Review: 72043 Interactive LEGO Mario & Standard Kart
Posted by SetToBuild,
While we’ve known that the Mario Kart subtheme was compatible with the interactive figures, we're only now getting a combined interactive Mario and kart set in its second wave. Newcomers to the digital hero’s escapades can jump-start their racing-themed adventures with a few iconic elements. This is the third set featuring a Standard Kart to be released, and the second at this scale.
Summary
72043 Interactive LEGO Mario & Standard Kart, 278 pieces.
£44.99 / $54.99 / €49.99 | 16.2p/19.8c/18.0c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
Interactive Mario is reunited with the Standard Kart for first-time buyers
- Kart course essentials starter pack
- Identical standard kart
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Box
The sizable box contains five paper bags, interactive Mario within his own protective box, and a loose 6x6 land plate.
There are stickers for the wheels, flags, and the end goal.
Characters
By now, most of us are very familiar with interactive Mario, but here he is in case you aren’t: this digital character is what you use to scan the ‘Action Tag’ barcodes in the LEGO Super Mario sets to trigger digital reactions while you interact with the LEGO elements. He plays sounds, has gyro sensors, and can wear a variety of different costumes (Power-Up packs). Get the full breakdown by reading our review on 71360 Adventures with Mario.
I was excited to receive a new one, since sadly, my 2020 version now thinks he is always wearing the Cat Mario Power-Up Pack. However, this one has a different annoyance: the electronic part of the figure doesn’t fully snap down into the overalls. No matter how hard I press down, it doesn’t fully click in and slowly rises back up. If you look closely at the right side of the figure, you can see it’s slightly raised. I tried several different Power-Up Pack outfits, and they all had the same result.
The Bob-omb is the same as this one in 71396 Bowser Jr.'s Clown Car . Unfortunate moulding marks blemish this character’s otherwise cute face. Scanning the barcode displays a Bob-omb on the hero’s screen and a fuse will begin to burn. Multiple hits will give coins, but be careful! If you’re still scanning when the fuse runs out, the hero will get ‘blown up’ and sent flying. It doesn’t actually affect your progress, but it’s still a nice feature.
This latest Thwomp is an improvement on this early version or the one in 72039 Bowser's Castle. It now has uniform spikes on three sides, and anti-studs on the bottom for LEGO compatibility. Previously restricted to a track in 71376 Thwomp Drop, it’s cool to now have a standalone Thwomp whose barcode doubles as a handle which allows you to freely deliver a stoney demise to any unsuspecting enemy. The barcode scan action is similar to a miniboss, needing five hits to defeat it—but this doesn’t totally make sense to me, as usually Mario can’t stomp on a Thwomp.
Completed Model
The kart is exactly the same as the one in 72032 Standard Kart, except for the build order of some pieces, and omission of the glider and the flames coming out of the exhaust.
Besides the edge of the track itself, a handful more scene-setting pieces are included. The START barcode is the same as that found in the starter course pipe. The podium’s GOAL barcode finishes both courses and races. Its flag stickers are sadly single-sided. The iconic Item Box is another essential of Mario Kart, granting the player a power-up item. In this set, the banana peel, red shell and green shell items are included in LEGO form.
Play
Scan the kart’s barcode to rev its engine. Quickly turn the car left and right in place to start the race. Lakitu appears on screen with the race fanfare and a sixty-second countdown. If you move the kart forward on time when the race starts, you get a six-coin ‘boost’. Once on the move, the Mario Circuit theme plays for the duration of your journey.
Gain extra coins by ‘drifting’ around the corners by spinning the car in place 360 degrees during the race. This is a little awkward in practice, but I suppose the gyro sensors couldn’t pick up on the subtlety of a drifting motion.
Scan the Item Box barcode to grant a random power-up which Mario reacts to and gains coins from. If it’s a banana, he says “surprise!” or “you’re welcome!”, a blue shell he says “for you!” or “yahoo!”, a golden mushroom he says “go go go!”, and for Bullet Bill he says “YAHOOO!”.
Scan the GOAL barcode tile to finish the race and listen to Mario Kart 8's 1st place theme. If you don’t scan the tile before the time runs out, the race still ends just the same. Make sure you collect at least some coins, or else you’ll get a “MAMMA MIA” with this stunned expression.
Conclusion
This set conveys the spirit of Mario Kart with the essentials: a driver, a kart, a hint of the track and finish line, some iconic items and a couple of enemies. It’s clearly catering to new fans of LEGO Mario who don’t already have an interactive hero figure but want to play with Mario Kart courses rather than the platform-style courses.
72032 Standard Kart has the same kart which fits Mario, and is still available for those who want a spare kart for other brick-built characters or for interactive Luigi or Peach to ride. However, until this set arrived, it would have cost £45 + £18 for a newcomer to pick up interactive Mario and his kart. At first, I was frustrated that this set repeated the same kart, but given how iconic this pairing is, I’ve warmed up to the idea that the Standard Kart is available both with Mario and on its own.
As far as value goes, this set is more compact than the other sets interactive Mario has been available in, and while it includes several small characters, track-related accessories, and special items, I’m on the fence about whether it feels like £45 worth of toy for the targeted 7-year-olds.
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23 comments on this article
Considering they have used these same yellow wheels in six(!) different sets by now, makes you wonder why those are still stickers....
(especially considering round stickers are even more annoying that square ones)
That design flaw on the Mario figure seems like a serious oversight. I don’t know if I’d be willing to accept that if I were to purchase this set.
@L3G0_0ptimusPr1m3 said:
"1st! I don't have anything else to say. Just wanted to be first."
It's ironic you say that, because you are actually in second place in the comment chain.
Anyway, I agree with the @WizardofOss comment about the wheels needing to be printed.
Thwomps aren't very uniform, mind you. I believe the Super Mario Bros U version of Thwomp is more similar to the one in 71376, to the point where you can comfortably stand on one without taking damage. This is true in the SMBU-style in Mario Maker 2, at least - it's been a while since I've played the real SMBU, you see.
I like Thwomp. That face just speaks to me. Here, let's browse a gallery together, it'll be good for us:
https://mario.fandom.com/wiki/Thwomp/Gallery
I'm glad there's not much in this set that I'd miss out on if I opted for the other sets (since I already have a digi-Mario). Last year's starter packs were a bit frustrating since they included things like the smaller Junior Clown Car and Fishin' Lakitu that hadn't come in any sets before (good for new buyers but less so for people who already had the earlier starter packs).
A shame about your Mario's overalls not fitting, I'd definitely report that to customer service and try to get a replacement.
@Murdoch17 said:
" @L3G0_0ptimusPr1m3 said:
"1st! I don't have anything else to say. Just wanted to be first."
It's ironic you say that, because you are actually in second place in the comment chain.
Anyway, I agree with the @WizardofOss comment about the wheels needing to be printed."
Ohh he's deleted it now....
@Murdoch17 said:
" @L3G0_0ptimusPr1m3 said:
"1st! I don't have anything else to say. Just wanted to be first."
It's ironic you say that, because you are actually in second place in the comment chain.
"
He was first, got hit with a blue shell though
@Mister_Jonny said:
"That design flaw on the Mario figure seems like a serious oversight. I don’t know if I’d be willing to accept that if I were to purchase this set."
It sounds to me like that’s a manufacturing flaw, not a design flaw. So hopefully it’s a very small number of figures that have the issue.
@B_Space_Man said:
" @Mister_Jonny said:
"That design flaw on the Mario figure seems like a serious oversight. I don’t know if I’d be willing to accept that if I were to purchase this set."
It sounds to me like that’s a manufacturing flaw, not a design flaw. So hopefully it’s a very small number of figures that have the issue.
"
Perhaps, but this is the company for whom “only the best is good enough…”
I bought the first one 72032 for my nephew but since he has no interest in the 'digital Mario' (he is into the real game on Switch 2), I ordered a few lose parts and made a brick-built Mario to go with it - the result is not that bad and my brick-built Mario is actually seated! (which is safer for driving race car)
@Mister_Jonny said:
" @B_Space_Man said:
" @Mister_Jonny said:
"That design flaw on the Mario figure seems like a serious oversight. I don’t know if I’d be willing to accept that if I were to purchase this set."
It sounds to me like that’s a manufacturing flaw, not a design flaw. So hopefully it’s a very small number of figures that have the issue.
"
Perhaps, but this is the company for whom “only the best is good enough…”
"
No company that manufactures anything at all can be immune to occasional manufacturing defects.
@Andrusi said:
" @Mister_Jonny said:
" @B_Space_Man said:
" @Mister_Jonny said:
"That design flaw on the Mario figure seems like a serious oversight. I don’t know if I’d be willing to accept that if I were to purchase this set."
It sounds to me like that’s a manufacturing flaw, not a design flaw. So hopefully it’s a very small number of figures that have the issue.
"
Perhaps, but this is the company for whom “only the best is good enough…”
"
No company that manufactures anything at all can be immune to occasional manufacturing defects."
Most importantly, it should be possible to ask for a replacement, correct? I've never had to for anything electronic, so I don't know if the process is the same, but I find Lego customer service to be pretty reliable.
@alLEGOry_HJB2810 said:
" @Murdoch17 said:
" @L3G0_0ptimusPr1m3 said:
"1st! I don't have anything else to say. Just wanted to be first."
It's ironic you say that, because you are actually in second place in the comment chain.
Anyway, I agree with the @WizardofOss comment about the wheels needing to be printed."
Ohh he's deleted it now...."
13th!!
The Mario not being able to sit in the car kinda ruins it for me. But then again, this is one theme that just hasn’t spoken to me, even though so many of the sets are cute.
Eh. Doesn't have enough to accompany the digital Mario. 71360 was better in this. Honestly the kart functions feel kind of underdeveloped, with the exception of Mario's phrases.
First! (Assuming I get *just* the right combo of power-ups to bump me up the list. That's how it works, right?)
@Andrusi said:
" @Mister_Jonny said:
" @B_Space_Man said:
" @Mister_Jonny said:
"That design flaw on the Mario figure seems like a serious oversight. I don’t know if I’d be willing to accept that if I were to purchase this set."
It sounds to me like that’s a manufacturing flaw, not a design flaw. So hopefully it’s a very small number of figures that have the issue.
"
Perhaps, but this is the company for whom “only the best is good enough…”
"
No company that manufactures anything at all can be immune to occasional manufacturing defects."
Yeah, that’s probably true, but we’re also talking about something that’s been manufactured for five years at this point; does that have a bearing on how likely it is to be faulty? In any case, a review like this would make me a bit anxious about buying it; I’m sure Lego would replace it, but I also don’t know if I could be bothered faffing about with a replacement.
Maybe I'm a little slow, but I'm still not convinced this game system has any lasting appeal to anyone above Duplo age - neither in-depth reviews nor articles like https://brickset.com/article/53191/Are-we-having-fun-yet?" have succeeded in changing my mind. As none of my friends has kids in the requisite 4-8 age group, I neither has first nor second-hand accounts of its entertainment value. I only know my nearest toy store has given up on the theme (but they have a very limited Lego selection and also gave up on the Brickheads after having loads of 41595 Belle, 41601 Cyborg and 41602 Rey warming the shelves for like a year after the rest of those waves sold out).
It seems like the interest varies strongly with region - German readers says no-one cares about the theme, while those in the US says it's quite popular. It's also interesting to see the comments on the very first articles about this theme, when even the hardcore apologists said it's "almost certain" we'd see minifig-based sets soon. The continued releases should of course indicate that the theme sells reasonably well, but I can't shake the feeling Lego and Nintendo are sticking their fingers in their ears and going "Lalala-I-can't-hear-you-these-sets-are-popular-lalalala".
@axeleng said:
"Maybe I'm a little slow, but I'm still not convinced this game system has any lasting appeal to anyone above Duplo age - neither in-depth reviews nor articles like https://brickset.com/article/53191/Are-we-having-fun-yet?" have succeeded in changing my mind. As none of my friends has kids in the requisite 4-8 age group, I neither has first nor second-hand accounts of its entertainment value. I only know my nearest toy store has given up on the theme (but they have a very limited Lego selection and also gave up on the Brickheads after having loads of 41595 Belle, 41601 Cyborg and 41602 Rey warming the shelves for like a year after the rest of those waves sold out).
It seems like the interest varies strongly with region - German readers says no-one cares about the theme, while those in the US says it's quite popular. It's also interesting to see the comments on the very first articles about this theme, when even the hardcore apologists said it's "almost certain" we'd see minifig-based sets soon. The continued releases should of course indicate that the theme sells reasonably well, but I can't shake the feeling Lego and Nintendo are sticking their fingers in their ears and going "Lalala-I-can't-hear-you-these-sets-are-popular-lalalala"."
It's you.
@Mister_Jonny said:
"That design flaw on the Mario figure seems like a serious oversight. I don’t know if I’d be willing to accept that if I were to purchase this set."
That'd be an absolute "I demand a refund" situation for me. Inexcusable for any LEGO piece to fit improperly, let alone an expensive electronic figure.
@Mister_Jonny said:
" @Andrusi said:
" @Mister_Jonny said:
" @B_Space_Man said:
" @Mister_Jonny said:
"That design flaw on the Mario figure seems like a serious oversight. I don’t know if I’d be willing to accept that if I were to purchase this set."
It sounds to me like that’s a manufacturing flaw, not a design flaw. So hopefully it’s a very small number of figures that have the issue.
"
Perhaps, but this is the company for whom “only the best is good enough…”
"
No company that manufactures anything at all can be immune to occasional manufacturing defects."
Yeah, that’s probably true, but we’re also talking about something that’s been manufactured for five years at this point; does that have a bearing on how likely it is to be faulty? In any case, a review like this would make me a bit anxious about buying it; I’m sure Lego would replace it, but I also don’t know if I could be bothered faffing about with a replacement. "
Strictly speaking, there's a possibility of one of the molds involved wearing out over time, but that's not really a reasonable conclusion to jump to unless it starts to look like there are *lots* of instances of 72043 having a defective Mario. From just *one* sample, I'd more likely suspect it's just a matter of statistics: there are a lot of Marios out there now, a bad one was going to come up eventually.
(While I'm thinking about it, the article doesn't mention test-fitting the overalls with another Mario or the Mario with another outfit, so it might actually be Mario's pants that are defective, not Mario himself.)
@axeleng said:
"Maybe I'm a little slow, but I'm still not convinced this game system has any lasting appeal to anyone above Duplo age - neither in-depth reviews nor articles like https://brickset.com/article/53191/Are-we-having-fun-yet?" have succeeded in changing my mind. As none of my friends has kids in the requisite 4-8 age group, I neither has first nor second-hand accounts of its entertainment value. I only know my nearest toy store has given up on the theme (but they have a very limited Lego selection and also gave up on the Brickheads after having loads of 41595 Belle, 41601 Cyborg and 41602 Rey warming the shelves for like a year after the rest of those waves sold out).
It seems like the interest varies strongly with region - German readers says no-one cares about the theme, while those in the US says it's quite popular. It's also interesting to see the comments on the very first articles about this theme, when even the hardcore apologists said it's "almost certain" we'd see minifig-based sets soon. The continued releases should of course indicate that the theme sells reasonably well, but I can't shake the feeling Lego and Nintendo are sticking their fingers in their ears and going "Lalala-I-can't-hear-you-these-sets-are-popular-lalalala"."
My 20yo son loves the interactive Mario. My co-workers 6yo son loves it also.
@Andrusi said:
" @Mister_Jonny said:
" @Andrusi said:
" @Mister_Jonny said:
" @B_Space_Man said:
" @Mister_Jonny said:
"That design flaw on the Mario figure seems like a serious oversight. I don’t know if I’d be willing to accept that if I were to purchase this set."
It sounds to me like that’s a manufacturing flaw, not a design flaw. So hopefully it’s a very small number of figures that have the issue.
"
Perhaps, but this is the company for whom “only the best is good enough…”
"
No company that manufactures anything at all can be immune to occasional manufacturing defects."
(While I'm thinking about it, the article doesn't mention test-fitting the overalls with another Mario or the Mario with another outfit, so it might actually be Mario's pants that are defective, not Mario himself.)"
Good point, just put Mario in several different outfits, and they all have the same result. Will update with this info!"
Isn't it a good thing that it's the same kart? Nobody wants to have to buy another Mario just for a new kart.