Another in our series of smaller expansion set reviews, Whomp’s Lava Trouble features 133 elements, a sliding bridge, new opponents and a new power up. All on Mario’s least favourite surface to step on: Lava! It will be released on August 1st 2020. A smaller set, with only 133 pieces, and costs $/€19,99 USD/EUR; $AU29.99/$NZ34.99. For a relatively small set, it offers some great features.

As has been the norm with this theme, the front of the box demonstrates the contents of the box, with a translucent Mario to demonstrate that he is not in included in the set.

The back of the box demonstrates a simple layout, involving this set, as well as elements of 71360, Adventures with Mario – the starter set. It also shows the scannable elements in the set: Whomp, a podoboo – lava creature, the ‘P’ switch and the sliding elements.

The first bag contains the elements for Whomp, a large slab like creature. He isn’t subtle, or particularly details, but does have a 1x6x5 printed panel with his angry face. He has inverted tiles on the back of his hands.

the second bag contains the elements for the slider bridge: including a 4×4 rounded corner tile in medium nougat as well as 4×4 plates in medium stone grey, as well as red. there is also a 6×6 red plates, and many dark stone grey plates, slopes, as well as a couple of brackets. There is a delightful yellow tile with 2 eyes printed on it, as well. We have a shell element, previously seen with Koopa in the Piranha Plant Power Slide Expansion Set.

Landscape elements.

There are three components to the landscape built up for this set:

First, we have the Lava bridge. this features two small grey towers, with a long red plate in between them. there is a sliding platform which you can stand Mario on, and slide him between the two ends of the bridge. The platform is only present as a tile, so be careful that Mario doesn’t fall!

There is a 6×6 lava node, with a rotating mediumgrey plate, featuring the green shell, suspended in the air. A podoboo, or lava bubble sits in wait here too.

Another 6×6 node provides a place for whomp. He stands with his feet on a couple of 2×2 offset plates, so he has some, but not too much clutch power on the base. Between his feet, we place the P-Block. More on that shortly: but Mario cannot access it until he defeats Whomp.

Characters.

this set features Whomp – an angry grey slab, and a podoboo: a lava bubble.

Mario needs to scan on Whomp 6 times, to defeat him, yielding 6 coins. Podoboo is defeated with one scan giving one coin.

Power Ups

This is the only appearance off the P-Block at present in the Super Mario sets. When Mario scans the code, he stars a happy tune, and a picture of the pushed button on his chest. The tune plays for about 12 seconds and, during this time, Mario gains a coin for every three steps that he takes. This is roughly 2-3 times more than he might normally earn for walking along.

When P-mode is finished, he returns to playing the normal music as he walks along.

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Action brick.

The other action brick is a slider brick, similar to that seen in the Toad’s Treasure hunt, and the Piranha Plant Power Slide. Mario earns coins for standing on the platform and riding along, but earns additional coin when the platform changes direction. After multiple direction changes, a score multiplier is applied. But if Mario falls, he becomes stunned, and is unable to score until he wakes up. Of course, Mario could walk across the lava bridge, but it is his least favourite surface to walk on. If he says on it for too long, he gets quite anxious. Best he rides on the slider I think!

However you ride it, it provides a fun addition to a layout, especially if you don’t have Toad’s Treasure hunt for the same element.

At 19,99 USD/EUR – $AU29.99/$NZ34.99, it is one of the cheapest expansion sets available on Launch day. On the whole, this is one of my favourite smaller sets: the Whomp is high scoring, and the P block provides another interesting addition to game play:

What do you think of this expansion? Why not leave your comments below, and until next time,

Play Well.

This set was provided by the LEGO group for Review Purposes. All opinions are my own