Mario is one of the most well known and best selling characters ever produced by Nintendo. All over the world, people know of Mario and his brother Luigi, the stout Italian plumbers who drive through Mushroom Kingdom, stopping enemies like Donkey Kong and Wario and preventing Bowser from kidnapping the Princess Peach. Mario has made appearances in platform games, sports games, racing games and role playing games. There have been comic books, television programs and children's movies designed after the man in the blue overalls. He has progressed with technology from the 2D character running up the ladder to save the princess into the 3D character racing his car driven with your Wii wheel. With the mass popularity and major impact that Mario has had on pop culture, it is no wonder that there is an extensive line of merchandise featuring his face, including a selection of action figures.
In 2003, a line of Mario action figures was released based on the characters in the Mario Kart 64 Nintendo 64 game. Mario, his friends and rivals are all featured as five inch tall figures with accessories specific to each character. Yoshi, Luigi, Princess Peach, Bowser, Donkey Kong and Wario were all featured in the popular collection. Today, these collectibles sell for as much as two hundred dollars if they are still in mint condition.
One of the more fun Mario action figures released was the Mario Kart N64 Radio Controled figures complete with their corresponding vehicle. These collectable toys were released in 2006 and feature the characters Mario, Yoshi and Donkey Kong. They are battery operated and users report that they maneuver well and quickly over and around obstacles. Both 1/12 and 1/32 scale sizes were sold for these selections and today are available for purchase at prices ranging from $25.00 to $75.00.
Nintendo has also released plush collectibles of the most loved characters of Mario Kart. Toad the mushroom, Mario, brother Luigi, Yoshi the dinosaur and Koopa Troopa were sold in five series produced by PopCo. These characters were designed to be five inches tall and don't have any hazardous parts for young children. Individually, the plush figurines sell for about fifteen dollars, but as a set, they can be purchased for prices in the vicinity of sixty-five dollars. The plush Mario action figures have made collecting figurines an activity that the whole family can enjoy.
There are a wide array of other Mario action figures that are available to the public. Key chains and twelve inch figures are aimed at children and are fun not only to put on display but to play with, attaching a key chain to a backpack or playing make believe with a foot tall figure. For those with goals aimed at collecting rather than play, six and four inch vinyl figurines can be purchased at major toy stores or through the Internet. In September of 2010, PopCo and Nintendo are set to release their tin Mario action figures. One of the biggest perks of collecting Mario memorabilia is that because he is not a traditional super hero, the price is much, much lower for Mario and the gang compared to Superman or Batman action figures.
