The Problem with LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog & LEGO Super Mario 

The IDEAS Minecraft sets sold like mad until the sets with minifigs came out. People opted to the latter, making the diorama sets stagnate. Not because they were bad tho, just because there were better options.

@@PenPlaysalso sonic only has one wave which clearly was to test how lego sonic would sell and it clearly did good next year they’re probably gonna go into theming soon

You could argue the tails tornado is loosely based off sonic adventure but thats the only one I can say is tied to the game

@Caleebo1826 The test was the LEGO IDEAS set. It’s often the platform they use to test whether a concept or brand has the strength to carry its own weight.

@@PenPlays I also believe that if we get Mario minifigures next year sets can be branded around newer games like Odyssey,Wonder,Bowsers fury and 3 world and while on the topic of nintendo for wave one of animal crossing it’s probably going’s to be the most recent and popular game for wave 1-2 then break out into other territories

I think they should've put super sonic in the €100 set with the loop and eggman

How would they even make a Lego Giganto. Would they make microfigs of Sonic Characters to fit the scale?

The Luigi's Mansion sets are my absolute favorite ones they've done.

All very valid observations, and LEGO was apparently talking with Nintendo when Dimensions happened and bombed. The weird part is LEGO was the one who suggested Mario end up this way, which ultimately lead to a very Nintendo-y product, but everyone was expecting minifigs, and that’s been proclaimed by so many from the beginning.

I remember feeling that way about LEGO Mario Here we are on year 4 of things not really changing...

@@PenPlays Well I never really liked the way Mario did it's entire theme. Thought it was limiting due to being bound to the sensor gameplay that each set revolves around (not allowing actual Mario figure that worked without batteries), and it's flaws will only get more apparent with each future wave. Perhaps it entirely depends on if you like the gameplay aspect and the sets mainly focusing on it or not. Sonic sets to me are more classic Lego, despite the ball ejecting gimmick. It has no real limits to what the sets can be and it has less likelyhood of having the set being hindered by the signature action feature.

I’m still waiting for my Shadow Motorbike based off the hit game Shadow the hedgehog

@@Caleebo1826 It still feels weird that it actually happened

@@crazycap2945 I called it 💀🙏🏻

We have seen the sets releasing for the remainder of this year. We’re still in Green Hill.

@PenPlays you mean wave 1? That's good cause it gives people time to collect them all. Don't forget the Knuckles and Shadow sets are not green hill zone. Also, the next wave is beginning to branch out to Knuckles' back story and Shadow's as well.

Oh I think the Mario concept is neat that its a game, but seeing all the sets go on mass clearance means something is going terribly wrong with it, and I believe its because they aren't basing the products off the games proper. The thing with the Sonic Movie correlation is that they don't look even remotely close to the movie versions. Kids notice that stuff, and they know that they're different.

@PenPlays seems like they listened slightly have you seen the bowser car from 3d world. I am so hyped

dude those marvel sets were from years ago. look at the new marvel line and tell me if they are specific.

The Bike is from Sonic & All Stars Racing, the badnik is from the Classic games, and the stasis tube is non-specific, even tho there are multiple options from the game to choose from.

⁠@@PenPlaysthe Dark Rider is from Shadow the hedgehog. It was redesigned in 06 which is where Sonic & SEGA All-Stars got it’s design from, but it has a few minor differences than the 06 version

I also agree with your point. Part of the reason why I think franchises like _Stranger Things_ or _Horizon Forbidden West_ only get one-off display models is because those franchise do not have a lot going for them in making an entire toyline of LEGO Sets. And in a way, I find that good, because anything that The LEGO Group's designers have not made can still be made using one's own imagination. That is part of the joy in making MOCs, isn't it?

That would be the stuff of dreams!!

​@@PenPlays Yeah it would.

Thank you so much! I appreciate it.

You’re welcome

Iizuka is not involved with merchandising. Who’s included is LEGO’s choice from SEGA’s pool of options.

Here’s an example of a real Sonic toy line that did something similar to this. Jakks pacific, as they were new to the Sonic toy line, started off releasing figures of the standard characters you’d expect, sonic, tails, knuckles, ext, but as the line grew, they decided to release more obscure characters, like mephiles and infinite. They didn’t release them late into the line cause they didn’t care for it, or thought it won’t succeed, they did it so older and near fans both get something they want, and when they know the line is successful enough, is when they know to make something that the fans want

I can go to a store right now and buy Mario figures. What do you mean? (Miyamoto doesn’t make those decisions btw)

@@PenPlays one Nintendo tried the mini-figure thing with kenex and it didn’t go well and yes Nintendo has the executive decision of what Lego does with the brand name and their assets one of which being Mario one of their biggest and yes that means when Miyamoto said they have no intentions of making figures he’s talking about the company as a whole and it works it’s fine people like it it sells amazing so why change

As I made clear with the latter half of the sentence you’re talking about, those were examples of two games, not that the sets have to be, or already are, based off them specifically.

@@PenPlays cool

Shadow’s Bike was branded as a G.U.N. vehicle on Shadow the Hedgehog. It has the interpretation we know best from Sonic 06. The whole idea here is, rather than that do slightly inspired things, why not take things directly from the games instead. Just feels like it’s half-committing rather than going all the way

@@PenPlays The problem I feel is that the lines are not big enough to make them as they should because I would love a Sage set with Giganto or one of Team Sonic and Metal Overlord

Considering the Sonic LEGO sets are based more on the brand than the games, I expected the assume the sets they have would suffice regardless. You’ll find a video of mine on the Mario situation here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-vlYH83imdDQ.html

Not really. That was more than 7 years ago. LEGO is a completely different company these days

@@PenPlays oh, like the boat thing

And so is the death egg robot

I know. Why isn’t it a Sonic 2 set? Why isn’t the Death Egg Robot a Sonic 2 set with Silver Sonic and classic Eggman. My facts are correct. You aren’t listening to the video very carefully.

@PenPlays bro yes I am I literally have every single mario set and I see what you mean there but does a set have to have everything to please you you can't just be ok with what's there? Like this isn't the 80s or 90s anymore that's why they are called KIDS toys so that's a you problem

@dimiram9290 Are you suggesting that because they're for kids, they shouldn't be as good? If I were buying a toy for a child, I certainly would want it to be the best it can be. You're confusing my want to see change, for negativity towards the product. I own most of these sets, and I enjoy them, but they could be so much better. Do these toys satisfy? Yes. Could they satisfy even more by being even better? Absolutely. That's why this video is here. That's why we're investigating all options. The argument that they're for kids is moot for the fact that they deserve the best in the first place. Don't disrespect kids like that.

@@PenPlaysi love silver sonic with all my heart but no child knows who he is. plus the death egg robot has appeared in sonic media other than sonic 2. i like the idea of a classic eggman but i think kids would much prefer the more serious eggman instead of the goofy looking joke.

I agree, especially since they're adding shadow I think his set would be his chamber at the start of SA2 Edit: my prediction was correct 😎 👌👍

this youtuber just be yapping and yapping

It's the Bike from Sonic '06, with a canister from no game so far, with a badnik from the 90's packaged in a box that displays a level from Sonic Adventure 2. The bike is what we'd hope to see, but still some work could be done.

@@PenPlays True

@@PenPlays It would have been cooler if they put the black arms or G.U.N in it

@PenPlays It seemed they were getting a little better with the bike but then they released the Knuckles set with a random mech

Transparent additions can’t be helped, as some lose their structural integrity without them… usually because of the huge unnecessary holes in them, which, indeed, are extremely unsightly and unnecessary

Then just modify them to remove those flaws. The build is never truly finished, you can always come back to it and touch it up, or build your own spin on a set.

Me when I'm looking at the Death Robot. Sure, the context is iffy, but that is exactly what I'd expect it to look like and be priced at, so of course I'd want it anyway. Plus it has Cubot in it which honestly makes it the number 1 set if you ask me

They're one and the same, my friend.

Indeed. My point is that if you base if off the scenes from the game, you have the basis for kids to do whatever they want still, but then you also have something for display too, for those who would prefer that (and there are kids who do!). It would sell more copies and make more money that way.

Where in the world did you hear Mario is being fixed? I've heard everything regarding rumors for 2024, and the Mario sets changing thing is an assumption that has no confirmation whatsoever. I've heard lots of people saying things are retiring then, but those lists change monthly, so we actually have no idea what's ahead.

Hypothetically speaking, ignoring Wind Waker, which characters across BotW, TotK, and OoT meet the Great Deku Tree in a scene we actually see in-game?

@@PenPlays true but they couldve oerhaos added atleast a deku scrub minifig or perhaps phantom ganon i mean hes under the tree atleast? Or maybe adult link or mido and saria? Thats why i think a more generuc hyrule castle wouldve been better that way you could include well ganondorf or impa!

Ya know what, I fully understand where you’re coming from. In truth, I actually do somewhat feel the same way, but perhaps a bit in reverse. It’s just the basics of the games functionally, when, if things were changed over the minifigs, it might allow more variety in that department. It’s ok to have a different opinion, too lol. Sharing it is risky, but that’s also not always bad either. Thank you for the comment, regardless

@@PenPlays Also the fact that Mario is Brick made instead of a Mini Fig is also the reason I won't get Lego Mario.

Thank you for your comment.

First, and foremost. I am not talking down on anyone regarding their preference of what they can build. A lot of my channel is my perspective, and I'm often not good about stating when things are my opinion, which is an important thing to do as a RU-vidr, and I recognize that flaw of mine. I did try my best to phrase this video in a way where it is not gatekeep-y, and I feel I did that successfully. However, I can also acknowledge that my intensity on the subject would not imply that. My perspective is based on how nearly every single licensed theme LEGO has done (arbitrarily, outside of video game IP) has done exactly what you said they are not - they are **all** advertising tools that are required to match, or retain the design, of upcoming or strictly-adhered-to, tie-in media. Because of my years building LEGO, and becoming accustomed to this practice, it's become my expectation. Initially, Minecraft struggled in a similar way as the themes I focused on in this video, later growing into products that masterfully execute, quite perfectly, being tie-in products, while also retaining the values of the game it's from. Interestingly, Animal Crossing, off the bat, is already managing that quite well. Sonic and Mario, however, do not do that, to a point. I understand the idea of "doing it yourself" if what we're getting from LEGO directly is not to one's standard. That's one of LEGO's best qualities. I for one, am just a collector. I have no interest in modifying my sets, or creating them into something else. This, of course, makes me more display-biased, yes, but I will not refrain from also accepting toys with great functionality, something that both LEGO Mario and Sonic have in droves, but go about in their own respective ways. My expectation would be getting products that give me everything I need to satisfy my, and many others wants, but I would argue, that only some audiences are satisfied. This makes me the type of person looking for something more based off of referential material, rather than doing a random selection of things that have no relevance to the tie-in media, but can be provided by the tie-in product, to be created by the builder, should they choose (even if I'm not that person). If the products were designed to be based off of the games directly, what you would be doing is equipping display-leaning people with familiar and iconic products to display, while also delivering on function-rich products for a play-leaning person to enjoy as well. What's great is that, in the scenario of providing scene-accurate products, should the builder want to create something new, they will have specific iconography and shapes from the games, they can then implement themselves into their own creations. Now, some Sonic and Mario sets do this, but not wholly, and not as consistent. Just as an example, we could have got any of Knuckles' vehicles from the modern Sonic racing games. A display ready, yet also play-ready set. Should the builder want, that gives them the pieces to support them in building mech for Knuckles. This, in turn satisfies all parties. That is the bottom line of this video, and perhaps I could have done better at communicating that. It's a want to satisfy all interested, while also still equipping the builder with tools to create whatever they want. This is something all of those tie-in products also manage to do as well. Even tho they make specific vehicles or locations, you can still do whatever you want with them, but out-of-box, you have something to re-enact your favorite moments and to display to represent those moments, first and foremost. That is what I seek.

Me who loves LEGO Mario, but also wants to see LEGO sets that appeal to all types of kids instead of just some.

I remember feeling that the Mario sets could get better than they already were (imo) when wave 1 launched That was three years ago, and while the concept has improved, the world yearns for something more. I hope Sonic is quicker to that realization

I feel about Sonic Frontiers the same way I feel about Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild - LEGO could just make an entire line of sets off that one game and they'd rake it in.

@@PenPlays ohhh man eversince I played and finished Botw, I been fantasizing about Botw lego sets, making my own concepts and lists for them and whatnot. Lego really is missing out, tbh. So many good licensed properties they could make lego sets for; possibilities are endless. But nah, here's captain America's shield, a shitty chewie model, yayyyyy

Hoping that Deku Tree leak ends up being real within the next year. I’m already tired of waiting

​@@PenPlaysSo a proper Sonic All-stars wave...that makes a lot of sense, given the fact the game also has collaborations with Lego to give us Lego based skins in the game.

@@pitaalfereti58 WE NEED AN UCS GIGANTO MAN!

There aren’t any Mario minifigs