LEGO is finally answering fan prayers by introducing a proper minifigure for Nintendo’s mascot, Mario.
A first look at the Mario minifigure has been revealed via Instagram, showing the plastic plumber leaping out of a warp pipe. The design features a new mould for Mario’s head, with his cap, sideburns, nose and moustache all part of its shape, rather than simply printed on.
The response has been positive, following years of wait for LEGO to make a proper Mushroom Kingdom minifigure. And while we’re still to find out exactly when and where Mario will be making his minifigure debut, LEGO has at least said to expect the design sometime in 2027.
“New form unlocked,” LEGO wrote on Instagram, revealing Mario’s design. “THEY LISTENED,” posted one fan in an excited response. “THIS IS LITERALLY ALL WE WANTED,” wrote another.
Of course, LEGO has featured Super Mario sets for years, though the toy company has previously kept its range focused around its larger electronic Super Mario toy, as well as a handful of more detailed builds. This has left LEGO’s primary Super Mario range looking and feeling more like Duplo, its theme for younger kids, despite fan calls for proper minifigures.
It remains to be seen which sets LEGO will use to debut Mario, and which other Mushroom Kingdom residents will also get the minifigure treatment. But if we were to guess, a Princess Peach’s castle with Mario, Luigi and Peach seems a fairly safe bet.
Could the new Mario minifigure also be part of LEGO’s Smart Play range? Announced earlier this year and launched last week, LEGO has begun infusing some of its sets with Smart Bricks and Smart Minifigures, which provide an extra layer of interactivity — creating noises and light-up elements when various elements are combined.
This week has seen a flurry of other Mario-related news, in celebration of Mario Day on March 10. Nintendo has now released its final trailer for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (and confirmed that Donald Glover is voicing Yoshi), and revealed a release date for Nintendo Switch 2 platformer Yoshi and the Mysterious Book. In other LEGO news, yesterday brought our first full look at the Luigi Mario Kart set. And at the same time, numerous Nintendo Switch Mario games are currently on sale.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
