Super Mario

Thwomp Drop Expansion Set

A stone fist that actually slams down on your Mario figure, and it never stops being fun to trigger.

Brick Rated Score

3.7/5

Set 71376 · 2020

Pieces393

Minifigsn/a

Year2020

Set number71376

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The verdict

The drop mechanism is the whole reason to own this one, you send Mario across the bottom platform, he clips a hidden lever, and that grey Thwomp block plunges down the pole while a Lava Bubble goes flying.

It's a genuinely satisfying bit of engineering hiding inside what looks like a simple tower. I will say the price felt steep for a set this size when it launched, and it does nothing without the Starter Course sitting next to it. If you already have Mario running around your shelf and want a level that punishes a bad jump, this earns its spot.

Best for: Super Mario course owners who want a proper hazard, not just more track

The full review

What it is

This is one of those expansion sets where a single mechanism carries the entire experience, and here it earns it. A long Technic axle runs up the central column, Mario rolls across the bottom platform and clips a hidden trigger, and the grey Thwomp block above lurches down in stages before a Lava Bubble goes flying off its perch. The first time I got the timing right and watched that whole chain fire off, I actually laughed out loud. It captures that in-game dread of a Thwomp about to flatten you better than I expected from a set this small.

The catch

Here's the honest part though. At $39.99 for 393 pieces and a single gimmick, a few reviewers pointed out they would have felt better paying half that, and I get where they're coming from once the pole mechanism stops surprising you. It also does absolutely nothing on its own, this is strictly an add-on for the 71360 Starter Course, so if you don't already have Mario himself this box is just a red and grey tower sitting on your shelf. The build itself is quick and light on real building puzzles, most of your time goes into stacking the interior slopes that make the drop work.

Who it's for

Grab this if you've got kids (or yourself) already running Mario courses and want a hazard that hits harder than the usual coin blocks, the drop mechanic genuinely adds tension to a run. Skip it if you're new to the theme, don't own the Starter Course yet, or you're chasing part count for your money, there are better value expansion sets in the Super Mario line.

The parts story

What the build is actually like, and the pieces worth knowing about.

Building it is short and mechanical rather than puzzle heavy, most of the instructions are spent getting the internal Technic axle and the staged slope pieces lined up so the whole column releases in the right order instead of dumping the Thwomp all at once. It's satisfying in a fidgety, watch-it-work kind of way rather than a creative one, you're building a trap, not a scene.

The Thwomp piece itself and the printed grumpy-face tile are the standout parts, alongside the Lava Bubble figure with its flip function that flings out when the drop triggers it. The interior brickwork leans on reds and greys you don't see paired together often in Mario sets, which makes the hidden mechanism look more deliberate than a plain grey box. At 393 pieces for the mechanism, printed tile, and two characters, the piece count is modest, so this is a set you buy for the moment it creates, not for stash value.

Fun facts

01The set was released August 1, 2020 and officially retired December 31, 2021, making it one of the shorter-lived Super Mario expansions.
02It requires the LEGO Super Mario 71360 Adventures with Mario Starter Course to play, since Mario himself is not included in the box.
03The finished model stands over 12.5 inches (32.5cm) tall in its basic formation, tall for a set with under 400 pieces.
04The Lava Bubble figure includes a flipping function that launches it off its perch the moment the Thwomp completes its drop.