Best LEGO Super Mario Sets 2026
Ten LEGO Super Mario sets worth the shelf space in 2026, from the giant Bowser display piece down to the karts that actually get played with.
The best LEGO Mario sets aren't the interactive figure and course pieces that started the theme back in 2020, though those are still around. The theme has grown into something with real range now: display-only builds the size of a small dog, a working NES you can prop on a shelf, a whole fleet of Mario Kart vehicles, and a couple of genuinely massive castles. If you're trying to figure out where to start, the spread matters more than any single set, because a kid who wants to race a kart around the living room floor needs a completely different box than a Mario collector who wants something to display.
We pulled this list from sets that are still realistic to find in 2026, split roughly between the big centerpiece builds (Bowser, the castles, the NES) and the smaller vehicle and playset sets that actually get handled after the first week. Piece counts range from a few hundred up to nearly three thousand, so there's something here whether the plan is a quick Saturday build or a multi-evening project. A few of these lean collector, built to sit on a shelf rather than get rebuilt into anything else, and we've said so where that's the case.
Every set below links to a full review where we have one written, so use these blurbs to narrow the shortlist and the reviews to settle the final call. None of these need the old interactive LEGO Mario figure to work on their own, though a few of the older playsets were originally designed around it and still play nicer if you already own one.
The short answer
If you want a build that gets displayed and admired, go big with The Mighty Bowser or the NES. If you want something that actually gets played with after the first week, put your money into one of the larger Mario Kart sets instead. The theme covers both ends well, it just doesn't do both in the same box.
01Super MarioThe Mighty Bowser
At 2,807 pieces, this is the biggest and most expensive-feeling thing the Mario theme has produced, and it's built to be looked at rather than played with.
Full build notes
Bowser's head turns, his arms move, and there's a spring mechanism that launches a fireball, but the real appeal is just how much presence the finished model has on a shelf. This one's for an older builder or a serious Mario fan, not a young kid looking for a toy.
- Set number
- 71411
- Pieces
- 2,807
- Release
- 2022
Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
02Super MarioNintendo Entertainment System
A 2,646-piece recreation of the original NES console, complete with a cartridge that pops in like the real thing and a brick-built CRT television showing a scene from Super Mario Bros.
Full build notes
It's less a Mario set than a nostalgia set that happens to feature Mario, and it lands best with adults who grew up with the console rather than kids who've never seen one plugged in.
- Set number
- 71374
- Pieces
- 2,646
- Release
- 2020
Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
03Super MarioMario Kart – Mario & Standard Kart
The flagship entry in the newer Mario Kart line, at 1,972 pieces, built around a large-scale kart with steering that actually works and a Mario minifigure sized to sit in the driver's seat.
Full build notes
It's a genuinely fun build with a payoff toy at the end, which is rarer in this theme than you'd expect, and it's the strongest single pick if the household is more into karts than platforming.
- Set number
- 72037
- Pieces
- 1,972
- Release
- 2025
Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
04Super MarioThe Bowser Express Train
A 1,396-piece train set that swaps City's usual passenger cars for a Bowser-themed engine and cargo full of familiar Mario enemies.
Full build notes
It runs on standard LEGO track, so it's a real option for a household that already has City train pieces to connect it to, and the build itself moves at a nice clip without ever feeling repetitive.
- Set number
- 71437
- Pieces
- 1,396
- Release
- 2024
Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
05Super MarioPeach's Castle Expansion Set
At 1,216 pieces, this is the closest the theme gets to a proper dollhouse, with multiple rooms, a working elevator, and enough interior detail to keep a kid rearranging furniture long after the last brick clicks in.
Full build notes
It's an expansion set, so it's built to connect to the interactive LEGO Mario or Peach figure sets, but it stands fine as a display piece on its own too.
- Set number
- 71408
- Pieces
- 1,216
- Release
- 2022
Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
06Super MarioDonkey Kong's Tree House
A 555-piece jungle set with a barrel cannon, a working mine cart section, and Donkey Kong himself as the centerpiece figure.
Full build notes
It's a good middle-ground pick for a kid who's outgrown the smallest expansion sets but isn't ready for one of the huge display builds, and the jungle gym play pattern gives it more staying power than a lot of the flatter playsets in the line.
- Set number
- 71424
- Pieces
- 555
- Release
- 2023
Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
07Super MarioMario Kart – Bowser's Castle
At 1,068 pieces, this pairs a Bowser kart with a small themed course section, lava chunks and all, so there's both a build and a track to race on once it's finished.
Full build notes
It's a stronger pick than most of the smaller Kart sets if the plan is actually racing the karts around rather than just displaying them, since the included obstacles give kids something to steer around.
- Set number
- 72039
- Pieces
- 1,068
- Release
- 2025
Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
08Super MarioKing Boo's Haunted Mansion
A 932-piece haunted house build with hidden mechanisms, a spooky reveal or two, and King Boo as the main figure.
Full build notes
It skews a little older than most of the Mario playsets because of the fiddlier hidden-door builds, and it's a good pick for a kid who's into the Luigi's Mansion side of the franchise rather than straight platforming.
- Set number
- 71436
- Pieces
- 932
- Release
- 2024
Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
09Super MarioPiranha Plant
A 540-piece display build of the recurring pipe-dwelling enemy, with a stem that twists and leaves that open and close.
Full build notes
It's not interactive in the way the vehicle sets are, but it's one of the more satisfying medium-sized builds in the theme, and it displays well next to a Mario minifigure collection without taking up a ton of shelf space.
- Set number
- 71426
- Pieces
- 540
- Release
- 2023
Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
10Super MarioPrince Florian & Castle Bowser
At 1,251 pieces, this newer Mario Kart entry pairs a full castle course section with its own kart and character, giving it more scale than most of the other Kart releases.
Full build notes
It works well stacked with other Mario Kart sets from the same wave if the goal is building out a full track, and the castle piece alone is detailed enough to stand as a display build.
- Set number
- 72042
- Pieces
- 1,251
- Release
- 2025
Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Check the price per piece
See if any set on this list is actually a fair deal before you buy.
See what's retiring soon
Some of the best gift sets disappear fast. Check our retiring tracker first.
Common questions
Do I need the interactive LEGO Mario figure to use these sets?
No. Most of the newer Mario sets, including the Kart line and the big display builds like The Mighty Bowser and the NES, stand on their own with no electronics required. Only the older expansion sets built around the original interactive Mario, Luigi, or Peach figures need one of those figures to actually trigger their sounds and mechanisms, and that's usually clear from the set's name.
Are the Mario Kart sets actually fun to race, or just display pieces?
It depends on the set. The larger Kart builds, like Mario & Standard Kart, have working steering and enough scale to genuinely push around a floor. The smaller Kart releases are more about the character pairing and look better lined up on a shelf than raced against each other, so match the size to whether the kid wants a toy or a collectible.
What's the best Mario set for a display-only collector?
The Mighty Bowser and the Nintendo Entertainment System are the two built specifically to be looked at rather than played with. Both are large, detailed, and aimed at adult builders or serious collectors rather than kids, and neither one is designed to connect to the rest of the Mario line the way the expansion sets are.
Is the Mario theme worth getting into if my kid doesn't play the games?
It can be, since a lot of the sets work as generic castle, jungle, or vehicle builds even without the game context. That said, the appeal leans heavily on recognizing the characters and enemies, so a kid with zero familiarity with Mario will likely get more lasting play out of a City or Creator set instead.
Related articles
GuideWhere to Watch LEGO Masters (US, Canada, UK, Australia)
A country-by-country guide to legally streaming LEGO Masters US and the Australian spinoff, plus the real story on the UK version and season 6.
GuideIs the LEGO Rivendell Worth It? (Honest Take)
Rivendell is 6,181 pieces of elves, waterfalls, and Elrond's council chamber. Here's what actually makes it worth the shelf space, and who should just buy the poster instead.
GuideLEGO Masters UK: The Original Show and What Happened to It
The UK version started it all in 2017, ran two series with no cash prize, then quietly stopped. Here's what happened.