Lego Piranha Plant (71426) review: "Full of charm"

Bowser may be the main man when it comes to Mario bad guys, but Lego Piranha Plant makes a solid case for being one of the best standalone kits in the range. It strikes the perfect balance of price and personality.

Crucially, it's a great choice for almost every grown-up fan of Super Mario under the sun. No matter whether you're looking for a desk buddy, are new to Lego and want an easy introduction, or are tracking down thoughtful gifts, the Lego Piranha Plant should deliver like a power-up mushroom from a yellow block. Does it deserve a place on lists of the best Lego sets? For my money, hell yes.

Lego Piranha Plant features

• Spot-on recreation
• Everything is posable
• Not compatible with interactive Mario figure

This kit recreates a Super Mario adversary that's graced our screens since 1985, and it's ready to chow down on the pesky plumber with its posable mouth. (Speaking of which, the stalk and leaves can be positioned however you like too.) It's a classic take on the floral foe; a bulbous red and white head with an enormous, fanged mouth rising from a green pipe. The latter allows this model to stand freely on a shelf, desk, or sideboard.

Although Lego Piranha Plant isn't compatible with the digital Mario figure thanks to it lacking an interactive sticker (which I suppose makes sense when you consider how off the scale would be), this model does have a secret. A couple of coins taken straight from the franchise can be dropped into the pot and released using a secret button on the back, which I suppose is a neat feature if you want somewhere to hide your 1Ups.

Build

• Only takes an hour or two to make
• No real tricky bits
• Easy for beginners

Even if you haven't made a Lego set in years (or ever, in fact), this kit isn't going to tax you. It's a quick, satisfying build that can be completed in a single sitting without much fuss. The instructions are easy to follow and yellow lines surrounding pieces you need to put down keep your next steps clear.

There's nothing overly complex about the process either. While it does feel odd at times because you can't always see which part of the plant's head you're making, the finished result is seamless.

Design

• Picture-perfect recreation
• Posable elements give it so much charm
• Hidden coins are a neat touch

Lego models are known for being gloriously blocky, so you might assume the folks at Billund would struggle with such spherical subject matter. That isn't the case, though. The Lego Piranha Plant isn't a rough-around-the-edges "we did the best we could" approximation; it really does capture the enemy's look perfectly, to the extent you'll forget it's Lego at first. The colors, the dimensions, the pose – it all helps the model pop.

Despite not being as large or impressive as The Mighty Bowser, it's also packing just as much personality. That's mainly down to it being so posable. You won't be able to have it doing the salsa by any means, but even a slight tilt of the head or opening the jaws wide can imbue it with charm. The Lego Piranha Plant is surprisingly characterful for what is essentially a ball with teeth.

I appreciate those hidden coins as well, representing the money that might be spat out of the monster when you defeat it in the video game. Does it serve any purpose? Absolutely not. But as with so many Lego sets, that's the best bit – it's purely there for fun.

Should you buy the Lego Piranha Plant?

If you're a Mario fan and can't justify the price of the range's more expensive kits (or you just want a cool model to go on your desk or shelf), this is perfect. It's oozing with personality despite the lower cost and lack of high detail. A Lego Piranha Plant won't take up much room either, so it's a solid option if you're pushed for space.

Sure, it won't be very good for kids – it's likely to break if played with. It can't interact with the digital Mario, Luigui, or Peach figures either. But in all fairness, that's not what it's for. Plus, you can get plenty of smaller alternatives if you do want something interactive.

Ratings

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How we tested the Lego Piranha Plant

I spent a very chilled-out evening putting the Lego Piranha Plant together, focusing on the quality of instruction, the ease of the build, and making note of any elements I found hard to construct. I then lived with the finished model for a while so I could reach an informed verdict.

To get a better idea of how our process works, check out the full GamesRadar+ review policy.

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