Nintendo has just launched its My Mario collection in the US, which was originally introduced in Japan. The My Mario product line has been designed as an easy introduction to the Mario world for very young kids through toys, apparel, books, and simple digital experiences. I was able to get an exclusive hands-on with the entire product line and was even able to bring my four-year-old daughter to see what she thought of these new toys. The My Mario line was built around letting parents and kids explore and play together using iconic characters like Mario, Luigi, Peach, and so many more. Here is what you should know.
The My Mario collection
As I mentioned above, the My Mario line was built to create an early childhood ecosystem around the Mushroom Kingdom and all of its characters. Nintendo partnered with long-time toy brands like Fisher-Price and TOMY to bring these characters to life in a way that young children will enjoy them. There is an abundance of different toys and products in different categories of play. Below are all the new items that are available today.
- Simba My Mario Baby Plush Toy for Infants – $17.99
- Simba My Mario Baby Plush Rattle – $7.99
- Hello, Mario! Interactive Board Book – $12.99
- My Mario Baby Activity Grabber with Rattle – $11.62
- Fisher-Price Little People Toddler Toy My Mario 6-Piece Character – $17.99
- Mario Wood Block Set (3 pcs) — $19.99
- Mario & Friends Wood Block Set (30 pcs) — ~$39.99–$49.99
- Fisher-Price Little People Toddler Toy My Mario Bowser’s Airship – $26.99
- Fisher-Price Little People Toddler Toy My Mario Adventure Playset
- Infant & Toddler Apparel Collection — ~$14.99–$39.99 depending on item
- My Mario Soft Toys / Plush + Rattle Toys — ~$14.99–$29.99
- Tomy Toomies My Mario Bath Toys + Water Squirters — ~$12.99–$24.99
Pricing on the above items will vary, and so will availability. But more products will be introduced throughout the year with the new My Mario line. The key theme here is accessibility. There is a clear entry points for parents who just want to try one or two items, but also have enough variety to build out a full play experience.
My (& my toddler’s) experience
My initial thoughts when I had some time with the product were the build quality. From all the different toys with different materials, from wood to plastic to plush, they all felt very high quality. These were toys that were built to be thrown around, chewed on, played with, and thrown into bathtubs. Nothing about these products felt fragile, but at the same time, they looked like collectibles. Some of the toys I liked to see were all the Fisher-Price toys and the bath time toys. They had very creative implementations, and you could tell that interactivity was built into them.
As I mentioned, I had the opportunity to bring my four-year-old daughter, and she loved the toys. She is a big fan of Mario to begin with, but the toys themselves were great. Some of the Fisher-Price toys had music and sounds built into them. I could see my daughter’s imagination taking over when she had the My Mario Little People playing on Bowser’s ship. Another thing I noticed was how these toys are for all ages; there were children as young as 12 months playing with the same toys as kids who were six years old. Of course, there are toys like the rattles that are targeted at infants, but other toys like the block set and Little People were perfect for toddlers, even up to elementary age. So it’s good to know that these toys will last both from a build quality standpoint and from an interest standpoint.
Final thoughts
A lot of Nintendo’s IP was built a long time ago, so Nintendo pulls on that nostalgia heart string very hard when creating new games and products. This new My Mario line feels like a very intentional push into early childhood. They want kids today to also be able to get that nostalgic feeling of Mario and his friends 20 years from now. With the type of toys they introduced, I think this is a great step in the right direction in getting the youngest generation to fall in love with Mario and the rest of the characters. So as long as Nintendo continues to push interactivity, tactility, and education through Mario and his friends, I can see this My Mario line expanding much further and for a long time. And for parents who grew up with Mario, like myself, this allows us to show them the characters we love without just making them play a video game! Nintendo is up to something good here.
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