Wahoo! After years of waiting, teases, and that iconic voice cast real, the Mario movie is now available to the world. As such, there has never been a better time to get your hands on some Mario toys and gifts, including some released specially to coincide with the recent movie.
In this guide we’re grabbing some of the best merch from across the web, sure to put a smile on any Nintendo fan’s face. There are games, cushions, vans, and so much more. Of course, forever more great gift ideas, check out our guides covering Minecraft Lego toys, Mario Lego, Pokémon toys, Poppy Playtime toys and much more.
Of course, it’s not just Mario himself. He may be the mascot, but part of the appeal of the series is that the Mushroom Kingdom is populated with a huge cast of quirky characters, most of whom have had a chance to be playable in at least one of the spin-off games. Even our Mario Kart characters guide only just scratches the surface of the enormous cast found in the best Mario games (and the worst).
The best Super Mario toys and gifts are:
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LEGO Mario
The collaboration between Nintendo and LEGO that led to the LEGO Mario range is one that continues to please and delight fans. What sets this apart from other LEGO ranges is that they’ve tried to capture some of the gameplay mechanics from the Super Mario games in the physical LEGO sets themselves, making them much more interactive than classic brick builds. The LEGO Mario figure makes various sound effects and triggers certain actions with the different parts of the LEGO set.
There are two starter sets, one of which comes with LEGO Mario and the other with LEGO Luigi, and then there are tons of other sets which let you build new levels for the two moustachioed heroes to traverse. There’s even a companion app available for you to track their adventures.
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Donkey Kong Mario Kart Figure
Not only is Donkey Kong a popular addition to the Mario cast, but he’s the star of his own series too. In fact, if you really get down to it, the Mario series is a spin-off of the Donkey Kong series. Naturally, there are tons of neat Donkey Kong toys and if we had to choose one, we recommend this Donkey Kong Mario Kart figure.
This Hallmark Keepsake depicts Donkey Kong riding in one of the karts from Mario Kart. Not only is it a great gift to represent the glorious gorilla, but it doubles as a Christmas tree ornament if you’re looking for a gaming-themed festive celebration. Unfortunately, this product is not available in the UK.
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Bowser’s Castle Playset
Bowser’s Castle is one of the most iconic locations in the Mushroom Kingdom. In fact, it’s probably fair to say that it’s one of the most iconic ‘final levels’ in all of video game history (even when it’s not actually the last level of the game). Sometimes it’s a stop along your adventures around the worlds of Mario; sometimes it’s a race track; sometimes it’s a golf course.
This Bowser’s Castle playset is a pretty cool recreation of the famous World 8 estate and it even comes with the king of the Dark Lands himself: Lord Bowser Koopa. It’s full of lava, lifts, Fire Bars, traps and more. Anyone who loves Bowser is likely to have a lot of fun with this set.
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Princess Peach Plush
Princess Peach is the most prolific female video game character. Though she may have been kidnapped an unfortunately large number of times, she’s been a playable character (and even hero) more times than any other female character in the entire history of gaming.
For fans of the Mushroom Kingdom monarch, this cute little Peach plush is likely to make an appealing gift. She stands at ten inches tall and comes, of course, with a lovely, shiny crown.
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Waluigi controller
That thin, neatly trimmed moustache. The slender, swimmer’s build. Those long, long legs that never seem to stop. Those piercing, black, soulful eyes which betray hidden depths. Waluigi may never have taken the centre spotlight, but he is definitely one of the most popular characters among fans (and star of several dubious fanfics).
If you happen to know someone who’s got a soft spot for the upside-down-L man, then you might want to get them this Waluigi switch controller. Not only is it good gift for anyone who has their Nintendo Switch controller drifting, but it looks pretty darn great too. With its battery life of up to 30 hours and an ergonomic design to make it easy on your hands, it’s a great choice even if you’re planning on having an all night session in Mario Party Superstars.
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Yoshi toys
Everyone loves the Yoshisaur Munchakoopas. It’s hard not to be won over by these adorable dinosaurs. From their cute voices all the way through to the way that they march on the spot, there’s a lot to love about them. Not only have they had a huge presence in the Mario series itself, but their own series of games has its own dedicated fanbase.
I know what you’re thinking though: if I buy a Yoshi toy, how will I ever decide which colour to get? They’re all so cute, but there’s so many of them! Well, allow us to draw your attention towards the Yoshi 5-pack. Here you get green, blue, white, yellow and black Yoshis altogether, because all Yoshis are created equal.
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Wario shirt
The ‘bad Mario’ has always had quite a few fans of his own and, no doubt, since the release of WarioWare: Get It Together!, a number of newer players are starting to understand his appeal. Not only can he be a very weird character (in the very best of ways), but he also has a more distinct personality than Mario, for example, who is more of an everyman.
If you know somebody who’s taken a shine to this garlic-munching treasure-hunter/games-developer, then he’s no doubt their character of choice for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Perhaps they’ll enjoy this shirt, which proudly bears the slogan: “I don’t always win at Mario Kart, but when I do it’s cuz I’m Wario”.
Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros.
This really cool collector’s item is a replica of the classic Game & Watch systems. However, while it may look and feel exactly the same as the originals, it’s can give you a lot more than the simple LCD games of the past.
This little handheld features both the original Super Mario Bros. and its Japan-only sequel, The Lost Levels. On top of that, it also has an exclusive version of the game Ball, with Mario now replacing the generic Game & Watch person from the original. Of course, it wouldn’t be living up to the ‘watch’ part of its name if it didn’t also tell the time, and you can also use it as a clock, with a digital, Mario-style display. Definitely a great gift for any fans of Nintendo’s history.
Pop Up Super Mario
The classic party game gets a mushroom kingdom makeover with Pop Up Super Mario. Stick pins in the pipe, and the person to launch Mario out loses. It’s a great game for kids, and there’s little wonder that it’s still popular so many years later.
We hope that this helps you to find the right Christmas present for any Switch gamers in your life. Of course, they’d also love a new game, so you might want to check out our guide to the best games on Switch to give you an idea of what they might enjoy.
