Super Mario Bros ERTL toyline 1993

[billbot85]

Hi everyone,

I wanted to make a thread to discuss the toyline that was made for the Super Mario Bros Movie made in 1993. The film was released in theaters on Memorial Day weekend back in May, 1993. As we all know, the film did poorly at the box office and was mainly panned by critics. Despite this, the movie has been witnessing a small comeback for its 20th Anniversary, and has been screened in some movie theaters as part of the celebration. I post a lot on a forum that has put a ton of work into researching the film and why it didn't pan out the way it was originally supposed to. If you are interested, check it out here at www.smbmovie.com.

I wanted to discuss the toys that were made for the movie. ERTL produced 6 figures: Mario, Luigi, Koopa, Iggy, Spike, and a Goomba figure. In addition, there was a Devo Chamber Playset and a Crash Action Police Car set. There were also a 12 inch Talking Mario and Luigi doll, a Devo Gun, and a Walkie-Talkie set. Due to film bombing at the box office, all of these toys are very rare. The most common toys you will find on ebay are the 6 action figures. I own the whole toyline except for the Devo Gun and Walkie-Talkies.

Did anyone here have these toys as a kid or collect them now? Does anyone remember seeing them in the toy stores back in '93? Also, does anyone remember the commercials advertising these toys? Here is one that I uploaded here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jfq2Cp1-zcc

I am still looking for the commercial that advertised the police car toy, but have had no luck. Anyway, what do you think of these toys? Discuss

[Sword Slicin' Leo]

yeah the movie sucked, but i liked the mario and luigi figures...they are they only 2 i bothered getting

[Brodie]

I had the Luigi figure. I had traded a Batman animated figure for it. I left it on my lunch tray and dumped my tray at the end of lunch. Shortest lived action figure acquisition ever.

[Zulithe]

As many toys as I had from that period, those were not among them. I would have loved to have them though. Yeah, I actually liked the movie as a kid It may not be a good adaptation of Mario Bros but I still really admire what they were going for. Has some classic moments in it, too.

[snake]

That movie was terrible

The toys look decent at least.

[Candy Kappa]

Looks like a nice way of getting some human goons for the vintage TMNT figures to fight

[Eiko]

My sister had the Mario toys. She use to love Mario Bro's

[bebopcello]

I loved the Mario movie when I was little, and I still think its a lot of fun now. I currently have all the figures they made, and I had most of them when they were new too - though I sold them in the meantime. I bought the whole set again this year, partly because its the film's 20th anniversary as you say, billbot85. I definitely remember buying them as a kid, although I think part of the reason I was able to afford them was that they were being sold off fairly cheaply.

IMG_20130716_104221.jpg

These are the figures themselves, with the 'Devo Chamber' set, I think it is. There are actually little red missiles in the yellow pipes, which have faces on them - a reference to the Bullet Bill enemies in the games. I love that even the toys have the same kind of oblique references to the games that the movie did. I don't know if I'll try to collect any more Super Mario Bros stuff, but then there isn't that much to look for sadly.
I don't remember seeing any commercials for the toys at the time at all, that's a great one you uploaded there billbot85, thanks!

[billbot85]

Originally Posted by bebopcello

I loved the Mario movie when I was little, and I still think its a lot of fun now. I currently have all the figures they made, and I had most of them when they were new too - though I sold them in the meantime. I bought the whole set again this year, partly because its the film's 20th anniversary as you say, billbot85. I definitely remember buying them as a kid, although I think part of the reason I was able to afford them was that they were being sold off fairly cheaply.

Attachment 5250

These are the figures themselves, with the 'Devo Chamber' set, I think it is. There are actually little red missiles in the yellow pipes, which have faces on them - a reference to the Bullet Bill enemies in the games. I love that even the toys have the same kind of oblique references to the games that the movie did. I don't know if I'll try to collect any more Super Mario Bros stuff, but then there isn't that much to look for sadly.
I don't remember seeing any commercials for the toys at the time at all, that's a great one you uploaded there billbot85, thanks!

Thanks for uploading this photo of your collection! I'm glad we got a few fans of the movie and toys on here. I have the Devo Chamber as well (2 actually), and it's an awesome playset. I love the Special Edition Lizard head goomba that it comes with, and the missiles with the Bullet Bill faces are awesome too. If you are interested, you can sign up on www.smbmovie.com and join our forums to discuss things you love about the movie, and check out all the cool info we have on it. It's a small community, but we are always happy when we get new members.

[Discogod]

I had the police car from this line, which was one of my earliest customizing projects - I turned it into a pretty accurate NYPD cruiser to use with my figure displays.

[billbot85]

Originally Posted by Discogod

I had the police car from this line, which was one of my earliest customizing projects - I turned it into a pretty accurate NYPD cruiser to use with my figure displays.

Oh wow, that is awesome!!! Do you have any photos of the custom? I'd loive to see them.

The Police Car is my favorite toy from this toyline, and is one of the hardest toys to get. There was one on ebay that sold for over $200!!

You can see it here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/181188638993...84.m1423.l2649

[miru]

The movie was such a Faliure, it wouldn't have mattered of King Bumi Syndrome (making a significantly less popular male instead of a female in a toy line, see this link: http://tehfreshflameofplush.blogspot...drome.html?m=1) sunk it's icy claws into the toys.

[billbot85]

Originally Posted by miru

The movie was such a Faliure, it wouldn't have mattered of King Bumi Syndrome (making a significantly less popular male instead of a female in a toy line, see this link: http://tehfreshflameofplush.blogspot...drome.html?m=1) sunk it's icy claws into the toys.

You bring up a very interesting point. I had never heard of King Bumo Syndrome, but it totally makes sense. Fans of the film on smbmovie.com have discussed that a Princess Daisy figure should've been made. Had the movie become more successful, who knows what other toys ERTL could've made to add to the line. I had always wished that they made a Dinohattan Cop figure, or even a Toad figure (regular or goomba form).

[Discogod]

Originally Posted by billbot85

Oh wow, that is awesome!!! Do you have any photos of the custom? I'd loive to see them.

The Police Car is my favorite toy from this toyline, and is one of the hardest toys to get. There was one on ebay that sold for over $200!!

You can see it here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/181188638993...84.m1423.l2649

Nah, it was almost 20 years ago! All I did was paint some details and make new rear doors, as well as replacing the lights with a more accurate light bar with LEDs (from a model railway kit). I was only 13, so it was all fairly crude stuff...

[Rare]

Does anyone out thier know were i can purchase one at please contact me

[Etsyturtle2]

Love mario. Love the movie. Want the toys. 'Nuff said

[HallamSpaceCadet]

I will always remember being on holiday when the film came out, we went to the cinema to see Jurassic Park and it was full so we had to see Super Mario Bros instead.....LOVED IT! But the fact I was 5 probably disqualified me from providing any type of accurate review. Watching it now I would probably disagree with 1993 me.

[Pollyparrot]

I like stylized stuff like those Mega Man game box art pictures. So movie Mario is cool to me. The movie was bad, but still watchable to me. I had some of the figures years ago. I bought them at Toys R Us.

[Powder]

Mega Man, huh? Taking the piss?

[Pollyparrot]

Originally Posted by Powder

Mega Man, huh? Taking the piss?

Yeah I like Mega Man. I was thinking we could hang out at Chuck E Cheese. I will buy the pizza. Then we could go see what's new at Toys R Us.