LEGO’s long-running Super Mario experiment is finally stepping into true minifigure territory, with a full wave of Mushroom Kingdom and Mario Kart sets unveiled at gamescom 2026 and slated to launch on January 1, 2027. The lineup introduces classic Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad, Yoshi, Koopa Troopa, Bowser Jr., and a hefty Bowser big fig in minifig form for the first time, marking a major shift in how LEGO wants fans to play in the Mario sandbox.
Since 2020, LEGO Super Mario has largely revolved around chunky, electronic characters that interacted with digital courses, QR-like tiles, and app-based challenges, creating a hybrid toy-videogame ecosystem. In an official statement, the company describes the new wave as a “refreshed LEGO Super Mario theme” that pivots to “creative LEGO minifigure roleplay action,” signaling that traditional brick-built storytelling is now the priority over screen-linked gameplay. The reveal took place in Cologne during gamescom, underlining how closely Nintendo and LEGO are tying this relaunch to core gaming culture rather than just the toy aisle.
The entry-level sets are clearly tuned for younger builders and casual fans who just want Mario on a shelf or desk. Mario’s Pipe Jump (72052) clocks in at 61 pieces for $9.99 and pairs a classic Mario minifigure with a chunky green warp pipe and a tiny Goomba for quick-display nostalgia. Racing with Mario (72054), an 84-piece, $14.99 build, puts the plumber into his signature kart alongside green and red shells and a banana, echoing the chaos of Mario Kart item battles in brick form. Mario’s Beach Adventures (72055) goes in a more whimsical direction with 196 pieces for $19.99, featuring Mario in swim trunks, a snack bar, a lounger, and a giant crab enemy for a vignette straight out of a tropical side level. Luigi & Bowser Jr.’s Race (72056) scales up the kart racing concept to 104 pieces at $29.99, bringing Luigi and Bowser Jr. together with their own vehicles and accessories so players can stage rival runs right out of Mario Kart’s character grid.
Things get more substantial with the mid- to large-scale sets that lean into Mario’s platforming roots and kart spectacle. Yoshi at Mario’s House (72057) offers a 147-piece, $39.99 diorama with Mario, Yoshi, and another Goomba in a homey scene that bridges character display and playset vibes. Bowser’s Rumbling Race (72058) pushes the kart theme hard at 409 pieces and $59.99, adding karts for Toad, Bowser, a Goomba, and even the fan-favorite Mario Kart World Cow, with most characters rendered as minifigures and the bovine as a buildable model. The flagship build is Fire Mario & Bowser’s Castle (72060), an 850-piece fortress priced at $99.99 that turns the iconic endgame showdown into a sprawling castle layout populated by Fire Mario, Peach, a Koopa Troopa, a Goomba, and a towering Bowser big fig. Rounding out the wave is Fire Luigi vs. Koopa Troopa Battle (72061), a 241-piece, $29.99 set that zeroes in on a one-on-one clash between Fire Luigi and Koopa Troopa, effectively serving as a smaller combat-focused counterpart to the castle centerpiece.
For longtime Super Mario LEGO collectors, the arrival of proper minifigs also reframes earlier, larger Bowser builds and Mario Kart tie-ins. LEGO has already explored the villain’s fortress and kart racing with sets like Mario Kart – Bowser’s Castle (72039), a 1,068-piece, $99.99 build inspired by the Bowser’s Castle track from Mario Kart 8 that features Bowser, Yoshi, a Thwomp, a Lava Bubble, and multiple karts in a more stylized, non-minifig scale. Other Bowser-centric releases such as Prince Florian & Castle Bowser (72042) expanded the theme’s architectural footprint and hinted at how much visual drama LEGO can pull from lava moats, spiked parapets, and Bowser banners even before standard minifigs entered the picture. With the 2027 wave, those earlier sets start to feel like detailed “boss arena” centerpieces that collectors can now flank with minifig-scale courses, races, and character scenes for a more cohesive Mushroom Kingdom display.
The minifig move has been building for months: Nintendo and LEGO first teased the new direction around Mario Day in March 2026, dropping short videos that confirmed minifigure-style Mario sets were finally on the way and fueling speculation about which characters would make the cut. Coverage from outlets like IGN and The Verge has emphasized how significant it is that these sets are designed for ages four and up, priced from $9.99 to $99.99, and released as a clean break from the electronics-heavy format, making them more approachable for both kids and adult fans who prefer pure brick play. For collectors, the big story is compatibility: standard minifigs mean Mario and company can now credibly share space with LEGO City, Ninjago, and even Star Wars shelves without looking like an entirely separate toy ecosystem. LEGO is already framing this as the start of an ongoing refresh, and while Peach’s Castle isn’t part of this first wave, the presence of Peach in the Bowser’s Castle set and the broad character roster strongly suggest this is just the opening level of a much larger minifig-era Super Mario run.
