It’s-a me! Actually, It’s-a us! Yes, the new World of Nintendo series from Jakks Pacific is starting to hit, and as promised, it has a very strong Super Mario Bros. theme.

Not that it’s a bad thing, mind you — I LOVE SMB, and with Super Mario Odyssey being so top of mind at the moment, it is a good time to focus on the plumber boys. This is like the little line that could, and despite some distribution issues here and there, Jakks has kept this series moving year after year, and frankly I am glad. There are a LOT of Nintendo characters I want in action figure form, and I think overall, Jakks does a solid job with their overall execution. My main kinda-gripe is that I wish things came out a bit faster and was more diverse when it did, but even if this was just a Mario line, I would still enjoy it.

Lately, that is what it has felt like, but Jakks did make it clear that Mario would be their main focus for a bit, so it is not completely unexpected. Heck, there are TONS of SMB characters that we still need (KOOPA KIDS!), so I am hoping that waves are going to be at least five figures deep like this one going forward. That said, 3/5 figures of this wave are re-issues while the other two are both variants of Mario. Granted, they are two wholly new versions of Mario that we have not seen in the line before, but that combination could take the sheen of this particular assortment off for some collectors. I am very glad to get the new Propeller and Odyssey Mario (with Cappy), but a new unique character could have gone a long way in this assortment.

Let’s take a look at everything.

LUIGI, KOOPA TROOPA, AND SHY GUY

Yes, I am grouping all three of these together because, if you have been hanging with this line for a bit, you are likely to already have all of them. Sure, I am not mad about adding another Koopa or Shy Guy because the are technically army-builders, but I have already talked about these dudes. Luigi, too, for that matter, and while this figure employs the semi-new open glove hands, we just go them a few waves ago, so the dust has not settled yet. So, if you get a set of these like I did, you will be in for some re-issues, and I am kind of left here thinking about how Lemmy, Larry, Roy, Daisy, and Birdo (just to name a few) are still outstanding, so I can’t say I am not a bit disappointed with these three being in this series, despite not minding adding another Troopa to the shelf.

PROPELLER MARIO

Now, this is more like it! Yes, it is technically just another Mario figure, but this is a viable and very unique variant that we have not seen in the line yet. I am a big fan of New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and this power-up is by far the most useful in the game. Plus, the jumpsuit and helmet with a giant propeller on top is instantly recognizable and stands out even in a collection that has its fair share of Mario figures. Much of the costume detail is accomplished via paint, so there is definitely some part reuse going on here, but the propeller spins, and the figure does a good job accomplishing the overall look.

I have fallen in for Mario variants in this line, and this is a good one. I would love to see a Hammer Brother Mario or Frog Suit version come our way soon, because if you need to have strong representation from the main character, you might as well continue to mix it up. This is probably my favorite figure of the series.

ODYSSEY MARIO and CAPPY

Full disclosure: I have not played Super Mario Bros. Odyssey yet. Yes, I recently got a Switch to play Mega Man 11, but I have not even had a chance to do that yet. That said, I would like to eventually get around to trying this new Mario game. Yeah, I am more of a fan of the side-scrolling Mario adventures, but this new game looks really innovative for a Mario title, and from everything I have read, it looks to be a lot of fun. So again, it makes perfect sense for Jakks to get this figure out now, and I have to say, it certainly makes for an interesting execution.

First and foremost, you get Cappy as the accessory, and that is pretty requisite for this version. Just as Cappy adds a new element to a Mario game, so does the inclusion of this accessory because it makes getting a non-hat/helmet version of Mario in the line also essential. So, that adds a whole other layer of variation to this release. Now, the hair does have some unexpected lines and sculpted detail that I did not expect, but so do the overalls, and for the first time, they are covered in a bit of “denim” detail that we have yet to see. I am going to assume that is because those details come through in the game itself, so it makes for a very different effect for this figure compared to the rest of the Marios in the “standard” look. This Mario also features a pointed figure, so again, that is another first.

While I don’t have any association with this version of Mario (yet), they did take some extra steps to ensure several layers of uniqueness, and that is certainly appreciated.

Overall, I will admit, this is not the most exciting series in recent memory. Getting two new Mario figures alongside three re-releases is never going to match getting a few new characters in an assortment (at least for me), but the Marios are nice. If you are a fan of the Wii and/or Switch games, you will want these Marios, so be sure to nab them at BBTS now.