2025 looks like it should be a very big year for fans of the Mario Kart franchise. Over the last few months, LEGO has released multiple Mario Kart sets, but those options have been part of the overall Super Mario line, which is aimed at builders of all ages. By contrast, the LEGO Mario Kart – Mario & Standard Kart set is aimed squarely at adult collectors. I had the chance to review the new set ahead of launch and found it to be a nice option for those looking for a display piece, or a way to kill time ahead of Mario Kart World‘s release. However, there are a couple of elements that hold it back from the greatness of past LEGO and Nintendo collaborations.
At 1,972 pieces, the Mario & Standard Kart set is one of the biggest sets LEGO has produced based on a Nintendo franchise. Across various Mario Kart games, the Standard Kart model has changed quite a bit, but LEGO’s designers went with the one specifically introduced in Mario Kart 8. In its finished form, the LEGO set faithfully captures the design, bringing the iconic vehicle to life in a way that should appeal to fans of the video game series. There’s even a bit of play value to the set, as the wheels offer a lot of traction, and Mario’s pose can be changed inside the Kart.
In addition to the Kart itself, the set also tasks buyers with putting together Nintendo’s mustachioed mascot himself. It’s a great likeness of Mario, and should offer some relief for those who aren’t fond of the figures that come with the LEGO Super Mario starter kits. Unfortunately, the LEGO Mario included in the Mario Kart set leads to one of the biggest problems with the build: while the figure can be easily removed from the Kart itself, LEGO has made it so that Mario cannot stand on his own. The legs aren’t totally fixed in place, but the designers gave Mario a flat bottom that makes it impossible to move the legs any lower.
The Mario figure is easily the most disappointing aspect of the set. Given its $169.99 price point, it feels like a strangely cheap decision on the part of LEGO. Nintendo fans already willing to spend that kind of money on a Mario Kart set would have probably been willing to pay a little extra for a figure capable of more play value and articulation. It seems like a safe bet that hardcore LEGO builders will come up with a workaround, but it’s confounding that this option wasn’t included from the start. It really does hold the set back, while making it harder to recommend compared to other options aimed at the 18+ crowd.
Speaking of the set’s recommended age rating, the Mario & Standard Kart set does offer a pretty good challenge. LEGO’s instructions remain of much higher quality than basically any other toy manufacturer, but I found that it can be very easy to make a mistake when putting the set together. I made a lot of mistakes with piece placement while putting it together, either due to bags filled with similar colors or some of the more unique choices made in the design. The result is nice, and the Kart itself feels sturdy when complete (though Mario’s head is a little flimsy), but I did find a lot more difficulty than I was expecting, even compared to some other big builds.
Mario is the most glaring problem with the Mario & Standard Kart set, but there are a couple of other elements that hold it back. For one thing, the set simply isn’t as enjoyable to build as last year’s Super Mario World – Mario & Yoshi set. That design had a lot of fun nuances, and there was a bit of joy to be found in discovering which pixel elements were being built throughout the process. With so many bags of red and black, the Mario & Standard Kart set just wasn’t as enjoyable to put together. It also would have been nice to get a hidden interactive element that worked with the standard LEGO Mario figure, like we saw with Super Mario World. The exclusion is all the more puzzling when you consider that the LEGO Mario Kart set (which is priced at $19.99) does come with an interactive brick piece.
In total, most LEGO builders should expect to spend between eight and nine hours to put together the Mario Kart – Mario & Standard Kart set. The Kart itself takes about 5 hours to complete on its own, with the rest of the time dedicated to building the Mario figure and the Kart’s stand. That’s pretty close to the amount of time that The Legend of Zelda Great Deku Tree set took to complete, so fans should be prepared to set aside a lot of time. Of course, LEGO sets are often about the journey as much as the destination, so most collectors probably won’t mind.
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While the LEGO Mario Kart – Mario & Standard Kart set has some notable flaws, it’s still a very nice option aimed at older collectors. Nintendo’s greatest strength is that its games have always managed to appeal to a wide range of players, and it’s clear that LEGO is looking for ways to appeal to both subsets of Nintendo’s fan base. All in all, the Mario & Standard Kart set is a nice option for those that don’t mind parting with some coins this close to the release of Mario Kart World.
How do you feel about LEGO’s various Nintendo sets? Is there a set design you’d like to see next from the company? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!
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