You. Guys. YOU GUYS! It has finally happened. The Super Mario Bros. characters I have been wanting in action figure form my entire life might finally be getting their shot in the World of Nintendo line by Jakks Pacific. Yes! The Koopa Kids have finally started to arrive, and as luck would have it, JP is kicking off their release with my favorite of the group: Iggy Koopa! I am so stoked! Joining him, and rounding out Series 2-7 is Raccoon Mario, one of the most essential Mario variants ever. Yeah, this is a great pairing, so come check ‘em out!

I don’t mean to be presumptive here, but the Koopa Kids are such no-brainers for action figures in an SMB-centric line, it has almost been painful waiting them out. They have great designs, have a long-standing history in the franchise across multiple games and systems, and are, for the most part, beloved by the fan base. So, while I am sad we have had to wait so long to start to see them show up in the World of Nintendo line, I am very happy, and extremely relieved that they have started. Yes, I am going to be looking specifically at Iggy here in just a moment, but I want to take a chance to make this VERY clear to everyone, especially you guys at the wheel at Jakks Pacific: 

We need ALL of the Koopa Kids in this line. ALL OF THEM. I know that, seeing how long the line has been running, that is a tall order, but I think it is really important to get this group done. If it takes a new Kid in each subsequent series, or even a couple here and there until they are complete, that is what needs to be done. PLEASE get us have LARRY, LEMMY, ROY, WENDY, MORTON, and LUDWIG! That would be such an accomplishment in this line, and seeing new ones revealed would go a LONG way to keeping interest in the overall line up. Yes, just from an SMB perspective, we still needs some major players like Daisy and Birdo, but getting the Koopa Kids all across the finish line would be a HUGE accomplishment. So please, let’s make sure Iggy does not get lonely! Speaking of which…

IGGY KOOPA

I might get accused of being a bit biased here, but I don’t even care, because I know I am just fortunate, but Iggy Koopa might very well be the best four-inch figure released in the WoN line to date. Yes, he is my favorite Kid, but this figure is so well done, I had to take a step back and put my objective eyes in to mull over his action figure merits. Upon doing so, it is pretty easy to see that, with the combination of sculpt/likeness, articulation, and overall production value, Iggy hits all of the right buttons, and Jakks has done a wonderful job with him. No, he is not 100% perfect, and I will be getting to my nitpick in just a bit, but overall, this is a REALLY awesome figure, and offers some things never done in the WoN line until now.

Of all of the Koopa Kids, Iggy has undergone the most drastic cosmetic change since he was originally introduced. When he debuted in Super Mario Bros. 3, he was primarily blue, and his hair matched Lemmy’s rainbow look. This obviously lead to the constant connection of the two characters, and that was especially apparent in the old Super Mario Bros. Super Show cartoon. I have to admit, I was a big fan of the blue shell and the rainbow do, but Iggy’s new green motif and still-wild hair give him his own identity, and help facilitate his bonkers personality. This figure is obviously based off of this more modern take, and the figure is a great realization of the design.

If I am not mistaken, Iggy is an all-new sculpt, and I don’t recognize any reuse of parts, if indeed there is reuse happening with this figure. Iggy is one of, if not THE, tallest Koopa Kids, and his stature is accurately portrayed here, so I am thankful that scale has not been lost as can often happen with tertiary characters. His giant poof/stem of green hair really adds to his overall height and it has some really nice airbrushing to give some gradient between two green hues. I am not sure if we have seen paintwork like this in the WoN line before, but let me tell you, it is a very nice detail. All of the other parts are also rendered nicely, and I am especially fond of the “crazy” eyes and glasses that are so iconic to the character. 

Iggy’s facial expression is also lifted right from the control art that any self-respecting SMB fan knows well, so there is certainly no mistaking him. His shell is accurately brought to life as well, and even though Iggy is one of the taller Koopa kids, the shell, along with the legs, feet, hands, and maybe the arms, should be prime for reuse for some of his brethren. He also, of course, gets his patented wand, and Iggy is the bearer of the yellow one, so that is what is included. There is no reason I can see for this piece to be retooled for subsequent Kids, so I hope this one gets a lot of mileage from Jakks.

Now, Iggy has some interesting articulation going on, too, and at least as far as the SMB corner of World of Nintendo, he has the most articulation of any figure to date. At first glance, I thought Iggy was going to run on par with most of the standard four-inch figures, but as soon as I started fiddling with the figure, I discovered he has a whole lot more in terms of joints and range of movement. Iggy has partial ball joints in both of his shoulders, wrists, hips, and ankles. So, in addition to the standard hinge style joints found in the WoN line, you also get some swivel, back and forth, and in and out movement depending on the joint. For instance, you can twist the wrists 360 degrees, but they also have a back and forth hinge, and that is not something that is common in WoN. Also, Iggy’s ankle hinge back and forth, and frankly, that is not just for fun, this addition REALLY helps with balance and overall posing, especially with a character who is as top-heavy as Iggy. 

Additionally, Iggy has full-blown ball joints in his elbows, so he is able to go even beyond natural movement at those points. I don’t mean that in a dismissive way at all, in fact, because the elbows can move back and forth so far, and completely twist, he has a wonderful range of movement, and frankly, that is something I would love to see in MORE joints on more figures. If not for my one nitpick, and that is that, due to the character and figure design, there is NO neck movement, this figure would be pretty close to being just about everything I would want in articulation for a Koopa Kid. I am not completely bent out shape about it, and that still leaves Iggy as about the best moving WoN figure yet, but even just a basic swivel here would have been REALLY nice.

Okay, I have gone on long enough about Iggy here, but I could really talk all day. Jakks has done a wonderful with this figure, and the end result is one of the best figures they have ever made, at least in my opinion. Plus, the arrival for this bonkers guy leaves me hopeful that the Koopa Kids might be somewhat of a priority going forward. I have not minced words, so it is worth saying again, WE NEED ALL THE KOOPA KIDS IN THIS LINE!!!

RACCOON MARIO

Keeping with the SMB3 theme, we have also gotten one of the most iconic variants of Mario previously left undone in this brand new Raccoon Mario. I have to admit, of all of the SMB games we have seen over the years, the power-ups and costume variations in Mario 3 are some of my all-time favorites. We have had the Tanooki Suit for a bit now, but this release makes me hopeful that maybe the Frog and ever-elusive Hammer Brothers suits might be coming to us sometime in the not-too-distant future. Yes, yes, I am always looking to the next thing, but this new series has reinvigorated my excitement for WoN, so don’t stop me now!

Man, the Raccoon suit in SMB3 was like a revelation. I still remember the first time playing that game and thinking it was the greatest thing ever. Being able to FLY as Mario (and Luigi)? Rad, man. The integration of the raccoon design is arguably the most subtle when it comes to the SMB3 enhancements, but to me, that just walks the line of integration with Mario’s classic design wonderfully, and his classic form is preserved while adding the raccoon accent points. At any rate, this version of Mario has endured for almost 30 years now, so we were definitely due a WoN of Nintendo figure, and while some might be feeling a bit of variant fatigue, this one is pretty essential.

There is not quite as much to say about this figure as there was about Iggy for the simple fact that a good deal of this figure is (appropriate) reuse, and if you have that recent “open hand” classic Mario figure, you pretty much know what you are getting with this. I know I harped on this version being overdue, but there is likely a method to the madness and timing of this release. The open hands actually help to make this figure more accurate because, as you know, when Mario is in-flight he has his arms out and hands open, so this all aligned nicely. 

Now, my Tanooki Mario is currently packed away (all my stuff get to be unboxed in July, and I cannot wait), but I believe the tail is the same one used on that figure, which is perfectly fine. The eared hat completes the look and really, all this leaves me wanting is a corresponding Luigi figure to stand next to him. The Super Leaf is a bit of reuse as well, and it is modeled off of the modern look rather than the simple red leaf from the game, but that fits the overall theme of the WoN line, so it works. I am really happy with this figure as far as variants go, and as I said above, let’s not waste any time in getting Frog and Hammer Brother suits either.

I really, really, really love these two new figures, and they round out a very strong assortment, so get yours from BBTS now. Raccoon Mario is a long overdue essential take on the main character, and I have wanted a figure of Iggy Koopa my entire life. The latter just might be the best standard figure in the World of Nintendo line to date, so I am going to say it again: keep it going, Jakks Pacific. I know the next assortment has not been confirmed yet (actually, it was announced yesterday, and there is no Kid, so BOOOOOOOO!), but I really hope that Larry, Lemmy, Ludwig, Roy, Wendie, and Morton are all being prioritized. It would be shame to not complete all the Koopa Kids, and it would be a MAJOR accomplishment if JP can get it done. I am looking forward to it!

Which Koopa Kid do you want to see next? Sound off below! For me, I would love Lemmy, Roy, or Larry.