After the reveal of the first wave of LEGO Super Mario Expansion sets and the particular introduction of the theme’s first gift-with-purchase (GWP) set in the form of the Monty Mole & Super Mushroom (40414) freebie, the Nintendo-inspired LEGO theme will also have its first polybag offering. The LEGO Super Mario Super Mushroom Surprise (30385) polybag is a free item that will be thrown into your cart once you pre-order the LEGO Super Mario Starter Course (71360) via third-party retailers particularly Zavvi.
Due to an overwhelming response from the LEGO fandom, the LEGO Super Mario Starter Course is now sold out at LEGO Shop@Home. However, if you wish to be one of the first to have their try on this first LEGO Super Mario set, then you may be glad to know that Zavvi has this set currently on sale over at their site. The caveat though is that it seems that both GWPs, set 40414 and the polybag 30385, are different freebies that LEGO opted to offer depending on where you will make your purchase of the Starter Course. The better deal, of course, is what LEGO Shop@Home offers. And since the LEGO Super Mario Starter Course is now sold out from LEGO’s official online shopping portal, those who missed out on that window of opportunity last week when LEGO launched its pre-order, have to settle for what 3rd party retailers have to offer.
Brickfinder also noted the same with LEGO Certified Stores in Singapore when the Super Mushroom Surprise (30385) polybag was advertised as its promotional freebie for the LEGO Super Mario Starter Course. Now I completely understand that it’s just a marketing decision for LEGO to offer a better promotional deal over at their turf, but from a LEGO fan’s perspective, especially if I missed that opportunity and has to settle only for a less attractive deal, then it really sucks. Just to be clear, I’m not against the idea of a polybag promo – LEGO in fact released polybags that even contained exclusive minifigs such as, for example, the LEGO Batman Classic TV Series – Mr. Freeze (30603) polybag from 2016. But again from a fan’s perspective, having two different freebies for one particular set offering, depending on where you will purchase it, sounds a bit odd and disadvantageous for a customer.
There’s no word on when the LEGO Super Mario Starter Course with its free Monty Mole & Super Mushroom (40414) set will be available again at LEGO Shop@Home. But for now, if you want to be assured of your LEGO Super Mario Starter Course when it is released in August, then you may want to check with Zavvi with its free LEGO Super Mario Super Mushroom Surprise (30385), for that matter.
Just to add, I’ve seen these in Target stores in the US for $4.99. Grabbed one last night.