We are rapidly running out of LEGO Super Mario expansion sets to look at (you will be glad to hear). With only 2 regular sets (as well as the power up suits) to go, today we come to 71377 King Boo and the Haunted Yard. With 431 parts, and costing 49,99 USD/EUR- $AUD 69.99, it offers an interesting play feature, a chance to take on the ghost King Boo, and explore the graveyard. Who knows what treasures are hidden within. Actually, is it a graveyard? I just presumed it was, but looking back at it, I don’t see any actual graves.

This is one if the few sets laid out to be almost an independent cul-de-sac, compared with other expansions. Unlike most of the other sets that we have it runs a little off the grid – with nodes heading off at various angles towards the edges.

The box again portrays the contents on the front – highlighting the need to purchase the Super Mario Starter Set. On the back is an example course including elements from the starter course as well as this set. It also highlights the scannable elements present in the set.

The Elements.

By the time you are reading this, New elementary have published some excellent guides to the new elements as well as the recolours included in this theme. To go through and say these elements are new or not feels a little redundant. So, today I’ll approach the elements a little differently, and display them with the aspects of the landscape and characters that they go with.

Landscape:

We build up this set according to the landscape elements.

We start with the front gates to the haunted yard: suitably imposing, with Goombas standing guard over them. Compared with the others sets in the theme, the colours here are far more subdued: greys and dark orange, rather than bright primary colours.

We see more of the square plates with rounded corners: dark orange, reddish brown, and medium stone grey. Otherwise 2×8 and 2×12 dark tan plates to join the elements of the expansion set together.

These gates appear suitably official, although the Goombas standing guard perhaps detract from the feeling of ceremony you might take from them.

We also build a small landscape node with a flipping web – revealing a hidden coin tile to scan.

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The small towers and grounds.

We build up two towers, which are easily constructed thanks to the 1x2x5 bricks adding rapid height. They are capped off by 3×3 corner slopes in black, with small black spires added.

The towers are connected to dark orange landscape nodes using the A-frams connector: taking this aspect of the build off the standard grid, which characterises the Mario theme.

Attached to these towers are different parts of landscape: on one, there is a tree, easily knocked down to reveal a coin code to scan underneath.

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The other side is a little more desolate – with just a few weeds. The plant elements in black will have some handy uses in the future, I am sure.

The next bag presents us with elements to start building up out main tower. It features some internal gearing, attached to rods coming out either side.

We have a bevy of bats later which will attach to these, and their rotation drives a worm gear. There is also a superstar power brick which is built into the roof of this tower. Unfortunately, it is not accessible until the King Boo – who is situated on top of the tower is ejected. There is a rod which can be pushed from side to side: this engages some additional gearing, essentially making it essential to repeatedly hit the bats, rather than have them easily run on after a couple of hits (the video below will demonstrate this.

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Characters

King Boo

The titular King boo is exclusive to this aet. As king of the ghosts, he can be hard to defeat. It is certainly easier if you have the POW brick, or star power activated. Otherwise he takes 6 scans to defeat. If note with his elements are the 6×6 printed tile, with his laughing face, and the golden crown, held in place by a bar withal on the end – appearing for the first time in Bright Red.

King Boo is mounted on a bar with teeth on it, which engages with the worm gear built into the peak of the tower.

Boo has a tile to scan, located on his very bottom: you will have to knock him over in order to get proper access to it! It will take 6 scans for Mario to defeat Boo – and earn 12 coins, although if he has Star Power, he can do it in one, and earn double points – that’s 24 points with a single scan!

Goombas

The Goombas appear in Bag 2, along with the gate way to the hauinted yard. We have met these creatures several times before, and these ones have the same faceprint as many of the others throughout the series (with the exception of the one seen in 71367 Mario’s House and Yoshi.)

There is not a lot more to say about them, which we haven’t said before: single scan, single coin.

The Bats

There are four bats, flying around king boo around the tower: they bring a bit of interesting colour to this set – adding blue, violet, medium Azur, red and yellow!

I love the printed ‘eyebrows’ on the onset tile: it just makes the face look somewhat mischievous.

Again – each scan results in Mario gaining a coin. However, with repeated strikes on the bats, Mario can start to earn bonus coins with a multiplier effect. As I mentioned, the tower has a gear function, which can make it easy to eject King Boo from the top, or harder: requiring many more strikes: the latter is time consuming, but results in many more coins being earned.

Power Bricks:

There are two different bonus tiles to scan in this set:

There are a couple of coin tiles, hidden in the graveyard: in the tree, or under the web on the ground. They both scan for 5 coins. But Mario can only collect the coins for one in an individual game.

There is also a Star Power Block – also seen in Mario’s House and Yoshi, this gives Mario invincibility, as well as the ability for Mario to defeat other ghosts such as Peepa from the collectable figures series. Star power allows Mario to defeat King Boo with one scan, and slap delivers double points when a character is defeated. It also prevents Mario from being stunned for a few seconds if knocked over.

The star power block in this set is hidden underneath King boo, who must be dislodged from the tower (by striking the bats) to allow Mario to reach it.

Putting it together:

The whole expansion set goes together to make a fairly striking layout. It appears far more organic than the other expansions, thanks to the angled plates.

Adding in the starting pipe, and the goal tile, we can take a quick run through of the course…

This is another interesting, goal directed expansion set for LEGO Super Mario. The mechanisms and bonuses are fun to activate, although it is disappointing that the 5 coin bonus tiles are identical – as the game will only allow that sticker to be scanned once during the game. I would love to see how the handle/wormgear mechanism might be adapted for other heroes/villains in other scenarios. I also love the simplicity of the trap door. If you are looking for a star power brick, you have the option of this set, or 71365 Mario’s House and Yoshi. If you are after some simplistic castle elements, it is also quite useful.

What do you think of this level? an interesting curiosity, or an exciting adventure?

Why not leave your comments below, and until Next time…

Play Well.

This set was provided by LEGO For review purposes. All opinions are my own.