"First Adult LEGO Buy: Mario Set, No Regrets"

I'm generally a practical person when it comes to spending money. I stick to essentials and occasionally indulge in a video game on sale, but rarely venture beyond that. It wasn't until last year that I even considered purchasing something as seemingly unnecessary as a LEGO set. As a kid, I loved building LEGO, but somewhere along the way, I suppose I grew out of it.

Part of the reason might be the high cost of LEGO sets. While you can find some cool sets for under $25, anything linked to popular movie or video game franchises tends to be pricier. That's why it took me a while to justify buying the LEGO Super Mario Piranha Plant. It's been on sale since October of last year for under $50, and I recently decided my desk needed a new potted plant.

The LEGO Super Mario Piranha Plant

Lowest Price: LEGO Super Mario Piranha Plant

• Includes 540 pieces and you can adjust the pose.
• $59.99 save 20% - $47.95 at Amazon
• $59.99 save 20% - $47.99 at Walmart

I first considered this set after reading IGN's review of the Piranha Plant build. Being a fan of nearly every Mario game, this set seemed the perfect way to showcase my love for the franchise. LEGO's botanical line offers some great flower sets that would look nice on my desk, but none capture the whimsical terror quite like this Piranha Plant.

My LEGO Piranha Plant

5 Images

Now that I've built the set, I'm thrilled to have it on my desk. Every glance reminds me of the Mushroom Kingdom and my little potted Piranha Plant that I've been 'cultivating' during work hours. Not only do I love the final product, but I also enjoyed the building process. I completed it in one afternoon, yet it was challenging enough to keep me engaged throughout. It's currently my only LEGO Nintendo set, but I'm tempted to add more after this experience.

See More Mario LEGO Sets

The Mighty Bowser

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Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi

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Super Mario NES

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Mario Kart Yoshi Bike

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How Much Are You Willing to Spend on a LEGO Set You Love?

As mentioned earlier, LEGO can be an expensive hobby. The company releases new sets aimed at adults with price tags often exceeding $200, tempting you to splurge on something incredible. However, unless you're rolling in cash, there's a delicate balance between treating yourself to something you love and overspending on plastic bricks.

The fact that this Mario LEGO set was under $50 made it an easy purchase for me. I spent hours building it, and seeing it on my desk brings me daily joy. Is that joy worth more than $50? Probably. But that's the amount I was comfortable spending.

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