The Super Mario franchise constantly proves its flexibility by branching out into different game genres. Nintendo's platforming franchise seems to have an endlessly versatile cast of characters. Whether they're trying out sports, racing, or party games, the Super Mario crew seem to shine anywhere. The same is true for physical Super Mario products. For instance, in recent years, LEGO has released a variety of creative, highly interactive Super Mario LEGO sets that bring famous locations and characters from the franchise to life. While the sets released so far are impressive, there are still plenty of Super Mario characters waiting to find their place in this LEGO series.
The Super Mario LEGO sets naturally focus on main characters like Princess Peach, but as the product line expands, it would be great to see secondary characters take the spotlight once in a while. Waluigi, for instance, seems like an excellent source of inspiration for some particularly unique LEGO sets. The Super Mario franchise doesn't give Waluigi nearly enough screen time compared to his peers, in spite of the interesting bits of characterization that he has. By tapping into past depictions of his character, LEGO could make some great Super Mario sets that finally give Waluigi his day in the sun.
Potential Waluigi LEGO Sets
Waluigi's LEGO sets would certainly differ from the ones that Mario and Luigi star in, since Waluigi hasn't been given many opportunities to show off his platforming skills, but they could still be really engaging. For example, Waluigi's roots in Mario Tennis would be a great inspiration for a LEGO set. Fans could assemble a LEGO tennis court with spectators on the sides and a built-in launcher that allows Waluigi and other LEGO Super Mario figures to launch a tennis ball toward the other side of the court. If a second player can try to slide a LEGO figure back and forth to block the short, then LEGO Super Mario has a decent tennis simulator on its hands, celebrating Waluigi's signature skills.
Alternatively, a set based on the iconic Waluigi Pinball track from Mario Kart DS would be excellent. Waluigi Pinball stands out as one of Mario Kart's most creative tracks, and it's a great representation of Waluigi's flashy attitude. A LEGO Waluigi Pinball set seems totally feasible, even if it's just a simple LEGO pinball machine with only a few pins. Placing a Waluigi figure at the top of the set might prompt him to cheer whenever the player scores. The more LEGO builds Waluigi's personality into the sets, the better.
Waluigi's Place in Super Mario
Waluigi simply doesn't get enough recognition in the Super Mario series, even though he's a fan favorite character. Even though Super Mario spinoffs show him as a close ally of Wario and a self-professed adversary of Mario and Luigi, he never gets the chance to play the villain or the hero in a mainline Super Mario game. If Nintendo isn't going to give Waluigi his own game anytime soon, then it at least ought to let him join in on the Super Mario LEGO products.
Sadly, the pattern of Waluigi in Super Mario suggests that quite a few other characters will get the LEGO treatment before him. Yoshi is bound to get more LEGO sets in the future, for instance, and Wario will likely beat Waluigi to the punch in LEGO form as well. Even Rosalina might get a LEGO set before Waluigi, considering how Nintendo has incorporated her into core games like Super Mario 3D World. It's sad to think that Waluigi probably won't get a LEGO set anytime soon, but when he does, he could really shake up the product line. Hopefully LEGO and Nintendo tap into support for Waluigi sooner rather than later.