Review: LEGO 71411 The Mighty Bowser

September 16, 2022 | 5

LEGO Super Mario has been a fairly decent commercial success – LEGO keeps producing sets, and anecdotally, the theme is quite popular among younger kids and families, for whom Mario is a much bigger star than Mickey Mouse.

While the LEGO Super Mario theme is primarily targeted at kids, with its physical meets digital play features, each year, LEGO releases one large set aimed at adults, and more experienced builders to tide older Mario fans over.

It began with 2020’s 71374 Nintendo Entertainment System, followed by last year’s  71395 Super Mario 64 Question Mark Block and now for 2022, we have 71411 The Mighty Bowser, an enormous 2,807-piece rendition of Mario’s arch-nemesis (and sometimes golf buddy).

LEGO’s adult-targeted Nintendo sets seem to have no rhyme or reason – there isn’t a specific theme, and it seems that the LEGO Design team are challenged to adapt anything from Super Mario, and throw in an element of surprise.

I was blown away when LEGO unveiled The Mighty Bowser, and as a long-time Nintendo fan, this gargantuan Bowser puppet was something that I knew that I needed.

Let’s check out 71411 The Mighty Bowser, which will be released globally on 1 October 2022, and retail for US$269.99/AU$399.99.

See below for regional pricing and product page links:

• 71411 The Mighty Bowser [US] – US$269.99
• 71411 The Mighty Bowser [AUS]  – AU$399.99
• 71411 The Mighty Bowser [UK] – £229.99
• 71411 The Mighty Bowser [EU] – €269.99
• 71411 The Mighty Bowser [CA] – CAD$349.99

Special thanks to LEGO for sending this set for review

71411 The Mighty Bowser Set Details

Name: The Mighty Bowser
Set Number: 71411
Pieces: 2,807
Price: AU$399.99 | US$269.99 | £229.99 – Buy from LEGO.com [AUS] [USA] [UK]
Exclusive to: LEGO.com / LEGO Retail Stores
Theme: LEGO Super Mario
LEGO Designers: Carl Merriam, Anthony Palamar (graphics) and Didier Agani
Release Date: 1 October 2022

71395 Question Mark Block was one of my favourite LEGO builds of 2021 because of how ingenious the design was. LEGO Mario D2C (direct to consumer) sets all have one major thing in common – they blend being awesome display pieces, with surprising technical features, bringing the sets to life in unsuspecting manners.

LEGO looks to repeat that feat once again with The Mighty Bowser, which has tremendous display presence because of its sheer size, but also has some really clever playable features built into it.

The Build Experience

The Mighty Bowser might be one of my favourite LEGO builds of 2022. The build was unlike anything I’ve ever done as the design team takes you to strange places, and with some really top-notch techniques to fill in gaps, and introduce curves, and all of Bowser’s features.

This is a creature build first and foremost, and you slowly build Bowser up limb by limb – Bowser’s shell is a treat to build, and I’m amazed at how the design team got the angles to fit in so incredibly well.

It’s a pretty tough technical build, so if you’re new to LEGO, some parts might be quite challenging.

To see how the set comes together, check out my Speed Build video on the Jay’s Brick Blog Youtube channel!

Very fun, and it’s a huge build with 21 bags in total, so this will keep you busy for a while!

Here’s a look at the manual, which as usual features an introduction and profile of the design team Carl Merriam, Anthony Palamar (graphics) and Didier Agani, as well as cool fun facts about Bowser, his posse as well a historical timeline of LEGO Bowsers.

There is also a section on compatibility with LEGO Mario, however at the time of getting photos done, the app had not updated yet, so I was unable to test it out.

Oh, and no stickers in this set!

Here’s The Mighty Bowser in all its glory, and boy, is it massive. As you build The Mighty Bowser, it begins to dawn on you just how crazy the scale of this set is.

The entire model measures 12.5 in. (32 cm) high, 16 in. (41 cm) wide and 11 in. (28 cm) deep, so this is really a sizable model.

In case you needed a frame of reference, here’s Bowser next to Optimus prime.

Before we get into Bowser himself, here’s a look at the brick-built battle platform where Bowser lays in wait, fully exuding final boss energy.

The platform is fairly large, measuring 41cm across and features these 2 flame pillars – the Bowser logo is printed on the flags which is a nice touch.

I love tiling, and this section here with the cracked floor was really satisfying to build, and great to look at as well.

Both pillars are knocked over easily (for dramatic effect), and they’re kinda annoying because I kept knocking them over when I was repositioning Bowser.

Hidden inside one of the pillars is a POW Block!

Here’s a look at Bowser, and the design team have done a superb job capturing his iconic turtle shape, and all the proportions just seem right to me.

This is a huge model, and for those of you that enjoy building and displaying large models, you will absolutely love what The Mighty Bowser has to offer.

Everything just seems right when you look at him – the colours, the pose, the features that it’s almost mind-blowing just how well they managed to translate Bowser into LEGO form.

Here’s a look at Bowser’s side profile.

And from the back.

Here’s a look at Bowser’s head – his chubby cheeks, and rounded upper lips are captured incredibly well here.

A really fun thing about Bowser is that his eyes (which are printed) and eyebrows can move, giving you the option to switch up his expressions, which I thought was very fun.

He can go from angry, to sheepish, to sad by just changing his eyebrows up, and I thought this really injected a lot of Bowser’s larger than life personality into the model.

And here’s his hair.

Bowser’s mouth can also open slightly, and there’s a small secret inside.

There’s a new fireball spring-loaded missile on the inside, which you can fire when you tilt his head upwards.

Here’s a look at Bowser’s large arms – I love how they managed to get his sausage-like fingers and claws so nicely.

His legs are also really nice and chunky, and again, I love how they incorporated curves so effortlessly here.

And here’s his tail.

And here’s a look at his soft and vulnerable underbelly, as well as his studded choker and bracelets.

The highlight of the build, and what makes Bowser truly Bowser has to be the shell at the back, and it is just a work of art.

Enabling the shell to look perfect are these new ogive pieces which are newly introduced in this set.

No matter which angle you look, the design of the shell is just peerless, and I especially love the white rim that goes around it. It’s not entirely perfect, you can pick out some gaps but they don’t detract from just how good the shell looks.

You can tell that a lot of care and attention went into the shell design, and being able to introduce the ogive element for this specific purpose was just the thing needed to get Bowser’s shell as accurate as possible at this scale.

Tucked under his shell is this block, which you can slide in and out – that tilts Bowser’s head from left to right, an the Technic piece opens and closes his mouth.

Take a look at how it works in this GIF above.

It’s a really fun and clever feature, and makes The Mighty Bowser into a LEGO Puppet of sorts, and it really brings Bowser to life, so that it’s much much more than just a static model.

What I liked:

• The Mighty Bowser is mighty big
• Tremendous and terrifying display presence
• Puppet functions are a lot f fun
• Captures Bowser’s iconic features perfectly
• A fantastic display piece

What I didn’t like: 

• Very expensive
• Towers get knocked over easily
• Lacks a cool Easter Egg like previous Nintendo sets

FINAL THOUGHTS:

The Mighty Bowser is a bold, ambitious and true to the name mighty take on the beloved King of the Koopas. For Super Mario fans who want a large and imposing model, The Mighty Bowser absolutely hits the brief and functions as an awesome display piece – probably one of the more impressive LEGO display models of 2022.

It’s sheer size is awesome to behold, and you’ll need to see it in person (and hopefully get to pick it up) to understand why this set costs US$269.99 / AU$399.99.

At the price, it’s the most expensive LEGO Super Mario set yet, and it really pushes the limits of what LEGO can charge for a set like this.

Price-wise, there’s no denying it, this is a very expensive set – you can easily buy a Nintendo Switch and have way hours of fun and enjoyment out of that, so dollar for dollar, this isn’t going to deliver hours of fun and enjoyment like a Switch can.

This set, like so many in 2022 is targeted at adult collectors with deep pockets, who will not hesitate to part with US$269.99 for a massive LEGO Bowser that they can display in their games room, or on stream.

The play features are fun, and I appreciate that they’re there, but you’re not going to use it much, so this will inevitably devolve into an expensive display model.

Is it a great display model? Absolutely but like any big, expensive licensed set, it’s not for everyone.

The design team have outdone themselves capturing Bowser’s aesthetics and features, all while ensuring that it remains an interactive model that you can also pick up and play with.

It’s a lot to ask for, but if you’re a big fan of Mario, I think it’s worth the asking price, but try to wait for it to go on sale, or Double VIP, or a decent gift with purchase.

For me personally? As a big Mario fan, I love this and it already will occupy space next to my Question Mark Block and Nintendo Entertainment System, and I can’t wait to see what we get next year.

Rating and score: 4/5 ★★★★✰

Build [5] – This build was so fun, and challenged me. I was enamoured with seeing how Bowser came together
Real Value [2] – A very pricey set – if LEGO had included some more bonuses, like an army of Koopas, or something else, it might’ve feel like better value
Innovation [4] – One of the most unique LEGO sets, and the puppetry functions are so great
Coolness [4] – As a fan of Nintendo and Mario, a Bowser at this scale is just so awesome, no matter what you think of it
Keepability [5] – I can’t see me putting this set away as it’s bright, colourful and has so much display presence

Thanks so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed my review of 71411 The Mighty Bowser! Be sure to also check out my review of 71395 Super Mario 64 Question Mark Block if you missed it!

Please enjoy this photo of Bowser playing on the LEGO NES!

71411 The Mighty Bowser will be released on 1 October globally, and be available exclusively from LEGO.com or your local LEGO store.

In case you missed it, check out some recent reviews on the blog!

• Review: LEGO 21336 The Office
• Review: LEGO 75571 Neytiri & Thanator vs. AMP Suit Quaritch
• Review: LEGO 21334 Jazz Quartet
• Review: LEGO 76405 Hogwarts Express Collector’s Edition (2022)

Special thanks to LEGO for sending this set over for a review.

What do you think of The Mighty Bowser? Will you be planning to pick it up?

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