Review: 71365 Piranha Plant Power Slide
Posted by Huw,
71365 Piranha Plant Power Slide is one of a number of mid-priced expansion packs that add new gameplay possibilities to the starter set 71360 Adventures with Mario.
Unlike those I've reviewed so far, practice makes perfect with this one and you'll need to spend time mastering it before you can rack up a decent score.
Characters
The set provides two foes for Mario to conquer but neither of them is unique to the set.
This turtle-like creature is a Koopa and is one of the most common enemies that Mario encounters in the games. He actually looks quite cute to me, so I'm not sure what Mario has against him!
All the decorated parts are, once again, printed.
Another Goomba is provided too, which is slightly different to that in the starter set, that BrickLink calls 'Goomba, Neutral'
Construction
Parts are provided in three numbered bags and you are encouraged to build it using instructions provided in the app. However, if you prefer you can download a PDF version of conventional instructions from LEGO Customer Services.
It doesn't take long to put it together although the piranha heads, of which you build two identical ones, are quite fiddly and parts-intensive.
The roller-coaster track pieces are new in bright green, as are the 1x4 bricks with hinges.
The spiky round 2x2 has been around for a few years but appears in green for the first time in Super Mario sets. It makes the perfect cactus!
Barcodes
There are four barcodes in the set:
- On the Koopa's back, which is scanned to indicate to the app that you own the set.
- On the Goomba
- Time bonus block. Scanning this gives an extra 30 seconds of gameplay, but can be used only once
- Inside the roller-coaster car, which activates coin collection by sliding back and forth.
Play
Our gameplay expert Jon, aka AcademyofDrX, writes:
This is probably my favourite set so far. One of the reasons it's so fun to score coins is that Mario gives direct feedback. The screen and sound effects show when you're earning coins, and it's exciting to hear the trill of multiple coins. When Mario bumps into a Piranha Plant, he grimaces and groans. It's fun to succeed, and it's even fun to fail!
This set demonstrates a basic principle of not just the Mario games but many games in general: the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward. When building more challenging levels, higher scoring items or enemies should be harder to access or have a negative condition like falling in the lava. The Power Slide wouldn't be as fun if Mario didn't stop collecting coins for a while after bumping into a Piranha Plant.
Though the slide is in the centre of this set, the cart tracks could instead connect different Mario expansion sets together. Though the track is short, adding parts from an outside set like the Pirate Roller Coaster could open up some exciting possibilities.
Points
Stomping on the Goomba once and Koopa twice will yield coins each time you do so but the main way of obtaining them is by sliding back and forth on the track.
Once Mario is inside the cart he'll gather coins as you slide it from side to side. If you do so without hitting the plants at the end multipliers are applied and you're awarded 2x and then 3x points for every direction change. However, when you hit a plant, Mario will be stunned for a short period and reverts to receiving only one coin per direction change.
This means you can achieve some pretty high scores in a minute and a half, but it is very tricky to do so. This is my highest score: I didn't get a time bonus on this occasion and on subsequent attempts trying to get one I didn't get anywhere near this score on the slider.
Verdict
Unlike the expansion packs I've tried so far, this one requires a high degree of dexterity. The more you practice the better you'll get, and the more coins you'll receive. It's likely that you'll want to spend the whole of your allotted time on the slide, although it's less lucrative once you've hit a plant so it could be better to move on to something else if you do so.
I think I've just had the most fun playing with a LEGO set since I was a kid!
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27 comments on this article
Small nitpicky thing I noticed: The goomba is actually a different one than the Starter set's one. This one is less angry and the mouth is a bit more open, making him look like he's slightly confused.
Nice set! Love the piranha plants at either end of the "slide".
^^ Thanks. the difference is subtle but you're right. I've corrected the text.
The seam between the two curved pieces that make the Koopa Troopa's snout/beak looks like a completely different mouth seam. I can't stand it!
Love the premise and colors of this set, though! Albeit it is a little strange to have a grass track with Piranha Plants right next to a desert biome. But I'm not familiar with the transitions between biomes in the video game world.
I really enjoy the gaming point mechanic in the review. When I first saw these sets I just didn't see how they would be fun. My 8yo asked for it and I figured "let's try it".
The fact you have a time limit and can't endless do something to score points means you have geniune play value. Build a level and see how you can get the most points in that level in 60 seconds.
These reviews have given me the motivation to keep trying at World 1 on Mario Bros. Wii :)
Despite the PPP of all these sets, all the printing is better than stickers and I'm realising that they aren't actually bad sets
@Snazzy_Bricks said:
"These reviews have given me the motivation to keep trying at World 1 on Mario Bros. Wii :)
Despite the PPP of all these sets, all the printing is better than stickers and I'm realising that they aren't actually bad sets"
If it helps, my personal rule of thumb when it comes to PPP is "only if I'm evaluating a set as a parts pack". Otherwise it seems like an unnecessarily self-limiting and one-dimensional way of looking at a set's value or judging a set as either bad or good. LEGO sets can be more than just the amount of plastic sometimes.
I think this one is pretty good - it's actually really pretty tricky to go back and forth without whacking into a plant (and Mario will register the slightest bump) so it actually required genuine skill!
Compared to some of the other sets so far in this theme, this one has me a little torn. On the one hand, it offers a pretty novel function. On the other, unlike many of the sets it doesn't actually have any unique figures (since both the Koopa Troopa and a different Piranha Plant variety appear in the larger Guarded Fortress set as well). As such, I'm not sure which of the two sets I'd be more keen on getting—this gameplay focused set or the more visually impressive Guarded Fortress.
3rd poll option - Yes, i'm enjoying the reviews, even though i have no interest in buying the sets
i particularly like the two voices in each of these, thanks @Huw and @AcademyofDrX !
While I agree that LEGO Mario isn't for the like of us (AFOLS, mocer's etc) in the sense that we need pieces to build our mocs or builds to decorate our shelves, I can't agree more that this is a fantastic line of brilliant, fully entertaining and educational line for children. On the plus side is that it also bring the child in adults that are helping their kids master the machinations of this epic bunch of fun!
Thank you SO MUCH for continuing to review these! I don’t intend to buy ALL Mario sets since there’s so many, so these reviews help narrow which ones are priority. This one seemed boring to me at first glance and I didn’t plan on picking it up, but the review changed my mind. The sliding track seems fun, and the time block is a great booster.
@LegoSonicBoy said:
" @Snazzy_Bricks said:
"These reviews have given me the motivation to keep trying at World 1 on Mario Bros. Wii :)
Despite the PPP of all these sets, all the printing is better than stickers and I'm realising that they aren't actually bad sets"
If it helps, my personal rule of thumb when it comes to PPP is "only if I'm evaluating a set as a parts pack". Otherwise it seems like an unnecessarily self-limiting and one-dimensional way of looking at a set's value or judging a set as either bad or good. LEGO sets can be more than just the amount of plastic sometimes."
True
"He actually looks quite cute to me, so I'm not sure what Mario has against him!"
That's actually a good question, in a good portion of the games they don't even appear to be very antagonistic.
Good review! This set looks and sounds a bit more interesting than some of the others, I think.
Yikes, the color bleed on the Koopa's eye printing is bad. You'd think LEGO would have bothered to fix it by now.
"And now, kids can have the fun experience of scanning barcodes in preparation of a store clerk job in the future!"
"Also they can beat up turtles."
Day one purchase for me - it has three core villains from All Mario games, very fun - I haven't got Mario himself yet but that will be added once I get a chance...
I think the koopa is the best part and hopefully they will add koopa paratroopas and different colored shells to the character selection...
Even the goomba they can make a gloomba in a future underground set...
The gimmick looks fun, and the time block and the Basic Villains are cheapest with this set a must for any Mario fan!
@LegoSonicBoy said:
" @Snazzy_Bricks said:
"These reviews have given me the motivation to keep trying at World 1 on Mario Bros. Wii :)
Despite the PPP of all these sets, all the printing is better than stickers and I'm realising that they aren't actually bad sets"
If it helps, my personal rule of thumb when it comes to PPP is "only if I'm evaluating a set as a parts pack". Otherwise it seems like an unnecessarily self-limiting and one-dimensional way of looking at a set's value or judging a set as either bad or good. LEGO sets can be more than just the amount of plastic sometimes."
Yeah, I need to do that a lot more. My interest in the Mario line is rather on-and-off in, even PPP aside. These reviews and many of the subsequent comments do help sway my opinion, though (usually in favor of getting them, although this isn't always the case :P).
One of the interesting things with this Koopa and the one included in the Guarded Fortress is that while they have identical color schemes, they actually have different barcodes. This has implications for gameplay. You can score full points (3 coins)from a Koopa once, and on subsequent scans, you can only score 1. This reduces the value of having multiples in a course. However, having two different Koopa tiles allows you to defeat both for full coins. There are other multi-scan enemies that share barcodes - and it becomes impossible to get full points for all of them if they are used in the same, timed game.
@LegoSonicBoy said:
"The seam between the two curved pieces that make the Koopa Troopa's snout/beak looks like a completely different mouth seam. I can't stand it!"
I noticed that too! The new element 66956 would’ve made for a better nose/beak, but I think it’s hard to print on bricks with that shape. The easiest fix might be adding a 1x2 plate to offset the upper piece.
Great review! I actually found this set for $15 so I couldn’t resist and am saving it for the holidays. I love how this set incorporates a physical challenge into it to go along with the mental challenge of collecting the most coins, that of course is the key to every good video games. I’m now wondering if there are other sets in the line that incorporate physical challenges and not just cause and effect type activities. Glad I got this one!
How is collision detection with the piranha plants handled?
By the built-in accelerometer. It's hard to fool. Putting a finger in the way is not effective!
@Jedijon said:
"How is collision detection with the piranha plants handled?"
The Lego Mario figure features a gyroscope and accelerometer so that he can detect what position he's in. When he is in the roller coaster cart he scans a tile that tells him he is on a moving platform and gives him coins for accelerating and decelerating smoothly. But if he gets jostled or comes to an immediate stop (such as by hitting the Piranha Plant on either side), Mario interprets that as having failed the challenge and he gets stunned briefly and loses the coins he had been collecting.
There are moving platforms in sets like Thwomp Drop, Boomer Bill Barrage, and Bowser's Castle (among others) that work similarly. In most of those you control the platform directly by sliding or rotating it, with enemies and obstacles that can knock Mario off if you move it too much or too quickly. This one is a little unique in how Mario stands on a freely sliding platform that moves as you tilt the rail side to side.
Imo the best of the Expansion Packs. Cheap with two must have enemies and an excellent play feature!
@LegoSonicBoy said:
"Love the premise and colors of this set, though! Albeit it is a little strange to have a grass track with Piranha Plants right next to a desert biome."
I believe it's supposed to represent the vine "body" of the plant
If you don't know what Mario has against Koopas, try making him hug one the next time you play one of his games. He should be fine...right?
@LegoSonicBoy:
That's not a bad way to look at things, but a lot of AFOLs look at sets as temporary affairs, which will eventually (in most cases) be broken down, parted out, and sorted into their general collection for use in MOCs. For those people, this becomes a harder view to take.