Lego and Nintendo have confirmed that traditional minifigures are finally coming to the Lego Super Mario theme in 2027, ditching the chunky, screen-equipped figures the line has relied on since launch. The announcement arrived out of the blue on social media, with a Mario minifig revealed in a short video. The reveal landed on March 10 — Mario Day — and has since been followed by the first leaked details of the actual 2027 sets.

First Proper Mario Minifigure Ever Shown

A first look at the Mario minifigure was revealed via Instagram, showing the plastic plumber leaping out of a warp pipe, with the design featuring a new mould for Mario’s head, including his cap, sideburns, nose and moustache all part of its shape rather than simply printed on. It’s the first time in the theme’s history that Mario has taken the classic yellow-headed minifigure form rather than the oversized interactive body Lego introduced in 2020.

Lego accompanied the clip with a cheeky caption befitting the plumber’s power-up antics: “Building his way to a new adventure!” the LEGO Group declared. Beyond the teaser, neither company has published official set names, box art or pricing for the 2027 wave yet.

Six Years of Interactive Digfigs Comes to a Close

Following nearly six years of interactive, electronic playsets, Nintendo and LEGO are finally delivering the classic minifigure experience that fans and collectors have been requesting. Since the theme’s 2020 debut, Mario, Luigi and Peach have only existed as large, Bluetooth-connected figures with built-in screens and speakers that reacted to bricks, coins and enemies scanned along a course.

According to Lego fan outlet BricksUp, since the LEGO Super Mario theme launched in 2020, characters such as Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach have only been represented in brick-built LEGO form as large, specialised interactive electronic figures, with each figure only available in its respective starter course set — all of which are due to retire by the end of 2026. That timing effectively clears the shelves for a clean-slate minifigure relaunch in 2027.

Leaked Product Numbers Point to a January 2027 Launch

Concrete details began surfacing in early August, when Brick Fanatics reported that product numbers and piece counts have surfaced for seven new LEGO Super Mario sets on the way in 2027, at least some of which will mark the theme’s long-awaited debut of minifigures, with a Redditor reporting that six new LEGO Super Mario sets will debut in January 2027, including two 4+ models, while an 18+ build will follow in March. Piece counts for the wave span a wide range, as the smallest comes in at just 84 pieces, while the largest tops out at 850 parts, so it looks like there’ll be something for every budget.

Set names and exact contents haven’t leaked yet, though the spread of age ratings — from entry-level 4+ builds to a pricier 18+ model — suggests Lego wants the minifigure switch to appeal to young Mario fans and adult collectors at the same time.

Who Might Join Mario in Brick Form

Unconfirmed leaks are already filling in the character roster. Gaming outlet GamersNewz reported that, if the leaks from the Bricktap Discord server are accurate, Mario will be joined by a minifigure of Luigi, a “BigFig” version of Bowser, and a minifigure Yoshi whose shell can be removed so that another minifig can ride on its back. None of that lineup has been officially verified by Lego or Nintendo, so it should be treated as rumour for now rather than confirmed fact.

The shift also lines up with precedent elsewhere in Lego’s licensed catalogue. Minifigure-scale Sonic the Hedgehog sets have already set a precedent for LEGO adaptations of iconic platform levels, with Green Hill Zone making repeat appearances in brick form, while Nintendo and Lego have also released minifigure versions of characters from Animal Crossing and The Legend of Zelda, but Mario and friends as minifigures represent uncharted territory for the toy line.

For Australian and New Zealand collectors, Lego Super Mario sets have historically launched on the same global schedule as North America and Europe through the company’s own stores and major toy retailers, so local fans should expect the 2027 minifigure wave to land on regional shelves around the same January window reported overseas. With more than 100 Super Mario sets released since 2020, the switch to minifigures marks the biggest shake-up yet for one of Lego’s best-selling licensed lines, and Mushroom Kingdom fans on this side of the world won’t have long left to wait for official confirmation of names and prices.

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