It's been several years since LEGO formalized its creative partnership with Nintendo – a collaboration that has brought to life some of LEGO's most inspired and accessible sets. Back in 2020, LEGO clearly delineated its offerings for different age groups. For children, LEGO introduced Super Mario playsets – digital/physical hybrids that allowed kids to build and navigate their own Super Mario courses. For adults, LEGO offered iconic replicas, massive sets that evoke waves of nostalgia for Gen-Xers.
However, in the years since, LEGO has intentionally blurred the lines between sets designed for children and those for adults. The newer LEGO sets for kids are now more complex and engaging, while the adult-oriented sets have become more whimsical and cartoonish. This shift aligns well with Nintendo's family-friendly ethos, making these LEGO sets appealing to fans across generations.
Adventures with Interactive LEGO Mario
6 $49.99 at Target Set: #71439 Age Range: 6+ Piece Count: 218 Dimensions: 1.5 inches high, 4 inches wide, 3 inches deep Price: $49.99
The LEGO Super Mario playsets empower you to craft your own Mario courses. Using an LED Mario figurine, you can scan barcodes on enemies and obstacles, triggering audio feedback like music and classic Mario sounds. Your collected coins are tracked in an app, which syncs with Mario and records your progress.
This latest starter set includes the essential Mario LED figure; other expansion sets won't function without it. It also comes with a starting pipe, a Yoshi figure, a flagpole, and a Bowser Jr. figure inside a Junior Clown Car.
Mario Kart – Standard Kart
3 $19.99 at Amazon Set: #72032 Age Range: 7+ Piece Count: 174 Dimensions: 1.5 inches high, 5.5 inches long, 3 inches wide Price: $19.99
The Mario Kart sets are designed to work with the Interactive Mario LED figure from the Adventures starter set. This classic Kart build comes with a Glider, a Toad pit crew member, and a launching mechanism for Green and Red Shells, perfect for designing race courses. If you're a fan of the Mario Kart games, this set is a fantastic build at just $19.99, making it one of the most budget-friendly LEGO sets available.
The Bowser Express Train
1 See it at Amazon Set: #71437 Age Range: 9+ Piece Count: 1392 Dimensions: 8.5 inches high, 26.5 inches long, 4.5 inches wide Price: $119.99
The Bowser Express Train is a whimsical, colorful, and delightfully narcissistic set featuring a massive Bowser head on the engine's front. It includes six baddies: a Hammer Bro, a Boom Boom, two Goombas, and two Para-Biddybuds. All aboard for fun!
LEGO Piranha Plant
10 $59.99 save 20% $47.95 at Amazon Set: #71426 Age Range: 18+ Piece Count: 540 Dimensions: 9 inches high, 4.5 inches wide, 6.5 inches deep Price: $59.99
We built this set upon its launch, and it exceeded expectations. The LEGO Piranha Plant is brimming with personality and charm, and its quality justifies its price. It's rare to feel you're getting a deal with LEGO sets, but this Piranha in a pipe is both affordable and worth every penny. Highly recommended.
LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog Green Hill Zone LEGO Set
3 $69.99 at Amazon Set: #21331 Age Range: 18+ Piece Count: 1125 Dimensions: 7 inches high, 14 inches wide, 2.5 inches deep Price: $79.99
While not strictly Nintendo, we've included this Sonic set due to our affection for the games. Once rivals, Sonic and Mario are now collaborators, and Sega is a mainstay on Nintendo's online service. We covered this set at its release, and it's a charming diorama of Green Hill Zone 1, complete with a loop and a smirking Sonic minifigure. It's ideal for adult beginners looking to dip their toes into LEGO building. There are more Sonic LEGO sets available, offering various building options for fans in 2025.
LEGO Animal Crossing Nook’s Cranny & Rosie's House
3 $74.99 save 20% $59.95 at Amazon Set: #77050 Age Range: 7+ Piece Count: 535 Dimensions: 6 inches high, 15 inches wide, 5.5 inches deep Price: $74.99
This year, Nintendo expanded its LEGO offerings with Animal Crossing sets. Launched in March 2024, this set – the largest at launch – includes Tom Nook's shop and Rosie the Cat's cottage. With a few more sets like these, Animal Crossing enthusiasts can build their own customizable village, just like in the game.
Fly With Dodo Airlines
1 $37.99 See it at Amazon Set: #77051 Age Range: 7+ Piece Count: 292 Dimensions: 5 inches high, 10.5 inches wide, 3.5 inches deep Price: $37.99
Another iconic Animal Crossing location, Dodo Airlines lets you travel to other players' islands. This set includes a seaplane, a dock/jetty, and minifigures for Wilbur and Tangy, perfect for creating roleplay scenarios.
LEGO Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi
5 Set #71438, includes 1,215 pieces. $129.99 at Amazon Set: #71438 Age Range: 18+ Piece Count: 1215 Dimensions: 15.5 inches high, 10 inches wide, 4 inches deep Price: $129.99
One of the most nostalgic LEGO sets in recent memory, this depiction of Mario & Yoshi features movement with the turn of a crank. Not only do Yoshi's feet move, but also his head and arm, as well as Mario's cape. A separate mechanism triggers Yoshi to open his mouth and stick out his tongue. Standing nearly 16 inches tall, its bright, 16-bit colors truly stand out.
LEGO Great Deku Tree Set
9 Set #77092, includes 2,500 pieces. This 2-in-1 set lets you build the Great Deku Tree in the style of Ocarina of Time or Breath of the Wild with the same pieces. $299.99 at LEGO Store Set: #77092 Age Range: 18+ Piece Count: 2500 Dimensions: 13 inches tall Price: $299.99
We photographed and reviewed this set at its launch. As a 2-in-1 build, you can choose between the Ocarina of Time or Breath of the Wild versions. It comes with three versions of Link, one Princess Zelda, and accessories including the Master Sword and a Hylian Shield. Though fun to assemble, it's one of the pricier LEGO sets available.
LEGO Super Mario The Mighty Bowser
5 See it at Amazon Set: #71411 Age Range: 18+ Piece Count: 2807 Dimensions: 12.5 inches high, 16 inches wide, 11 inches deep Price: $269.99
The Mighty Bowser is the finest Nintendo set LEGO has designed so far and ranks among the best LEGO sets overall. It's a massive, cartoonish, yet disarmingly adorable build of Mario's ultimate adversary. It's larger than you might expect and features a spring-loaded mechanism to "breathe fire."
How Many LEGO Nintendo Sets Are There?
As of January 2025, there are 34 LEGO Super Mario sets, 18 LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog sets, ten LEGO Animal Crossing sets, and 1 LEGO The Legend of Zelda set available for purchase on the official LEGO store.
What's Does the Future of LEGO Nintendo Look Like?
The Mighty Bowser, while technically an expansion playset, is marketed as a standalone set. It showcases a new LEGO Nintendo approach for 2024 and beyond, focusing on designs that don't strictly separate children's and adult sets.
The initial, child-oriented LEGO Super Mario playsets were very piecemeal and airy – isolated, singular elements on simple, flat plates. These builds were too rudimentary, even for children's sets, feeling more like LEGO sets for kids who don't enjoy LEGO.
Today, LEGO Super Mario sets are more substantial and detail-rich, even though they still include barcodes for expansion playsets. The best of these sets, like The Mighty Bowser, prioritize the display and building experience over mobile gameplay. This shift emphasizes the joy of building, which should always be the focus, whether for kids or adults.
There's a great LEGO documentary on Netflix, part of the "The Toys That Made Us" series, which I recommend to anyone interested. My key takeaway is that LEGO has often tried to broaden its appeal through other toys or by reinventing the bricks with augmented reality or niche uses. But these attempts rarely last, and LEGO returns to what people love most – the bricks themselves.
The early Mario playsets emphasized play over build, which was a step too far. Now that LEGO is aligning its sets with its core strengths, the future looks promising.
Be sure to check out our lists of the best Star Wars LEGO sets, best Harry Potter LEGO sets, and if you're into superheroes, the best Marvel LEGO sets as well.
