Although we’ve been treated to various sets inspired by the world of Super Mario since 2020, the theme has had a soft reboot this month. This has seen a new packaging design, paper instructions in each box and three new ‘Starter’ sets, each featuring one of the interactive figures. Those characters have also inspired a trio of new expansion sets. One of which is another take on Peach’s Castle. This is the second time the iconic Mushroom Kingdom Castle has been featured in a LEGO® Super Mario set, but what does this new version offer compared to the previous version? Here’s a closer look at Battle with Roy at Peach’s Castle.
Product Details
Set Name: Battle with Roy at Peach’s Castle | Set Number: 71435 | Pieces: 738 | Theme: Super Mario
Number of Bags: Bags x 7 (paper) | Instructions: Paper booklet + Builder App | Stickers: N/A | Characters: Roy, Toad & Chain Chomp | Action Tags: 7 | Insiders QR: Yes
RRP: £59.99/$64.99/64.99€/CAD84.99/AUD99.99/NZD109.99
Availability: LEGO Stores, LEGO Online & General Retail
Peach’s iconic castle was first recreated microscale in the Question Mark Block released in 2021. It would later get a much better version with the 2022 set, called Peach’s Castle. This new version leans more towards the latter version but is a little more compact. Regardless of version, they all take inspiration from the castle featured in Super Mario 64. In this expansion set, the castle’s grand entrance is once again the inspiration for the build.
As both this set and its previous incarnation are based on the same in-game location, unsurprisingly they share similar details. So it features the castle’s large wooden doors, its central turret tower and the sections of the surrounding walls. Those wall panels can be folded around the central section to almost create an enclosed castle. I quite like this feature and it sets it apart from the previous version. The castle walls also include several play features. These include a smashable wall, which is sat behind a piano, a bomb flinging capture and an odd Star Block hidden inside a bookcase and beneath a turret tower.
The Mario expansion sets a known for their interactive panels known as Action Tags. These can be read by the three Interactive Figures. They are dotted about the castle but the best of them is found on the castle throne. Once one of the interactive figures is placed on it a familiar Mario tune is played. The second Action Tag which brought a smile to my face was the piano stall. This also plays a Mario tune with the tempo matching the speed as you rotate the stall.
Along with the castle, the set includes another member of the Koopalings, with the shade-wearing Roy. Which finally completes the line-up of Bowser’s minions. Like all non-interactive characters featured in the Mario sets, Roy is a built-built figure. Roy’s chest, mouth and eyes are all included as printed elements. The shell is a purple version of the element which has previously been used on other Koopa characters. This is also home to the character Action Tag.
Roy also comes with a Chain Chomp chariot. Chain Chomps are an iconic enemy from the Mario game series. They have previously been featured in brick-form, in fact, the version in this set is the same as its first appearance in the Chain Chomp Jungle Encounter set. Only now it’s pulling a floating chariot. This is another part of the set which features an Action Tag.
As with other Expansion Sets, along with the ‘main’ build, there are smaller pieces of scenery which connect to them and other sets in the range. In this set, the added scenery features a trio of island plates. One features a Toad, the other a pair of small trees and in the centre of those a rather pitiful ‘fountain’. The transparent pieces used to create this aren’t connected to anything and merely sit on top of another Action Tag. These small aspects of the set may not seem overly exciting and they aren’t but they add extra detail, the ability to connect the set with other sets and most importantly, the add more play features. Please note the LEGO Peach Interactive figure is not included in this set.
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This set was provided to BricksFanz by the LEGO Group for this review. The thoughts within this review are those of BricksFanz and do not reflect those of the LEGO Group or Nintendo. Providing a set for free does not guarantee a favourable opinion of the set.
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