The best Lego Mario sets to buy in 2024

The Lego Super Mario line includes a huge range of courses that can be mixed and matched to make custom levels. But everyone needs to start somewhere – and we recommend the Lego Adventures with Mario Starter Course as the best beginner set of the series.

This nabs you several foundational features. Firstly, you’ll get your own Lego Mario, a blocky Lego figure with interactive electronic features rather than your standard minifig. You’ll also get everything you need to craft a highly playable starter level right out of the videogame – including green pipes, goombas, question blocks, Baby Bowser, and that end-of-level flag.

While Mario’s closest pals all have a starter set of their own, we recommend sticking with the series’ main character when choosing your first starter course. He’s the most identifiable character in the series (which can be key for getting younger builders interested), and his course comes with all the key trappings of a Mario level. You can expand your Lego Mario Adventures World later, but this is the essential foundation to build upon.

Although I know that there are some people who will argue that Donkey Kong is a series with a distinct existence from Mario (because I’m one of them), but it is undeniable that the Lego Donkey Kong range has been positioned as a sub-brand of the Lego Super Mario range, and I feel it deserves some representation on this list.

If you look at the best Lego Donkey Kong sets list, you’ll see that all of them are fantastic in their own ways, but I recommend this one here for a couple of reasons: first, it’s the only set that features Donkey Kong himself, and with the addition of Cranky Kong too, you’ve got the originally Donkey Kong recommended in some way too. The second is that DK’s treehouse is one of the most iconic and prolific locations within the series, and this set is filled with charming small details that reference several Donkey Kong games.

I wish the walls of the treehouse were a little less rickety, but other than that, I love just about everything about this. I think the Kongs looks especially great (much closer to their in-game depiction than a lot of the Lego Mario characters), and immersive environmental details like shrubs and trees really help make the set feel like a tangible place.

If you’re a Donkey Kong fan who wants to get the most out of this, keep in mind that you’ll also need to get one of the Lego Mario starter sets to do so. There are a few tiles that will prompt Lego Mario to interact with the Kongs, or that make Donkey Kong music start to play – they’re not spectacular, but they’re fun little interactive elements that are quite charming. It’s just a shame there’s no way to hear them without having the Mario figure.

Read our full Lego Donkey Kong’s Tree House review.

If you want to relive the feeling of playing the first Super Mario Bros game on the NES, the Lego Nintendo Entertainment System is the perfect set for you. Young Super Mario fans might not find the same appeal in this highly complex build, but it’s got huge amounts of value for money when it comes to adult builders.

Yes, this is one of the Lego Super Mario series’ most expensive Lego sets. But its innovative features and gorgeous details make it worth the price if you’ve got the cash to spend.

You’ll be building the titular NES console and controller, complete with a cartridge that slots inside, just like the real thing. There’s also a retro television displaying scenes from the 1983 videogame, with a side handle that moves Mario across the screen when turned.

The Lego Question Mark Block is perhaps the most iconic Super Mario Lego set. The enormous block appears simple on the outside, but many delightful secrets are hidden within. Compartments within can be opened up to display tiny vignettes of different levels from Super Mario 64. It’s a truly unique set that makes a surprising and joyful build.

We consider this a must-have for collectors who love Nintendo and can handle the steep price. There’s less here for young Lego fans, however.

This is another complex build that’s more about display value over play. Your Super Mario Adventures figure will interact with the set if placed nearby, but otherwise, this is a set to place on a shelf and marvel at once it’s finished.

If you want the best and the biggest, meet The Mighty Bowser Lego set. At almost 3,000 pieces, this is a humungous set that displays the iconic Mario villain in all his enormous glory – and it’ll keep you busy building for hours.

Recreated in high levels of detail, this Bowser is surprisingly sturdy and poseable for his size. If you wanted to bring him down from the shelf for a climactic battle with Mario, you could do so with minimal worry about Bowser’s fragility. He can even launch fireballs and inspire reactions from your digital Mario figure.

You’ll definitely need an adult to build The Mighty Bowser (and an adult’s wallet to buy it), but Lego lovers of all ages can appreciate the finished product.

Read our full Lego Super Mario: The Mighty Bowser review.

Released in 2023, the Lego Piranha Plant is a stunning set that recreates Super Mario’s most memorable plant (and you don’t even have to water it). A well-designed pipe and poseable plant make for an excellent build and a wonderful display piece for tables or shelves of any size. There are even some hidden secrets to discover during construction – always a welcome and delightful surprise.

Perhaps the biggest downside of the set, however, is its lack of play value. There are no compatibility with Lego’s other Super Mario courses or figures, and a poseable stem and head only get you so far. Still, if you’re mainly in this for the building, the Piranha Plant offers great value for money.