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| The expanding My Mario collection gives parents a great mix of screen-free toys and managed screen-time apps. |
By Jon Scarr
Nintendo has expanded the My Mario line, bringing a new wave of preschool apps and My Mario toys to market. The best additions are a free Hello, Yoshi! app across smart devices, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, plus three wooden block sets that double as functioning amiibo.
We covered the My Mario rollout during the early retail sightings back in January, and this update brings some clever ideas, specifically ones that give parents a clear out. My wife and I named our son Mario after Super Mario, so our house is fully invested in this kind of crossover gear.
A Free Yoshi App Built Around Managing Screen Time
Following up on the original Hello, Mario app, Nintendo launched Hello, Yoshi! as a free download. It is available on compatible smart devices, the original Nintendo Switch, and the Nintendo Switch 2 through the eShop. The app lets kids grab, spin, and mess around with Yoshi's face to trigger goofy animations.
What makes it interesting from a parent's perspective is how it handles pacing. After a few minutes of play, Yoshi falls fast asleep to create a built-in stopping point. My wife Juli is a special education teacher, and we both know how hard it is to pry a screen away from a toddler. Having the game fall asleep first is a massive win. You just point to the screen and say Yoshi needs a nap, and the argument is over.
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| The Hello, Yoshi! app gives kids a direct way to poke, stretch, and play with Yoshi before he eventually takes a nap to signal the end of screen time. |
Wooden My Mario Toys That Work as Amiibo Figures
The physical side of the collection gets three new wooden block sets. Peach, Yoshi, and Luigi each get their own three-piece set built from beech hardwood. These pieces also come packed into the larger 30-piece Mario and Friends set.
The coolest part is that the Peach, Yoshi, and Luigi blocks actually function as Super Mario amiibo figures. You just tap them into any compatible game. I love multi-purpose toys. It bridges the gap between a toddler's physical block and the games they watch you play on the TV.
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| The wooden block sets are a great way to bring the Mushroom Kingdom into early physical play before the kids are ready to hold a controller. |
New My Mario Board Books and Stop Motion Shorts
If you prefer physical media, Penguin Random House published a new Hello, Mario! board book. It features interactive pull tabs that let kids physically change the pages. You make Mario spin his eyes or take off his hat.
My kids are older now, but I'd have bought this instantly a few years ago. Episode 7 of the It's Me, Mario stop motion series also went live. It streams on the My Mario website or the Play Nintendo YouTube channel. It's a fun, low-stakes watch that serves as a perfect quick distraction before dinner.
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