Lego Mario Kart outshines other Mario-inspired Lego creations by perfectly capturing the essence of the beloved franchise.

Lego’s foray into the world of video games continues to delight – we’ve got an increasing range of Sonic the Hedgehog sets, more Horizon Zero Dawn offerings, and the tantalizing promise of a Lego Game Boy later in the year. But launched without much fanfare earlier in the year is what is arguably one of Lego’s best game tie-ins yet: Lego Mario Kart.

Part of the reason why there wasn’t as much fanfare is because Mario Kart is essentially an extension of the existing Lego Super Mario line. Like the recent Donkey Kong sets that feature mine carts and iconography from the Donkey Kong Country games, it’s clearly been decided to group all things Mario-adjacent into the one product line, even if they hail from different video games. Thus Mario Kart isn’t an all-new product line, and it didn’t get the big splash launch. But you know what? Maybe it should have – because it’s lovely, and may convert some folk who aren’t into the existing Mario line.

To understand what I’m getting at, I suppose it’s key to first address the ‘problem’ with the main Lego Super Mario sets. Essentially, the Lego Group and Nintendo clearly wanted to create something that bridged the gap between traditional toys and video games. The Lego Mario sets are driven by special figures of Mario, Luigi, and Peach that have screens in them so they have expressions, plus a sensor for reading QR code style. Each boxed set is usually some sort of construct that can be attached to other sets in a modular manner. The idea is that you build Lego Mario ‘stages’ and then use the figures and a connected bluetooth device like a phone or tablet to track your progress through the levels. You can even play co-operatively.

It’s nice, but all of this has come at a bit of a cost. If you look at any given Lego Mario set… it doesn’t actually really resemble the Mario games. Individual bits might – a Pipe, Peach’s Castle, or a meticulously brick-built representation of a key NPC like Bowser, one of his kids, or a Toad. But a lot of it ends up feeling painfully generic, especially compared to the more traditional Sonic playsets, which really channel the visuals of certain locations and scenes from throughout the series.

But Lego Mario Kart hits a different cadence. They’re still compatible with those bulky electronic figures – each vehicle has a slot just large enough to fit them in, plus a code for the toy to scan so it knows it’s now driving a cart – but there’s just something about this build that just… clicks.

I suppose another good word for it would be that Mario Kart translates well to Lego. There’s a certain design language to Mario Kart, and Lego also has a truly storied history in building cool-looking vehicles of all shapes and sizes. The two brands are well-matched.

So when you build an entry-level Mario kart set like a bike in the shape of Yoshi that is, er, ridden by Yoshi, or Mario’s classic kart complete with parasail that also comes with a small Toad to act as mechanic for it, each feels like a properly classic Lego build and looks really evocative of the games. Larger sets push into more satisfying territory still – Donkey Kong riding a car in the shape of a barrel as he and Diddy do in Double Dash, Baby Peach on a car inspired by a Wiggler enemy, and Lemmy in a mini airship, as you’d expect.

There’s some neat little touches. Lego’s stud shooter ‘guns’ which typically just shoot single circular studs make an appearance, but they’re now augmented with special Koopa Shell ammo which means racers can indeed fire shells at each other – though the deadly Blue Shell is not yet represented. A lovely new mould represents Mario Kart’s classic banana peels, and one set even includes a great recreation of Lakitu riding on his cloud with his race start lighting getup.

I can see a path to kids creating their own tracks around a house, leaving fabulous obstacle courses for grown-ups and pets to navigate without stepping on painfully sharp plastic – which is how it should be. I can see folk creating their own carts. I can see kids racing with far more excitement and intensity than with Mario Kart Live, which shipped with initially thrilling but ultimately flat remote-control cars. I can see how these sets can spark the imagination.

Even the electronic figures have a role to play here, even if they’re not my favorite thing. If you sit them in a kart and then whizz the Kart around, racing and drifting as kids would, the figures react as if they’re actually racing with relevant facial expressions and sound effects. Kids will love that, I’m sure, as they do with the main Mario sets – but crucially, I think the Mario Kart offerings capture the unique but synergistic spirits of Lego and Mario each more strongly than any of the Lego Mario sets so far. As far as I’m concerned, that’s a win.

Although, truth be told, I’m still waiting for more Zelda sets. And how about an Arwing? Come on Lego, you know you want to.