LEGO and Nintendo have announced a new collaboration that is truly bringing the best parts of both companies to life. The new product line, LEGO Super Mario, is set to bring the iconic video game character to the real world in a unique, interactive way that looks like the sort of thing many of us merely wish we could have enjoyed when we were kids. Especially when seeing a couple of kids put the new toys to use in a trailer released previewing what's to come.

As we can see in the trailer, LEGO Super Mario will be utilizing LEGO sets and a Mario figure to build Super Mario levels in the real world that can be played like levels in the game. The Mario figure collects coins, has a timer and can be hurt by factors within the environment.

Many staples of the video game series are there, such as Bowser, Yoshi and the flag signaling the player has reached the end of the level. The video even opens up with the Mario theme being played with the sounds of bricks snapping together. Julia Goldin, Chief Marketing Officer, EVP of the LEGO Group, had this to say in a statement.

"We are very excited to bring Mario into the physical world through interactive and social LEGO play. With this experience we will help millions of kids with love for Mario to engage and play in a completely new way, where they are in control of creating and playing games with their favourite character. By seamlessly incorporating the latest digital technology, LEGO Super Mario is a highly social, interactive and collaborative experience for kids."

This feels like a brilliantly inventive way to marry the two iconic brands together. Perhaps the most surprising thing is that nobody thought to do this sooner. Takashi Tezuka, Executive Officer and Game Producer of Nintendo Co., Ltd.

"I have always liked LEGO products and how they help children use their imagination to play. The new product we created together with the LEGO Group seeks to combine two different styles of play, one where you freely build the world of Mario and the other where you play with Mario in the very world that you have created."

There is no word yet on when, specifically, LEGO Super Mario will be making its way to stores. The companies simply said, for now, that the sets will be arriving later this year. It's not been made clear how many sets will be available, or how many sets one will need to purchase to recreate the fun seen in the video.

LEGO, as much as it is a toy brand for kids, has also capitalized a lot on the adult market in recent years. With that, many of the sets have become quite expensive. One can hope that, since this is aimed at the younger generation, the sets won't be too prohibitively expensive. Be sure to check out the LEGO Super Mario trailer for yourself below. This news comes to us via LEGO.com.

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