Founded in 1889, Nintendo attained recognition in Japan with its handmade hanafuda cards, eventually expanding into the wider world of children’s toys. The mid-80s would see business boom internationally thanks to the Famicom video game console, known as the Nintendo Entertainment System overseas. Nintendo would shift its focus almost entirely to the publication of digital entertainment from that point, but its recent collaboration with LEGO returned physical toys to the forefront, with the newest expansion set in the collection debuting on January 1, 2022.
A set of LEGO buildables based on the Luigi’s Mansion games are now available that expand on the LEGO Luigi Starter Kit that debuted in 2021. The Haunt-and-Seek Expansion Set includes LEGO versions of Toad and King Boo along with two other generic ghost enemies, and it features interactive elements like a rotating hallway, a battle with a haunted pool table, a portrait that can trap Mario and friends, and, of course, a showdown with the subseries’ spectral antagonist.
Also available are the Entryway and Lab and Poltergust sets, the former including an interactive mansion door alongside the characters Polterpup and Bogmire, and the latter including Professor E. Gadd and a costume for Luigi which comes equipped with the iconic ghost-grabbing tool from the Luigi’s Mansion games.
While assembling these sets is certainly part of the fun, the LEGO Luigi’s Mansion expansion—as with all sets in the recent Nintendo LEGO series—is meant to be played with. Builders can steer LEGO Luigi through the course, collecting gems and bashing boos along the way. The overall objective is to get as many gems as possible in 90 seconds, and visual and audio effects emitted from the Luigi figure’s speakers and LED screens give the overall experience a distinct Mario Bros. feel.
Retailing for just shy of $80, the Luigi's Mansion Haunt-and-Seek Expansion Set is one of the pricier ancillary sets in LEGO’s new product line. The Lab and Poltergust and Entryway sets are slightly less expensive, retailing for $30 and $40, respectively. Of course, the total for all three sets amounts to 150 dollars, which isn’t an insignificant asking price.
That said, these releases are often sought-after collector’s items that are quickly either sold out or retired, and, given that they work with the other sets in the LEGO Mario series, this newest installment could significantly add to any enthusiast’s LEGO adventure. When combined with the other Luigi’s Mansion sets, there’s quite a lot of content on offer, likely requiring several hours of build-time depending on skill level.