I recently purchased the Super Mario Bros. Lego set… something that has been on my wishlist for almost two years now. And coincidentally… while my lady and I were in the middle of building out the obstacle course… *bing* new email from Brandon at RetroDodo… a new writing todo: Best Super Mario gifts.
Well that is perfect timing! I guess I already know my #1!
Seriously though.. I’m a pretty big Mario fan. Super Mario Bros. was my intro into home video gaming, and I am still a gigantic fan of the franchise.
I even have a Mario tattoo!
We all love Mario here at Retro Dodo, we even made a cool list of the 20 Best Mario Games Of All Time.
I feel quite honored to be able to choose what we will call the ten best Mario gifts.
But really, people… any Mario themed gift is pretty awesome. Kind of hard to go wrong.
Here we go… let’s choose the 12 best Super Mario gifts of 2023.
(I’ll do these in no particular order, because it’s tough to choose what is “best” for somebody else.)
1. Carrera RC – Officially Licensed Flying Cape Super Mario Remote Control Helicopter Drone
Um, excuse me, sir? If I had the opportunity to purchase a remote control helicopter Mario when I was a kid, I’d be crashing that thing into the furniture in my bedroom ALL DAY LONG.
Kids these days don’t know how lucky they are.
For only $39.99, you or your child could also send a caped Mario soaring through the skies.
But let’s keep it real, this is something adults like me would be purchasing for themselves.
This super cool Super Mario gift is remote controlled and is actually marketed to fly indoors.
The Mario is about 4 inches long, and the wingspan is about 8 inches… so it’s small enough to not do too much damage.
It comes with remote control, batteries, and a cool little stand.
Oh, and they also make a Yoshi one.
2. Super Mario Kart 8 Mini RC Racer
If flying Mario around the room isn’t your jam, how about driving him all over the living room or on the street outside?
This Super Mario Kart 8 themed RC racer measures about 12 inches long, and is quite impressive looking, as we’d expect from any officially licensed Mario gift.
Mario can go up to 100 feet away (that’s about 30.5 meters for some of y’all), and his wheels flip up to go into “Anti-Gravity Mode” at the press of a button.
Maybe they read our article How To Drift In Mario Kart 64?
This cart also comes in a Luigi version, and it’ll run you about $35.99.
3. The Super Mario Bros Super Show! Volume 1
Hard to believe you could watch over six hours of animated Mario series for only $9.99!
You can also purchase the Volume 2 while you’re at it and have the entire collection. Currently on sale, along with the Super Mario World series. Get all three for about $22 right now.
This is one amazing gift to give to original fans from the 1990s, or to young kids who stay glued to the television for hours and hours watching the same thing on loop. Over and over and over and over and over. (Anybody else have a history babysitting kids?)
This is a great piece of Mario history, and a cool gift you can give to yourself or somebody else with a DVD player.
Humorously, Amazon lists the director of the series as “Director: Super Mario”.
4. LEGO Super Mario Adventures with Mario Starter Course
Like I mentioned earlier… this one had been on my radar since its release in 2020.
It was only recently that I was able to finally add it to my collection, and I was not disappointed.
Yes, it’s as cool as you’d hope for.
Mario lights up, he talks, he reacts to movement, he reacts to whatever he is standing on… SO.COOL.
And the collection comes with some really cool Mario themed obstacles and secondary characters to interact with.
Mario has motion sensors, as well as a light reader below his feet to read the color of the surfaces he is standing on and special barcode pieces that initiate various sounds and sequences from Mario.
All this for $59.99, and worth every single bit of it…easily my favorite Super Mario gift.
I wish somebody gave me one in 2020!
There are many other Lego sets available, including a Luigi set and add-on sets. So if you enjoy one, don’t worry.. there’s a ton of other Super Mario themed collections to spend your money on.
Speaking of cool Lego and Nintendo collaborations…
5. LEGO Nintendo Entertainment System
Here is a Mario gift that I have yet to cross off my wishlist.
The Lego Nintendo Entertainment System feels like a slice right out of my childhood.
An oldschool television, an original NES console, and Super Mario Bros. on the screen. Even comes with a game cartridge. All perfection.
It looks like quite a challenge to build, but the reward for doing so is very high.
You might have some trouble finding this one. But if you did, it would cost you about $269.99. Worth every penny.
The best Super Mario gift for a serious collector… and for somebody with a serious bankroll.
6. 6pcs Set Super Mario PVC Toy Figures
Admittedly, a lot of these gifts are better served for adult Mario fans… but here’s a great gift for the kids.
What’s better for a young child than a bunch of cool vinyl toys they can slam around and create their own fantasy stories with?
Toys that you won’t be heartbroken to see scuffed and laying around with missing limbs, maybe?
Sure, Peppa Pig is cool… but a bunch of Super Mario characters is way cooler.
For $49.99, you can have the whole main cast from the Mario franchise… and even Donkey Kong for good measure.
I’m realizing now that this set doesn’t include any of the villain characters from the Mario franchise. But maybe better to have your kids focused on the good guys, for now, eh?
Or maybe all this “kids” talk is just a front… maybe you’re looking at these best Super Mario gifts for yourself, like I am.
7. 50 Pcs Mario Stickers
Here is a fun one that is a familiar gift for me… Super Mario sticker sets.
I absolutely love stickers. I’m kind of obsessed with them.
And when you have a mailing address (I didn’t have one for a few years while moving around Asia as a nomad), it’s easy to just start ordering a ton of them.
When you can get a pack of 50 random Mario themed stickers for only $6.99, why not?
Within the Instagram Game Boy community, we have a tradition of trading our logo stickers… and we often throw in a bunch of bonus content in the envelope.
So I have mailed hundreds of Mario stickers all over the world.
If you love stickers, or want a Super Mario gift that you can give to just about anybody for no particular reason… this is perfect.
Who doesn’t love stickers?
8. Super Mario Bomber Jacket For Boys
This is one of those times I’m just kind of upset that this is a Mario gift for children only.
This super awesome officially licensed Mario jacket (it comes in a Luigi version too) is SO RAD.
Perfect for any young lad or lass who is into the Mario franchise, or should be into it and will be getting one of the coolest gifts as an intro.
Only $29.99 to be the absolute coolest kid in town. That’s the best way to stay warm and cool at the same time.
See what I did there?
I wish I were smaller…
9. Nintendo 5 PC Backpack Combo Set
For some of us older folks, it’s kind of hard to even remember.. but most children in this world will experience something called “school”.
And any kid going to school needs some basics… a backpack, a lunch bag, a pencil bag, a water bottle.
Well this 5 piece backpack combo set will have your cool kids covered. Paired with the Mario bomber jacket, and that kid would be unstoppable!
For only $32.95, your child will have all of the containers they need for a busy life of elementary school in style.
10. Crocs Kids Mario Clog
And in our season finale of “Kids stuff that Anthony Wallace wishes came in adult sizes”, I present the official Crocs and Super Mario collab.
Yes, I did look for the adult version. No, they did not have it (that I could find).
Crocs are one of those things that I think most people laugh at, but I think they are kind of cool.
And when you have kids (or babysit them often, as I alluded to earlier) you know that kids are in and out of their shoes often.
Not that you wanna encourage their shoes to come off so easily… but if you wanna give them the freedom to choose, and those little hands aren’t gonna be tying laces anytime soon.. this is a cool option.
Perfect for romps in the grass, in a water puddle, at the playground, pretty much anywhere cool kids are allowed.
These particular ones appear to be for toddlers, and will run you about $49.99. Ain’t too bad.
I think these make for an awesome Super Mario gift, and I’m pretty jealous I do not have the feet of a toddler right now.
11. Van Gogh Mario Canvas
Ok, so this isn’t actually a Mario Van Gogh original. For one, Van Gogh has been dead for years, and two, he never played a Super Mario game as they didn’t exist.
Still, if you’re a fan of Starry Starry Night and live and breath everything to do with the moustachioed plumbing maestro, then this would look fantastic in your living room.
Choose from a rolled canvas option, gallery wrapped, or framed in a variety of colours in a range of sizes.
Some of them can get pretty expensive though, so I guess it al depends on how much you like the person you’re buying for.
12. Super Mario Bluetooth Headphones
If you know any little plumbing fans that love listening to music, then get a load of these Super Mario Bluetooth Headphones.
Connect up to any device and listen to audiobooks, Spotify, YouTube… the works!
With up to 18 hours playback time, they’re perfect for long journeys or for taking on holiday too. And, when the battery runs out, the 3.5mm jack cable keeps the party going.
They even have a microphone for chatting with friends and family on Facetime or Zoom.
Conclusion
As we see, there are a ton of cool Super Mario gift options out there, ranging from stuff that is perfect for young children all the way to old adults like me who are collectors for one of their favorite childhood gaming franchise.
Whether it’s shoes, shirts, jackets, backpacks, socks, underwear, RC cars, collectors cards, DVDs, vinyl toys, stickers, chess sets… there are TONS of cool Super Mario gifts out there.
We didn’t even mention the $2000 Tag Heuer Super Mario watch or some of the radical shoe collabs with Puma (Nintendo Collaborates With Puma To Launch ‘Super Mario All Stars’ Sneaker Set).
Don’t let this list limit you; just get out there and start spending. It’s never been a better time to be a Mario fan.
You can also check out our list of the 20 Best Mario Toys Of 2023!
Anthony has been a video game lover ever since he can remember. He became a fulltime nomad in 2018, living throughout most of Asia. He focused his passion in retro gaming and began creating a game for the Game Boy Color while living in Nara, Japan during the 2020 pandemic. He is now in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where he spends most of his time gaming, going on long walks and meeting as many stray dogs as possible.
