Review : LEGO Super Mario 71363 Desert Pokey, 71364 Whomp's Lava Trouble & 71376 Thwomp Drop Expansion Sets

We continue the tour of the expansion packs that accompany the starter set 71360 Adventures with Mario (59.99 €) in the LEGO Super Mario range with a quick glance at the references 71363 Desert Pokey (180 pieces - 19.99 €), 71364 Whomp's Lava Trouble (133 pieces - 19.99 €) and 71376 Thwomp Drop (393 pieces - 39.99 €).

The and 71363 Desert Pokey Expansion Set (180 pieces - 19.99 €) offers only one real functionality: this is to knock out the Pokey composed of four stacked modules using a hammer attached to the end of a mobile platform to release the barcode to to scan. The sequence of destroying the cactus is fun, with the possibility of obtaining bonus coins thanks to the barcode placed in the base holding the hammer. Is there any for 19.99 €? Nothing is less certain, knowing that the mechanism used here to demolish the Pokey does not seem to me really inspired by the appearances of the character in the various versions of the game Super Mario Bros.

There will be a Topi Taupe (Monty Mole) to keep for your shelves, it is identical to the one seen in the promotional set 40414 Monty Mole & Super Mushroom Expansion Set offered by LEGO for the launch of the range. The two boxes can also be combined to assemble a more consistent "desert" section of the game board.

The and 71364 Whomp's Lava Trouble Expansion Set (133 pieces - 19.99 €) is not much more ambitious than the previous one but it is sold at the same price. In terms of functionality, we are content with a mobile platform that circulates above the lava, a Whomp with the nicely pad-printed front face to be removed to release a P-Switch which allows you to gain some additional coins and a Koopa Trooper shell placed on a rotary axis which allows you to release the Lava bubble.

Bof, nothing to cry genius, even if this small box can come to expand a portion of level on the theme Lava. It will allow the passage to add a nice Whomp available only in this set to your collection of characters. Too bad for the injection point really visible on the pad printed part.

Finally, the set 71376 Thwomp Drop Expansion Set (393 pieces - 39.99 €) offers a little more construction than the two previous boxes and it allows to assemble a relatively elaborate mechanism with a Thwomp which comes as in the game crashing on the ground and causing its share of damage.

The module is rather compact and it will fit perfectly in the middle of a level without taking up too much space and offering a little volume to the whole, that's already taken. The principle is simple, we place Mario on the white platform, we slide the thing several times towards the mechanism integrated in the mast, the Thwomp falls in two distinct sequences, he actuates the red lever on the left and in the process dismisses the Lava bubble placed on the platform.

The whole thing may seem simplistic, but the designers have gone to great lengths to come up with realistic and rather fun action. The 390 pieces in the set are mainly in the central mast built around a Technic axis and in the body of the Thwomp. The product description praises the two difficulty levels available, with only one of the two white platforms equipped with studs for inserting the interactive Mario figure. It's up to the player to choose if he prefers to take the risk of slipping in the lava or not ...

To keep on your shelves: The Thwomp available only in this box and which is unfortunately only pad printed on the front side and the other sides of which are a little empty, two Lava bubbles and the four pieces pad printed with skulls of Dry bones.

In short, as with the majority of the other expansions currently sold by LEGO, these three small boxes bring more or less their share of features and characters to the initial game board, but it is up to everyone to assess the interest of spending the are requested for these additions which may ultimately seem a bit dispensable.

I remind for all intents and purposes that the interactive Mario figure is not provided in these boxes, it is only three extensions of the main game board which do not contain the starting sticker to be scanned to start a game nor that of arrival allowing to validate the progression within the time limit.

Note: The set of three sets presented here, supplied by LEGO, is as usual in play. Deadline fixed at August 28, 2020 next at 23pm.

Update : The winner was drawn and was notified by email, his nickname is indicated below. Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.