Using Super Mario sets as display models
Posted by Huw,
Today's article focussing on building techniques has been contributed by Vorkosigan:
There has been a lot of debate as to the intended appeal of the LEGO Super Mario sets. The game element is not really competitive, but they are also not aimed at those AFOLs looking for display models. I believe the intended purpose of the sets is fuel for imaginative role-playing of Mario's adventures.
The interactive features enhance storytelling, it is not just about racking up the highest score. In other words, playability is more directly the point than many LEGO sets. Playability is often scoffed at by adult fans who are more interested in the process of building, and the final appearance of the set.
But I believe this focus on playability creates a unique inspiration for different kinds of MOCs where interactive functions are the heart of builds. In this article I will describe my experience adding interactivity to LEGO Mario MOCs and the details of two specific mechanisms.
Interactivity
Most custom models or “MOCs” made by adult fans of LEGO tend to fall into two broad categories:
- Models where appearance is the focus
- Models where functionality is paramount: Technic based vehicles, Great Ball Contraptions (GBC), Mindstorms/Boost based robotics, etc
What you don’t see too much of, at least I haven’t, is detailed MOCs where playability is the primary focus. There are some to be sure, but I think it is not a large percentage. What the LEGO Super Mario theme does that is fairly uncommon, is to promote creation of MOCs where playability is as much or more of a focus than looking good static.
How can you create ways for Mario to interact with enemies other than just jumping on the top of them? The sets provide examples like the hammer to knock pieces out of Pokey, the Thwomp that drops a little lower each time Mario passes by on the moving platform, etc. But with the additional “budget” in a MOC, there are possibilities for more complex mechanisms, including motorization.
Here are some of the mechanisms I have developed in the past 4 months since the theme was launched:
- Motorized movement of a Bullet Bill, simulating continuous launching of new Bullet Bills out of a cannon.
- Mechanism for making Blooper Squids pop out from “off screen” when Mario is placed on platform.
- Mechanism for moving spinning platforms forward as Mario jumps on them, similar to various cloud / air levels.
- Recreation of Mario kicking a shell at enemies using roller coaster track to move the shell.
- Wind up mechanism using a pullback motor to make Eep Cheeps appear to jump out of water.
- Go Kart designed to allow Mario to scan tiles through the bottom, to recreate a Mario Kart like experience.
- Motorized Technic chains used to lift and drop Thwomps continuously, as well as provide elevator like function.
- Rubber band launched Boomer/Banzai Bill that can knock Mario over.
Below are images of each of these builds. In the next two sections I’ll discuss in more detail how to build mechanisms like items 4 and 7.
You can see some highlights of these MOCs in motion in the video below:
Shell Attack
For this build I wanted to recreate the experience of Mario kicking a shell and having it defeat a group of enemies. There are various ways this could be accomplished, including using springs or rubber bands. But I felt there would not really be enough power in those methods to take out multiple enemies, assuming use of purist parts. Instead, I took advantage of gravity, and created a scenario where Mario can kick the shell down a hill towards enemies.
The two images below show the front and rear of the design. By concealing a roller coaster track in the back, it is possible to make the shell move smoothly along a path that follows the curve of the hill.
In order to get enough force behind the shell to take out multiple enemies, common bricks and plates would not be enough. The shell would need sufficient potential energy, meaning either increasing starting height or weight. I increased the weight through usage of part 73090b.
This 2x6x2 weighted brick weighs 53 grams vs about 8 grams for a stack of two 2x6 standard bricks. I had some in my collection from 1990s boats that really float. The image below shows the construction of the roller coaster cart with weighted brick, and shell on an arm to make it hover over the hill. The design is simple, but the weight is a critical piece of the functionality.
One last important detail of this MOC is how I constructed the curved hillside out of a sequence of plates. In order to link the plates to each other, I used hinge plates connected to the green plates through clip plates and lightsaber blades (30374). The image below shows this method, which is fairly fiddly, but allows arbitrary angles and minimal gaps between plates.
You can view the shell function in action, and some discussion of how it was built, in the video below:
Thwomp Drop
The Bowsers Castle / Thwomp Drop MOC is probably the most sophisticated LEGO Mario MOC I have made so far. The idea was to make a pair of Thwomps rise and fall on their own, so that there was an actual threat for Mario to avoid. As I built it, I also realised the Thwomps could be used as elevators to bring Mario to the parapet of the castle.
The idea of putting Bowser on top to be defeated by Mario was an inspiration that came together mid build. The mechanism for raising and dropping the Thwomps is similar to a “drop tower” theme park ride, and uses the same chain concept as 10273 Haunted House.
Unlike that set my build has an automatic pick up and drop that runs without user input. The next two images show the front and back respectively. On the back there are two medium motors, one for each side to make sure there was plenty of torque. A 5 to 1 gear reduction is used. It is fairly simple, one long Technic chain around two 16 tooth gears. The challenge was more in how the Thwomps engage and disengage with the chain.
The next image shows a top-down view of the channel that the Thwomps ride in. The top of the tower was removed to show the detail. The Thwomp is well constrained by sliding in this channel.
One unexpected challenge I encountered was that variations in bricks can produce resistance just from sliding past a stack of bricks. Some stick out in one direction or the other by a fraction of a millimeter, but enough to cause drag on the Thwomp. I ended up swapping some pieces I found to be particularly bad tolerance to reduce this. I also added slopes on the top and bottom of the Thwomp where it interacts with the castle, to try to glide over these bumps more easily.
The next image shows the Thwomp in more detail, including the rear where the arm extends to grab the chain. There are two beams with flat “rack” gears on them, shown removed in sub picture C. The second image below that shows how these shafts interact through two side by side 16 tooth gears, a red gear is overlayed to demonstrate what is inside the model. When the vertical shaft is pushed up, the horizontal shaft moves out. When the horizontal shaft is pushed back in, the vertical shaft moves down again.
The image below shows how the wrench piece on the end of the horizontal beam hooks into the Technic chain. When the Thwomp climbs to the top of the chain, the teeth of the 16 tooth gear push the wrench back and the beam slides into the Thwomp enough that it can fall without the wrench grabbing the chain again. Then at the bottom the vertical beam is pushed up by hitting a stopper at the bottom of the shaft, and the wrench re-engages the chain for another climb. I have broken it down to these steps:
- Horizontal shaft is out, wrench is grabbing chain, vertical shaft is up. Thwomp climbs.
- Horizontal shaft is pushed in by the top gear that chain rides on, wrench is disengaged from chain, vertical shaft is down. Thwomp falls.
- Vertical shaft hits stopper at the bottom of the fall, pushing it up. Horizontal shaft goes back out, wrench is grabbing chain, vertical shaft is up. Thwomp climbs.
You can view the Thwomp drop in action, and some discussion of how it was built, in the video below:
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed this discussion of playable functions in LEGO Mario MOCs. Let me know in the comments your experience with putting play features into your builds, and ideas you’re working on!
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28 comments on this article
Now THIS is the kind of article I like! Very creative, fun to read, and gives ideas on what to build next!
I personally used the Mario sets to build myself a Nintendo Switch stand to put the console on when the controllers are detached in portable mode. Works surprisingly well!
wow! I really like this idea of playable, good looking mocs! very well done!
Yes! I've been watching your videos and they do such a wonderful job showcasing what's possible with Mario and LEGO bricks. The sets themselves may still be ridiculously high in price, but for people with existing parts inventories and budgets there really isn't anything stopping them from building interactive MOCs such as these. Thanks for writing this article for the more textually inclined, too! Hopefully it's a breath of fresh air for some of us :)
"One unexpected challenge I encountered was that variations in bricks can produce resistance just from sliding past a stack of bricks. Some stick out in one direction or the other by a fraction of a millimeter, but enough to cause drag on the Thwomp. I ended up swapping some pieces I found to be particularly bad tolerance to reduce this."
In static builds, these inconsistencies are unsightly and stick out like a sore thumb as well. However, before anyone gets alarmist reading it, this is by no means a new problem, as it has been present in LEGO bricks for decades and decades.
That’s SICK!
Bravo.
@jalc_45 said:
"I made all of those with my own collection...
Mario Maker 2."
it's a better value than the actual Mario Maker 2 for the Switch XD
Well done man, well done.
as a Lego fan and Super Mario fan, it's a good thing that this lineup gets a better value!
Playability seems to be forgotten in favor of display and looks, but after all Lego is a toy, and toys are meant to be played with. So good job!
Ok, these are all gorgeous. Very well done. And I’m not here to be a negative Nancy. But there’s one deal breaker for me with the Mario sets as static display models - those creepy dead eyes when Mario isn’t turned on! Lol.
These are awesome
"detailed MOCs where playability is the primary focus" - does some of this counts?
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfjvyiqr7owPs97BGpOYK_w
Great stuff.
Really hoping we see some Zelda and Metroid sets.
You need video game background picture!
Wow I had no idea Mario kart and lego would looks so beautiful. I know knex had a Mario kart line, but Lego should do one as well since they have the license now. Preferably with minifig sized characters though.
Nice! I actually made my own motorized MOC that has a pair of Cheep cheeps going up and down.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc3BFDL1GUk
It needs some cosmetic refinement, but it is rather fun to play with!
@aztecwarrior said:
" @Your_Future_President said:
"Wow I had no idea Mario kart and lego would looks so beautiful. I know knex had a Mario kart line, but Lego should do one as well since they have the license now. Preferably with minifig sized characters though. "
Yes, minifig sized.......minifigures.........."
Well certain characters would undoubtedly require new molds and wouldn’t necessarily use traditional minifigure parts.
Holy crap these are amazing! Having cool ideas is one thing, but bringing them to life like this takes another level of skill and dedication.
Great job!
@Tynansd said:
"Great stuff.
Really hoping we see some Zelda and Metroid sets. "
If they don't do something for Zelda's anniversary this year then I'd be absolutely shocked.
There's been what? 6 projects that hit 10,000 on Ideas now? And another one that was on its way but got culled due to breaking the rules.
IMO a D2C set appealing to nostalgia and then a Breath of the Wild line would be a good way of doing it.
If people are not sure about what’s the “actual” point of a Lego set it’s not Lego really...just like modern age video games Lego mario works on this idea of “expansions” (like DLCs). The true spirit of Lego was that with a 20€ set you got unlimited possibilities without needing a second one. Lego mario works on the idea that you expand on it with dlcs, went as far as introducing “skins” for Mario. Not a good look but Lego will experiment and find what sticks, all we can hope is the company to not to lose its true soul somewhere along the way
"What you don’t see too much of, at least I haven’t, is detailed MOCs where playability is the primary focus."
When I make MOCs I typically try to make them display-quality (to my standards anyway!) but also playable enough that I can move them around easily without bits falling off.
Thanks for taking the time to walk through your process for these MOCs!
@Vorkosigan I bet I know who your favorite author is!
Thank you.
While I don't particularly give a hoot about Mario, I juts logged in to say the functionality is important and fascinating to me. More of this, please!
@aztecwarrior said:
" @Brick_Belt said:
" @Tynansd said:
"Great stuff.
Really hoping we see some Zelda and Metroid sets. "
If they don't do something for Zelda's anniversary this year then I'd be absolutely shocked.
There's been what? 6 projects that hit 10,000 on Ideas now? And another one that was on its way but got culled due to breaking the rules.
IMO a D2C set appealing to nostalgia and then a Breath of the Wild line would be a good way of doing it."
It's a Legends of Zelda anniversary this year? What anniversary? The 35th or something? I sure hope they do an anniversary set.
"
It's the 35th anniversary of the first Legend of Zelda game, released in 1986 for the NES. Probably it could be a good occasion to present a Lego Zelda lineup, and finally reveal Breath of the Wild 2 (I mean, the sequel of one of the best videogames of all time generates a lot of hype)
It's also the 35th anniversary of the first Metroid game (also released in 1986 for the NES), so a Metroid based Lego set could be a nice opportunity (if not, welp, off to wait Prime 4)
Very cool. One question though that seems to be a lot of weight to pull on a wrench clip. How long have you run the thomp module on? Have the wrenches held up? The mechanics are very clever!
I've seen the Mario Kart MoC before and am still blown away by it. I adore having little play features hidden in models and having an interactive figure can really heighten those experiences!
Thanks everyone for the many generous compliments!
@BricksandBoosters said:
"Very cool. One question though that seems to be a lot of weight to pull on a wrench clip. How long have you run the thomp module on? Have the wrenches held up? The mechanics are very clever!"
I've probably run it for 20 to 30 minutes and the close ups of the wrench in the article are after that. I haven't noticed any particular wear or strain. Note that these are old dark gray wrenches from before the color reformulation, not sure if it would be any different with new ones.
I wish they'd just release normal Super Mario sets with minifigs. I don't like the current sets at all.