LEGO Super Mario: when the brick started playing

AnalysisLEGOMerchandising

An electronic figure that reads the bricks and keeps score. Launched on 1 August 2020 for the 35th anniversary of Super Mario Bros., the LEGO Super Mario line slips an electronic Mario into the heart of the construction set. This analysis covers the 71360 starter course and how it works, the arrival of Luigi and Peach, the companion app and the Power-Up costumes.

LEGO Super Mario (same name in English, Lego Super Mario) is the line born from the meeting of Nintendo and the LEGO Group, launched on 1 August 2020. Its wild idea: slipping an electronic figure at the heart of the brick, able to "play" real levels laid out on the living-room table.

Rather than assembling a frozen diorama, the child builds a physical course and guides a sensor-packed Mario that reacts, counts the coins and lets out his little cries. A look back at this reinvention of the toy, from its 2020 grand entrance to the minifigures announced for 2027.

Contents

• A partnership for Mario's 35th anniversary
• An electronic Mario figure that "plays"
• The 71360 starter course and how it works
• Luigi, Peach and the app: playing together
• Power-Up costumes, enemies and surprise packs
• From the gradual retirement to the 2027 minifigures
• Quick facts
• FAQ

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A partnership for Mario's 35th anniversary

The line was unveiled to celebrate the 35 years of Super Mario Bros., the game released in September 1985 in Japan that founded the legend of the moustachioed plumber. Nintendo, long cautious with its precious licences, this time teamed up with the LEGO Group for a project that had no equivalent on the toy shelves.

The result is not just a box of bricks with Mario's face on it. It's a hybrid play system, halfway between construction toy and video game, where the on-board electronics turn every build into a genuinely playable level. A first for LEGO as much as for Nintendo.

The worldwide launch on 1 August 2020 came with more than fifteen sets and a series of collectible blind bags, laying down from the outset a dense universe that expansions would enlarge year after year.

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An electronic Mario figure that "plays"

The heart of the line is the interactive Mario figure. Hidden under his red cap are LCD screens set in the eyes, the mouth and the belly, able to display more than 100 reactions instantly, depending on the movements and the obstacles met along the course.

Under his feet, a colour sensor continuously reads the bricks and the visual codes hidden in the scenery. Rolling over red simulates lava and costs a life; jumping on a Goomba displays victory and credits a few virtual coins. Every surface has its own meaning.

A speaker built into the figure completes the illusion, playing the series' iconic music and sound effects , from the famous theme to the jump noises. The figure doesn't merely decorate the set: it lives it in real time, and that is what makes the concept so original.

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The 71360 starter course and how it works

It all starts with the Adventures with Mario Starter Course (set 71360), with 231 pieces. It's the only set that contains the Mario figure: every other box exists purely to enrich and extend the playing field around him.

The rules faithfully echo 2D platforming. You set off from the starting Warp Pipe , clear platforms and enemies, then reach the finish flag before the sixty-second timer runs out, picking up as many coins as possible along the way, all counted by the figure.

The pack comes with seven action bricks, a Goomba and Bowser Jr. as your first opponents. Each brick triggers a different effect, so the course can be taken apart, rebuilt and rearranged endlessly to invent new challenges and beat your own score.

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Luigi, Peach and the app: playing together

After Mario, two other heroes earned their own electronic figure: Luigi (starter course 71387, 2021) and Princess Peach (pack 71403, 2022), each with their own expressions, their own lines and their own reactions on the face and belly screens.

The line's big idea: these figures connect over Bluetooth. Bringing Mario together with Luigi, or with Peach, opens a two-player co-op mode on the same course and makes bonus coins rain down, rewarding teamwork in very concrete fashion.

A free app rounds out the whole thing: it acts as a digital instruction booklet, tracks scores, suggests challenges and level ideas, and updates the figures' firmware. It remains optional, though, because you can play perfectly well without a single screen.

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Power-Up costumes, enemies and surprise packs

The real strength of LEGO Super Mario is how far it expands. Dozens of expansion sets orbit the starter course, lengthening the tracks and adding scenery, moving platforms, Warp Pipes and new enemies to face, from the scorching desert to Bowser's castle.

The Power-Up Packs dress Mario in costumes that change his powers and his reactions: the fire suit throws fireballs, the cat suit climbs vertical obstacles, the propeller makes him "fly" and the builder outfit smashes bricks. Each outfit triggers a brand-new sound and image on the chest screen.

Finally, character surprise packs, sold blind, round out the collection with non-electronic figures of iconic enemies, from Bob-omb to the little Goombas. Enough to populate the levels while keeping alive the collecting instinct Nintendo holds dear.

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From the gradual retirement to the 2027 minifigures

Despite solid critical success, the interactive line was gradually retired. Contrary to a widespread belief, everything did not vanish at once in 2024: most of the sets sold through between 2024 and the end of 2026, with a few starter courses holding on the shelves longer than the rest.

The successor is already announced. On 10 March 2026 (" MAR10 Day ", a nod to the date that reads like Mario's name), LEGO and Nintendo teased "classic" Super Mario minifigures for 2027: a Mario with an all-new mould, joined by Luigi, a Yoshi with a removable shell and a Bowser as a large figure.

Exit the LCD screen: these minifigures drop the original on-board electronics and should rely on LEGO's new SMART system to recreate sounds and effects. A page turns for the format, but the plumber himself stays firmly bolted to the brick.

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LEGO Super Mario at a glance

Official French name	LEGO Super Mario (Adventures with Mario Starter Course)
English name	Lego Super Mario
Creators	Nintendo and the LEGO Group
Worldwide launch	1 August 2020
Occasion	35 years of Super Mario Bros. (1985, Japan)
Founding set	71360 — 231 pieces
Interactive figures	Mario (2020), Luigi (2021), Peach (2022)
Announced successor	"Classic" minifigures in 2027

🍄 Want to keep the adventure going? Discover our LEGO Mario sets in the shop.

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FAQ

• When did LEGO Super Mario come out?
  The line launched worldwide on 1 August 2020, to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the game Super Mario Bros., released in 1985 in Japan.
• What makes the Mario figure special?
  It's electronic: LCD screens in the eyes, the mouth and the belly display more than 100 reactions, a sensor reads the colour of the bricks and a speaker plays the game's sounds.
• How many interactive figures are there?
  Three, each with its own starter course: Mario (71360, 2020), Luigi (71387, 2021) and Peach (71403, 2022). They connect over Bluetooth for a co-op mode.
• Do you need an app to play?
  No, the free LEGO Super Mario app is optional. It adds the digital instructions, score tracking, challenges and firmware updates, but you can play without a screen.
• Is the interactive line finished?
  Yes, the electronic-figure line was gradually retired, mainly between 2024 and the end of 2026. Classic Super Mario minifigures are set to take over in 2027.

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