Marking the first major LEGO crossover into the video game world since Overwatch, the upcoming LEGO Super Mario sets already look to be an eccentric new take on Nintendo's iconic mascot. Unlike most other typical LEGO sets, Mario's first venture into the iconic toy brand will offer buyers the opportunity to construct their own levels, with a digital component making these custom-built Mario adventures feel wholly interactive.
Naturally, concerned parents are likely worried that these fairly advanced LEGO Super Mario sets are liable to get damaged when left with young children, especially as the toy version of the iconic plumber himself contains LED screens. However, a new interview with Nintendo Life seems to have put that worry to rest, with the LEGO set's lead designer Jonathan Bennink commenting on the strange way that Nintendo tested the quality of its new lineup of toys.
"They found quite a lot of similarities, as you can imagine, both on our target group, and also on the quality of the products and the safety of the products," Bennink told the Nintendo-focused publication when asked about how the collaboration between LEGO and the iconic video game giant began. He then begins to note how LEGO has never had a client test the safety and quality of their products so rigidly, claiming "every time we shipped a Mario to them, they dropped it 6,000 times. That is Nintendo quality – that was new for us!" As quality-assurance goes, dropping a product 6,000 times to ensure it won't break is a pretty decisive way of proving that your toy can withstand some serious punishment.
The fantastic interview comes with a number of other intriguing reveals about the LEGO Super Mario sets, including how the toy company scrapped an app that instructed users how to build levels in favor of developing a new app that would inspire them to create their own levels from scratch. There also appears to be a tiny hint that LEGO could delve into other Nintendo franchises at some point as well, with Bennink telling Nintendo Life that "we have such a good brand fit and similar consumer types that, you know, we really hope that we can do more in the future."
Those looking to get their hands on the new line of sets won't have to wait long to do so, with the LEGO Mario starter set and various other expansions slated to hit shelves tomorrow. That's not all though, as the LEGO NES also drops tomorrow as well, boasting a strikingly authentic recreation of one of gaming's most seminal consoles.
The LEGO Super Mario Starter Set, Power Up-Packs & Expansion Sets are slated for release on August 1st.
Source: Nintendo Life