot of those expansion sets would be better sets if they had minifigures.

Innovative within the realms of TLG style sets. Show me another set like it, that they have released. 

Again, the Mario style sets are innovative within the realms of TLG and their range of products. The digital aspect along with physical 'boardgame style' of play is definitely innovative for them. 

I'm certainly not saying you're wrong, but show me a digital supplement of mousetrap (well, not mousetrap itself, but as an example) . While I'm not clued up on what games are out there nowadays, I genuinely have no idea about anything similar existing, especially involving Mario. 

I can't speak on your second paragraph, all I have is hearsay and what I've seen people say (a mix of both--doing well, and gathering dust) so I also wonder, but, I've seen a lot of positiveness surrounding these sets about kids enjoying it. 

Nothing will stop me wishing for minifigure sets though, that's where my hearts at with this nintendo licence. 

Edited September 9, 2021 by Fuppylodders

[TheMainBricker]

50 minutes ago, Fuppylodders said:

Innovative within the realms of TLG style sets. Show me another set like it, that they have released. 

Again, the Mario style sets are innovative within the realms of TLG and their range of products. The digital aspect along with physical 'boardgame style' of play is definitely innovative for them. 

I'm certainly not saying you're wrong, but show me a digital supplement of mousetrap (well, not mousetrap itself, but as an example) . While I'm not clued up on what games are out there nowadays, I genuinely have no idea about anything similar existing, especially involving Mario. 

I can't speak on your second paragraph, all I have is hearsay and what I've seen people say (a mix of both--doing well, and gathering dust) so I also wonder, but, I've seen a lot of positiveness surrounding these sets about kids enjoying it. 

Nothing will stop me wishing for minifigure sets though, that's where my hearts at with this nintendo licence. 

The Lego Idea Pop-Up Book set has already done scenes appearing from something else. So this set doesn't seem anything different.

[Lyichir]

Personally I think the Mario movie has the potential to be decent. Illumination has a good track record for cartoony humor (especially slapstick), which at the very least should suit the franchise better than the gritty cyberpunk approach of the last attempt. I'm not necessarily expecting it to be high art, but to be honest the story of most Mario games isn't exactly groundbreaking either, and this movie at least feels like it has the potential to look and feel like the franchise it's supposed to be based on. The fact that, after so long swearing off Hollywood entirely, Nintendo has decided to give it another shot with this also isn't a bad sign.

Anyway, part of the reason I'm not really in any rush for minifigure-based sets is because I just don't see them being a better fit for the franchise. Yes, some people prefer minifigs on a purely character-based level (and I get the appeal of being able to put Mario in your streetscapes or whatever alongside other licensed minifigure characters, so if there were ever something like a CMF series I could see picking some up). But even the best MOCs I've seen of Mario locations often feel weirdly sterile. Mario levels, in general, are playgrounds, areas designed for action and jumping and kinetic motion. Purely diorama-based sets lack that appeal, even if you get the details exact—and standard minifigures are in no way as conducive to the kinds of incredibly clever functionality the "digi-fig" is capable of. Add in the fact that 90% of Mario characters and enemies aren't a great fit for the minifigure form, with most being non-humanoid and even the ones that are humanoid tending to have fairly distinctive features and proportions that could be lost with a one-size-fits-all figure type.

Like, beyond mainly being a Lego fan, there's a reason why the Super Mario and Mario Kart K'nex sets didn't really appeal to me at all. The action of the gameplay seemed poorly tacked on to figures who couldn't meaningfully engage with it, and the figures, beyond just lacking the iconic simplicity of Lego minifigures, also tended to poorly conform to a couple set sizes of blocky humanoids (even the ones like Bowser, Donkey Kong, and Koopa Troopas whose stance and appearance weren't a good fit for that. Even when I'd try to conceptualize Mario sets myself on LDD or Stud.io, I couldn't find a way to make minifigure-based figures and scenes to put them in that felt like the minifigure framework benefitted them (rather than just being there because it felt obligatory for how I conceived of a Lego theme at that time). The Lego Mario sets we've gotten up to this point have largely felt good to me BECAUSE they opted for builds and play features that didn't use minifigures, rather than in spite of it.

Regarding the pictures of the new set... it's certainly not what I was already hoping for (that being a big expansion set to the current Mario sets based on Peach's Castle). But I like the overall display this seems to offer, the way it all pops out or folds away seems clever, and it at least seems to offer SOME gameplay with the existing Lego Mario and Lego Luigi (even if, like the NES last year, it's not really compatible with the other sets from the theme beyond those two figures). And I also generally like that Lego is experimenting like this with new and unique ideas for D2C sets, instead of feeling constrained to a certain "type" of set for this theme. There'll still be time to get the kinds of set I was expecting some time in the future, so a one-off Super Mario 64 tribute doesn't hurt my feelings any. I might even try to see how customizable this is—maybe I could even try to design some alternative levels to swap these out for!

[Modal]

Hey guys, so I think I found an image that gives us a big clue on what that hidden compartment hides

See the purple background and the star? It’s definitely the boss fight with Bowser.

https://imgur.com/qEWzOpj

 

 

Edited September 11, 2021 by Modal

[Lion King]

Ah no Mario minifigures yet? Oh well. 

This Question Block set looks neat.

[BrickBob Studpants]

38 minutes ago, Modal said:

See the purple background and the star? It’s definitely the boss fight with Bowser.

I sure hope so  If so, I wonder how Micro-Bowser is constructed and if it involves any additional new prints 

[gedren_y]

King Bob-omb looks like he is built with an old bead from a pen/keychain (parts that had slightly too small studs and anti-studs), I don't remember seeing a part matching that shape anywhere else. If someone has, let me know.

[jedisquidward]

Does anyone know what those rounded corner pieces are for the block? I've seen them before but I can't find them.

[Clone OPatra]

3 hours ago, gedren_y said:

King Bob-omb looks like he is built with an old bead from a pen/keychain (parts that had slightly too small studs and anti-studs), I don't remember seeing a part matching that shape anywhere else. If someone has, let me know.

I'm going to guess it's this wheel with a bar through it: https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=55889#T=C&C=11

 

9 minutes ago, jedisquidward said:

Does anyone know what those rounded corner pieces are for the block? I've seen them before but I can't find them.

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=67810

[CF Mitch]

10 hours ago, BrickBob Studpants said:

I sure hope so  If so, I wonder how Micro-Bowser is constructed and if it involves any additional new prints 

I actually thought the black 1x1 brick with the yellow horns was supposed to be Bowser, though I hoped it wasn't 
Does anyone have an idea what or who that little build is supposed to represent?

Thanks guys!

Regards,
Mitch

[BrickBob Studpants]

22 minutes ago, CF Mitch said:

I actually thought the black 1x1 brick with the yellow horns was supposed to be Bowser, though I hoped it wasn't 
Does anyone have an idea what or who that little build is supposed to represent?

That’s Big Bully  

[CF Mitch]

4 hours ago, BrickBob Studpants said:

That’s Big Bully  

Oooohh, of course!
Duh!

Thanks, haha!

Anyway, I actually look forward to getting this set, it'll be my first Super Mario LEGO set  
As much as I love the concept of a board game style representing the classic video games, it's just too big for me to fit it all.
Like many of you, I believe, I still hope some day a nice system scale set with actual minifigures will show up, but until then, the Super Mario 64 Question Mark Block will do very nicely 

Regards,
Mitch

[Kit Figsto]

I really like the ? Block set, but I've never really been big on stuff that's not minifigure scale, with the exception of some vehicles.  I think the little dioramas are awesome, and Mario 64 is one of my favorite video games ever, so I'm tempted in that regard, but the block doesn't really appeal to me as much.  The design and folding mechanism look awesome, but I only really want the level/castle dioramas.  

[Lyichir]

34 minutes ago, Kit Figsto said:

I really like the ? Block set, but I've never really been big on stuff that's not minifigure scale, with the exception of some vehicles.  I think the little dioramas are awesome, and Mario 64 is one of my favorite video games ever, so I'm tempted in that regard, but the block doesn't really appeal to me as much.  The design and folding mechanism look awesome, but I only really want the level/castle dioramas.  

I think you could potentially look at it from the perspective of the ? Block acting as storage for the dioramas, if you wanted to help justify it to yourself. With the dioramas folded inside of the block they take up less horizontal shelf space than the dioramas would take up positioned side by side, and you could quickly fold them out for easy access when you wanted to look at the various scenes.

[Zepthire]

This is what is hidden 

 

 

[CF Mitch]

Love Bowser, he looks so great!

Definitely getting this set

Regards,
Mitch

[jedisquidward]

Like the NES, I'm slowly warming up to this set. I get why they went with a ? Block, but I really want to mod it into a red ! Block. It wasn't even something I cared about at first, but I can't shake the feeling it will make the set look a lot better overall.

[Lyichir]

5 hours ago, jedisquidward said:

Like the NES, I'm slowly warming up to this set. I get why they went with a ? Block, but I really want to mod it into a red ! Block. It wasn't even something I cared about at first, but I can't shake the feeling it will make the set look a lot better overall.

I've thought about that! Especially since it'd be a great excuse to make additional level dioramas for a blue and green block. The issue I ran into is that the authentic N64-style blocks have a checkered border with seven alternating white and colored squares along each edge—which the 22x22 stud dimensions of this block aren't quite conducive to. I suppose you could fudge it a bit and have 3x3 squares along each edge with a single 3x4 square in the middle.

[Modal]

It’s super obvious why they chose the ? Block instead of the ! Block. I really don’t understand anyone who is confused by the change.