Mario Gets a Little Smaller, But the Fun Is Still Super with Fisher-Price’s Little People My Mario Collection!
Mario has been jumping on Goombas, racing through colorful worlds, and rescuing Princess Peach from the evil Bowser for more than four decades, with countless games throughout Nintendo’s extensive history. And truthfully, at this point, there aren’t many places the iconic plumber hasn’t gone. However, there’s one adventure that feels particularly unexpected: becoming a Little People figure. Fortunately, Fisher-Price’s Little People My Mario collection proves that Mario and the world of Fisher-Price are a surprisingly perfect match.
The collection takes some of the most recognizable characters in gaming history and gives them the unmistakable Little People treatment that we’ve come to know and love. Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Toad, Yoshi, and Bowser are all represented with the iconic chunky proportions, bright colors, and simple designs that have become synonymous with Little People. The result is adorable toys that don’t sacrifice the personalities that make these Nintendo characters so recognizable. Even with the simplified designs, there’s never any question about who you’re holding. Mario looks like Mario; Bowser is undoubtedly the Bowser who has terrorized the Mushroom Kingdom over and over; and Yoshi is still instantly lovable.
From those iconic characters to scenes we all know by heart, Fisher-Price has captured the world of Mario in exciting playsets that feel ripped straight from the video game screen. For those who grew up playing as Mario, or, in the case of little siblings such as myself, Luigi, it’s time to level up your child’s play with these super little people toys from Fisher-Price!
[Note: While I am reviewing this item independently and honestly, it should be noted that I received the product from Fisher-Price for the purpose of this review.]
Little People’s Super Mario toys designed with play in mind
Since starting this journey of reviewing toys, I’ve come to learn that some products are designed with play in mind, while others live on in collections. That’s not to say that some collector’s items can’t be played with; however, you might struggle to find a collector who’s willing to open the box and remove the toy from inside. Even within the same franchise of toys, there are some made with different intentions in mind, and the world of Fisher-Price’s Little People is no exception.
However, when it comes to these Super Mario toys, you can instantaneously feel like they are made to be played with. These figurines are substantial enough for little hands to easily pick up and move around, and there’s no complicated articulation or collection of tiny accessories that parents have to worry about disappearing underneath the couch. That simplicity is actually one of Little People’s greatest strengths, because kids don’t have to learn how the toy works to enjoy it. They can simply pick up Mario or any of the other cast of characters and start playing.
That aspect is particularly important because the six-figure My Mario set doesn’t just provide characters; it provides the ingredients needed for storytelling. Having just Mario would be enough to set off on another Mushroom Kingdom adventure; however, having Luigi, Peach, Toad, Yoshi, and Bowser as well opens up all kinds of possibilities, only limited by your imagination in terms of play. Children (or their parents, because let’s be honest, all of us adults are going to want to play with these characters too) can recreate their favorite Mario scenes, or they can create new ones.
Perhaps we’re feeling those iconic Mario roles established by Nintendo, and Bowser is the villain on today’s adventure. Maybe he’s Mario’s best friend tomorrow, having to stop an evil Luigi from taking over Mushroom Kingdom. Want Peach to go on the rescue mission? You can absolutely do that. Maybe Yoshi and Toad have to set off together to save the world! The fun part of this Fisher-Price line is that the toys don’t dictate the story, which is why these toys work.
A larger Super Mario world at your fingertips
However, Fisher-Price didn’t design these Little People figurines and then decide to stop; instead, it wanted to make playing with these Mario toys even more immersive. The My Mario Adventure Playset expands this franchise by giving those characters somewhere to go. With interactive features, buttons, sounds, music, a Goomba pipe, and different areas for the figures to explore, the playset gives children plenty of opportunities to press, push, move, and discover.
Each and every piece of the Adventure Playset brings the world of Mario to life, cultivating everything that makes these games so exciting. From a spinning wheel that features all the power-ups that assist Mario on his adventures, a chain chomp ready to slow our heroes down, and a shell that can be pushed along a track, every part of this set you will recognize and enjoy.
What I particularly appreciate about this set is that the electronic features enhance the experience rather than completely take it over. There are plenty of children’s toys that essentially play themselves: press a button, watch something happen, and press it again. The Mario Adventure Playset instead uses those features as an invitation for the child to participate.
That distinction makes a difference. A sound effect might encourage a child to move Mario through the playset. A button might prompt them to explore another part of the environment. A pipe becomes another destination. These may seem like small interactions, but they’re the kind that can turn a toy from something that gets five minutes of attention into something a child wants to revisit time and time again.
However, the My Mario Adventure Playset isn’t the only set that Fisher-Price has created for this collection. While the Adventure Playset feels like that iconic level from any Mario game, we can’t skip the setting for our big boss battles, right? Bowser’s Airship is the iconic flying ship that serves as the closing chapter of each Mario world, and it might be the most entertaining individual playset in the collection. It’s colorful, instantly recognizable, and filled with the sort of physical features that make preschool toys satisfying to play with. Children can push the ship around, interact with its various components, move characters through the green pipe and, perhaps most importantly, fire the cannonball launcher. Because who doesn’t love shooting heavy artillery?
And the cannonball launcher is a perfect example of why these toys work so well. There’s an obvious action, a moment of anticipation, and then a satisfying result. It doesn’t require complicated instructions or an explanation from a parent. Kids can figure it out for themselves, and once they do, they’re likely to do it again. And again. And probably again. And while, as a parent, you might get tired of the repetitive play that comes with your child’s favorite toy, that’s truly a sign of a successful and memorable toy.
What makes the entire My Mario collection even more impressive, though, is how well it understands the difference between giving children something to do and giving them something to imagine. Mario has decades of established lore behind him, but Fisher-Price doesn’t attempt to cram the entire Mushroom Kingdom into these toys. Instead, the collection captures something much simpler: the idea of adventure.
A child doesn’t need to know anything about Super Mario Bros. to understand that Mario saves the day, Bowser can cause trouble, and Yoshi just wants to join in on the fun. They don’t need to know the franchise’s history to send a character through a pipe or launch a cannonball. They don’t have to know that Bowser is a villain and the other characters are heroes. While that might seem important to parents who grew up with the video games, it isn’t essential to play with these toys. Fisher-Price has provided the framework, and the child fills in the rest.
That’s also what gives the collection such strong multigenerational appeal. For adults who grew up with Mario, there’s an undeniable sense of nostalgia in seeing these characters transformed into Little People figures. Many parents will recognize Mario and Luigi from their own childhoods, only now they’re sitting on the living-room floor alongside their kids’ toys. There’s something genuinely charming about being able to introduce a character you grew up with to a new generation. I myself couldn’t wait to open them up and share them with my nephews, because it was something we could all enjoy together, for incredibly different reasons.
Final thoughts on the My Mario toys from Fisher-Price
While the My Mario series definitely triggers fond memories of my childhood, one of the strongest aspects of this collection is that the toys don’t require that nostalgia to work. A child who has never played a Mario game can enjoy these figures just as much as someone who has spent hundreds of hours exploring the Mushroom Kingdom. For parents, Mario is an icon. For kids, he’s simply a fun character who is ready to go on an adventure. Fisher-Price manages to make both perspectives work simultaneously, which isn’t always achieved when introducing an established franchise to a new generation.
These toys also feature a sturdy design, reminding us that they are clearly designed as toys rather than collectibles. They’re meant to be picked up, moved around, dropped, pushed across the floor, and played with repeatedly. A children’s toy shouldn’t require a child to treat it like a museum artifact, and the Little People figures have the kind of substantial construction that makes them comfortable in younger children’s hands and can handle any situation they’re thrown in.
Ultimately, the Fisher-Price Little People My Mario collection is colorful, charming, and genuinely fun, offering a terrific introduction to the Mushroom Kingdom for a new generation while giving longtime Mario fans another reason to smile. This beloved franchise has found new life in this incredible series of children’s toys, reminding us that sometimes the best adventure is the one a child gets to make up for themselves.
My Mario collection of toys from Fisher-Price is available now! Are these the perfect toys for your child? Are you excited to experience this beloved Nintendo series in a new way? Share your thoughts on social media and tag @bsb.insider to continue the conversation!
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